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100% correct….the decision to bring in DC was dreadful. We needed as you say a Warnock type manager…. he saved Huddersfield last season when they were doomed. Baker is doing the same at Newcastle ….the position we were in when DC took over was ‘high risk’ of relegation …not the time to gamble with an inexperienced manager who has no contacts at this level. DC I’m sure came over well in interview and probably presented enthusiastic and committed, however that counts for little at this level and we have missed out at a time when we couldn’t afford to …..We have been found out and as others have said the midland league will be tough. It will be much harder to gain the lost support back…. The writing was on the wall last season and changes should have been made then…..two serious errors that will have a big effect on us going forward. I think we maybe got complacent in that first wonderful season in the NPL ….hopefully the club and board will learn from these errors. They have done an incredible job until late…..a great shame then but it proves that operating a club at NPL level is more difficult than it looks.I said weeks ago that this wasn't the right appointment. I've interviewed people for jobs, who come across ambitious and positive, however the reality is, they haven't got what it takes. I don't blame Damien, he clearly wanted to give it a go and cut his teeth in management, however you can't do that with a club on a scale like ours, with the challenge he was faced with. I'm not convinced the players are bought into him, he comes across nervous with no idea where we are going wrong, what chance of the players got? Some of the team selections are baffling and scream desperation. You don't have to be a football genius to work out that when you are in a hole, needs must. It may not be pretty, it may not be long term, but pick the right man with the right skill set to suit the situation you are in. Look at how many times Sam Allardyce was brought in by clubs who were in a 'Situation'! Fans of those clubs weren't happy, but they knew it wasn't long term, the football wasn't pretty, they usually changed formation, but it worked. Now, we may not have the budge for SA, however we needed a strong character, somebody who is streetwise, experienced at this level, knows what it takes to fight and build a team (A Neil Baker perhaps). I'm sorry, but Damien wasn't our man from the start, doomed to fail. He picked up a very poor squad, low in confidence, he doesn't have the experience and character to put his arm around the squad and get that bit extra out of players. We need a strong, experienced leader, someone not afraid to change the formation and style of play. A manager with a recruitment network to attract players, encourage some who may be skeptical about being in a relegation dog fight. We have a great board, passionate about this club, people I respect and trust that the club is in good hands, unfortunately on this occasion, they have made the wrong decision by gambling with this appointment.
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No pleasure in posting this stat from our point of view …..Newcastle took 4 points from the previous 7 games before NB took over. NB has taken 14 points from his 7 games in charge ..some tough games too. 6 players started yesterday that were not with Newcastle until NB took over on NYD….. it pains me to say that we have taken 1 point from our last 7 games….. had we done what Newcastle have done we’d be at least 3 points clear of the relegation zone now and possibly 6-7 points given Newcastle would likely be in the bottom 2. and more importantly a team on the up. We have missed a trick I’m afraid
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- Jul 27, 2013
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Yes it's useful for that purpose but you need to be able to react to a situation live as it's happening by using your own eyes which is where I think they struggled, I was also thinking more about the data from the likes of the fitness devices etc that Wayne particularly was fond of that showed running distances etc because that wasn't giving a full picture of what was actually happening on the pitch, also there was a bit of an obsession at looking at stats like number of shots etc which wasn't always accurate because those 'shots' were often either blocked or from far out poor angles so didn't tell the whole story if what's happening on the pitch
- Jun 24, 2013
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VEO gives an angle that the manager doesn’t have & the ability to review the game
Imagine you concede a lot of headed goals from crosses…
You can review the footage to see why the cross wasn’t stopped - fullback error, wide man not tracking back,etc. See why the defence didn’t stop the header & check the keepers positioning
Imagine you concede a lot of headed goals from crosses…
You can review the footage to see why the cross wasn’t stopped - fullback error, wide man not tracking back,etc. See why the defence didn’t stop the header & check the keepers positioning
He has a job that he’s just taken so irrelevant now.
- Jul 28, 2013
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Disheartening to hear he applied for a job and was turned down, knowing his experience and seeing what he’s now doing for Newcastle.
