When I was a kid...

[BillyStubbsTears]

I used to get Football Handbook magazine every week.

One of the sections was about Facts and Figures.

In November 1979, they had a depressing snippet. It said that Donny Rovers had just taken on Billy Brenner as manager and in so doing, had the most managers since the War of any league club.

22, if I recall, in 34 years.

I remember thinking how shockingly run the club must have been to have such a ridiculously high turnover.

In 10 days time, we'll have our 6th manager in under 27 months...

[pib]

Most of those changes have been because we've appointed the wrong one's or not supported them well enough in terms of getting the right players. Hopefully both of those points are rectified in the coming weeks and months.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Most of those changes have been because we've appointed the wrong one's or not supported them well enough in terms of getting the right players. Hopefully both of those points are rectified in the coming weeks and months.

In other words, we have been shockingly run.

It's felt like management by gut instinct over the past 2 years.

Announcing this decision today makes me more concerned than ever.

6 weeks ago, the Chairman was saying that Schofield would be manager next season.

A couple of weeks after that, our DoF was vociferously supporting him.

So, presumably, the decision to sack Schofield is based on our results during a period where we've had 10+ first teamers out injured and we were reduced to playing wingers in pretty much every position bar goalkeeper.

Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan.

[pib]

I agree with that BST. On balance I still think today's decision had to happen though. It's only the first step though, and this news alone won't change our fortunes, like you say.

[DonnyOsmond]

I'm not keen on bringing in a new manager in the summer. You lose the opportunity of the new manager having a look at the players and making better choices for the retained list and positions that need strengthening.

[pigeonhole]

I'm not keen on bringing in a new manager in the summer. You lose the opportunity of the new manager having a look at the players and making better choices for the retained list and positions that need strengthening.

Legend has it that Grant McCann watched all 46 games of our 2017/18 season on video in preparation for his interview.  His interview!  With no guarantees of getting the job.  He then explained in detail where we were lacking and what he would need to turn us into a competitive team.  He adapted his usual tactics to accommodate the players we had.  Imagine that?!  Adaptability! 

That level of dedication, flexibility, tactical nous, ability to spot and nurture talent and WIN is just what we need.  It doesn't have to be Grant McCann, just someone with those attributes.

[MachoMadness]

I'm on the fence about McCann returning, after the way he left. It wasn't just leaving for a bigger club, I'd understand that, it was doing so after dismantling our squad and banging on about loyalty, pissing off several senior pros in the process.

Having said that. It does feel like what McCann offers everything we've sorely lacked this season. A bit of steel, nous, physicality, and a nasty streak. A well-organised team that was direct when needed, and always (well, usually - I remember that Luton game) looked like a threat going forward or on the counter. Whether there's anything in this link I'm not sure - would be a hell of a drop for him career-wise - but he ticks every box in a way no other manager I can think of does.

[goalkick]

Hope everyone else associated with the the management is fully aware of the standard of players we have and who we need to let go.  The new manager should look at the incomers.

[Campsall rover]

Billy DS’s position had become untenable.
The fans are demonstrating, die hard fans like myself were either not going to to renew their season tickets or ask for a refund if purchased already. I was going back for a refund this afternoon.

Blunt May be a nondescript Chairman but he is a business man and any business man who has 2 brain cells knows without customers spending money you don’t have a business.

A 15.000 seater stadium with gates under 4.000 next season must be a very unpalatable prospect for Blunt or maybe of course it was TB who said enough is enough.
In fact I would suggest it was the latter who made this decision.
It is his money that was a massive risk this summer.

It makes sense to get a manager in that gets the fans on side and one who has a record of success in the field of play.

No Brainer BST
I also think this decision will have been made after the Newport game. Just my opinion. No facts.

Thank goodness it has been made as we would be in a terrible mess in 5/6 months time imo.
Starring down at the abyss. That bad.

[Alan Southstand]

Good post, BST, and I agree with most of it. The bit I can’t go along with is who said what and when. You know, as well as anyone, that they have to say something, when pressed, as they don’t want to upset the apple cart. With hindsight, they may as well have just sacked him back when they were covering for him/them!

To be able to announce a new manager in the next 10 days means this has been planned, probably for some time and they’ve kept their powder dry.

