Derek McInnes talks of his time at Bristol City

[SydneyCity]

A few minutes at the end of a Scottish football podcast.

Key points:

• He'd knocked back a couple of job offer in England when Bristol City contacted him. He was warned by a few people that we'd had three managers in four years and it may not be a good move.
• 2nd bottom when came in in October but felt there were enough games to stay up.
• Staying up, given the circumstances, is as proud an achievement as any he's had in football.
• Chris Wood was brilliant.
• In the summer he feels he should have been kicking and screaming about getting rid of more players.
• He presented to the board a number of lists of players that should be moved on but the board never acted
• He felt there were 14 that should have been moved on but it was hard as Bristol City was as good as it was ever going to get for those players and they were all well paid
• Four different managers signings in a dressing room made it difficult
• Board talked of FFP and said he needed to cut the playing budget in half - from $15m to just over $7m - by shifting senior players and bringing young ones in.
• Proud he gave Joe and Bobby their chances and brought Bolasie in from the reserves.
• Bolasie was sold but he thinks the board should have worked much harder to keep him.
• He loved his time at Bristol City.
• He loved the club and wanted to be the guy that got it going… but he put too much faith in the board.
• Was told: "If we go down with Derek McInnes, we come back with Derek McInnes… you help us sort out the financial mess and we'll come back up".
• Lost a home game to Leicester and was given the boot as the board felt they needed to try something new.
• Getting the boot was a shock - it shouldn't have been given the league position but it was given all the conversations he'd had with the club.
• He took the learnings to his next role at Aberdeen a couple of weeks later and he had eight very good years there… so everything happens for a reason.

 

 

[Harry]

Don’t ever forget, that a certain Mark Ashton was working with the club as a Recruitment Consultant during McInnes’ time here. 
No wonder Derek is critical of the recruitment structure. 

[One Team]

11 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Hmmm and that board, let's remind ourselves again who they were . 

Bit of Deja vu methinks, manager trying to sort another ones mess and having to deal with FFP , reducing the wage bill, and getting rid of over paid , quite average players. 

At least this time it looks like we are breaking the cycle, without getting relegated and getting set back on the right track. 

But the similarities are startling. 

Well said, I thought the same reading that. He’s calling out some of the same thinks Pearson has. 

[2015]

McInnes was left a bad hand from all the garbage that was left on long contracts who couldn't be shifted off the wage bill who were signed Gary Johnson and Millen. 

McInnes should have gone into sign Bikey in that Summer, but then I guess the board wanted to slash the wages in half

[Gazred]

21 minutes ago, SydneyCity said:

He felt there were 14 that should have been moved on but it was hard as Bristol City was as good as it was ever going to get for those players and they were all well paid

He certainly hit the nail on the head there.

[glynriley]

I wonder if SL listens to DMc and NP interviews, will he have a bit of Whitesnake running through his head…

Here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known

?

[SecretSam]

A familiar story. We were a bloody mess back then, I think people who criticise him and SOD forget what a state we were in. We're still getting over that mess. You'd think we'd learn...

[Robbored]

24 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Hmmm and that board, let's remind ourselves again who they were . 

Bit of Deja vu methinks, manager trying to sort another ones mess and having to deal with FFP , reducing the wage bill, and getting rid of over paid , quite average players. 

At least this time it looks like we are breaking the cycle, without getting relegated and getting set back on the right track. 

But the similarities are startling. 

Indeed they are - you’d have thought that the board would have learnt by the time Nige arrived but SLs record of bringing in the right manager is not that impressive. Fraud Ashton being the common denominator with McGuiness and LJ/DH. 

Like many others I think Nige is a ‘proper’ manager - the first since Danny Wilson (why was he ever sacked?) and I’m confident that he’ll create a squad capable of promotion. Two more years on his contract

Edited May 17, 2022 by Robbored

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

44 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Indeed they are - you’d have thought that the board would have learnt by the time Nige arrived but SLs record of bringing in the right manager is not that impressive. Fraud Ashton being the common denominator with McGuiness and LJ/DH. 

Like many others I think Nige is a ‘proper’ manager - the first since Danny Wilson (why was he ever sacked?) and I’m confident that he’ll create a squad capable of promotion. Two more years on his contract

As I frequently point out, probably tediously, Wilson was a failure.  Four years and ultimately achieved almost nothing except a destructive player culture which took years to dismantle.  

[cidered abroad]

IMO one of the best managers we've had in the last twenty years. But clearly not backed or understood by the Board.

Cotterill in similar vein also came and went. It's taken a long time for SL to realise that we were a shambles, overpaying average players, a holiday camp attitude throughout the club which meant that we struggled to achieve anything other than mid to lower table in Championship.

