How things can change very quickly in football
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Another example here, who remembers this lad? http://bit.ly/LifeAfterCTFC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Interesting article. Another I think about is Bobby Dale. A natural goalscorer until his injury.
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Interesting to hear his positive and fond memories of MJA.
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Not sure the likes of Finnigan, Spencer and Russell would agree.Horteng wrote:To be fair a lot of players that have played under MJA speak highly of himRegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Interesting to hear his positive and fond memories of MJA.
I didn't say all.......I-Love-CTFC wrote:Not sure the likes of Finnigan, Spencer and Russell would agree.Horteng wrote:To be fair a lot of players that have played under MJA speak highly of himRegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Interesting to hear his positive and fond memories of MJA.
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Or they were stuck in their ways and didn’t like the boat rocked. After all, given they were failing to perform and heading for relegation, whatever method they had got comfortable with obviously wasn’t working.Shade wrote:Generally seems to be younger players that took to him, doesn't it? Anyone with some experience and that cared about the club could see that he was on the path to destruction.
Downing was sacked 6 League games into the season - whilst we'd lost 5 of those 6, it was far too early to say we were heading for relegation.
The fact we were relegated proves that the change of manager, and the change of methods alongside it, did nothing at all to help us - in fact we only won 8 more league games all season, a whole 4% increase to the win ratio.
The fact we were relegated proves that the change of manager, and the change of methods alongside it, did nothing at all to help us - in fact we only won 8 more league games all season, a whole 4% increase to the win ratio.
Martin Allen was a disaster however our players were very much in the comfort zone at the time and I do feel a lot of noses were put out of joint by someone coming in with unorthodox methods. Allen has proven himself that he either does a good job (Brentford/Barnet/MK Dons or an abject failure here/Leicester).
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Remember to factor in the end of the previous season which without the Doncaster miracle would have been remembered as one of the most disastrous collapses and bottles in our recent history. Many clubs would have changed management long before it somehow turned from all but safety to last day scramble.
We didn’t and I am glad it worked out, but Downing looked like the essence of life and blood had drained from his body and mind. I think the fact he didn’t recover and still seemed a spent force next season had as much to do with the early sacking as did the poor transfer window and hope-bereft team performance.
The change was needed, and with the signings of Westlake and Wesolowski which followed, the malaise was well and truly gone as we suddenly had a midfield which could boss almost any team in the league - a transformation rarely seen in a team during the season. Unfortunately, the shattered ankle of the latter disrupted everything and we know the panic and chaos which ensued.
Personally I still think the change was the right decision at the time and I would rather have watched performances like Westlake away at Swindon (still one of the best CTFC individual games I have ever seen) than the lifeless corpse we had become under Downing.
We didn’t and I am glad it worked out, but Downing looked like the essence of life and blood had drained from his body and mind. I think the fact he didn’t recover and still seemed a spent force next season had as much to do with the early sacking as did the poor transfer window and hope-bereft team performance.
The change was needed, and with the signings of Westlake and Wesolowski which followed, the malaise was well and truly gone as we suddenly had a midfield which could boss almost any team in the league - a transformation rarely seen in a team during the season. Unfortunately, the shattered ankle of the latter disrupted everything and we know the panic and chaos which ensued.
Personally I still think the change was the right decision at the time and I would rather have watched performances like Westlake away at Swindon (still one of the best CTFC individual games I have ever seen) than the lifeless corpse we had become under Downing.
It was a clash of personalities. Our club has an identity which, like it or not, for better or worse, is a bit set in its ways. Allen wanted to come in and completely rip it all up and start again in his own way. He wasn't a good fit. Especially when it came to how much he could spend.
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MA has been talked about on here to death, but lets carry this on.
I was all for appointing MA at the time as some times that type of manager can really work. You have these combustible boom or bust managers that at the time was needed as we were on a downward spiral (retrospectively it didn't work).
But now, I am completely in for a "club builder" manager. John Ward is the shining example of this and the way he slowly built our club I enjoyed. I think GJ is in this same vein and overnight success in League 2 isn't happening, but I think every year we are getting better under him.
I was all for appointing MA at the time as some times that type of manager can really work. You have these combustible boom or bust managers that at the time was needed as we were on a downward spiral (retrospectively it didn't work).
But now, I am completely in for a "club builder" manager. John Ward is the shining example of this and the way he slowly built our club I enjoyed. I think GJ is in this same vein and overnight success in League 2 isn't happening, but I think every year we are getting better under him.