Why we failed this year and will again next year?

[Biker9999]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48158693

I think this article is an excellent read about Salford and how they go about running the club, the total focus they have and perhaps explains why we have just swapped leagues with them. The quote below is from the piece and is from Salford co-owner Gary Neville
"The year we didn't go up was my fault (4 out of 5 years) because I went away with England and we delayed our recruitment by two weeks.
"We started our recruitment for this next league two months ago and on 8am on Monday (that’s 13th May) morning we will get those players in (their new signings!)

[Old_pie]

An important ingredient but far too simplistic just to put it down to early recruitment.

[Elite_Pie]

An important ingredient but far too simplistic just to put it down to early recruitment.

True, early recruitment is made much easier when you can offer far more cash than the rest of the division.

[countygump]

Could it possibly be to do with having a billionaire owner? I wonder?

[countygump]

An important ingredient but far too simplistic just to put it down to early recruitment.

Just as a matter of interest, didn't we get last season's recruiting done really early? That worked out well.

[Old_pie]

Just as a matter of interest, didn't we get last season's recruiting done really early? That worked out well.

Look, I'm saying there's more to it than just recruiting early, and EP - we were one of the high spenders too.

We just recruited the wrong players and had the wrong manager and an incoherent playing style. Otherwise we'd have romped it.

Oh, and credible owners help too even if they were rookies as well.

[nw6pie]

True, early recruitment is made much easier when you can offer far more cash than the rest of the division.

Absolutely. The ideal is obviously to sign the right type of players - having vetted their personalities and injury records - as early as possible in pre-season, but the key thing is making sure they fit in the playing style you have. We managed to sign a shedload of players last summer, but didn’t replace the target man, goalkeeper and midfield general, and neglected the defence.

[Elite_Pie]

Look, I'm saying there's more to it than just recruiting early, and EP - we were one of the high spenders too.

And I was agreeing with you. It only seemed to work for us with the fake Munto money.

[forwardmagpie]

And I was agreeing with you. It only seemed to work for us with the fake Munto money.

And a good manager spending it !

[Elite_Pie]

And a good manager spending it !

True, but Sven was never going to be sustainable.

[queenslandpie]

True, but Sven was never going to be sustainable.

Notts recruited early last season. Recruiting early is one thing but you still need to sign the correct players.

[legs77]

Notts recruited early last season. Recruiting early is one thing but you still need to sign the correct players.

Spot on pal anyone with a brain knows we need a Strodder type CB and a few Ravenhills but d*ckheads like Hardy and Fletcher thought differently.

I am hoping we use a few of our youngsters next season it’s the way forward.

[ForeignLegion]

I know we're talking different universes in terms of ability, but isn't the Ajax captain 19?

[legs77]

I know we're talking different universes in terms of ability, but isn't the Ajax captain 19?

Yes he is De Ligt superb CB.

[ForeignLegion]

Do you reckon he'd make the move, to fit into the new youth policy at Notts, that some are keen to see happen?

[forwardmagpie]

True, but Sven was never going to be sustainable.

You can never quite bring yourself to believe Charlie did anything right😊

[Elite_Pie]

You can never quite bring yourself to believe Charlie did anything right😊

He did loads of things right.

When he was a player.

[calmpie]

Spot on pal anyone with a brain knows we need a Strodder type CB and a few Ravenhills but d*ckheads like Hardy and Fletcher thought differently.

Why are you aiming at them specifically? Do you know for sure they selected players and forced Nolan to buy them? I thought Nolan was the manager with responsibility for recruitment?

[DaveSmithRules]

I think the reason we fail is due to a lack of a consistent club plan and identity. We've chopped and changed both managers and players way too much.

Personally I like the Exeter model. We should aim to bring through and buy in young talented players and build a small, tight and energetic squad. If a player has a bad game or two, we can't just bin them. And we should aim to sell first-team players on up the leagues for £500k every so often and balance our books.

Even if it means staying in non-league for a few seasons I'd like to see us try this approach. Otherwise we'll be in the same boat in another 5-10 years again.

[DaveSmithRules]

On the above note, I'd really like to see Bird, Patching, Crawford, Osborne and Etete as regulars in the matchday squad next season. They're all young and all under contract. How will we ever know if they're good enough if they're never given a chance to play for us?

[forwardmagpie]

He did loads of things right.

When he was a player.

I agree he didn’t bring in any decent players 🤔

[McCullochisGod]

I agree he didn’t bring in any decent players ��

Bishop, Ravenhill, Hoult, Johnny Johnson, Davies, Hughes, Lee, Thompson, Rogers, Westcarr, Hawley, Ritchie on loan. None of these were decent?

[bridpie78]

Bishop, Ravenhill, Hoult, Johnny Johnson, Davies, Hughes, Lee, Thompson, Rogers, Westcarr, Hawley, Ritchie on loan. None of these were decent?

stretching a bit there with westcarr and hawley
and its johnny jackson

[McCullochisGod]

stretching a bit there with westcarr and hawley
and its johnny jackson

Correct Johnny Jackson my mistake. Westcarr and Hawley would have walked into that team. But my answer was, were they not good players signed by McParland?

[forwardmagpie]

Bishop, Ravenhill, Hoult, Johnny Johnson, Davies, Hughes, Lee, Thompson, Rogers, Westcarr, Hawley, Ritchie on loan. None of these were decent?

