The Not Happy With Keith Millen Thread

[CotswoldRed]

Millen will show far more commitment than that miserable, dishonourable sh1t, Coppell.

He's proven himself to be quite capable by keeping us up.

I can't think of anyone I'd prefer at this time.

[pdgifford64]

millen is the cheap option, he got a few results when the players got rid of gj and there was a temporary feelgood factor,

3 years for a rookie boss ?? millen should have went when gj went , was he not the defensive coach of a team who conceeded 60 goals last season ???now he is the answer to our prayers ???

I`ll pick on your post, but ot be honest i could have replied to god knows how many.

I`m going to sit on the fence with this one, quite simply because the guy deserves the opportunity. Quite how you and countless others can`t even at least credit him with the performances at the end of last season is beyond me. He`s done nothing to warrant all this negativity, give the guy a chance. So many people were prepared to give Coppell a whole season to sort things out and now he`s walked people are writing KM off immediately. He`s been a loyal servant to the club and deserves the chance, get off his back and support him and the club, who knows he might just know more about the game than you and all the other wannabe managers.

PDG

[BRISTOL XTC]

The same was said about Tinnion Im afraid.

[Nibor]

The same was said about Tinnion Im afraid.

That he had 11 years coaching experience, 6 years as an assistant and a top UEFA qualification?

Comparing the two is rather simple minded.

[Chappers]

just hope our season does not go further downhill.

It's not got much further to go!

Simple fact is that 21st will be a satisfactory achievement, talk of a promotion challenge is delusional.

[simonwheeler]

BOTTOM LINE.

Whether we agree, disagree or abstain, Millie has been given the job with a 3 year mandate. All the belly aching by all of us is not going to change the situation? However much we would like to entice the "Chosen one" away from the Bernabeau or Sir Alex away from Old Trafford it just is not going to happen, so I advise all TRUE supporters of BCFC

LETS GET BEHIND MILLIE AND WALSHY AND THE BOYS

Really its our only choice and at the end of the day we KNOW it makes sense.

[sumcharred]

ffs it pi##es me off all these so called all these arm chair managers moaning about kieth millen being the job full time we wanted a big name in we got one and he shit on us christ wake you lot will you if we go on a good run you will all start kissing his ass so ffs lets just give kieth and the boys 100% backing for a change

[red man dan]

Lets take this for what it is and thats a decision that was made after Coppell left us in a massive hole. I will reserve judgement on his part for the time being as I/we do not know the full story. He may have other motives, fair ones, sinister ones, or indeed ones some where in between that he should have considered before taking the job. Anyway, we were not in a great position and a decision HAD to be made.

People have mentioned it was the cheap option, similar in terms to that of the Tinman appointment. I disagree with that, in the important area's, those being that Tinman went straight from being a player to taking management of a football club, and a team that included many of his former team mates which in itself causes a number of 'respect' problems. Millen in contrast has far more experience than Tinnion. He has been an assistant manager for a very long time and has been a coach alongside a very successful manager for a number of years. He has experienced high points and low points and as a member of management dealt with both. He will have far more 'wisdom' in this respect than Tinnion did. The players see him as 'management' already, the jump from that to full manager is far smaller than the jump Tinnion made with regards to how the players now need to see him. Also he HAS had full responsibility of THIS team before and did VERY well. Yes it is a different context now, but he must take some credit for his handling of affairs at that point.

The above said, it clearly is NOT ideal, in my personal opinion there would have been some top managers in position to take over prior to the Coppell appointment, but of them how many of them were now a possibility? Who really wants to come in at this stage of the season after pre-season? and who having been snubbed for coppell would have wanted to be second choice? Millen has also seen the lads throughout pre-season, may well be involved with ongoing player inquiries and in many ways was the best choice.......short term....or at most, to be given an extended opportunity.

Why a three year contract? I can't see that Millen would have said no to a 1 year, lets see how things go contract, with the option of either staying as assistant if things didn't go to plan or if they did being given a further two years. The whole 3 years just doesn't seem necessary and is a bit of a gamble. He may well make a fantastic manager, but he may not. I would imagine the facts would point to most managers taking over in his position being less successfull than those taking over as fully experienced managers.

But this is what has happened, lets make the most of it, give him our support and hope for the best.

[Chivs]

That he had 11 years coaching experience, 6 years as an assistant and a top UEFA qualification?

