THE Ardley In/Out Thread [Multiple threads merged]

[laddo]

So how did Nolan go from taking over Notts on a horrendous losing streak to turn the season around to taking a expensively assembled squad who had been top 6 all season, looked possible automatic promotion candidates and end in the play offs with a full pre season to prepare for the next season

To

PL 5, W0, D1, L4 GF 5 GA 13

An eye watering 24 goals conceded in the first 8 games!!

How does that happen? All momentum lost instantly, all good feel at the club from the previous 1.5 seasons gone! Please explain that Kyle ? Those shocking and totally unexpected first 5 games changed the tone for the whole season.

Kewell's record was a little better but when he was sacked and Ardley came in the biggest issue was still how many goals we were conceding. That's why NA parked the bus and played defensively to try and stop the goals flying in our net. Of course that's no excuse to adopt this in NL but very valid in the relegation season.

[SwalePie]

Of course its crackers to suggest he was at fault

You seem to have conveniently missed the point. I was clearly pointing out that it was crackers to blame ONLY him Pedro

[SwalePie]

He was the manager at the time of our relegation so of course I’m going to say he relegated us.

So if he'd been appointed the day before the Swindon game, for example, it would have been him who relegated us. OK got it. Makes sense.

[Kyle95]

So how did Nolan go from taking over Notts on a horrendous losing streak to turn the season around to taking a expensively assembled squad who had been top 6 all season, looked possible automatic promotion candidates and end in the play offs with a full pre season to prepare for the next season

To

PL 5, W0, D1, L4 GF 5 GA 13

An eye watering 24 goals conceded in the first 8 games!!

How does that happen? All momentum lost instantly, all good feel at the club from the previous 1.5 seasons gone! Please explain that Kyle ? Those shocking and totally unexpected first 5 games changed the tone for the whole season.

Kewell's record was a little better but when he was sacked and Ardley came in the biggest issue was still how many goals we were conceding. That's why NA parked the bus and played defensively to try and stop the goals flying in our net. Of course that's no excuse to adopt this in NL but very valid in the relegation season.

The Nolan that walked through the door was very different to the one that left. When he came in I think we had a motivated Kevin Nolan, somebody that wanted to prove people wrong after against sacked by Leyton Orient. It’s no secret that Nolan and Hardy were very close friends, in fact I saw them both out together quite a few times in town on a Friday night. I think the whole ‘he will go onto manage England’ ‘we are very lucky to have him’ got to his head. I think he became comfortable which is dangerous in any job let alone football. The recruitment was all wrong that summer, Nolan liked a hoof ball style, something the likes of Vaughan, Hemmings, Dennis and Enzio were not suitable for. The squad needed a few little changes rather than the massive overhaul we ended up having. That being said one things for sure in my eyes, I’d rather have a fully motivated Kevin Nolan over Neal Ardley every day of the week. Don’t get me wrong Ardley may move to another club and get them going, at a smaller club with little expectation, I just don’t think he’s the right fit for us. Obviously that’s just my opinion though, I’m entitled to it, as are you. Neither of us can be wrong 👍 also one more thing your point about Ardley parking the bus, due to us being bad defensively is false. AFC Wimbledon fans during their PROMOTION season, complained that his play style was ‘too negative’ Ardley played for the original Wimbledon, he should be a legend for them, I find it very damning that their fans couldn’t wait to see the back of him.

[Kyle95]

So if he'd been appointed the day before the Swindon game, for example, it would have been him who relegated us. OK got it. Makes sense.

Ridiculous thing to say considering he came in before Christmas not just before our last game. If he had came in a game before obviously I would have no grounds to say he was responsible. While he had more than half of the season to save us I can.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

So if he'd been appointed the day before the Swindon game, for example, it would have been him who relegated us. OK got it. Makes sense.

That's the whole point..
He came in with half a season still to save us and turn around the poor form that had left us in a bad position.
He had time to assess his squad.
He had time to implement a new style and sign a new team.
Off course not ideal, but that was his mission.
In this time he failed where as a chap called Sol was successful.

[Disturbed]

I think he's very lucky to still be here, he should have been given the boot after relegating us.

Ardley wasn't 100% responsible for our relegation, but I agree that he should have been given the boot for not keeping us up. Ardley had enough time, more than enough games and he signed way more players to keep us in that division than was needed

[laddo]

So Kyle he came in motivated did a great job to turn us around that first season and was unlucky in his 2nd season. But having lost a play off semi final he lost all motivation? That didn't spur him on to go one better the following season?

He let the Chairman's words go to his head, he let the chairman and buddy buy players that he knew didn't suit his style/system, let the squad get out of shape for the start of the season and not properly organise them during an ill advised pre season schedule.

That's why the blame has to be shared, his lack of motivation (?) cost us all out momentum.

Ardley failed no doubt about it. As did Nolan that season badly and as did Kewell albeit to a lessor extent. They all failed but nobody failed us more than the chairman that year. He had a shocker.

Sol Campbell is clearly a fantastic manager so we shouldn't be surprised that he worked a miracle. You only have to see what's happened to Macclesfield Town (RIP) and Southend United since he left both clubs.

[laddo]

Ardley wasn't 100% responsible for our relegation, but I agree that he should have been given the boot for not keeping us up. Ardley had enough time, more than enough games and he signed way more players to keep us in that division than was needed

Nowhere near 100% for the reasons detailed above and many time on here. That would be pure crazy talk to blame only one person. Kyle highlighted some interesting points regarding Nolan.

Agree that Ardley should have been sacked after he failed to keep us up and sure if the owner wasn't planning / desperate to sell the club he would have been.

There was no money available to sack him.

[Kyle95]

So Kyle he came in motivated did a great job to turn us around that first season and was unlucky in his 2nd season. But having lost a play off semi final he lost all motivation? That didn't spur him on to go one better the following season?

He let the Chairman's words go to his head, he let the chairman and buddy buy players that he knew didn't suit his style/system, let the squad get out of shape for the start of the season and not properly organise them during an ill advised pre season schedule.

That's why the blame has to be shared, his lack of motivation (?) cost us all out momentum.

Ardley failed no doubt about it. As did Nolan that season badly and as did Kewell albeit to a lessor extent. They all failed but nobody failed us more than the chairman that year. He had a shocker.

Sol Campbell is clearly a fantastic manager so we shouldn't be surprised that he worked a miracle. You only have to see what's happened to Macclesfield Town (RIP) and Southend United since he left both clubs.

Most of the players that were ‘out of shape’ ect were not used in the 2nd half of the season, Ardley signed pretty much a whole new team. Like I’ve said he may do well elsewhere, he just hasn’t and will continue not to do well at Notts.

If Ardley is such a great manager, who had an impossible task to keep us up ect, why hasn’t a EFL club snapped him up from little old Notts County? Why didn’t a club take him last summer when he was out of contract?

Here’s the thing right, you will point out Ardley had it tough ect, I will point out that if we had a genuine firefighter, somebody in the Steve Cotterill mould we would have stayed up I’m 100% sure of it.

Ardley had it tough ect do me a favour. Charlie McParland, and Steve Thompson worked with pennies compared to the backing Ardley has received, yet both never relegated us to non-league football.