If City Beat Swansea Milly Gets The Job

[the frampton balti]

Any more for anymore ...............at some point w'el all have to make a decision! it will no longer be too soon.

i reckon 65pts would be a fantastic indication of whats to come if we can keep the squad hungry with a few additions.

a one year contract!!!

[Superjack]

Oh for god's sake... how many more times?... no! :disapointed2se:

[the frampton balti]

Oh for god's sake... how many more times?... no!

look this is getting on my tits now!

for why is milly so unpopular???? the fella hasnt put a foot wrong, hes shown great positivety in giving hendo and ribs a chance. The players seem to support him.

What i'm trying to establish here is what does mr millen have to do in the remaining games in order for us the fans to give him our full support as manager.

Are you saying that if we win all our remaining games you still wouldnt want him as manager if so then say that and we can assume that you believe the big name big money option is best for the club

There seems to be a contradiction here. If a striker was knocking in bagfuls of goals in the reserves say akinde or plummer, their promotion to the first team from within the club would surely be more popular than bringing in some expensive journeyman....................so whats the difference with a manager?

now ,I'm not saying millen is the man but i think steve L is right to give him the chance cheap option or not. who knows we may have discovered a gem in our ranks

for me its 65 pts

[!james]

there are positives and negatives, questions i would be asking are:

- most new managers would come in with backroom staff (i.e scouts, assistants, coaches etc) Millen doesnt have these and where would this leave us with a new scout for example as Pete Johnson is so unpopular!

- does he have the experience and the ability to attract top new players to the club?

[Nibor]

Irrespective of how the team does between now and the end of the season we'll likely have no idea of KM's:

- judgement in the transfer market

- contacts and network in the game

- negotiation skills for contracts etc

- handling of disciplinary type situations

- preferred tactical approach

That's why I'd prefer someone with a track record regardless.

[Modestant]

Why? Is it because he is not a big name such as Coppell Warnock Pulis etc...Surely if you have the best interests of the club at heart you would take the man that has proved that he can win matches, knows the players inside out, the club, chairman, supporters, and above all is HUNGRY for success, can you really say that of Coppell? Of course not...simple really, Millen will get the nod.

The fact is, SL came out and said that there had been some 'quality' personalities interested. That must mean quality managers, proven managers. It's not a case of 'big names' it is a case of not giving the job to someone who has NO managerial experience. There are the odd exceptions here and there who succeed after such an appointment, but Milly has been here under Tinnion and Johnson, and both managers left in rather awkward circumstances i.e. poor form, both lost the dressing room. WHY WHY WHY go for someone who is not proven and reputable when if there is interest from people who are?

[BrizzleRed]

look this is getting on my tits now!

for why is milly so unpopular???? the fella hasnt put a foot wrong, hes shown great positivety in giving hendo and ribs a chance. The players seem to support him.

What i'm trying to establish here is what does mr millen have to do in the remaining games in order for us the fans to give him our full support as manager.

Are you saying that if we win all our remaining games you still wouldnt want him as manager if so then say that and we can assume that you believe the big name big money option is best for the club

There seems to be a contradiction here. If a striker was knocking in bagfuls of goals in the reserves say akinde or plummer, their promotion to the first team from within the club would surely be more popular than bringing in some expensive journeyman....................so whats the difference with a manager?

now ,I'm not saying millen is the man but i think steve L is right to give him the chance cheap option or not. who knows we may have discovered a gem in our ranks

for me its 65 pts

Milly has done a fantastic job steadying the ship and all credit and thanks to him for doing that. What you have to bear in mind though is the players are also part of that and I doubt any of them want to drop down to League 1, so they have now started putting in a shift, which they clearly weren't doing for GJ in the end.

I get the impression that Milly is well liked and respected by the players and SL for that matter, but it takes more than that to become the sort of manager we need to be looking for. We don't know what he'd be like in the transfer market for a start and how tactically astute is he? Milly might be a great manager in the future, but imho we aren't in a situation where can be a training ground for an inexperienced manager. We need someone who has already been there and done it.

The sounds KM is making say to me that he knows there is a new manager lined up and he's leaving the door open to remain as number 2. He's obviously having questions fired at him by the media and having to basically stall them until the appointment is announced. Let's be honest, if even now he's unsure if he's going to apply, in the normal world wouldn't that indicate he's not keen on the job and would make him very unattractive to potential employers?

