Page to Northampton

[Fosse69]

A 3 year plan is a minimum to build a team from scratch, luckily we have a core on contract for next season whether they would have release clauses I do not know. Year 1 target mid table, year 2 PO attempt, year 3 POs. any improvements on the targets to be funded by a cup bonanza. Ranieri had a 3 year plan, Europa Cup place within 3 seasons, he beat that. Villa are talking about being number 3 in the world within 10 years, be lucky to be number 3 in the Midlands.

[Bycarsbill]

What do we really expect? There's no loyalty in football these days from players to managers--they're mostly just mercenaries--so is it such a big surprise? No doubt some of the continual knocking on this website hasn't helped to make Page feel wanted, but I don't honestly think that is the reason he's left. None of us know the true nature of the relationship between him and the chairman--is there some story there? We'll probably never know, but what is now vital is that Norman gets his next appointment absolutely right.

 

I hope that Rob Page's departure doesn't precipitate a wholesale rejection of terms by those of the playing squad who were recently offered contracts. I had suspicions that it would have been an uphill task to keep some of them even had Rob stayed. Now, I suspect, we shall see a few of them use the manager's departure as an excuse for their own rejection of a contract.

 

A new appointment needs to be made asap to allow the new manager to shape his squad once all the dust has settled!

[PV1973]

What do we really expect? There's no loyalty in football these days from players to managers--they're mostly just mercenaries--so is it such a big surprise? No doubt some of the continual knocking on this website hasn't helped to make Page feel wanted, but I don't honestly think that is the reason he's left. None of us know the true nature of the relationship between him and the chairman--is there some story there? We'll probably never know, but what is now vital is that Norman gets his next appointment absolutely right.

 

I hope that Rob Page's departure doesn't precipitate a wholesale rejection of terms by those of the playing squad who were recently offered contracts. I had suspicions that it would have been an uphill task to keep some of them even had Rob stayed. Now, I suspect, we shall see a few of them use the manager's departure as an excuse for their own rejection of a contract.

There is also very little loyalty from a club towards players and management too. So its no wonder that the industry is all about looking after number 1 first.

 

Those players offered contracts probably won't sign until they know whos coming in to the club to manage it.

[bookworm]

Dunner worry, Norman will have everything sorted he has to protect his investment, it may not be to everyones liking but it's business,his business so it'll all come right on the night.

[cheshirevaliant]

His business that he's currently losing £80k per month on (on the basis he's unlikely to ever get it back)?

[southport vale]

Well we will see if Page'e comments that Louis Dodds is the type of player he wants in the team comes to be the truth.

What's the betting he wont want Dodds, Yates & the likes. After all he must know how much they've been offered so it will be easy to pay more than the Vale offered. I certainly won't be holding my breath.

 

I'd like mad dog but there would be plenty of sparks flying between him and Smurf.

 

Ah well the Northampton will have to listen to 'we go again'.

[Guppy 4 England]

Are you referring to the Smurfy who is / has been trying to sell the club. No manager, a chairman who wants out, decreasing ST sales / a ground that must be costing a fortune to run, 9 players under contract, 13 offered contracts that could also want out/will not take up the offer on the table.

And you say "not looking great ATM" IMO I would say its looking fatal. And we wonder why are fan base is decreasing.

 

No wonder with "fans" like you.

 

The flip side to your negativity is, we were predictable in our away performances and towards the end of the season people had us found out at home. Page had no plan B and even if he did it was implemented too late in a game.

 

A new manager, with a blank canvas and the option to increase the offers made to certain players should they want to keep them on. Our better players are signed up for another season or two anyway. We need someone appointed before mid June in my opinion and then we can judge whether its looking great or not.

[melv]

What do we really expect? There's no loyalty in football these days from players to managers--they're mostly just mercenaries--so is it such a big surprise? No doubt some of the continual knocking on this website hasn't helped to make Page feel wanted, but I don't honestly think that is the reason he's left. None of us know the true nature of the relationship between him and the chairman--is there some story there? We'll probably never know, but what is now vital is that Norman gets his next appointment absolutely right.

