Managerial Merry-Go-Round 2020/21

[Luke Imp]

I've never been able to work Darrell Clarke out. He did well at Bristol Rovers albeit with a good squad for NL level after relegation and did ok at Salisbury as well albeit at Club built on foundations of sand and went pop for a second time in relatively quick succession.

Yet he always comes across to me as a really miserable bastard who you can't imagine inspires confidence amongst players. Since Bristol Rovers the comments always seem to be about dull football and lack of goals.

 

[valefan16]

I've never been able to work Darrell Clarke out. He did well at Bristol Rovers albeit with a good squad for NL level after relegation and did ok at Salisbury as well albeit at Club built on foundations of sand and went pop for a second time in relatively quick succession.

Yet he always comes across to me as a really miserable bastard who you can't imagine inspires confidence amongst players. Since Bristol Rovers the comments always seem to be about dull football and lack of goals.

Players seem to love him in fairness, Lines was saying how good he is with the lads but won’t take shit. He says it how it is which I like... we’ve had to many Mr Nice Guys like Aspin and Askey since Adams and that hasn’t worked.

 

[Conker]

Players seem to love him in fairness, Lines was saying how good he is with the lads but won’t take shit. He says it how it is which I like... we’ve had to many Mr Nice Guys like Aspin and Askey since Adams and that hasn’t worked.

Graham Coughlan said it how it is!

 

[shoddycollins]

Weird conspiracy theories about our owners deliberately sabotaging promotion are circulating on our forums and among Carlisle fans on twitter... again.

I'm not a fan of our owners, they're secretive, backwards, unambitious and cautious to a fault a classic old-boy's club. I'm probably only a moderate critic of them though. Their lack of ambition and modern business nous holds us back but a sizeable and vocal minority of our fans despise them and have this idea that they're up there with the likes of Owen Oyston and Steve Dale in the category of corrupt money grabbers who ruin football clubs. There was a fan's survey a few weeks back on the opinions people had of their clubs' owners and we were in the bottom five with the likes of Charlton, Blackpool (Oyston era) and Coventry.

When things are going well the 'sack the board' campaign goes a bit quiet and the 'custodians' (their own word but one that has become symbolic of the lack of progress under their stewardship) can retreat back to their favoured position behind the scenes.

But for the past few years, when things go back, this conspiracy theory bubbles to the surface where they're actively trying to keep us from getting promoted, because they don't want to have to spend money on League One salaries and because John Nixon might lose his place on the EFL board since his current role on there is League Two representative.

 

[Si Robin]

Kewell sacked by Oldham

Club Statement: Harry Kewell

Harry Kewell has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach of Oldham Athletic.

www.oldhamathletic.co.uk

 

[valefan16]

Kewell sacked by Oldham

Club Statement: Harry Kewell

Harry Kewell has today been relieved of his duties as Head Coach of Oldham Athletic.

www.oldhamathletic.co.uk

Seems harsh

 

[shoddycollins]

Seems harsh

He had them playing some lovely stuff and did some good work in the transfer market, they just couldn't defend, and he was probably limited in his transfer dealings by interference from above. Doesn't make sense but then I remember Oldham owner doesn't make sense.

 

[kieran_vale]

They just seem a very bizarrely run club. I thought we were bad under Smurthwaite but Oldham taken it to a different level. Somehow through it all they’ve had a pretty credible season so Kewell can hold his head high at least.

 

[Indian Dan]

Must be the Sheridactyl again for Oldham!

You know it makes sense!

 

[masi51]

Weird conspiracy theories about our owners deliberately sabotaging promotion are circulating on our forums and among Carlisle fans on twitter... again.

I'm not a fan of our owners, they're secretive, backwards, unambitious and cautious to a fault a classic old-boy's club. I'm probably only a moderate critic of them though. Their lack of ambition and modern business nous holds us back but a sizeable and vocal minority of our fans despise them and have this idea that they're up there with the likes of Owen Oyston and Steve Dale in the category of corrupt money grabbers who ruin football clubs. There was a fan's survey a few weeks back on the opinions people had of their clubs' owners and we were in the bottom five with the likes of Charlton, Blackpool (Oyston era) and Coventry.

