Following a conversation I had Saturday lunchtime with a fellow Rovers fan I've had a thought niggling away.................. ' Did Clarke in some way contribute to Ward's departure?' I'm not saying that he consciously went about coaching poorly, giving bad advice and deliberately sowing seeds of discontent. But when I had a half-time conversation with him early last season during a Professional Development game he made it clear that he did not agree with some of JW's tactics. Now from a gossip point of view I lapped it up, but I was thinking that he was showing signs of disloyalty. At the SC EGM he went to great lengths to distance himself from JW. I thought to myself that 'The Ego Has Landed!' A management team must always appear united, even if they have heated 'discussions' behind closed doors. The workforce easily picks up on disagreement.....and now we have Clarke saying he wants a better atmosphere than last season! I hope he and Stewart are on the same page....but the way they trudged off separately after the Cirencester game made me wonder.
Also read the post game reports with MS interviewed and DC interviewed they were at the same game but different, some would say, take on it. MS seemed more impressed and positive but DC was fairly negative about the whole game. Just hope DC doesn't turn into a PB!
Did anyone agree with JW's tactics last season? Surely most of us thought it. IMO that was the reason we hit rock bottom!
I like John Ward and for me he will always be remembered for the good times at Twerton. Something, whether personal or professional happened last term as the season before he stopped the ship sinking very quickly. Had it not been for injuries (again) we could have been play off contenders. Maybe he took his eye off the ball and maybe had he stepped down before the transfer window DC could have got someone in to get us some goals. Pompy was worth at least a draw, so was Mansfield. Who knows, if he'd stayed on the train to Plymouth would we have been relegated the season before? We would have a far worse squad than we do now, that's for sure
Not disagreeing with this for one moment. However the one reason that DC left Salisbury was to get a toe-hold in league management; and to me the bits and bobs I've picked up on indicate that he couldn't wait for this to happen! Anyways, off to Cheltenham now................
Sorry but I want to forget about JW. For me now he will always be remembered for contributing to us getting relegated from the football league and nothing else just my opinion.
His motives may have appeared a little cynical but it's not a bad thing if he has a ruthless/ambitious streak.
I think Clarkes appointment as Wards assistant was a joke anyway! Ward phoned Clarke last summer about player/s and the chat progressed into Ward offering Clarke the assistant job. But since Clarke took over, apart from not getting enough points in the last 8 games, pretty much everything Clarke has said and done has been spot on for me (apart from relegation that is). I do think Clarke expected it to be easier in recruiting new players and is now struggling and maybe wished he didnt release certain players. My opinion about if Clarke contributed to Wards failure, I think not. Clarke has said he always gave his opinions and ideas to Ward and it was always Wards decision as the final decision. Ward ignoring Clarkes opinions in hindsight is what may have caused Wards failure. Ward had a lot if personal issues at home with his ill wife and felt he could still the job but he obviously couldnt do it effectively. Giving up after the loan window closed was a massive decision. Thinking we were already safe just shows how Ward had lost the plot.
Clarke had 8 games in charge so we had played 38 games already before Clarke replaced Ward. Here is the table then http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-two/2013-2014/table/2014-03-25 We were 20th - 3 point clear of the bottom 2.
Cheers CJS, I've got massive worries about Clarke's ability to lead us to success, i just detect something wrong with him i can't put my finger on. For want of a better way of putting it, i.m not convinced he is who he portrays he is. Anyway, hope i'm totally wrong and he's just the man for the job. But being honest and saying what i think -I got a funny feeling he'll be gone by christmas.
Maybe, just maybe consistency prevails in the boardroom as per normal and yet another cheap option. I have a gut feeling season 2015/2016 will not see us back in the Football League. I hope I am wrong but as we were in a safe position when JW went walk abouts my view is that we have ended up worse off. Well relegated to The Skrill. Ambition ? Talk is cheap its the scores on the doors that count and frankly last 8 games of the Season even with all the bad apples show that man management from DC left a bit (F7ck me a lot) to be desired. It wasn't JW that took us out of the League. Rose tinted glasses maybe but thats my views. Remember the Kings New Clothes well the love in that is DC is a little like that story IMHO. I'll never forgive the board or the rest of the jolly jokers who continue to take the cash that have made us in to the laughing stock we are today. Look at the serious lack of quality that has found its way to The Mem during DC's time in charge, what ambition is there evidenced so far. Bullshit about plenty of quality still being out there the best is gone and the left overs , well I think even Weston Super Mare (at least they beat the ****^) would knock em back.
Don't think Clarke's being disloyal. I think he's used his time to learn from the experienced Ward. And like all good managers he'll bring in a few of his own ideas and nick a few ideas and decide he wouldn't do certain things like John Ward did. I think Clarke will prove to be a good manager. Here's hoping, anyway!
