Ronnie's knowledge of life in the lower Leagues, working with a restricted budget, should be invaluable to Hartlepool, a club for which I have always had a soft spot. He can also spot talent, assemble and motivate a team and his PR with local media - and fans - is always good.
I will watch Hartlepool's progress with interest, and expect an invite to Jeff Stelling's Hartlepool promotion party in May 2015.
I think unfortunately for Ronnie the game has left him behind.
His old ethos, which worked well for us for a time (coinciding with some very fortuitous insider knowledge of reserve football), comes unstuck eventually. The pattern of his managerial career mirrors itself each time, at Oldham and Tranmere twice & the 2nd time with us. He rides a short term wave built on guile, tenacity and drive. But when this wears off he really can't offer any alternative. He turns teams into beaten entities to gritty tough to beat machines, gets them to a almost ran stage then cannot follow it up. The only time he broke this pattern was 1st time with us. As much as I was seething with SE's appointment at a time when nobody was more fitting than Ronnie to lead us into a new stadium & new era, I think this was one occasion Tone got it right (although what on earth the thinking behind Andy Scott was, we can only summise he was p****ed at the time!).
I would like Ronnie to succeed but can't see it, I think this will be just another pay cheque - those ex wives got be paid their WAG money after all!
That's is abit harsh Ex with the ex-wives, I was nodding regarding the football piece though. Ronnie will need to surround himself with good people if he is to stand a chance