When things are going well the 'sack the board' campaign goes a bit quiet and the 'custodians' (their own word but one that has become symbolic of the lack of progress under their stewardship) can retreat back to their favoured position behind the scenes.

But for the past few years, when things go back, this conspiracy theory bubbles to the surface where they're actively trying to keep us from getting promoted, because they don't want to have to spend money on League One salaries and because John Nixon might lose his place on the EFL board since his current role on there is League Two representative.

Looking in as a outsider i would say this. In the summer the was talk of you going part time.
You brought a lot of players in and they are proberbly on low lge w wages. If you was to get promoted you can bet the are decent bonus clauses written in to a good few contracts.
Some of your board may be worried about paying those bonus out, but you can bet the players are trying there best so i would call it bullshit.
Your players have nothing to gain

 

[SELatic]

Won’t be losing any sleep over Kewell going. We played some good stuff at times but were horrendous at other times too. Doesn’t really matter who our ‘head coach’ is while the owner’s brother remains in charge of recruitment. The club is rotten to the core and it’s hard to see a way out. Bring on the next unfortunate..!

Just seen a great stat that we’ve changed managers more times since 2015 than Liverpool have done since they appointed Shankly in 1959.

 

[masi51]

Dont know what some chairman expect from there managers......Which team have kicked on from sacking there manager this season.......maybe Tranmere

 

[Casey]

Dont know what some chairman expect from there managers......Which team have kicked on from sacking there manager this season.......maybe Tranmere

Bradford have.

Casey

 

[masi51]

Bradford have.

Casey

Not convinced with Bradford, they have certainly improved but i put that down to recruitment of there front two

 

[RLC]

Not convinced with Bradford, they have certainly improved but i put that down to recruitment of there front two

I think they had already improved before they signed Rowe and Cook. They were in decent form when they beat us in December.

 

[RLC]

Won’t be losing any sleep over Kewell going. We played some good stuff at times but were horrendous at other times too. Doesn’t really matter who our ‘head coach’ is while the owner’s brother remains in charge of recruitment. The club is rotten to the core and it’s hard to see a way out. Bring on the next unfortunate..!

Just seen a great stat that we’ve changed managers more times since 2015 than Liverpool have done since they appointed Shankly in 1959.

That is an incredible stat. Seven since 2018 ?

 

[Back in the DHSS]

I think Harry Kewell has done enough at Oldham to rescue his career as a football manager. Some great stuff played by them away from home this season.
And so the bizarre Lemsagam circus continues .

 

[The Terminator]

I think Harry Kewell has done enough at Oldham to rescue his career as a football manager. Some great stuff played by them away from home this season.
And so the bizarre Lemsagam circus continues .

I'd say you've hit the nail on the head there, he'll end up somewhere down here again - Wouldn't shock me if he ended up with us tbh. As you say, he showed he was able to play some decent stuff at times at a club with clear issues behind the scenes.

I keep saying it, but Oldham seem like we was 4/5 years ago. The clubs owners simply try and have too much influence on the playing side and expect things to work, it doesn't work like that. Yes they're allowed to have a say but they have to let the coaches do their jobs.

The same thing will no doubt happen to the next man that goes there.

 

[Luke Imp]

Keith Curle to Oldham apparently. One extreme to the other there.

 

[Chris FGR]

Dunno, all these clubs sacking managers left right and centre these days seems mad. Never get stability like that. We've only had 3 managers in 11 years.

 

[shoddycollins]

Looking in as a outsider i would say this. In the summer the was talk of you going part time.
You brought a lot of players in and they are proberbly on low lge w wages. If you was to get promoted you can bet the are decent bonus clauses written in to a good few contracts.
Some of your board may be worried about paying those bonus out, but you can bet the players are trying there best so i would call it bullshit.
Your players have nothing to gain

Oh yeah it's proper tin-foil hat stuff. People out there believe that 5G causes coronavirus, Hilary Clinton is running a paedophile ring out of a pizza restaurant and the vaccine contains a microchip that Bill Gates will use to control your mind so it's not too much of a stretch for a few barmcakes to believe that John Nixon is going round before each match lacing the energy drinks with tranquilisers or Andrew Jenkins is sneaking out in the dead of night when the temperature is below freezing to pour water on the pitch.

