Smith Out

[Ancient Colin]

I should probably sleep on this, but no. I think listening to him dribble on RadOx just confirmed worst fears - &quotwe were unlucky ... we missed open goals ... they never looked like scoring&quot - what?? A tactically stupid line up, compounded by tactically stupid rearrangements and tactically stupid substitutions. Let's split up a really promising CB partnership and play MC out of position at RB (can he take throw ins? Um, no, but let's make him humiliate himself anyway - surely that's evidence that they don't practice anything because if they had then surely they would have spotted that Corky's Nureyev technique was a disaster waiting to happen) let's play a bonsai midfield, hoof the ball upfield and lose every aerial second ball. Let's play Yemi as a right winger, which he isn't, let him get his marker booked and then switch him to the left. Let's make a substitution and take off our leading goal scorer and leave on a clueless brontosaurus (I do like Marv's look of startled panic when he heads the ball up in the air and hasn't a clue where it is, but .... I know, here's a good idea, we'll leave Pettefer as the last player back marking their centre forward. Let's make a three man gestural substitution and make things even worse. He can't identify talent, he can't select teams, he can't motivate players or control players, he can't change things tactically for the better and, on the basis of his interview, he can't even see what is going on under his nose. Upstairs, upstairs, use your connections but let go the reins. And please, please, please do it now.

[Werthers Original]

Aye, harsh but fair, at this level it must all be about management and coaching - I can't believe Stroud and Kidderminster have such thoroughbred players that we can't compete.

We've been unlucky to be without our best forward nearly all season, but Smith hasn't responded to the situation, even though he's been given an incredible bonus in Duffy turning out so much better than anyone could have expected.

[Isaac]

Aye, harsh but fair, at this level it must all be about management and coaching - I can't believe Stroud and Kidderminster have such thoroughbred players that we can't compete.

We've been unlucky to be without our best forward nearly all season, but Smith hasn't responded to the situation, even though he's been given an incredible bonus in Duffy turning out so much better than anyone could have expected.

Someone turning out to be better than expected is normally seen as a benefit of having a decent manager/coach.

I admit to being confused and worried when I heard the team - I only listened to the first 10 minutes on the radio but the text message arriving at 9:30pm telling me Kiddy had scored wasn't much of a surprise.

Player wise I think Smith has made some reasonable signings this year and they've also improved a couple of players who were already at the club (Quinn and Yemi) - his problems seem to come from his over-reliance on the decrepid (Gilchrist, Johnson and Brevett) and his occasionally strange formation and team selections. I wouldn't say Smith Out though, but then I'm loathe to see any more management change that got us in this league in the first place.

[recordmeister]

my thoughts, for what they are worth, is that JS starting 11 was probably the 11 that should have FINISHED the gaame, not started it.

Why take Duffy off when he doesn't have to play for two games? Let him play 90 mins as he is the only player who looks like scoring. Yemi does but not when he plays on the wing. Robinson is poo. Really rubbish.

[Mooro]

My question on this is i) when Smith took over, how long did he envisage being manager and what did he see happening after this... ii) has any plans to this effect been discussed or agreed with a) the board and b) anyone set to succeed him....and now iii) whether any timescale has changed in the light of relegation and now potentially missing out on promotion?

I have visions of him just wanting to steady the ship and set us off in the right direction then handing over in peaceful waters, whereas he may now be realising that perhaps he is not the man to hold the wheel any more...

[Isaac]

My question on this is i) when Smith took over, how long did he envisage being manager and what did he see happening after this... ii) has any plans to this effect been discussed or agreed with a) the board and b) anyone set to succeed him....and now iii) whether any timescale has changed in the light of relegation and now potentially missing out on promotion?

I have visions of him just wanting to steady the ship and set us off in the right direction then handing over in peaceful waters, whereas he may now be realising that perhaps he is not the man to hold the wheel any more...

Seeing as Jim is the manager and on the board, hopefully he's had a few discussions with himself about his future.

He's always hinted that he won't be around for long, but I'm not sure he knows how long that is.

[Shoobedoo]

The whole thing last night smacked of a Talbot-like paddy.

I completely agree with Colin about the awful team selections, bizarre tactical changes and dreadful substitutions. I was sceptical when the team was announced, confused by the switch to 4-3-3 (ish) at half time, annoyed when the board went up indicating Hargreaves replacing Duffy, and then when Rose was hauled off (just at the time he was starting to cause consternation in the Kiddy defence by actually trying to pass through them), I lost my rag. And I left a game early for the first time in 20 years (after they scored).

