Success

[Chappers]

I think Millen is on a bit of a hiding to nothing. There was a lot of blind optimism at the start of the season with excessive expectations, and some still refuse to see the problems and think we can still challenge for promotion. Reality is that Millen will do well to get us near mid-table, but the blind optimists will see that as failure. We were poorly prepared, had a lot of injuries, the squad is too big and unbalanced and Millen has not had the chance to build his team. I suspect that realists will be looking at getting through this season as best as possible, and then re-shaping the squad in the summer.

[Donald]

Unfortunately the circumstances aren't different in a million ways - a few ways, but not a million.

The common denominator is a big name manager (Wilson/Coppell) letting down/falling out with Steve L and him reacting by saying 'sod this, I don't need big names, I reckon I can find someone on the current staff who's just as good'.

Millen has more experience coaching than Tinnion but as a manager he has precisely 12 games more experience than Brian had when he took over.

Nobody wants Millen to fail but compare his experience with the managers he is trying to get the better of this season and you'll see why people are worried - does Keith really know enough to outwit the likes of Warnock, Burley, Dave Jones, Billy Davies, Nigel Pearson, Roy Keane, Paul Grayson, Kenny Jackett etc? It's a very tall order.

It doesn't make you a negative fan or a moaner to point this out. Coppell was presented to us as 'the missing piece in the jigsaw' - the man who knew how to get teams promoted to the Prem. To say that once he had left the next best option was a manager who had only managed at this level for a couple of months is an insult to the intelligence I'm afraid. The next best option was quite clearly to find another manager like the ones listed above, who had a track record of winning promotion with other clubs. That was the approach we used when hiring GJ and it brought success.

You obviously didn't listen to lansdown when he appointed coppell then, coppell was the only person for the job he felt was better than millen.

Millen's experience with coaching is the KEY difference, he's been coaching since he was 27 and has gradually learned more and more and had a long spell as am number 2, learning what to and what to do, he also has appointed a very good number 2. Which will help him and the club massively, unlike tinnion who went from player to manager overnight with minimal coaching knowledge and a then rookie number 2.

As for millen outwitting order manager including the ones mentioned? Just look at last seasons top 2 teams manager, both rookie managers and Newcastle and west broom

Hughton and di Matteo, both new to the job and albeit with good squad but they did their jobs and got temas points despite their lack of management experience.

Also the approach you mentioned may gave worked with Gary, but doesn't always example being Wilson who failed despite his previous successes.

Some just want a big name. Many clubs have proved you don't need it as long as you the right people around you. Just look at Barca. Sacked rijkaard and Pep Guardiola, no experience of 1st team management but rebuilt a team on it's knees and turned it's team into world beaters. Now we are on a total different level obviously, but experience and being a big name means nothing.

[megansdad]

Yes - and kind of ironic that we have a thread complaining about the negativity - not likely to make things more harmonious?

sad i would agree but the those with such a negative outlook will undermine, especially when they give the new team and players precisely no time at all to get settled, and make a mountian out of a molehill such on the Akinde loan

[megansdad]

Look some fans myself included think that KM appointment was a knee jerk reaction.

I think and I have said in the past that the apointment of KM will be a disaster.

he's been appointed and that's that my point is that being so readily prepared to express your opinion helps no one and is more likely to contribute to failure than it is to success.

[megansdad]

You have a point, however, KM deserves a chance to get our season started. He`s earnt it on the back of last seasons performance. We still havn`t seen City`s strongest starting line up. I think what the OP and many of us would like, is for all those that are happy to keep sniping at KM, SL and the club in general, to just STFU and try supporting the club, in the true sense of the word............ for a change.

PDG

You are not wrong sir!

[megansdad]

Unfortunately the circumstances aren't different in a million ways - a few ways, but not a million.

The common denominator is a big name manager (Wilson/Coppell) letting down/falling out with Steve L and him reacting by saying 'sod this, I don't need big names, I reckon I can find someone on the current staff who's just as good'.

Millen has more experience coaching than Tinnion but as a manager he has precisely 12 games more experience than Brian had when he took over.

Nobody wants Millen to fail but compare his experience with the managers he is trying to get the better of this season and you'll see why people are worried - does Keith really know enough to outwit the likes of Warnock, Burley, Dave Jones, Billy Davies, Nigel Pearson, Roy Keane, Paul Grayson, Kenny Jackett etc? It's a very tall order.

It doesn't make you a negative fan or a moaner to point this out. Coppell was presented to us as 'the missing piece in the jigsaw' - the man who knew how to get teams promoted to the Prem. To say that once he had left the next best option was a manager who had only managed at this level for a couple of months is an insult to the intelligence I'm afraid. The next best option was quite clearly to find another manager like the ones listed above, who had a track record of winning promotion with other clubs. That was the approach we used when hiring GJ and it brought success.

i think frankly it does - what other way can it be construed to point out the weaknesses in our manager, and to call the decisions of our Chairman an insult to the intelligence. How can you judeg the next best option - did you see the list of candidates last time round, interview them or indeed do you have a close personal working relationship with km - i thought not!