I was being ironic as Elite wears blinkers with McParland

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Bishop, Ravenhill, Hoult, Johnny Johnson, Davies, Hughes, Lee, Thompson, Rogers, Westcarr, Hawley, Ritchie on loan. None of these were decent?

Recruitment early is one part of the jigsaw, but as the above demonstrates and last season does it has to be the right kind of recruitment.

Many of those above were solid players with the right work ethic and a winning mental attitude. Also some had been captains at their previous clubs and were leaders. All the ingredients required for a successful side no matter what level you play at.

I watched Man City yesterday and whilst they have technically great players what they also have are players that are constantly hungry and keep going and going for the cause and force the opposition into problems. They are completely ruthless and do not ease up one bit.

Obviously the vast majority of teams are not to this quality but the key principles of winning the ball back, battling, fighting and having that hunger and desire which are all the mental aspects of the game can take you along way in the lower leagues. Many times last season we talked of the other team wanting it more. Obviously you do need that extra bit of quality as well and can’t solely rely on attitude and spirit alone.

I don’t know about non-league what is needed to get out of that level but imagine the basics of being organised, physical and strong physically and mentally with some quality for that level would be key.

[apieandpint]

Correct Johnny Jackson my mistake. Westcarr and Hawley would have walked into that team. But my answer was, were they not good players signed by McParland?

This really needs putting to bed now. It's been nearly 10 years.

McP may have been able to spot a player, but manage them he couldn't. His own career after Notts shows this and probably why he now holds the position of Villa Chief scout.

[Elite_Pie]

I was being ironic as Elite wears blinkers with McParland

I could say the same about you, you seem infatuated with him and see only good. Best to leave it to the stats to get a true answer.

Those stats say he was an appalling manager.

[forwardmagpie]

I could say the same about you, you seem infatuated with him and see only good. Best to leave it to the stats to get a true answer.

Those stats say he was an appalling manager.

We were discussing recruitment Elite I know it’s difficult but try to stay on topic.

[McCullochisGod]

We were discussing recruitment Elite I know it’s difficult but try to stay on topic.

He finds it difficult such as his hate for McParland is. Mind you McParland DID keep us up, Ardley couldn't.

[nw6pie]

Recruitment early is one part of the jigsaw, but as the above demonstrates and last season does it has to be the right kind of recruitment.

Many of those above were solid players with the right work ethic and a winning mental attitude. Also some had been captains at their previous clubs and were leaders. All the ingredients required for a successful side no matter what level you play at.

I watched Man City yesterday and whilst they have technically great players what they also have are players that are constantly hungry and keep going and going for the cause and force the opposition into problems. They are completely ruthless and do not ease up one bit.

Obviously the vast majority of teams are not to this quality but the key principles of winning the ball back, battling, fighting and having that hunger and desire which are all the mental aspects of the game can take you along way in the lower leagues. Many times last season we talked of the other team wanting it more. Obviously you do need that extra bit of quality as well and can’t solely rely on attitude and spirit alone.

I don’t know about non-league what is needed to get out of that level but imagine the basics of being organised, physical and strong physically and mentally with some quality for that level would be key.

Not that long ago, football seemed to becoming a game for 6 footers only - I seem to remember Mourinho even fielding a team in which everyone was over 6 foot. What Man City have done is reverse that trend with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Aguero, Jesus, Sterling, De Bruyne, etc. These guys are just amazing athletes whose work ethic is amazing - same story at Anfield. Not sure it will be quite like that in the National League, though.

[Elite_Pie]

We were discussing recruitment Elite I know it’s difficult but try to stay on topic.

We seem to be making progress, as you finally seem to accept that he was an appalling manager. Have a look at his recruitment for the whole season he was in charge, he signed some real garbage. I think if he had been given the manager's job at Man City for this season he would have got them into the Europa League. I'm sure MiG would see that as some achievement given his low standards.

[forwardmagpie]

We seem to be making progress, as you finally seem to accept that he was an appalling manager. Have a look at his recruitment for the whole season he was in charge, he signed some real garbage. I think if he had been given the manager's job at Man City for this season he would have got them into the Europa League. I'm sure MiG would see that as some achievement given his low standards.

Where have I accepted he was an appalling manager he falls somewhere between not as good as I think and not as bad as you know!!

If you think his recruitment was garbage I do not share your opinion but then on most topics I am more than glad not to share your opinion.

[Elite_Pie]

I do not share your opinion but then on most topics I am more than glad not to share your opinion.

As I recall you have a strong dislike of Forest, maybe we have some common ground on that one.

[forwardmagpie]

As I recall you have a strong dislike of Forest, maybe we have some common ground on that one.

Yes that is one topic (probably the only one other than our blind support of Notts) where we definitely have common ground.

[Old_pie]

One gaping omission in our line up was Michael O'Conner:

He's played a big part in the success of the team over this past season," said Lincoln manager Danny Cowley.

Whether we could have kept him or not is open to question but we didn't replace him effectively. Maybe he could see where the grass was greener.

[slack_pie]

stretching a bit there with westcarr and hawley
and its johnny jackson

Westcarr was a great signing. Scored and assisted double figures from the wing. No idea why we got rid of him when we did.