Silvio Dante

I said this two weeks ago on here and have long held the opinion. I haven’t seen anything to change it.

Probably true, QPR were horrifically managed. The ability for that squad was there under Beale and they were just shot confidence and tactic wise. It’s also true that Pearson probably did get as much out of the team as anyone was going to but in Liams own words he “doesn’t see it as a rebuild”. That has to mean tinkering with 1-2 in January to get a decent upswing as opposed to major surgery. I’m probably (definitely) more concerned than Harry as to what I see thus far. I’m seeing more shots but not major evidence of GKs being worked. Our goal today was great but very reminiscent of a Nige goal - break lines quickly, in behind at pace and square. I’d definitely acknowledge that the errors aren’t systemic but may be due to players not playing in a way they’re comfortable - and if they can’t get comfortable then it is a rebuild. As with anything in football, the truth is often a case of perspective. Over 5 games I haven’t seen a full game performance as yet, and have seen probably progressive deteriorated performance as games have gone on. My concern with Liam is the ability to change things - on a bizarre basis, we may have a stated progressive coach who is more rigid than most coaches as he is wedded to this way of playing. I’m just not convinced with these players it can work - and that is a rebuild which has no guarantee of success

It’s difficult to totally judge in view of very poor conditions, but it’s hard to argue it was a very good performance. It was fine in patches but very lethargic in others. Tanner getting caught wasn’t the only time we got done playing out (Max just before), and we remain a side who look more comfortable playing at pace as opposed to overly slow. Taking out the first minute of the second half, it’s again another poor half two after a relatively decent start in the first. The issues remain the issues five games in, and without the playing a Boro or a Soton. We need to play quicker to play to the teams strengths, and we desperately need a 90 minute performance.

One thing you have to say, he’s not going for the safe option. Assuming no injuries then dropping our best left back, playing Sykes out of position and benching TGH who is probably our most creative outlet of the two in midfield when you’re under pressure (and he is) is ballsy or foolhardy. John Lennon once said that he wasn’t sure he was a genius or a madman. This is giving off the same vibes.

We do, but there is sometimes cause for it. Sykes started on the left at Southampton and the rationale there I’d imagine is that it enabled us to have someone who’d work back and cover for Kals lack of pace. The “normal” left side of Bell or Mehmeti is pretty naive tactically and don’t work both ways so Sykes on the left made sense to avoid us being exposed (it’s in a lot of ways why Pring hasn’t been as effective this year - he’s managing that side solo). With Pring now back I agree Sykes should be right side but I don’t think the initial move was unjustified - it just shouldn’t have carried into the Norwich game.

I’m not sure the newly appointed manager of a championship club being interviewed on football focus is “really pushing it”. In fact, it’d be more of a surprise if the BBC didn’t do a small piece on it. Not sure there’s anything to criticise here.

Just to confirm what people have said, there are 29 divisions across age groups in the AYL. Average of 10-12 teams per division. The U12 is 9 a side then its 11 a side upwards. With 7 divisions of 9 a side and squad for each game (typically) 12 players then U12 alone it’s 840 kids each week! If you assume 14 players per squad after that then the higher age groups is over 3000 kids. HML is 5, 7 and 9 a side at various levels. 29 groups. The 5 and 7s are double fixtures so squads there are often c18-20 players, although less teams. Conservatively I’d guess around another 4000 kids per week. Its a lot of people and helps explain the empty seats vs Norwich - I had to move my fixture to the am and make a dash for that one.

