Should he be sacked?

[Lesonthewest]

It's a no from me. Give him a window, the pre season and the first 10 games of next season.
Have to give him a good go at it.

So you are saying we should give him what McSheffery got and then be in the same situation again this time next season when we have a new manager in that has not had a pre season to work with his own players.

Get rid now and let the new manager have time to decide who he wants to build a team around and let go of the players that he doesn’t like the look of.

Totally agree.

[Filo]

I know the poll is only a small sample size, but currently the figures are pretty overwhelming in favour of getting rid of Schofield

[Reg of the Rovers]

I think the dwindling attendances and views from fans (chants at games and online) is about as clear a message as you can get.

We just need to learn from this!
Butler - no first team manager experience (although right appointment after Moore had done the Judas on us) which didn't work
McSheffrey - no first team manager experience - didn't work
Schofield - a few games caretaker experience - really really isn't working

We're crying out for a bit of nous and experience. We're a big club at Lg2, we've got the core of a good team and managers do get to spend money in the windows, the right manager could make the world of a difference - a bit of a stretch financially in that department is the best investment we can make now to right the ship and build some momentum for our club again. 

[Campsall rover]

Campsall, I agree with your last statement, but…………that’s where what we want to happen and know what should happen just simply will not, unless the finances are released to enable a credible manager to sign credible players.

There is a log jam in the works and it has to be removed or else we’re going to be Conference North in a couple of seasons!

It has to happen Alan.  I have never been so utterly despondent since 97/98 and we know how bad we were that season.
It is quite obvious now the players have lost all belief on what Schofield is trying to do and is telling them.
It looked that way after his half time team talk at Salford after the team produce a total NO SHOW 2nd half.
After last night all that was confirmed after one of the most inept performances I have witnessed since 97/98.
Those players had an excuse. Virtually all of them were North East Counties standard. The odd one National League North and Warren was the only one who could call himself a Football League standard player..

Every single one of our starting team last night, bar Ravenhill has enough ability to be at least a League 2 footballer.
For DS to actually be capable of turning this team into one that creates almost Zero ( bar 20 seconds the goal ) against a very poor team 3rd from bottom of the EFL takes some doing. 

How many times does a manager continue with a system of playing that creates so little before he realises it isn’t working? How many times?
For the manager to come out with a statement  “I hope the 307 Rovers fans who travelled to the match tonight were proud of the performance to earn a hard one point”  That for me is a total disgrace. They man is deluded if he thinks that level of performance is acceptable. Is that the standard he expects?  That’s the bar he has set for an away match at the team 22nd in League 2.

To allow him to use the budget this summer would be a disaster. He is an idiot. Living in cloud cookoo land without one ounce of any ability to set a team up or motivate a team.

HE HAS TO GO NOW. No ifs or buts for the sake of this Football Club this has to happen NOW.

If he is manager beyond end of October we are in serious danger of being a National league club in 24/25
So why risk that possibility.

Get rid now and recruit a new manager ASAP so he can assess the squad and get some proper recruitment done early to build a promotion team for next season.

As Supporters we do need to make our feelings heard by sensible representation through the Supporters trust. No good waiting till it is too late. ACTION NOW to save the FOOTBALL CLUB we ALL love.

I want to know exactly where are budget is this season in league 2 by comparison to the other 23 clubs.
I want to know where it will be for 23/24 season. I think we need some transparency on this.  Not need I think we as supporters are entitled to transparency.

MR BLUNT are you listening. You are presiding over this shambles. YOU are the CHAIRMAN. 
Now is the time to show your true colours and Show us that DRFC are genuinely ambitious and it isn’t all just talk without any substance.

THE 1st thing you must do is dismiss DS. COPPS you must have the b..ls to admit you made an error.
Hold your hands up. You will have 100% respect from us all if you do that.
You will be vilified if you preside over this Sh..t show any longer.

Over to you DB & JC.   PLEASE PLEASE do the right thing. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

[steve@dcfd]

I agree with most of that Campsall my only doubt is the appropriate funds will not be available for a good manager to put a promotion squad together.

[Donnywolf]

I've never been a "sack the Manager" type but after last night I think it is inevitable

It's still not totally black and white , some of the Players are poor , an odd one doesn't seem to care BUT ...

Conti ranted on after the last Spurs game and I thought that's him ensuring he gets the chop and last night DS said of the other 306 people that were are Crawley with me " that we should be proud of the Point we earned"

NO NO NO 426 return miles in 8 a**e numbing hours NO.
I for one am NOT proud of that

I've done a bigger rant on 307 but this is the short version

[Campsall rover]

I agree with most of that Campsall my only doubt is the appropriate funds will not be available for a good manager to put a promotion squad together.

Well if the funds are not going to be available for that then we are in trouble.
That means we have a not even got a top 7 budget in this league. If that’s the case then what is going on?

How can any club bar Bradford, Stockport and Swindon have a bigger budget than us.
Look at the facts. Gates, total income. We have Club Doncaster income also.
Salford we know the class of 92 have put in substantial funds.

