Welcome to the Minchery madhouse Mad Dog

[SmileyMan]

Worth pointing out that "50% of the way through the process" could mean practically anything, and using a 3rd party to do the donkey work seems like the sort of "non-football" idea that is probably quite a good one.

(the next few paragraphs are written from what I imagine is IL's viewpoint, not my own)
If promotion this season was essential, then going the whole hog and replacing Wilder last summer was the way to go. Having decided to give him another season 'on spec,' he ultimately failed to deliver by new year the kind of confidence that he could work with the restricted budget and the youth setup as required. That is the strategic objective - being a club that generates a healthy turnover by bringing on its own youngsters and selling them, or being a respected destination for the big clubs to farm out their junior talent to.

Therefore, from a tactical business point of view, it might make more sense to let this season play itself out without worrying too much about promotion. That would allow selection of a new manager from a wider pool of candidates in the summer. However, we're in the unusual situation of being in a good chance of at least the playoffs, which gives us the opportunity to snag someone who is keen to get a promotion on their CV.

So I would hold a full recruitment process, and if a really outstanding candidate applies, take them on and push for promotion this season. But if no-one of particularly high calibre wants it, then just let Lewis see it through to the end, and recruit again.

[Snake]

We are at least in the play-offs, end of.

I'm another that disagrees with this. Recent form would see Plymouth overtake us by the end of the month, let alone the end of the season. I still think a top 7 spot is likely because plenty of teams around us don't seem to be any more consistent. But it doesn't take a massively surprising set of results to see us lose out - we have still to play several of our promotion rivals and our return from those fixtures thus far is very poor indeed.

My biggest worry is that Ian L also seems to think we're in the play-offs already - he said as much on RadOx last night. While he may well have a long-term vision which takes the overall reins away from ML, he also implied that all the current coaching and fitness staff would remain in place, so Mickey's going nowhere by the sounds of things. The longer time goes on the harder it gets to make a managerial appointment this season. But a few more bad results could see Lenagan pressured into making a change - he wouldn't want it to look like he had taken his eye off the ball.

The two upcoming home games are absolutely massive for our season.

Right now Oxford United are about ten to one ON to finish in the top seven. That kind of positive position would take a lot of chucking away once IL and family have got over the disappointments of what happened in Australia with a different shaped ball.

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/eng ... p-7-finish

[YF Dan]

There are a number of reasons why we need a new manager, and by 'new' I mean not Mickey Lewis:

1) Mickey is part of the old problem. Yes the players like him, he is good old Mickey, but they like him because he is what they are used to. He is the face they have seen on the training ground for as long as they have been at the club, therefore they are comfortable with him. Comfort is what could cost us a play-off place, and comfort is what, if we do get a play-off place, will mean we get beaten by a team on the charge, ie Plymouth. What we need now is hunger, fresh ideas, and a change of tempo.

2) Mickey's record as manager isn't great, nor is his tactics. The first part of that sentence is unfair to an extent, as his first spell in charge was with a truly abysmal team that was none of his own making. However, he did do odd things like play Rob Folland, a youth team striker, at wing back and then wonder why we kept losing 5-0 at home. Some of his recent tactics seem almost as bewildering.

3) Mickey has, like it or not, been shaped by Wilder. Therefore, he likes a nice steady start, he likes to defend leads, his teams have no tempo, he likes to tinker. Not what we need.

4) He is Wilder's number two as far as the fans are concerned, nothing has changed. Until we get a new broom, the stay aways will stay away.

I think Lenegan knows this. His interview the other day made it clear that he does not consider Lewis a long term option.

A new manager may be worse, but generally I think that's unlikely. I have faith in IL's ability to get the right person, as he did last time. I wish he had acted a little quicker, but so long as he get's the right person, it will be worth the wait. As others have said, we are an attractive proposition so we should have a decent bunch to choose from.

[YF Dan]

Oh and we really don't want to stumble into the play-offs, because then we will lose. We have to have some momentum going into them or we will be fodder for those on the charge.

I'd almost rather not be in the play-offs at all than go through that agony of inevitable defeat, such as against the Exeter debacle, again. The second time around, I knew we would go up, as we went in with form and confidence. In current form, I don't fancy our chances at all.

And those who think we definitely have a play-off spot clearly have no memory of recent collapses...we have plenty of previous.

Time to act, IL.

