Straw poll: Maynard in or out?

[Wollat11]

I think it's fortunate for SM that the season ended when it did. Had he been forced to persist with that defence, he'd have been done, they'd have got most managers sacked. Whether ot not he had 'lost the dressing room' is irrelevant, they simply were not good enough.

That doesn't make any sense! Anyway, judging by the summer turnover the powers that be had recognised what a handicap that defence was so there was no way they were going to hold the MT responsible in my view.

[Boomerangpie]

Some people are married to their ideas. I wanted him gone at one stage last season but delighted to reassess after the good results near the end of the season 😛

That is very true some fans quickly develop a view on a player or head coach or even the head of recruitment and then steadfast refuse to revise or reassess even if evidence strongly suggests they should.

Perhaps that much needed uptick in form at the very end of last season did more benefit than just to arrest the slide down the table. Potentially it has a longer knock on effect on the existing players in the squad going into this season.

[tripie]

He'd had 12 games in charge at that point, double the amount this season so far. I should have posted the 12 game current form table, which we were also rock bottom of. And we went on to lose the next game after this thread began and drew the one after that.
Let's not forget also that Fullarton was sacked with a better record than Maynard after the same number played.

If you include the last 5 games of last season the record is W7 D3 L2. One of the losses being to Stockport who we don't need to worry about this season. Two points a game over 12 games is pretty impressive and for most rational people would be cause for optimism.

[maddogslater]

We're very lucky to have these owners, absolutely brilliant and absolutely bizarre some on here were questioning their commitment to the club

[crazyfists]

This season answer is in, he's doing great and changes formation/players to win. It helps having a decent defence for the first time in years but he's doing really well and couldn't be more happy for him.

[Boomerangpie]

We're very lucky to have these owners, absolutely brilliant and absolutely bizarre some on here were questioning their commitment to the club

UTM

Incredibly fortunate, if some fans can’t see it then there is no hope for them

[tripie]

That doesn't make any sense! Anyway, judging by the summer turnover the powers that be had recognised what a handicap that defence was so there was no way they were going to hold the MT responsible in my view.

I know I've been trying to make sense of it too? The season ends when you've played everyone home and away. Unless it's COVID year and you get lucky like Barrow did. If anything there had been a slight upturn in the last few games. I think some people are trying really hard to give the management team as little credit as possible.

[SmiffyPie]

I think some people are trying really hard to give the management team as little credit as possible.

Take this board as a sample size and I think those that have said right from the start that they wanted him gone (and are sticking to it for whatever reason) are extremely few indeed. The vast majority questioned the appointment for obvious reasons (me included) but had the grace to give him a chance.

[Med Pie]

Take this board as a sample size and I think those that have said right from the start that they wanted him gone (and are sticking to it for whatever reason) are extremely few indeed. The vast majority questioned the appointment for obvious reasons (me included) but had the grace to give him a chance.

I think that most fans across the leagues, would be clamoring for the managers head if they'd seen what we did after LW left but, many, perhaps most, were quick to recognise that weaknesses in our playing staff, were amplifying our perceived, management problems. Most teams would struggle when you had a defence which through continued 'howlers', had become a laughing stock but you have to admit that at times, SM's set up and apparent inability to make decisive, tactical changes in games, were puzzling and left him further exposed, it was a perfect storm that would bring any manager down.

Although there were those who were viciously, vocal after some games (I was sat in the Pavis for a few games where the reaction of some fans embarrassed me), many had written off the season and were prepared to give him a clean slate with what we hoped would be a revamped team the following season. Although there were doubters pre-season, we've got that team now, one which shows potential and all things being equal, I personally think that this team will take us up so unless he starts playing DC at centre half with JJ in goal, let's put last season down as a blip and get behind SM.

[applepie2]

As far as I remember, I kept quiet. I had doubts, but I have had doubts about many managers, and I also felt that Maynard had done a good job with very limited resources at Wealdstone and therefore there must be some potential. It was obvious (not least because several posters here pointed it out) that following Williams would be tough, and that stepping up to a full time post would be tough. When he srrived at Notts, he didn't have behind him the experience of how a squad of full-timers operates - what is the shape of the working week, which changes depending on how many days there are between matches? How much more can you demand of full-timers compared with part-timers?

And any new manager has to get to know and assess twenty to thirty new players, and develop working relationships with many more backroom staff. Maynard also had to get to grips with the likely tactics of teams he had never watched before or met in competition. I wonder how many replays of Notts matches he watched in his first couple of weeks. I think it is very easy to underestimate just how big the step up was, and just how much pressure he was under as soon as there was a disappointing result. He's at the very least shown considerable strength of character by not being totally overwhelmed. And there is still obvious potential, which may or may not be fulfilled this season.