An indication of how far we have come

[streathamdave]

A year ago (Yesterday I believe) we played Gillingham away. It is a fixture I've been to a number of times over the years. Last year with Schofield ball I simply couldn't face it. Even in the Richardson days I'd never felt that way. In those days, as bad as they were, we had a common enemy in Richardson and to an extent Weaver. I wanted things to work with Schofield as a local lad, but it seemed from the off that he was simply out of his depth. I felt sad for the bloke and a bit embarressed as a fan that things had somehow got that bad. Now regardless of the results inbetween (although hopefully all wins) I am genuinely looking forward to attending that game. Mccann has worked wonders giving us a team back that we can be proud of.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Look at the players Schofield had available for that match.

McCann AND a hell of a lot of money have given us a team we can be proud of.

[streathamdave]

True enough Billy, but the ones who are still around from then are playing better.  Some of his tactical decisions were just baffling, in particular playing without a striker on a few games. It's just great to see us play as a good passing team with a bit of quality about us and see the mood of players/staff and fans improve.

[Alan Southstand]

Define ‘a hell of a lot of money’, BST.

We’re playing like a top 3 side, but I’ll warrant we havn’t a top 3 budget or anywhere near it.

I think credit to GM & the team for some clever buys and good loans and also to TB for providing whatever he thought necessary. The Chairman made it very clear at the MTO what the strategy was.

[drfchound]

It can’t be a coincidence that under McCann we played exciting attacking football the last time he was here and that we are doing the same thing this time around.
Under Schofield the stuff served up was so boring and to a certain extent, not much better under McSheffrey.
Although the money is a factor it isn’t just that.

[adamtherover]

I got my ticket on first day of sale, regardless of league position, we just make a weekend of the southern games...however, I've a sneaky feeling, this could be the most exciting game since Charlton, fingers crossed!!

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I got my ticket on first day of sale, regardless of league position, we just make a weekend of the southern games...however, I've a sneaky feeling, this could be the most exciting game since Charlton, fingers crossed!!

Every games been like a play off game recently and IF there's something still to play for come Gillingham  I can't imagine how thrilling, how nervous, how emotional that occasion could be.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Define ‘a hell of a lot of money’, BST.

We’re playing like a top 3 side, but I’ll warrant we havn’t a top 3 budget or anywhere near it.

I think credit to GM & the team for some clever buys and good loans and also to TB for providing whatever he thought necessary. The Chairman made it very clear at the MTO what the strategy was.

Well, since the OP used the Gillingham match as the comparison, let's have a look at what has happened position by position since that day.

Goalkeeper (Mitchell). Released. Replaced with a first choice, then replaced again.

Right back (Seaman): Still on books but now 4th choice and on loan in Conf.

Centre back 1 (Faulkner): Injured but now 5th choice.

Centre back 2 (Long): Released. Would be 6th choice at best if still here.

Centre back 3 (Nelson): Gone onto better things, but as he was a year ago, doubtful he'd be better than 4th choice at the moment.

Left back (Rowe): Third choice left back now.

Right wing (Barlow): Released. Can't get in an average Conf side. Wouldn't be remotely close to first team squad now.

Central Midfield pair (Westbrooke and Close): Stand-out players then, but neither are first choice at the moment because we've recruited Bailey and Craig.

Left wing (Molyneux)

Centre forward: (Goodman): Kid making his debut. Currently on loan but would be 6th choice in a fully fit squad.

My point is that we have invested in better players in pretty much every position since that day. I stand by what I've said all along on this topic, that it is grossly unfair to judge Schofield's team's performances against the standards of what we now have, without taking into account that we retained every half decent player from his squad and supplemented them with more than a full XI of better players all over the pitch and in reserve.

So, by definition we are spending a hell of a lot more money now than we were a year ago today.

[DRFCTom]

BST, do you think Schofield with the funds McCann has been given would be doing better, worse or the same?
I don’t think we’d have made the same signings under schofield, McCann already knew adelakun, TLT and also molyneux is playing like a completely different player. That’s no coincidence

[BillyStubbsTears]

It's an impossible question to answer for several reasons.

1) We have literally no idea what players Schofield would have signed if given another £1m* on the wage bill. (* that's a guess but it can't be far off the mark.)

2) Are you talking about how we are playing NOW, or how we have played on average over the season? My guess, and it is only a guess, is that given the same squad, we wouldn't have been as bad under Schofield as we were through most of the first 29 matches this season, but we wouldn't have been as good as we have been for the last 10-12. But that's just a guess. We'll never know.

For the record, I'm delighted with how we are playing now and I certainly wouldn't want a different manager. I simply think the bile thrown on Schofield's head by people in here is grossly unfair and doesn't take into account the shite he inherited and the lack of funds he had to improve the squad, resulting in him having to field sub-Conference starting XIs like the one at Gillingham last year. I think you can both admire what McCann has done, and also agree that McCann has had a far, far better hand dealt him than Schofield did.

