Next Manager

[Jacko51]

10 minutes ago, ollyandpatch said:

Long shots are Sol Campbell and John Terry.

I’d shoot meself if either of them got it!

[Dangermouse3]

A couple of long shots. Paul Tisdale and Owen Coyle.

[darren1810]

5 minutes ago, Dangermouse3 said:

A couple of long shots. Paul Tisdale and Owen Coyle.

Very long shots 

Tisdale at Bristol Rovers

Coyle not managed in England since 16/17 . Of late been managing in India

[SFBT]

Liking the sound of McGreal.

Why did Colchester sack him?

[TJHValiant]

40 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

I'd also add Simon Grayson to that list, but I have a sneaky feeling it will be John McGreal. I'm not in the know, it's just a hunch.

I think he would have likely applied for the job, won't cost the Earth and ticks all of Carol's boxes:

Works with Youth/Develops Players

Sammie Szmodics, Tom Lapsie, Courtney Senior, Harry Pell, Frank Nouble, Ben Stevenson, Kwame Poku, Cohen Bramall are all young players that McGreal either signed or brought through the youth system and all are players that have looked useful when I've seen them. I appreciate for every success there will be some failures, but it does seem he can spot a player.

Plays Attractive Football

Colchester have always been one of those teams I like watching against us (but obviously hoping we win!). Their front 3's always caused us issues and it always felt like we were under the cosh constantly! I used to watch them and think "why can't we play like this?". Szmodics was the standout but they never really relied on one person for goals and spread them around the team. I like this, as sometimes, having an outstanding individual goalscorer can turn a poor manager into a good one!

Successful

Finished 8th, 13th, 8th, 6th in his four seasons. As I mentioned in another post, it depends what Carol's definition of successful is and although he's not got a promotion under his belt, you could argue he's been successful in getting in or around the playoffs whilst also developing players and bringing through youth?

This makes interesting reading:

https://www.thesackrace.com/news/30th-december-2019/four-reasons-why-colchester-united-are-thriving-under-john-mcgreal

As does this!   

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/at-burnley-frank-sinclair-taught-3892490

I agree. McGreal’s Colchester teams played good football. We are not going to solely get into league 1 based on a manager change, but McGreal appears to have an ability to do more than just last a season. He really developed Colchester. 

[TJHValiant]

2 minutes ago, SFBT said:

Liking the sound of McGreal.

Why did Colchester sack him?

Seems to me he simply took them as far as he could at the time. 

[Joe B]

30 minutes ago, Jacko51 said:

He applied for the Bradford job though. And it’s rumoured he has a release clause in his contract. 

Was that confirmed?

If so, it's a no brainer in my view. Get him in.

[TJHValiant]

18 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

Interesting on McGreal

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/18923569.former-colchester-united-boss-john-mcgreal-ready-new-challenge/

“You’re looking for your next challenge and that’s what I’m doing at the moment and to try and improve on that last season that I had.

“I’ve had really good chats with two different chairmen in division two.

“I got offered a job a couple of weeks ago where the timing wasn’t quite right for me but it’s been quite positive."

 

This article was from 8th Dec 2020... I wonder who offered him a job, Grimsby, Barrow, Bradford?

Also his assistant, Steve Ball, took over at Colchester, meaning he is without a recognised number 2 meaning he would be willing to work with Pugh.

All sounds very reassuring. 

[Joe B]

44 minutes ago, valeparklife said:

I'd also add Simon Grayson to that list, but I have a sneaky feeling it will be John McGreal. I'm not in the know, it's just a hunch.

I think he would have likely applied for the job, won't cost the Earth and ticks all of Carol's boxes:

Works with Youth/Develops Players

Sammie Szmodics, Tom Lapsie, Courtney Senior, Harry Pell, Frank Nouble, Ben Stevenson, Kwame Poku, Cohen Bramall are all young players that McGreal either signed or brought through the youth system and all are players that have looked useful when I've seen them. I appreciate for every success there will be some failures, but it does seem he can spot a player.

Plays Attractive Football

Colchester have always been one of those teams I like watching against us (but obviously hoping we win!). Their front 3's always caused us issues and it always felt like we were under the cosh constantly! I used to watch them and think "why can't we play like this?". Szmodics was the standout but they never really relied on one person for goals and spread them around the team. I like this, as sometimes, having an outstanding individual goalscorer can turn a poor manager into a good one!

Successful

Finished 8th, 13th, 8th, 6th in his four seasons. As I mentioned in another post, it depends what Carol's definition of successful is and although he's not got a promotion under his belt, you could argue he's been successful in getting in or around the playoffs whilst also developing players and bringing through youth?

This makes interesting reading:

https://www.thesackrace.com/news/30th-december-2019/four-reasons-why-colchester-united-are-thriving-under-john-mcgreal

As does this!   

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/at-burnley-frank-sinclair-taught-3892490

I wouldn't mind McGreal. I can't say it would get me excited to the level that Adams would, but he's clearly a decent manager and would do all the right things in terms of tactics and recruitment.

Remains to be seen whether he can get out of this division, but I'd happily take competing in the top 7, bringing through youngsters and clever signings, with a clear plan, right now.

[Iron Curtain]

The downside to McGreal is that he always had a monster budget at Colchester, I read the numbers somewhere which were eye watering. Can he do it on the restricted budget cap... who knows, but everything else I have read has been positive.

[Jacko51]

Adams can clearly do it with limited resources if you look at Morecambe and Ross County.  I suppose the issue will be what he is paid at Morecambe and what we can offer. 

[Essex Vale]

This makes interesting reading:

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/at-burnley-frank-sinclair-taught-3892490

Great research by ValeParkLife

Very interesting reading indeed.   Given the success that Mr Duff is having at Cheltenham, he is clearly a highly credible manager who is respected in the game. His opinion is one that has value.  I hope our decision makers have the emerging football intelligence from the network to highlight the points he makes, particularly in respect of Mr Sinclair.

[TJHValiant]

Less enthusiastic about Derek Adams. He seems to me a limited manager for limited clubs. That’s not a bad thing for Morecambe, but his style of football isn’t great and reminds me of Graham Westley in that he makes teams hard to beat, but he would be found out in league 1. 
 

He wouldn’t set us up for beyond league 2 in my view. 
 

He took Plymouth backwards after getting them out of league 2 and their football regressed. 

[valeparklife]

54 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

The downside to McGreal is that he always had a monster budget at Colchester, I read the numbers somewhere which were eye watering. Can he do it on the restricted budget cap... who knows, but everything else I have read has been positive.

Do you have a source for this? Interested to see!

I had a look on companies house but they pull Smurthwaite's trick of not being transparent and omitting the P&L from the report. They only display the balance sheet so I can't see salaries.

[TJHValiant]

55 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

The downside to McGreal is that he always had a monster budget at Colchester, I read the numbers somewhere which were eye watering. Can he do it on the restricted budget cap... who knows, but everything else I have read has been positive.

That’s true, but this dream of doing a great thing with young players only works if you spend money on quality for them to learn from. You give them the resources and facilities. 

When we heard similar from Smurfwaite he failed because we had few quality experienced names and Smurfwaite thought we’d get young stars on rubbish training facilities and a diet of old pies.