When exactly did Ardley become a bad manager.?

[nw6pie]

I have a lot of time for Neal Ardley, but I think the wheels came off for him last season when we lost three players in Sloth (the great unknown), Thomas and, fatally, Roberts and never replaced them. Most of the performances after the 3-1 win against Dagenham were pure agony to suffer and he just lost his way. That post-match interview after the 2-2 against Yeovil was the sound of a man at the end of his tether.

I hope he’s had a good rest, is raring to go and has the second-most successful season in the National League.

[TSANHO]

I actually lost faith in Ardley after beating Yeovil at Meadow Lane when he said something along the lines of ‘I never do well there’ in his post match interview. It just about summed up how everyone was feeling at the time and was totally the wrong message to send out to the players, fans and owners...especially after a good win! It’s easy in retrospect of course but I think the owners made the right decision.

I’d echo what some have said on here in that he came across as a thoroughly decent bloke and I wish him well.

[applepie2]

I don’t think Ardley’s a bad manager. His overall record is that of a fairly average manager. For a while the season before last it looked pretty good, but the final match overshadows all that happened before. What is absolutely clear is that he is cautious, which isn’t always what’s needed. A gung-ho approach isn’t always what’s needed either.

[SaltySeaDog]

It's a shame covid curtailed our first season in the conference. We were on a really good roll, and playing some great football after the debacle of the season before, and the summer the club had to go through.

Seemed like Ardley lost a bit of his mojo along the way, and performances appeared to reflect this

[uysapie]

It's a shame covid curtailed our first season in the conference. We were on a really good roll, and playing some great football after the debacle of the season before, and the summer the club had to go through.

Seemed like Ardley lost a bit of his mojo along the way, and performances appeared to reflect this

As has been stated, he is an average manager but my view was always that he was not going to get us promoted with the style of play, as evidenced at Wembley.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

A good post.

I don't think Ardley became a bad manager, I just think he lost his way a bit. Decent bloke, if anything maybe a bit too nice!

A nice man ..and yes far to nice for his own good or so it would seem. but a poor fit for us....imo..

[laddo]

I wouldn't say Ardley was a bad manager, and I hold him no more than partly responsible for our relegation, because there was a lot of damage done before he even arrived at the club.

It would probably be fairer to say that having stabilised Notts in his first full season and eventually taken us to the play-off final, there was a feeling last season that we were at best standing still, if not regressing a little by the time he left. We were playing passing football but it was too reminiscent of Keith Curle's style of play and too defensive for a club with aspirations to impose ourselves on this league, as we should.

The owners got to a point in the season where their dilemma was either to renew his contract and commit fully to another two years, or move him on and gamble a little on someone they felt could take the project forward faster, and ultimately they did the latter.

I can't remember many managers who have left Notts County on such openly good terms with the owners, where it appeared that this really was a decision by 'mutual consent' with complimentary statements coming from both parties, and that goodwill is obviously still there because we're playing Ardley's team in a friendly this weekend.

I hope Neal Ardley does well at Solihull (except when they play us) and if the season ended with us as Champions and them as play-off winners, I'd be more than happy.

Excellent post. I echo Jackal2's thoughts on our former manager.

[uysapie]

Excellent post. I echo Jackal2's thoughts on our former manager.

he blew the opportunity of an immediate return to the FL, that was unforgivable.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Excellent post. I echo Jackal2's thoughts on our former manager.

So at which point did you realise he had become a rubbish manager. You did post this around 3 weeks ago...?
Like I've said my realisation was around a dozen games into our first season in the national league having given him the benefit of the doubt due to the pressure of a relegation battle.?

[uysapie]

So at which point did you realise he had become a rubbish manager. You did post this around 3 weeks ago...?
Like I've said my realisation was around a dozen games into our first season in the national league having given him the benefit of the doubt due to the pressure of a relegation battle.?

You are pushing your luck, having received a warning for post 50.