Next Manager

[Joe B]

7 minutes ago, dishydave said:

Joe eventually all managers/ owners fail so it's easy for the moaners to say I told you so. I've never understood the doom and gloomers but it's a part of every day life best not to get to upset about it or like you say you just become one of them
On that note and in the spirit of moaning I'm calling it now that the new manager will fail and i can come back to this post as proof I'm right no matter how long it takes

I would probably be put in the 'doom and gloom' category as I was very vocal about my desire to see Askey removed in recent weeks.

My point was less about people wanting to see Askey gone (which I believe was a fully justified and rational view to take), and more about the odd numpty who thinks Carol has 'taken her eye off the ball/will criticise the new appointment if they aren't 'experienced'.

They are in a minority, but some seem keen to spend great swathes of energy and time magnifying, legitimising, and arguing down these nonsensical views. You have Unofficial Vale screenshotting and engaging with some daft 'Wonder of Port Vale' post and sharing it to his thousands of followers. Just ignore them.

[PV1973]

Those Facebook pages are a den of extreme opinions and a lot of abusive comments. I’ve long since come off those pages as it’s not worth the hassle. 

[TJHValiant]

Pugh could be good. He had a strong career across all levels of the league and seems to have a good temperament and personality for a management role. 
 

He may have good contacts and has taken a job at the lower levels with us rather than walking straight in. Page was good because he had worked under Adams. 
 

I’d like him to be the assistant manager with an experienced guy personally but unfortunately I don’t think the money may be there for preferred options.

[mr.hobblesworth]

The most frustrating aspect of the moaners are those who are now criticising Askey and the summer transfers when at the time they were applauding wildly.

[TJHValiant]

2 minutes ago, mr.hobblesworth said:

The most frustrating aspect of the moaners are those who are now criticising Askey and the summer transfers when at the time they were applauding wildly.

Well it looked promising I admit after our strong finish. However the signings were shown to be dreadful even by his own admission as he transfer listed the two big ones.

He needed the push. 17th odd in league 2 is inexcusable. 

[Fosse69]

2 minutes ago, TJHValiant said:

Well it looked promising I admit after our strong finish. However the signings were shown to be dreadful even by his own admission as he transfer listed the two big ones.

He needed the push. 17th odd in league 2 is inexcusable. 

Not many said they were dreadful  at the time,  hindsight and player attitude take time.  

[mr.hobblesworth]

25 minutes ago, TJHValiant said:

Well it looked promising I admit after our strong finish. However the signings were shown to be dreadful even by his own admission as he transfer listed the two big ones.

He needed the push. 17th odd in league 2 is inexcusable. 

It is and it was only right that he walked. However, I think some on here were pretty satisfied with the summer's transfers and Askey in general yet now criticise (or at least play down) those last few months of normality and make out that the awfulness of those transfers was apparent when they were made. Hindsight's great but there needs to be an acknowledgement that Askey's errors in the transfer market weren't as blatant as they are now pretending. People who are now speaking about reshaping the whole scouting network and approach were very happy with the current system about 6 months ago. People saying that we now need to look at other means of recruitment were setting up their own spreadsheets of released pros in the summer. Those who were praising a summer of stability are now criticising Askey for not making wholesale changes.

[valiant_593]

28 minutes ago, mr.hobblesworth said:

The most frustrating aspect of the moaners are those who are now criticising Askey and the summer transfers when at the time they were applauding wildly.

Applauding the signings of who exactly? 
I know I certainly didn’t applaud signings like Robinson and many others had the same reservations. 

[Rampant Zebra]

1 minute ago, valiant_593 said:

Applauding the signings of who exactly? 
I know I certainly didn’t applaud signings like Robinson and many others had the same reservations. 

Robinson who allegedly wasn't an Askey signing? 

[PV1973]

13 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Applauding the signings of who exactly? 
I know I certainly didn’t applaud signings like Robinson and many others had the same reservations. 

Robinson was the one most people weren’t happy about, Mckirdey seemed to split the forum down the middle but at the time I don’t recall too much negativity about the rest. 

[mr.hobblesworth]

10 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Applauding the signings of who exactly? 
I know I certainly didn’t applaud signings like Robinson and many others had the same reservations. 

 

I can't find threads (or any mention on the forums) for the others but I remember people being pleased.

Rodney went down well too, as did McKirdy, people were very pleased that all the players re-signed contracts, especially Smith and we all thought that the club was quite possibly heading for an automatic promotion. I'm not saying this to praise or defend Askey, just stating that it's galling when people who were happy at the time are now self-proclaimed experts on what a cock-up Askey made in the summer.