[SWA]

good post that ^^^^^^^

[JoeyBeauchamp]

There are a number of reasons why we need a new manager, and by 'new' I mean not Mickey Lewis:

1) Mickey is part of the old problem. Yes the players like him, he is good old Mickey, but they like him because he is what they are used to. He is the face they have seen on the training ground for as long as they have been at the club, therefore they are comfortable with him. Comfort is what could cost us a play-off place, and comfort is what, if we do get a play-off place, will mean we get beaten by a team on the charge, ie Plymouth. What we need now is hunger, fresh ideas, and a change of tempo.

2) Mickey's record as manager isn't great, nor is his tactics. The first part of that sentence is unfair to an extent, as his first spell in charge was with a truly abysmal team that was none of his own making. However, he did do odd things like play Rob Folland, a youth team striker, at wing back and then wonder why we kept losing 5-0 at home. Some of his recent tactics seem almost as bewildering.

3) Mickey has, like it or not, been shaped by Wilder. Therefore, he likes a nice steady start, he likes to defend leads, his teams have no tempo, he likes to tinker. Not what we need.

4) He is Wilder's number two as far as the fans are concerned, nothing has changed. Until we get a new broom, the stay aways will stay away.

I think Lenegan knows this. His interview the other day made it clear that he does not consider Lewis a long term option.

A new manager may be worse, but generally I think that's unlikely. I have faith in IL's ability to get the right person, as he did last time. I wish he had acted a little quicker, but so long as he get's the right person, it will be worth the wait. As others have said, we are an attractive proposition so we should have a decent bunch to choose from.

Gosh, where to start with this.

1. As much as comfort, as you put it, could be an issue, we are talking about professional footballers who have integrity, desire to win, ambition and mortgages to pay. They are/should be almost as desperate to get promoted as we are. While a new manager could shock them or galvanise them into better performances, he could equally alienate the players by attempting to get them playing a different way or imposing strict regimes (see Mel at West Brom, or Di Canio at Sunderland). There is a risk involved with either approach.

2. Are we judging ML on his tactics and approach 15 years ago? What recent tactics are you questioning? Some have stated playing Jake Wright at left-back on Saturday was a mistake, or not playing Beano. Wright is a far better option, even out of position, than Sam Long at this point, well as he did against Newport, and CW dropped Beano with regularity (I'm aware this doesn't necessarily mean it's a good decision).

3. Not sure how you can say this without knowing the man.

4. I don't think the stay-aways are the biggest issue at the moment - getting over the finishing line is. Next season IL needs to address attendances and whether ML is the man to change that. For now, unless we lose five in a row, let him get on with it.

[neilw]

IL should have come out, after the Torquay game and advised that ML is care taker manager until the end of the season. Thereafter, commence the recruitment process as he has done. If he's fortunate enough to find a better option for the run in and beyond, he could've announced that he's making a change in agreement with ML.

Easy life. Everyone off his back whilst he considers all options. Instead we have this daily debate and uncertainty which clearly isn't helping.

[GodalmingYellow]

Gosh, where to start with this.

1. As much as comfort, as you put it, could be an issue, we are talking about professional footballers who have integrity, desire to win, ambition and mortgages to pay. They are/should be almost as desperate to get promoted as we are. While a new manager could shock them or galvanise them into better performances, he could equally alienate the players by attempting to get them playing a different way or imposing strict regimes (see Mel at West Brom, or Di Canio at Sunderland). There is a risk involved with either approach.

I don't think anyone questions the players' integrity. Good players want to play good football and give their best. However, a player wanting to do their best individually is not the same as getting the best out of the players collectively, and that is what a good managerial appointment is for. You can put the best eleven players on the field and they may well be a good team, but they might not be the best they can be without a guiding hand and tactician and someone who knows the opposition strengths and weaknesses.

2. Are we judging ML on his tactics and approach 15 years ago? What recent tactics are you questioning? Some have stated playing Jake Wright at left-back on Saturday was a mistake, or not playing Beano. Wright is a far better option, even out of position, than Sam Long at this point, well as he did against Newport, and CW dropped Beano with regularity (I'm aware this doesn't necessarily mean it's a good decision).

I don't think anyone is judging MLs time now based on his previous attempts. as has already been said, the teams and scenarios are chalk and cheese. But that doesn't mean ML can be allowed to continue with the team failing to live up to it's potential. ML is not the right man for the job of manager of OUFC, and we need the right man as soon as can be arranged.

3. Not sure how you can say this without knowing the man.

Would you not agree that it is inevitable that ML has been influenced by Wilder? Or would ML claim that Wilder's success was despite ML rather than with his aid?

4. I don't think the stay-aways are the biggest issue at the moment - getting over the finishing line is. Next season IL needs to address attendances and whether ML is the man to change that. For now, unless we lose five in a row, let him get on with it.

