Should I(E) stay or should I(E) go?

[TANGODANCER]

In my opinion (of course) as a God-fearing Christian, the Good Lord doesn't do football. He has too much on his plate with evil, wars, crime, drug and drink problems to concentrate on sport. He doesn't do bad either, only good, so no use blaming him for losing games. Best to keep religion where it belongs, and it's a personal and private thing, even for Ian Evatt. Amen..

[BWFC_Insane]

Nobody associated with the football club is happy right now.

I wouldn’t expect them to be. That’s not in doubt and I suspect the board are saying we simply have to go up. Financially last season promotion really was imperative and in not doing it next season becomes massively pressurised from the off and of course likely that relatively our side is far weaker. Next season is all about pressure. Massive pressure on whoever the manager is to deliver consistent over performance week in week out. Under pressure.

We all know the standards needed. And absolutely next season those results against Wigan, Blackpool, Carlisle, Reading and against the top 6 sides etc can’t be brushed off. Those are games where it will be absolute must wins if we are to reach the standards and these games will be frequent and failure won’t be ‘ well it’s one game’ anymore because we all know that’s not the reality.

[BWFC_Insane]

We had. Strong start last season. I wouldn’t be suckered in by a start. It’s when the real tests come round and the pressure cranks up. That’s when we will find out. Rotherham away mid November for example would be the sort of ‘yeah this will tell us which way it’s going ‘.

[Worthy4England]

Nobody associated with the football club is happy right now.

I wouldn’t expect them to be. That’s not in doubt and I suspect the board are saying we simply have to go up. Financially last season promotion really was imperative and in not doing it next season becomes massively pressurised from the off and of course likely that relatively our side is far weaker. Next season is all about pressure. Massive pressure on whoever the manager is to deliver consistent over performance week in week out. Under pressure.

We all know the standards needed. And absolutely next season those results against Wigan, Blackpool, Carlisle, Reading and against the top 6 sides etc can’t be brushed off. Those are games where it will be absolute must wins if we are to reach the standards and these games will be frequent and failure won’t be ‘ well it’s one game’ anymore because we all know that’s not the reality.

Aye and there's your hair trigger, in that last sentence. Which is why I think he needs to go and someone else gets a chance. I'm sure there will be plenty (well maybe 50%) saying of course you can lose one - which is absolutely true - but if we got Wigan at home in the first fixture (for example) and it was like last years game, he's a gonner, right there, because he isn't going to get the leeway.

I think we were pretty reasonable on here last season, there were people who thought we didn't do well enough, first season back, Next year will be 4th.

[BWFC_Insane]

Nobody associated with the football club is happy right now.

I wouldn’t expect them to be. That’s not in doubt and I suspect the board are saying we simply have to go up. Financially last season promotion really was imperative and in not doing it next season becomes massively pressurised from the off and of course likely that relatively our side is far weaker. Next season is all about pressure. Massive pressure on whoever the manager is to deliver consistent over performance week in week out. Under pressure.

We all know the standards needed. And absolutely next season those results against Wigan, Blackpool, Carlisle, Reading and against the top 6 sides etc can’t be brushed off. Those are games where it will be absolute must wins if we are to reach the standards and these games will be frequent and failure won’t be ‘ well it’s one game’ anymore because we all know that’s not the reality.

Aye and there's your hair trigger, in that last sentence. Which is why I think he needs to go and someone else gets a chance. I'm sure there will be plenty (well maybe 50%) saying of course you can lose one - which is absolutely true - but if we got Wigan at home in the first fixture (for example) and it was like last years game, he's a gonner, right there, because he isn't going to get the leeway.

I think we were pretty reasonable on here last season, there were people who thought we didn't do well enough, first season back, Next year will be 4th.

Yeah that’s my view. We can win the first 5 in a row but then lose in the wrong way to the wrong side and we know that nothing has changed.

I have zero enthusiasm or hope for next season if Evatt is here and that’s my main reason to want a change. There are times when as frustrating as it is you deep down know the manager is going to take you forward. With Evatt I simply don’t feel that and I think a new manager is about the only thing right now that might seriously pique my interest in thinking about another season in this league and offering some hope.