Some may consider that the restoration into a football club under Pearson, is taking a long time. We'll, my view is that we have achieved in twelve months what it used to take three or four years. Real progress and I genuinely believe that we will surprise other clubs and our own fans, how we will do in the coming season.

Edited May 17, 2022 by cidered abroad

[Super]

35 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

As I frequently point out, probably tediously, Wilson was a failure.  Four years and ultimately achieved almost nothing except a destructive player culture which took years to dismantle.  

But we played nice football! Four years and he's only remembered for picking a joke of a team in Cardiff.

[2015]

2 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

IMO one of the best managers we've had in the last twenty years. But clearly not backed or understood by the Board.

Cotterill in similar vein also came and went. It's taken a long time for SL to realise that we were a shambles, overpaying average players, a holiday camp attitude throughout the club which meant that we struggled to achieve anything other than mid to lower table in Championship.

Some may consider that the restoration into a football club under Pearson, is taking a long time. We'll, my view is that we have achieved in twelve months what it used to take three or four years. Real progress and I genuinely believe that we will surprise other clubs and our own fans, how we will do in the coming season.

It's the culture of Football fans these days. Many want instant success and glory without any form of context and knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes at a club.
The whole Holden appointment thing was a total and utter mess and probably sent a whole load of alarm bells ringing for many City fans that we were still run so badly behind the scenes.

We've needed a Manager to come in and be straight talking, have a plan and get on board with what the club is all about. It might take a few years to be actually successful, but it will be worth the wait in my opinion. Yeah you can call it being a happy clapper, but I genuinely think we're finally in good hands on the playing side of things. Pearson as Manager, Tinnion as Youth manager, Gould as CEO. It could be much worse.

[cidercity1987]

Can't disagree with any of that to be fair

A very depressing time to be a City fan with some dreadful players but some of which brought in by McInnes

 

 

 

[elhombrecito]

1 hour ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

As I frequently point out, probably tediously, Wilson was a failure.  Four years and ultimately achieved almost nothing except a destructive player culture which took years to dismantle.  

Don't feed the troll. I don't think he actually believes that Wilson was the greatest City manager ever, but he certainly enjoys the reaction he gets from constantly saying so.

[SydneyCity]

41 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

some of which brought in by McInnes

I listened to the whole interview and he was talking about how he played with Jody Morris at Millwall. Derek went on to be manager at St Johnstone and he knew that Jody wasn’t getting much game time so called him up and offered him £700 p/w to play. Jody accepted and was the model pro, running the dressing room and instilling the right attitude in the young players (plus playing well).

I’m certainly not defending signing him as it clearly didn’t work that way at Ashton Gate but I guess it gave me an insight into why he brought him to City, especially if it was on similar financial terms.

Edited May 17, 2022 by SydneyCity

[Nogbad the Bad]

I really liked McInnes and was very disappointed it didn't work out for him here.

He took on a massive job and I thought he was poorly treated by the Board.

He really liked the club and was appreciative of the fans. He was on his own in Bristol for much of the time and I've heard many stories of him being alone in restaurants in Bristol after a game and spending his evening happily chatting to fans.

One story. It was my son's 21st coming up and we sent a card in to the club asking for it be signed by the players and staff.

It was duly returned in good time and we put it aside as my son was going to be away for his birthday.

On his birthday the phone rang at about 7.30 in the evening and a broad Scottish voice asked to speak to my son, claiming to be Derek McInnes and wanting to have a chat and wish him a happy birthday.

Knowing my son to be a joker who often put on ridiculous accents on the phone I assumed it to be him. I laughed and said, ' Derek McInnes? Ha, ha, good try but you've overdone it!'

Anyway, it WAS Derek McInnes, who'd  taken the trouble to note the date and phone up.

Despite my initial incredulity (and inadvertent mocking of his accent) he was then happy to talk to this embarrassed City fan for a quarter of an hour and ended by asking me to pass on his birthday wishes to my son.

Top bloke who should have been a good fit for City and, as I say, really sorry he wasn't here for much longer.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Nogbad the Bad

[tin]

3 hours ago, SecretSam said:

A familiar story. We were a bloody mess back then, I think people who criticise him and SOD forget what a state we were in. We're still getting over that mess. You'd think we'd learn...

And who’s the common denominator in all this? SL. Enough said, really. 

[Midred]

22 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

I really liked McInnes and was very disappointed it didn't work out for him here.

He took on a massive job and I thought he was poorly treated by the Board.

He really liked the club and was appreciative of the fans. He was on his own in Bristol for much of the time and I've heard many stories of him being alone in restaurants in Bristol after a game and spending his evening happily chatting to fans.

One story. It was my son's 21st coming up and we sent a card in to the club asking for it be signed by the players and staff.

It was duly returned in good time and we put it aside as my son was going to be away for his birthday.

