Paul Tisdale - Ex-Bristol Rovers Manager to Col Utd now Stevenage

[sign of the chimes]

Portsmouth was toward the end of Tiz's reign and I have this sneaky feeling he was interviewed? Sign of the Chimes may confirm?

Seems to be a consensus on our side that he was interviewed. I think it was not that far in to our L2 stint after we'd sacked Guy Whittingham. I'd have been all for his appointment at the time given where we were, his credentials at the time, and what had gone before with us but, even then, was never sure he'd be a decent 'fit' at Pompey. That said, if the chronology is as I think, the guy we did appoint lasted a similar amount of time to Tisdale at Rovers.

 

[IndoMike]

Why should I let facts get in the way of a post. No one else bothers

Please remember that it's not only City fans that look back on Tisdale's reign at SJP. Tisdale himself sometimes recalls his time with City, for example reminding everyone on more than one occasion that he played a big part in the development of Ollie Watkins.

 

[Average Joe]

I think the issue is in general people would rather remember the bad over the good. Paul was hard done by at Rovers and he also got Mk automatic in league two. Paul never did Exeter any harm in fighting for promotion. Paul is a good league two manager.

Say what you want against him but his league two stats speak for themselves. We've hardly looked a better outfit since his departure from SJP

 

[John William]

I remember Tis being on the shortlist for Portsmouth and being allowed to attend an interview with them.
He stated afterwards that it was as much research to see what a club like Portsmouth could offer as a desire for him to take the job.

Correct. Tis said this publicly at a Trust Forum with Taggy sitting next to him. He said he had to persuade the Board to let him attend and this was his stated reason.

Two members of the coaching team stood next to me at the back expressed shall we say some quiet amusement at this exposition.

 

[older-codger]

I think the issue is in general people would rather remember the bad over the good. Paul was hard done by at Rovers and he also got Mk automatic in league two. Paul never did Exeter any harm in fighting for promotion. Paul is a good league two manager.

Say what you want against him but his league two stats speak for themselves. We've hardly looked a better outfit since his departure from SJP

"The evil that men do lives on, the good is oft interred with their bones". (Will Shakespeare - Julius Caesar)

 

[arthur]

We've hardly looked a better outfit since his departure from SJP

I beg to differ. The exhilaration of Matt's first game against Carlisle, where the "grind them down and try and score a goal in the seventieth minute" philosophy was emphatically consigned to the dustbin of history, will live long in the memory. As will some of the football from our youngsters this season. And the post match interviews which don't patronise us or insult our intelligence. And the general vibe about the place, and so much more...

IMHO Exeter City is a far better outfit in so many ways since that man slunk off to MK

 

[The Proper Chap]

I think the issue is in general people would rather remember the bad over the good. Paul was hard done by at Rovers and he also got Mk automatic in league two. Paul never did Exeter any harm in fighting for promotion. Paul is a good league two manager.

Say what you want against him but his league two stats speak for themselves. We've hardly looked a better outfit since his departure from SJP

3:40am Paul, no need for an early start these days ??

 

[Boyo]

I beg to differ. The exhilaration of Matt's first game against Carlisle, where the "grind them down and try and score a goal in the seventieth minute" philosophy was emphatically consigned to the dustbin of history, will live long in the memory. As will some of the football from our youngsters this season. And the post match interviews which don't patronise us or insult our intelligence. And the general vibe about the place, and so much more...

IMHO Exeter City is a far better outfit in so many ways since that man slunk off to MK

I do agree with most of that. However its easy to forget that Tisdale's first five seasons with us saw unbelievable progress, following three years of failing to reach the playoffs in the Conference.

Season 1 - playoffs reached for the first time ever.
Season 2 - promotion at Wembley
Season 3 - automatic promotion
Season 4 - L1 survival
Season 5 - 8th in L1

Even after then we managed to get to Wembley twice for two further playoff finals.

I like Taylor and I absolutely want him to succeed, but he has achieved nothing yet.

 

[arthur]

I agree that his first few seasons were very good, culminating in the 8th in League 1 achievement, marked and celebrated by his cameo appearance at Hillsborough. A new young manager, with interesting ideas, capable of switching tactics two or times in a game in a game. I seem to remember that Chris Wilder was in awe of his tactical nous.

It was what happened after that that was so disappointing. Not so much what happened to the invention and innovation which had been a hallmark of his early years, replaced by dour performances and the idea that winning football matches wasn't actually all that important. But rather his attitude, and the barrier he put up between him and the fans. Hallmarks included his long rambling answers (I counted one that lasted seven minutes) to simple questions at fans' forums, his post match press conferences that were characterised by a weird kind of denial and construction of alternative realities ("I thought we played some excellent football first half" after yet another 45 minutes of zero entertainment), and the touchy dismissiveness that came out every time someone asked him any question he perceived as even mildly critical. His contempt for the fans (and some of his players) was confirmed beyond any doubt by his team selection at Anfield.

And, lest we forget, he did not inherit a basket case as he likes to imply. He took over from a very good manager whose team had taken Manchester United to a replay and earned the club £1 million in the process. He had an excellent foundation to build on

 

[The Proper Chap]

The Cheese came in at a great time, Dolan and Inglethorpe had laid some good foundations, our finances were secure and there was a good feel around the club.

He didn't come in when we were a basket case as he seems to love to portray.

Much of the rebuilding work had started.