L2 Mid Season Managerial Changes

Can't remember if I posted this previously back when Harris was sacked but I think its still a worthwhile and perhaps relevant read.

Below is a link to a Bradford City fan site article (written around when Hughes was sacked) that goes into quite some detail with regards to the very low success of changing managers mid-season in League Two. Over the past 19 seasons where 76 teams have been promoted, only six of those were promoted on the basis of changing manager mid-season. MK Dons may just make that seven from 80 this season of course, but previous to that, the most recent team to get promoted with a manager change was Burton Albion in 2014/15 when Gary Rowett left to become Birmingham manager and JFH took over.

Why do I bring this up? Well there is clearly a division amongst the fanbase and this board as to whether Clemence is given the summer to start with his own ideas or whether we should cut loose and have a fresh take going into the new season. Now I'm not suggesting what should happen either way currently, but it is very interesting at how low the numbers of mid-season changes prove to be more fruitful. So for me, the board has an incredibly big decision to make very soon, do they persist half heartedly with SC and run the risk of saying its not working early in the season like they did with NH and starting the process for looking for a new manager? Do we cut loose and start a fresh with a new manager/Head Coach and see where that takes us? Or does SC prove he can do it as a number one and lead us to a title winning season?

One thing is clear from the article though of whatever decision is made, stability in some format is required and unless we're in a dire position fighting relegation, we may just need to not get trigger happy with whoever is in charge.

https://widthofapost.com/2023/10/26/changing-your-manager-mid-season-in-league-two-the-bare-facts/

 

I will give this some serious thought as I've not really made my own mind up. Well there is one part of me that says one thing, but I also listen to opinion (twitter) which says another, so I certainly understand the hard job Brad and Shannon have got, it's a case of what would I do, and at this precise moment, I really don't know - so I will go away and ponder, and hopefully at some point come back with some sort of sensible answer, certainly a question well posed. Hopefully a few other members will contribute before I come back, because I certainly need guidance on this one and the more input the better.

 

I don't know what the answer is. I think I've stated before that Clemence still hasn't convinced me on his ability as a Number One. There is the argument that these are not his players, well that may be but Mike Williamson has been at MK Dons a very similar timeframe and took them from being relegation fodder to being in automatic promotion contention. I can probably come up with more arguments not to continue with Clemence for the new season than I can, but a part of me also doesn't want to keep sacking managers every five minutes. The form table has us as mid table under Clemence and now the live table has us there too after last night's results, which to me is an underachievement. When Harris was sacked, we were four points off top of the table whilst it wasn't pretty on the eye, we were grinding out more results than we are now (and conceding less too).

All of the club's promotions in its history appear to have had the same manager that started the season so it shows changing mid season will not benefit us. The statistics from the last 19 years in League 2 suggest less than 10% of teams get promoted with a mid season change. If we're not fully sold on Clemence now, then are we going to be come October? It might sound slightly ruthless to cut loose at the end of this season, but Harris wasn't given much chance to turn around the form at the start, so maybe that's the way we have to be?

 

Yeah I don't think we want another playing legend at the helm any time soon. We've been burned too many times that way.

 

I feel the players are just as much to blame, we have on paper a good team, but they have just not proved they are worthy of wearing a blue shirt.
Along with The gaffer playing this 5 - 3 - 2 formation SUCKSSSSS how many times have we seen the opposition on the attack and you find 10 players in the box in a heap trying to kick a ball (Too many defenders )
My thoughts are to get rid and sign someone new to work with the team over the summer. We have three games left which I doubt we will even get a point from. So maybe do it now

 

This has been a missed opportunity for sure, but in my opinion it has also been a season of very small margins. We have clearly not scored enough goals and as such particularly at home drawn too many matches. Turning 2 of those many home draws into wins would see The Gills heading into the last day with play off still a possibility. Winning both games v bottom of the table Forest Green would also have helped.

I want to give Clemence a chance, January was a disappointing window as it turned out, but if Andrews had been fit sooner and Hurtado not been hacked into an early season end (after 2 remarkably good subs appearances) we may have scored more goals and won more games. I am not even sure the playing staff needs major surgery, more pace is required in forward areas and this has to be addressed and a genuine box to box midfielder who can contribute goals and assists would be nice. I would like a new keeper too.

