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I personally think they didnt get the Jan window wrong, similar to why the coaches not were not replaced...They obviously realised that Maynard was a dud, and that they had made a huge mistake in setting him on. The plan to sack him was probably made around that time, and rebuild in the summer with a complete new management set up, and players..Quote:
Originally Posted by kill_the_drum
Part of the problem is that we have been out of league one for ten years and this will now become at least eleven years. So there is an element of impatience amongst part of the fan base and it's understandable. It's 30 years since we were last in the second tier as well. So for the size of club we are we have underachieved for many years looking at it this way. It's been discussed on here about the clubs natural level and it's not League two or the National League.
However this doesn't tell the story of the overall decline from finishing 7th in league one in 2011 to relegation to the National League in 2019. The only decent season in that time that bucked the trend was the Nolan play-off season in 2018.
So from 2019 to 2023 it was a case of building the club up from the ashes and putting the foundations in place for it to survive in the EFL once we got back there.
To get double promotion from the National League to League One would only have been possible if a league one team had been built while we were in the National League. Wrexham did that but they spent a lot of money doing it whereas the way the club operates it becomes a much more difficult task because teams are built more gradually over a few summers. MK Dons are doing similar to Wrexham did spending large amounts of money but it didn't work for them last season. It may come together for them this season and they will likely be favourites.
Our league position has improved season on season for the past six years. It may not be fast enough for some fans but I much prefer this than the boom and bust that we saw so many times from 2001 to 2019. One thing is for sure is that the six years under the Brothers has been the most stable the club has been and that is also factoring the fact there was the Covid pandemic in that time as well.
There is also a little bit of a ceiling to break through as well because we've been out of league one for a decade. The clubs that we are now competing with have been at that level more recently than us. Take the four sides that got promoted Port Vale bounced straight back up to LG1, Doncaster and Wimbledon spent three seasons in LG2 and Bradford spent six years at this level.
I do believe we will get to league one in the next year or two and if that means it takes four years in total like it did to get out of the National League then so be it. It's all well and good getting promoted to league one but we have to be good enough and strong enough to survive there. Off the field everything appears to be in place and I believe our owners have been learning about this level and what's needed to get out of it. So the past two years they will have learned a lot of lessons. We have already heard about more physicality and aggression in terms of potential signings.
The issue is that you might argue the squad is getting weaker not stronger though and thats a worry.Quote:
Originally Posted by slack_pie
My opinion is that it will be Williams, he hasn?t been touted for any other jobs. Maybe it was agreed weeks ago and we are trying to recruit his ?coaching team? before any announcement ?
He was a late appointment last time. Maybe will be announced the day the players return at the end of the monthQuote:
Originally Posted by cjpieman
He was appointed around this weekend last time he was here I expect the new guy will be in this week whoever it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by irishpete
This is what I think as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they tapped Luke up as soon as he became available in February and it's been their plan all along to bring him back, regardless of whether Maynard had taken us up. It might also explain why the Saunders brothers weren't replaced when they left (also in February) and they may have decided around that time that a new approach to the 'football department' was needed in order to take the club to the next level. Richard Montague, who had been heavily involved at that time also left the club in February. The timing of all of these events just seems more than a coincidence and may have prompted a decision that it was time for a great 'reset' at the end of the season. For all we know Luke may already have been actively involved in recruiting his new 'dream team' on the coaching staff and the club has just been waiting for them all to return from holiday. He has previously spoken highly of Joao Alves for example.Quote:
Originally Posted by cjpieman
Pure speculation of course but that's my two penneth...
It can be argued that the squads are getting weaker not stronger, and although it is impossible and totally unrealistic for the squad to get stronger year on year, for me that is not the case so no issue. Recruitment at Notts County has improved notably under the current owners.Quote:
Originally Posted by cjpieman
Talking of owners I read our former owner Alan Hardy mentioned earlier and although on some metrics, just a few mind, he can measured against the current owners favourably or at least equally. However on the vast majority thankfully he can?t. Worlds apart
Somebody put some wonga on Steffen Hojer in at 15/1 shortening
Denmark u21 Manager who are currently away at the u21 euros, which might explain why no appointment has been made yet...Quote:
Originally Posted by irishpete
I doubt itQuote:
Originally Posted by ManchesterMagpie