Wilder to Coventry?

[Mooro]

I could understand the attraction of a club in a higher division, whatever state they are in, but I can't see why he would want to move to another team in the same division - unless he is aware of some issue looming that we are not aware of yet!!

Wilder no longer odds on at 2 of the 3 bookies listed for the Coventry job, Dennis Wise still 2nd fav at 3-1.
Only Skybet have Wilder for Chesterfield, 4th fave behind Brian Laws, Tommy Wright and Sean Dyche...

[Paul Cooper]

I could understand the attraction of a club in a higher division, whatever state they are in, but I can't see why he would want to move to another team in the same division - unless he is aware of some issue looming that we are not aware of yet!!

Wilder no longer odds on at 2 of the 3 bookies listed for the Coventry job, Dennis Wise still 2nd fav at 3-1.
Only Skybet have Wilder for Chesterfield, 4th fave behind Brian Laws, Tommy Wright and Sean Dyche...

From a footballing perspective I agree but ......

CW's contract runs out at the rest of this season. If we are not promoted there seems to be a fair chance that he will be off. If Chesterfield were to offer a 2-3 year contract? In addition I believe that he still has a house in Sheffield. If true then that will be close to Cheasterfield.

So it could be an interesting decision for IL if Chesterfield do approach him. Does he let him go or maybe extend the length of CW's contract (which I doubt).

[Kernow Yellow]

On RadOx on Wednesday night, immediately after the final whistle, there was speculation as to whether that would have been Wilder's last game in charge. You might have expected Peter Rhoades-Brown (a club employee) to deadbat the question and say he was sure it was nothing more than internet gossip, but even he was looking down to the touchline for signs as to whether Wilder was 'saying goodbye' to the fans. Which implies that people quite close to the situation are not particularly confident of Wilder staying, for whatever reason.

[Joey's Toe]

CW's contract runs out at the rest of this season. If we are not promoted there seems to be a fair chance that he will be off.

Am I alone in being very sceptical about that? It wouldn't be in Wilder's interest to leave without another job to go to, and I can't see IL sacking a manager who had stabilised the club, won us promotion and got us banging on the door of the league above. I think it would require at least a lower-half finish before Wilder would be for the chop.

[Myles Francis]

I think it would require at least a lower-half finish before Wilder would be for the chop.

You are joking, right? Do you think the owners will settle for a third successive season of mid-table mediocrity? After the over-budget antics of last season, I'd bet good money that if we don't make the play-offs at the very least he will be out the door.

[Joey's Toe]

I think it would require at least a lower-half finish before Wilder would be for the chop.

You are joking, right? Do you think the owners will settle for a third successive season of mid-table mediocrity? After the over-budget antics of last season, I'd bet good money that if we don't make the play-offs at the very least he will be out the door.

People who bemoan mid-table mediocrity have forgotten what it's like to be relegated!

Seriously, I expect us to be challenging for the play-offs - but if we get into them and come up short, or narrowly miss out like last year, I won't be crying into my Pinot Noir.

[Isaac]

If I were Wilder I would be seriously considering other options too, if they were available. Mainly because

1) His main supporter at the club, KT is off shortly, IL's fitness regime appears to be trying to remove last seasons (valid, imo) excuses.
2) As others have said - I suspect that no top 7 finish will result in no new contract.
3) A new job would mean a new 2 or 3 year contract, probably on a better wage, who wouldn't move jobs for more money and greater security?

Increasingly (and deliberately if Wilder has an agent) I think we'll find CW getting linked with every available job in league 1 and league 2. As the end of his contract draws closer then the amount of compensation required also reduces making him a cheaper option for other clubs.

As long as we remain in the top 7 or 8 I can see only 2 outcomes

A) Wilder leaves for another club
B) IL is forced to offer him an improved, longer term contract

[GodalmingYellow]

Really surprised to read Joey's Toe's very optimistic assessment on behalf of Wilder.

In my view, Wilder has taken us as far as he is able and if we are not in or very close to top 3 by Christmas, I would be amazed if Wilder still had a job on Boxing Day.

Wilder hasn't taken us to the brink of promotion from League 2 as JT has suggested, he has got us mid-table for 2 consecutive season despite having one of the largest budgets in the division and despite being in the job longer than most other managers. And those mid table places are several below what it would take to get a chance, to play an extra 2 games, which would have to be won to get a chance to play in a final, which would have to be won as well to gain promotion. that is nothing like the brink of promotion I'm afraid.

I honestly hope Wilder proves me wrong, but I can't see IL allowing Wilder to keep spending his money without achieving anything.

[joepoolman]

Really surprised to read Joey's Toe's very optimistic assessment on behalf of Wilder.

In my view, Wilder has taken us as far as he is able and if we are not in or very close to top 3 by Christmas, I would be amazed if Wilder still had a job on Boxing Day.