[valiant_593]

9 minutes ago, mr.hobblesworth said:

 

I can't find threads (or any mention on the forums) for the others but I remember people being pleased.

Rodney went down well too, as did McKirdy, people were very pleased that all the players re-signed contracts, especially Smith and we all thought that the club was quite possibly heading for an automatic promotion. I'm not saying this to praise or defend Askey, just stating that it's galling when people who were happy at the time are now self-proclaimed experts on what a cock-up Askey made in the summer.

Thing is though you can’t really not be pleased. In general we have no idea who some of the players are or haven’t seen them play. You get ridiculed on here if you say your not happy with a signing and told to give them a chance. The fans won’t necessarily know all the players we sign but the manager must. 
 

I also think the reason people including me are critical is that no signings made actually improved our starting 11. I think even when players signed that was clear. And that’s the same for almost every transfer window under askey. I personally don’t see 1 player we signed this summer as being a starting player. Turns out Rodney has impressed at times but askey himself said he’s more one for the future. I was and am happy with the Rodney signing he’s exactly the kind of player we should be bringing in imo. 

Fitzpatrick, mckirdy, Robinson, whitehead, all very underwhelming signings

I agree RE the contracts and have no idea why players such as Smith have been so bad. I think many thought we could continue where we left or at the end of last season. Personally think we didn’t improve the starting 11 and I said at the time we were a starting 11 Cm short as we didn’t replace Taylor b

[Iron Curtain]

Some interesting comments on Adam Murray from stags fans on their forum.

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He went all defensive which ultimately cost him his job. Had an eye for a good player in terms of signings. Maybe a decent spell as interim manager and assistant may have changed his philosophy

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Led us to a very respectable 12th placed finish on a relatively shoestring budget. Quite impressive when you consider he saved us from almost certain relegation the season before.

He signed Pearce, Benning and Rose who were the backbone of our team under Evans and Flitcroft. He also signed Rhys Bennett who was excellent and is still one of the best defenders in the division.

He did end up being a bit too defensive, but he has more experience now.

He was also keen on looking for an edge. My favourite was when he put the exercise bike next to the dugouts to keep players warm.

He’s also brave. He invited fans to go and meet him in his office when there was moaning and groaning on the terraces.

I’m happy with Clough, but would like to see Muzza succeed and also one day come home to the Mill.

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Perhaps would have been given more time to build had the Radfords not befriended Steve Evans.

As well as those mentioned above, also signed Vadaine Oliver, Billy Kee, Junior Brown, Matty Blair, CJ Hamilton. I believe he also had Ben Whiteman lined up prior to his sacking and Steve Evans went ahead with the deal anyway.

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Remember clearing the snow from the pitch with him when we were non league ... Sat and had a cuppa with him when we had finished and thought what a nice bloke he was ... The main thing as others have said he could pick a player .. I hope he gets your job and does well he certainly has served his time ...

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I honestly think that Murray was the one we let get away. He signed some phenomenal players on a total shoestring of a budget and saved us from certain relegation. The two managers who followed spent a fortune on players yet relied on those signed by Murray as the backbone of their teams.

At the time of his sacking, our chairman was desperate for instant success and thought he could buy it with big name managers. We are still in the same league and it’s only now that we have Clough in charge that I am confident we will progress to the next level. If we had stuck with Murray and given him the same budget, I feel we would have made the progression to league one at least by now.

I have watched his time as caretaker manager at Barnsley on two occasions and each time he has left them better than when he took over. I would have welcomed him back at Mansfield before Nigel arrived and am sure that given a couple of seasons in charge of any league two club, he will get them in shape and moving forward.

So in summary no please don’t sign him as we don’t want another rival for next year’s promotion race.

[PV1973]

Honestly I would put zero credibility on a fans opinion on a manager, wether that be on social media or a forum, let alone use that as a barometer for me deciding if I’d like him at our club or not. 

[TJHValiant]

I can say I absolutely slated the Robinson signing as did many others. I had serious issues with the chances he missed in the playoff semi final for Colchester earlier in the year. Basically at least 8 tap ins woefully missed set alarm bells ringing.

Rodney I welcomed as a squad player, never thought he’d be our lead man, which is mainly because Robinson and Cullen both didn’t deliver the goods. 

Mckirdy? Looked promising and still could be really if we’d had patience and bled him in with sub appearances. 
 

I think we will look back and blame Askey’s terrible use of subs as another nail in his coffin. Robinson and McKirdy were poor, but then seemingly banished from the whole squad, when a more measured approach in using them as subs etc may have been more astute.