On his birthday the phone rang at about 7.30 in the evening and a broad Scottish voice asked to speak to my son, claiming to be Derek McInnes and wanting to have a chat and wish him a happy birthday.

Knowing my son to be a joker who often put on ridiculous accents on the phone I assumed it to be him. I laughed and said, ' Derek McInnes? Ha, ha, good try but you've overdone it!'

Anyway, it WAS Derek McInnes, who'd  taken the trouble to note the date and phone up.

Despite my initial incredulity (and inadvertent mocking of his accent) he was then happy to talk to this embarrassed City fan for a quarter of an hour and ended by asking me to pass on his birthday wishes to my son.

Top bloke who should have been a good fit for City and, as I say, really sorry he wasn't here for much longer.

Might be my memory playing tricks but was it McInnes who brought Cunningham in on loan? I think we were playing quite well and were in the top 6 when we had a Wolves moment, as per 2017. Cunningham got crocked through a bad foul and several others were injured and we just lost momentum.

[Engvall’s Splinter]

53 minutes ago, SydneyCity said:

I listened to the whole interview and he was talking about how he played with Jody Morris at Millwall. Derek went on to be manager at St Johnstone and he knew that Jody wasn’t getting much game time so called him up and offered him £700 p/w to play. Jody accepted and was the model pro, running the dressing room and instilling the right attitude in the young players (plus playing well).

I’m certainly not defending signing him as it clearly didn’t work that way at Ashton Gate but I guess it gave me an insight into why he brought him to City, especially if it was on similar financial terms.

Pretty sure I’ve listened to a podcast where Jody Morris wasn’t as glowing about McInnes by the end of his time here. 

[Nogbad the Bad]

4 minutes ago, Midred said:

Might be my memory playing tricks but was it McInnes who brought Cunningham in on loan? I think we were playing quite well and were in the top 6 when we had a Wolves moment, as per 2017. Cunningham got crocked through a bad foul and several others were injured and we just lost momentum.

Pretty sure McInnes did sign Cunningham.

Cunningham and Skuse were stretchered off at Peterboro' in the September, and both the tackles should have resulted in red cards.

We'd already thrashed Cardiff and Crystal Palace at AG, scoring 4 against each.

We'd been looking really good, playing attacking football, but went on a terrible run after the side was disrupted by a very dirty Peterboro' side.

 

[2015]

3 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Pretty sure McInnes did sign Cunningham.

Cunningham and Skuse were stretchered off at Peterboro' in the September, and both the tackles should have resulted in red cards.

We'd already thrashed Cardiff and Crystal Palace at AG, scoring 4 against each.

We'd been looking really good, playing attacking football, but went on a terrible run after the side was disrupted by a very dirty Peterboro' side.

 

Exactly how I remember it. We beat Peterborough 2-1 at their place, but felt like a loss after Cunningham received such an horrendous tackle and was out for many months. 

Not long after we then got in George Elokobi on loan and he had his entire foot spin the other direction right infront of me in the Atyeo. 

We capitulated from then until January, our fate was then sealed.

[Northern Red]

I think Tyrone Barnett was responsible for one of those injuries sustained at Peterborough?

[glynriley]

5 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

I think Tyrone Barnett was responsible for one of those injuries sustained at Peterborough?

I thought Mark Little did some damage as well.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Looks like Tyrone Barnett and Mark Little were the main culprits and Fontaine fortunate not to be a 3rd bad injury from another dreadful challenge.

Excerpts from the match report: 

Sam Baldock's second-half brace proved enough in a game short of chances but high on controversy, with Peterborough's Mark Little and Tyrone Barnett both fortunate to escape red cards.

Cole Skuse and Greg Cunningham were stretchered off either side of the interval before Lee Tomlin's penalty in the second of eight added minutes ensured a dramatic finale.

Half-time saw Skuse stretchered down the tunnel with an ankle injury, as McInnes responded by introducing Adomah to open up the game.

Baldock broke the deadlock on 56 minutes thanks in part to a calamitous moment from Peterborough right-back Mark Little, who attempted a back pass from just inside his own half without noticing City's number seven lurking.

Little was visibly distraught, and Liam Fontaine soon became victim to his frustration as the man on the receiving end of a rash lunge near City's left touchline - the Posh defender fortunate to escape with no more than the yellow card branded in his direction.

If Peterborough were previously frustrated, by now they were apoplectic. With refereeing decisions not to the home fans' liking, Tyrone Barnett took matters into his own hands with another ugly tackle again resulting in a yellow card.

It looked bad on first viewing, and with Greg Cunningham grounded for five minutes after the challenge before being stretchered off, McInnes must have been wondering how his side were still facing 11 men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Red-Robbo]

3 hours ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

As I frequently point out, probably tediously, Wilson was a failure.  Four years and ultimately achieved almost nothing except a destructive player culture which took years to dismantle.  