[DRFCTom]

I was one of the few who was desperate for it to work under schofield but I must admit he drove me insane with his stubbornness to change formation with 3 at the back or 5 at the back whichever way you look at it.
We didn’t have the players for that and a decent manager would have changed things to suit the players at his disposal IMO

[Alan Southstand]

Excerpt:

McCann has had a far, far better hand dealt him than —————— did.

Agreed, if you include any one of Wellens, McS or Schofield (and maybe even DM & Butler).

[pib]

Unfortunately Schofield and the club cutting the wage bill was two sides of the same coin. Very unlikely we could’ve attracted an experienced manager like McCann if that course of action had continued.

Sadly Schofield ended up as the fall guy for this strategy (or lack of). He didn’t help himself but the abuse he received was horrific. Harrogate away last season will forever live with me as one of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve had in a football ground.

[Sprotyrover]

We have lots back from injuries and they are a lot fitter than previous teams, so Mcann is doing something very right!

[Bentley Bullet]

Excerpt:

McCann has had a far, far better hand dealt him than —————— did.

Agreed, if you include any one of Wellens, McS or Schofield (and maybe even DM & Butler).

It's fair to say that all the above managers would have benefitted from a budget similar to McCann's.

[Cramby10]

Just imagine the mess we’d be in now had we spaffed any more money on Schofields bore fest? He was horribly out of his depth. I have no sympathy. The players were not as good as what we have now, granted, but it’s his own moronic fault to think that he could get us to play like Barcelona. If he had owt about him then he would’ve bought himself some time by playing a bit of pragmatic football and play to our abilities. He didn’t, so he shit out.
Got sacked twice in one season in the football league. Just like Dickov, I doubt he’ll ever be a number 1 again.

[Ryaldinhio]

Just imagine the mess we’d be in now had we spaffed any more money on Schofields bore fest? He was horribly out of his depth. I have no sympathy. The players were not as good as what we have now, granted, but it’s his own moronic fault to think that he could get us to play like Barcelona. If he had owt about him then he would’ve bought himself some time by playing a bit of pragmatic football and play to our abilities. He didn’t, so he shit out.
Got sacked twice in one season in the football league. Just like Dickov, I doubt he’ll ever be a number 1 again.

I think that is a harsh. The blame for me sits with the club over that appointment and failure of such. Have you never taken a job you weren't sure you could do but someone was going to pay you? If not then there is plenty of people in every walk of life that do it. A championship club thought he could do it, so it wasn't only Donny.

It was the poorest Rovers team I have seen in a long time and then appoint one of the most inexperienced managers to try and turn it round. That sits with the club.

When you see some of the opinions on DS from people within football he is highly though of, so maybe he was sold a dud? Maybe he was told the same lies about budget and ambition as we were? I hope Schofield learns and grows from it and does get back into management and make it for himself.

[scawsby steve]

DS will always have a good career as a coach. That's what he does best, and he has superb qualifications.

He just isn't manager material.

[Jonathan]

I really wanted it to work under Schofield, but it was just turgid and awful and in the end I couldn’t see him turning that around. Even during the worst times this season I retained a belief (not just hope) that McCann could turn it around given time. It’s taken a couple of transfer windows and we should always have expected at least that.

[Campsall rover]

DS will always have a good career as a coach. That's what he does best, and he has superb qualifications.

He just isn't manager material.

Or at least he wasn’t at the time. He had a good reputation as a coach and was unproven as a manager.
He was a huge gamble. That was the clubs fault. Having said that DS was the most stubborn manager I have ever seen including Fergie.
For DS to stick with a formation & style that blatantly was not working and was also blatantly obvious to all and sundry that the players were not comfortable playing was foolish, if not quite insane imo. In the end he lost the dressing room. The players had totally lost any confidence and self belief.  His after match interviews were also awful.
His downfall I am afraid was self inflicted. He never gave himself a chance of being remotely successful through his stubbornness to not change.

[Ryaldinhio]

DS will always have a good career as a coach. That's what he does best, and he has superb qualifications.

He just isn't manager material.

Or at least he wasn’t at the time. He had a good reputation as a coach and was unproven as a manager.
He was a huge gamble. That was the clubs fault. Having said that DS was the most stubborn manager I have ever seen including Fergie.
For DS to stick with a formation & style that blatantly was not working and was also blatantly obvious to all and sundry that the players were not comfortable playing was foolish, if not quite insane imo. In the end he lost the dressing room. The players had totally lost any confidence and self belief.  His after match interviews were also awful.
His downfall I am afraid was self inflicted. He never gave himself a chance of being remotely successful through his stubbornness to not change.

It only becomes stubborn when it doesn't work, if it had worked it would be strength of mind and trusting the system etc. The old fergie was "one game from the sack" story and look what happened there.

