The piece does come across as pro Warney - but pro in a sense in all the positive things that Warney brings to the table - because it appears he does have them. Whether those relate to management material, I don't think this season, with this group of players is ours - or anyone's to judge. The problems and reasons this club is facing an embarassing season as I can remember is bigger than Warney. Do I want him as manager next season? Why not?, are we in a rush to push for the Championship again? because we shouldn't be. Why not let Warney cut his teeth at this? Look at all the people he's surrounding himself with, Brecks, Polly et al - if we're trying to build a Rotherham United we're all familiar with - aren't these the people we want?
Steve Evans ripped the soul out of this club & destroyed the connection with the fans - despite the 'success', I put that in commas because it was like a love affair, horny as hell for a short time but always liable to implode and leave you in a worse position than what you started in. Look at all the managerial disasters, Andy Scott, Redfern, Stubbs, Jackett and yes in the end even Warnock. There's more to achievement in management than points on the table, why have we become so blinkered, short termist and totally obsessed in that? If I were a manager of a mens team, an achievement to me is to leave a legacy, things you've done off the field that will positively serve the club for years to come, points come & go, that stays.
Interesting view Exeter which I unfortunately have to fundamentally disagree with, mainly because of Warne's tactical naivety & lack of experience. I agree with your point suggesting we shouldn't be in a hurry to get back to the Championship but a stabalising season or two in L1 would be only achievable with a manager with the suitable experience & coaching badges, enthusiasm alone will achieve very little. It may sound alarmist but I truly believe that there is a serious possibility of us getting relegated again if we persevere with Warne as manager next season.
I have held exactly the same view on Evans tenure at the club as yourself but always got shouted down for it. Unfortunately RUFC still suffers with the lack of connection with the fans & I cannot see the situation improving any time soon.
I agree with Ex's comments about Evans. No doubt he gave fans the 'roller coaster' that he so often spoke about, but it ended in a crash. He managed to jump off the ride before it hit the buffers, but unfortunately we as supporters were strapped in for the duration. Look again at the 2015/16 accounts and look who we signed that pre-season and what we were left with. In my opinion our present problems have some roots there.
I respectfully disagree with Ex about Warne. Like Ex, I do not judge him (as others seem to) on his managerial record since he took over. He has had to work under the most difficult of conditions and he isn't to blame for where we are. My problem is that even setting that aside, he does not have anything going for him that positively makes him a strong candidate for the job. Arguably he has shown resilience in the face of adversity, but that is about it. If we think that Warne is manager material, then instead of giving a novice the top job and surrounding him with experience what about giving the job to someone who is ready for it now, and making Warne the number two? He might make a good link between the manager and the players, would provide some continuity, could learn his craft, and maybe his time would come further down the line. I just don't think he is the right man for the job at such a crucial time. He would represent a gamble, and at the moment we can't afford to take risks.
-- Edited by smiler on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 08:19:06 AM
-- Edited by smiler on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 08:20:06 AM
Some very interesting points in Ex's post. I particularly agree with his view on the Evans tenure. I never wanted him in the first instance and suspect that the writing was on the wall by the time he left. Actually I guess thats why he left, sinking ships and all that!
So the die was cast long before Warne(s) took over, so the responsibility for this train wreck of a season does not lay at his feet
I would also agree with the statement that…
'There's more to achievement in management than points on the table, why have we become so blinkered, short termist and totally obsessed in that?'
…but sadly, thats the way of the game these days and if you swim against the flow you are not going to get anywhere fast and destined to be a permanent minnow in the huge financial slough that is English/British football. Thats the reason many clubs are in so much debt, having to spend to compete…we didn't spend (in Championship terms) and look where we are.
We have to decide where we want to be I guess. Success comes at a huge price, but even then never guaranteed. Is it worth the risk? All sport is driven by the desire to win isn't it? If were not prepared to have the ambition, then why are we here in the Championship, L1 or where ever. What would be the point of having a football team at all if all we want is mid table mediocrity. How can we be excited enough on a match day to pay for that?
Every fan of every club wants a level of success, something to cheer, to feel good, to feel proud, we'll remember that day at Wembley for the rest of our lives, but I would suggest that clubs like Rotherham need to build on that success, something that RUFC has consistently failed to do.
The current lack of organisation produced by what seem to be very poor decisions going back to the very beginning.
It was Tony stewart who set the club goals and indeed he met them. But, were the goals actually met by incremental and thoughtful planning. I think we would all say no to that. It then begs the question as to what Tony was basing his Goals on because no one can point out any sustained policy on the pitch. The opposite appears evidenced
TS has sacked a lot of managers and allowed a lot of players to come and go. There hasnt been any connection in terms of style or character or philosophy between all the managers
In contrast many big clubs are clearly defined by a philosophy and several smaller clubs also are easily identifiable by both the type of player they recruit and the character of the manager they will appoint.
Maybe Ex ha**** the nail on the head.
Perhaps there was never a plan because Tony was not familiar with football and those around him would have been likewise restricted. Could it be that obvious and so basic of a mistake.
As for the future, it sits well with me that we reduce our expectations in line with our current status.
