Clarke must go

Bluebaldee

Bluebaldee

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Jan 25, 2011
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I'm not necessarily pinning the blame on him as an individual for our league demise, but I'm as sure as I can be that he won't get us back up.

He's not experienced enough, he's probably psychologically damaged after Saturday's events and his defensive coaching this season has been woeful.

He was handed a poisoned chalice, but I just don't rate him. He doesn't have the gravitas and experience to influence players and get the best out of them. He isn't mean enough to tear into underperforming players.

I want a total bastard who will work the players hard. Ward can go too - the last thing we need is a Director of Football in the Conference, especially one tarnished by the worst relegation in the history of our football club.

In an ideal world, Higgs, Watola, Dunford and Bradshaw would **** off too, but we don't live in an ideal world and I think we're stuck with them.
 
Bluebaldee said:
I'm not necessarily pinning the blame on him as an individual for our league demise, but I'm as sure as I can be that he won't get us back up.

He's not experienced enough, he's probably psychologically damaged after Saturday's events and his defensive coaching this season has been woeful.

He was handed a poisoned chalice, but I just don't rate him. He doesn't have the gravitas and experience to influence players and get the best out of them. He isn't mean enough to tear into underperforming players.

I want a total bastard who will work the players hard. Ward can go too - the last thing we need is a Director of Football in the Conference, especially one tarnished by the worst relegation in the history of our football club.

In an ideal world, Higgs, Watola, Dunford and Bradshaw would f**k off too, but we don't live in an ideal world and I think we're stuck with them.
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Yes agreed. Feel really sorry for DC maybe he shouldn't of took on the task in the first place I would like to think we could keep him in some other capacity as I've said before get in someone with experience he can learn from (don't mentioned JW please :D) and yes totally agree get some tough old bastard in who will take no **** from lazy players etc. One major thing DC lacks apart from experience is contacts something that JW obviously didn't have either.
 
Do you think though "a nasty bastard" manager promotes a good changing room, Do young players need treating differently these days? is a 'man manager' type more likely to get the best from a squad as long as he doesn't accept the piss takers?

Looking on, it seems to me your troubles really flared with Buckle, who appears to have been a 'nasty bastard' manager?
 
banksyisourhero said:
Do you think though "a nasty bastard" manager promotes a good changing room, Do young players need treating differently these days? is a 'man manager' type more likely to get the best from a squad as long as he doesn't accept the piss takers?

Looking on, it seems to me your troubles really flared with Buckle, who appears to have been a 'nasty bastard' manager?
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We've had years of weak managers who are unable to get the best out of the players. I've watched several games where those same players have played superbly, especially during the second half of last season under Ward, and on a few occasions under McGhee. The fact that those managers were unable to produce consistency and get the team regularly playing to the best of their ability demonstrates that their management techniques are ineffective.

The players needed a rocket up their asses to get the club out of a relegation battle - the management failed to provide one.

Therefore, my conclusion is that we need a 'nasty bastard' who will enforce discipline, hard work and will not be afraid to upset those who aren't pulling their weight. Such a manager will sign players in his own likeness, those who will work hard and give 100% as often as is humanly possible.

Look what Pulis has done at Palace. They were dead and buried until he came in and got them organised, working hard, instilled discipline and not let any take the piss. He shipped out the inadequates and brought in players with some fight. The same can probably be said for Cotterill at City too.

If Rovers fail to return to the League within the next two seasons, then we're ****ed. We need a nasty bastard in place to ensure that happens at all costs.
 
My instinct is that you'll bounce straight back. However I suppose the next few days and announcements made regarding players and finances is all important.

If the ground goes ahead that will give you the momentum to bounce back.
 
i would like to see clarke given a go. he knows non league (FFS i hate saying non league <cry>). soon as clarke took over he wasnt afraid to change things. dropped o'toole, changed the captain, changed tactics and formation and showed he had more plans than just a plan A. we will be losing a lot of players who have let our club down and according to virgo who are lazy and think they are better than the club.

maybe its a blessing that we have gone down as these <unts will leave our club and poison another club. clarke can then get the players who he wants who he knows will work hard and fight for our club and who will want to wear the rovers shirt. this relegation could end up actually saving our club where these players going will allow the bad habits to be cleared and clarke can control the new players so bad habits dont re-appear.
 
From what I saw Clarke was genuinely distraught at what happened, I would think he would move heaven and earth to get back up.
 