Comparing the two is rather simple minded.

Millen has 11 years coaching experience at a second rate club...

6 years as assistant to various managers who ultimately failed at a second rate club...

A UEFA qualification - this keeps getting rolled out. As every top business person will tell you it is not the qualifications you have but the potential. Millen, as his CV shows, has the potential to be an average coach at a second rate club. Does this top UEFA qualification not teach about defending? 7-1 Swansea. Or defending? 6-0 Cardiff. Or defending? 5-2 Doncaster....

I have spent years watching average players come to this club and leave as average players. I've spent years seeing a mere handful of academy players go on to anything better. What was Millen doing with his qualifications?

Many seem to think that the results at the end of last season show Millen's capabilities. This is a naive view of management. Frankly, a mute donkey would have got an improvement from the players after Johnson went. It was all about psychology and very little about tactics.

Simple minded as you say.

Having said all that, I do have a lot of sympathy for Lansdown. He concluded at the end of last season that Millen is not the right person to lead this club. Then, due to awful circumstances that could not have been anticipated, he is left with virtually no other option than to promote Millen.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong but I happen to agree with Lansdown's first decision that Millen is not the right person to lead us to the Premiershit.

[Redbarn]

Which is why he has "retired from football management".

Lighten up - Coppell has left us because he doesnt want to be a manager of any football club.

Lansdown has been fantastic for our club, lets not start calling him desperate for making from what i can see is a fairly straight forward decision to make Keith manager.

Up the reds.

Spot on, the situation is, as it is, there is absolutely no point at all in all this negative, demotivating mud stirring. Too many forum posters seem to have forgotten how Keith Millen (& a motivated team) halted the unthinkable slide back into Div.1

So, as they say now, "Wake Up & Smell The Coffee"!!!....then support Bristol City, let's bring back that feeling of positive expectations.

[Chappers]

I feel sorry for Millen, he has a squad built by other managers, a very poor & unbalanced squad at that, he had no chance to rebuild how he wanted in the summer, we have a serious injury crisis, probably not a great deal of scope for bringing in new faces, a bit of a mess because the previous manager did not have his heart in the job, fans on his back already, and some demanding a promotion challenge, despite all the evidence suggesting that a relegation struggle is more likely. And if he fails to run away with the League, it will be all his fault!

Get real, he has a very tough job on his hands this season, look at 21st place as the target, back him, and then look for progress next season.

[BRISTOL XTC]

[ I'm sorry but if we are just aiming for 21st place then I see his appointment as very negative

[Nibor]

Millen has 11 years coaching experience at a second rate club...

6 years as assistant to various managers who ultimately failed at a second rate club...

A UEFA qualification - this keeps getting rolled out. As every top business person will tell you it is not the qualifications you have but the potential. Millen, as his CV shows, has the potential to be an average coach at a second rate club. Does this top UEFA qualification not teach about defending? 7-1 Swansea. Or defending? 6-0 Cardiff. Or defending? 5-2 Doncaster....

I have spent years watching average players come to this club and leave as average players. I've spent years seeing a mere handful of academy players go on to anything better. What was Millen doing with his qualifications?

I'm not sure what your argument is here really - it seems to be that Millen can't be any good because he's at BCFC. That would seem non-sensical and would imply that only a manager at a better club would be good for us, which sort of makes it hard to get them in.

I'd point out that many great managers have been staff at "second rate clubs" so it doesn't really add up as an argument. Alex Ferguson was once sacked by St Mirren.

The point I was making is that the comparison between Millen and Tinnion is utterly meaningless. Millen's success or failure will be down to him and him alone really.

Many seem to think that the results at the end of last season show Millen's capabilities. This is a naive view of management. Frankly, a mute donkey would have got an improvement from the players after Johnson went. It was all about psychology and very little about tactics.

I would totally agree. It's not what my view is based on. I'd also point out that those results you highlight above were 100% psychology not tactics too.

Having said all that, I do have a lot of sympathy for Lansdown. He concluded at the end of last season that Millen is not the right person to lead this club. Then, due to awful circumstances that could not have been anticipated, he is left with virtually no other option than to promote Millen.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong but I happen to agree with Lansdown's first decision that Millen is not the right person to lead us to the Premiershit.

