Ian Burchnall interview

[laddo]

He's not a fan of "aimless direct balls" seen far too many of those already Ian#hoof.

It's music to my (and I hope) and many others ears.

[upthemaggies]

22 games in charge now plus an FA Trophy match, so half a season's worth.

Averaging 1.59 PPG (on league and play off games), which is the best since Curle. 1.89 at home, 1.38 away.

5th tier league games only, he's still - perhaps surprisingly - still behind Ardley (who averaged 1.70 at this level) but Burch is catching up (on 1.60).

Just the one winning streak of three back to back wins so far, currently unbeaten at home in six and - since the defeat to Aldershot in his first league game in charge - just one further Meadow Lane loss to Eastleigh.

[Elite_Pie]

He's not a fan of "aimless direct balls" seen far too many of those already Ian#hoof.

I doubt you will find any manager at any club, or any fan at any club saying that they are a fan of "aimless direct balls".

Aimed direct balls are a different matter and shouldn't be underestimated, especially in this league.

[BigFatPie]

I doubt you will find any manager at any club, or any fan at any club saying that they are a fan of "aimless direct balls".

Aimed direct balls are a different matter and shouldn't be underestimated, especially in this league.

As with a lot of clubs lately, we’ve had a few Poundland Guardiolas as manager who’ve liked to piss about with it at the back, but I’m not sure they’ve known why.

I do think Burchnall has a strategy and if that’s not working he has a plan b and possibly plan c, That includes knocking it long when necessary.

All that being said, he is in charge of a club which regularly attracts 6,000 in non league so under decent ownership he should be fairly successful.

[Elite_Pie]

As with a lot of clubs lately, we’ve had a few Poundland Guardiolas as manager who’ve liked to piss about with it at the back, but I’m not sure they’ve known why.

I do think Burchnall has a strategy and if that’s not working he has a plan b and possibly plan c, That includes knocking it long when necessary.

All that being said, he is in charge of a club which regularly attracts 6,000 in non league so under decent ownership he should be fairly successful.

Define "fairly successful". Burchnall gives me ten times the optimism Ardley gave me, but I still have concerns that his preferred style of play isn't what gets you out of the National League. I genuinely hope those concerns prove to be unfounded.

[BigFatPie]

Define "fairly successful". Burchnall gives me ten times the optimism Ardley gave me, but I still have concerns that his preferred style of play isn't what gets you out of the National League. I genuinely hope those concerns prove to be unfounded.

Good point. And in this season where we’ve got 4 or 5 clubs slinging serious money at it, getting out of the league will be harder than ever, regardless of style of play.

As fans of a bigger club in a smaller league I think the most you can ask is 1) Win most of your games and 2) Do it in the most entertaining style as possible and 3) Improve the players you’ve got. Whether all that’s enough to get promoted only time will tell.

[Elite_Pie]

Good point. And in this season where we’ve got 4 or 5 clubs slinging serious money at it, getting out of the league will be harder than ever, regardless of style of play.

As fans of a bigger club in a smaller league I think the most you can ask is 1) Win most of your games and 2) Do it in the most entertaining style as possible and 3) Improve the players you’ve got. Whether all that’s enough to get promoted only time will tell.

I think he's capable of achieving points 1, 2 & 3. As you say only having the two promotion places sets a pretty high benchmark, but for me he has to take us back to the Football League to be judged a real success.

[upthemaggies]

but for me he has to take us back to the Football League to be judged a real success.

I think that will hold true generally going by how Fenton and Barnwell are now perceived as relative failures or at least 'not up to much', despite both being close to promotion two and three levels higher (and in Barnwell's case, playing very exciting football on the grass). Maybe if they'd been replaced by failures fans would be saying we should have stuck with them, as they do now with Curle. Fortunately for the supporters watching Notts in 1977 and 1989, they didn't get lumbered with a Chirs Kiwomya.

If Burch fails, we are actually going to have people saying we should have stuck with Ardley, so he simply has to succeed for sanity's sake, otherwise this forum will go into total meltdown arguing the case.