So are the board, now not going to invest any extra funds at all into the playing budget? Is that what they have said.
Are we going to just stagnate. Well with this manager we are going down into the National League so if they want promotion under this manager dream on . They are bigger fantasists than DS is himself.

Copps just hold your hand up and admit you made a mistake.
You will get respect for that. None of us want you to go from Legend to villain.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I think the dwindling attendances and views from fans (chants at games and online) is about as clear a message as you can get.

We just need to learn from this!
Butler - no first team manager experience (although right appointment after Moore had done the Judas on us) which didn't work
McSheffrey - no first team manager experience - didn't work
Schofield - a few games caretaker experience - really really isn't working

We're crying out for a bit of nous and experience. We're a big club at Lg2, we've got the core of a good team and managers do get to spend money in the windows, the right manager could make the world of a difference - a bit of a stretch financially in that department is the best investment we can make now to right the ship and build some momentum for our club again. 

We really haven't got the core of a good team.

There's an almost total lack of pace, physicality and aggression for a start. You need to be very, very skilful to prosper as a football team without those prerequisites.

[WantleyDragon]

If he gets sacked , then what ?

We all know we need a shithouse manager like a steve Evans type.

But the board only want inexperienced yes men.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Our "press" is the most pitiful thing I've seen in football for years.

Players jog towards opponents,stand three yards off themand effectively say, "take your time and decide what you want to do with the ball."

Salford are a hugely limited side, but they slammed into our players at every opportunity on Saturday. The result was our "core of a good side" players shite it and we're getting rid of the ball like it was hot potato.

Unless we get in half a dozen players with some f**king mesterliness about them, we are staying at this level. At best.

[BigH]

Can't help but feel that Micky Mellon - who is available now - would be a better bet in this division.

Knows L2 inside out, has a recent promotion on his CV, knows what it takes to succeed at the lower end of the professional pyramid.

Just saying like.

[karlos]

Unfortunately if he was to be sacked you could bring in pep and he wouldn’t be able to do anything.
In a way we are in the same situation Newcastle used to be in when Ashley was in charge only we are on a smaller scale.
While this board remains in charge nothing will change except rovers going further down the league.

[Upton Rover]

There was one at the match tonight who said we should give DS a chance.

If we leave him in the job he WILL
Take us into the National League

What will happen is we will be bottom 3/4 in Nov and will be sacked.
So another season will be wasted if we survive under the next manager.

Get rid now and bring in a proper manager so he can assess the squad and recruit as he needs to in the summer.

Totally agree with you, we cut our losses this season, bring in a new manager with enough time to see what players he would like to keep and then onwards and upwards for next season. If we stay with DS then next season will be a repeat of this, probably worse

[normal rules]

Incredible that nearly 22% don’t want him sacked. Yet.

[DRFC_DonnyRed50]

I voted no for a couple of reasons.

1. The team is mediocre, and I don't believe playing 4-4-2, 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 will make a massive difference. We have SOME good players, with far too many average/poor players. We have a mid table team, and people are complaining now that's coming into fruition. I like some of the signings we made in January, and I think they're a reflection of where DS wants to take us - Ben Nelson being a prime example of this. He deserves another window to get more of his players in. I never knew what McSheff was trying to do. His formations, tactics and signings were all over the place. With DS there is some semblance of a plan.

2. The recent contract renewals from some of our better players show there is some level of faith and belief within the squad in what DS is doing. Olowu wouldn't have had a problem getting a decent club in the summer, yet he signed on for more. There will be interest in Hurst due to his age and performances this season, and he was willing to sign on for a longer contract. Anderson hasn't been at his best this season, but he wouldn't have had trouble with interest from other L2 clubs if he wanted a fresh start in the summer.

That being said, the performances have been a bit random and haven't followed the trajectory I would have hoped. The tactics have remained broadly similar so you would have hoped the players would have begun to settle into their roles with a gradual improvement in performance levels. This has not happened. Also, the interviews by DS are very tone deaf and do not help him. I get that he's trying to remain positive and protect the players, but he just comes over patronising and looking like a bit of an idiot.

[Mike_F]

I voted no but for one reason only: It must have cost us a fortune to get shot of Wellens and McSheffrey so I don't think we can afford to terminate Schofield's contract now. The season is dead and buried so we may as well let his contract run down for a few more weeks before firing the useless twunt.

Unless of course Mr. Bramall decides to dip into his pocket for the first time in seven years and pay him off personally.

[Lesonthewest]

Can't help but feel that Micky Mellon - who is available now - would be a better bet in this division.

Knows L2 inside out, has a recent promotion on his CV, knows what it takes to succeed at the lower end of the professional pyramid.

Just saying like.

I would even take his brother, their water at the minute, at least it can't spout sh--e.

[pib]

I voted no but for one reason only: It must have cost us a fortune to get shot of Wellens and McSheffrey so I don't think we can afford to terminate Schofield's contract now. The season is dead and buried so we may as well let his contract run down for a few more weeks before firing the useless twunt.

Unless of course Mr. Bramall decides to dip into his pocket for the first time in seven years and pay him off personally.