 

To play Devil's Advocate, a drinking culture was quite common at most clubs up to about 15 years ago.  It's only in comparatively recent times in football that attitudes shifted, health and fitness advice was taken more seriously and a more disciplined approach favoured over the "boys will be boys" excuses. 

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

1 hour ago, Midred said:

Might be my memory playing tricks but was it McInnes who brought Cunningham in on loan? I think we were playing quite well and were in the top 6 when we had a Wolves moment, as per 2017. Cunningham got crocked through a bad foul and several others were injured and we just lost momentum.

That was during a 1-0 win away to Peterborough and our season disintegrated soon after.

Edit: right game wrong scoreline.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan

[Ska Junkie]

3 hours ago, Super said:

But we played nice football! Four years and he's only remembered for picking a joke of a team in Cardiff.

That Brighton final was the closest I have ever come to walking away from BCFC, that really DID hurt.

Didn't we beat them twice in the regular season as well?

I thought McInnes was a decent bloke and a very intelligent Manager, we should have stuck rather than twisted 'again'.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Ska Junkie

[cidercity1987]

1 hour ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

I really liked McInnes and was very disappointed it didn't work out for him here.

He took on a massive job and I thought he was poorly treated by the Board.

He really liked the club and was appreciative of the fans. He was on his own in Bristol for much of the time and I've heard many stories of him being alone in restaurants in Bristol after a game and spending his evening happily chatting to fans.

One story. It was my son's 21st coming up and we sent a card in to the club asking for it be signed by the players and staff.

It was duly returned in good time and we put it aside as my son was going to be away for his birthday.

On his birthday the phone rang at about 7.30 in the evening and a broad Scottish voice asked to speak to my son, claiming to be Derek McInnes and wanting to have a chat and wish him a happy birthday.

Knowing my son to be a joker who often put on ridiculous accents on the phone I assumed it to be him. I laughed and said, ' Derek McInnes? Ha, ha, good try but you've overdone it!'

Anyway, it WAS Derek McInnes, who'd  taken the trouble to note the date and phone up.

Despite my initial incredulity (and inadvertent mocking of his accent) he was then happy to talk to this embarrassed City fan for a quarter of an hour and ended by asking me to pass on his birthday wishes to my son.

Top bloke who should have been a good fit for City and, as I say, really sorry he wasn't here for much longer.

Another story:

Without being too disrespectful to the person in question, but an incredibly low ranking club employee passed away not long after McInnes had been sacked. McInnes and to be fair also I believe Tony Docherty, flew down from Scotland simply for the funeral.

[Offside]

McInnes had a tough job at City, with the club being in a mess, but he signed some truly awful players too - the likes of Foster, Wilson and Bates. That relegation season started well, as has been mentioned in other posts, but by the time of that Leicester game (was it a 4-0 defeat? It was horrendous, anyway) it felt like Del’s time was up and the crowd had started to turn against him. 

[jambodinho]

Remember playing Watford at home who were blowing everyone away under Zola at the time. McInnes parked the bus (much to the disgust of most of the old codgers in the Dolman around me) and Watford didn’t know what to do. We won 2-0. That’s probably the only time I’ve seen a city manager with a far inferior side to our opponent, tactically outdo his opposite number. You wouldn’t have wanted to watch it every week but it certainly stopped Watford from ripping us a new one. I thought McInnes had something about him after that and was excited about what he could do if he could have time to get rid of the overpaid deadwood. Bugs me when our fans say he was useless. The club and squad was such a mess, he was on a hiding to nothing. 

[bearded_red]

6 minutes ago, jambodinho said:

Remember playing Watford at home who were blowing everyone away under Zola at the time. McInnes parked the bus (much to the disgust of most of the old codgers in the Dolman around me) and Watford didn’t know what to do. We won 2-0. That’s probably the only time I’ve seen a city manager with a far inferior side to our opponent, tactically outdo his opposite number. You wouldn’t have wanted to watch it every week but it certainly stopped Watford from ripping us a new one. I thought McInnes had something about him after that and was excited about what he could do if he could have time to get rid of the overpaid deadwood. Bugs me when our fans say he was useless. The club and squad was such a mess, he was on a hiding to nothing. 

O’Driscoll was the manager for that game.

[2015]

8 minutes ago, jambodinho said:

Remember playing Watford at home who were blowing everyone away under Zola at the time. McInnes parked the bus (much to the disgust of most of the old codgers in the Dolman around me) and Watford didn’t know what to do. We won 2-0. That’s probably the only time I’ve seen a city manager with a far inferior side to our opponent, tactically outdo his opposite number. You wouldn’t have wanted to watch it every week but it certainly stopped Watford from ripping us a new one. I thought McInnes had something about him after that and was excited about what he could do if he could have time to get rid of the overpaid deadwood. Bugs me when our fans say he was useless. The club and squad was such a mess, he was on a hiding to nothing. 