So, Irrelevant? No
I think as fans of the club it’s fair to ask why he was turned down.
So what if he didn’t want to do an interview.
- Aug 1, 2013
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How do you know he applied? Because one thing our board does very well is keep secrecy - especially around stuff like this.
- Aug 7, 2013
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I don't know any of the details but Chubbs said "Apparently Neil Baker wasn't interviewed he just wanted to be appointed. Read into that what you will." That doesn't mean he was turned down, he may have made an unofficial approach and never truly applied. If he did apply and was not prepared to be interviewed then it is no surprise the board rejected him - would you take on someone for your company who was not prepared to be interviewed, i know I wouldn't.
- Jun 1, 2017
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Absolutely agree with you Richard.
There is little doubt about NB’s record and that he would have probably made a good job of managing 74 as he has done with the most of the other clubs he’s been in charge of. But if he didn’t want to put himself for interview that strikes me if being a tad bit arrogant!
One of the principals that we made clear from day one is that 74 would do things differently from other clubs in the way we approached a number of aspects of running our club. One was that we would be as open, fair, democratic and transparent as possible.
I’d argue that not following a mechanism that provides all potential management candidates with the same opportunity to put across their ideas, views and plans for the club should they be successful would run completely counter to this principle.
And, like you Richard, had any of the job candidates I’ve interviewed over the years (an there has been a lot) asked simply to be appointed to a post without being interviewed then they’d have got short shrift I can tell you!
Given the desperate league position we were in at the time and the state that the previous manager left us in the priority surely should have been a quick short term fix with someone very experienced at NPL level to give us a real chance of avoiding relegation. NB was knocking on the door it seems….given his age he would never have been the long term solution but would have left us in far better shape. The full open, fair and democratic application process could then have been applied and no doubt NB would have helped us with that. Timing was key …..it will be a long way back I fear.
While questions undoubtedly are present at the moment over if DC is the right man for the job. After a few games, recruitment player for player appeared well and we have some better players now than we had previously when he joined and there have been improvements in spells. I’m not sure what has happened, is the reubuild just too much of a job? However, that being said I agree Kacper in midfield and Matt up top on Saturday was baffling to say the least, the team that came out for the second half is the team that should have started the game imo. Also must add I’m unsure how we are still playing the same tactic that gobo used that failed us, but just tweaked - two up top and try to attack teams please.
Wholeheartedly agree that while issues are present, DC has a lot to prove now. What he inherited from the previous management however, was shambolic and it was 18 months - 2 years in the making (some of us were shot down for stating the obvious). Back my own and others who wanted them to go last year so a new manager could be appointed for the summer and be given a fair crack at building their own team rather than inherit someone else’s and have to scramble looking for players.
Strongly feel going forward the board need to take lessons and learn from all of this, be more ruthless, as a portion of the blame if the club goes down, has to be on them for not holding Gobo accountable and sorting the mess sooner (minus the ones from this years AGM). The form and performances after Macc away last year were awful, any other club at most levels gobo would not have seen out the season, let alone been given the opportunity to go into this season, fact. As a club, some fans need to take the emotions away from it, we’re never going to move forward as a club if we don’t want to sack managers or give them kicks up the arses when it’s not good enough because we see them as our mates, they manage the club that we all support and want the best for, they have to know they are not untouchable and would be held accountable for it.
Wholeheartedly agree that while issues are present, DC has a lot to prove now. What he inherited from the previous management however, was shambolic and it was 18 months - 2 years in the making (some of us were shot down for stating the obvious). Back my own and others who wanted them to go last year so a new manager could be appointed for the summer and be given a fair crack at building their own team rather than inherit someone else’s and have to scramble looking for players.
Strongly feel going forward the board need to take lessons and learn from all of this, be more ruthless, as a portion of the blame if the club goes down, has to be on them for not holding Gobo accountable and sorting the mess sooner (minus the ones from this years AGM). The form and performances after Macc away last year were awful, any other club at most levels gobo would not have seen out the season, let alone been given the opportunity to go into this season, fact. As a club, some fans need to take the emotions away from it, we’re never going to move forward as a club if we don’t want to sack managers or give them kicks up the arses when it’s not good enough because we see them as our mates, they manage the club that we all support and want the best for, they have to know they are not untouchable and would be held accountable for it.