I think and hope KM is staying as number 2 to a new man and I'm keeping everything crossed it's Coppell!!!

Eternal thanks though to KM though for making sure the new man takes over at a CCC.

[Fiale]

Irrespective of how the team does between now and the end of the season we'll likely have no idea of KM's:

- judgement in the transfer market

- contacts and network in the game

- negotiation skills for contracts etc

- handling of disciplinary type situations

- preferred tactical approach

That's why I'd prefer someone with a track record regardless.

Well we will know his tactical approach by the end of the season. As for the rest, does it matter ? The club can handle contract negotiations, has contacts and can make transfer judgements - it does not have to fall onto the manager. There is a good case to be made that managers should be left out of the negotiations side, just give a wish list and see what we can find and want. If KM wins the remaining games or we finish just outside the playoffs then I would say that is a good indication of where we could be next season (especially considering so many of the teams we play are fighting for promotion or relegation at this stage of the season).

[the frampton balti]

there are positives and negatives, questions i would be asking are:

- most new managers would come in with backroom staff (i.e scouts, assistants, coaches etc) Millen doesnt have these and where would this leave us with a new scout for example as Pete Johnson is so unpopular!

- does he have the experience and the ability to attract top new players to the club?

I've not been over impressed with the scouting network.

Maybe the director of football model could work for us. I know that back in the ward days when fat benny came in it was accepted reluctantly by john ward followed by resignation.

But perhaps millen would be a willing participant.?

Anyways, we dont know what millys like in the transfer market, we didnt know what he would be like as caretaker!

And surely Bristol City is the main attraction for any potential signings. Not that the current squad isnt good enough for promotion!

[Roger Red Hat]

Any more for anymore ...............at some point w'el all have to make a decision! it will no longer be too soon.

i reckon 65pts would be a fantastic indication of whats to come if we can keep the squad hungry with a few additions.

a one year contract!!!

Really? SL hasn't phoned me about my opinion. What did you say when he asked you yours? Obviously the reason its taking a while to decide the manager is because SL is having to contact us all, and some might be away or they've run out of credit on their pay as you go..............its gonna take bl00dy ages........

[the frampton balti]

Really? SL hasn't phoned me about my opinion. What did you say when he asked you yours? Obviously the reason its taking a while to decide the manager is because SL is having to contact us all, and some might be away or they've run out of credit on their pay as you go..............its gonna take bl00dy ages........

Maybe not quite so long rog.............I was chatting with steve last night and we decided not to bother asking you, everybody else seemed to agree as well!

But lets face it ,popular opinion had a massive influence in the ousting of our beloved gj.

I take your point but am more interested in your take on the topic.

[Roger Red Hat]

Maybe not quite so long rog.............I was chatting with steve last night and we decided not to bother asking you, everybody else seemed to agree as well!

But lets face it ,popular opinion had a massive influence in the ousting of our beloved gj.

I take your point but am more interested in your take on the topic.

My take is that KM is doing a good job and if he's appointed I'll back him for as long as he does a good job. However, i'm not sure he is the right one to move us forward, and judging by his comments, he's not sure either. My preference would be to try to get a proven/experienced guy who's motivated to do a good job for BCFC. Who that is I don't know. If I had to say a name it would be Mclaren, but i dont realistically think he'd be interested! Hopefully, SL wont get round to phoning me.

[Nibor]

Well we will know his tactical approach by the end of the season.

Not really, he has few choices given the squad "balance".

As for the rest, does it matter ? The club can handle contract negotiations, has contacts and can make transfer judgements - it does not have to fall onto the manager. There is a good case to be made that managers should be left out of the negotiations side, just give a wish list and see what we can find and want.

I don't agree with that at all, managers need to choose the players, contacts the manager has are massively important in getting players in, and they should be involved in contracts because they have to maintain harmony.

If KM wins the remaining games or we finish just outside the playoffs then I would say that is a good indication of where we could be next season (especially considering so many of the teams we play are fighting for promotion or relegation at this stage of the season).

I don't think the tail end of this season where we have nothing to play for bears much relation to a new campaign.

