Sorry, 1898, but do we really want an OAP as manager ? - he is 65 this coming Sunday. He would be better off applying for a job at B&Q. That would hardly provide us with a long term replacement. To my mind, we need someone no older than 50/55, with a good track record, who we can afford to hire. Good luck to the board in trying to find someone currently available. Someone has already mentioned Danny Wilson - he will be 54 in January, and has some 19 years of managerial experience to his credit. Anyway, this is going to be a massive decision by the board, which they must not rush. It is of paramount importance to select the right person.
Richie Barker at Crawley Town is the bookies favorite apparently, but I cant see him leaving a mid-table League One side for a mid-table League Two side that with very little money to spend and none on transfer fees. Martin Allen seems the most likely be so far, and he'd might do a good job, but I dont know if I'm sold on him really...
"Mad dog" Allen would be a good, steady appointment in my opinion, he is very experienced at lower league level and has a career average win % of over 40, winning promotion with Gillingham only last season. His greatest strength is fostering a team ethic and spirit, something that your team has been sadly lacking this season. I would love to see David Connolly to comtinue his coaching role as he is a great football technician who could teach your younger players so much.
Unfortunately Guy, it would seem, was more like Sergeant Wilson than Corporal Punishment. I wish him well and thank him for sticking by the club during difficult times. We must draw a line under this and get behind the team and the caretaker management team, starting with a wall of noise tonight!
I am a bit late to the table so apologies, there are some very interesting points on here. Firstly like many I'm mostly sad that we have had to sack Guy.....a Pompey legend and a thoroughly decent bloke. I've made it to FP a decent number of times this season and have sometimes been impressed and on other days wondered just what the gameplan has been. I think it is worth remembering that although it was his team assembled by him it is also a squad of "spares" - I say that with no disrespect intended - these were free agents or unwanted and our history/crowds/potential certainly helped pull in some fairly decent players. Have they performed? Gelled? Worked hard enough? I think for me the answer is yes mostly but it is also littered with lapses in concentration or just doing the basics which at any level costs. We look decent going forward but brittle at the back and I still wish we'd somehow kept either Herman or Rocha...I know we tried but this season we have been crying out for a bit of sensible and calm authority in the back four. Who will we get - I like the Wilson shout - Allen has passion and spirit but not totally convinced, it needs to be carefully thought through. I wish Guy well and think he actually, as MAJR said, was doing almost what I was expecting results wise, but silly mistakes have led to us being nowhere near the play offs - and I did think we'd be lurking just outside by this time of year. PUP
Appleton wants to come back, I wouldn't be against it tbh. I know people say he's a gargoyle but I still think he's fairly accomplished and it was under difficult circumstances first time round (and in 2 leagues above us)
Seems he has already been told 'no thanks', according to the News. They didn't like the manner of his departure last time. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/pompey-rebuff-ex-boss-interest-in-return-1-5710345
Apparently, Richie Barker used to clean Guy's boots at Sheff. Wednesday, so knows him well. Only 38 years of age, but only been a manager since 2011, so not much experience to date.
Well apparently the company commissioned to do the recruitment have received 80-90 applications. Undoubtedly a number of those are jokes - seen a few from people boasting of the achievements on Football Manager, and seen a few from our stripey friends as well But even so there will be a nugget or two in amongst the legitimate applications. I wonder if Paul Hall has applied - I saw an email exchange between him and someone else when Appy left saying he had applied and that it would be 'a dream come true' to work at Pompey.
I got Forest Green promoted to league 2 and won the FA trophy (not in the same season mind), I should probably apply.
WOW !! Crawley Town have today terminated the contract of manager Richie Barker amid speculation linking him to the vacant role at Portsmouth. A statement on the clubâs website read: âCrawley Town Football Club can confirm that it has terminated the contract of First Team manager Richie Barker with immediate effect. âThe club will make an announcement as soon as possible on who will look after team affairs in the interim period and we ask our supporters to have patience while the process of finding a new manager is undertaken.â Barker is now the red-hot favourite to take over from Guy Whittingham at Fratton Park, with some bookies giving him odds as short as 1/5. He is friends with Pompey CEO Mark Catlin, a former director while the pair were at Bury. You really don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out where this is leading............
No one knows as of yet - the truth will come out presumably. It looks like he is the person Mark Catlin favours having worked with him at Bury, but the board of directors will have the final word one hopes.
I wouldn't worry about the odds on Barker being the next Pompey manager, or even knowing Catlin. The PCFC Board aren't going to make any hasty decisions, and it definitely won't be a decision left to Catlin. They made a mistake appointing Guy and they know it. That was a decision from the heart. They know their next appointment has to be as right as it can possibly be otherwise there will be serious questions asked of the board members who represent the PST shareholders.
Bang on............the board will take careful consideration of all applications down to a short list, the right person will be appointed, even if it takes a week or two longer than planned, its got to be right and done before Christmas so the newbie can take a look at what we have. My personal belief is that maybe a couple might go in Jan, but the essence of the squad is there.........the players just need to be brought together now, coached and managed. Do we have a fitness coach at PFC?
