*Knee jerk*

[laddo]

Your welcome thicko.

Priceless

[Notts78]

Chesterfield have done what Lincoln did with the Cowleys and gone and pinched a manager from an overachieving smaller club. I’ve always maintained that to be successful in this league, maybe more than any other, you need a manager who knows it well, and the non league scene more generally.

When Ardley does get shown the door, hopefully sooner rather than later, I would hope our evidence based, stats based owners will go down a similar route. There are good non league managers, far better qualified than Ardley, who would give their right nad for a chance at a club the size of Notts.

Would we then sack said manager for taking us up but does not have the experience of the EFL?
Look you might be right with going for a lesser known manager BUT we are Notts County. We are a massive club in non league terms. We have a massive budget. The best facilities. A very demanding fan base. The pressure would break someone who has managed Bath City etc. I would love the Cowleys as our management team. I would be that confident in them taking us up a couple of Leagues I would give them a 5 year contract. He ticks all the boxes. Successful in this League and the next 2. Sadly I’m not sure he would be tempted to essentially start again.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

The strange thing for me last night was that I could accept the first half more than the second. I think they were bunch of players happy about still playing, got a great goal then played out of their skins, there is absolutely no way they are playing like that every week. We managed to get a grip for the last 10 mins and obviously luck was shining on us to go in 2-1 up.
The fact we started the second half reasonably well and they had gone down a couple of levels was an invitation to get another and put it to bed, but obviously we didn’t. I think we’re crying out for another CF of real quality but can’t see it happening with us having 4 and more pressing is a CB. I get a feeling both CBs were carrying niggles last night. On top of that LB currently looks a problem now too.
It does feel like a crossroads at the moment, can’t see Ardley getting sacked so probably needs a rally call internally with coaching staff and players.

For me last night was the most disappointing performance since we have played in the National League because performance wise it was a culmination of what we have seen in the previous three home games, and we've missed another opportunity to close in on those above us.

In the past three home games the opposition have appeared to me to have had more intensity, energy, have pressed us, asked questions and displayed more threat in the final third and created more chances than what we have. Not to mention a high number of set pieces like corners. How Chesterfield, Oxford City and Kings Lynn played at Meadow Lane against us is how I would like us to be approaching games certainly at home. I don't expect us to to beat every team 5-0 playing champagne football, but neither should we be showing such little creativity and quality in the final third. As a team we have had to rely on individual moments of brilliance to scrape wins and get points and mask what have been typically substandard performances in these games.

Despite of our recent short term dip I would be very surprised if our manager was dismissed at this stage of the season and fully expect the manager to be given the remainder of the season to see where we end up. At the end of the season a more balanced decision would be able to be made by the owners as the manager would have had two full seasons under their stewardship, and a half a season under the previous owner (which may or may not carry weight as they were not here then) which would allow them to make a full judgement of whether their expectations are being / or have been met.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

Just answering your question - Barnet (play off semi)

To reiterate, I’m not defending Ardley and acknowledge the gist of your post. Just stating fact.

you are right but Barnet were destroyed by the expiry of contracts so were a much weakened team.
which has continued inti this season.

[Davy500]

you are right but Barnet were destroyed by the expiry of contracts so were a much weakened team.
which has continued inti this season.

Exactly, that was my whole point, we won in spite of Ardley, not because of him, because of Barnets weakened team
We probably could have put the groundsman in charge for that game, and we would still have won, no credit to Ardley

[AllNottsAreWe]

Would we then sack said manager for taking us up but does not have the experience of the EFL?
Look you might be right with going for a lesser known manager BUT we are Notts County. We are a massive club in non league terms. We have a massive budget. The best facilities. A very demanding fan base. The pressure would break someone who has managed Bath City etc. I would love the Cowleys as our management team. I would be that confident in them taking us up a couple of Leagues I would give them a 5 year contract. He ticks all the boxes. Successful in this League and the next 2. Sadly I’m not sure he would be tempted to essentially start again.

Hi 78

I agree with your comments on Notts status in the NL.
Are Notts more unique though than Wrexham, Chesterfield, Stockport ?

[Killerkline]

Exactly, that was my whole point, we won in spite of Ardley, not because of him, because of Barnets weakened team
We probably could have put the groundsman in charge for that game, and we would still have won, no credit to Ardley

In your original post you didn’t acknowledge the Barnet result in anyway. The point you were trying to make is that Ardley hasn’t won any key games and asked the question. As I stated in my original reply, I was only answering your question. From memory and without checking back, because I can’t be that tedious. Your Barnet follow up comments came after Pedro offered his thoughts. To suggest that was your whole point, is inaccurate.

Again, I’m not trying to defend Ardley. But, Barnet was a key game. Regardless of player availability. But let’s move past Barnet. What about Barrow away?

Like majority of posters, I’m currently not happy with performances and therefore NA.

[laddo]

A play off semi final, especially a one off semi final is and always will be a key game regardless of the opposition.

It's just one that missed KK.

As for top of the table Barrow away, another key game naturally. However I know the reply to this already, **spoiler alert** We were lucky because of a (deserved) red card for the opposition.

No praise can be given to the manager that day and especially with his very surprising starting lineup that nobody could have anticipated.

The substitutions that day certainly did the trick in a 2-0 win at the best team in the league at the time

[BigFatPie]

Would we then sack said manager for taking us up but does not have the experience of the EFL?
Look you might be right with going for a lesser known manager BUT we are Notts County. We are a massive club in non league terms. We have a massive budget. The best facilities. A very demanding fan base. The pressure would break someone who has managed Bath City etc. I would love the Cowleys as our management team. I would be that confident in them taking us up a couple of Leagues I would give them a 5 year contract. He ticks all the boxes. Successful in this League and the next 2. Sadly I’m not sure he would be tempted to essentially start again.

To answer the question in your first sentence, no we wouldn’t.

I’m not sure whether the rest of your post is being sarky or not, but yeah we’re a big club at this level, as we would be in league 2 imo. I disagree that we have a demanding fanbase, all the trials and tribulations this club has gone through and the last significant protest that I remember was over 25 years ago. Moaning on the internet doesn’t count as being demanding.

We’d have no chance of getting the Cowleys of course and I didn’t suggest we would. Their prospective equivalents are out there though.

Btw, anyone found out how long Ardley is contracted for?

[crazyfists]

In answer to the OP then no way Ardley is going anywhere till the end of the season. I don't think we'll ever go up automatically with him in charge so at best it'll be the playoffs this year again and I don't trust him to get the team to turn up in big games, he calms them down not get them fired up and we often don't start playing till the second half and by then too late against decent teams. The sooner he goes the better for me now, he's had a really good chance and we still struggle against duffers but like his style of play and picks, he's here for the next few months as well. Really strange not to play Sam after scoring a puskas goal and having his best half for us though. Still I don't think we'll go up and then he'll be gone so I'm just thinking who we might get for next season?