The bells are tolling for the club

[Wartman]

We are not improving as a club in fact we are slowly but surely getting worse, we have a board where several members don’t want to be there and if they can find an investor will cash in their chips and be off like a shot, we have a manager who quite frankly is just not good enough I think the experiment of recruiting the first team manager from within is dead in the water, however who in earth is going to want to stake his managerial reputation at our club with both hands tied behind his back.

I know that football nowadays and even down at our lonely level it’s all about money and budgets but Jesus Chris our budget would not be anywhere near the top in the national league and guess what we are paying some of the most expensive ticket prices in the league so I am not quite sure how that works and are we getting value for money I would say no.

The board have invested this season in the first team I admit but did not invest in the management team and that’s the problem, this side under Bell will go down if changes are not made, the performance of the last 2 matches looked like a management team who has lost the dressing room. Bells post match interviews were very negative and no uttering of positivity. Bizarre formations and player selections compounding the issues, back 5 at home back 4 away and not even your best back 4 crazy !!! Can anyone say that this club has moved forward under Bells tenure I would argue not and this side is good enough to go down unless changes are made if we get relegated we will never see a professional football club in Crewe again FACT !!!!

[lukcour]

I do agree that with LB, RD, and MJ as management team we are probably heading for relegation and would sink to the bottom half of the National league. All 3 their record is a history of failure.
Unfortunately I extimate round about 60% of our supporters would disagree. They are prepared to accept our teams losing consistently as long as "one of our own" is in charge. They have it fixed in their mind that in League2 we are a small club with a low budget in a league full of big superior clubs. This is a fantasy that has existed for years. The reality is that virtually all of the teams in our league are small clubs. In fact any team in leage2 that plays half decent football and a commited pressing game would be strong favourites for promotion or at least the play-offs. And our current squad of players would easily fit in this bracket. It is only inferior management in our 1st team and under21 team that is stopping us. After our first 4 games we were top of the league and then LB and RD knew better and changed every aspect of our game and once again we are losers. But the majority of our supporters accept this because we are a small fish in a big pond. Pure and utter rubbish.Our players must be so frustrated
I am not in a position to know if what Wartman says about at least 2 of our director wanting out. However the Chairman and directors are owning and running a business that is so substandard it is beyond belief. The question must be asked, how long are they going to let this continue?

[CreweBorn]

Doom and gloom

I do agree that with LB, RD, and MJ as management team we are probably heading for relegation and would sink to the bottom half of the National league. All 3 their record is a history of failure.
Unfortunately I extimate round about 60% of our supporters would disagree. They are prepared to accept our teams losing consistently as long as "one of our own" is in charge. They have it fixed in their mind that in League2 we are a small club with a low budget in a league full of big superior clubs. This is a fantasy that has existed for years. The reality is that virtually all of the teams in our league are small clubs. In fact any team in leage2 that plays half decent football and a commited pressing game would be strong favourites for promotion or at least the play-offs. And our current squad of players would easily fit in this bracket. It is only inferior management in our 1st team and under21 team that is stopping us. After our first 4 games we were top of the league and then LB and RD knew better and changed every aspect of our game and once again we are losers. But the majority of our supporters accept this because we are a small fish in a big pond. Pure and utter rubbish.Our players must be so frustrated
I am not in a position to know if what Wartman says about at least 2 of our director wanting out. However the Chairman and directors are owning and running a business that is so substandard it is beyond belief. The question must be asked, how long are they going to let this continue?

After the optimism of the first four games it's unbelievable how we've spiralled downwards. LB's interview after MK Dons shows that the players have totally lost confidence in the management team.
There doesn't seem to be any hope of rescuing the situation the way things are.