 

It didn't take long !
https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2024/may/mark-bonner-named-gills-manager/

 

Want to say best of luck to Mark Bonner. When I saw the names that were supposedly interviewed last week as Gareth Ainsworth & Mark Warburton with Michael Duff also linked, I suppose they caught my eye more than Bonner did, and I perhaps fell into the trap of believing we could attract one of these names. Saying that however from what I have since read and the interviews I've now listened to of Bonner's, whether it be his official interview with the club or his appearance on the Not The Top 20 Podcast from January, I have to say I'm very impressed with what I've heard so far. Add to that, most Cambridge United fans only have glowing reviews of the man they sacked in November I think speaks a lot about what we can expect from Mark Bonner as Gillingham manager.

One of Clemence's biggest failings was his inability to unite the fanbase. I wouldn't go as far as to say he alienated us, but in my opinion he didn't do enough to get fans on his side. Perhaps if he did, we'd have generated more atmosphere at games which might have earned us a few more wins at home. The impression I get from Bonner is that he has an exceptional ability of getting people whether it be players, club staff or fans all pulling in the same direction as each other, and that's certainly something we need. Even despite the arrival of the Galinsons, there has been factions of our fanbase not united with the rest, perhaps that won't change but we can hope Bonner can pull us together and move us up the table.

Another thing I wanted to note is when Cambridge were promoted under Bonner, whilst they had Paul Mullin having a record goalscoring up front (worth noting he had only ever scored 9 in a season before working with MB), a major part of the success of that team was harnessing the skill and experience of Wes Hoolahan. A player who had played at the top level with Norwich and a regular international. Cambridge were able to use his ability and creativity in the midfield to propel them to the top 3 for most of the season. If Bonner can replicate that with a certain Jonny Williams who is 8 years younger than Hoolahan was for Cambridge then we could be away and laughing.

 

I will admit to being slightly underwhelmed when reading the link alwaysright had put up - I can't even say I remembered the name, I knew Neil Harris had gone to Cambridge for what was a very short stay, but that was about it. Not sure what I was expecting tbph, I know our budget only stretches so far, and although our owners have moderate wealth, it's not like they can go carelessly splashing the cash around. I was like PegLeg and allowed the name Ainsworth distract my focus.

Anyway, now I've got the bit above out the way, I did go on twitter and was pleased the way the fans responded and seemed united about Mark Bonner coming in, and that's the main thing for me, it's more important than anything else, because I hate seeing animosity, it puts me off going on Twitter, and when things started to go wrong under Clemence, it took me back to just before the owners came in, so for me the announcement of Mark is well received.

Expectations; I will expect the same from the new gaffer as I expected from Neil Harris and Stephen Clemence, play-offs and no less, although preferably autos, that should go without saying - why do I expect that target, because with the budget we are given by Brad & Shannon, it's what they would or should be expecting. Afterall it's not just about getting promoted, it's about our American family getting a return on their money, every single player should expect this as well, we are not a free ride, the ride has to be earned, if you pick up the paypacket and wear the badge, then it has to be about giving one hundred percent.

All we need now is someone to sort these L2 offficials out, so our best players don't get hacked down and end up off for months with injury as a result of it.

 

A [[ small ]] elephant in the room.........actually - there's 3 rather BIG elephants !!!

I too am underwhelmed with the appointment of Bonner - but - he will have my support (( until we start passing backwards, backwards, sideways, backwards, hoof. )).......but - I want to raise a matter, about which I was most unhappy in the season just finished.

... with so many 'experts' in the recruiting department, how come we have struggled in the last three seasons - to be able to acquire half-decent young strikers on loan from Championship, or above ?...Last season, in particular ( in my opinion ), proved that Jackett & Hessenthalier have been a waste of time (( and probably not helped by interference from a minority shareholder who doesn't like light aircrafts. ))

I wish Bonner a lot of luck - but - I can't help feeling that he will be hindered in the same way as Harris & Clemence.......... I would have 11 Andy Hessenthalers in my Gills team - but - in terms of 'backroom' abilities - I probably could only trust him to sharpen the boardroom pencils ! - As for Jackett - an alleged Director of Football - well - I'd have him directing in the car park at best !