Which muppet can we appoint next?

[BWFC_Insane]

Cotterill's a funny one. His career has been very mixed. Double promotion at Cheltenham – they love him – and he got Bristol City up out of the Third. He also led Notts County to the Fourth Division title, a decent achievement considering he only took over in Feb when they were 7th (of the remaining 18 games they won 14, drew 3 and lost 1) – but 19 days later he was gone after refusing to commit his future to the club. I know someone who watched him closely at Burnley and it didn't go well: dull 4-5-1 football and a personality perhaps best described as 'spiky'.

There's worse out there, for sure. Can't help feeling there might also be better.

He'd go down like Megson here, I suspect. I just don't think he feels right for us. Didn't he basically have a right old go at some Bristol City fans not that long ago?

I want some passion and intensity but it needs to be directed appropriately.

[LeverEnd]

Megsons big problem (apart from being a right c*nt) was that fan expectations were very high.
Cotterill has recently won the league we are going to be in. He might not be everyone's cuppa but he'll get nothing like the Megson treatment.

[BWFC_Insane]

Megsons big problem (apart from being a right c*nt) was that fan expectations were very high.
Cotterill has recently won the league we are going to be in. He might not be everyone's cuppa but he'll get nothing like the Megson treatment.

Maybe but do you think Cotterill will fit with Bolton? Nothing about it seems right to me. I don't think our fans take that kindly to a bloke who seems very prepared to call them out, in public at a game. Given the abuse our managers seem to take on the touchline I'm not sure it is a recipe for good things.

Especially as, Cotterill's record is mixed and most clubs he's been at their fans, seem to regard the football his teams' play as fairly boring, from what I can tell.

[irie Cee Bee]

I believe Chairmen should keep their mouths shut and leave the talking to the person who the Board has left in charge of the day to day matters... the CEO, in this case Holdsworth. This will avoid unnecessary confusion.

[BWFC_Insane]

I believe Chairmen should keep their mouths shut and leave the talking to the person who the Board has left in charge of the day to day matters... the CEO, in this case Holdsworth. This will avoid unnecessary confusion.

But the model is different at different clubs. Some places the Chairman has an oversight role and leaves the CEO to get on with it. Others the Chairman is basically the hands-on decision maker and the CEO essentially a glorified business administrator.

[irie Cee Bee]

I believe Chairmen should keep their mouths shut and leave the talking to the person who the Board has left in charge of the day to day matters... the CEO, in this case Holdsworth. This will avoid unnecessary confusion.

But the model is different at different clubs. Some places the Chairman has an oversight role and leaves the CEO to get on with it. Others the Chairman is basically the hands-on decision maker and the CEO essentially a glorified business administrator.

Ok, but whats our model in the past and what will it be now? They are just out of the blocks and already we the public are getting what appears to be conflicting views which is a bad sign. Sort that out behind the scenes so that one view comes out from the leadership.

[Gary the Enfield]

Megsons big problem (apart from being a right c*nt) was that fan expectations were very high.
Cotterill has recently won the league we are going to be in. He might not be everyone's cuppa but he'll get nothing like the Megson treatment.

Maybe but do you think Cotterill will fit with Bolton? Nothing about it seems right to me. I don't think our fans take that kindly to a bloke who seems very prepared to call them out, in public at a game. Given the abuse our managers seem to take on the touchline I'm not sure it is a recipe for good things.

Especially as, Cotterill's record is mixed and most clubs he's been at their fans, seem to regard the football his teams' play as fairly boring, from what I can tell.

Boring winning football? Yes please. We're not West Ham. We don't play a certain way. I'd happily see us rise up the table. Even if I have a big yawn on my face. I want a sustained period of winning more games than we draw or lose.

[BWFC_Insane]

Megsons big problem (apart from being a right c*nt) was that fan expectations were very high.
Cotterill has recently won the league we are going to be in. He might not be everyone's cuppa but he'll get nothing like the Megson treatment.

