The Issues

[SdnMiller]

The main part of this that's missing is accountability, is it the recruitment teams fault for suggesting players that are not good enough, is it the owners fault for not offering enough budget to sign better players, is it the managers fault for signing off on those players. Frankly none of us know

For me the lack of sporting director is the problem. Taylor moved us away from signing younger players to sign championship experience, in came Richardson to play a different way, Evans who played a different way entirely then hammy who's back to the Warney way of football. There's now a mishmash of signings who are here to fit different managers styles how are any of them meant to succeed.

It constantly feels like there's no long term planning at the club, evident by the lack of academy and poor training facilities.

[Derbymiller]

Where did I say he was the victim here?
Rafferty & James are not "excellent" L1 full-backs - far from it - both bang average. Powell's form has dipped this season v last season, maybe last season was the one-off?

Jules doesnt get in another L1 team.

So, we will not sell any of previous managers signings for a fee - not one. We might sell Nombe, but he was signed by Taylor. If, and i know it is a big if, they play, get game time and develop - all of MH's signings could command fees (with the exception of Benson & Yearwood) - big difference.

The tone of your original post came across as if MH was a victim of circumstance, and I don't agree with that sentiment. Powell was excellent at Burton as well his drop in form coincides with MH coaching. I do not agree with you about Rafferty (L1 title winning full back) or James (only player in our team capable of putting a good cross in), Jules is debatable. Regarding Dawson I am not a fan but he is a good shot stopper and overall he isn't the worst we could have, and he plays because MH won't play the keeper he recruited and he didn't bring in a 3rd keeper. We can disagree on individual players and we will always have our own opinions on them, and the point made on the thread about the budget being a bigger factor is fair, however MH hasn't recruited well and most of them don't even turn up to work, and as said many times before the best ability is availability, the contract extension for JJ and jack Holmes sums up MH recruitment for me.

[CAMiller]

The tone of your original post came across as if MH was a victim of circumstance, and I don't agree with that sentiment. Powell was excellent at Burton as well his drop in form coincides with MH coaching. I do not agree with you about Rafferty (L1 title winning full back) or James (only player in our team capable of putting a good cross in), Jules is debatable. Regarding Dawson I am not a fan but he is a good shot stopper and overall he isn't the worst we could have, and he plays because MH won't play the keeper he recruited and he didn't bring in a 3rd keeper. We can disagree on individual players and we will always have our own opinions on them, and the point made on the thread about the budget being a bigger factor is fair, however MH hasn't recruited well and most of them don't even turn up to work, and as said many times before the best ability is availability, the contract extension for JJ and jack Holmes sums up MH recruitment for me.

Here's a question for you DM. If Dawson is a good shot stopper shouldn't he have stopped at least a couple (or maybe more) of those Blackpool shots that went in? No doubt he has saved many goals this season but it is his job and he needs to do more to earn the huge sack of corn we're paying him.

[mellowmiller]

We have a head of recruitment who continually avoids criticism for the rank bad signings he has recommended. Wonder why he keeps his job !!

I completely agree. I suspect he has far more say in who we sign than any of us know and then whoever happens to be manager has to work with what he's given.

[Derbymiller]

Here's a question for you DM. If Dawson is a good shot stopper shouldn't he have stopped at least a couple (or maybe more) of those Blackpool shots that went in? No doubt he has saved many goals this season but it is his job and he needs to do more to earn the huge sack of corn we're paying him.

Yes he should, I said I am not a fan, he should be able to play the ball with his feet, should command his area more, I am only saying he stops a lot of shots on target, shouldn?t the question be why is he having to, the blackpool keeper and hudders keepers at our place could have sat in the stand with us, their defence reduces the number of shooting opportunities. My general point is I don?t think overall the players he inherited are our main issue, there are some like useless Hugill but the main issue is the way MH is trying to play, I genuinely feel a more experienced L1 manager would have this squad harder to score against and higher up the league. Please do not take that as a ?he must go? statement, I don?t think we can afford for him to be sacked at this point, I think we have to hope he drops on a couple of decent players, he adapts his style and finds a way to train the players that doesn?t make their hamstrings like they are made of tissue paper. I would be delighted if he took us on another 9 game unbeaten run and got us into that middle third, I love this club and hate to see us in this situation, hate the thought of us being relegated again. Like a lot on here I have watched over 50 years of football, week in and week out and you can sense it when a manager just isn?t going to sort it, and that is my gut feeling now with MH, I hope he proves me wrong.