[lukcour]

The silence from regular posters is deafening. . Are you really willing for this inferior management to continue. You have seen what our current players are capable of. You have witnessed. how LB and RD have ripped it all to pieces

[MikeSB]

The silence from regular posters is deafening. . Are you really willing for this inferior management to continue. You have seen what our current players are capable of. You have witnessed. how LB and RD have ripped it all to pieces

In my simple mind I don't think our players are good enough and we virtually have no Strikers to call on as we have an obsession in football of having just one or two up front but when they get injured as now, who is going to score the goals? Someone mentioned where are the wingers nowadays that provided the width and chances of days gone bye like Rodney Jack, Steve Jones and Luke Varney just in recent years and many before that date.

LB and Co are just tied to academy style football where all they must do in practice is pass the ball to each other. When you are goaless in games then you should be able to throw the kitchen sink at the opposition to at least get goal chances. All we do is stay back and pass to each other. Its a football problem. Look at Vale this season etc..

I think ?28 quid for a day ticket now isn't it? Why doesn't the club halve the prices in each wing stand as it looks terrible with almost no fans in there.

[MeForCrewe]

When you put together the latter end of last season with our first ten games of this one then it is certainly makes grim reading. I think that the end of the road for Lee is inevitable unfortunately. If that's the case then it has to be done sooner rather than later. Can we afford to do it is another question. In my opinion RD and KL should go at the same time, more bodies to pay off. It has to be an outside appointment, I've a feeling that this would happen this time around, albeit probably with some kind of past connections. Our next three games are massive for the three present incumbents.

[MikeSB]

It maybe me with mind wandering again!

Is it possible that in the first 4 games the players played with some freedom and ability to play their normal game so to speak but when the management and coaching staff and the academy thing got them and then they really did not know how to play with three managers all shouting stuff from the sidelines?

Just going back to the old days when clubs had one manager and he they had hardly any involvement in the games such that some of them went golfing on a Saturday...

ie the coaches have a detrimental affect on the players particularly on match days?

[gazan]

The silence from regular posters is deafening. . Are you really willing for this inferior management to continue. You have seen what our current players are capable of. You have witnessed. how LB and RD have ripped it all to pieces

Who is this aimed at? I have never missed much on here, good or bad. It's also an ironic comment considering the lack of certain posters during the first 4 games.
Let's concentrate on the football and our club rather than setting up 'aunt Sally's' (the earlier post) of other Alex fans to knock them down.
I have increasingly nailed my colours to the mast. I've been critical when I thought necessary and also avoided negative hyperbole.
To get back to the main issue, the club not the fans, I think LB's post-match interview said it all. Any manager who slags off his own players for not trying has made a rod for his own back. Why does he think they are not trying when we know they are capable of skillful performances? He also made thinly-veiled references to certain players while talking about a lack of leadership. Does he feel he is being undermined? If so, this should make him reflect on his leadership.
I have now gone beyond the idea of him being capable of bringing promotion to the Alex. However, I'm not sure who would replace him.
Perhaps we can have some positive discussion about that.🙂

[lukcour]

Positive discussion, why not reg arding a new manager. How about Robbie Savage currently with Forest Gate. Our club is far closer to his main residence in millionaires row. Doing an excellent job this season in National league.

[LordK]

I took a day or two after watching the game on I-Follow (based in USA), to actually look at the post game interview with LB. Some of this is Management comments and some the team display at MK Dons.
His response an be taken two ways,
a) Be Nice - (as he usually is) and say the team tried but did not deliver the tactics (or lack of) discussed prior to taking the field.
b) Be Hard - take it out on the dressing room!, Watching the Salford documentary, their Manager, slags off his side (in the private of the dressing room, before- half-time and after game, pushing his cones around the floor as if he has a game plan! I would not like B to have this approach and I think at the end of the Artell era this occurred (Davis later said in a documentary, he was not really motivating in the last few months, clutching at straws!)