Maybe but do you think Cotterill will fit with Bolton? Nothing about it seems right to me. I don't think our fans take that kindly to a bloke who seems very prepared to call them out, in public at a game. Given the abuse our managers seem to take on the touchline I'm not sure it is a recipe for good things.

Especially as, Cotterill's record is mixed and most clubs he's been at their fans, seem to regard the football his teams' play as fairly boring, from what I can tell.

Boring winning football? Yes please. We're not West Ham. We don't play a certain way. I'd happily see us rise up the table. Even if I have a big yawn on my face. I want a sustained period of winning more games than we draw or lose.

Same. But on this very board there were moans about the football when we were top half of the premiership. And there were moans in the ground at times too. Perhaps a minority then but still.

If we win the league few will care. But it is about expectations. It may be that mid table is a decent result next season all things considered. But how many fans would be happy with that? Especially without much exciting football and an abrasive some might say unlikeable bloke in charge?

Part of next season is getting as many fans back on side as possible. It might be that results are not as easy to engineer as goodwill!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Wilder in the Northants local press:

Our club hasn’t received any approach from anybody, and I don’t talk about speculation or anything, so I don’t understand how I can be ruled out or ruled in. I am manager of this football club, and until the chairman gets an approach from somebody and tells me, as I’m sure he would do, then my focus is 100 per cent here and carrying on the work we have done. The players are under contract, and I am under (a one-year rolling) contract, and my position is pretty straightforward, and it’s the same with the players. I am very, very relaxed regarding my future, and very, very relaxed regarding the players’ futures as well.

[bobo the clown]

^^^ so. I'm contracted here & UNTIL SOMEONE CONTACTS THE CLUB SO I WILL REMAIN" ... (hint, hint).

[Bruce Rioja]

Pfft, I didn't read anything about tea drinking.

I'm pretty sure I have read it somewhere on Twitter so it is definitely true.

Do you think Holdsworth refers to it as a "Cappa Rowsie"?

[malcd1]

Pfft, I didn't read anything about tea drinking.

I'm pretty sure I have read it somewhere on Twitter so it is definitely true.

Do you think Holdsworth refers to it as a "Cappa Rowsie"?

Do they not all talk like that down south? I bet Enfield does.

[Gary the Enfield]

Pfft, I didn't read anything about tea drinking.

I'm pretty sure I have read it somewhere on Twitter so it is definitely true.

Do you think Holdsworth refers to it as a "Cappa Rowsie"?

Do they not all talk like that down south? I bet Enfield does.

'e fooking dunt!

[malcd1]

Pfft, I didn't read anything about tea drinking.

I'm pretty sure I have read it somewhere on Twitter so it is definitely true.

Do you think Holdsworth refers to it as a "Cappa Rowsie"?

Do they not all talk like that down south? I bet Enfield does.

'e fooking dunt!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Quick form update on some potential contenders

Keith Hill's Rochdale beat Blackpool 3-0 and with four games left they're now just four points off the play-offs' bottom side, Justin Edinburgh's Gillingham - who lost 2-0 at home to mid-table Port Vale and come up to Spotland tonight. Ooh!
Phil Brown's Southend lost 1-0 at third-placed Walsall; they're nine points off the play-offs (and 14 clear of relegation) so may be mathematically certain of stasis after tonight's game against John Sheridan's Oldham, who went three points clear of the drop zone with a 1-1 at Fleetwood (combined with Dale beating Blackpool).
Chris Wilder's Northampton were apparently crowned League Two champions with a 0-0 at Exeter (and second-placed Oxford's home loss to Luton).
Kevin Nolan, sacked by Orient last week as a manager but retained as a player, wasn't in the matchday squad as they relegated relative neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge by winning 3-2.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

And another:

Despite a shot count of 17 to 3, Keith Hill's Rochdale were held 1-1 at home to Justin Edinburgh's Gillingham. Dale remain four points off the play-offs, which the Gills are only in by a five-goal advantage over managerless Barnsley. Phil Parkinson's Bradford are only two points better off, after losing 1-0 at Tony Mowbray's Coventry.