- Jun 1, 2017
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Very easy to say. But what if the Board had just ‘appointed’ NB without interviewing anyone else and the results had turned out similar to those since Damian had taken over?
Undoubtedly the Board would have then received adverse comments from some parts regarding why they didn’t carry out a full interview process.to identify what they believed was the best candidate.
IMHO a case of you are buggered if you do and buggered if you don’t!
Agree James, it’s not anout looking back at should have or would have but about what happens next. The likelihood of us now staying up is minimal at best. Is DC likely to stay for the rebuild in the midlands league?
If not then I believe him and the board need a frank conversation if it’s not already been had. He seems a decent enough chap so I’m sure he’d be of similar opinion. The club needs to rebuild and rise.
If he is then perhaps some clarity round it would be good, if possible. So far some of his team selections have courted controversy but if he’s here for the long term then maybe there is more at play.
If not then I believe him and the board need a frank conversation if it’s not already been had. He seems a decent enough chap so I’m sure he’d be of similar opinion. The club needs to rebuild and rise.
If he is then perhaps some clarity round it would be good, if possible. So far some of his team selections have courted controversy but if he’s here for the long term then maybe there is more at play.
I understand that but the ‘high risk’ relegation situation we were in was the wrong time to gamble with an unproven rookie who has done his best. With NB’s contacts, knowledge and experience at this level we would be in a far better position ….Newcastle is proof of that. I’m afraid we have lost out to a team that we would have expected to finish above at the start of the season.Very easy to say. But what if the Board had just ‘appointed’ NB without interviewing anyone else and the results had turned out similar to those since Damian had taken over?
Undoubtedly the Board would have then received adverse comments from some parts regarding why they didn’t carry out a full interview process.to identify what they believed was the best candidate.
IMHO a case of you are buggered if you do and buggered if you don’t!
- Jun 1, 2017
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“The state that the previous manager had left us in”.
You mean a record of W4 D2 L7.
Not great, but hardly disastrous.
And don’t forget that they’d had to contend with the loss of 3 really key players during the summer (Kenzie, Joe Woolley and Liam Buckley)followed by Fenton Green.
I’ll agree with you that the summer recruitment just wasn’t good enough, but there is absolutely no way that a team under the guidance of Paul and Wayne would have gone 11 games without a win whilst conceding 28 goals in the process.
As I said many times towards the end of last season and the early part of this, “be careful what you wish for”.
I think we were heading this way regardless of if Gobo were in charge. While I agree, we could be a couple of points better off than we are, not enough to not have us bottom of the table.but there is absolutely no way that a team under the guidance of Paul and Wayne would have gone 11 games without a win whilst conceding 28 goals in the process.
As I said many times towards the end of last season and the early part of this, “be careful what you wish for”.
Change is inevitable and especially in football, it’s making the right choices at the right time that’s key and for me the right time to have parted ways was last summer at the latest. We need to now plan ahead for next season and seriously consider the fact of what league we’ll be in and start the right preparations to put us in good stead to be at our best next year now.
- Jun 1, 2017
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“Change is inevitable and especially in football…”
Change can also be massively disruptive, and expensive, particularly if not handled well. And football certainly isn’t an industry that ought to be held up as a shining beacon as how organisations and companies should be managed - indeed, I’d argue that the reverse is true.
The better companies are those that have a high degree of stability but retain the ability to continuously improve and innovate by means of evolution as opposed to revolution.
And that’s true when it comes to football. Arsenal under Wenger and now Arteta, United under Ferguson, Liverpool under Klopp, Crewe under Gradi, Harrogate under Weaver, City under Pep, Burnley under Dyche.
Contrast this with Chelski, United since Ferguson, Everton and literally dozens of other clubs who hire and fire managers seemingly with the changes of the seasons