Wilder hasn't taken us to the brink of promotion from League 2 as JT has suggested, he has got us mid-table for 2 consecutive season despite having one of the largest budgets in the division and despite being in the job longer than most other managers. And those mid table places are several below what it would take to get a chance, to play an extra 2 games, which would have to be won to get a chance to play in a final, which would have to be won as well to gain promotion. that is nothing like the brink of promotion I'm afraid.

I honestly hope Wilder proves me wrong, but I can't see IL allowing Wilder to keep spending his money without achieving anything.

Where is the evidence that's causing a number of fans to suggest Wilder's taken us as far as he can?! So far the only direction he's taken us is up! Is there some sort of an assumption that if a manager has taken you quite a long way up that he's going to run out of petrol? Post promotion season 1 we held our own brilliantly, and never even flirted with relegation, season 2 we were play-off certainties until we had a massive amount of injuries, and players that hadn't regained fitness (Craddock, Capaldi, Johnson etc), season 3 has only just started and we've won 3/4 games anyway, so where's the evidence that he has taken us &quotas far as he is able&quot?

[GodalmingYellow]

Really surprised to read Joey's Toe's very optimistic assessment on behalf of Wilder.

In my view, Wilder has taken us as far as he is able and if we are not in or very close to top 3 by Christmas, I would be amazed if Wilder still had a job on Boxing Day.

Wilder hasn't taken us to the brink of promotion from League 2 as JT has suggested, he has got us mid-table for 2 consecutive season despite having one of the largest budgets in the division and despite being in the job longer than most other managers. And those mid table places are several below what it would take to get a chance, to play an extra 2 games, which would have to be won to get a chance to play in a final, which would have to be won as well to gain promotion. that is nothing like the brink of promotion I'm afraid.

I honestly hope Wilder proves me wrong, but I can't see IL allowing Wilder to keep spending his money without achieving anything.

Where is the evidence that's causing a number of fans to suggest Wilder's taken us as far as he can?! So far the only direction he's taken us is up! Is there some sort of an assumption that if a manager has taken you quite a long way up that he's going to run out of petrol? Post promotion season 1 we held our own brilliantly, and never even flirted with relegation, season 2 we were play-off certainties until we had a massive amount of injuries, and players that hadn't regained fitness (Craddock, Capaldi, Johnson etc), season 3 has only just started and we've won 3/4 games anyway, so where's the evidence that he has taken us &quotas far as he is able&quot?

The evidence is as plain as the nose on your face.

Massive finances available.
Some of the best facilities available.
Very supportive and patient fans.

Yet time and again, we get:
Far too many mediocre performnces.
Repeated failure to break down weak sides.
Ridiculously rigid and ineffective tactics.
Poor substitutions.
Terrible management of Constable.
Reported dressing room breakdowns and arguments with multiple senior players.
Mid-table finishes, with plenty of teams with far less to spend finishing ahead of us.
Very poor lack of goal scoring created by poor set up and formation resulting in little creativity from midfield.
Defending small leads instead of trying to extend leads.

What you've given is a list of unjustified excuses.

As I've said many times before, Wilder did a good job getting us from mid-table overspending mediocirty in the Conference back into the League and he will always be remembered for that. Unfortunately so far he hasn't shown himself to be capable of taking us further. I'm not asking for Wilder to go, but I can't see the justification of keeping a manager who will keep producing the same end mediocre finishes. OUFC should be capable of more.

[joepoolman]

Your list of faults (most of which I agree with as faults) still do not hide the clear year on year progress.
The three points you made at the start do make the job look very easy, but since we were relegated to this division we've had a number of managers with all 3 of those resources and none of those came closer to promotion than Wilder has.
The other reason I don't want to see Wilder go is I think recent football history has shown that stability generally pays off in the long term.

[GodalmingYellow]

Your list of faults (most of which I agree with as faults) still do not hide the clear year on year progress.
The three points you made at the start do make the job look very easy, but since we were relegated to this division we've had a number of managers with all 3 of those resources and none of those came closer to promotion than Wilder has.
The other reason I don't want to see Wilder go is I think recent football history has shown that stability generally pays off in the long term.

Progress until 2 years ago, then stagnation and repetition of mistakes. That is what makes me think he has taken us as far as he can.

That Kassam appointed the wrong people for the job previously, does not mean Chris Wilder is the right man to take us forward.

I agree with your final point, and that is perhaps the strongest argument against change.

[Dr Bob]

Definitely and strongly with GY on this one. We had this debate at the end of last season, but the stats (eg on goals scored and conceded, W-D-L, etc) offered very weak support for the argument that that was a 'better' performance than the season before. Given as well the points GY has raised, that would bother me. After the York and Exeter games (OK, as I have said on another thread, the only games I have seen this season so far), I am more than bothered.

[Mooro]

Coventry shortlist reduced to three - Richard Shaw, Paul Ince and Mark Robins....to say the locals are underwhelmed is an understatement...seems money rather than ability the main deciding factor..

So the cosy Wilder to Coventry solution to the current situation (that some would say the board are looking for) is now not on, so what next (Chesterfield perhaps (Wilder 4th favourite).

[Hog]

Well the job at Eastleigh has already been filled by Bridle!