Dickov's Job if we fluke it and stay up

[Dare to dream!]

Still think you're being unfair on him Cramby.

He inherited a squad that had done very well the season before, but which was clearly sub-championship standard in a number of positions (Keeper, central midfield, one centre half, goalscoring striker).

He kept the key players from 2012/13 and strengthened sensibly (given our budget) in the weak areas. Adding Wabara, Khumalo, Turnbull, Wellens and Robinson to the mix gave us a far healthier and balanced squad. Loom at the side that started against Blackburn back in August.

R Turnbull, B Khumalo, J Husband, R Jones, R Wabara, J Coppinger, D Cotterill, R Wellens, P Keegan, C Brown, T Robinson.

His problem has been that half of that side has missed more than a third of the season through injury. 9 of them have missed more than 15% of the season through injury. He hasn't put a stamp on the squad and undermined the momentum from last year though choice. He's had no option but to change on an almost weekly basis. If that side from August had mostly stayed fit and he'd been able to make additions from choice rather than necessity (e.g. adding a bit more in midfield, instead of constantly having to patch up the defence) I suspect that we'd have stayed up comfortably.

What game do you think that if we had a few more players back from injury we would have won? I can't think of any.

We've gotten to the brink of survival with injuries. Now since the Birmingham game we haven't had that many injured players and we haven't been able to get the last few points, no excuses for Dickov.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Still think you're being unfair on him Cramby.

He inherited a squad that had done very well the season before, but which was clearly sub-championship standard in a number of positions (Keeper, central midfield, one centre half, goalscoring striker).

He kept the key players from 2012/13 and strengthened sensibly (given our budget) in the weak areas. Adding Wabara, Khumalo, Turnbull, Wellens and Robinson to the mix gave us a far healthier and balanced squad. Loom at the side that started against Blackburn back in August.

R Turnbull, B Khumalo, J Husband, R Jones, R Wabara, J Coppinger, D Cotterill, R Wellens, P Keegan, C Brown, T Robinson.

His problem has been that half of that side has missed more than a third of the season through injury. 9 of them have missed more than 15% of the season through injury. He hasn't put a stamp on the squad and undermined the momentum from last year though choice. He's had no option but to change on an almost weekly basis. If that side from August had mostly stayed fit and he'd been able to make additions from choice rather than necessity (e.g. adding a bit more in midfield, instead of constantly having to patch up the defence) I suspect that we'd have stayed up comfortably.

What game do you think that if we had a few more players back from injury we would have won? I can't think of any.

We've gotten to the brink of survival with injuries. Now since the Birmingham game we haven't had that many injured players and we haven't been able to get the last few points, no excuses for Dickov.

Aye,

Only Wellens, Husband, Neill, Tamas and Khumalo injured of what would be our first choice squad.

[DonnyNoel]

Still think you're being unfair on him Cramby.

He inherited a squad that had done very well the season before, but which was clearly sub-championship standard in a number of positions (Keeper, central midfield, one centre half, goalscoring striker).

He kept the key players from 2012/13 and strengthened sensibly (given our budget) in the weak areas. Adding Wabara, Khumalo, Turnbull, Wellens and Robinson to the mix gave us a far healthier and balanced squad. Loom at the side that started against Blackburn back in August.

R Turnbull, B Khumalo, J Husband, R Jones, R Wabara, J Coppinger, D Cotterill, R Wellens, P Keegan, C Brown, T Robinson.

His problem has been that half of that side has missed more than a third of the season through injury. 9 of them have missed more than 15% of the season through injury. He hasn't put a stamp on the squad and undermined the momentum from last year though choice. He's had no option but to change on an almost weekly basis. If that side from August had mostly stayed fit and he'd been able to make additions from choice rather than necessity (e.g. adding a bit more in midfield, instead of constantly having to patch up the defence) I suspect that we'd have stayed up comfortably.

What game do you think that if we had a few more players back from injury we would have won? I can't think of any.

We've gotten to the brink of survival with injuries. Now since the Birmingham game we haven't had that many injured players and we haven't been able to get the last few points, no excuses for Dickov.

