If GM fails for the 3rd time in getting promotion

[Padge_DRFC]

I think of Mansfield and can see us being similar. Every year from now if we don't do it this year we'll be up there. Financially backed probably the same and stuck with the manager for years. We will get there. There's a desperation to do it now because the thought of the oppositions in league 1 v league 2 the bigger crowds is way more appealing. We'll be back to being a small fish in a big pond as well which I love too.

One win in 14 Mansfield. I hate their recruitment model.

The manager has a big say so there too like us.

[GazLaz]

I think of Mansfield and can see us being similar. Every year from now if we don't do it this year we'll be up there. Financially backed probably the same and stuck with the manager for years. We will get there. There's a desperation to do it now because the thought of the oppositions in league 1 v league 2 the bigger crowds is way more appealing. We'll be back to being a small fish in a big pond as well which I love too.

One win in 14 Mansfield. I hate their recruitment model.

The manager has a big say so there too like us.

Yes and he’s obsessed with signing 30+ year olds. If he goes they will be in a right mess.

[Sprotyrover]

Oh yeah of little faith!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Yeah, but once again, as usual when you state something with certainty, you're wrong...

Past 8 games we have 11 points
Bradford, Wimbledon and Port Vale have 13.

Colchester who are in stellar form and within touching distance have 18.

And the real worry is how hard our run in is.

5 of our last 9 games are against teams currently in the top 7. And our record against the better sides in the division this year is woeful.

Dickos

Since you raised recent form, this is how the table would finish if every team won the same points in their final 9 or 10 games as they have in their last

Bradford 82
Walsall 79
Port Vale 78
Colchester 77
Rovers 77

Of course they won't all win those points. But form isn't on our side, even before you factor in how hard our run in is. We need to improve significantly on recent performances to make the top 3.

Regarding the OP question, I think we have unquestionably underperformed given the investment. My take is that we have a rather ordinary squad plus Molyneux. Take him out and we're a mid table side. There's little question that we are a poorer side than we were 12 months ago. Partly because 2 years into McCann's tenure, there's little sign that we know what our best X1 is.

If we get promoted then of course we haven’t underperformed, that was the aim this season so it will be job done.

I think the missing line here was "I apologise and retract my accusation that you're twisting facts to support your case."

But that would be asking a lot from you I guess.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I know it's obvious but we must remember this was a total & utter sh-t show when he took over, a culmination of the previous 2 or 3 seasons. Recruitment has been bang average, & although they are his players I'm not sure he was 100% behind ALL the signings.

However he has made mistakes, not knowing entirely what it takes to get out of this league having not managed in it, chopping & changing with the 2 players for every position decision, & new contracts to squad players. But, the blocks are well & truly in place, new staff behind the scenes, training facilities being upgraded etc, it's all progression & everything seems much more professional under his management. I don't think coming out & saying we will win the league this season was a wise move, & thought so at the time. If we fall short, I believe continuity will be key, regroup in the summer & give him next season to get us promoted. Changing the manager will not be the answer in my opinion, as frustrating as this season is.

We just need to hold our nerve, stick with him & stick together in my opinion. Hopefully we make it of course.

Totally agree with this.

If you can't see progression at the club you are blind.

The medical staff alone have worked wonders this season.

The improvements to the training facilities etc.

GM picked up an absolute shit show, not just in terms of the first team.

We have got to stick with him 100%.

It was only a shit show because we slashed any playing budget. We improved because we applied more more money to the situation.

This.

[BigH]

Plus there were changes at board level.

[GazLaz]

Plus there were changes at board level.

That just allowed the budget to be raised. Blunt wanted to spend nothing.

[Pancho Regan]

There are four ways the season can play out. Promoted automatically, promoted via the playoffs, lose in the playoffs or don’t qualify for the playoffs.

What’s the strategy for whichever way the season plays out? For me whatever the result at the end of the season the way we move forward should be the same. The decision making should be based on what we have seen during the season and what’s best for the club in the medium to long term as opposed to being entirely outcome based.