[Prufrock]

I do think the points required will be less next year. It's not like last season where there were 3 outstanding teams, then a decent group and then the dregs. There will be 8 or do teams who will genuinely think they can win it and will all take points off each other, and then those decent teams and much less dross.

Which on the one hand means you can afford a similar number of losses to this year, but obviously it's much harder to get the same (and maybe one more needed for top 2) wins.

And also means it's much easier to lose a game early on when we need a flying start or it gets ugly.

Going to bumpy for a while.

[Worthy4England]

Tangent - IE is currently 7/2 third favourite for the Birmingham job...

[GhostoftheBok]

I do think the points required will be less next year. It's not like last season where there were 3 outstanding teams, then a decent group and then the dregs. There will be 8 or do teams who will genuinely think they can win it and will all take points off each other, and then those decent teams and much less dross.

Which on the one hand means you can afford a similar number of losses to this year, but obviously it's much harder to get the same (and maybe one more needed for top 2) wins.

And also means it's much easier to lose a game early on when we need a flying start or it gets ugly.

Going to bumpy for a while.

Herein lies the rub.

If Evatt doesn't fly out of the blocks to the top the table and stay there then it'll be "off with his head" from a decent section.

However, if the club sticks with him this summer they really need to commit to a season of his leadership - bar a true travesty.

This is why we need some kind of comms about Evatt's plan to get us out of the division next season. It doesn't need to be a "vote of confidence", there are loads of ways the board or manager can show exactly who is in charge next season to get that settled. Get a signing through the door and have Evatt talk about his plans for that player. Talk about the relaid pitch and how much it will benefit his team at home. Something to commit himself to.

Once it is settled, you back your horse.

The aim going in has to be 2PPG. The aim during the season has to be touching distance of the autos at all times, allowing at least 12-15 games before reacting to anything either way.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Tangent - IE is currently 7/2 third favourite for the Birmingham job...

Interesting link.

Job very suited for him in that they should really win the league this season - good players, money, big club, room to grow.

Job very not suited for him in that it’s been a very unstable club - revolving managerial door, boardroom chaos, entitled fans.

[GhostoftheBok]

Tangent - IE is currently 7/2 third favourite for the Birmingham job...

Which he would probably take if offered.

He's no longer "unsackable" at Bolton and we're no longer his guaranteed vehicle to the Premier League.

If he's going then us getting paid is nice.

[GhostoftheBok]

Job very not suited for him in that it’s been a very unstable club - revolving managerial door, boardroom chaos, entitled fans.

Is he at more risk there than he would be here?

A week ago yes. I'd suggest not now.

[TANGODANCER]

As last season ended, we (with 84 points) looked cast iron favourites to go up, being 10 points better than Oxford (77)with Posh just three points behind us and Barnsley,76 Lincoln 74 and Stevenage 71 next in attendance. Instead, Oxford upset the form book and kicked a few asses. Just how any of it will affect the future depends on many things, but effectively, we should be able to be up amongst the front runners again if we accept a few simple facts. Every one of them (managers) will now know "how to beat Bolton" unless we shuffle our deck and learn to be more flexible, ie learn to play horses for courses. The best Grand National horse will never win The Derby, and vice-versa simply or Usein Bolt won't win the London Marathon. You don't have to be an expert to see why. We need plans A,B,C,D,E. Surely even Iann Evatt can see this?

[Worthy4England]

Job very not suited for him in that it’s been a very unstable club - revolving managerial door, boardroom chaos, entitled fans.

Is he at more risk there than he would be here?

A week ago yes. I'd suggest not now.

You could probably add to the reasons to consider it side - honeymoon period, promise of attractive football with a chance on just missing out on promotion...

The entitled fans thing, any Club that's spent most of their history in the top Division is going to have plenty that think that's where they should be (irrespective of "money" ) - Of the top 20 teams all time league, only one team, I think, will be outside the top 2 Divisions, next season

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Oh sure, on “entitled fans” that’s a cross in both boxes

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Herein lies the rub.