Surely, though, there’s more to come out, as sacking the coach/manager seems like the tip of the iceberg!

[i_ateallthepies]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

[tommy toes]

I think they wanted to keep Schofield, they said so often enough, but looked at season ticket sales and thought aye aye we've got do do summat here so sacked him.
My opinion is that if they were going to do this they should have done so some weeks ago, to give the new manager time to look at the squad and make decisions about it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

Of course it wouldn't.

But neither would it include hiring and releasing managers at the rate we are doing.

My bigger point is that this sacking appears to have come from a change of policy in the last few weeks, and I'm blowed if I can see anything that has changed on the football front over that time.

[Colin C No.3]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

Of course it wouldn't.

But neither would it include hiring and releasing managers at the rate we are doing.

My bigger point is that this sacking appears to have come from a change of policy in the last few weeks, and I'm blowed if I can see anything that has changed on the football front over that time.

Once the January transfer window ‘business’ was done & dusted what would have been the point in sacking Schofield in February or March?

Having dispensed at a rate of knots (they should of course never have been recruited in the first place but that’s a whole new argument) with Butler then McSheffrey the board had put themselves in a position where they had to be seen to back their new man knowing that however dire the football & poor the results, we weren’t going to be relegated, so they left him in place until the end of the season in order (imo) that they couldn’t be accused of not giving him every opportunity to turn results around.

Of course it would now appear they had been looking at replacing him for some weeks or at least making ‘soundings’ to possible replacements. So I don’t buy this ‘Blunt must have looked at the season ticket take up & had a rethink’, what I believe changed the whole picture was when TB stated he would put ‘substantial monies’ into player recruitment for the new season.

THAT focussed attentions & THAT I believe is what led to discussions to replace Schofield because given his track record they daren’t ‘trust’ him to spend the money & produce a side capable of gaining promotion.

[sedwardsdrfc]

I'm not keen on bringing in a new manager in the summer. You lose the opportunity of the new manager having a look at the players and making better choices for the retained list and positions that need strengthening.

Legend has it that Grant McCann watched all 46 games of our 2017/18 season on video in preparation for his interview.  His interview!  With no guarantees of getting the job.  He then explained in detail where we were lacking and what he would need to turn us into a competitive team.  He adapted his usual tactics to accommodate the players we had.  Imagine that?!  Adaptability! 

That level of dedication, flexibility, tactical nous, ability to spot and nurture talent and WIN is just what we need.  It doesn't have to be Grant McCann, just someone with those attributes.

In fairness as a out of work manager you’ve got the time to do it! Fair play though could have been on the gold course all those hours and tried to blagg it

[Colin C No.3]

Mrs C has just had another thought.

She said ‘You told me a while ago that Grant McCaan had been seen watching Rovers games. Do you think ‘someone’ might have, in passing, asked him if he would ever contemplate coming back to manage Rovers & he said something along the lines of….Only if there was sufficient investment in new players….So that’s got back to the owner & that’s when he said he would give the manager enough money to build a promotion winning side (meaning McCaan?)’

I tell you, you rant on to yourself & bu**er me if someone hasn’t been listening in all the time!!

[roversdude]

Did they actually say DS will be given the funds or the manager will be given the funds, I honestly can’t remember

[BillyStubbsTears]

Did they actually say DS will be given the funds or the manager will be given the funds, I honestly can’t remember

Blunt's words 34 days ago.

"Due to our model of operation this season, it is clear that head coach Danny Schofield has dealt with challenges that perhaps his predecessors have not shared. Therefore, he will be given the opportunity to move forward next season with the additional resources provided by Terry."

[belton rover]

The ‘dreaded vote of confidence’ resulting in sacking the manager a short time after is hardly a rare footballing phenomenon, is it?

IF GM is already lined up (and I really hope he is) there is not a chance that he would take the job unless he was assured that the philosophy throughout the club is to be changed.

Not a chance.

[Colin C No.3]

Did they actually say DS will be given the funds or the manager will be given the funds, I honestly can’t remember

Blunt's words 34 days ago.

"Due to our model of operation this season, it is clear that head coach Danny Schofield has dealt with challenges that perhaps his predecessors have not shared. Therefore, he will be given the opportunity to move forward next season with the additional resources provided by Terry."

You haven’t listened to Mrs C have you!

