Next seasons manager

[harry211]

I've refrained from this topic or the 'who should we keep' one until now as I've felt it slightly disrespectful when we still have things to play for.

Part of me loves the idea of Brown. He clearly gets the club and the town. Moreso than anyone perhaps since Burr, or Penn up until the West Ham game?

The question is whether that's enough.

Brown has already complained about the distance. It won't get any better in the north when his home is further south than any of the other clubs. He has a young family. Can he hack the concievable Spennymoor, Chorley, Darlo, Blyth slog of games next season? It would be unfortunate to get them in a row, but...you never know.

The Conference North is a very different beast to the Conference proper. It will require different tactics than the survival ones since January. Beyond that, apart from that initial run, have we improved much since Penn left? The performances against Dorking, York, Halifax, Alty and Eastleigh suggest otherwise - and three of those are relegation battlers! We'll always be grateful for wins against Oldham and Chesterfield, like fans are to Thorn to the Peterborough win, but are the omens from those winsngood enough and transferable? The lack of consistent quality or coherent gameplan at home is a concern. But these are arguably Penn's players...

Meanwhile even with his scout allegedly coming in, is Brown's knowledge of the real depths of the full time game good enough? I'm not sure. Cannot see us attracting JET/Weston calibre players. Beyond that, his recruitment since he replaced Penn has been as patchy as Russ' was. Who has stood out? Who do you rate? For me, Kwepka and Weston. Few others have done anything of any merit - Bellis can press but beyond that?

So with that in mind it's 'vibes' plus experience against the concerns above. It leaves me genuinely on the fence. Either way I'm immensely grateful to Brown for giving us hope and some redeeming features to this season. Could you imagine if Penn had stayed?! We'd have beaten Oxford to the drop, and that's the only race we'd have won this year!

As for alternatives, who knows.

[Krasnyi]

Could not have put it better Harry. My sentiments entirely.

[garthrockett]

Beyond that, apart from that initial run, have we improved much since Penn left?

The answer is yes, a full Phil Brown season in NL would yield a predicted 70+ odd points , a 6-8th position. (see my previous post)
This has no say on who/what /how we approach next year in pub league North.

[Marcus Garvey]

Beyond that, apart from that initial run, have we improved much since Penn left?

The answer is yes, a full Phil Brown season in NL would yield a predicted 70+ odd points , a 6-8th position. (see my previous post)
This has no say on who/what /how we approach next year in pub league North.

Can I have what you are drinking please?! After the initial new manager bounce, just more relegation form and another 20 games would have made no difference. Embarrassingly outclassed by Gateshead, Alty and Halifax, couldn't even lay a glove on Dorking, York or Fylde. Still no settled team or formation, horrendous signings (JET....can't even manage a gentle trot) and you seriously talk of a play off challenge in the NL??! It was clear Byrne/Leesley needed to be replaced and who did we get? A midfield so laughably bad it was funny yesterday. Sorry but its his job to get decent recruits mid-season.
Seems some on here would jump off a cliff and fly if Brown told them to. I just can't wait for the expert punditry for the umpteenth time from Brown next season telling us why we lost on yet another bumpy pitch against a team of scrappers in front of 2 men and a dog 'up north'...

[tonythescout]

Beyond that, apart from that initial run, have we improved much since Penn left?

The answer is yes, a full Phil Brown season in NL would yield a predicted 70+ odd points , a 6-8th position. (see my previous post)
This has no say on who/what /how we approach next year in pub league North.

Can I have what you are drinking please?! After the initial new manager bounce, just more relegation form and another 20 games would have made no difference. Embarrassingly outclassed by Gateshead, Alty and Halifax, couldn't even lay a glove on Dorking, York or Fylde. Still no settled team or formation, horrendous signings (JET....can't even manage a gentle trot) and you seriously talk of a play off challenge in the NL??! It was clear Byrne/Leesley needed to be replaced and who did we get? A midfield so laughably bad it was funny yesterday. Sorry but its his job to get decent recruits mid-season.
Seems some on here would jump off a cliff and fly if Brown told them to. I just can't wait for the expert punditry for the umpteenth time from Brown next season telling us why we lost on yet another bumpy pitch against a team of scrappers in front of 2 men and a dog 'up north'...

You try inheriting an interior squad and try bringing in players when the Ex manager has spunked the budget and we aren’t owned by some loon from the Middle East who is happy to Chuck millions of pounds into the transfer kitty.
His record speaks for itself here.
If he stays then that’s when he can be seriously judged. As he has a summer to get the squad, preparation and everything else spot on.

[Marcus Garvey]

Beyond that, apart from that initial run, have we improved much since Penn left?