So this is the first time I have seen LB upset, indeed dejected and was looking for a response from his team, including the seniors (however they are few, with only 3-4 over 25 in the squad) in the dressing room, the rest loanees, academy or first season. Mikey as well as Captain (is he actually fit or injured), tries to do everything (even down the wing at MK Dons). He has enough trying to harness the 3 around him in a compact unit. Its in front of this is where we are struggling (I list my Grimsby starting team separately), the midfield plays back or across, then when they head forward they feel they need to shoot from 25 yards or try and beat 3 x players to walk the ball in.
LB commented that Tezgel, worked his socks off, yes first half very good, however when Moult arrived he folded, they smuggled to play together it looks like? So the team Booth 7/10, but lots of practice!, Connolly, looked out of sorts and personally I like Golding alongside Mickey, but Connelly is our and Golding may depart in January (or is he a full season). Hutchinson, maybe some burn out in the past few weeks, getting caught out defending. Lunt, (Ineffective at MK Dons), has been the team powerhouse till now. Thomas, needs to be central, missed a first time effort which could of changed the nature of the game. Moult, needs service, he came on a Taz disappeared. O'Reilly, to be honest MK Dons snuffed him out. Lankester, still not 100%, Agius, from the start please.

The squad looks ok, I like width so Mingi or Rankine please then we can see what Moult is all about.

Management team, as always its a decision that needs to occur before January window (as we may loose 2-3 first team players) . The squad worked well the few few weeks , but seem to overthink every pass! I would prefer the Crewe of the past (not from the 1980's) where it was go and give the opposition a game, knowing we could on many occasions score as many as the opposition and the odd goal decided so a 4-3 or 3-2 win/loss as opposed 1 or 2-0 defeat.

The Board need to decide in the next month, and be on the search now, in case things do not turn around. this coming 3-4 game stretch, should provide us points!, but I cannot see a an FA cup run!

[gazan]

Positive discussion, why not reg arding a new manager. How about Robbie Savage currently with Forest Gate. Our club is far closer to his main residence in millionaires row. Doing an excellent job this season in National league.

Good. However, Savage wouldn't come here as he hates the Alex. I'm not sure that Savage has it anyway. I think it's more a case of his success being in taking over a team of already proven talent and it clicking for him at the moment. However, at least you've thought of someone which is more than I can at the moment.
Maybe someone like the current S****horpe manager who is doing well in the National League having guided them up from the National North. More likely an assistant manager from somewhere who has yet to manage. There's no way the Alex could afford a proven manager and some 'names' might turn out to be timeservers who would not offer progress. It's difficult AND. a risk.

[lukcour]

Robbie Savage also had a good record at Macc. Might be a bit cheeky but how about asking someone like Pep G if he knows some young prospect manager in Europe. At worst he can only say no..

[lukcour]

Yes Gazan appointing a new manager for any club is a risk. but keeping Lb and RD is not a risk. With their history it is an absolue certaintity. We cannot afford to let this continue.

[Gobstopper]

Yes Gazan appointing a new manager for any club is a risk. but keeping Lb and RD is not a risk. With their history it is an absolute certainty. We cannot afford to let this continue.

I think that LB and RD are doing everything they can to make us a better team and after our win against Grimsby there is a glimmer of hope. It was a much improved performance where we beat one of the better teams in league 2, it told me that we can compete with the top of the table, but I think Shrewsbury is a must win game. AS for this Saturday we will just have to see, its a tough game which we are not expected to win, as for changing the manager we are not there yet and I totally disagree with those who are advocating a change. We have a top 7 squad, so lets see where we are at the end of the year and take it from there.

[lukcour]

Well like yourself I disagee with your views on LB and RD. !0 points from a possible 30 is relegation standard. If that was them doing their best I would hate to see them doing poorly. Sorry but waiting till the New Year is far too risky.
However if the recent negative attitude re our management has made them realise that for most of 2025 their resuults have been absolutely woeful and the Grimsby result is a pointer that they both realise they were wrong, then maybe job done. The next 2 league games are crucial.

Recently I posted that IMO 60% of our supporters would be against any change in management. Over the last few home games .two of us have asked a number of supporters if they would like to see a change of management. The majority were stunned that we would ever consider it, the rest showed no interest , and had no opinion