There are many factors that go into picking a manager, not least the mood of the club and fans at the time. Millen wouldn't have got fans backing in the situation last season - now he will because everybody realises what a position we've been put in. It's an opportunity for him and it's as good an opportunity as any first time manager is likely to get,

[City fan 1982]

i think we conceeded 60 goals last term, many in the closing stages of a game , it appears after today another late goal we are a incapable of defending b have not learnt from a whole league campaign last year and 4 goals in 2 games thus far ,

and millen is a former defender and on the coaching staff.?

[BCFC Jordan]

i think we conceeded 60 goals last term, many in the closing stages of a game , it appears after today another late goal we are a incapable of defending b have not learnt from a whole league campaign last year and 4 goals in 2 games thus far ,

and millen is a former defender and on the coaching staff.?

A penalty gave away by a silly individual mistake. Stop moaning ffs it was a good result.

[Chappers]

[ I'm sorry but if we are just aiming for 21st place then I see his appointment as very negative

Realistic based on the poor quality squad and injuries.

[Mr Popodopolous]

i think we conceeded 60 goals last term, many in the closing stages of a game , it appears after today another late goal we are a incapable of defending b have not learnt from a whole league campaign last year and 4 goals in 2 games thus far ,

and millen is a former defender and on the coaching staff.?

Given that it has been going on for 1 and a half years now, under 3 different managers (seemed to start from about March 2009)- and indeed in Coppell's final game in charge- maybe it is ultimately the players to blame.

[Tales From The Front]

Lets be honest here what alternative was there (in any case Millen deserves a crack at it). So City advertise agin go through the process of interviewing and negotiating with prospective applicants, by which time the transfer window closes. The new manager eventually is appointed with little ability to manover in new faces or move out old ones. Perhaps as many as 6-8 games have past, who knows what results would have been achieved.....in all likelyhood the club would be in up-hill battle.

The appointment of Millen was realisticaly the only and most sensiable decision to make, the important aspect now is that a quality assistant is appointed to give him and the team every chance. We really do need to close ranks behind the guy and at least give him a chance. I have posted previously that I was very seceptiacle when he took the reigns last season, but he proved that, he could, in difficult circumstances get results...and he has again today, it what can only de discribed as a farce of a week.

Keith Millen deserves this opportunity and at least let him prove that he is worthy of it, don't get on his case before he has had a chance and had opportinity to show his doubters wrong (as he did with me last season). In themain to a fan we gave Coppell a chance without really knowing the man, it surely cant be to much to ask that we give a guy that has played and coached at the club for 11 years a bit of loyalty.

[Chivs]

I'm not sure what your argument is here really - it seems to be that Millen can't be any good because he's at BCFC. That would seem non-sensical and would imply that only a manager at a better club would be good for us, which sort of makes it hard to get them in.

I'd point out that many great managers have been staff at "second rate clubs" so it doesn't really add up as an argument. Alex Ferguson was once sacked by St Mirren.

The point I was making is that the comparison between Millen and Tinnion is utterly meaningless. Millen's success or failure will be down to him and him alone really.

I would totally agree. It's not what my view is based on. I'd also point out that those results you highlight above were 100% psychology not tactics too.

There are many factors that go into picking a manager, not least the mood of the club and fans at the time. Millen wouldn't have got fans backing in the situation last season - now he will because everybody realises what a position we've been put in. It's an opportunity for him and it's as good an opportunity as any first time manager is likely to get,

My point is that you called someone simple minded for comparing Tinnion and Millen (patently in response to the "loyal servant" comment).

I'm calling you simple minded for suggesting that Millen's qualifications and time-serving achievements mean anything. I'm interested in Millen's results; and they are that he has been an average coach at a second rate club for many years.

[BRISTOL XTC]

The alternative was to confirm Millen as caretaker Manager. Sure he is the best man for the job for the next couple of weeks but long term he is not the answer. Yes loyal servant/ coaching badges / former player (defender ) good run as caretaker at the tail end of a season but successful managers have that extra element which I dont think he has. Much talked about but this being very similar to the Tinnion situation.

We cant legislate for what that little sh1t SC did to us but if we are to be ambitious (and I mean higher expectations of finishing higher than 21st this year)then we need to go and get someone with the knowledge of how to do it, not hope that a rooky manager who has been a No 2 to 3 managers is going to do it.

Talk of needing an experienced assistant to help him out just amplifies my point.

By appointing Millen as Manager he will loose face when the next manager comes along and will go. If he had been appointed as caretaker he could have carried on as no 2 if wanted . Not sure what Millen has brought to the party defensivly over the past 6 years though.