Bottom line for me is that if someone with KM's CV and experience applied externally we wouldn't be chuffed and I don't see him already being here as a significant advantage.

[CliftonCliff]

The managerial situation is clearly the single most important issue facing the club (and therefore the most topic being debated here right now) and the argument for appointing Millen (or not, as the case may be) keeps resurfacing, so although I haven't posted on the forum for some weeks and am a bit out of touch with the various threads, I thought I might as well stick my oar in. Sorry if somebody else has already made the point I'm about to make - which they may well have, since it seems a pretty obvious one to me.

Main argument for giving Milly the job? He's done well so far. Data on which this position is based? Five results. Mmmh.

Reasons for this short term success? Well, I have absolutely nothing against the man and have no wish to be unfair to him, so am happy to concede that he's handled the situation very well - and I'm very glad of that because we were in a hole and digging ourselves in deeper with every game. I don't like to think where we might be now if SL, with his customary sound judgement, hadn't decided enough was enough.

However, I think you have to ask yourself what lies behind the way the players have responded. Some of the credit may be given to Milly and fair play to him for that, but I'm pretty sure that Johnson's departure will have produced a huge sense of relief among many of the players. It seems almost beyond dispute that the relationship between the former manager and a significant proportion of the squad had irretrievably broken down. (The evidence for this has been written about exhaustively here and I won't repeat all that again now).

In the first couple of games I saw after GJ left, the team looked like men who had just been let out of jail and were experiencing an exhilarating sense of liberation. Given the circumstances, this was a predictable response and one we might have seen regardless of whoever was in temporary charge. For example, had Milly gone with GJ and Walshy taken over for a few games, it might well have been much the same. As a specific illustration of what I'm talking about, take the performance of Hartley in the 5-3 win over Barnsley. For me, this was without doubt by far the best individual display by a City midfield player this season and Hartley's best game for the club. It was my distinct impression that he wasn't simply playing in a football match that night - he was making an emphatic and very public statement. He wouldn't have needed motivating; his evident anger at Johnson and his sense of vindication over GJ's departure would have done that.

There is therefore a fundemental difficulty in the case for Millen and it lies in the distorting effects of the events preceding his temporary appointment. The argument in his favour rests on the fact that the team has responded well under his leadership for a very small number of games, under very particular conditions, with the implicit assumption that we can infer from this what his longer-term performance in the job is likely to be. I'm sorry, but I don't think so, which is why you will find me among those who favour giving the job to someone who knows what it's all about from long experience at this level - or higher. I hope he stays as no.2: he deserves that. But he has no managerial experience and in my book that should rule him out on this occasion: the club is at a stage in it's development where it needs - and deserves - a man of the calibre of Coppell, or someone similar.

[Alex_BCFC]

Not that the current squad isnt good enough for promotion!

It isn't good enough.

I don't care whether Millen wins the last 4 games, I still wouldn't have him long term.

[Martyn Hocking]

The managerial situation is clearly the single most important issue facing the club (and therefore the most topic being debated here right now) and the argument for appointing Millen (or not, as the case may be) keeps resurfacing, so although I haven't posted on the forum for some weeks and am a bit out of touch with the various threads, I thought I might as well stick my oar in. Sorry if somebody else has already made the point I'm about to make - which they may well have, since it seems a pretty obvious one to me.

Main argument for giving Milly the job? He's done well so far. Data on which this position is based? Five results. Mmmh.

Reasons for this short term success? Well, I have absolutely nothing against the man and have no wish to be unfair to him, so am happy to concede that he's handled the situation very well - and I'm very glad of that because we were in a hole and digging ourselves in deeper with every game. I don't like to think where we might be now if SL, with his customary sound judgement, hadn't decided enough was enough.

However, I think you have to ask yourself what lies behind the way the players have responded. Some of the credit may be given to Milly and fair play to him for that, but I'm pretty sure that Johnson's departure will have produced a huge sense of relief among many of the players. It seems almost beyond dispute that the relationship between the former manager and a significant proportion of the squad had irretrievably broken down. (The evidence for this has been written about exhaustively here and I won't repeat all that again now).

