Nick Barmby's league game win ratio for Hull City in his time as manager was 39.39%. Since we sacked Horton, only three permanent managers have topped that. Anyone care to guess who they are? They come in at 42.26%, 41.84% and 41.29%.
I wouldn't say they are meaningless. They can be misleading. No one would suggest that Barmby did a better job than Phil Brown, for example, who has a lower win ratio. But they do show that Barmby was perhaps a better manager than some give him credit for, particularly given what he had to work with. Switching him for Bruce proved to be a good move, obviously, and I would never have appointed Barmby in the first place with such an inexperienced/sparse team around him, but he deserves better than some of the jibes you see.
No, and as I said above stats can be misleading, as in this instance factors such as games played and the level at which they were played is important. But Barmby has a win ratio of almost 40% in 33 games at second-tier level. That's not unimpressive. Would he have matched Steve Bruce's achievements had he been given the resources Steve was given? I very much doubt it. But was he as poor a manager as a small element of City fans like to make out? No, he wasn't.
Don't think none has said he was poor. He was out of his depth, that's all. Said at the time. He was a rabbit in the headlights.
Great experience of the game (doesn't make a good manager) but counts for something surely, a name that could attract better players (unquestionably yes), local guy done well (supporters could relate to strongly), stood his ground and had solid principles (too strong for the Allams who like yes men), could he have done well in management and/or coaching (undoubtedly yes), just needed experience and good people around him to succeed, look at Solskjaer at Man Utd.
Look at shearer, Neville ,waddle Barnes etc etc If. Dawson was at southend and asked nick to go there with him he wouldn't go. Lack of hunger for the game like a lot of other ex pros these days.
The relegation news was overshadowed by an act of unsporting behaviour, whereby SCunny scored a goal when it was expected that the ball was being put out of play, so a player for Plymouth could get treatment. Can't see Andy Dawson being made permanent manager, I would go for Paul Hurst who is out of work.
Stats certainly can be misleading. As someone wrote in the DM today, the Spice Girls have had more number 1 singles than the Rolling Stones. It doesn't make them better.