That was the very early part of SODs reign in charge. We played very basic football that night, but won. We actually had a good home record under SOD that season.

[jambodinho]

3 minutes ago, bearded_red said:

O’Driscoll was the manager for that game.

 

Just now, 2015 said:

That was the very early part of SODs reign in charge. We played very basic football that night, but won. We actually had a good home record under SOD that season.

Ha. The years of underachieving all blurred into one big haze.

Ah well, fair play to SO’D then in that case. 

[Simon bristol]

5 hours ago, SecretSam said:

A familiar story. We were a bloody mess back then, I think people who criticise him and SOD forget what a state we were in. We're still getting over that mess. You'd think we'd learn...

You would think we would learn, but 20 years or so later and we are still in that situation,, how can that be?

[BCFC Grim]

8 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

You would think we would learn, but 20 years or so later and we are still in that situation,, how can that be?

Because SL has no idea how to run a football club. It is pretty simple really.

[Robbored]

4 hours ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

As I frequently point out, probably tediously, Wilson was a failure.  Four years and ultimately achieved almost nothing except a destructive player culture which took years to dismantle.  

I would have loved another season of front foot attacking football under DW - he produced the best football at AG for years - and look who replaced him - Mr Dull…….……..

[Silvio Dante]

3 minutes ago, Robbored said:

I would have loved another season of front foot attacking football under DW - he produced the best football at AG for years - and look who replaced him - Mr Dull…….……..

Two things:

- The front foot attacking football had gone by Wilson’s last season. He saw how Wigan had ground out games the prior year and reverted to that, meaning we scored 58 goals in 46 games, against 79 goals the season before 

- Wilson was replaced by Tinnion. I believe, in your ongoing grudge, you are trying to refer to GJ as “Mr Dull”

Other than that, spot on as ever…

[The Bard]

1 hour ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

Looks like Tyrone Barnett and Mark Little were the main culprits and Fontaine fortunate not to be a 3rd bad injury from another dreadful challenge.

Excerpts from the match report: 

Sam Baldock's second-half brace proved enough in a game short of chances but high on controversy, with Peterborough's Mark Little and Tyrone Barnett both fortunate to escape red cards.

Cole Skuse and Greg Cunningham were stretchered off either side of the interval before Lee Tomlin's penalty in the second of eight added minutes ensured a dramatic finale.

Half-time saw Skuse stretchered down the tunnel with an ankle injury, as McInnes responded by introducing Adomah to open up the game.

Baldock broke the deadlock on 56 minutes thanks in part to a calamitous moment from Peterborough right-back Mark Little, who attempted a back pass from just inside his own half without noticing City's number seven lurking.

Little was visibly distraught, and Liam Fontaine soon became victim to his frustration as the man on the receiving end of a rash lunge near City's left touchline - the Posh defender fortunate to escape with no more than the yellow card branded in his direction.

If Peterborough were previously frustrated, by now they were apoplectic. With refereeing decisions not to the home fans' liking, Tyrone Barnett took matters into his own hands with another ugly tackle again resulting in a yellow card.

It looked bad on first viewing, and with Greg Cunningham grounded for five minutes after the challenge before being stretchered off, McInnes must have been wondering how his side were still facing 11 men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That entire report only mentions City players past and present.

[PHILINFRANCE]

5 minutes ago, The Bard said:

That entire report only mentions City players past and present.

Well spotted.

When I first read that Tomlin scored a penalty, I had to check that we hadn’t scored three goals, but had forgotten about Tyrone Barnett, who came here on loan.

[Red-Robbo]

45 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Just a reminder about why Del was sacked 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21001780

There was so much wrong with the club, but cherry picking the good and glossing over the very horrendous doesn't help. 

Ps the Leicester game had so much cross over too

https://www.11v11.com/matches/bristol-city-v-leicester-city-12-january-2013-300184/

 

I'm glad someone else remembers how dire that spell was.  One interview where he talks about how he liked City but the evil board stymied him and suddenly there is a mass donning of the old rose-tinted lenses.

I had high hopes for McInnes, but his tenure illustrates the gap between English and Scottish football in the 21st Century. Players who looked decent north of the border proved unworthy of the task facing them here. Due to the Caledonian nature of much of this recruitment, I'm not sure all the blame can be offloaded onto Mark Ashton. Richard Foster, Stephen Pearson, Stephen McManus, Sean Davis, Mark Wilson, Brendan Moloney, Brian Howard, Matthew Briggs, Neil Danns, Jody 'party organiser' Morris, Matthew Bates. Not names to conjure with in 2012.