IF we were now advertising for a manager and Clarke had not been with us, his
credentials with Salisbury and around the non-league would make him a strong candidate.
We have to get used to the fact that we are now Conference and all the out of work/eligible
candidates would very probably want a league club. On balance I'm prepared to stick with
him; and a year's contract is about right.
 
banksyisourhero said:
From what I saw Clarke was genuinely distraught at what happened, I would think he would move heaven and earth to get back up.
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i think so too banksy.


i remember clarkes interview when he took over from ward. i got the impression what he was saying that he wasnt really happy in his position as the assistant. he said he had a lot of ideas but ward didnt agree it. he could only go along with what ward wanted. now he is in control he can bring his ideas to life.

for me he is saying the right things and he has the right attitude and heart/passion for the club. he aint just talking the talk, results havent come obviously but for me he is also walking the walk as he is the 1st manager in years to show he has a lot of tactical knowledge. all he needs now is the players to apply it. going by virgo, we havent had the players who cares about the club or fans and cant even be bothered to turn up to training.
 
He's had the time to get his coaching ideas across and he knew the magnitude of the task when he took it on. I'm not saying it was right to switch managers with just 8 games to go, but he took it on.

He did not deliver. The capitulation against Torquay was a particularly woeful display. If you cannot motivate players to beat the bottom side at home in such a crucial game, then how are you going to motivate those players to get out of the Conference? For many of his games in charge, we looked rudderless. He should have realised that it was no-nonsense backs to the wall time to dig out those crucial wins when we needed them - he didn't.

I can see how distraught he was and I don't doubt his honesty and integrity - the same goes for Ward. But we need more than that now and we need a clean sweep of all those associated with this most catastrophic of failures.

Both Ward and Clarke had the backing of the fans, a large budget and a whole season - they failed. I don't want any more failure at Rovers - we've endured enough over the last 5 years.
 
dont think anyone could motivate these players. clarke couldnt bring any players in to change anything. he was stuck with these players and some was injured so had no choice to play player who he may not wanted to play.

its a tough call this one. personally i would give him a chance. i understand your point though <ok>
 
Keep Clarke, he has experience down here. Who needs to go? The board, and all the other staff related to Rovers. Start afresh with Clarke at the helm to get us going. I think he knows what is needed at this level, and should know some decent players that we should be able to sign being the club with THE biggest budget in the league
 
But if you sack the board effectively you throw away your plans for the new stadium, Higgs is the driving force behind this. You need that ground to be built and you need to get back into the league. Once that happens you can either wait for a Tan to buy you out or someone like the owners of Southampton.

Clark was clearly upset on Saturday, but I said to my wife before you played that you would lose with the way he set the team up to attack. You needed 1 point which you started with, but went for it and got caught on the counter. Mourinio has the correct idea, sit back with what you have park the bus let them come at you. I would of thought a team playing for nothing like Mansfield would of stuck to the same game plan making you safe.

Just my opinion mind <ok>
 
Clarke's reaction worried me a bit to be honest. He was a bit too emotional. I think we need an experienced old head to get us through next season. I could be wrong and if he gets the nod then I'm right behind him. But it was just that he looked like a broken man and I think we need someone a bit stronger and more experienced at the helm.

Having said that, I think Higgs is to blame for putting the lad in that position. He was set up to fail. Apparently Higgs doesn't need a football club because he's going to be running a conference centre.But I think most of us see things a bit differently.We badly want a decent football team.Any conference facilities are a bonus, that's all.
 
I am with BB,

There seems to be a player control culture, some right bastard will kill that off.

But shame for Clarke as he was willing to change things.
 
think a fair few managers would want a crack at the job as they will have a good budget and we are a pretty big team in the league. but i clarke should get a chance and he obviously will now as i presume he was involved in todays decisions on what players we should retain etc.
 
Mendip gas said:
If Clarke goes who do you replace him with ?
Can't see many managers wanting to work with the board the way it is.
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That is true. Our board seem to do a very good job of ruining good managers and good players. We've only had one decent manager in the past 10 years, and PT ended up getting sacked.

The trouble is, we as fans, can't sack the board and certainly not Higgs as he's the majority shareholder. So we're stuck with them. I don't want to spend anymore money but it's so tempting to get an experienced football CEO in. I also think it's time to say farewell to Ward - he's got no experience of the Conference and I've heard that his wife is quite ill, so I think it's time for him to step down.
 
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