The return of the Pressley who thinks he is a Football Manager

If Bowyer suddenly left, and I had the choice of Parky or MCCall, definitely Parky for me.

McCall had one good season with us in league 1, and he inherited most of his squad from Parky. He did nothing with us in league 2, contrast that to promotion under Parky

No cup runs under McCall, do not need to document the two fabulous cup runs under Parky in comparison, plus the never to be forgotten night against Leeds

As much as I love McCall for his legendary playing career with us, I doubt you would be so dewy eyed about him as a manager, if he had not attained that status as a player with us

 

I would take McCall without hesitation, Parky however can do one.

I preferred watching McCall's team, it was pretty succesful in the league, and got further than Parky's team did in the same division.
football's an entertainment industry and Parky doesn't know the meaning of the word. his 'football' I use that term loosely, deserves to be in the 1970's, and in history where it belongs.

 

I respect your opinion. But I will remember the memories from Parky's reign far more fondly than McCalls

 

I respect that he got us out of league two, and delivered the greatest fa cup shock of all time although it could be argued he nearly bottled that league season with a collapse when we should have been top 3.

But for that achievement I wouldn’t take him back, and I am very glad he is no longer our manager.

 

Is that the history of Bradford City getting to a Wembley Final twice in a single season, the first appearance actually did make history as the only league two side to get to the final, then 12th in the league and 14 points behind Exeter (after they kicked our arses down there 4 - 1) going on a 9 game run to get us to the second Wembley appearance where we blew Northampton away in the first 30 minutes coasted enjoying the occasion.
Then that other game that went down in history beating the the eventual Premiership Champions with 87 points undefeated at Stamford Bridge and only losing 3 league games all season.
Come on mate Stuart will always be held in very high esteem with regards his playing career at the club but to hold his Bradford City managerial career against Phil Parkinson's I'm afraid it doesn't compare.

 

Whether you would have him back or not, I am sure you agree then that Parky gave us far more memorable moments than McCall did as a manager?

 

Parky was granted far longer than Stuart McCall was. And Parky somehow survived worse runs than McCall was unfairly sacked for.

 

McCall worked miracles considering he had that monkey Rahic on his shoulder. Parky chose to leave rather than work with him. So decide who had the most difficult task.

 

McCall was out of a job and decided to work with Rahic at his beloved Bradford City, whereas Parkinson had put 5 seasons of hard work into where we were and was prepared to leave rather than allow Rahic any interference in football matters.
Stuart had nothing to lose Parkinson had everything to lose as we have seen with the Bolton fiasco.

 

McCall knew what he was getting into

 

I agree with @Ricc that Stuart was unfairly sacked and should never have left the club.

Part of me hopes he gets a third stint, though maybe in another 5-10 years as opposed to imminently - and only if he achieves some level of success elsewhere.

Having said that, the idiotic Rahic regime aside, it isn't a debate that Parkinson is the better manager with a far superior track record, and their respective accomplishments at Bradford City don't compare. Ricc's just stuck on a stubborn non-argument

 

Has SM been linked with any jobs over the close season?

 

All this talk about dark age style stuff is exaggerated anyway.

Yes, McArdle esp liked a hoof to Hanson, but any fan telling me they didn’t enjoy Wells and Hanson linking up is lying.

We did have Reid and Morais who excited on the wings. We played to our strengths and didn’t only play long ball. But when you have one of the best target men in the division up top, you give him service.

Thought McCall did wonders in his second spell given the constraints, but it’d be Parky every time for me, given the choice.

 

as well as Stuart did (2nd time round) his way of playing was better I agree but for the most parts it was boring. It was passing just to pass without getting anywhere - like Northern said it was tedious. I love Stuart as a player but I didn't take to him as a manager, his football was stat football - % play.

I wouldn't want Stuart back for a 3rd time and to be honest I'm not convinced that Parky would do as well a 2nd time round but I prefer to look forward rather than behind.

 

Agree but if it was to happen it would be some acheivment .

 

Stuart McCall's style of play was tedious?

oh but hoofing it down the line to try and win a throw in in opposition territory for 90 minutes is scintillating stuff!

 

I mostly loved Stuart's team the season he got us to the playoff final. Some of the passing interchanges between Law, Cullen, Clark and Meredith were pretty stunning to see in L1. But there were times it descended into tedium. A bit like Spain in the last world cup - Tika taka-ed teams to death but couldn't score. There were often endless little triangles out on the wing, going knowhere, when it was crying out for a ball into the box for Wyke. Only the most blinkered SM fan wouldn't acknowledge that.

Likewise, Parky's tactics could be a tough watch at times. But when he got it right we could be scintillating. Northampton at Wembley, the away semi, and my favourite football match of all time - Chelsea away. There were periods when we were ripping teams apart under PP. Only the most blinkered Parky hater wouldn't acknowledge that.

 

or, alternatively, only people with some strange obsession with picking fault with Stuart McCall would say his play amounted to tedium and call Parky's school of John Beck style of hoofball scintillating.

 

Could you be any more one-eyed?
I said I mostly loved SM's team, which produced some stunning football,but sometimes lapsed into tedium.
Likewise I acknowledged that Parky's football was often tough to watch but could, at times, be scintillating.
It's not me who lacks the balance.

 

It was tedious.

Parky played to our strengths and it worked. We didn't hoof for throw ins we hoofed to attack. Like someone else said we could play too and in the end it all worked.