Yes, he inherited a mess, but virtually every incoming manager does. Most get the job because the bloke or blokes before them have failed.  

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Offside said:

McInnes had a tough job at City, with the club being in a mess, but he signed some truly awful players too - the likes of Foster, Wilson and Bates. That relegation season started well, as has been mentioned in other posts, but by the time of that Leicester game (was it a 4-0 defeat? It was horrendous, anyway) it felt like Del’s time was up and the crowd had started to turn against him. 

You're right. But ask yourself why he had to resort to signing such players.  

It was because the club's infrastructure was a joke. He had little to no meaningful support around him.

I'm pretty sure Foster, Wilson and Bates weren't his, or anyone's, idea of the best defenders out there.

The 3 suits in charge at that time were Lansdown, Ashton and Sexstone - a catastrophic combination of ego and incompetence.

With no meaningful recruitment structure in place, no-one with any football knowledge or expertise on the board, or even in the building, just penpushers and bullshitters, what chance did McInnes have?

Sadly, precious little.  

[MichaelRobartes]

1 hour ago, jambodinho said:

 

Ha. The years of underachieving all blurred into one big haze.

Ah well, fair play to SO’D then in that case. 

Was that the Boxing Day match that got rearranged after torrential rain? The only home postponement I can recall in 25 years.

[Red-Robbo]

19 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

You're right. But ask yourself why he had to resort to signing such players.  

It was because the club's infrastructure was a joke. He had little to no meaningful support around him.

I'm pretty sure Foster, Wilson and Bates weren't his, or anyone's, idea of the best defenders out there.

The 3 suits in charge at that time were Lansdown, Ashton and Sexstone - a catastrophic combination of ego and incompetence.

With no meaningful recruitment structure in place, no-one with any football knowledge or expertise on the board, or even in the building, just penpushers and bullshitters, what chance did McInnes have?

Sadly, precious little.  

 

Sexstone stepped down during the McInnes managership and Mark Ashton, although he worked with the club (and others), he wasn't an employee at this stage, so therefore cannot be said to be "in charge". 

I'm afraid to say many of the transfers were McInnes's idea; players he was familiar with. 

[Danwal]

Did McInnes sign Kilkenny?? 

[Merrick's Marvels]

32 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Sexstone stepped down during the McInnes managership and Mark Ashton, although he worked with the club (and others), he wasn't an employee at this stage, so therefore cannot be said to be "in charge". 

I'm afraid to say many of the transfers were McInnes's idea; players he was familiar with. 

OK semantics aside, I'm not sure he was helped whatsoever by how the club was set-up and run at the time though

 

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Merrick's Marvels

[Red-Robbo]

2 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

Semantics aside, McInnes was manager at a time when the likes of Ashton and Sexstone were also involved.

At a time when the club sacked it's only professional scout and didn't replace him (because they wanted to "try something different" to quote Jonboy) and had no other fit for purpose recruitment structure in place at all.  

No wonder the manager resorted to signing players he was "familiar with". What else was he supposed to do?

So I'm sticking with the club set-up was a joke and McInnes had no chance. 

 

But the set up was different when SOD came in - and still didn't achieve results. 

The scouting was poor, but that lead McInnes to suggest the likes of Foster, Wilson and McManus: who had all played at prominent clubs in the SPL. 

And you cannot blame "the suits" for the poor coaching or poor decisions, like trying to play Foster in midfield. "Del" has to hold his hands up there. 

[glynriley]

1 hour ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I'm glad someone else remembers how dire that spell was.  One interview where he talks about how he liked City but the evil board stymied him and suddenly there is a mass donning of the old rose-tinted lenses.

I had high hopes for McInnes, but his tenure illustrates the gap between English and Scottish football in the 21st Century. Players who looked decent north of the border proved unworthy of the task facing them here. Due to the Caledonian nature of much of this recruitment, I'm not sure all the blame can be offloaded onto Mark Ashton. Richard Foster, Stephen Pearson, Stephen McManus, Sean Davis, Mark Wilson, Brendan Moloney, Brian Howard, Matthew Briggs, Neil Danns, Jody 'party organiser' Morris, Matthew Bates. Not names to conjure with in 2012.

Yes, he inherited a mess, but virtually every incoming manager does. Most get the job because the bloke or blokes before them have failed.  

Both SOD signings.

I liked Del, but he did sign some crap. Baldock, Heaton and Cunningham probably the exceptions.

[Malvern Red]

7 hours ago, glynriley said:

I wonder if SL listens to DMc and NP interviews, will he have a bit of Whitesnake running through his head…

Here I go again on my own
Goin' down the only road I've ever known

?