I think if you go from January, suggesting 4/7 are failures feels a bit harsh. If we take the ones there is no argument over (Knight, TGH, Dickie) out of the equation then taking the other four: McCrorie - Way too soon to judge. Horrible unforeseen injury and we have no idea if good or not. At best you have to put him into the “not sure yet” bucket as he’s not played a game! Roberts - Free transfer and cover player. Very good games (Oxford) but also some poor. Chances limited and I think it’s “jury is out” until we see more Cornick - Don’t get me wrong, if we were signing him as our main striker I’d be saying it was a failure. But we didn’t, he isn’t, and it isn’t. He’s a low cost squad player who comes on the pitch at 70 minutes and occupies - well - a tired defence. For the job he’s asked to do I think he does it well and I’d be more inclined to put him in the success bucket Mehmeti - This is the one I do think is a failure. Hes had chances and cameos but always resembles a playground footballer - lots of skill but has no idea when to use it, what decision to make or how to aid the team. I get why some like him because he may get you off your feet - regrettably more often than not it’s to the exit as opposed to in excitement though. So I think it’s 4 successes (for varying reasons), 2 jury out and one failure. If that hit rate continues under Manning I’d suggest we’re doing well.

Yeah I’m out on this one. Youth team coached take precedent and there is a game that day. Imagine many in local football will be in the same boat - even with early k/o for kids game no chance to get there

Serious question - do you actually go to the ground. They were there from the time the Atyeo opened in 1993 until the redevelopment 20 years later….

No, we’re not doing that. What we’re doing, is quite logically and based on what we know of Liams character, is stating that it’s highly likely he would have done some due diligence. The genesis of this is that some posters have stated he would have no idea what he walked into here - and that’s patently not going to be correct. Doing due diligence means that he understands what’s been said and the expectations raised by the board and articulated to the fans - which is a position any manager would want to be in as a minimum. Ironically, the posters who suggest he wouldn’t have done due diligence are the ones who are actually criticising him, as it would make him an exception to practically every person who’s gone for another job ever!

Robbo - I’d just like to thank you for your logical posts above fully explaining, and sources given, as to why the away fans are in the Atyeo. It’s this level of due diligence that’s missing on the forum sometimes, and to know that Colin told you the fans were located in the Atyeo 25 years ago due to a police directive is useful info. Except for the sodding fact that they were in the east end at that time and until about 2013.

I agree with a lot of that; I think the bottom line though is slightly wrong. If he’s read the statements, gauged the fans view and got a holistic view (and we are told he has huge attention to detail) and then said to himself “You know what? I understand what happened and what’s been said and I think I can make this work with those factors understood as underpinning the expectations” - then that is in no way negligent and fair play for taking on the challenge. If he didn’t do any due diligence and took the job “sight unseen” then that is negligent (and out of character from what we know) Bottom Line. Read the response above

Few points: - It wasn’t just necessarily what the fans thought of Pearsons sacking, it was the message that the board gave to the fans and how that would colour expectations moving forward. Ultimately his most visible workplace is in the stadium each week and if he’s not delivering on what has been publicly stated as expected that would be toxic quickly. Any manager or head coach would as a minimum have read the public statements and if he didn’t he’s negligent - I think as this forum shows, and as the booing/general atmosphere shows, it isn’t just a minority of fans who are troubled by what’s been going on. There are scales of that troubled status - and they are largely driven by those above him - but there are, naturally, genuine questions over Liam. And to be clear, he would again have been smart enough to pre-empt those likely concerns and know the need to dispel those - through performance - as soon as possible - He’d better give a toss what the fans think. Although Jon and Brian may be in charge, you can be damn sure if the atmosphere gets toxic it won’t be them falling on their sword - it’ll be him going. Same as at any club, unpopular managers don’t last long because that unpopularity translates to lost revenue and ownership bruised ego. I repeat, it’s basic due diligence to when you move any job to do your homework. If he didn’t do that, he’s a fool. If he did and didn’t care what fans felt or understand the expectation he’s equally a fool. And if all he cares about is the money as your last line indicates, he’s less of a man than we hope he is.

Interestingly enough in his best ever season (MK Dons) he took over in August so had no pre season. Best form was in the second half of the season but it’s fair that to start with he took over a platform from Martin that played a similar game so could hit the ground running. When he then had a full pre season at Dons the following season he was sacked in December. So, he can do it with no pre season but the lesson for me there is it depends how much work is needed for the “transition” - with MK Dons to start with it was really pushing at an open door as a lot of the style was already in place. I expect it to be longer here.

