Walsall sack manager

[womble76]

I believe he has gone this afternoon.

 

[SMH]

STOP SACKING MANAGERS JUST BEFORE WE’RE DUE TO PLAY YOU!!!

 

[JJ1532]

Seems a touch harsh. Can't exactly have a great budget on their crowds and they look to be comfortably staying in the League for yet another season. What were the expectations I wonder? I'm sure some Walsall fans will come along and tell us why it was deserved, but first take is it seems a little bit harsh.

 

[Hooped Wizard]

14th in the league aren’t they?! Christ clubs in this league get ideas well above their station these days

 

[SaddlerJonny]

14th in the league aren’t they?! Christ clubs in this league get ideas well above their station these days

Ha, love it when fans of other clubs think they know more about our club than we do. Educate yourself before commenting.

 

[Bobbin']

Ha, love it when fans of other clubs think they know more about our club than we do. Educate yourself before commenting.

Educate us then.

What exactly are the Walsall board expecting?

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Educate us then.

What exactly are the Walsall board expecting?

Where to start?

The plan this season from the board was top half after last season was a rebuild season, it was intended as a 3 year plan, 1st is a rebuild, 2nd top half, 3rd challenge play offs.

Just to list issues with him off the top of my head.

Despite the 3 year plan we've looked worse than last season all year, no progression. He's sacked off good players and servants like James O'Connor to get "his style" of defender in, and we end up conceding even more goals and went months and months without a clean sheet. Protests against him and his brand of football have been happening over the past few months, with many claiming to not renew their season ticket over the next month (with the early bird ticket sales) if he is still in charge. Sales were probably much lower than they were hoping, which may have been the straw that broke the camels back in this case.

He's binned off fan favourites like Scott Laird to spend big chunks of our small budget to sign his own full backs who have been absolutely shocking defensively. Making the wast of space Simeon Jackson our highest paid player over our small budget and giving him a 2 year deal to boot. Insisting on playing Bakayoko, who has been absolutely useless, and just having us hoof balls in behind for him to chase for 90 minutes.

Not signing any wide players and then playing a formation reliant on them. The style of football that we were well known for during Deano's reign that was meant to be a blueprint of the football club was binned off for Whitney's brand of hoofball. We've been totally reliant on Erhun Oztumer, and without his goals we would have been down last season and this season he's been even more crucial, without the points he's earned us on his own would have us bottom 4 easily, and he's gone in the summer on a free. Promising in the summer we would cut back on our reliance of loan players, ended up signing 5 on loan by the end of August, with us then losing all 5 in January, 3 of which were crucial players, and having to sign 5 new loanees (one of which who still hasn't arrived at the club).

Whitney made comment after comment which were just PR disasters. He said just a few days ago than stacking shelves and recycling plastic, normal jobs, were "real crappy jobs and a real low point" for instance. Tactically clueless. Numerous rumoured bust ups with players. Fans hated him with banners calling for his sack against Shrewsbury, with chants against him starting at the end of last season. He had a meet the manager night in January where we had hundreds turn up to ask him about the state of where we're going on the pitch cause it was getting so bad. There will be much more than this but this is just what I can think off right now.

We were just going nowhere under him with an awful brand of football with no plan and a growing rift between the club, players and supporters because of this. We've been calling for his head for just under a year and the board have shown belief in him for a surprisingly long time. Sorry if it's a bit of a ramble and a mess and doesn't read right, I sort of rushed it.

 

[Hooped Wizard]

Absolutely irrelevant drivel, small club, small budgets, barely any fans and your 14th.... be happy!

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Absolutely irrelevant drivel, small club, small budgets, barely any fans and your 14th.... be happy!

If that's what you want from your club, then so be it.

What we want from our club is a plan, an ambition (not necessarily demanding success but at least a desire to get there) and at the end of the day - to be entertained! Under Jon Whitney the football was awful and we have only been getting worse and worse.

But sure, we'll just be happy about it.

 

[chief]

Should we be worried?

 

[Marked Ox]

You'll appoint a new manager before we will, that is guaranteed.

 

[Bobbin']

Where to start?

The plan this season from the board was top half after last season was a rebuild season, it was intended as a 3 year plan, 1st is a rebuild, 2nd top half, 3rd challenge play offs.

Just to list issues with him off the top of my head.

