Who's the Rioch to Evatt's Neal?

[The_Gun]

It’s surely better to conduct a proper process and hire the right person rather than rush something through?

A week really isn’t very long time in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah, I agree, if I was heading in as new manager, not sure I'd absolutley want to blow the entire tranfer kitty before the window shut anyhow.

At this point, he's probably got a free hit on the expectations front, might prefer to save his firepower for summer.

Aye, and I think the last two games have shown that we’ve probably already got the raw materials to make a good run at the playoffs this season.

If the new bloke is wedded to playing a completely different system then that’s going to take a more comprehensive overhaul anyway.

[BWFC_Insane]

Not sure I harbour any great expectations of the remaining transfer window....

Yeah that’s my worry. I’d hoped we’d have a new man in to shake a few out of there old ways and ensure we did some better recruitment. Or waited till the summer.

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

[BWFC_Insane]

It’s surely better to conduct a proper process and hire the right person rather than rush something through?

A week really isn’t very long time in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah, I agree, if I was heading in as new manager, not sure I'd absolutley want to blow the entire tranfer kitty before the window shut anyhow.

At this point, he's probably got a free hit on the expectations front, might prefer to save his firepower for summer.

Aye, and I think the last two games have shown that we’ve probably already got the raw materials to make a good run at the playoffs this season.

If the new bloke is wedded to playing a completely different system then that’s going to take a more comprehensive overhaul anyway.

I think the last two games show we have a lot but also highlight some gaps. All depends how you look at it now. As I said I’m not expecting new man to deliver promotion this year. But we are now 4 points off Huddersfield and a few above us are showing signs of stuttering. It would be a shame if we couldn’t get into the mix because we didn’t do the right business in January as we left appointing a manager too late. Or sacking Evatt too late.

[The_Gun]

I’ve written off signing anyone of note this window.

Do we have a perfectly balanced squad? No.

Is it better than most others in the division? Yes.

[BWFC_Insane]

I’ve written off signing anyone of note this window.

Do we have a perfectly balanced squad? No.

Is it better than most others in the division? Yes.

It’s a decent squad but we have gaps in midfield and wing back but glaringly up front. We are basically entirely reliant on Collins as it stands.

[dave the minion]

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

Jesus christ - you got what you wanted in Evatt out, just chill will you.....

There is no conveyor belt of failures - or none more than expected at any club - transfer business is inherently risky and for every success there will be someone who doesn't live up to the hype. Its a fact of football.

And so what if the Cardiff lad was there last night? If so, and we sign him, I wish him well. If he's relatively cheap then its relatively low-risk, so what's the problem? He might not be a direct replacement for Dion in style, but maybe we don't need that (Collins is like a new man the last couple of games, so maybe he steps up now and replaces Charlse's lost goals?)

Its interesting to see the change in Collins - when we beat Lincoln in the Vertu trophy he barely looked interested and didn't celebrate the goal he scored. Now he's all over the pitch, celebrating goals like they are the first he's ever scored, and continually gee-ing up the rest of the team. Almost like a new signing.... Whether the change is due to Evatt going, Charles going, an uptick in the general feeling around the club, or some combination of all, I guess we will never know

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Not sure I harbour any great expectations of the remaining transfer window....

Yeah that’s my worry. I’d hoped we’d have a new man in to shake a few out of there old ways and ensure we did some better recruitment. Or waited till the summer.

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

I think that is probably a little harsh. In isolation many of the players are reasonable. The problem is, and I assume Evatt was making the call which to sign from the list, we signed a too many of them with injury problems and then used them in a less than coherent manner, complicated things and asked too much of players at this level. I'd also have though Evatt was giving Markham a list of the types he wanted and that list not being diverse enough.

Like IT development teams usually deliver what you ask for and the problem usually lies with what is being asked for, I suspect much of our recruitment woe is similar. That isn't to say Markham is blameless. But unless Markham is deciding what we need - in which case Sharon is to blame...

[BWFC_Insane]

Not sure I harbour any great expectations of the remaining transfer window....

Yeah that’s my worry. I’d hoped we’d have a new man in to shake a few out of there old ways and ensure we did some better recruitment. Or waited till the summer.

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

I think that is probably a little harsh. In isolation many of the players are reasonable. The problem is, and I assume Evatt was making the call which to sign from the list, we signed a too many of them with injury problems and then used them in a less than coherent manner, complicated things and asked too much of players at this level. I'd also have though Evatt was giving Markham a list of the types he wanted and that list not being diverse enough.

