FAO the punters on this board.

[Elite_Pie]

We'd lost 2 matches this year under Ardley. I'm going to stick my head above the parapet and say, bearing in mind how sh*t we have been over many years, that doesn't constitute poor form (although the actual performances may have been poor).

There has to be the context of a 'poor form poorness factor' introduced here. Is poor form against the likes of Portsmouth and Coventry the same as poor form against the likes of Dover and Aldershot?

[queenslandpie]

Even if we miss the play-offs he'll still last the season and beyond. The judgement of him in earnest will come from the start of next season. If he gets over this poor start and gets us promoted in the meantime the owners will see that as a big bonus, but they won't even be starting the process of judging the manager's performance yet, and rightly so. If the current situation is a reflection on anyone beyond the players, it's on the previous manager.

spot on and as it should be. These are the reasons why our owners are somewhat distant from the fan base. However if they stick with it and it does not work out then they have an extremely large problem on their hands.

[HAPPYMAGPIEHAPPY]

What odds this bloke lasts until the end of the season?

It’s a long term plan, he’s here for four years !

[cher1]

See Elite, I don't think like that. We're a Non League club now because we weren't good enough to stay in the FL, so we are on a par with those lower level clubs based on capability. Just because we've got a big ground, a good budget (presumably?), excellent facilities and flash changing rooms, that doesn't automatically translate into rapid success. We've been badly run for many years, suffered chronic instability, had more managerial changes than any other club. We are paying the price for all of that.

It hurts all of us to be where we are, but I think some supporters have expectations of success that are sadly unrealistic. Change things at the end of the season, but doing it just before a cup semi final and whilst we were 5th having lost twice this year, it's something I just can't get my head round. Neithet can the players it appears. They are completely at sea after Ardley's sacking.

[Elite_Pie]

It’s a long term plan, he’s here for four years !

Hopefully, but Harry Kewell signed a three year deal and Hardy wished he could have offered five!

[Elite_Pie]

See Elite, I don't think like that. We're a Non League club now because we weren't good enough to stay in the FL, so we are on a par with those lower level clubs based on capability. Just because we've got a big ground, a good budget (presumably?), excellent facilities and flash changing rooms, that doesn't automatically translate into rapid success. We've been badly run for many years, suffered chronic instability, had more managerial changes than any other club. We are paying the price for all of that.

It hurts all of us to be where we are, but I think some supporters have expectations of success that are sadly unrealistic. Change things at the end of the season, but doing it just before a cup semi final and whilst we were 5th having lost twice this year, it's something I just can't get my head round. Neithet can the players it appears. They are completely at sea after Ardley's sacking.

We obviously see things differently. If we get relegated again and again, then top six in the Evo Stick League could be seen as good form. I know we don't have any divine right to anything simply because we are a big club at this level, but whoever occupies the manager's office I don't think at least looking like a good team is too much to ask.

[jacobncfc]

See Elite, I don't think like that. We're a Non League club now because we weren't good enough to stay in the FL, so we are on a par with those lower level clubs based on capability. Just because we've got a big ground, a good budget (presumably?), excellent facilities and flash changing rooms, that doesn't automatically translate into rapid success. We've been badly run for many years, suffered chronic instability, had more managerial changes than any other club. We are paying the price for all of that.

It hurts all of us to be where we are, but I think some supporters have expectations of success that are sadly unrealistic. Change things at the end of the season, but doing it just before a cup semi final and whilst we were 5th having lost twice this year, it's something I just can't get my head round. Neithet can the players it appears. They are completely at sea after Ardley's sacking.

They’ve been completely at sea for ages. It’s like a month since we got outplayed at home by a King’s Lynn team with three subs, one of them a goalkeeper in his 50s, that had been forced to furlough half their players.

I do agree that the change was always likely to be detrimental to this season, though. Even the owners’ answers to the timing question in the press conference unveiling Burchnall hinted that they were effectively willing to write this season off. It’s bold decision making, but all of it is in keeping with the way they’ve said they were going to run the club and make decisions.

One thing I would say, if you are going to pull the trigger and make a huge change to the club’s management culture that is likely to take some time to work itself out, doing so when grounds are closed probably isn’t a terrible idea.

[cher1]

They’ve been completely at sea for ages. It’s like a month since we got outplayed at home by a King’s Lynn team with three subs, one of them a goalkeeper in his 50s, that had been forced to furlough half their players.

I do agree that the change was always likely to be detrimental to this season, though. Even the owners’ answers to the timing question in the press conference unveiling Burchnall hinted that they were effectively willing to write this season off. It’s bold decision making, but all of it is in keeping with the way they’ve said they were going to run the club and make decisions.

One thing I would say, if you are going to pull the trigger and make a huge change to the club’s management culture that is likely to take some time to work itself out, doing so when grounds are closed probably isn’t a terrible idea.

Whilst performances might have been poor, results - which is all that matters in the end - this year overall didn't suggest a group of players all at sea. They definitely are now though. We can't just pick the KL game as the bellwether of our season, we'd games in hand and, despite playing poorly, were still churning out results.

We'll never know of course, but I don't think we'd have capitulated on Saturday without all the unnecessary drama of last week. The timing was desperate and doesn't seem to fit with the careful considered approach the brothers have portrayed previously. Who knows what impact getting to Wembley might have had on our season? Or indeed what impact being shamed by Hornchurch will have?

Hopefully things will improve soon, let's face it, it's been a terrible start, so as Peter Cunnah once sang......

[jacobncfc]

Whilst performances might have been poor, results - which is all that matters in the end - this year overall didn't suggest a group of players all at sea. They definitely are now though. We can't just pick the KL game as the bellwether of our season, we'd games in hand and, despite playing poorly, were still churning out results.

But pretty much from day one, the Reedtz brothers have said that results aren’t going to be the only, or even main, thing that they’re making decisions on.

They’ve essentially made the call that they’re willing to make a small chance of promotion this season even smaller because they believe it will increase our chances of success over the coming seasons. It’s brave and completely alien to the way Notts has been run before, but it’s pretty much entirely what they said they were going to do.

[cher1]

I don't think sacking someone because you think someone else will do better in future is brave or innovative. It's what every owner does (although sacking someone when they may have got you promoted might be foolhardy). I do think that they are buying themselves time and potentially goodwill by frequently reminding supporters they are playing a long game.

Supporters are an impatient lot though, and in reality don't want long term success, they want it right now, bugger tomorrow. And that might be an issue for the brothers.