Small margins though isn't it for us this year - for instance the game that will haunt me is the Birmingham game if we go down. The game changing moment in that was Zigic coming on to dominate a back 4 consisting of 3 full backs and a winger. Also, as mentioned on some other threads, we probably haven't needed to have won any games since then - a couple more bodies in defence may have helped us get the 2 points we've probably needed since the Leeds game.

Ultimately if we go down, particularly given out post-Leeds position, everyone, Dickov included should certainly face their fair share of scrutiny I admit.

Edit - I'd also say that whilst I was underwhelmed by PD's appointment and frustrated by the charade around it I think he's shown signs of promise, particularly with his signings and I'm not sure a manager change after only a year is the way forward given the relatively short terms of Flynn and Saunders.

[Filo]

I'd say the game changing moment in the Birmingham game was when James Husband suddenly decided he was Paulo Maldini, but found out in an instant he wasn't, from that moment we went into default panic mode and stopped doing the things that we were doing so well

[BigColSutherland]

I'd say the game changing moment in the Birmingham game was when James Husband suddenly decided he was Paulo Maldini, but found out in an instant he wasn't, from that moment we went into default panic mode and stopped doing the things that we were doing so well

I agree Filo.

We hear time and again how important the first goal is in the Championship. You get it, you invariably get something out of the game. You rarely lose. At one up, and in all honesty coasting against a team who offered nothing, that moment changed everything. We have demonstrated better than anyone this season how hard it is to score. And yet, against one of our relegation rivals, we gave them a goal. And with it we undid all of our good work.

The league table would look very different if we'd won that game, we'd be safe. Even if we'd just drawn it, we'd be in a decent position to stay up.

Players make mistakes, but that wasn't a mistake. That was an example of a player thinking he's better than he is and getting found out. Hopefully he'll learn from it and be a better player. Whether he does that with us or someone else though, who knows.

[Cramby10]

BST I think we will have to agree to differ on this. I'm not for turning on this one. Not yet anyway. If he flukes another season with us, luckiest man in football IMO, and does a much improved job then I will be the first to come on here and admit im wrong. But with a heavy heart I fear I'm not. It was good to have a civilised debate about it though, and hear someone else's sensible opinion without it descending into the usual childish dross that plagues this site. Only surprise is that I disagree with you as normally I find you to be one of the more common sense talkers on here. I may well decide to return in future if sumat catches my eye.

[BillyStubbsTears]

No problems Cramby. I certainly have reservations about some of Dickov's decisions. But I've seen enough good stuff when we've had the run of the green to think he might have summat. Or at least as much as anybody else we might get.

Call me a t**t when he takes us down to Div 4 next year.

[Cramby10]

Nah mate. Even though it would be a big possibility if we get relegated it would give me no pleasure at all to claim I was right etc. We all want the best for the team. I might call Dickov a t**t mind!!

[PDX_Rover]

All of that said, the lads should need zero motivation on Saturday. Steel, a calm determination and make sure we do the simple things well and work for each other and we have a good chance.

[Glyn_Wigley]

If the perception this season was all about enjoying the ride and accepting come what may, what was the point of bringing Dickov to the helm in the first place? We may as well have allowed Flynn to enjoy the fruits of his success rather than moving him aside. How we can possibly allow Dickov to keep his position should relegation be confirmed this weekend after what happened to Flynn following promotion is beyond me.

Where on earth do you get all that from?? Flynn wasn't 'moved aside', he didn't want to stay. It was his decision more than anybody else's.

[River Don]

If the perception this season was all about enjoying the ride and accepting come what may, what was the point of bringing Dickov to the helm in the first place? We may as well have allowed Flynn to enjoy the fruits of his success rather than moving him aside. How we can possibly allow Dickov to keep his position should relegation be confirmed this weekend after what happened to Flynn following promotion is beyond me.

Where on earth do you get all that from?? Flynn wasn't 'moved aside', he didn't want to stay. It was his decision more than anybody else's.

I thought Flynn applied for the job and wanted it. It was only when it became clear that John wanted a younger man in the job and the writing was on the wall that Flynn took the decision to move back upstairs?

[The Red Baron]

I stand to be corrected, but I thought Flynn was only offered a 12-month (non-rolling) contract to become manager. Not unreasonably he felt that would make his job as manager very insecure indeed- especially as he was being offered greater security if he became DoF.