Phil Brown's Southend are now mathematically out of play-off contention, 10 points off with three games left, after losing 1-0 at home to John Sheridan's Oldham, who with three games left are now all but safe from relegation, six points clear but also four clear of Fleetwood and Shrewsbury; they are W8 D6 L5 since Sheridan took over.

Chris Wilder's Northampton won again, 2-1 at home to Crawley - they're on 92pts with three games left. Out of interest, Accy's win at Hartlepool sends them second, a point clear of Oxford (who drew at 22nd-place Newport, giving York a few more days before relegation) and Plymouth (who won easily at Orient, who again didn't have Kevin Nolan in the squad - must still be suffering with the ankle injury that kept him out at the weekend. You know, the ankle injury.)

[malcd1]

Thanks for the update again, DSB. You have obviously carried out more research than I on this subject - Who would be your preference from those you have listed? I can't say I know the lower leagues that well.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I wouldn't be dead set against Browny.
I've long admired Hill and while I understand the "one small club" worry, that wouldn't put me off.
Carver is a good coach but I'd worry about recruitment - although KA/DH are hands-on, I'd rather get a gaffer who knows the leagues too.
Cotterill has had more success than most but might be divisive.
Sheridan interests me as he seems to improve every team he's at and wants to play decent football.
Wilder has obviously done very well at Northampton after improving Oxford and cutting his teeth in non-league, so he deserves consideration.
Nolan is very inexperienced and I really don't fancy that idea.

To me, we need somebody who knows the leagues, can find and develop a bargain, can win, and will try to play good football while building for the future. Obviously it depends on their availability (which comes down to desire and in some cases cost) but ignoring that imponderable, if it were me I'd be looking at Hill, Brown, Wilder and Sheridan in roughly that order.

[malcd1]

Good points well made. My biggest worry is they keep with Phillips and Reid or even Dean decides he is better than all the other candidates.

I think Wilder has the experience and had the success that we need but it looks like he has ruled himself out of the running.

I am trying to keep an open mind but there are going to be a lot of new faces coming in next season and like you said, we need someone who knows the lower leagues. Brown, Hill and Sheridan all fit that bill. None really have got me excited but I don't know any of them well enough to form a strong opinion. Time will tell.

[BWFC_Insane]

I wouldn't be dead set against Browny.
I've long admired Hill and while I understand the "one small club" worry, that wouldn't put me off.
Carver is a good coach but I'd worry about recruitment - although KA/DH are hands-on, I'd rather get a gaffer who knows the leagues too.
Cotterill has had more success than most but might be divisive.
Sheridan interests me as he seems to improve every team he's at and wants to play decent football.
Wilder has obviously done very well at Northampton after improving Oxford and cutting his teeth in non-league, so he deserves consideration.
Nolan is very inexperienced and I really don't fancy that idea.

To me, we need somebody who knows the leagues, can find and develop a bargain, can win, and will try to play good football while building for the future. Obviously it depends on their availability (which comes down to desire and in some cases cost) but ignoring that imponderable, if it were me I'd be looking at Hill, Brown, Wilder and Sheridan in roughly that order.

I agree broadly with your criteria though I think someone who can drag the club up by the bootstraps is also important. By that I mean someone who can turn around a very alarming slide with some clever decisions but also a commanding personality. I don't think this is the place right now for a shy and retiring type.

As said, Wilder seems out the running. I don't particularly see the Hill stuff either, I don't think he'd be a terrible choice but I'd have considerable reservations based on what I've seen and heard from him.

To me we're ideally made for Brown, but he seems too expensive. Not sure on Sheridan really, but I suspect it is too soon for him to leave Oldham.

This could quite rapidly become a bit depressing because I agree with the above that a Nolan/Reid, Phillips/Reid combination is a terrible idea in our current predicament. We need a strong manager in there, one with experience. Not a rookie with a dinosaur as mentor. Phillips is a lovely bloke but entirely the opposite of what we need, which is cold, hard and calculating with a persona that brings the players with him. Nolan is simply a player in my eyes until he's been round the managerial block for a good few seasons somewhere else.