Mark cooper

[Retdon1]

Lots of stories on twitter linking him with our job

[Pancho Regan]

Excuse my ignorance but I’ve never heard of him

[donnievic]

Isn’t he at forest green at min

[Retdon1]

Isn’t he at forest green at min

Yeah he’s at forest green currently. Ex Swindon, Peterborough and Notts county manger too. Done a steady job where ever he’s been but I think we can do much better

[BigH]

Son of Terry

[knockers]

He works at our place in the factory. Nice bloke but can’t see him managing the Rovers. Oh and he looks like a Chuckle brother!

[Chris Black come back]

Heard he is a barrel of laughs.

[donnyguy61]

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/06/08/por-cooper-under-consideration-for-doncaster-job/

[Alan Southstand]

Doesn't meet the stated criteria - move on!

[Akinfenwa]

At Football League level he's had one good season with Swindon reaching the League 1 playoff final (lost 4-0), and that's about it.

[mushRTID]

Had a chat with him in york last year the night before FG played at York. Came across a right d**khead.

[karldew]

Be a little disappointing if it was Cooper imo...

[RoversAlias]

I remember when he got the Peterborough job in 2009 (coincidentally, the man he replaced was Darren Ferguson).

It was obviously a big move for him, but Posh fans didn't give him a chance. I saw them lose 4-0 at Spurs in the FA Cup and throughout there was a barrage of OTT abuse, silly name calling and it was ridiculous.

He's proved in the years since he's a good manager.

I don't think a lot of fans here would like him as his preference is generally long ball football.

Didn't he make a three league step-up from Kettering to take that job? Definitely wasn't ready and seemed an odd appointment at the time.

[GazLaz]

He’s a very good coach I think, wouldn’t be a bad appointment.

[rtid88]

Shot up in the odds at the bookies too but this could be just due to the rumours

[Jonathan]

Doesn't meet the stated criteria - move on!

Just out of interest, which of the stated criteria does he not meet?

That’s not to say he’d be top of my list, but I’m struggling to see on what basis we’d rule him out of contention.

[The Red Baron]

Not exactly the sort of person I would have expected to be linked to the job.

Of the candidates so far McCall looks about the pick of the bunch. If the Board want a Rovers connection then it's Wellens. If they want continuity it's Strachan or Wilcox.

Then again, very few people anticipated the appointment of O'Driscoll. Maybe it will be a left field one.

[Dutch Uncle]

Cooper seems to be not universally well thought of by FGR fans - often seen as inflexible and seems to upset some players. Had large resources at Conference level

[Jonathan]

Cooper seems to be not universally well thought of by FGR fans - often seen as inflexible and seems to upset some players. Had large resources at Conference level

To clarify, I’m not particularly fussed about Cooper, and he certainly wouldn’t be my first choice. However I’d add that we’ll find it very difficult to find a manager that has universal approval from his previous club’s fans. A quick read of this forum illustrates just how difficult it is to please a bunch of football supporters.

When Forest Green Rovers fans are getting impatient and unsettled having established themselves in the football league...

[DonnyOsmond]

Not exactly the sort of person I would have expected to be linked to the job.

Of the candidates so far McCall looks about the pick of the bunch. If the Board want a Rovers connection then it's Wellens. If they want continuity it's Strachan or Wilcox.

Then again, very few people anticipated the appointment of O'Driscoll. Maybe it will be a left field one.

I hope the board do take the fans in to some slight consideration. They don't want to appoint someone who has the fans against them from day 1. Out of the ones linked McCall is the smart call.

[Jonathan]

I would agree where McCall is concerned. It’d be an appointment that I think would satisfy the majority. And you’d have to question the expectations of anyone unhappy with it.

[Chris Black come back]

I would agree where McCall is concerned. It’d be an appointment that I think would satisfy the majority. And you’d have to question the expectations of anyone unhappy with it.

Seems like a good choice to me also. Not sure I would bother questioning anyone who took a different view though. Each to their own.

[Jonathan]

I would agree where McCall is concerned. It’d be an appointment that I think would satisfy the majority. And you’d have to question the expectations of anyone unhappy with it.

Seems like a good choice to me also. Not sure I would bother questioning anyone who took a different view though. Each to their own.

More a turn of phrase, I wouldn’t be commissioning a survey!

[essexrover]

hmmmm I'd be very underwhelmed if it was him :-(  but I'm not really taking it seriously that he is under consideration.

[Alan Southstand]

Just out of interest, which of the stated criteria does he not meet?

Stated criteria:

New manager

ability to manage at Championship level.
explain how they will guide Rovers into the League One play-offs in the coming season.
- A working knowledge of the EFL or its equivalent
- A proven track record of securing results on the field
- Ability to develop a first team that can play an attractive style of football
- The ability to develop players and staff
- Success in managing a playing budget
- Excellent contacts within the football community
- Proven track record of developing a youth structure and pathway
- A proven leader
- A pleasing and willing personality
A commitment to the vision and values of Club Doncaster

I would suggest he fails on the first criteria! From what I understand from his managerial experience, he will have plenty of contacts at Conference level! The 2nd criteria he has met once in his managerial career!

Would be nowhere near a short-list of mine and probably below Richie Wellens in the pecking order. But I'm not the person(s) picking, Jon.

[Jonathan]

I don’t think the first criteria should be read too literally. Rewinding to when O’Driscoll was appointed I’m pretty sure we chose someone that we felt had the ability to manage in the Championship, and could find a way of getting us up there in the first place. And we were right, he did. But he hadn’t got particularly close to either before, we just gave him the chance to show the ability to do it.

That’s not to say I think Cooper is of that ilk. I don’t.  But we can’t automatically rule someone out based on their past achievements. Each candidate will have to convince the board of their ability.

[Chris Black come back]

Critieria is all too vague and subjective so I would not get tied up on that. “Ability to manage” could mean experience of doing it, or some nebulous set of attributes that suggest you could. “Working knowledge of EFL or equivalent” Jesus that is broad. The EFL equivalent covers every developed league on the planet.

[PDX_Rover]

Not exactly the sort of person I would have expected to be linked to the job.

Of the candidates so far McCall looks about the pick of the bunch. If the Board want a Rovers connection then it's Wellens. If they want continuity it's Strachan or Wilcox.

Then again, very few people anticipated the appointment of O'Driscoll. Maybe it will be a left field one.

I’d be quite happy with a Leftfield appointment. They’d at least sort the PA system out, add some serious bottom end and half times would be legendary...

[scawsby steve]

I don't know why folk are sticking religiously to the job advert and wanting someone who ticks all of the boxes.

At the end of the day, it's an advert/wish-list from the board's perspective about what they want from a manager. No candidate will tick all of the boxes perfectly. Some will more than others, it's just getting the best fit from those who do apply.

For example...

Simon Grayson would smash the 'proven track record of securing results' but Russell Slade would beat him on the 'Success in managing a playing budget' more than any other candidate. Richie Wellens could claim to be a 'proven leader' as could any former captain/manager actually, and SO'D could say he'd win a battle for an 'attractive style of football'.

Come on Rigo, you're fudging the issue; Mark Cooper would be seen by most Rovers fans as a rubbish appointment, and a cheap option; then we'd have all the board knockers out in full.

[RedJ]

Let's be honest, whoever it is, you'll have some folk making them out to be the cheap option.