Rage Online

YF Dan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:54 pm
Would you have swapped the past two great seasons under Appleton for anything else over the previous 20 years?

Of course not. But the point is, we didn't get there simply by letting Wilder go and appointing Appleton instead. We had to go through Mickey Lewis, Gary Waddock and a takeover before we got to the good bit. If that kind of scenario happens again, then I do fear for our L1 status.

Just as I think Wilder would have got us into the play-offs that year if Lenegan hadn't been concentrating on selling the club instead of backing him, so I think Pep would have seen out an acceptable season if Eales had been supporting him. The issue in both cases is not with the manager but the actions of the club's owners.

Incidentally I thought of you (and Yellow Fever) when listening to Malcolm Shotton commentating on Us at Rotherham. Very much so. He alluded to similar difficulties with the chairman during his tenure, not being supported, losing his best players, lies being told about relationships behind the scenes etc. Plus ca change, innit...

YF Dan wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2018 12:50 pm

ty cobb wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:22 pm We did panic - we sacked our manager when we were 3 points off the play offs.

We would have had three fewer points now if Pep had stayed. Our wheels were off ages ago.

Not sure how you work that one out - we're now on our joint worst run of the season. LAst time we lost three in a row we followed it up with three wins in a row.

We have also beaten Rovers at their place and spanked Plymouth at theirs - to suggest we would have lost both home games under Pep is stretching it a bit. Peps team was consistently inconsistent, we would look awful and lost one week but look world beaters the next. We would also generally do well against the teams around or below us.

I do agree with KY - Pep was not supported at the club. We sold Marv for £3m and none of this was spent. He couldn't bring in any assistants and was forced to work with the backroom team he had - essentially all Appletons men. I hear rumours of complacency behind the scenes with Pep not being backed when challenging this.

None of this really matters now, what matters is the future. And the only things that's certain about that is the uncertainty. We are taking too long to appoint a manager and the takeover rumours are proving distracting. Eales is in danger of setting back all the excellent work he has done since taking over the club.

In all honesty I'm not completely convinced by the 'keeping the backroom staff in place' approach. Chippy is an example in point; he was forced to work with Mickey Lewis at Oxford, and while he did alright with us, his performance has been considerably (I'd go so far as to say remarkably) better at Northampton and Sheff Utd where he's been able to bring his trusted Alan Knill in as his no 2.

It does look like Pep had problems working with Mapp's old team.

What worries me is if DE goes along the same route again, hiring effectively a chief coach and again making him work with Mapp's old backroom team, things won't improve. Harsh on Faz/Allen/Brown etc. I know but football is a tough old game.

Although what worries me more is the total lack of leadership from the top to the bottom of the club. The takeover and manager situations both need resolving now before we sleepwalk into losing our league one place to the Scum.

When will Kassam come under scrutiny in all this?

OUFC4eva wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:43 pm When will Kassam come under scrutiny in all this?

Qué?

We all know that Kassam is a massive stumbling block to long-term success. But we've known that for years, certainly well before Eales came riding into town. I don't think FK can be blamed for the delay in appointing a manager, or our slide down the table!

My suspicion, given the rumours and silence, and Tiger wandering around like he owns the place in DE's absence, is that a deal is basically done to sell the club and we are waiting for 'fit and proper person' approval or similar. Which would be worrying if true, but it's just a guess.

As an aside, does anyone know what kind of business takes Eales to the US for 6 weeks at a time? I would have thought that owning and being chairman of a L1 football club was pretty full-time work in itself, especially if you've just sacked a manager and are heading towards the business end of a season...

Kernow Yellow wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:37 pm We all know that Kassam is a massive stumbling block to long-term success. But we've known that for years, certainly well before Eales came riding into town. I don't think FK can be blamed for the delay in appointing a manager, or our slide down the table!

My suspicion, given the rumours and silence, and Tiger wandering around like he owns the place in DE's absence, is that a deal is basically done to sell the club and we are waiting for 'fit and proper person' approval or similar. Which would be worrying if true, but it's just a guess.

I suspect you're right that the delay on announcing the takeover is due to a combination of admin issues (fit & proper person test) and Ka££am holding out for as much as he can for any stadium deal.

But none of that explains why we've not announced a managerial appointment. I can see why the new owner might want to do both at once, but it's not in anyone's interest for our on-the-pitch decline to continue.

Sun reporting Bellamy about to put pen to paper - https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... anagement/

League One strugglers ... attractive contract ... friendly with board member

Is being mates with Dave Jones one of the criteria for the job now?

I'm not sure 'Tiger' needs a FAPP test. He used to own part of Reading so would have an existing one from that deal.

YF Dan wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2017 1:30 pm If he gets sacked, and we stay up, I propose £10 each to charity.

Dan - I've made my £10 donation to the cause below - nice to support a local charity.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/eddiepepperell

Donation to Shelter paid this morning.

Nice doing business with you. Bloody relieved we stayed up too.