In my opinion, and it’s a fairly confident one, we won’t achieve the level of over achievement we did back in the glory days with this club structure and management team. We might scramble over the line to promotion this season but what is realistically achievable after that? Based on performances this season and the signings we’ve made over the last period of time, not a lot. I’d be happy to see us compete at the top half of L1 but I genuinely don’t see a route there. We are miles away from that level currently. I don’t see what our edge over other similar sized clubs is, I don’t see how we operate smarter than the others, I don’t see what our long term plan is.

Grant is a good guy and a good manager but eventually he will leave, either by his own accord or pushed, then what? Back to the drawing board again with a different manager with a different vision and a different style.

On the original question, I don’t think the answer should differ if we get promoted or not. If we are to carry on the same structure, manager led with full control over everything, he may as well stay.

If we are thinking of rebooting the structure and potentially building on a more long term solid footing, with a plan to potentially build a club capable of punching above its weight, then he goes whether we get promoted or not. He certainly wouldn’t fit that model.

Make no bones about it, if we don’t get promoted this season he’s failed. Part of the responsibility of being the key decision maker is taking full responsibility.

If he was just a head catch part of a more collaborative structure then that’s a different story. There’s more of a shared responsibility.

I just hope we get promoted.

Well I wasn’t feeling too bad before reading this but I’m just off to find a sharp knife now.

[Branton Red]

I don't have the information to answer the question in the OP.

Clearly the wage budget has increased significantly on 2 years ago.

Clearly the club's transfer policy has been to use the additional budget on quantity over quality in terms of player recruitment.

What I don't know is: -

1) How does the current budget compare to other clubs in the division.
2) Whose idea was it to concentrate on quantity over quality. Was it pushed by McCann or decided upon by the Board?

If we have one of the biggest 3 budgets in the division and it was McCann's idea to utilise this on a large squad over recruiting fewer players of higher quality then the Board have every right to dismiss him if we don't get promoted.

If this is not the case it would be unfair to say McCann has underachieved and both unfair and a mistake to dismiss him given we have clearly made progress over the 2 years of his management.

[dickos1]

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Yeah, but once again, as usual when you state something with certainty, you're wrong...

Past 8 games we have 11 points
Bradford, Wimbledon and Port Vale have 13.

Colchester who are in stellar form and within touching distance have 18.

And the real worry is how hard our run in is.

5 of our last 9 games are against teams currently in the top 7. And our record against the better sides in the division this year is woeful.

You’ve picked 8 games to make your point, form tables usually consist of 6 games or 10.
Nobody is in much better form than us other than Colchester and they’re still 5 points adrift with only 9 games to go

I thought the league table was more important than form Dicko?

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=293165.msg1364892#msg1364892

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Although todays result could been better only Wimbledon won Bradford lost Notts County lost we don’t play now for two weeks so we are going to be behind the eight ball. Taking chances has got to improve we then have to win 7 games at least for a chance of Promotion it won’t be easy

Err. Port Vale won. They are two points behind with a match in hand.

Colchester won and they are ascending the table like a rocket.

11 points from the last 8 games, just when we really couldn't afford a dip in form and that's now dropped us into 4th/5th place with a horrible run in to come.

I think it's now unlikely we will make the top three, which would be a huge underperformance.

You said it was unlikely a month ago!
Not sure our form is any worse than anyone around us, in fact I know it isn’t.
Sat 4th in the table with 9 games to go level on points with an automatic spot and the negativity from folk like this is crazy.

Yeah, but once again, as usual when you state something with certainty, you're wrong...

Past 8 games we have 11 points
Bradford, Wimbledon and Port Vale have 13.

Colchester who are in stellar form and within touching distance have 18.

And the real worry is how hard our run in is.

5 of our last 9 games are against teams currently in the top 7. And our record against the better sides in the division this year is woeful.

You’ve picked 8 games to make your point, form tables usually consist of 6 games or 10.
Nobody is in much better form than us other than Colchester and they’re still 5 points adrift with only 9 games to go

I thought the league table was more important than form Dicko?

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=293165.msg1364892#msg1364892

Of course!
I’m just responding to your man who plucked 8 games out of thin air!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Christ Dickos you're hard work.

I do wonder how people live their day to day lives if they are constantly assuming that other people are trying to deliberately mislead them. Feels like projection.

Fir the record, whether you projected through the form over the last 4, 6, 8 or 10 games to the end of the season, we finish outside the top 3. Last 12 is a toss up. All of which you could have checked for yourself.