The answer is yes, a full Phil Brown season in NL would yield a predicted 70+ odd points , a 6-8th position. (see my previous post)
This has no say on who/what /how we approach next year in pub league North.

Can I have what you are drinking please?! After the initial new manager bounce, just more relegation form and another 20 games would have made no difference. Embarrassingly outclassed by Gateshead, Alty and Halifax, couldn't even lay a glove on Dorking, York or Fylde. Still no settled team or formation, horrendous signings (JET....can't even manage a gentle trot) and you seriously talk of a play off challenge in the NL??! It was clear Byrne/Leesley needed to be replaced and who did we get? A midfield so laughably bad it was funny yesterday. Sorry but its his job to get decent recruits mid-season.
Seems some on here would jump off a cliff and fly if Brown told them to. I just can't wait for the expert punditry for the umpteenth time from Brown next season telling us why we lost on yet another bumpy pitch against a team of scrappers in front of 2 men and a dog 'up north'...

You try inheriting an interior squad and try bringing in players when the Ex manager has spunked the budget and we aren’t owned by some loon from the Middle East who is happy to Chuck millions of pounds into the transfer kitty.
His record speaks for itself here.
If he stays then that’s when he can be seriously judged. As he has a summer to get the squad, preparation and everything else spot on.

It certainly does, 7 points in 9 games at the most crucial part of the season. Play off form for sure. 8 poor players when 2 decent would have done...and JET FFS. Phil Brown & friends retirement club....Mr Lane is being taken for a fool IMO.

[garthrockett]

an I have what you are drinking please?! After the initial new manager bounce, just more relegation form and another 20 games would have made no difference. Embarrassingly outclassed by Gateshead, Alty and Halifax, couldn't even lay a glove on Dorking, York or Fylde. Still no settled team or formation, horrendous signings (JET....can't even manage a gentle trot) and you seriously talk of a play off challenge in the NL??! It was clear Byrne/Leesley needed to be replaced and who did we get? A midfield so laughably bad it was funny yesterday. Sorry but its his job to get decent recruits mid-season.
Seems some on here would jump off a cliff and fly if Brown told them to. I just can't wait for the expert punditry for the umpteenth time from Brown next season telling us why we lost on yet another bumpy pitch against a team of scrappers in front of 2 men and a dog 'up north'...

Mallinson's Bitter at the moment. Try it, its nice.

Under Brown; P17 W7 D5 L5 Pts 26. Extrapolate to 46 matches- I'll leave you to do the maths. I'll wait.
Compare that the squad's 4 wins in 26 games under Penn. Thats why we went down. Crickey, we even started to score a goal or two.
You can't wave the dreadful performance against Alty or Halifax without mentioning home losses to Dagenham or the like.
Trying to get "decent recruits" in (Holdworths picks or Browns? you tell me....) as the season hurtles past is never the best way to improve form or avoid relegation.

Its obvious you don't want Phil Brown anywhere near the first team next year, fair enough. I await with bated breath your suggestion(s) on who will likely transform our mighty club into the world beaters we all anticipate........

[Marcus Garvey]

an I have what you are drinking please?! After the initial new manager bounce, just more relegation form and another 20 games would have made no difference. Embarrassingly outclassed by Gateshead, Alty and Halifax, couldn't even lay a glove on Dorking, York or Fylde. Still no settled team or formation, horrendous signings (JET....can't even manage a gentle trot) and you seriously talk of a play off challenge in the NL??! It was clear Byrne/Leesley needed to be replaced and who did we get? A midfield so laughably bad it was funny yesterday. Sorry but its his job to get decent recruits mid-season.
Seems some on here would jump off a cliff and fly if Brown told them to. I just can't wait for the expert punditry for the umpteenth time from Brown next season telling us why we lost on yet another bumpy pitch against a team of scrappers in front of 2 men and a dog 'up north'...

Mallinson's Bitter at the moment. Try it, its nice.

Under Brown; P17 W7 D5 L5 Pts 26. Extrapolate to 46 matches- I'll leave you to do the maths. I'll wait.
Compare that the squad's 4 wins in 26 games under Penn. Thats why we went down. Crickey, we even started to score a goal or two.
You can't wave the dreadful performance against Alty or Halifax without mentioning home losses to Dagenham or the like.
Trying to get "decent recruits" in (Holdworths picks or Browns? you tell me....) as the season hurtles past is never the best way to improve form or avoid relegation.

Its obvious you don't want Phil Brown anywhere near the first team next year, fair enough. I await with bated breath your suggestion(s) on who will likely transform our mighty club into the world beaters we all anticipate........

Rushall manager. I just want the club still to exist in a few years time. 7 points in 9 games extrapolate over the season...do the maths.