There are plenty of more sensible sounding instances where the board can be blamed for issues on the pitch, such as the summer before last when we decided to only offer one-year contracts (before coronavirus gave them a reasonable excuse for doing that and back when players could just get a much better deal elsewhere), but it's just bonkers this idea that a decent number of Carlisle fans have that the board are deliberately sabotaging us just so John Nixon can be on the podium handing out medals in the League Cup final.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Dunno, all these clubs sacking managers left right and centre these days seems mad. Never get stability like that. We've only had 3 managers in 11 years.

Your club sacked Pennock a week before the play-offs!!!

 

[Conker]

Nice short term job for Curle.

 

[Attila the hun]

Curle confirmed on our official website on an initial contract until the end of the season. Not like us to give long contracts. Like that he must of impressed big time in his interview

 

[AR27]

Not convinced with Bradford, they have certainly improved but i put that down to recruitment of there front two

We won 3 and drew 2 in the 5 games under Trueman and Sellers before we even reached January.

 

[masi51]

We won 3 and drew 2 in the 5 games under Trueman and Sellers before we even reached January.

That was because of the feel good factor of new management coming in.
I still think you are rebuilding and a touch behind us, but you will be a force next season

 

[Grumpy Grecian]

It's always struck me as rather odd that, while changes to the playing staff are limited to quite strict rules and "windows" the managers can be changed at a whim.

Were the owners to be faced with situations that they were stuck with appointments made in August until January or, even more particularly, January until season's end, a little more care might be made in their selection.

Just a thought.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Your club sacked Pennock a week before the play-offs!!!

I still find that bafflingly unbelievable.
At start of season FGR won the first nine games, which is still a Conference record, and were 2nd in table when Pennock was dismissed.
Rumours abounded that he had lost the dressing room. FGR had not had a win in last seven games of season.
But Pennock was playing the long game:- he knew title was out of reach and was preparing for the play-offs by resting our best players in league games.
FGR did not get promoted that season but one wonders did Pennock's sacking scupper our chances. He has since won a national title in some far eastern country, so not bad manager at all.

My opinion was and is that Pennock upset the chairman off-field in one way or another.
Pennock went public in a big way complaining about the state of the pitch and sat on a lawn mower for a photo shot. That was exactly same time the club was publicising MOWBOT.
And of course Pennock's style of football was not the most attractive to watch. He hated conceding goals and was happy with 1-0 wins.
I think at that time FGR had one of the worst disciplinary records in league. Since then it is one of the better ones.

Dale Vince has never offered a public explanation for Pennock's dismissal.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

I still find that bafflingly unbelievable.
At start of season FGR won the first nine games, which is still a Conference record, and were 2nd in table when Pennock was dismissed.
Rumours abounded that he had lost the dressing room. FGR had not had a win in last seven games of season.
But Pennock was playing the long game:- he knew title was out of reach and was preparing for the play-offs by resting our best players in league games.
FGR did not get promoted that season but one wonders did Pennock's sacking scupper our chances. He has since won a national title in some far eastern country, so not bad manager at all.

My opinion was and is that Pennock upset the chairman off-field in one way or another.
Pennock went public in a big way complaining about the state of the pitch and sat on a lawn mower for a photo shot. That was exactly same time the club was publicising MOWBOT.
And of course Pennock's style of football was not the most attractive to watch. He hated conceding goals and was happy with 1-0 wins.
I think at that time FGR had one of the worst disciplinary records in league. Since then it is one of the better ones.

Dale Vince has never offered a public explanation for Pennock's dismissal.

I hated that FGR team - some of the worst matches at Holker Street saw you tippy tap it around for 90 mins at half pace and still come away with a 1-0. So frustrating to watch.

We had Pennock for six months and he kept us up (Luke James was mainly responsible), so he's quite a respected figure here.

Just saw it is a bit hypocritical of your fellow fan preaching stability - we'd all employ a manager for five years if he met the club's targets!

 

[Si Robin]

Whilst that sacking was surprising - Chris's point does stand. Vince kept Hockaday on for much longer than he should have, and arguably Pennock as well. The fact that they've had only 3 managers in Vince's time in charge, and only got one promotion in all that time shows how loyal he is really.