If Evatt doesn't fly out of the blocks to the top the table and stay there then it'll be "off with his head" from a decent section.

However, if the club sticks with him this summer they really need to commit to a season of his leadership - bar a true travesty.

This is why we need some kind of comms about Evatt's plan to get us out of the division next season. It doesn't need to be a "vote of confidence", there are loads of ways the board or manager can show exactly who is in charge next season to get that settled. Get a signing through the door and have Evatt talk about his plans for that player. Talk about the relaid pitch and how much it will benefit his team at home. Something to commit himself to.

Once it is settled, you back your horse.

The aim going in has to be 2PPG. The aim during the season has to be touching distance of the autos at all times, allowing at least 12-15 games before reacting to anything either way.

I suspect the noise will de deafening before the first ball is kicked if a significant number of the issues identified by fans are not deemed to have been dealt with sufficiently. I mean, if we don't see at least 1 exciting signing at WB, or someone to challenge Sheehan I think he'll be in trouble before the season even starts.

[Prufrock]

Job very not suited for him in that it’s been a very unstable club - revolving managerial door, boardroom chaos, entitled fans.

Is he at more risk there than he would be here?

A week ago yes. I'd suggest not now.

Yup, either way no promotion probably means the sack. Would be a bigger payout too.

I've always thought he was smart in hanging on for us. If you want to go top to bottom as a manager I think you want to do it in as few job changes as possible. It's always a risk going somewhere new. Up to now I think that's a big part of why we've been able to keep him. But it feels shit or bust here now, so he might think worth rolling the dice with what will presumably be a chunky budget.

It he goes there and then comes back to pay decent sums for some of the current lot it could be win win!

[Worthy4England]

I do think the points required will be less next year. It's not like last season where there were 3 outstanding teams, then a decent group and then the dregs. There will be 8 or do teams who will genuinely think they can win it and will all take points off each other, and then those decent teams and much less dross.

Which on the one hand means you can afford a similar number of losses to this year, but obviously it's much harder to get the same (and maybe one more needed for top 2) wins.

And also means it's much easier to lose a game early on when we need a flying start or it gets ugly.

Going to bumpy for a while.

Herein lies the rub.

If Evatt doesn't fly out of the blocks to the top the table and stay there then it'll be "off with his head" from a decent section.

However, if the club sticks with him this summer they really need to commit to a season of his leadership - bar a true travesty.

This is why we need some kind of comms about Evatt's plan to get us out of the division next season. It doesn't need to be a "vote of confidence", there are loads of ways the board or manager can show exactly who is in charge next season to get that settled. Get a signing through the door and have Evatt talk about his plans for that player. Talk about the relaid pitch and how much it will benefit his team at home. Something to commit himself to.

Once it is settled, you back your horse.

The aim going in has to be 2PPG. The aim during the season has to be touching distance of the autos at all times, allowing at least 12-15 games before reacting to anything either way.

Not for me 12-15 games, that was this year - I'll be reacting before then. We were in touch with the autos, mathematically until the last game (albeit that would have taken a chunk of results to drop in our favour)

[GhostoftheBok]

Not for me 12-15 games, that was this year - I'll be reacting before then.

I'm sure. If the board feel the same way they should ask him to go now.

[Worthy4England]

Not for me 12-15 games, that was this year - I'll be reacting before then.

I'm sure. If the board feel the same way they should ask him to go now.

Oh I'm sure they don't care much what my view is - their pick to make. Just saying from my perspective, he doesn't have 12-15 games next season.

[BWFC_Insane]

The idea you stick with Evatt for a whole season unless it’s ‘disastrous’ doesn’t make sense. Sunderland sacked Johnson, think they were third and went up.

Buckingham came in December and went up.

There are loads of examples of changing managers mid way through.

Evatt imo should be gone by now. But if we are off the pace after ten games it then isn’t a choice. He has to go.