Hessys Non league win record 64% Hessys two stints at Gillingham win record 34.5% The much maligned Stimson win record at Gillinghan 33.3% Not rocket science is it??
Not so much a case of Hessy not doing a job, more a case of who could / would do better.........and who would want the job / package offered. An expensive manager with poor team? At this level we have to accept that we are not (as it pains me to say it) a Swindon with the funds and management to hand. Like it or not, they will be going up. Crawley are heavily into 'overdraft' with minuscule attendances (4,000 at home to Stoke) and their bubble is already deflating. We are just ONE decent win off the play offs. So.......may I please suggest that we get behind our team (for we really are lucky to even have one at present). Let us concern ourselves with the things and players over which we do have a level of control, and not 'bump our gums' too much about the areas over which we have no control or input. The Championship days are long behind us......the team grew old together and there was not the funds to 'service' the needs at that level. We do not have a Dave Whelan as Wigan have, we have Paul Scally. Remember, this man saved the Gills from extinction and gave us the best few years that the club has EVER had. I am not suggesting that this is where it should end, but Paul Scally has said on several occasions that he would move aside if the 'right' offer came in for the club. By this I understand that the club's best interests must be at the centre of any deal AND quite rightly Paul Scally gets a reasonable deal out of it. This is a business, not a charity and when clubs like Pompey and Rangers go into administration it shows what a fine balance has to be maintained. Survival is not a God given right, it is the 'cake', a good season is the icing, and promotion the cherry on top. So.......to the rest of the season. A good run, as shown by Torquay and yes even Swindon shows what can be achieved. Let's not forget the likes of Wrexham, Lincoln etc who recently enjoyed the status of 'league' clubs. Get behind your club, it might not be great but it is ours. UTG.
Sorry but I fundamentally disagree, Hessy has been allowed to assemble a massive squad much bigger and with more quality than the likes of most clubs that are higher in the league than us. You're right a football club is a business and we need to win for the club to be successful. Like any business if you invest you expect results. Hessy hasn't provided results and should go in my opinion. As for we are one big win away from the play offs!! Forget promotion, this season is over mate.
If the season is over Lenny, then we won't need to hear from you again, surely? Every cloud, eh? EDITED: It seemed a little blunt so I apologise, but my point being is that continually picking out Hessenthaler's lack of this and of that is all well and good, but so long as the man is in charge of our football club we should continue to back him in any way possible, EVEN if it means completely diverting attention away from him and focusing on the team's performance!
Good to see the Hessy Lemmings are out in force today. Face facts boys great players rarely make good managers. You need to take your rose tinted glasses off.
Lenny - wind your neck in mate. Just because I choose a point of view that differs to yours, does not make me into a "lemming" or an "apologist" or any of those things. I merely stated that your Hessy bashing, while I completely respect your opinion, is not necessarily going to do any good and is certainly not the shared opinion of everybody on this forum. This is an intelligent board with lots of banter so if you'd like to close off all opinions other than your own, then frankly you're in the wrong place.
Wow. Maybe you need to take some of your own advice. We are all fans of the same club and opinions are going to vary. Some of us expect too much of our players, whilst other are more wary of the greater picture, not what just happens on the pitch. I'm not sure about this, but I doubt many other clubs have had our misfortune injury wise. Fuller (guaranteed starter and a leader), Spiller (bundles of energy, determined, competitive) Birchall (many people's predicted top scorer). Plus the injurys that Payne, Jackman and Lee have picked up during the season.
Can you please supply me with the facts, not your opinion (which your perfectly welcome to have) but factual evidence. How much did we spend on players. How much have other league 2 clubs spent on players. How much do our players get paid. How much do other league 2 players get paid.
Also whilst using facts to support our argument:- Tony Pulis win ratio's. Bournmouth. 28.97% Bristol City. 30.30% Plymouth. 30.77% Portsmouth. 31.43% so what does that prove exactly?