Like IT development teams usually deliver what you ask for and the problem usually lies with what is being asked for, I suspect much of our recruitment woe is similar. That isn't to say Markham is blameless. But unless Markham is deciding what we need - in which case Sharon is to blame...

I mean maybe it’s harsh but from what we’ve been told Markham takes a managers requirements then identifies the players to sign. The manager has a ‘say’ according to Iles so presumably Evatt could have said no or chosen between options.

Maybe our recruitment was good and it was all Evatt but I still think for what we’ve spent I’m pretty underwhelmed.

[Bertie Wooster]

I may be completely wrong, but having woken up to the news that Schumacher doesn't appear to be any closer to being announced and that the process is still ongoing, to me this could mean that perhaps someone who wasn't initially interested and deemed out of reach now is and the club wants to interview them i.e. a Wagner or Edwards.

[BWFC_Insane]

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

Jesus christ - you got what you wanted in Evatt out, just chill will you.....

There is no conveyor belt of failures - or none more than expected at any club - transfer business is inherently risky and for every success there will be someone who doesn't live up to the hype. Its a fact of football.

And so what if the Cardiff lad was there last night? If so, and we sign him, I wish him well. If he's relatively cheap then its relatively low-risk, so what's the problem? He might not be a direct replacement for Dion in style, but maybe we don't need that (Collins is like a new man the last couple of games, so maybe he steps up now and replaces Charlse's lost goals?)

Its interesting to see the change in Collins - when we beat Lincoln in the Vertu trophy he barely looked interested and didn't celebrate the goal he scored. Now he's all over the pitch, celebrating goals like they are the first he's ever scored, and continually gee-ing up the rest of the team. Almost like a new signing.... Whether the change is due to Evatt going, Charles going, an uptick in the general feeling around the club, or some combination of all, I guess we will never know

Not just Collins. There is a massive difference in a number of players. Victor who is still very limited as a footballer put himself about last night and made runs continually - never seen that from him before. Forrester looks imperious at the back and like he’s always played there. Johnston is reborn and Jones though sometimes wayward in possession put in a defensive performance that is right up there. The midfield which at times had some issues also put in workrate I’ve never seen them come close to under Evatt.

We all know the issue. We’ve known it for two years now. Evatt held the players and the club back. It’s been as clear as day for a long time. To all apart from Sharon.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I mean maybe it’s harsh but from what we’ve been told Markham takes a managers requirements then identifies the players to sign. The manager has a ‘say’ according to Iles so presumably Evatt could have said no or chosen between options.

Maybe our recruitment was good and it was all Evatt but I still think for what we’ve spent I’m pretty underwhelmed.

If Markham is being told to find the best non tackling midgets in budget you can hardly blame him for not identifying L1 Kante as Evatt's best option. We don't know the precise mechanics of the setup, so we don't know. But on the sensible premise that it worked on the basis Evatt asked for types/attributes and Markham found them, then Evatt was asking for too many of the wrong things. I guess we'll have a better idea come end of the summer.

[BWFC_Insane]

I may be completely wrong, but having woken up to the news that Schumacher doesn't appear to be any closer to being announced and that the process is still ongoing, to me this could mean that perhaps someone who wasn't initially interested and deemed out of reach now is and the club wants to interview them i.e. a Wagner or Edwards.

It’s possible but it also feels like Ken Anderson not Sharon Brittan. Indeed that was what Ken did. I just don’t see it as a Sharon move. Anyone out of a job surely would have had a chance before a choice was made. Of course it’s possible that someone was out of the country or changed their mind but again still feels to me unlike the way our board operate.

Could be their choice is unsure of some stuff or there is a split decision. My bet is that we are just taking our sweet time to do contracts and agree everything.

[boltonboris]

I think the last 2 games have shown that we have players capable of making the difference. They haven't been rocket science. It's just a case of doing basic things properly, matching the other teams physicality and then the quality of players has won us the games

That shows we had capable players who were being asked to do more than needed/capable - So as long as that continues, I think it's harsh to say that Markham has a "conveyor belt of failure" - I thought BWFCI would be buoyed by the managerial change(s), but clearly not.

Can't imagine there'll be any true happiness until we employ Mick McCarthy and he brings Karl Henry with him to shore up the midfield

[Worthy4England]

But looks like Markham’s conveyor belt of failures will continue. Pretty sure the massive unit from
Cardiff was there last night.

Jesus christ - you got what you wanted in Evatt out, just chill will you.....

There is no conveyor belt of failures - or none more than expected at any club - transfer business is inherently risky and for every success there will be someone who doesn't live up to the hype. Its a fact of football.

