Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee View Post
Top post.

My fear is that those in power at the club aren't all that interested in a long term plan. I think back to Malky's appointment. He was given 3 years to get the club promoted. As we did unexpectedly well in his first season, Tan and the board demanded promotion the following season. The start of the 2012/13 promotion season showed potential but there were cracks. After we shipped 5 at Charlton, Malky ripped up the way we played and turned us into a more defensive side that spent the season grinding out results. Malky had a plan that has to change because of short termism by the board.

If Warnock is under similar pressure to get promotion as quickly as possible, then how are we ever going to build an identity? We're constantly going to be a side that seeks to be ruthlessly efficient. Results over anything else. When Warnock goes, what's the betting that the new man will be someone to get us promotion rather than someone who can lay the foundations for the club long term?
Cheers Eric.

That night down Charlton spooked Malky & definitely set us back. I recall many'a frantic last 10mins as we struggled to see games out later that yr. I remember leaving The Valley in the 89th minute with the score 5-2 to try catch the earlier train home from Paddington. Thought I was clever. Checked my phone on the cockney carriage to see Gunnar had made it 5-4 in the 95th minute - was kicking myself. Fair-weather sod. Probably would've finished 7-2 if I'd stayed.

Couldn't agree more regarding the short-termism of those at the top. I feel that Neil was given this season due to a combination of gratitude, loyalty, his frugality & his track record as a Jesus of this level. Regardless of where we end up this year, his time here will be considered a success & rightfully so. I wouldn't imagine he feels much pressure from the board / anyone, he's already proven himself.

I couldn't think of anything worse than employing a Rowett-type Championship merry-go-rounder; someone gagging for gig & would once again leave us in that same 'now or never' position. The boys upstairs are not 'football people' - I doubt any of their long-term visions stretch past our quarterly turnover. I'm not going to pretend to be some sort of Bundesliga 2 expert who'll pluck the answer from the Hamburg u18's side - but when those vagabonds from way out west seem to simply conjure top manager after top manager, year after year, it makes me wonder what the f*ck anyone in our set-up is doing with their spare time. The same can be said about youth recruitment.

For me it'd have to be Steve Cotterill, Gary Johnson or Phil Brown - get some fresh ideas in there !