Should he be sacked?

[WantleyDragon]

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.

Totally agree, it's so infuriating.
A perfect example is close completely neshing an easy tackle to prevent their goal.
He should be fined for dereliction of duties

[Mike_F]

...and when the ball goes out of touch for a throw in our favour we have absolutely no idea what to do with it.

To draw on another O'Drsicoll comparison, he was questioned once on the team's approach to goal kicks but the same point stands for throw-ins. To paraphrase "There are lots of situations in football matches that you don't always expect and can't accurately plan for. But there are certain things that you know will happen in every single game so it makes sense to practice and plan for what to do in those situations."

We know that in every match we play there will be numerous throw-ins up and down the length of the touchline but whenever one comes up the players look like the ref has made up the concept there and then. Nobody knows where they should be running or what to do with the ball if they receive it. For someone who wants to be "the best coach in the world" one could be forgiven for thinking he might have a plan for the inevitable.

[RoverinLincs]

Yes, as soon as possible

[Prez]

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. 

Exactly this.

Whilst i agree to an extent with those who say "we cant keep sacking managers" my argument is we are not are employing managers in the first place. Only Wellens out of the last 4 can be classed as a manager, and IMHO he deserved to be sacked with the dross he signed. He has proved himself as somewhat of an enigma though as in fairness hes done a good job everywhere else.

Orient look like they are going up along with Carlisle managed by Paul Simpson. Someone we could have had, yet opted for Vicky Pollard yeah but no but Schofield, whos interviews and tactics are an insult to the fans and this club i love.

[ForsolongaRover]

If you listen to what he says it is totally devoid of any insight. He cannot account for his team’s performances even in the broadest of terms, let alone the detail. He talks entirely in generalities.

He sees only a big picture and then totally misreads it. There is never anything specific in his observations. He relates to patterns of play and formations and believes implicitly that if they are executed properly and there is a good mindset, good results will just emerge. It is akin to a religious faith.

It reflects what seems a very insular personality.

[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.

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. !!!

Camps, I was going to the game but had to call it off at the last moment. Please dont view me as a supporter who is happy with the performances, I am not but my support will always be very strong. If we were bottom of the league several points adrift thats the time for the most drastic action and I don't don't think we are there right now.

[normal rules]

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. !!!

Camps, I was going to the game but had to call it off at the last moment. Please dont view me as a supporter who is happy with the performances, I am not but my support will always be very strong. If we were bottom of the league several points adrift thats the time for the most drastic action and I don't don't think we are there right now.

But then it’s too late.

[lee.j09]

It’s yes from me, the sooner the better

Then what? In another sack the next manager. Then 12months sack another manager.

We need to be looking deeper than the manager.

[steve@dcfd]

It’s yes from me, the sooner the better

Then what? In another sack the next manager. Then 12months sack another manager.

We need to be looking deeper than the manager.

Totally agree the problem at the club is deeper than the manager and HOf. It won’t change by just sacking the manager if we repeat the same mistake again when recruiting.

Bite the bullet and get Grant MCCann back makesure he’s got the funds he needs to get us out of this league and then be really competitive in League one.

[Bessie Red]

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. 

Exactly this.

Whilst i agree to an extent with those who say "we cant keep sacking managers" my argument is we are not are employing managers in the first place. Only Wellens out of the last 4 can be classed as a manager, and IMHO he deserved to be sacked with the dross he signed. He has proved himself as somewhat of an enigma though as in fairness hes done a good job everywhere else.

Orient look like they are going up along with Carlisle managed by Paul Simpson. Someone we could have had, yet opted for Vicky Pollard yeah but no but Schofield, whos interviews and tactics are an insult to the fans and this club i love.

I think the most profound thing is that even people like me and others on here who don't generally look to sack managers early (I think we are referred to as "happy clappers") have concluded that DS is completely out of his depth and seems incapable of identifying the obvious flaws in his players and system and knowing how to change them for the better, he is showing no semblance of reality regarding what we can all see and appears to be okay with the disgraceful performances coming from his team, there is no anger or frustration apparent in his interviews that gives confidence that he will not accept what is fast becoming the norm. Its obvious that he just doesn't have the characteristics needed in a manager capable of turning our fortunes round.