[garthrockett]

Rushall manager. I just want the club still to exist in a few years time. 7 points in 9 games extrapolate over the season...do the maths.

Rushall....lets see, 45 games/53 points, 4 points off NLN relegation. I did the maths.
Interesting choice.

[andrewb]

under Brown 26 points from 17 games - over a season of 46 games = 70 points

[Sheffield Harrier]

The expectations amongst fans seems to vary.

We have no right to be in any particular league. However, we have finished this season with the 6th highest average attendance in the league. We are a professional, full-time club with good facilities and a good history. None of this makes any difference if the balance of the squad isn’t right but that’s the point. We should *expect* to put together a squad that is challenging in NLN. Is it easy? No. But that’s what I expect to happen. Forget sentimentality and “he might be able to do a job in the NLN” we should be putting together a very strong squad. Our downfall this season has been the accumulation of lots of decisions that have not worked. Recruitment, line ups, subs etc. Easy for us to criticise in hindsight (what was everyone saying after we’d picked up four points from our first two league games?) but that’s on Lane, Penn, O’Connor etc. And now we need a period where a bunch of decisions are better / correct. We’ll know if we’ve done that this time next year!

Now it’s obvious the Brown in and out camps are forming.
The last few games have been really poor so this doesn’t convince me that he will do a particularly brilliant job next season. But yes, I also concede that he had little wriggle room to work in. I think I’d prefer a younger coach with experience of winning at that level if I’m honest. However, if it’s Brown then so be it and I hope he does the business.

[Swansea Harrier]

I got shown an interesting graphic yesterday (I'm trying to work out how to attach it off my phone). It was the firm guide for the last 12 games in the National League. We're 20th. So Marcus perhaps isn't as far off the mark as some would claim, especially as Brown has added his own signings to a squad he acknowledged himself to have ability, spirit and fight. (And if you want to "do the maths" re: the Rushall manager, surely you have to cobdider the lack of resources at his disposal at a village club that's reached the highest level in its existence).

For what its worth, I think Brown actually deserves a full pre season to mould his own squad and tactics before being judged. You'd need a crystal ball to tell whether that's the right thing for the club though...

Ultimately the Eastleigh game was no different to pre-Christmas under Penn. Had the chances, the better side for a lot of the game (except for 45-70 minutes which were absolutely Eastleigh's), their keeper MOTM, we score no goals, lose 0-1. The same problems we've had all season simply haven't been addressed sufficiently.

Either way, we need clarity quickly so we can get planning for next season. I agree top seven should be a minimum target, but for that we need an identity and a plan for how to score goals. I for one hope it involves the ball on the deck more, with a high tempo passing game. Whether that's what we'll get or if it will actually work in NLN with the thuggish tactics and complicit refs...

[Bucks Harrier]

I'd choose Brown over anyone else available. He is the best, most experienced, connected, and highest profile currently available at this and the next couple of levels up, he just is.

Failing that, standard proven formulas work - who watched Tamworth last season? How did they do it? I'd take a random guess that they didn't need to make 20 passes per every goal they scored, otherwise they would have scored a quarter the amount of goals they did.

[tonythescout]

All this stuff about an identity and wanting football to be played on the deck has been trialed before and it we didn’t get out of the NN. As soon as that was thrown out the window we started to vastly improve and eventually went up.
We have to be physically strong, have some quality up front and be able to mix it. The last two seasons inthe NN were just that. One of those Squads almost went up, the other did!
It’s results that matter, so as long as we win I don’t care. Alfreton and Brackley in the play offs were not easy on the eye. It wasn’t total football. It was a physically organised team who scored when it mattered and produced moments of quality where appropriate ie not hell bent passing the ball fifty times or constantly trying to build from the back. Some of these surfaces won’t be up for total football as we all know from previous experience.

[Swansea Harrier]

All this stuff about an identity and wanting football to be played on the deck has been trialed before and it we didn’t get out of the NN. As soon as that was thrown out the window we started to vastly improve and eventually went up.
We have to be physically strong, have some quality up front and be able to mix it. The last two seasons inthe NN were just that. One of those Squads almost went up, the other did!
It’s results that matter, so as long as we win I don’t care. Alfreton and Brackley in the play offs were not easy on the eye. It wasn’t total football. It was a physically organised team who scored when it mattered and produced moments of quality where appropriate ie not hell bent passing the ball fifty times or constantly trying to build from the back. Some of these surfaces won’t be up for total football as we all know from previous experience.

As much as I want us to be a good footballing side (as we traditionally always have been), I do actually see where you are coming from Tony. We need to be battle hardened and ready to stand up to the nastiness. I guess the key will be having the guile of we get back into the NL, which has far more footballing teams and quality individuals. The gulf in standard and style is huge.