Manager

[David Treharne]

After 763 pages, all pretty much saying variations on a theme of 'Caldwell out', I thought it might be helpful to start a thread in which there was an examination of what exactly City fans expect of a 'Manager'.
The Cambridge Dictionary unhelpfully describes it thus:

"The person whose job is to organize and sometimes train a sports team:"

Feel free to add any constructive points you wish, but by my reckoning our current 'manager' fails on at least 4 of the suggestions above.

 

[Mid Devon Grecian]

Key for me is a flexible and pragmatic approach to tactical set up in order to give us the best chance of winning games.

I also want to be entertained whether we win lose or draw.

Caldwell seems like a nice guy and it’s apparent the majority of the players seem happy enough under his leadership.

I get the impression that his downfall is his stubbornness in sticking with ‘his’ formula re the way he wants us to play.

 

[SaintJames]

Do we really need or warrant yet another thread saying almost exactly the same as every other thread - really

 

[Alistair20000]

Do we really need or warrant yet another thread saying almost exactly the same as every other thread - really

Well the Caldwell Out thread has become depressing circular repetitive and very boring. I rather thought David wanted this thread to discuss principles rather than personalties.

 

[SaintJames]

Well the Caldwell Out thread has become depressing circular repetitive and very boring. I rather thought David wanted this thread to discuss principles rather than personalties.

Al, you strike me as a sensible chap. What makes you think this thread wont just revert to type by page two. We have entrenched views so discusssion on principles wont wash for 99 per cent of posters

 

[Alistair20000]

Al, you strike me as a sensible chap. What makes you think this thread wont just revert to type by page two. We have entrenched views so discusssion on principles wont wash for 99 per cent of posters

You make a fair point there Saint.

Just waiting for the first “Caldwell Out” post on this thread.

 

[grecoroman]

A Bristol Rovers supporter I met at St Davids summed up what was wrong with Joey Barton as "great coach - terrible man manager". We need someone who is good (or lat east competent) at both. Saturday's performance (especially the bizarre and chaotic substitutions) don't persuade me that Gary Caldwell is either.

 

[elginCity]

Having seen 24 City managers come and go, but never witnessed their work at the training ground or in the dressing room, personally don't 'expect' anything of the manager, no matter who it is. Who am I to judge ?!

For the games I see first hand, do judge the performance of his teams though, and there are 'expectations'; as a minimum the team should play for the manager, and the shirt. Effort and endeavour should be obvious, always, but any lack of skill or tactical nous patience is often required. My role is to support the team, in good times and especially the bad, and trust the club's decision makers to make the right calls regarding staff employment, as they're far better informed than I. As a fan-owned club I'm now far more relaxed about that sort of thing than ever before !

Apparently, I'm derided as being a 'happy clapper'

 

[Antony Moxey]

Having seen 24 City managers come and go, but never witnessed their work at the training ground or in the dressing room, personally don't 'expect' anything of the manager, no matter who it is. Who am I to judge ?!

For the games I see first hand, do judge the performance of his teams though, and there are 'expectations'; as a minimum the team should play for the manager, and the shirt. Effort and endeavour should be obvious, always, but any lack of skill or tactical nous patience is often required. My role is to support the team, in good times and especially the bad, and trust the club's decision makers to make the right calls regarding staff employment, as they're far better informed than I. As a fan-owned club I'm now far more relaxed about that sort of thing than ever before !

Apparently, I'm derided as being a 'happy clapper'

Is that why you go, out of some ideal that you’re there to support the team? And you pay for this privilege too? Are you not bothered whether you’re entertained? Is a win secondary? Do you not want, after parting with your hard earned that you’ve grafted all week for, to see a decent game of football, a good performance, some goals and three points in the bag and the team climbing up the division? Is all of that really just a sideshow to supporting the team?

If so then yes, you are indeed a happy clapper, and if that’s all you think you‘re there for, then perhaps, much to your apparent amusement, you do deserve to be derided for it.

 

[TotnesGrecian]

Me personally for a manager should have the following, specific to our club:

- Understand the ethos of the club and most importantly treating our youth academy with the respect it deserves

- Entertainment, we as a club don't have a great deal of stuff to shout about in terms of 'success', personally a win is secondary for me, entertainment is first. (After all, entertainment is what keeps people coming through the turnstiles, people don't watch boring tele programs every week, they find something better to do with their time)

If we put a solid performance in an attempt to entertainment a paying crowd and get a win then brilliant, but if we lose and play entertaining and enjoyable football then so be it.

- Tactical versatility, be able to chop and change formations / players dependent on the players we have or are capable of signing and not persisting with a footballing ethos that just doesn't suit what we are capable of as a team / club.