Despite the 3 year plan we've looked worse than last season all year, no progression. He's sacked off good players and servants like James O'Connor to get "his style" of defender in, and we end up conceding even more goals and went months and months without a clean sheet. Protests against him and his brand of football have been happening over the past few months, with many claiming to not renew their season ticket over the next month (with the early bird ticket sales) if he is still in charge. Sales were probably much lower than they were hoping, which may have been the straw that broke the camels back in this case.

He's binned off fan favourites like Scott Laird to spend big chunks of our small budget to sign his own full backs who have been absolutely shocking defensively. Making the wast of space Simeon Jackson our highest paid player over our small budget and giving him a 2 year deal to boot. Insisting on playing Bakayoko, who has been absolutely useless, and just having us hoof balls in behind for him to chase for 90 minutes.

Not signing any wide players and then playing a formation reliant on them. The style of football that we were well known for during Deano's reign that was meant to be a blueprint of the football club was binned off for Whitney's brand of hoofball. We've been totally reliant on Erhun Oztumer, and without his goals we would have been down last season and this season he's been even more crucial, without the points he's earned us on his own would have us bottom 4 easily, and he's gone in the summer on a free. Promising in the summer we would cut back on our reliance of loan players, ended up signing 5 on loan by the end of August, with us then losing all 5 in January, 3 of which were crucial players, and having to sign 5 new loanees (one of which who still hasn't arrived at the club).

Whitney made comment after comment which were just PR disasters. He said just a few days ago than stacking shelves and recycling plastic, normal jobs, were "real crappy jobs and a real low point" for instance. Tactically clueless. Numerous rumoured bust ups with players. Fans hated him with banners calling for his sack against Shrewsbury, with chants against him starting at the end of last season. He had a meet the manager night in January where we had hundreds turn up to ask him about the state of where we're going on the pitch cause it was getting so bad. There will be much more than this but this is just what I can think off right now.

We were just going nowhere under him with an awful brand of football with no plan and a growing rift between the club, players and supporters because of this. We've been calling for his head for just under a year and the board have shown belief in him for a surprisingly long time. Sorry if it's a bit of a ramble and a mess and doesn't read right, I sort of rushed it.

Nothing to apologise for, I asked for reasons and you provided them.

Only thing I don’t understand is that you say this seasons aim is/was to finish top half. You’re 5 points off that with 9 games to go. So surely Whitney was well within reach of achieving that aim?

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Should we be worried?

Maybe, he's second favourite amongst supporters right now. Most are hoping for another ex Saddler in Adi Viveash who's assistant at Coventry right now.

I'd love Keatesy to manage us, but I think personally he needs to stay with you for another year or so to develop more before we think about him. Not that I'd be saddened if we went for him now though, been trying to keep up on how well him and Wrexham have been doing and I've been very impressed from the highlights I watch and the results he's providing for you. Hope you go up!

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Only thing I don’t understand is that you say this seasons aim is/was to finish top half. You’re 5 points off that with 9 games to go. So surely Whitney was well within reach of achieving that aim?

True, but most of the teams below us have 2 or so games in hand over us which will drag us further down and is why the highly reported 14th place is somewhat of a false position. Our goal difference is also poorer than the three directly below us so I'd say our real position would be around 17th or 18th.

We've also lost 4 of our last 5 so we've been looking down rather than up. Most were expecting him to go at the end of the season but I think the Early bird sales were a big factor on the board pulling the plug now and trying to win supporters back for next season with the promise of a new plan and the style of play returning to the "Walsall way".

 

[Gassy]

I like Walsall, probably my favourite club after Rovers in this division.

You must be one of the longest serving teams in L1 now surely? I remember when we came up together in 07, since then we've been relegated to the conference and back up to league 1 so I can imagine fans wanting a bit more of a push, rather than staying stagnant. It wasn't too long ago when you finished 3rd was it?

Also not sure why massive Doncaster Rovers with their 6,000 fans on their promotion winning season are talking about over ambition...

 

[joethegill]

Walsall were up there in terms of the worst sides I've seen this season, didn't even bother trying to attack and ended up taking Oztumer off early who is comfortably their best player. If it wasn't for Bristol Rovers and their hilarious defence, Walsall would certainly take the crown for this season.

Not that surprised h'es gone.

 

[Indian Dan]

Being somewhat out of the loop, Walsall were always good value to watch and were one of the most impressive teams I saw at the CG @ couple of years back.

Hoofball appears to be making a comeback.

 

[chief]

Sounds like Keates is the replacement. I'm absolutely gutted if that's the case. I sincerely hope he doesn't leave us now.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Keates confirmed to be coming home, happy with that.