Phileas Fogg

I don’t think anything can be read into today really. Games immediately after an appointment are usually a bit of a dead rubber. What is very apparent though is that Manning needs to start getting wins or a significant section of the support will turn.

Baffling that Henderson and Phillips keep getting picked. I just don’t understand the rationale.. surely the principle you set as manager is that the best players, in form, who are playing regularly deservedly get awarded places.

I honestly don’t know either way because I don’t know much about Manning. I’m annoyed Pearson was sacked but am prepared to give Manning a fair go. Surely that’s how most people feel?

I agree with all your other posts but think this doesn’t have much relevance - people, when criticising players, aren’t saying they could do better. They’re comparing the player - relatively speaking - to standards expected of a professional.

Just give Manning a chance. Seems like you’ve made up your mind already.

What a genuinely odd thread. Besides, even if true, Conway has many more years of his career left. He’ll see tonnes of managers come and go, it’s normal.

Also pound-for-pound made some excellent signings

His interview is pretty good. I can see why he appealed, lots of buzzwords JL etc would’ve liked. It’s not LJ style waffle, but will take some adjusting after Pearson’s media handling which I think most people enjoyed. Pretty much everything he says in interview covers what JL claimed we wanted - so it’s reassuring that it aligns.. I think.

It’s reassuring to see the board appointing someone who fits their remit, and Oxford fans are very annoyed which is a good sign. I had a feeling they’d be tempted by the novelty of appointing Lampard or someone like that and throw the baby out with the bathwater. Sacking Pearson was absurd but not Manning’s fault. However, if he doesn’t get results quickly there will be a lot of pressure.

Is there anyone who featured in the betting who you’d have preferred? Doesn’t matter whether a credible link or not - just theoretically

3pm today

I think that was Lee Johnson

By the way - this new phenomenon of suspiciously pro-BS propaganda accounts joining in the last week. That never happened before the move from Clik. Is there any way for the mods to identify common IP info or something? It’s very clear what’s going on. It would be a bit more believable if at least some of them had display pictures. Try harder Bristol Sport.

I am of the opinion that generally are passing on things in good faith. What was slightly jarring about the “Phantom” rumour was it did feel a little like he was enjoying drip feeding stuff and the attention that generated without revealing that much. You can get away with that if you’ve got a track record, otherwise it feels a bit ‘I know something you don’t know’.

Obviously it’s objective - thought that went without saying.

In an alternative history scenario whereby we hadn’t had a very divisive spell with Lee Johnson and the Holden disaster - it would be very intriguing to see how a Manning appointment would be received. I think, understandably, the recent history has created a bit of a hangover.

Aside from perhaps Lampard I don’t think any of the betting market is that ‘exciting’. It seems very unusual for a manager to take training and do media stuff if an appointment was as imminent as suggested..

Well, if it’s good enough for @BendSinister86 it’s good enough for me - who could it be!

I don't know enough about him really to have a strong opinion one way or the other. I can see the rationale behind this appointment, but they've really made it hard for him by sacking a popular manager in almost universally accepted unfair circumstances by the supporters. As others have said, it is in-line with what JL stated regarding new manager a few days ago - but does feel like yet another lurch towards a completely different direction after almost 3 years of a more typical autocratic football manager type in charge.. and it's a strange time of the season to do such an about face. If there was an understanding that Pearson was to leave at the end of his contract, you'd think the idea of Manning joining now with Pearson effectively taking on a DoF role for a few months would give a bit of continuity and seems logical.. but that impacts Tinnion's autonomy and then the obvious issues the board had with Pearson as a person. This appointment has to work for the Lansdowns, as otherwise I can see their position becoming completely untenable.

Still no context - that’s the issue. I don’t know enough about Manning to have much of a view one way or the other - but to simply look at a table position is misleading. And no, the club in question isn’t particularly relevant. A sacking is a sacking - all depends on the context.

Pearson was sacked from several jobs, but that doesn’t take into account any context. Do you know all the circumstances for Manning’s sacking at MKD?

I’d rather be in a situation where we have no idea than an inevitable trickle of news reports leading to Ali Durden confirmation that we are appointing Gary Monk 2 days before it happens. At least we have some suspense.

If they were that petty they’d have got rid before the weekend.

Good point - the thing that’s surprised me most about the idea of today an appointment being made is no firm rumours in the press. Usually, we’ve known at least 24 hours before. I think that’s been the case at least since Gary Johnson.

Is this a Robbored alt account? If you'd changed "jot" to "iota" I'd be convinced.