And so what if the Cardiff lad was there last night? If so, and we sign him, I wish him well. If he's relatively cheap then its relatively low-risk, so what's the problem? He might not be a direct replacement for Dion in style, but maybe we don't need that (Collins is like a new man the last couple of games, so maybe he steps up now and replaces Charlse's lost goals?)

Its interesting to see the change in Collins - when we beat Lincoln in the Vertu trophy he barely looked interested and didn't celebrate the goal he scored. Now he's all over the pitch, celebrating goals like they are the first he's ever scored, and continually gee-ing up the rest of the team. Almost like a new signing.... Whether the change is due to Evatt going, Charles going, an uptick in the general feeling around the club, or some combination of all, I guess we will never know

Not just Collins. There is a massive difference in a number of players. Victor who is still very limited as a footballer put himself about last night and made runs continually - never seen that from him before. Forrester looks imperious at the back and like he’s always played there. Johnston is reborn and Jones though sometimes wayward in possession put in a defensive performance that is right up there. The midfield which at times had some issues also put in workrate I’ve never seen them come close to under Evatt.

We all know the issue. We’ve known it for two years now. Evatt held the players and the club back. It’s been as clear as day for a long time. To all apart from Sharon.

^^ Yeah but we didn't make 500 passes and have 60% possession like we did, getting beat 2-1 by Charlton! They have to count for something, 16 shots, 8 on target and yet, I look at the distribution v Charlton, 154 forward passes, 58 long balls, 114 final third passes, 24 touches in the box, and then I compare last night, 145 forward passes, 73 long balls, 57 final third passes, 24 touches in the box. There's broadly the same number of forward passes, bit longer, I mean 73 v 58 isn't "chalk and cheese" less fannying about in the final third - Charlton we made nearly double the final third passes, resulting in the exact same number of touches in the box 24, which we probably converted better, because they didn't have 15 minutes to set the defence.

How much spreadsheet fannying can one team accommodate?

[BWFC_Insane]

I think the last 2 games have shown that we have players capable of making the difference. They haven't been rocket science. It's just a case of doing basic things properly, matching the other teams physicality and then the quality of players has won us the games

That shows we had capable players who were being asked to do more than needed/capable - So as long as that continues, I think it's harsh to say that Markham has a "conveyor belt of failure" - I thought BWFCI would be buoyed by the managerial change(s), but clearly not.

Can't imagine there'll be any true happiness until we employ Mick McCarthy and he brings Karl Henry with him to shore up the midfield

Massively buoyed by it. Read my comments on the game.

I still don’t trust Markham. But hopefully we get the right manager in and kick on further. Because as I said we could be right in the mix now.

[BWFC_Insane]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -mate.html

Now that would be legitimately hilarious.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -mate.html

Now that would be legitimately hilarious.

I suggested Steve Thompson on here for first-team coach a while back when we needed one.

Not sure why we'd consider a man who's got to the age of 60 without rising above caretaker manager as the answer to our needs - assisted by a bloke who, when he left Bolton 40 years ago, swore he'd never be back and has maniacally celebrated every subsequent goal and win against us. But football's funny, innit?

[BWFC_Insane]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -mate.html

Now that would be legitimately hilarious.

I suggested Steve Thompson on here for first-team coach a while back when we needed one.

Not sure why we'd consider a man who's got to the age of 60 without rising above caretaker manager as the answer to our needs - assisted by a bloke who, when he left Bolton 40 years ago, swore he'd never be back and has maniacally celebrated every subsequent goal and win against us. But football's funny, innit?

If Sharon announced them as our managerial duo I suspect she could count season ticket renewals on one hand.

Thompson would be a very good pick if the new man needs an experienced coach - never as a manager though. But Redfearn can do one.

[Harry Genshaw]

Seems plausible that we've been unable to agree terms with Schumacher and might be looking elsewhere. No reason we should pay any new appointee more than Evatt was on.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If Sharon announced them as our managerial duo I suspect she could count season ticket renewals on one hand.

It all comes back to this, really.

If Schumacher didn't exist then I'm sure we'd all have our favourites but there might not be such a screamingly obvious candidate.

But he does, and he's made clear he wants the job, so if he doesn't get it the board will have to explain why. If the answer is he wants a billion-dollar budget, they have to let that be known - and they would still be hostage to charges of "lack of ambition" (or, conversely, "gave the last bloke too much").

If it's Edwards I can sort of understand, as he's managed promotion from the next tier up (not this one though). Wagner similar. But either might feel like we're trying to sprint before we can run.