Maynard out?

[OP67]

I must admit I would have left this poll until the season had ended, but after 44 games I'm pretty sure my opinion wouldn't change:

If we fail to make the playoffs - OUT.
If we lose in the playoffs - OUT
If we win the playoffs - OUT.

It seems incredibly harsh to get rid of a manager who got you promoted, but since day one I have seen Stuart Maynard as a 'nearly' man. A fair bit to like, but I am convinced something is missing. Even with the injuries we have suffered (loads of other clubs have had them as well) I think we should be doing better than we are. For once we have a squad that is balanced and talented compared to most, but we are conceding points to lesser teams far too often, especially at Meadow Lane. Thank you for your efforts Stuart, you gave it everything and did your best and I would wish you all the best for the future.

But in order to continue our upward curve, I hope your future isn't at Notts County.

My thoughts exactly, who we get in though I haven't a clue.

Looks like Matt Saunders took his blue print to success with him, hmmmmm where is he now?

[LeftPeg_Pie]

seems incredibly harsh to get rid of a manager who got you promoted, but since day one I have seen Stuart Maynard as a 'nearly' man.

Could you refer to someone as a nearly man if they achieved what was set out to be done?

[Elite_Pie]

Could you refer to someone as a nearly man if they achieved what was set out to be done?

I could in this particular case.

I just don't think he's capable of getting the maximum out of the squad he has.

[jackal2]

The owners have set their stall out on the style of football we play, and whoever the manager is, he'll have to adopt the same style, and so it goes on. If it don't work fans can blame the next manager

There's nothing wrong with the style of play if it's done well. The football we played under Williams was the best I've seen in 30 years, with entertainment guaranteed virtually every week. I think a combination of overplaying at the back, and not having enough centre-halves good enough for League Two, were beginning to tell by the time he left, but we've upgraded well in that department with the likes of Platt and Bedeau.

As I've said in another post, I would be a hypocrite to call for Maynard's head while we're in a play-off place, because I slaughtered Birmingham for sacking John Eustace when they were in a similar position last season, so I'm willing to wait and see where the season ultimately takes us.

What I will say is that the football we've played under Maynard has been slow-paced, unimaginative tripe for a lot of the time and I could count on less than the fingers of one hand the number of games I've enjoyed watching. I also still wonder whether the most effective elements of the management team walked out of the door at the turn of the year leaving an Emperor with few if any clothes.

I don't dislike Maynard the guy, he's not a Jamie Fullarton or Jocky Scott type, but unless he can find a way of taking the handbrake off this team and getting the entertaining best out of some very good attacking players for this level, then I can't honestly say I'd look forward to next season with any enthusiasm.

[51Magpie]

...he's more scared of losing than not winning.

I agree with this. His whole approach to home games seems to prioritise not losing. That leads to the very thing we're trying to avoid. The worst thing about it is that he never seems to learn from experience.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

I agree with this. His whole approach to home games seems to prioritise not losing. That leads to the very thing we're trying to avoid. The worst thing about it is that he never seems to learn from experience.

ah yes ! the Ardley way !

[LeftPeg_Pie]

I could in this particular case.

I just don't think he's capable of getting the maximum out of the squad he has.

I appreciate the idea of not getting the most out of the squad at hand. But I would struggle to understand the nearly man thing if we actually went up.

I think as a standard, most fans want their team to go up. Of course, we all want 100 points and go up with 6 to go, but realistically that does not happen very often.

As it stands, we are in the running to go up. We are bang out of form at the wrong time, but as it stands, those in the play offs are too. Of the last 15 points available:

Walsall - 3.
Wimbledon - 5.
Notts - 4.
Grimsby - 5.

[Notts78]

I appreciate the idea of not getting the most out of the squad at hand. But I would struggle to understand the nearly man thing if we actually went up.

I think as a standard, most fans want their team to go up. Of course, we all want 100 points and go up with 6 to go, but realistically that does not happen very often.

As it stands, we are in the running to go up. We are bang out of form at the wrong time, but as it stands, those in the play offs are too. Of the last 15 points available:

Walsall - 3.
Wimbledon - 5.
Notts - 4.
Grimsby - 5.

Exactly this.

Folk writing off our chances but if you ask them who they will think will win the playoffs, there wouldn?t be an obvious choice.

Folk saying we have this amazing squad, do we? We have a lot of unproven players at the level we are at. Most on here didn?t fancy our chances of promotion in pre season and those same voices are the ones piping up the most about lost opportunities and not being promoted.

Personally the recruitment hasn?t been as good as it should have been. Defensively we have it about right but we don?t have that genuine creative midfielder? we did, but his eye was turned and I?m not sure we saw the best of him prior to leaving.
We have always been a decent striker short with a heavy reliance on Jatta and Didz. Jatta seems bereft of form and confidence, but SM has no obvious replacement. Though he could go Didz up top and have JJ in the 10.
And IMO we are a right sided player shirt too.

SM tried to be more attacking on Monday? 3 strikers on the pitch. However, Flynn solved that puzzle and SM simply didn?t look for an answer.

The squad is short in key attacking areas IMO and isn?t as amazing as some make out.

[maddogslater]

I'm done trying to make excuses for him, totally agree with elites post.
He seems to be going backwards rather than improving, too many bad runs this season, thought we'd turned the corner around Christmas but the tide has turned on that.

[jonnyt1]

Somethings afoot. My has Maynard been given no support since the Saunders left? In fact why did the Saunders leave? That seems to be the defining moment this season to me.

As it stands he has to go and I suspect that decision was made months ago when the Saunders left and no one was brought in to assist Maynard.