[EIEIEIO]

I've read all of this thread with interest... and can see everyone's point of view. I then asked myself the question the original thread posed: 'Do I want success for my beloved team?'

Actually, I think the question is probably best asked of the players. You see, I think they probably don't. I wonder if they're onto a cushy number? They play football for a living - which most of them probably fee most privileged to do. And, at BCFC, they get very well paid for it and well looked after in both their work and private lives.

When I leave the Dolman after a(nother) poor team performance, I walk past over half-a-million pound' worth of players' cars, listening to my teenage son point out the very latest in £50+K Range Rover Sports and souped-up Beamers, fully aware that the majority of the players I've just watched put together a pitiful showing on the field are paid in excess of £5,000 per week. Some, as we're lead to believe, are on over £10,000/week.

Then I think of what I've paid out for the two of us to support the team we're both proud to associate ourselves with... and the cost of the next away day. I want to be positive. I want to be an enthusiastic supporter, getting behind the lads when their backs are to the wall. I really do. But then I start to question their motivation and wonder if they want to play for my club with the sort of commitment 10,000 supporters give them week in, week out, vocally and financially.

You see, the long and short of it is that while I will always remain positive, a keen supporter of my lifelong team, I have this niggling feeling in the back of my head: Do all of these so-called Championship players really want the same success that we want? After all, they're doing pretty well where they are, regardless of whether they perform or not! They probably think they've got enough success and aren't looking for anything more. Why should they? Life's good for them...

As one of the earlier posters pointed out, things were rosier when we were a third division side. I don't think it's any coincidence that League One sides are made up, in the main, of fewer highly-paid 'names'... and those picked to wear the team's colours, have had to work hard to earn it (and will have to in order to keep it). And, funnily enough, they probably do want success!

So do I want success? I think I do... but, by the same token, I won't be disappointed if, next season, we're playing in League One with fewer highly-paid 'prima donna' players, either. (Sorry.)

Good luck, Keith. I know you want success for our club. May you get a playing base who share your ambitions.

[Martyn Hocking]

i think frankly it does - what other way can it be construed to point out the weaknesses in our manager, and to call the decisions of our Chairman an insult to the intelligence. How can you judeg the next best option - did you see the list of candidates last time round, interview them or indeed do you have a close personal working relationship with km - i thought not!

And were you there when I interviewed Steve L for 442 magazine just after Tinnion was appointed and he told me that BT was as good a candidate as anything he could have found externally? No - I thought not!

George Burley was available when we interviewed Coppell and was clearly a stronger candidate than Millen, so KM should at best have been a third choice option.

[megansdad]

And were you there when I interviewed Steve L for 442 magazine just after Tinnion was appointed and he told me that BT was as good a candidate as anything he could have found externally? No - I thought not!

George Burley was available when we interviewed Coppell and was clearly a stronger candidate than Millen, so KM should at best have been a third choice option.

Quite right no I wasn't - George Burley was not available when coppell left so rather irrelelvant, while who knows what he had to say at interview -Millen could well have been the second choice of those interviewing for a host of reasons.

[Martyn Hocking]

Quite right no I wasn't - George Burley was not available when coppell left so rather irrelelvant, while who knows what he had to say at interview -Millen could well have been the second choice of those interviewing for a host of reasons.

Of course George Burley was available - he signed up to become Palace manager shortly after Coppell officially took over at City but was still actively looking for a job at Championship level when GJ left and was on record as saying he was interested in the City job. When you compare the CVs of the two men and look at our financial clout V Palace's lack of cash, any impartial observer would have to say Palace did a better bit of business on the manager front over the summer.

Burley wasn't interviewed for the City job because SL had already decided he wanted Coppell - he didn't interview anyone outside the club apart from Coppell.

[Martyn Hocking]

You obviously didn't listen to lansdown when he appointed coppell then, coppell was the only person for the job he felt was better than millen.

Just because Steve Lansdown says something, it doesn't mean he is right, and on this occasion our chairman was talking rubbish I'm afraid.

George Burley was available and was interested in the City job when GJ left. He has previously taken Southampton and Derby to the play-offs and took Ipswich up from this league to the Prem. In his first season in the Prem he was voted manager of the year after Ipswich finished 5th, qualifying for the UEFA Cup in the process. He also took Hearts to the top of the SPL before his chairman started to pick the team and he jumped ship.

Steve L chose not to even interview him because he had decided he wanted Coppell. He clearly completely misjudged Coppell's real level of interest in the role and picked the wrong man for the post.

Sadly, in the meantime Burley took the clearly inferior post at Palace (a club in administration) and by the time Coppell did a runner was no longer available.

If Steve Lansdown wants to argue now that Millen is a better bet to take City up to the Prem than Burley would have been then he is 100% wrong.

[bs3]

Martyn how can you accuse are Chairman of talking rubbish . He is an expert football person and knows a lot more about the game than you or me and his decision should be beyond reproach.

[Mclovin BS14]

I have always backed Millen 110% and will continue to do so. COYRRRR