I think its time to sit down in our lovely little ground and get ready (hopefully) for several seasons of L1 football
-- Edited by ian on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 10:24:47 AM
The piece does come across as pro Warney - but pro in a sense in all the positive things that Warney brings to the table - because it appears he does have them. Whether those relate to management material, I don't think this season, with this group of players is ours - or anyone's to judge. The problems and reasons this club is facing an embarassing season as I can remember is bigger than Warney. Do I want him as manager next season? Why not?, are we in a rush to push for the Championship again? because we shouldn't be. Why not let Warney cut his teeth at this? Look at all the people he's surrounding himself with, Brecks, Polly et al - if we're trying to build a Rotherham United we're all familiar with - aren't these the people we want?
Steve Evans ripped the soul out of this club & destroyed the connection with the fans - despite the 'success', I put that in commas because it was like a love affair, horny as hell for a short time but always liable to implode and leave you in a worse position than what you started in. Look at all the managerial disasters, Andy Scott, Redfern, Stubbs, Jackett and yes in the end even Warnock. There's more to achievement in management than points on the table, why have we become so blinkered, short termist and totally obsessed in that? If I were a manager of a mens team, an achievement to me is to leave a legacy, things you've done off the field that will positively serve the club for years to come, points come & go, that stays.
... "it was like a love affair, horny as hell for a short time " ...
I dont think Im the only one who had a man crush on him.
If you pop over to the mansfield website and you have access to football league player then you can see he is having even more of an impact on the neanderthals there then he did here.
I dont think Im the only one who had a man crush on him.
If you pop over to the mansfield website and you have access to football league player then you can see he is having even more of an impact on the neanderthals there then he did here.
He will do well at Mansfield. Of course football fans are fickle so your average Stag will be beguiled at the moment because to his credit he has improved results. As at Boston, Crawley and Rotherham, he has the support of a wealthy and ambitious chairman. History suggests that he will use those resources to get success, and will leave when he knows that the resources have been exhausted and they are beyond the top of the curve. Is that good football management? Or shrewd career management on his part at the long-term expense of the club? There certainly isn't a lot of love for him in Boston, and not much more at Crawley. Just before he left us he committed the seasons budget on Roos, Buxton, Mattock, Maguire, Halford, White, Thorpe, Ledesma and Collins before dropping most of them and saying we needed five or six further players to make us competitive. We had an old squad, many past their best, no players with a re-sale value, not a single player who had come through the ranks in the previous years, budget spent and months to go before there was another transfer window. My take on it is that those few weeks in June to September 2015 were a catastrophe that we have never really recovered from. But I know there are still those who worship the guy. You pay your money, you take your choice.
I don't think that way about Evans - we don't know what he was allowed to spend and sign. He pulled in a load of players that's for sure but he couldn't sign top quality or he would have - I don't think he'd have ummed and arrhd over 100k for the Millwall guy. Agard, Tavernier, Dicko all good players we couldn't hold onto. The Leeds team now is better for his time there and he will get Mansfield up. We won't be in L1 under PW long - we will be in L2.
I don't think that way about Evans - we don't know what he was allowed to spend and sign. He pulled in a load of players that's for sure but he couldn't sign top quality or he would have - I don't think he'd have ummed and arrhd over 100k for the Millwall guy. Agard, Tavernier, Dicko all good players we couldn't hold onto. The Leeds team now is better for his time there and he will get Mansfield up. We won't be in L1 under PW long - we will be in L2.
A lot of money was undoubtedly spent on those players I mentioned NY. There was a massive jump in our wage bill that season. We got about four good games out of Halford in two years, and Mattock was ok-ish last season in between injuries. The rest were a complete waste of money. I defy anybody to look at the summer 2015 recruitment and justify it.
I accept he didn't have a lot to spend, but he wasted a lot of what he did have and in the end that wasn't sustainable.
I didn't want him and don't want him back purely for what he did at/to Boston, and at Bradford. I admit the off the field stuff probably colours my opinion of him as far as my overall view of him goes. I said at the time that I didn't want him even if we won every game under him.
I respect the fact that you and others see it differently.
Agree about Warne 100%. Ironically, a very good guy but not a manager (certainly not yet).
Nothing back from the club in response to my interest in the job. Have you given any thought to my offer of the no 2 job? If you're not interested, I can ask Towdlad.
I'll definitely take the no 2 job - I'm completely unqualified but I have nearly 50 years of millertime in the bank so I can't fail, plus I'm a nice person and I'll get the face on and slag the team in the media when my tactics go awry. I'm also decent with IT so can take over on the player manager when we need to find a decent crock in the 35 yr old bracket for 10k a week.
I'll definitely take the no 2 job - I'm completely unqualified but I have nearly 50 years of millertime in the bank so I can't fail, plus I'm a nice person and I'll get the face on and slag the team in the media when my tactics go awry. I'm also decent with IT so can take over on the player manager when we need to find a decent crock in the 35 yr old bracket for 10k a week.
The '50 years a miller' swings it.
Between us I think we've got it all covered.
I'll start lobbying Radio Sheff. If we can get Brad to have a word with his mates Paul and Joe to promote the idea in the press, we're a shoe-in.