[normal rules]

As has been alluded to. GM and DS are not managers . They were attempts at such . One failed. The other is failing .

[Bessie Red]

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 ?

It certainly looks & feels like there is a culture of unaccountability in the club where poor performances from any party are not robustly challenged and just accepted. That performance last night personified that type of culture!

[Bessie Red]

If we give him ten games  at the start of next season all we will be doing is giving the top teams 10 or 15 points start on us and then having to wait a few weeks for a new manager to be appointed.
Another season will be written off.
People have been commenting about how SoD's regime had a slow start with us but even though we were not winning games we were attractive to watch and you could see how he was trying to play good attractive football.
The stuff we are watching now is shocking.

Exactly and this is why the club need to pull the trigger now! They would be stupid, based on the evidence shown since his appointment, if they believe that DS will work out in the long run.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

But, it didn't change after Wellens left, it hasn't changed after Mcsheffrey left.  What evidence is there that changing again will make any difference at all?

Aren't there a number of other things that are broken which have a bigger impact than Schofield?

[Mike_F]

Absolutely there are. We need a combination of the right manager (not head coach) and the right backing from the board. As it's self-evident that the board haven't spent a penny for the best part of a decade I'm not optimistic on that front.

[normal rules]

Does this bunch of players get on with each other ? Are they mates? Is there any team spirit or camerarderie amongst them? Or are they all islands within a team . Do they have nothing to do with each other outside of training and playing . ?

[drfchound]

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.

Alick, when SoDs reign was in its infancy we could see what he was trying to do and we were playing good football, creating chances and were good to watch. None of those apply to the stuff we are having to watch just now.

[Campsall rover]

It’s yes from me, the sooner the better

Then what? In another sack the next manager. Then 12months sack another manager.

We need to be looking deeper than the manager.

Totally agree the problem at the club is deeper than the manager and HOf. It won’t change by just sacking the manager if we repeat the same mistake again when recruiting.

Bite the bullet and get Grant MCCann back makesure he’s got the funds he needs to get us out of this league and then be really competitive in League one.

You have just said the funds will not be made available Steve@dcfd.
Make your mind up.

Yes that’s what I would like to see and I really really hope funds are available for us to be able to compete with the teams with decent budgets next season.
I don’t expect our budget to be as big as Bradford or Wrexham next season ( assuming they are both in League 2 ) Of course one or both may not be.
I do expect us to be almost, if not comparable to Stockport, Swindon, Salford, and Notts County assuming again those clubs are in League 2 next season.
There is no way clubs the size of Carlisle, Northampton, Mansfield, Tranmere, Walsall, & ( Chesterfield should they get promoted ) steel a march on us reference budgets.

Having said that the size of the budget as long as it is competitive is not the be all and end all.
We only need to look at Stevenage, Sutton & Barrow to see that. They have good managers who get the best out of what they have got, hence why they are where they are in the League table.
Look at the division above.
Accrington, Morecambe, Forest Green, Burton, Fleetwood, Cheltenham, Cambridge, Shrewsbury & Wycombe are all smaller clubs than we are. Most of those considerably smaller.
They have small budgets but have been well Managed and coached. They get the best out of the players  they have.
Their recruitment has also in most cases been very good.

Get the right manager and get the recruitment right and would be a top 12 league 1 club.
To go further than that and sustain it will require a substantial increase in budget almost certainly.

[Rovers91]

I don't know how anyone can defend him, it's the worse football and head coach/manager what ever you want to call him we have had in 20years. It was even better under McSheffrey which I don't know how that is even possible but Schofield has managed it.

[normal rules]

Well three quarters of respondents seem to have their mind made up. And for a forum which has a good mix of happy clappers and more less tolerant types it’s a pretty damning indictment of his reputation so far.

[Campsall rover]

Absolutely there are. We need a combination of the right manager (not head coach) and the right backing from the board. As it's self-evident that the board haven't spent a penny for the best part of a decade I'm not optimistic on that front.

That’s rubbish. Yes they have.

[keith79]

I have heard a few players coming out and backing schofield lately. Makes me wonder if he is under pressure. Players don't normally do that.

[Filo]

I have heard a few players coming out and backing schofield lately. Makes me wonder if he is under pressure. Players don't normally do that.