He considered it for a second then played Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright 

[Red-Robbo]

2 minutes ago, glynriley said:

Both SOD signings.

 Ah yes. Didn't see the late January dates. 

Another reason to doubt those who still worship at the altar of SOD....

[2015]

46 minutes ago, Danwal said:

Did McInnes sign Kilkenny?? 

Millen signed Kilkenny

[Wanderingred]

This thread is so depressing. That period 2011-2014 was soul destroying, probably the worst in our recent history. Millen, McInnes, SOD.. All out of their depth.

[Major Isewater]

1 hour ago, Danwal said:

Did McInnes sign Kilkenny?? 

Good point.

[GrahamC]

4 hours ago, Offside said:

McInnes had a tough job at City, with the club being in a mess, but he signed some truly awful players too - the likes of Foster, Wilson and Bates. That relegation season started well, as has been mentioned in other posts, but by the time of that Leicester game (was it a 4-0 defeat? It was horrendous, anyway) it felt like Del’s time was up and the crowd had started to turn against him. 

Absolutely this, McInnes certainly came to us at a poor time, “the 3 managers in 4 years” though is a bit of poetic licence, the first of those 3 (GJ) was in charge for nearly 5 years, the latter (Millen) got 15 months, so only Coppell’s bizarre 2 game reign in the middle skews this.

He also signed a lot of absolute shite from Scotland, Richard Foster, Mark Wilson, Jody Morris & inexplicably added both Sam Baldock & Steven Davies when we already had Stead & Pitman on our books but had no decent central defenders.

He wasn’t helped by what was going on but was equally culpable & hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since leaving us.

[Lanterne Rouge]

5 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I'm glad someone else remembers how dire that spell was.  One interview where he talks about how he liked City but the evil board stymied him and suddenly there is a mass donning of the old rose-tinted lenses.

I had high hopes for McInnes, but his tenure illustrates the gap between English and Scottish football in the 21st Century. Players who looked decent north of the border proved unworthy of the task facing them here. Due to the Caledonian nature of much of this recruitment, I'm not sure all the blame can be offloaded onto Mark Ashton. Richard Foster, Stephen Pearson, Stephen McManus, Sean Davis, Mark Wilson, Brendan Moloney, Brian Howard, Matthew Briggs, Neil Danns, Jody 'party organiser' Morris, Matthew Bates. Not names to conjure with in 2012.

Yes, he inherited a mess, but virtually every incoming manager does. Most get the job because the bloke or blokes before them have failed.  

Harsh on Neil Danns, he was good for us and it`s a shame we couldn`t have kept him. The rest were dross though.

[Red-Robbo]

2 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

Harsh on Neil Danns, he was good for us and it`s a shame we couldn`t have kept him. The rest were dross though.

 

I sort of hesitated before adding his name to the role call of dross and in retrospect, I probably should have left him off it.  15 league clubs and 4 non-league clubs tells its own story though and there is something going on there. 

[Ivorguy]

I thought he was the real deal just as I now think Pearson is.  Think Pearson the more experienced and tough character, however, who will be forthright with SL.

The problem is that SL could revert to type and foul everything up once again.

Believe in Nige!

[Rocking Red Cyril]

12 hours ago, billywedlock said:

All three seem to be working well together, on the same page, and with the same straight talking approach. Finally !!!! This is how we can build a better base for the club, I hope for years to come. 

Do we not need to add a recruitment director type role though ?

[Ron W]

Everyone remembers things differently but I’m surprised how positively McInnes is remembered - and especially to the point of being one of our most talented managers. 

No doubt the club was a financial and logistical mess back then, he’s spot on, and he did have a difficult hand to work with.

But look at the guys he brought in… Stephen Pearson, Richard Foster, not only limited footballers but not great for dressing room unity either.

Add to that going 11 league games without a win, with a bad squad but not one bad enough for those results. And then dropping Tom Heaton because he’d run out of other ideas during that time, which ended up lowering the morale even further, and you start to think he’s got to take some responsibility along the line. 
 

We were a shambles of a club, but he has to take some responsibility for that.

Edited May 18, 2022 by RonWalker

[Atticus]

17 hours ago, Offside said:

McInnes had a tough job at City, with the club being in a mess, but he signed some truly awful players too - the likes of Foster, Wilson and Bates. That relegation season started well, as has been mentioned in other posts, but by the time of that Leicester game (was it a 4-0 defeat? It was horrendous, anyway) it felt like Del’s time was up and the crowd had started to turn against him. 

Exactly. The love in for Mcinnes because he said some nice things about City is a bit much.

He signed some utter dross for us that were never going to be good enough. Just compounded the bloated squad, which imo didn't start to be corrected until SOD.