In the first couple of games I saw after GJ left, the team looked like men who had just been let out of jail and were experiencing an exhilarating sense of liberation. Given the circumstances, this was a predictable response and one we might have seen regardless of whoever was in temporary charge. For example, had Milly gone with GJ and Walshy taken over for a few games, it might well have been much the same. As a specific illustration of what I'm talking about, take the performance of Hartley in the 5-3 win over Barnsley. For me, this was without doubt by far the best individual display by a City midfield player this season and Hartley's best game for the club. It was my distinct impression that he wasn't simply playing in a football match that night - he was making an emphatic and very public statement. He wouldn't have needed motivating; his evident anger at Johnson and his sense of vindication over GJ's departure would have done that.

There is therefore a fundemental difficulty in the case for Millen and it lies in the distorting effects of the events preceding his temporary appointment. The argument in his favour rests on the fact that the team has responded well under his leadership for a very small number of games, under very particular conditions, with the implicit assumption that we can infer from this what his longer-term performance in the job is likely to be. I'm sorry, but I don't think so, which is why you will find me among those who favour giving the job to someone who knows what it's all about from long experience at this level - or higher. I hope he stays as no.2: he deserves that. But he has no managerial experience and in my book that should rule him out on this occasion: the club is at a stage in it's development where it needs - and deserves - a man of the calibre of Coppell, or someone similar.

Spot on

[Superjack]

look this is getting on my tits now!

for why is milly so unpopular???? the fella hasnt put a foot wrong, hes shown great positivety in giving hendo and ribs a chance. The players seem to support him.

What i'm trying to establish here is what does mr millen have to do in the remaining games in order for us the fans to give him our full support as manager.

Are you saying that if we win all our remaining games you still wouldnt want him as manager if so then say that and we can assume that you believe the big name big money option is best for the club

There seems to be a contradiction here. If a striker was knocking in bagfuls of goals in the reserves say akinde or plummer, their promotion to the first team from within the club would surely be more popular than bringing in some expensive journeyman....................so whats the difference with a manager?

now ,I'm not saying millen is the man but i think steve L is right to give him the chance cheap option or not. who knows we may have discovered a gem in our ranks

for me its 65 pts

If you were to read various other posts of mine on other threads you would find that Millen is far from 'unpopular' with me. I have stated that I have nothing but admiration for the job he has done in difficult circumstances. However, that does not mean that I think he is the right man to take us forward.

As it seems important to you, I will indeed state that if under Millen we win all our remaining games I will still not want him as manager any more than I do now. That does not mean that should he get it he will not have my full support. Another thing that I have stated in the past on here is that the new manager will have my full backing irrespective of who that may be (Although I think I did say something along the lines of "with the possible exception of Holloway").

I'll tell you what's getting on my tits. The phrase 'big name'. I don't care if the likes of Coppell, Curbishley or Burley have 'big names'. What I do care about is that they have a proven track record of progressing clubs at the same stage of development as ours both on and off the pitch, something that Millen does not possess. The reason these candidates are so-called 'big names' is that they have been there and done it.

As I have said, if Millen gets the job I will be right behind him. I would just rather support a manager who I feel has the credentials to take us forward, so until the issue is decided it's a "no to Millen" from me.

That OK?

[the frampton balti]

If you were to read various other posts of mine on other threads you would find that Millen is far from 'unpopular' with me. I have stated that I have nothing but admiration for the job he has done in difficult circumstances. However, that does not mean that I think he is the right man to take us forward.

As it seems important to you, I will indeed state that if under Millen we win all our remaining games I will still not want him as manager any more than I do now. That does not mean that should he get it he will not have my full support. Another thing that I have stated in the past on here is that the new manager will have my full backing irrespective of who that may be (Although I think I did say something along the lines of "with the possible exception of Holloway").

I'll tell you what's getting on my tits. The phrase 'big name'. I don't care if the likes of Coppell, Curbishley or Burley have 'big names'. What I do care about is that they have a proven track record of progressing clubs at the same stage of development as ours both on and off the pitch, something that Millen does not possess. The reason these candidates are so-called 'big names' is that they have been there and done it.

As I have said, if Millen gets the job I will be right behind him. I would just rather support a manager who I feel has the credentials to take us forward, so until the issue is decided it's a "no to Millen" from me.

That OK?

I'd rather support a manager who is bristol city through and through!

Whether that brings us success is another matter.