It is too close to the end of the season for new marketing ideas to have a material effect on attendances, but success on the field would have a significant effect, which is why it is vital to get the new manager in now, rather than waiting for the season to fade away.

[YF Dan]

Thanks GY, couldn't have put it any better myself.

I'd only add that the interest caused by a new manager probably would have added a few 100s more to any gate, a win or two perhaps would have kept those coming back, and may have added a few more 100s to future matches.

A fuller stadium might improve the atmosphere at the Kassam, which in turn, may inspire the players a little more.

None of this I can verify.

[JoeyBeauchamp]

I guess the views from YF and GY just show you can spin any situation to suit your viewpoint - if you believe we should have a new manager in place now then all of the above arguments are valid, if you believe that we would be better off not rushing into anything and taking stock at the end of the season (barring collapse) then you can negate all of those viewpoints. All I would say is that the wrong appointment now could be far more disastrous than sticking with ML and not making it up to League 1 this season. This appointment is absolutely crucial and takes time. Are there many great managers available now? Wouldn't most/a lot be more likely to move at the end of the season?

[Steppers]

I hope the 2+2 on the other forum of Tisdale is true.

Ticks the boxes of what IL wants to do and is available it would appear after talking to Portsmouth. I would expect at the end of the season though as Exeter don't want to get dragged down.

[Kernow Yellow]

IL should have come out, after the Torquay game and advised that ML is care taker manager until the end of the season. Thereafter, commence the recruitment process as he has done. If he's fortunate enough to find a better option for the run in and beyond, he could've announced that he's making a change in agreement with ML.

Easy life. Everyone off his back whilst he considers all options. Instead we have this daily debate and uncertainty which clearly isn't helping.

Really? I think people are on IL's back because our form (and the quality of football) has been poor since Wilder left and they want to see a new manager in place sooner rather than later. If Lenagan had done as you suggest and announced that Mickey's in charge til the end of the season people would be criticising him for having made the wrong decision, whereas now he's being criticised for being slow in making a decision.

A couple of wins on the bounce now would certainly ease the situation and buy IL a bit more time. I understand that he needs to take his time and make the right appointment for the medium to long term. But I also feel that we're unlikely to win promotion under Lewis so it would be better to get the new man (or woman in relatively quickly if possible. Not only to try and give us some momentum going in to the business end of the season, but also so that whoever gets the job can have a proper look at the players and start to make decisions on contract offers and who to keep in the summer. Because the way this group of players are playing at the moment won't win us anything anytime soon.

[Dr Bob]

...but also so that whoever gets the job can have a proper look at the players and start to make decisions on contract offers and who to keep in the summer. Because the way this group of players are playing at the moment won't win us anything anytime soon.

This, for me, is the crux of why we should get someone in before the end of the season. The reality is that without parallel universes to enable us to run an experiment, whether a new manager is brought in now or after the end of the season, there will be huge debate over the merits of the decision, unless we go up. The general view here, with which I concur, is that this is unlikely to happen under ML.

Any change is a risk, which is (hopefully) why IL is taking his time to make a decision. BUT, unless ML is going to be given the job into next season, it is better to get a new manager in ASAP, even if he fails to get us promoted this time around, because of the point KY makes.

[Paul Cooper]

IL should have come out, after the Torquay game and advised that ML is care taker manager until the end of the season. Thereafter, commence the recruitment process as he has done. If he's fortunate enough to find a better option for the run in and beyond, he could've announced that he's making a change in agreement with ML.

Easy life. Everyone off his back whilst he considers all options. Instead we have this daily debate and uncertainty which clearly isn't helping.

I totally disagree with this.

In my view he did the right thing in suggesting that it should take 4-5 weeks and he would not rush. I think that IL's mistake is from a PR perspective disappearing to Australia without comment , and then to not communicate with fans when the 4-5 weeks have gone and the team seems to be in a little trouble.

I was never comfortable with ML to the end of the season. He never came across as a Steve McLaren (he comes across as a decent guy who seems happy as a number two).

IL should be near making a decision now. If he wants Tisdale for example and Exeter have said at the end of the season, then he has a bit of a problem (personally I would see if we could get a temporary manager to try and get us up.

[Snake]

I’m with Neil on this one. It’s far too late to change the manager now and Mad Dog has the potential to inspire the squad and has the backing of at least some of the team it appears. If it was not going to be ML until the end of the season then this sort of situation should have been planned for when Wilder was clearly looking elsewhere in terms of job security. Ditto for Beano and his contract. And Wigan Warriors could potentially become the equivalent of Manchester United in the egg chasing world so that’s a distraction for Rent Boy which is not going to help matters.