Time for a change?

[newhinkseyyellow]

I have been generally supportive of DP as I feel that there is a need to stabilise the Club. However, one point from the last six means that relegation is a real possibility unless there is an improvement.

How long do fans think DP should be given to turn things around?

My own view, for what it is worth, is if we don't achieve a modest target of six points from the next four games, a change will have to be made. One more relegation could mean curtains for us. The lack of promotion will probably knock 500 of the average gate, next season as it is.

[YellowHoods]

We're far too tolerant of Patto's frailties, in my opinion. Always wanting to give him another match / another week / another month.

He has proved he can't motivate a team to success for more than one match at a time. He should go before his influence affects morale any further. Which player will he publicly criticise next?

As to succession, frankly, who cares right now? Step one should be to get Patto out. I can't see this having an adverse effect on the dressing room. If Lewis stays, he could take over until we can hold those much-vaunted structured interviews. Let's face it, we can afford to take the rest of the season to select the &quotright&quot man, because we're going nowhere. Unless we face a relegation battle of course ....

[SmileyMan]

I'm not particulary supportive of Patto, but I think the chances of us being able to attract someone of sufficient quality to make a noticable difference are pretty small.

If he had clearly lost the support of the players, or the board, then there'd be a point, but I don't think that's the case yet.

[John Byrne's Underpants]

I'm not particulary supportive of Patto, but I think the chances of us being able to attract someone of sufficient quality to make a noticable difference are pretty small.

I agree. My support of Patto is starting to waver now with this poor start to the season but I honestly can't see how getting rid will improve anything. We're unlikely to have a shortlist of high calibre candidates and couldn't afford any decent managers even if they did apply. We'll end up with Lewis (most likely) or Jimbo for the forseeable future and neither of those I feel would be a particularly fresh appproach.

[STEVE F]

As i have been saying on site for sometime a new management is long
overdue this has to include players who are just not good enough
a conplete change of management and players is needed at the club and it
is needed now


People may say we cannot afford to pay staff and players off but if the club is improve it has no option but to get rid of players and management
who are just not good enough
when lewis and patterson are sacked murray turley hutchinson quinn yemi and guy must go none of them are good enough .

[YellowHoods]

But this is crazy! General view is Patto's not up to the job, so we think we should do - NOTHING! Good plan.

No point keeping him on while we select the next manager. And surely someone would be interested in the 75th best-supported club in England &amp Wales?

[SmileyMan]

75th best-supported, perhaps.

But on the list of &quotClubs likely to go bust real soon now&quot, probably quite close to the top.

On the list of &quotClubs with a revolving door policy towards managers&quot, yep, up there too.

Someone may well be interested. But is that &quotsomeone&quot really likely to be so good that the season is completely turned around?

The manager isn't great. The players aren't great. We're just off the bottom of the Conference. There isn't a cause-and-effect relationship here - it's a feedback loop.

[Swissbloke]

You could say 77th most supported club in the world

http://www.footballmanagerlive.com/news/?newsid=2346

[YellowHoods]

75th best-supported, perhaps.

But on the list of &quotClubs likely to go bust real soon now&quot, probably quite close to the top.

On the list of &quotClubs with a revolving door policy towards managers&quot, yep, up there too.

Someone may well be interested. But is that &quotsomeone&quot really likely to be so good that the season is completely turned around?

The manager isn't great. The players aren't great. We're just off the bottom of the Conference. There isn't a cause-and-effect relationship here - it's a feedback loop.

I believe Patto is NOT the man to take us forward, so there is nothing to lose in giving someone else a chance. And how many managers consider a club's past history on managerial longevity before making a decision? I would suggest that Oxford would still be a desirable destination for many a talented young manager.

[Matt D]

How long do fans think DP should be given to turn things around?

unless we are genuinely facing a relegation battle at christmas, i think patterson should be given until the end of the season.

anyone want to say anything about the alty game? i was left bemused as to how we lost it. we had so many good chances before their goal (jamie guy and phil trainer making things happen, and yemi odubade missing them for us), and really did dominate the first half. after the goal, as we've seen time and time again, sides in this division get their tails up if they've scored, and it takes a strong team to haul themselves back into a game. we've still not got that confidence at the moment. the goal came from a lapse of concentration - carruthers didn't cut out the cross, and clarke and someone else (foster?) missed the ball in the box.

if the players are still with patterson, as they seem to be to me, we have to see what he can do with this team. firstly, we chop and change managers too much. secondly, who would we get who is more likely than patterson to affect the change in form we need to get something from this season? thirdly, this is patterson's squad, and with no money to make significant changes, we would need someone happy working with the current squad pretty much as it is.

this isn't a defence of patterson's current record: it's poor. we don't have confidence at the moment, and i saw the alty game as a crucial measure of this and our ability to start putting together the sort of run we need to haul ourselves up to the right end of the table. but i continue to see signs of hope in our performances, and i don't see any strong prospects of doing any better with anyone we might be able to bring in.

unless of course you're advocating jim smith coming back, in which case i'm going to lie down in a dark room with a cold compress.

edit: just to add, as no one seems to use the rageon polls anymore, jamie guy man of the match, yemi odubade weakest link, oxford fans terrific for turning up in numbers, and alty fans also for making me laugh.