They say it so as not to rock the boat, he wouldn’t pick them otherwise

[Petche]

It’s yes from me, the sooner the better

Then what? In another sack the next manager. Then 12months sack another manager.

We need to be looking deeper than the manager.

Totally agree the problem at the club is deeper than the manager and HOf. It won’t change by just sacking the manager if we repeat the same mistake again when recruiting.

Bite the bullet and get Grant MCCann back makesure he’s got the funds he needs to get us out of this league and then be really competitive in League one.

I can't see Grant McCann dropping down to our level, would easily get a job at League 1 level or even bottom end of Championship.

[Mike_F]

Absolutely there are. We need a combination of the right manager (not head coach) and the right backing from the board. As it's self-evident that the board haven't spent a penny for the best part of a decade I'm not optimistic on that front.

That’s rubbish. Yes they have.

I say it's self evident because at the MTO, Terry Bramall said he had spent £12.5m as had Dick Watson so a total of £25m between them.

Dick died seven years ago and it was publicised at the time that they were equal partners in terms of investment. QED Terry hasn't spent a penny on the Rovers in seven years which is the best part of a decade.

[silent majority]

Absolutely there are. We need a combination of the right manager (not head coach) and the right backing from the board. As it's self-evident that the board haven't spent a penny for the best part of a decade I'm not optimistic on that front.

Now you're just making things up Mike.  A decade? Not in the slightest.

[silent majority]

Absolutely there are. We need a combination of the right manager (not head coach) and the right backing from the board. As it's self-evident that the board haven't spent a penny for the best part of a decade I'm not optimistic on that front.

That’s rubbish. Yes they have.

I say it's self evident because at the MTO, Terry Bramall said he had spent £12.5m as had Dick Watson so a total of £25m between them.

Dick died seven years ago and it was publicised at the time that they were equal partners in terms of investment. QED Terry hasn't spent a penny on the Rovers in seven years which is the best part of a decade.

You're forgetting the Watson family.

[Mike_F]

He definitely said at the MTO event that he and Dick had each put in £12.5m. We know that they were equal contributors.

If Andrew & Claire subsequently invested that money can't have been matched by Terry (otherwise he would've spent more than the £12.5m to match Dick) so no wonder they got fed up.

In which case, the current owners have not invested/spent a penny for seven years. Ok I'm being a bit liberal with the  best part of a decade as technically 70% is a significant majority but I'm not making things up here.

[ravenrover]

It’s yes from me, the sooner the better

Then what? In another sack the next manager. Then 12months sack another manager.

We need to be looking deeper than the manager.

Totally agree the problem at the club is deeper than the manager and HOf. It won’t change by just sacking the manager if we repeat the same mistake again when recruiting.

Bite the bullet and get Grant MCCann back makesure he’s got the funds he needs to get us out of this league and then be really competitive in League one.

I can't see Grant McCann dropping down to our level, would easily get a job at League 1 level or even bottom end of Championship.

Can't ser GM coming whilst Copps is HoF, I recollect very little of good luck to him from Copps in his tweets and very little comment from other players still here when he left. Wonder if there was a bit of bad blood when he left

[silent majority]

He definitely said at the MTO event that he and Dick had each put in £12.5m. We know that they were equal contributors.

If Andrew & Claire subsequently invested that money can't have been matched by Terry (otherwise he would've spent more than the £12.5m to match Dick) so no wonder they got fed up.

In which case, the current owners have not invested/spent a penny for seven years. Ok I'm being a bit liberal with the  best part of a decade as technically 70% is a significant majority but I'm not making things up here.

What he said, and what actually happened are different. I should know, I've seen the accounts for all of the last 10 years and discuss things like this with the CEO.

Firstly, he was being literal about them both putting in exactly the same, it was close but not exact as I believe TB put in slightly more.

And secondly, when he talked about DW he actually meant the family, as I know that Andy carried on his fathers legacy after he'd gone. Either way, you're just using a casual comment made at the MTO to confirm whatever it is you want to pursue.

And thirdly, if they hadn't put any money in for the last 7 years where did the funds come from to keep us in LG1 from 2017 to 2022? In those earlier years we didn't have Club Doncaster generating what it does today so what kept us afloat?