Sorry SoD

[Red Rover]

Bristol City lose again, stone-wall bottom of league one, spent plenty, one of the favourites to go up...I wonder if he'll get getting his P45 tonight?

[1879Rovers]

I was listening to their chairman this afternoon. Sounded like he wouldn't be given much longer.

[Chris Black come back]

Brendan Rogers was in t'paper at weekend moaning about clubs looking for quick fixes and not giving time to "visionary" coaches and named SOD.

I think Rogers hit the nail on the head here. SOD is a coach - not a manager. He clearly struggles to motivate teams, especially when they are in the real shit: see the two horrific runs that he presided over at Rovers (18 games without win?) and now Bristol City (20 games without win?).

Maybe he needs to be a no2 as it were to a blood and thunder manager, because he just is not the guy to dig you out of a hole. Brilliant preparation but dire execution.

[1879Rovers]

His last 100 games as a manager with Rovers, Forest and Bristol City, he has won just 23.

[Chris Black come back]

Don't want to repeat this too much as I made same point on last thread regarding SOD but really, have you seen some of the squad he has in League One?

Frank Fielding, Louis Carey, Liam Kelly, Neil Kilkenny, Sam Baldock, JET, Stephen Pearson, Lewis Dunk, Nicky Shorey, Marlon Harewood, Jimmy O'Connor to name a few.

This is far, far better on paper than we had last season. Difference is that Saunders managed to mould a team and give it a massive pair of knackers.

[Lesonthewest]

Have great respect for Sean as a coach & what he achieved at Rovers, but just reading their forum his old failings are still there, playing one up front, leaving it until the 81st minute to change it. Have always said he should be involved in coaching the under 21s with England. His days look numbered down there now.

[Donnyjim]

Have to agree about the coach bit. I would love to see him go to St George's Park or have some kind of coaching role for the England under 21's. When the chips are down he struggles as a manager.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

That's the thing he was a manager of runs. Great when form was up and the team would go from strength to strength but when things went wrong it was a huge struggle to turn them around his teams were either great or awful.  He doesn't seem to be able to find that leader in his teams that they rely on so much.

[mushRTID]

Just walked away during an interview apparently. Oh dear.

[Chris Black come back]

Good point about leaders in his teams. Only traditional leadership figure he had was Graeme Lee, who was inherited, and he soon got shut of him.

Maybe this was a SODism, that every player had to take responsibility and every player had to be a leader.Truth was though that as a result none of them was ever a leader.

What was needed was Rob Jones and what we had (great player though) was Brian Stock.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Just walked away during an interview apparently. Oh dear.

If the Bristol Cith board have any comprehension whatsoever of what they have, they'll know that this is precisely the moment to hold their nerve. This reminds me of his attitude after the Yeovil debacle, or, even moreso, his attitude in press conferences in the first half of 08/09. After we lost to Wolves in Dec 08, the press had the knives out. Someone asked him a question about his future at Donny and he lost it, calling the reporter an idiot or stupid or some such.

We were just about to turn into the second best team in the Championship for the second half of the season.

He's an enigma. I have no idea how he can make average teams so execrably bad, and average teams so astonishingly good. With barely time to blink in between.

[andysly]

Someone mentioned him being a good no. 2. There's is some mileage in this, if you paired up Saunders' undoubted motivational ability with SoD's tactical awareness there would be a quality management duo

[GazLaz]

SOD should be given a job at arsenal working for Wenger. He's massively limited as a club manager, but a genius coach. 

[DonnyNoel]

I'd like to see him involved in the FA project on youth development. His mantra around performance over results is exactly what's needed for the development of technically gifted youn players. Trying to apply it to one of the most results driven, cut throat jobs there is will only end in tears.

[Lifelong supporter]

As BST says he's a total enigma and, like him, I hope City hold their nerve because they will benefit in the long run.
We played some of the most enjoyable football I've seen in 50 odd years under him and had success too.
He really should be involved in the England set up in some way.
Players seem to like him and he seems to be able to improve them.
We would certainly keep possession better at national level if he was involved.
When it comes to the coach and manager distinction I'm not so sure.
I think he's one who needs to have total control to achieve his aims and he did all right managing us for the most part didn't he? 

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I'd like to see him involved in the FA project on youth development. His mantra around performance over results is exactly what's needed for the development of technically gifted youn players. Trying to apply it to one of the most results driven, cut throat jobs there is will only end in tears.

Equally you could argue he's not really been hugely successful youth wise at any of his clubs has he?