If I was a player, Jim would certainly have 'lost' me after last night.

I'm not in the Smith out camp yet, but he needs to take along hard look at himself and what he's done this season. Taking 11 games to figure out that 5-3-2 had been sussed. Not signing any wingers for a 4-4-2. Not trying the home grown kids (what does Billy Beechers have to do to have a game?). Playing people out of position. Not dropping favourites even when they're way off form (Gilly, and I'm adding Robinson to that too, if he has any form to find). Stupid substitutions. Not knowing how to sort out Burgess or Duffy. Knee-jerk reactions.

All things you don't expect of a supposedly top-class manager.

(PS - sorry my first post is a whinge!)

[Mooro]

I'm not in the Smith out camp yet, but he needs to take along hard look at himself and what he's done this season. Taking 11 games to figure out that 5-3-2 had been sussed. Not signing any wingers for a 4-4-2. Not trying the home grown kids (what does Billy Beechers have to do to have a game?). Playing people out of position. Not dropping favourites even when they're way off form (Gilly, and I'm adding Robinson to that too, if he has any form to find). Stupid substitutions. Not knowing how to sort out Burgess or Duffy. Knee-jerk reactions.

All things you don't expect of a supposedly top-class manager.

(PS - sorry my first post is a whinge!)

Really cannot argue with any of the above.

In addition the main strengths he is showing are ones whihc would not necessarily be harmed if he were to move upstairs - the main one of which appears to be the links to other senior managers (eg Fergie) and also the &quotprestige&quot of who he is.

I actually think one misjudgement is that he appears to think players at this level are more adaptable than they are actually proving to be.
For much of his career he has been working with top players who can adjust to different positions or formations, whereas at this level, both he and his predecessors have tried to change things around, but have found that very quickly players are exposed -

Half a season of three at the back and half the players were still not sure where they should be playing within that system, while his attempts at 433 have proved equally unconvincing.
Now we are finally playing a system all the players understand, he has started shifting players from a position in which they are strong into one where they prove ineffective, instead of using a specialist for that position from the squad, thus weakening the side not helping it.
I'm sure some will argue this is a problem with coaching rather than the manager, but it does seem to be a constant thread throughout the season.

[Baboo]

Shotton - first time around - Tremendous. Second time around it all went horribly wrong.
Jemmo - First time around - Quality. Second time around, as much use as Anthrobus.
Hughie Curran - First time around - Top international striker. Second time around, an old has been cripple.
Bobby Ford - First time around - midfielder with the touch of an angel. Second time around, disillussioned old pro who saw the ball whizzing back and forth 20 feet above his head.
Jim Smith - First time around - the messiah. Second time around ????????

[Snake]

Since Patto got sacked as our first team manger does anyone know how many games the Youth Team have lost since he took charge of them?

[Hog]

Since Patto got sacked as our first team manger does anyone know how many games the Youth Team have lost since he took charge of them?

Yes, Patto does

[GodalmingYellow]

I've been suggesting that Patto is drafted into first team coaching for a while, but I wouldn't go into the Smith Out campaign. Changing managers too often has been one of the big contributory factors in being where we are.

I would just like to see an injection of fresh ideas to the coaching and a new impetus and morale boost for the players.

[boris]

Shotton - first time around - Tremendous. Second time around it all went horribly wrong.
Jemmo - First time around - Quality. Second time around, as much use as Anthrobus.
Hughie Curran - First time around - Top international striker. Second time around, an old has been cripple.
Bobby Ford - First time around - midfielder with the touch of an angel. Second time around, disillussioned old pro who saw the ball whizzing back and forth 20 feet above his head.
Jim Smith - First time around - the messiah. Second time around ????????

You missed out Paul Moody (and Jimmy Carter).

So, what are you trying to say, baboo?

[neilw]

It would never be in my heart to even suggest that Smith should go, but I do think that Patto, as his assistant, would be perfect both for the short and longer term.

[ty cobb]

Shotton - first time around - Tremendous. Second time around it all went horribly wrong.
Jemmo - First time around - Quality. Second time around, as much use as Anthrobus.
Hughie Curran - First time around - Top international striker. Second time around, an old has been cripple.
Bobby Ford - First time around - midfielder with the touch of an angel. Second time around, disillussioned old pro who saw the ball whizzing back and forth 20 feet above his head.
Jim Smith - First time around - the messiah. Second time around ????????

You missed out Paul Moody (and Jimmy Carter).

So, what are you trying to say, baboo?

Joey - first time around brilliant, second time around brilliant.

Gilly - first time around brilliant, second time around good with the right player alongside him.