Cue more bashing from happy clappers but my blood boils with unabitious desisions just as it did with the appointment of Tinnion, Osmond and Pullis.

SL's appointment of Coppell at the time showed ambition but this has turned the clock back

Hopefully Lansdown has got feelers out already for Coppells perminant replacement.

[fatman]

The alternative was to confirm Millen as caretaker Manager. Sure he is the best man for the job for the next couple of weeks but long term he is not the answer. Yes loyal servant/ coaching badges / former player (defender ) good run as caretaker at the tail end of a season but successful managers have that extra element which I dont think he has. Much talked about but this being very similar to the Tinnion situation.

We cant legislate for what that little sh1t SC did to us but if we are to be ambitious (and I mean higher expectations of finishing higher than 21st this year)then we need to go and get someone with the knowledge of how to do it, not hope that a rooky manager who has been a No 2 to 3 managers is going to do it.

Talk of needing an experienced assistant to help him out just amplifies my point.

By appointing Millen as Manager he will loose face when the next manager comes along and will go. If he had been appointed as caretaker he could have carried on as no 2 if wanted . Not sure what Millen has brought to the party defensivly over the past 6 years though.

Cue more bashing from happy clappers but my blood boils with unabitious desisions just as it did with the appointment of Tinnion, Osmond and Pullis.

SL's appointment of Coppell at the time showed ambition but this has turned the clock back

Hopefully Lansdown has got feelers out already for Coppells perminant replacement.

Come on you lot. he has lost 1 game in 11 as a manager. Already better than coppell. Give the fella chance.

[surreyred]

Here we go again, the great malaise of our time, anyone as long as they are famous. Doesn't matter if there good or bad, just as long as they are famous. Even if they are only famous for being famous.

Just in case anyone missed it we just did the proven, famous manager bit, worked out well you think !

Keith has done his time and learnt trade. It's now time to see if he can cut it as his own man. No guarentees, we will have to wait and see. In the same way there would have been no guarentees gettting in another 'name' manager, if in doubt ask the fans at Middlesborough and Ipswich amongst others.

A point that seems lost on some is that Coppell dropped very stong hints when he joined that KM would have got the job then, if he had not accepted it. Also the very little that he has said since he went indicated that he thought KM more than capable of being manager.

KM has been dropped in it big style, he's got to sort out one hell of a lot of problems. But at least he has stepped foward as the man to try and sort them out, rather than hide and let the gr@p fall on someone elses shoulders, and for that alone he should have our support, rather than questioning his ability !

[screech]

Millen is a solid choice, deserves his chance at the job, if he gets us near to the top 10 at the end of the season I think it would fully justify Lansdowns choice. Success for me this season was in the top 10, we shall see what Keith and his assistant can do once he's on a level playing field. Good start today from him, a great point earned after the crap he had to deal with this week.

Can't believe some of the comments I'm reading, he deserves his chance at managing the club.

[Redtucks]

Sure he is the best man for the job for the next couple of weeks but long term he is not the answer.

And your experience as chairman of a football club (and managerial appointments) is what?

Much talked about but this being very similar to the Tinnion situation.

Absolute rubbish. It's not in the slightest bit similar.

Tinnion had been an assistant for how long and to whom?

Tinnion went straight from player to manager, Millen has not been a player for been seven years.

When was Tinnion a caretaker manager?

Millen has been twice (with a pretty good record last time).

[Redtucks]

[ I'm sorry but if we are just aiming for 21st place then I see his appointment as very negative

So what positive appointment would you make, oh wise one?

Another big name who guarantees nothing, but costs a fortune?

Or someone else who drops us in the sh1t?

[Economou]

I feel sorry for Millen, he has a squad built by other managers, a very poor & unbalanced squad at that, he had no chance to rebuild how he wanted in the summer, we have a serious injury crisis, probably not a great deal of scope for bringing in new faces, a bit of a mess because the previous manager did not have his heart in the job, fans on his back already, and some demanding a promotion challenge, despite all the evidence suggesting that a relegation struggle is more likely. And if he fails to run away with the League, it will be all his fault!

Get real, he has a very tough job on his hands this season, look at 21st place as the target, back him, and then look for progress next season.

I see a squad with plenty of championship quality players plus a sprinkling of Prem experience not sure how you can say it's poor.