Awford?

So........there is no denying that the legend that is Andy awford has got these retrofits all fired up. 5/5 is no mean feat and goals are coming from all over the pitch which to most shows how passionately they feel about winning. Players enjoying their training, feeling good and putting the practice into the game = wining side.

Now, I admit to being the first to jump on the band wagon when barker left, to saying......please no more internal appointments from the heart.....but there is no denying his ability, he got these boys playing where others have failed!

So, as per the poll........ANDY AWFORD.....YES or NO

 

It's still a matter of whether this will be a long term appointment or a short term one, whether he will get backing in the bad times or just the sack, and I'm not sure I would trust the club, even under fan ownership, to fully back anyone in the bad times. If I was owner I would offer him the job on a five or six year contact and his job would be safe for the duration regardless of results, but as it stands I doubt whether his job would be safe for a year if results went against us.

The least I can say is that there is no stronger candidate for the job at this time than Awford.

 

The answer has to be yes, besides he has made it pretty clear he wants it. Nothing is certain in this world and there is a fear amongst fans that if he fails we lose another stalwart but, if he doesn't get it I am sure another club will come and offer him a manager's job anyway.

If you employed someone on a trial basis for a month and you got this kind of return then you wouldn't prevaricate and I don't think the board will. He has Pompey running through his veins and seems to have managed to transfuse that into many of the players that I thought had little ability and no idea what Pompey is about.

He has galvanised this club like no other I've known since Alan Ball so it's a yes from me.

 

Exactly this


Besides it's a bit perverse to hold someone back just because you might lose him.

The other thing that makes me think he is the right one for the job is that he sees his role as building the footballing side of the club from the bottom up. We need someone who can think about the long term strategically, from his post match interviews it's pretty clear that AA has already given this a lot of thought.

 

Personally, on reflection, I feel he would be the right appointment at the right time for this club, even though I was originally against it, but I still have doubts about the club's preparedness to back him in bad times.

 

Agree with most of the above - there is no doubt that he has the team playing as a team - look at the difference in desire and indeed joy of playing that was so lacking under RB - he loves Pompey and critically for me seems to be calm, collected and a thinker. If he can build his backroom staff and have a decent input to club structure I'd say we have made a good choice. Wonder if we could steal Kit Symons back to join the team?

 

One of the things that swayed me was ability to adapt, he seems to think on his toes as well as what is planned............ a couple of times he ha switched things round quite quickly which has netted in another resulting win.......he obviously is passionate about the game in general......and more importantly Pompey.......he knows and understands the expectation, and given the backing of the club, the fans and players could be a real success......and what a story to be able to say that some one from with in the club brought it back to a higher level of football

Big fat YES from me

 

A cautious Yes from me. He has indicated a positive attitude to getting the best out of available players. There are two sides to management. getting the best from players, and recruiting appropriate available players. He has succeeded at the first requirement and but his skills with regard to the latter are unknown. Given that many of the players that have flourished in the last 5 games were recruited by Barker it could be argued that he was not bad at recruiting but not good at getting the best from those he recruited!

The key to Awford's appointment may be finding an appropriate assistant manager that has a wide knowledge of the players in and around 1-st & 2nd division clubs to aid with recruitment. It may be a question of selecting the right team rather that the right man but certainly with Awford as manager.-

 

Awfs was a Scout for Harry Redknap a long while ago, before he joined the Academy, and we now have Martin Hinslewood as Chief Scout at the club - plus AA has shown he can spot a good talent at the Academy, so he should be ok in the recruitment area. He's also using the Bald Eagle for advice http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/eagle-lends-awfs-an-ear-1-6010920

But you're right, he needs a good team behind him.

 

it was awford who brought in hollands.......some one he pointed out to GW in the summer, ignored by GW and barker, but brought in last min . com by AA, and for me he has been a breath of fresh air and links well with foggy