Not that I expect you to engage with that. Far easier to assume anyone telling you what you don't want to hear is trying to fool you.

[NickDRFC]

Christ Dickos you're hard work.

I do wonder how people live their day to day lives if they are constantly assuming that other people are trying to deliberately mislead them. Feels like projection.

Fir the record, whether you projected through the form over the last 4, 6, 8 or 10 games to the end of the season, we finish outside the top 3. Last 12 is a toss up. All of which you could have checked for yourself.

Not that I expect you to engage with that. Far easier to assume anyone telling you what you don't want to hear is trying to fool you.

The form table doesn’t matter anyway, according to dickos. It’s only the league table that’s important. Until that doesn’t suit him.

[drfchound]

Up to this morning then only 13% think Grant should not be here if we don’t go up.
That looks to be quite overwhelming support for him.

[GazLaz]

Christ Dickos you're hard work.

I do wonder how people live their day to day lives if they are constantly assuming that other people are trying to deliberately mislead them. Feels like projection.

Fir the record, whether you projected through the form over the last 4, 6, 8 or 10 games to the end of the season, we finish outside the top 3. Last 12 is a toss up. All of which you could have checked for yourself.

Not that I expect you to engage with that. Far easier to assume anyone telling you what you don't want to hear is trying to fool you.

8 games is about optimal for judging recent form. Obviously form is, by nature, transient but 8 games tends to give a big enough sample to take into account a fair number of home SBS away matches and generally captures a broad enough cross section of opposition abilities/ playing styles.

[Silkscarf]

We’re either going to get top 3 or come very close to it. Unless you’re a club buying the league title (and we’re not) then that’s the most we could have asked for with 9 games left.

If we end up in playoffs and then fail to go up are we really going to sack him? All the teams are pretty close so it wouldn’t be that surprising if we came up just short.

Yes it would be extremely disappointing, but starting again with a new bloke wouldn’t be the right answer. No manager has a magic wand. Grant’s a good manager. Overall he’s proved that again and he’s still learning all the time.

[Lesonthewest]

I know it's obvious but we must remember this was a total & utter sh-t show when he took over, a culmination of the previous 2 or 3 seasons. Recruitment has been bang average, & although they are his players I'm not sure he was 100% behind ALL the signings.

However he has made mistakes, not knowing entirely what it takes to get out of this league having not managed in it, chopping & changing with the 2 players for every position decision, & new contracts to squad players. But, the blocks are well & truly in place, new staff behind the scenes, training facilities being upgraded etc, it's all progression & everything seems much more professional under his management. I don't think coming out & saying we will win the league this season was a wise move, & thought so at the time. If we fall short, I believe continuity will be key, regroup in the summer & give him next season to get us promoted. Changing the manager will not be the answer in my opinion, as frustrating as this season is.

We just need to hold our nerve, stick with him & stick together in my opinion. Hopefully we make it of course.

Totally agree with this.

If you can't see progression at the club you are blind.

The medical staff alone have worked wonders this season.

The improvements to the training facilities etc.

GM picked up an absolute shit show, not just in terms of the first team.

We have got to stick with him 100%.

It was only a shit show because we slashed any playing budget. We improved because we applied more more money to the situation.

Exactly, he had to sort a squad of players he didn't want, bring in his own backroom staff. All the more reason he should be given at least another season if we fall short.

[PDX_Rover]

f**k me. We’re well in the mix and there’s everything to play for. I for one am keeping the faith.

[Lesonthewest]

f**k me. We’re well in the mix and there’s everything to play for. I for one am keeping the faith.

Yes me too!

[Little Wolf]

Humble pie anyone cannot believe anyone wanted Grant out

[Chris Black come back]

Hi Grant put the phone down and get celebrating.

[Nudga]

I know I put this up but I voted for him to have another season.

I am chuffed to bits for him and I hope he brings the title home to cement his place in Rovers legendary folklore

[Frankie Rennie]

Many congratulations on your promotion guys looking forward to resuming my trips to see Wanderers, so much closer from Barnsley than over the hills to the Reebok. Let’s hope the ills of the past are forgotten too so we can just enjoy the football? Well done Donny look forward to meeting you next season.