He's on a rolling contract, so as far as I understand, it renews every day and wouldn't make any difference to what we'd have to pay out if we let it run on for a few weeks.

[Filo]

I voted no but for one reason only: It must have cost us a fortune to get shot of Wellens and McSheffrey so I don't think we can afford to terminate Schofield's contract now. The season is dead and buried so we may as well let his contract run down for a few more weeks before firing the useless twunt.

Unless of course Mr. Bramall decides to dip into his pocket for the first time in seven years and pay him off personally.

His contract doesn’t run down, it’s a rolling contract, always has a year left to run, unless things have changed this time around

[sedwardsdrfc]

On the paying managers gardening leave. For the last few seasons we’ve always essentially been paying the wages of 2 managers.

Can we look at this and say ok we take a short term hit but long term let’s just double our manager salary and get a good one with experience. If we keep getting shite we pay twice anyway and the club suffers in lots of other ways.

[Mike_F]

Oh aye, I forgot we usually commit to that. Great if we have a good manager for whom we'd get a year's compo but it leaves us in the shit when we're lumbered with a bad 'un.

My preference would therefore be to get rid now so the new man has time to assess the weaknesses of the current squad and put together his shopping list to get business done early in the next window. Of course that would mean prising some cash out of the owners. I've said several times that Blunt said at the MTO "I don't think we've said no to any requests." the new manager needs to have the balls to make ambitious enough requests to get us a promotion-winning team. And if those requests are turned down he needs to go public with that.

[Alan Southstand]

Absolutely, Mike. Spot on.

As I’ve said in a previous thread, we need a credible manager who is able to bring in credible players.

The frightening thought is we do nothing and carry on regardless! If that’s what happens, I fear for our very existence. People have had enough.

[Campsall rover]

Can't help but feel that Micky Mellon - who is available now - would be a better bet in this division.

Knows L2 inside out, has a recent promotion on his CV, knows what it takes to succeed at the lower end of the professional pyramid.

Just saying like.

No thanks.

[Alickismyhero]

Strange to relate but I am supportive of the management, manager and team. That was a very poor performance and no one should be proud of it.

BST makes a very good point our kids get knocked about and just cant take the physical side of the game.

I said at the begining of the season "in the second div you need a big strong team to kick anything above the grass" What did we get a team that tries to play football.

We are not in danger of relegation but our back is against the wall.

 If there is a change of manager I think it should be at the end of the season.

 This reminds me of O'Driscoll's first season when I was at the away game at Luton and all the way through the game our supporters were shouting for his head. Then we had the O'Driscoll Wonderland period.

Thats why I am taking the view I have.

[normal rules]

It’s all well and good giving him another window, but what if it’s down to the very basic fact that he does not inspire. That the players perhaps don’t care for him don’t listen to him don’t respect him ? Then what ?

[Mike_F]

This reminds me of O'Driscoll's first season when I was at the away game at Luton and all the way through the game our supporters were shouting for his head. Then we had the O'Driscoll Wonderland period.

The trouble with comparing the two is that with O'Driscoll's tactics you could at least see what he was trying to achieve. It wasn't working but the intent, desire and commitment were there.

The current system isn't working and it looks like the players have zero faith in it and won't put their bodies on the line to support something that they don't believe in.

[Filo]

It’s all well and good giving him another window, but what if it’s down to the very basic fact that he does not inspire. That the players perhaps don’t care for him don’t listen to him don’t respect him ? Then what ?

Well he’s lost the fans, it won’t be long before the players get sick of being booed off the pitch, where are our leaders, that will stand up in the dressing room and say this isn’t working? They all seem intent on saying the right things for fear of being dropped by an incompetent manager

[Campsall rover]

Strange to relate but I am supportive of the management, manager and team. That was a very poor performance and no one should be proud of it.

BST makes a very good point our kids get knocked about and just cant take the physical side of the game.

I said at the begining of the season "in the second div you need a big strong team to kick anything above the grass" What did we get a team that tries to play football.

We are not in danger of relegation but our back is against the wall.

 If there is a change of manager I think it should be at the end of the season.

 This reminds me of O'Driscoll's first season when I was at the away game at Luton and all the way through the game our supporters were shouting for his head. Then we had the O'Driscoll Wonderland period.

Thats why I am taking the view I have.

You were not there last night I take it Alick?
He should be sacked for treating the supporters with contempt. Let alone anything else.

An apology is what he should have come out with. The man is a fantasist. Deluded beyond words.
HE has to go for the sake of our Football Club and the supporters sanity. !!!

[Chris Black come back]

As bad, when it does work it will still be hugely defensive and cautious, with zero attacking intent. Possession-based, no forward ball, sideways for 90 minutes. To hijack an Orwell quote from 1984:

“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot kicking a ball sideways or out of touch forever”

[normal rules]

And the other worry is his apparent utter disregard for reality. No one was proud of the point earned last night. Except perhaps him. The performance meant everything . And it was awful . There is no apparent improvement . Half of that team are here next season . It’s not just another half team of quality that’s needed. It’s his whole attitude and approach that has to change .