A Novel affair. Home to Mansfield Town Tues 3rd Dec. 1945

[BWFC_Insane]

If Evatt said "I don't trust players, I really don't" I'd bet my scrotal sack that this place would be aflame with "he's lost the dressing room", "he's got to go" &c &c. As I say it's a high-risk ploy, best only employed by very secure managers. Clough's not far behind Evatt at the top end of two EFL managerial tables - current job longevity and win rate. Thise two factors remain ever tighter entwined for Mr Evatt...

If Evatt said ‘I don’t trust THESE players’ it would be one of the few things he’s ever said that is accurate and truthful. We’d then have to get onto ‘well ermm who picked em’ but at least it would represent where most fans are.

If he said ‘I don’t trust players’ in the more general sense NC did then I doubt anyone would bat much of an eyelid. I might in fairness point out I don’t trust him….

[boltonboris]

Come on BWFCI - You'd be frothing at the mouth if Evatt had said anything like that

[Prufrock]

It's funny, and true, but it doesn't exactly bode well in public. And I'd think the same if he was our boss.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

It's funny, and true, but it doesn't exactly bode well in public. And I'd think the same if he was our boss.

It not being our manager, you have to love the way he tries to style it out. "That player cost us the game" - oops, better generalise - "It's not just him, all players are wankers" - erm oh shit - "It's my fault for not subbing him"

Nigel Clough is 58.

[BWFC_Insane]

Generally I’d prefer a manager to call out players and criticise them. There are times and places and ways to do it. But the modern ‘shield them from everything at all costs’ approach is nauseating. These are some of the most well paid people in the country even at league one level. They are all (mostly) adults. If they make a mistake call them out.

[Frank Drebin]

Generally I’d prefer a manager to call out players and criticise them. There are times and places and ways to do it. But the modern ‘shield them from everything at all costs’ approach is nauseating. These are some of the most well paid people in the country even at league one level. They are all (mostly) adults. If they make a mistake call them out.

IIRC Bruce Rioch, after a match was quoted as saying “Gary Parkinson, will never play for this club again”
I don’t recall the game and time dims the memory but, the reason I recall is because I was surprised even a bit shocked at the time.
Rioch was successful and times were different then, but I agree with your sentiment.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Rioch didn't mind the sudden chop, though, and this was before the days of transfer windows (bar "third Thursday in March" or whatever it was). Steve Fulton was turfed out within a couple of months, amid rumours of a bust-up. More notably, Tony Kelly was sacked for not losing weight on orders.

Hiram Boateng won't be sacked but he has to go into training each day with his colleagues, so Clough will have to hope he reacts well. Like it or not, underlings have power. Anyone who's been a manager - and I'm talking more about real work than football - will know it can be dangerous to publicly deride a 'report'.

As I say, Clough can afford it because he's been successful. So has Evatt by the same benchmarks (win rate, longevity) but expectations are higher at Bolton than Mansfield - and the two clubs experienced very different promotion emotions last May.

[Frank Drebin]

Rioch didn't mind the sudden chop, though, and this was before the days of transfer windows (bar "third Thursday in March" or whatever it was). Steve Fulton was turfed out within a couple of months, amid rumours of a bust-up. More notably, Tony Kelly was sacked for not losing weight on orders.

it makes you think whether Rioch would be a good modern day manager doing it his way, I suspect he’d be classed as a dinosaur now.

Hiram Boateng won't be sacked but he has to go into training each day with his colleagues, so Clough will have to hope he reacts well. Like it or not, underlings have power. Anyone who's been a manager - and I'm talking more about real work than football - will know it can be dangerous to publicly deride a 'report'.

For sure you don’t reprimand a subordinate in public in the “real life” world of work, but I reckon, Clough will know which players he can do this to, and get the right reaction. He’s a good manager and if he ever rocked up at Bolton, I’d be happy.

As I say, Clough can afford it because he's been successful. So has Evatt by the same benchmarks (win rate, longevity) but expectations are higher at Bolton than Mansfield - and the two clubs experienced very different promotion emotions last May.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

it makes you think whether Rioch would be a good modern day manager doing it his way, I suspect he’d be classed as a dinosaur now.

Would the beloved and mighty Bruce be regarded as a dinosaur? Almost certainly, unless he changed. The early 90s are a long time ago.

Despite his insistence on Zico Kelly losing weight, Rioch's idea of a sportsman's lunch was sending McAteer across the road to the pie shop. Remember it was his Arsenal successor Monsieur Wenger who caused such shockwaves by decrying the traditional prematch meal of steak and chips as perhaps not the best to maximise subsequent physical output.

Interpersonally, the son of a Scots Guards sergeant major could often be a little more... forthright than modern players would like. That's often the way it was, throughout the game – remember Souness throwing the teacups around at halftime.

Of course, he could have changed. I'd love to think so. Allardyce was thought dinosaurish by some outsiders but he was lightning-fast to adopt any new techniques that might benefit him and us. Like Rioch, he spent time in the early 80s in the NASL; Sam happily absorbed the American acceptance of 'marginal gains' and it's far from unthinkable than Bruce would too. Sadly after us his career was a slow decline.

For sure you don’t reprimand a subordinate in public in the “real life” world of work, but I reckon, Clough will know which players he can do this to, and get the right reaction. He’s a good manager and if he ever rocked up at Bolton, I’d be happy.

I think there's far worse than him around - although I dunno whether he would cut it at a higher level.