Anyways what does that little yellow **** with a wasp mean!

[Superjack]

I'd rather support a manager who is bristol city through and through!

Whether that brings us success is another matter.

Anyways what does that little yellow **** with a wasp mean!

Tinnion was Bristol City through and through.

[City fan 1982]

whats with the millen love in? the players upped their game when nasty gary left, im sure any manager would have got the same results, the current players realising they may be surplus are coming out in the paper saying milly is great, love if it if he gets the job etc only because imho half the current squad need to be shifted if milly gets the job the cosy club would continue.

a while back this board was questioning millys role withtin the club ,the warm ups were the same before every game.

a big ish name will only do for me , coppell,curbs, etc unproven rookie try in leagues 1 or 2 not the championship

if the club has serious ambitions with new ground on horizion we want to attract quality players who will come if we have a big name ,sell season tickets etc

millen screams cheap option and serious lack of ambition

[Martyn Hocking]

I'd rather support a manager who is bristol city through and through!

Whether that brings us success is another matter.

I'd rather have a successful manager with a great track record at this level who didn't give a stuff about Bristol City until the job became available.

George Burley's CV beats Keith Millen's about 6-0 if we are looking for a manager who genuinely knows how to take teams into the play-offs and beyond in the two year time window we have before moving to the new stadium.

The 'cheap option' thing is irrelevant - Steve isn't going to spend £40m of his own money on the new stadium project and then baulk at spending £1-2m to get the right manager in.

The key is to find the man with the right experience and the right level of desire to take us into the top six. If Coppell has the experience but not the desire, he's out. If Keith has the desire but not the experience he's out. If Burley (or whoever) has both, he's on a very short short-list.

[Superjack]

I'd rather have a successful manager with a great track record at this level who didn't give a stuff about Bristol City until the job became available.

George Burley's CV beats Keith Millen's about 6-0 if we are looking for a manager who genuinely knows how to take teams into the play-offs and beyond in the two year time window we have before moving to the new stadium.

The 'cheap option' thing is irrelevant - Steve isn't going to spend £40m of his own money on the new stadium project and then baulk at spending £1-2m to get the right manager in.

The key is to find the man with the right experience and the right level of desire to take us into the top six. If Coppell has the experience but not the desire, he's out. If Keith has the desire but not the experience he's out. If Burley (or whoever) has both, he's on a very short short-list.

Agreed. We don't know if Coppell has the desire, we do know Millen doesn't have the experience.

[the frampton balti]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH>>>>>CHILLIBHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAJI>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...leg a lambaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

[Chappers]

Personally, I would prefer thatv somebody within the Club, who knows the abilities of all of the candidates, and actually knows what Millen is likely to be able to achieve, makes a sound decision based on what we can realistically afford, and what is likely to move us forward. I know Jack about Millens abilities, like every other poster on here. I know Jack about Burley other than he did OK at Ipswich, but was awful at derby. Coppell is impressive, but might be expensive and lack commitment (If he was available, surely a bigger Club would have atracted him?). Curbishley did well at Charlton, hated at WHU. O'Driscoll has an outstanding CV and has proved he can succeed at this level, but what is he like spending money? Tisdale has done really well at smaller Clubs, and could be an outstanding choice if he can make the step up.

Just look at the successful manager in the Championship, and the under-achievers, absolutely no pattern whatsoever about what type of appointment has worked/ failed, it is just right man for the Club at the right time.

[Tins]

Why? Is it because he is not a big name such as Coppell Warnock Pulis etc...Surely if you have the best interests of the club at heart you would take the man that has proved that he can win matches, knows the players inside out, the club, chairman, supporters, and above all is HUNGRY for success, can you really say that of Coppell? Of course not...simple really, Millen will get the nod.

Well does he really want the job that much? He hasnt said he wants it and do we really want someone that indecisive.

People say well done for playing the likes of Riberio and Henderson but for ages people has been saying how good ribs is, and Henderson is only being played due to an injury.

At the moment its a bit of a honeymoon period fr him and yes he has done well, but when it gets a bit tougher will he be ready? Thats a chance i wouldnt like to take.

If you look at signings made surely Milllen had a word about who should sign or not sign and still some rubbish has come into our club over the last few years.

All in all i dont believe he has the expirience to push us on to the next level