[Taz]

His hand was forced in some respect because of the finances (sounds familiar), but as others have pointed out he himself signed some absolute dross.

If you were SL and were watching him sign the likes of Pearson, Bates,  Foster, and Morris, why would you trust him with even more money? It's not as if these were cheap players that looked great and worked hard, and I'd be thinking "If I've given you a limited pot of £x and that's what you do with it, then there ain't a hope in hells chance that you're getting more!"

[cidered abroad]

5 hours ago, RonWalker said:

Everyone remembers things differently but I’m surprised how positively McInnes is remembered - and especially to the point of being one of our most talented managers. 

No doubt the club was a financial and logistical mess back then, he’s spot on, and he did have a difficult hand to work with.

But look at the guys he brought in… Stephen Pearson, Richard Foster, not only limited footballers but not great for dressing room unity either.

Add to that going 11 league games without a win, with a bad squad but not one bad enough for those results. And then dropping Tom Heaton because he’d run out of other ideas during that time, which ended up lowering the morale even further, and you start to think he’s got to take some responsibility along the line. 
 

We were a shambles of a club, but he has to take some responsibility for that.

Without any substantial transfer fund, he brought in players that he knew in an effort to break the stranglehold that some City players held in the dressing room even if on the pitch performances were poor.

Does that sound familiar? Exactly what Pearson did. It's working for Pearson because we were able to have a significant clear out at the end of his first season.

[SecretSam]

I think the comments about McInnes signing some rubbish are a little harsh. Firstly, which manager doesn't? Secondly, he was effectively a foreign manager, unfamiliar with the English leagues. Where was the scouting? And who signed it off? If he had someone with nous as DoF...

[Davefevs]

16 minutes ago, Taz said:

His hand was forced in some respect because of the finances (sounds familiar), but as others have pointed out he himself signed some absolute dross.

If you were SL and were watching him sign the likes of Pearson, Bates,  Foster, and Morris, why would you trust him with even more money? It's not as if these were cheap players that looked great and worked hard, and I'd be thinking "If I've given you a limited pot of £x and that's what you do with it, then there ain't a hope in hells chance that you're getting more!"

7 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

I think the comments about McInnes signing some rubbish are a little harsh. Firstly, which manager doesn't? Secondly, he was effectively a foreign manager, unfamiliar with the English leagues. Where was the scouting? And who signed it off? If he had someone with nous as DoF...

Who had come in as a “football consultant” during McInnes’s reign, sacked the Chief Scout Russ Richardson and introduced a Recruitment database?

You’ve guessed it?

Old Smarmy Bollocks himself - Mark Ashton.

I can’t comment on McInnes’s reign that much as I wasn’t watching City much at that time…but an interesting coincidence!!

[beaverface]

Which manager was it that consistently picked Liam Fontaine, when week after week Fontaine was costing us goals, making mistakes and was literally crumbling on the pitch?

I really felt for Fontaine as he was a really decent defender, and when he was going through a rough patch he should've been left out, given time to get his head right, but instead was left to almost breakdown in front of our eyes.

[Davefevs]

7 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Dave, Russ didn't leave til late on in Dels Reign

There's a thread on here about it 

 

Thanks, I guess his role diminished during that time though!

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

22 hours ago, jambodinho said:

 

Ha. The years of underachieving all blurred into one big haze.

Ah well, fair play to SO’D then in that case. 

In fairness to you had the game gone ahead when it should’ve instead of being postponed at the last minute then McInnes would’ve been in charge.

[Davefevs]

11 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Quite probably, but without anything more, just adding in dates for a narrative. 

The only thing that comes up during Dels Reign is  MA's Grove Life support stuff. 

Pretty much everywhere has him employed by us since 2016 only.. 

 

 

Check out Tactical Change Ltd.

Just for info, don’t forget McInnes took on Richardson again at Aberdeen.  Not the actions of a manager who thought his Chief Scout wasn’t up to the job!

[petehinton]

Bloke come across as a drip when he talks about his time here imo. Done many of these interviews now where it’s very woe is me. Did the club force him to play strikers on the wing, constantly change formation game on game and sign a load of shite from Scotland?

Interesting he says that the club had been flirting with relegation for too many seasons…must’ve dreamt the play off final in 2008 and narrowly missing out of the play offs in 2009!!

Edited May 18, 2022 by petehinton

[Midred]

There's one good thing' the term "happy clappers" hasn't been used yet?

 

 

 

(Oh bu**er!)

[steviestevieneville]

13 hours ago, Atticus said:

Exactly. The love in for Mcinnes because he said some nice things about City is a bit much.

He signed some utter dross for us that were never going to be good enough. Just compounded the bloated squad, which imo didn't start to be corrected until SOD.

Who was recruitment consultant when mciines was in charge ? He’s now ceo at Ipswich