I don't think you need facts to warrent an opinion. Incidentally here is mine: Hessy, as i have said before, is tactically inept. I'm not talking about injuries, suspensions, money spent or anything else. His tactics are simply wrong for the players we have, right from team selection (in the main before people start asking about specific games) the way we play and especially substitutions which bewilder me at times and those of you who were regulars dutring his first stint should remember us all being bemused by crazy substituions back then as well. Also before anyone comes to me and asks me to suggest who would do a better realise that I haven't called for his head in this post, as at the moment I'm not sure who we could afford/get, so let me have a think and get back to you! But if we could coax Terry Brown or John Still, then i think with our budget being greater, they could get the success there skills warrent.
Someone on my wave length at last! I totally agree he is totally inept, last season and this season. I'm absolutely convinced with this squad we should be pushing for promotion. I would go along with your possible suggestions as a successor. As for the request for more stats, I will have to do some more homework on that. Tom Tom - easy tiger, lemmings comment was only meant as friendly banter.
I repeat what I previously said on another thread LoVe hessy, always a gills legend, but it's simply not working, he should stay somewhere in the club but not as manager. Time for a change
So Terry Brown or John Still could do better on our greater budget? I ask again what is our budget ? Greater than who's? The Quality of our squad. For some weeks, possibly months, people have been saying our keeper is a good shot stopper but flaps at crosses, our back 4 are rubbish too old, to slow, non league standard at best, midfield are weak, Kedwell only scores from the spot and Oli should never wear the shirt again. So which squad is it that has all this quality?
Grumpygit - this is hessys team,he's totally rebuilt it. You're not suggesting for one minute he's assembled a crap team are you?
Lenny, I am suggesting nothing, just trying to clarify all the conflicting posts, one minute people are complaining about how poor the players are, next how much quality the squad has, then how much money we've spent. If people express their opinion that's great it's what the boards are all about, if they try to call their opinion fact then give us the proof.
The answer to your question Lenny is Championship level. Hessy's achievement in Keeping gills at tier 2 between 2000 and 2004/5 is stuff of legends and unlikely ever to be matched. If you ever get the chance to talk to successful managers they will tell you that achievement at this level is 25% assembling a capable squad and 25% motivation. And the other 50% ?....LUCK. Luck on the field, luck with injuries and especially luck with the form of key players. You might even get the luck that Dimson got when he arrived in league 2 when several of the top contenders had 10 point deductions. The other important attribute from a fan's point of view is to have a decent bloke in charge. Football is results driven but few people would want to be associated with a successful club managed by someone like Evans or Dimson as attendances show. Hessy's squad is league 1 standard but that does not mean they will find it a doddle to get promotion from league 2. It does give them a better chance of staying up when they do get promotion though. Changing to a youth policy will result in different dynamics which is fine....but promotion is likely to take longer.
In reply to Bristol: Hessenthaler has had the luxury of spending money for two seasons. Given that we have one of the highest wage and spend budgets at this level, how can you reasonably justify; 1) the six game shambles that has nose-dives the season 2) the quite frankly mediocre performances up to this point? We all agree this team should be doing better and challenging for the top three. I'm sorry but "luck" has nothing to do with our problems.
Finished work for the evening and thought I'd settle down with a few JD's. Now where do I begin...Ah Lenny, good fish bait material mate, however, it has turned in to quite a good debate so let's give my opinion. I mentioned luck many months ago and nearly got shot down for the suggestion, then arrives bristol407 and dares to suggest the same thing again. Now I was about to agree but just before posting Kentish Man came on air and I thought f*** it I really don't fancy a headache before bedtime. Still all the same thanks for the entertainment Lenny, can always rely on you.
I am not sure I buy the luck arguement, it does play a part but 50%, no way. Yes you need the rub of the green on the pitch with decision but hard work on the training ground is the key to success. Injuries too, freak injuries like King's and Birchall's are unlucky, but if you consistantly pick up niggling little injuries during training than you are doing something wrong! As Sammy Goldwyn once said: "The harder I work, the luckier I get"