I think what you have to remember is that he’s hugely process driven. You could put him into Man City or Harrogate Town and he’d follow the same pattern/journey, irrespective of what went before - so from his point of view, it is a transition phase from “what was before” to “what it will be”. I’m not narked about him talking about transition because I think that’s just poor use of language and comes from his character and really using stock answers in interviews. As above, he did say he didn’t see it as a “rebuild” which probably tells more as to the thinking. However, he did then also say (words to the effect of) you wouldn’t necessarily get a bounce quickly from him but he would yield results long term. The problem there is he couldn’t define what long term was, which if I tried in an appraisal I’d likely get a flea in my ear!

I think you’ve highlighted here something which, if true, i’m going to call the “Manning Paradox”. He is at the same time so obsessed with football that he spends every waking moment devouring information on it, yet at the same time is so unobsessed with football that he doesn’t do basic due diligence on fans expectations/feeling on a club when he is looking at a job. This place, Twitter etc aren’t hard to find and nor were Jon and Brian’s (eventual) public pronouncements. If he did have no idea, then I’d suggest he’s not as diligent about things as he’s made out to be.

I think the natural default is empathy because he didn’t create this scenario (ie the sacking of Pearson for ropey at best reasons) but against that he did walk in to this scenario. He was appointed over a week after Pearson was sacked. I’m more than willing to say that he had different conversations internally than were positioned externally, but he undoubtedly knew what he was walking into in terms of public expectation. On that basis, for want of a better term, I’d suggest he’s “fair game”. As with any job, he knows the expectation (set at a false bar by the ownership but the fans will judge on that), and not meeting that will naturally lead to dissatisfaction. I’m not minded to have sympathy for him. He knew the assignment. I’m still more angry at Lansdown and Tinnion but to absolve LM actually insults his intelligence

Here’s the longer presser with the media. To avoid being distracted by Liams unwillingness to embrace male pattern baldness, and to avoid the old ground, jump to 8:30 where the question is asked whether he sees it as a rebuild. https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/interviews/manning-looks-ahead-to-huddersfield/ Interestingly his answer is “no”, but then he says the way he works you don’t see a bounce straight away, but see results longer term. When pressed on the long term, he’s asked what that long term timeframe is and laughs and can’t say.

Clues are in the numbers by the signature. There is a 14 that will be Skuse, a 27 that will be Adomah. 29 in the season I think it is looks right for Patrick Hoban and 34 is Pittman. 5 Damion Stewart. That makes 10 Maynard and your top from the 2010-11 season.

I will take to my grave that if Joe hadn’t left for Hearts we’d have got promoted that season. No shadow of a doubt in my mind.

Agree. And I really don’t want to be paying through the nose for a loan unless it’s to get you over the line - for every Tammy Abraham there are ten Ryan Kent’s and with what you get charged it’s far from the low risk:high reward strategy you can get at league one and below. Too many loanees obviously also lands you in the “constant rebuild” phase of Joey Barton… You’re probably way ahead of me on this but it’d be interesting to see the players Liam brought in at MK Dons just to see the nature of player and whether they kicked on - we all know Twine is a big A+ but Darling was already there. Might be a weekend job! Edit - Just had a quick look and to correct myself he didn’t sign Twine who signed under Russell Martin. One loan brought in and that was it for the summer window.

Yeah the last one I can think of (and probably the only one I can think of) who had a better platform in my time was Jimmy Lumsden who took over post Joes first stint in 1990. Historically as a club we’ve not had managers leave to better things or be poached - the only one post Joe was Tony Pulis and he didn’t leave a good base for any number of reasons! What that says about us as a club I’m not sure, but it does seem careers go here to die managerially.

I’ll have a go at the second. It’s before my time but using logic did he do something like score the last goal in a game played on Christmas Day in the English or Scottish league (depending on where he was playing at the time - think Scotland?)