[BigColSutherland]

If you're talking about bringing through youth players then the young players need to be good enough. Unless a managers been around a long time he's not going to have much influence on recruitment of youngsters.

[DonnyNoel]

I'd like to see him involved in the FA project on youth development. His mantra around performance over results is exactly what's needed for the development of technically gifted youn players. Trying to apply it to one of the most results driven, cut throat jobs there is will only end in tears.

Equally you could argue he's not really been hugely successful youth wise at any of his clubs has he?

Fair point but in this instance I don't see it as related. Its about putting coaching systems in place. Our youth system was years behind for many reasons and SOD himself said managers went through a phase of not really focussing on youth as when the average manager tenure is circa 18 months - what's the point? Also the FA don't have to compete with Leeds Utd's carpet bombing approach to player recruitment in the Yorkshire area

[BillyStubbsTears]

This is fascinating

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/158344-sod-bbc-radio-stupid-question/

Could have been cribbed from our forum any time between Dec 06 and Dec08 or Jan-Oct11. 

It's incredible how he inspires such faith and loathing at the same time.

[BigColSutherland]

He did not like it

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24635864

6 minutes, 4 seconds in.

[Wild Rover]

Just watched the interview, he looks bloody ill, or perhaps pressure so great it is effecting him badly. Stats do not bear out his analysis of game. Time he jacked it in if that's the effect it has on him. Was never a fan, but wouldn't wish his predicament on anyone.

[wing commander]

    Well I cant make many exscuses for him really..Bristol City are a big team in that league and with the players they have its not good enough..He was unlucky at Forest but the tin tacs coming again and this time I can see him dropping another level of management...
    The sky reporter said it all last night...Once again City have dominated another game,played lovely passing football but lost....It cant be coincidence that always seems to happen..My own opinion is whatever system he goes for his teams don't move the ball quick enough..by the time the team have finished 10 passes in midfield the opposition are always lined up were they need to be....

 

[DonnyNoel]

    Well I cant make many exscuses for him really..Bristol City are a big team in that league and with the players they have its not good enough..He was unlucky at Forest but the tin tacs coming again and this time I can see him dropping another level of management...
    The sky reporter said it all last night...Once again City have dominated another game,played lovely passing football but lost....It cant be coincidence that always seems to happen..My own opinion is whatever system he goes for his teams don't move the ball quick enough..by the time the team have finished 10 passes in midfield the opposition are always lined up were they need to be....

 

I think that's fair comment. I think the further you drop down the harder it becomes to get a group of players who can play the way he wants. I genuinely think he could have succeeded at Forest as he had more chance of signing not just technical players but technical players who excel in the physical aspect of the game too to prevent the bullying that we started to experience towards the end of his tenure.

[BigColSutherland]

I'm sure he could turn it round at City, but I don't see him been given much more time. 21 without a win is dire. Throw in a relegation in the middle of that, and he doesn't have much in the bank with the fans.

[Jenny]

Problem with So'D is that he is too stubborn. Which is why he has never made it as a top manager.

I doubt he'll be at Bristol City much longer and I would think he would struggle to get another 'high profile' position. His win record over the last 100 games is simply awful.

[graingrover]

Who has the most impact on a club and it's squad . A good Manager or a good coach .? Give me the Manager and he'll find you the coach if needed .

[wilts rover]

The advantage he has is that he is there fifth manager in 3 seasons and the board are going to look pretty silly sacking him now - it would look like they don't know what they are doing. The disadvantage is that the fans also realise this and have begun attacking the board because they don't know what they are doing. Surprisingly he does still have the support of a good section of the fans. It all seems remarkably similar to his time here, and the ending of it.

[TheFunk]

Problem with SOD is, he constantly talked about taking responsibility, but would never take any himself. Along with his arrogant belief that his way was the right way, where sometimes our eyes told us his way wasn't working and he refused to change anything. All too often in his post match analysis he described a game that was nothing like the game we had just watched.

[Wellred]

Same old............nothing changes.

[Alickismyhero]

As you would expect I have sent a message of support to Sean.

Yes, he is on thin ice and he's  been in football long enough to know the system. Will he get longer to turn it around? I hope so but the management circus goes on regardless.

If the dreaded axe does fall my guess is that provided he gets paid if put on gardening leave, and there is an financial agreement on terminating his contract he will accept it in his usual philosophical way.

That's the way things work out normally in the termination of a fixed contract.

Shame it never ended that way at Donny without a fight.