 

If I remember rightly Page mentioned something about lack of loyalty when doing the retained list.But with the budget cuts he had to make he himself must have been questioning his own loyalty.

 

He had to make his retained list accordingly.He will have know that some of those offered new contracts would turn them down.He would have known that he would struggle to get in any better replacements.He only had a year left of his own contract.So if results went bad Smurf could easily get rid of Page as he would only have had what was left of the one year of his contract to pay out.

 

So Page is then left with a reduced budget,weaker squad,under more pressure.Trying to work with a bloke that keeps changing his mind.Hast got a clue how to run a football club.Awful PR which he admits but nothing has been done to improve the awful PR.Still no sign of a CEO.Peeing in the wind springs to mind.He then finds out he can get a 3 year contract.With a more positive,better run club.Time to pack bags.

[DistantVale]

There is a lot of negativity from people the facts are we have just finished in the top half of league one and are searching for a new manager given that managers come and go in football is all really as bad as some posters are making out !

[Tomo]

There is a lot of negativity from people the facts are we have just finished in the top half of league one and are searching for a new manager given that managers come and go in football is all really as bad as some posters are making out !

 

The problem for me isn't really that we have lost our manager & possibly will lose some of our players. Loads of clubs do close season & most will be fine. The issue is nobody knows what we can afford, & with cuts being mentioned, everyone is worried we could end up with a crap quality manager or a complete risk of a newbie (more likely). In addition to that, if we don't have a decent budget & our better players leave, we will struggle to replace them.

 

Furthermore, we have complete silence from the club & owner, & this is one of the most important weeks of the year, with the ST deadline coming up. There is absolutely no advertising & nothing enticing fans to buy tickets, which is very worrying considering the chairman has spent the past few years complaining about attendances & our income.

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

The problem for me isn't really that we have lost our manager & possibly will lose some of our players. Loads of clubs do close season & most will be fine. The issue is nobody knows what we can afford, & with cuts being mentioned, everyone is worried we could end up with a crap quality manager or a complete risk of a newbie (more likely). In addition to that, if we don't have a decent budget & our better players leave, we will struggle to replace them.

 

Furthermore, we have complete silence from the club & owner, & this is one of the most important weeks of the year, with the ST deadline coming up. There is absolutely no advertising & nothing enticing fans to buy tickets, which is very worrying considering the chairman has spent the past few years complaining about attendances & our income.

 

None of the current squad are irreplaceable. We paid high salaries, we will probably end up with an OK budget for the league. To much doom and gloom after losing a very average manager that can't set up to play away from home

[Tomo]

None of the current squad are irreplaceable. We paid high salaries, we will probably end up with an OK budget for the league. To much doom and gloom after losing a very average manager that can't set up to play away from home

 

I'm not saying they're all amazing players & I'll be gutted to lose any, I think we have a decent base for the team under contract. I'm not gutted about Page going, thought he might be able to take us further, but he did have his faults despite still learning, & watching us away for the most part this season has been awful, agreed.

 

What I'm saying is nobody really knows for sure the wages paid, but we may struggle to attract a decent manager with whatever Page was on (it's been mentioned he was on crap wages), & we may not be able to get players as good as the ones we currently have in on this 'to-be-cut budget'. Like I said, we're currently a fractured side with nobody at the top to sort the recruitment (apart from Smurf, & I have zero confidence in him). I can't imagine it looks particularly attractive for any player, why on earth would they want to come to us currently, especially on average-low wages?

 

And then there's the point of 'building the buzz' for the ST deadline, of which there is none, & if ticket sales are to be what our budget is based on, then surely that is going to be even lower?

[robf]

No great shock here...

 

[Guppy 4 England]

Page wanted him as our keeper last season....

[stupers]

Paddy Kenny