[GodalmingYellow]

75th best-supported, perhaps.

But on the list of &quotClubs likely to go bust real soon now&quot, probably quite close to the top.

On the list of &quotClubs with a revolving door policy towards managers&quot, yep, up there too.

Someone may well be interested. But is that &quotsomeone&quot really likely to be so good that the season is completely turned around?

The manager isn't great. The players aren't great. We're just off the bottom of the Conference. There isn't a cause-and-effect relationship here - it's a feedback loop.

I believe Patto is NOT the man to take us forward, so there is nothing to lose in giving someone else a chance. And how many managers consider a club's past history on managerial longevity before making a decision? I would suggest that Oxford would still be a desirable destination for many a talented young manager.

There is something to lose. Money. Patto isn't on a fixed contract os will be subject to the same employment regulations as you or I, and as he has been with the club a long time, he will be entitled to a sizeable settlement.

In addition, you would then need to guarantee that any replacement costs no more than Patto, and that they would be happy to come in, int th eknowledge that they would get no money to spend on players and would be expected to turn the existing players into a promotion capable team.

Its asking quite a lot.

Having said all that, I think most have been very disappointed with Patto's record this season, and some of his signings have simply not been up to scratch.

[Jimski]

I would stick with Patto too for quite a bit longer yet. His record this season is poor, but we have had some recent good performances, which I guess have kept my spirits above zero. Mainly though, we've chopped and changed far too much lately and it hasn't got us anywhere. Let's give someone a chance to turn it around for once. If we're still in this position (or lower) in January or Februrary, then I might start to get roused.

[Hog]

I understand when people say we shouldn't change the manager again but i'm really starting to worry about his apparent lack of ability to turn things round, and the finishing forward line on Sunday smacked of desperation, absolute desperation. Hutchinson (who he said would never play for us again I believe) as centre forward for christs sake. Did he really see him as a more effective forward than Guy?

I was sitting very close to the dug-out on Sunday and for most of the time Patto had the look of a cat in the headlights and although I obviously couldn't hear all he was saying he was nowhere near as animated as I'd like the manager of a struggling team to be (except, to be fair, shouting at the woeful Haldane to get out wide for a couple of free kicks inside our half). Sure he should have given all his instructions during the week and immediately before the game but if they're not doing what he told them to do then he should be reminding them until they do, unless of course the instruction was to hoof it to the front two to chase down, in which case it was nigh on perfect.

At the end of the day it's his selection of fancy haircuts, fake tans and big tattoos and it's up to him to get them to play. I now seriously doubt he's got it in him.

[Baboo]

What contract is Patto on? Is it a rolling monthly contract? And if so what level of compo would he have to be paid if he is shown the door?

This debate comes around far too frequently.
&quotThe manager is no good, get rid of him.&quot
&quotNone of the players are any good - get rid of them all, pay off their contracts.&quot
Counter arguement - &quotBut we can't keep changing managers&quot.

And so it goes.

It does not seem to matter who the manager is or what players we've got - we always end up failing. Does this tell us there is a deep malaise within the club.
Many blamed this deep rooted problem on Kassam, thinking that once he sold the football club everthing would be hunky dory.
New regime and things are even worse.
Are we doomed to eternal failure?

I've got no answers.
I think a year is a fair time to judge - Patto's year is not quite yet up.
He has to go some to get in the credit with most fans and for me his substitutions yesterday handed a nail or two to those who were not particularly looking to nail him.
But I'd rather have him than JS (our defeats at the end of his reign were heavy ones) or Micky Lewis.

Yup, a rock and a hard place.

[Kernow Yellow]

Did anyone else hear Patto pleading for money to spend on players in his post-match interview on RadOx yesterday?

I don't think it's time for change yet, for the reasons stated elsewhere. But I don't think we can tolerate hovering so close to the bottom of the table for too much longer.

The simple fact is that we don't score enough goals under Patterson. Never have. But then with a defender as Manager and Mickey Lewis as First Team Coach, it's hardly surprising is it? I'd be much happier if there was some experience of attacking football on our coaching staff.

If we're too skint to be able to replace Patto anyway, then I'd rather he stay on than Lewis (or Smith) take over.