Williams is Favourite [New Head Coach speculation thread]

[SwalePie]

Are there any other clubs who operate with a management team of coaches headed by an academic?
I suppose Wenger might have been looked at that way at the start with Arsenal

Headed by an academic? I don't think Dr. Rhodes is coming to coach or pick the team.

[ManchesterMagpie]

I agree, but the owners seem to have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to appointing a successful and effective leader. Either that or stubbornness. As much as I appreciate the fantastic investment they are making in our infrastructure, that money is wasted if we can't get the head coach right and deliver success on the pitch.

It's the leadership aspect that often seems missing. We lacked leaders in the dugout and on the pitch last season. It doesn't matter how talented and hard-working the coach is, if he can't motivate the team and create unity in the club, he won't be a success.

I think it's less about them having a blind spot to appointing a successful and effective leader, and more about them not being able to attract an experienced coach who is prepared to work in the way that our owners want them to (ie. as a Head Coach and not as a 'traditional' Manager being responsible for recruitment etc). It's clear that these owners will not change their model - which to be fair has been fairly successful to date - so any new Head Coach looking for a new role will have to accept that model if they want to come to Notts. It's a big part of their Job Description and only a certain type of coach would be happy to work that way. Luke Williams, Ian Burchnall and Neal Ardley were happy with these arrangements and it generally worked for them.

I agree with you on the Leadership element though. Luke was the right kind of character, big on discipline and he was respected by the players who would run through walls for him. Remember that 'never say die' attitude which saw us come back so many times during the promotion season, including the infamous Borehamwood play-off game? Luke instilled that mentality in the players. Maynard clearly couldn't inspire them and (with all respect) his interviews used to bore a lot of fans so imagine his influence in the dressing room!

Now if only there was another coach like Luke Williams available....

[durhampie]

Chicken and egg thing isn't it. Use available money to get top rate infrastructure in place or go for promotion. Seems to me the Bros have done the egg thing (training ground = infrastructure done, as good as anyway) so let's be seeing the chicken please.

Lets hope its not a daffy duck we will be seeing..

[durhampie]

I think it's less about them having a blind spot to appointing a successful and effective leader, and more about them not being able to attract an experienced coach who is prepared to work in the way that our owners want them to (ie. as a Head Coach and not as a 'traditional' Manager being responsible for recruitment etc). It's clear that these owners will not change their model - which to be fair has been fairly successful to date - so any new Head Coach looking for a new role will have to accept that model if they want to come to Notts. It's a big part of their Job Description and only a certain type of coach would be happy to work that way. Luke Williams, Ian Burchnall and Neal Ardley were happy with these arrangements and it generally worked for them.

I agree with you on the Leadership element though. Luke was the right kind of character, big on discipline and he was respected by the players who would run through walls for him. Remember that 'never say die' attitude which saw us come back so many times during the promotion season, including the infamous Borehamwood play-off game? Luke instilled that mentality in the players. Maynard clearly couldn't inspire them and (with all respect) his interviews used to bore a lot of fans so imagine his influence in the dressing room!

Now if only there was another coach like Luke Williams available....

I dont get this affection for Williams. He only ever achieved anything at none league level, and then we were very fortunate.. You could say he left us 6th in the division, but so did Maynard.

[bule1]

Lets hope its not a daffy duck we will be seeing..

Let's be fair here it said "introducing our new coaching team" so it's Donald aided by Huey, Dewey and Louie you should be concerned about.

[ManchesterMagpie]

I dont get this affection for Williams. He only ever achieved anything at none league level, and then we were very fortunate.. You could say he left us 6th in the division, but so did Maynard.

I know you're saying. And the jury is still out for me on whether he'd be a success a second time around (I wouldn't necessarily be against it). But I do think we need to find a similar character with the same attributes he had and who are prepared to work the 'Notts Way'. Easier said than done I guess...

[bule1]

There is bound to be affection for Williams as he is the 1st one to get us promoted since the 2009/10 season. Agreed it was from none league but that was where we were so that was his job and all he could do.

[slack_pie]

I think it's less about them having a blind spot to appointing a successful and effective leader, and more about them not being able to attract an experienced coach who is prepared to work in the way that our owners want them to (ie. as a Head Coach and not as a 'traditional' Manager being responsible for recruitment etc). It's clear that these owners will not change their model - which to be fair has been fairly successful to date - so any new Head Coach looking for a new role will have to accept that model if they want to come to Notts. It's a big part of their Job Description and only a certain type of coach would be happy to work that way. Luke Williams, Ian Burchnall and Neal Ardley were happy with these arrangements and it generally worked for them.

I agree with you on the Leadership element though. Luke was the right kind of character, big on discipline and he was respected by the players who would run through walls for him. Remember that 'never say die' attitude which saw us come back so many times during the promotion season, including the infamous Borehamwood play-off game? Luke instilled that mentality in the players. Maynard clearly couldn't inspire them and (with all respect) his interviews used to bore a lot of fans so imagine his influence in the dressing room!

Now if only there was another coach like Luke Williams available....

Very true. I've said before that the type of character we need is the type of character who will want to come in and run the whole show, including recruitment, so our strategy self-selects for coaches with less dominant personalities.

As you say, it worked with LW, and LW is available and presumably would consider a return on the right terms. It all makes too much sense, which is why it probably won't happen. Our owners will want to find the next Luke Williams, not the Luke Williams.

[MetalMagpie62]

I?m not fussed on who we have as head coach I trust the bros, they haven?t really got anything wrong yes you can say January transfer was bad but was they bad or was it just Maynard not being able to get the best out of them or any of the players for that matter in the bros we trust

[BigFatPie]

Ive no idea whether these things are linked or not but some of the lower league vacancies are getting filled. Tom Cleverley lined up for Plymouth and Brian Barry Murphy for Cardiff.

I cant remember Notts not having a head coach/manager for more than 3 weeks and its making me twitchy.