[Branton Red]

There is nothing new that the club can have learned about Schofield over the last few weeks. I was therefore surprised at the announcement today having become resigned to the fact that his services were to be retained for next season.

It would made a lot more sense to have dismissed him 4 or 5 weeks ago. Got a new manager in to assess the squad and identify potential new signings early.

The only thing I can think of is that the club have sat down some time over the last few days and analysed the fall in attendances, fall in season ticket sales, taken note of the depth of feeling amongst the fan base and reacted accordingly.

However it's impossible to make a rational argument against the decision regardless of the timing.

[i_ateallthepies]

Perhaps nothing more complicated than the preferred candidate was spoken to weeks ago and preferred to come in closed season to avoid being tarnished by the shambles of this season.

[tyke1962]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

Of course it wouldn't.

But neither would it include hiring and releasing managers at the rate we are doing.

My bigger point is that this sacking appears to have come from a change of policy in the last few weeks, and I'm blowed if I can see anything that has changed on the football front over that time.

The change has probably come from how many fans have not actually renewed their ST's .

[Colin C No.3]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

Of course it wouldn't.

But neither would it include hiring and releasing managers at the rate we are doing.

My bigger point is that this sacking appears to have come from a change of policy in the last few weeks, and I'm blowed if I can see anything that has changed on the football front over that time.

The change has probably come from how many fans have not actually renewed their ST's .

Absolute garbage.

You think you, a Barnsley supporter, know our club so intimately you dare to come out with a statement like that, piggy backed onto a long thread by a Rovers supporter?

Jog on.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Perhaps nothing more complicated than the preferred candidate was spoken to weeks ago and preferred to come in closed season to avoid being tarnished by the shambles of this season.

Why on earth would anyone blame any manager for not being able to get a tune out of the players we had available over the closing weeks of the season?

[tyke1962]

"Once again, it smacks of management by gut instinct, rather than having any concept of a long term plan"

If a long-term plan was actually in place I doubt it would include finishing 18th in the table with half-season long relegation form and the HC showing no semblance of football nouse in setting up the team week by week thus putting the club in danger of relegation out of the League.  Should planners stick to the plan regardless?  Surely intelligent people must be shrewd enough to recognise when things haven't gone as planned and review and change the plan based on new information.

Of course it wouldn't.

But neither would it include hiring and releasing managers at the rate we are doing.

My bigger point is that this sacking appears to have come from a change of policy in the last few weeks, and I'm blowed if I can see anything that has changed on the football front over that time.

The change has probably come from how many fans have not actually renewed their ST's .

Absolute garbage.

You think you, a Barnsley supporter, know our club so intimately you dare to come out with a statement like that, piggy backed onto a long thread by a Rovers supporter?

Jog on.

Hit a nerve there haven't I .

[i_ateallthepies]

Perhaps nothing more complicated than the preferred candidate was spoken to weeks ago and preferred to come in closed season to avoid being tarnished by the shambles of this season.

Why on earth would anyone blame any manager for not being able to get a tune out of the players we had available over the closing weeks of the season?

That wasn't my meaning, BST, I could perhaps have worded it differently to say that he might prefer to avoid potentially have a string of defeats at the start of his tenure.

[Bentley Bullet]

After changing my car battery 3 times in the last few years following its poor performance I finally decided to invest more in better performance fuel.

...........Well, that and a new battery, just in case that was the problem!

[selby]

  Watford didn't do bad changing their manager on a regular basis,  the fact is managers can only work with the tools that they have, and at the moment we have some poor tools to work with.
  It also helps if the manager can recognise what the players in his charge are capable of doing on a football field rather than fantasizing about their capabilities, if the manager and his team can't recognise those things when they watch them in training every day, and have been in the football industry all their working lives, the mind boggles as to just what is put in front of them on football coaching courses.

[Jonathan]

Definitely valid points raised around the concern regarding frequency in change of manager, it shows something hasn’t been right in the decision making process.

However, in keeping with the theme and a point raised further up, when I was a kid I was always told that a manager should start looking over their shoulder the moment the chairman publicly states confidence in them! I don’t think there’s anything unusual or new about that, and I think where we’ve got to was sadly inevitable given the poor form of late.

Onwards and upwards. As long as we learn as a club then I can live with that.