It had been (hopefully) the lowest point, it was an awful time for the club and awful to watch. All I am saying is I personally don't lay blame wholly on DS shoulders.

TB saw the errors, hence taking Chairman role and full control, giving additional funding, bringing in GM and backing him.

It wasn't Schofields fault.

[McCammon egg n chips]

Look at the players Schofield had available for that match.

McCann AND a hell of a lot of money have given us a team we can be proud of.

Why are we rehashing this whole "Schofield is much better than everyone thought" argument again?!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Look at the players Schofield had available for that match.

McCann AND a hell of a lot of money have given us a team we can be proud of.

Why are we rehashing this whole "Schofield is much better than everyone thought" argument again?!

Because someone raised the "Schofield was much worse than he was" line. Again.

[Monkcaster_Rover]

I wish him all the best. Living a good life in Australia with a cushty number as a second in command.

[belton rover]

I don’t think the ‘Schofield didn’t have the money that McCann had’ argument is relevant. The real investment came in January, not when McCann first came back. There isn’t a chance he would have been given that investment if the board didn’t believe in him. If Schofield had given the board the same belief, then he would have been backed too.
McCann wasn’t just simply given a better hand.

[Branton Red]

Comparison of respective wage budgets against league position is largely irrelevant in this discussion.

Schofield was sacked because ST renewals were poor; because fans were bored out of their skulls with his tedious, defensive tactics. Which he employed even before injuries struck.

McCann, even when we were 22nd in the table at the end of January, has not been under pressure to be sacked from the stands. He sets his team out to attack and win matches. That's the underlying difference.

Yes fans want to see Rovers win if possible but at the very least we want to see the team having a go and trying to entertain. We didn't even get that under Schofield.

The way Schofield set the team up to play was ridiculous, naive, and totally unempathetic to the supporters. If he hadn't have gone there is no way the wage budget would be as high this season as ticket sales would have crashed.

Surely one of the easiest sacking decisions in the history of DRFC.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I don’t think the ‘Schofield didn’t have the money that McCann had’ argument is relevant. The real investment came in January, not when McCann first came back. There isn’t a chance he would have been given that investment if the board didn’t believe in him. If Schofield had given the board the same belief, then he would have been backed too.
McCann wasn’t just simply given a better hand.

McCann signed 12 new players before the end of August, while keeping all the decent ones (and having to keep some not very decent ones) from the previous season.

You reckon that wasn't a very big mark up on the previous season's wage bill?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Comparison of respective wage budgets against league position is largely irrelevant in this discussion.

Schofield was sacked because ST renewals were poor; because fans were bored out of their skulls with his tedious, defensive tactics. Which he employed even before injuries struck.

McCann, even when we were 22nd in the table at the end of January, has not been under pressure to be sacked from the stands. He sets his team out to attack and win matches. That's the underlying difference.

Yes fans want to see Rovers win if possible but at the very least we want to see the team having a go and trying to entertain. We didn't even get that under Schofield.

The way Schofield set the team up to play was ridiculous, naive, and totally unempathetic to the supporters. If he hadn't have gone there is no way the wage budget would be as high this season as ticket sales would have crashed.

Surely one of the easiest sacking decisions in the history of DRFC.

Aye.

I remember thinking "Well at least it wasn't boring today like under Schofield" as I left after 30 minutes against Stockport this season.

Just weird how some people's logic works.

[Bentley Bullet]

We seem to forget that Schofield "failed" with probably a lesser budget than McCann had in League Two. Despite McCann's better budget, results were poor until he was given a further budget increase in January, which turned the team's fortunes around.

I wonder if the supporter's general backing of McCann contributed to the board's contentment with him, and had he received similar supporter's condemnation as his predecessors he'd have suffered the same fate as them.

[Branton Red]

Comparison of respective wage budgets against league position is largely irrelevant in this discussion.

Schofield was sacked because ST renewals were poor; because fans were bored out of their skulls with his tedious, defensive tactics. Which he employed even before injuries struck.

McCann, even when we were 22nd in the table at the end of January, has not been under pressure to be sacked from the stands. He sets his team out to attack and win matches. That's the underlying difference.

Yes fans want to see Rovers win if possible but at the very least we want to see the team having a go and trying to entertain. We didn't even get that under Schofield.

The way Schofield set the team up to play was ridiculous, naive, and totally unempathetic to the supporters. If he hadn't have gone there is no way the wage budget would be as high this season as ticket sales would have crashed.

Surely one of the easiest sacking decisions in the history of DRFC.

Aye.

I remember thinking "Well at least it wasn't boring today like under Schofield" as I left after 30 minutes against Stockport this season.

Just weird how some people's logic works.

You're the one in almost splendid isolation in your defence of Danny Schofield - just as you were this time last year.

Which kind of suggest you're the one with the weird (i.e. very strange and unusual) opinion on this.

On the topic of splendid isolation - that's what you'd be very likely to be in at the Eco-Power tomorrow evening if he was still at the club.