I agree with you, but I don't think that is the issue here.
There has been many a good manager that has failed at Clubs, not because they haven't been doing a good job at a club, but because they have not been perceived as doing so by the fans.
It's very important that a Manager ensures the fans understand the reasoning behind their decisions, that way even if they fail, the fans are less likely to put pressure on him. Once a manager loses the fans it's a downward spiral. The same principle applies with the "Boo-Boys" once a player becomes the focus of ridicule, no matter how well he plays he always remains the butt of the fans jokes. Ian Ashbee was supposed not to be able to make "The StepUp" in every division he played in above the bottom tier, but he succeeded right up to the Premiership.
I prefer to set my "realistic" expectations and judge a manager on results only, no matter what seemingly unfathomable decisions he makes. I also care about style and value for money, but I would never go as far as to make a BIG issue out of micro-decisionmaking. However, most seem to jump on bandwagons so NP needs to make sure he makes the fans aware of the reasons behind his decisions otherwise, rightly or wrongly, he might find himself on a downward spiral.