Liam Manning - CONFIRMED NEW HEAD COACH

[Zuni]

10 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Thankfully he’s managed most of his Oxford games with a back four!

Two weeks ago I wrote that there’s one thing a new manager wouldn’t be able to claim and that’s poor fitness on the squad.  It’s the often trotted out new manager claim - “well, I had to get them fit first”.

This side was fit, there is no doubt of that.

But both Chairman and Technical Director have sewn those seeds, which is pretty disrespectful to Rennie, but also all the medical / physio / sports science team that remain.  To hear JL talk about it I found as crass as his dad’s recent repertoire of crass statements.  I’m glad Fleming used his pre-match interview to say they’ve been taking that approach to the last 5-6 international breaks.

There is a big difference between fitness and injuries, and in particular the types we’ve had.

A low blow, one taken after bell had sounded.

Don’t let me down Liam!

Disagree a bit on the fitness. We looked like a team that had lots of conditioning, long distance running etc but lacked football specific fitness to some degree.  Not a sports scientist but do work in the industry and just my opinion as a fan who has watched most of the games over NP/Rennie era. 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Zuni

[Riaz]

Just now, sglosbcfc said:

As others have said, all Bristol City fans will want Manning to be a great success. I have to say I have my doubts and I was very disappointed and frustrated when Pearson was dismissed. I will back Manning 100%, but I fear that the fans will turn quickly if we start to drop down the division as the wounds of letting Nigel go will take a long time to heal. For his and Lansdown's sake, I hope we get positive results and quickly.

Yep. I’m pretty much at the point of calling for the Lansdowns to go. If this does not go well, it’s down to them 

[And Its Smith]

12 minutes ago, eardun said:

I didn’t want Pearson to go but as others have said he had gone now so we have to move on. I hadn’t heard of Manning until a couple of days ago but having read/watched some of the stuff on here and elsewhere, he clearly fits the bill in terms of what the Lansdowns are looking for so at least they are being consistent (for once). I’ve quite liked the look of what I have seen so far. To be honest none of the other names floating around in the betting have floated my boat particularly. So I’m happy to wish him all the best and I hope it goes well - could be exciting if it does. And just because he happens to be young doesn’t mean he is another McInnes or LJ or Holden. He is Liam Manning with a completely different background and experience. I also don’t buy the view that bringing in a league one head coach is beneath us - if he’s a good coach, he’s a good coach. I see it no different to bringing in a young league one (or lower) player and we’ve seen what they can do - they are not beneath us either.

Amen. A grown up, sensible post. 

[IAmNick]

I'm still disappointed Nige is gone, but gone he is and some people on this forum seriously need to make peace with that fact as it ain't going to change now.

I'm even letting myself get a little excited for Manning. Seems like a decent appointment to me so let's judge him on what he does, not who he replaced.

[Riaz]

1 minute ago, IAmNick said:

I'm still disappointed Nige is gone, but gone he is and some people on this forum seriously need to make peace with that fact as it ain't going to change now.

I'm even letting myself get a little excited for Manning. Seems like a decent appointment to me so let's judge him on what he does, not who he replaced.

It was a decision that didn’t need to be made. 
I like the manning appointment - but i can’t forget the decision to sack Pearson and the ridiculous reason and the delusion to go with it.

Manning has my full support, but if we struggle this season or next season, then that’s on the Lansdowns. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Just watched his interview from when we hammered them in August. Comments from Oxford fans were scathing with one saying he will be gone by Christmas. He was right.

[pillred]

1 hour ago, The Coach said:

At least he’s experienced League One. We might be there sooner than we thought…

FFs! Do you think that with ALL the players we have to rejoin in the next month or so potentially we have any chance of being in the position to be relegated?

[Fammyfan]

I’m disappointed that Nige was dismissed and by the handling of it.

It’s also concerning that we’ve supposedly done it wanting to get promotion and then appointed a manager that doesn’t have any experience at this level.

That being said, Manning sounds a promising appointment, he’s got experience of working with young players, plays pressing attacking football, he’s currently got Oxford to 2nd in league one and young up and coming manager.

On the face of it, I see the potential and he’s a good appointment if you consider it as filling a vacancy but it’s not the best appointment when looking to upgrade a proven manager that’s getting a tune out of the squad.

I hope Manning does well and I’ll back him 100% but if this backfires, the board will be in a spot of bother to say the least and rightly so, this is a huuuge gamble.

[Port Said Red]

7 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Just watched his interview from when we hammered them in August. Comments from Oxford fans were scathing with one saying he will be gone by Christmas. He was right.

What a crazy game that was though, they could have been 4 up before we even scored and still created further chances after the break, they just didn't seem to have a finish in them that particular night.

[Bcfc24]

3 hours ago, Jose said:

New banner outside Lions. 

Not the most welcoming is it, but of a disgrace from the lions if you ask me, all need to get behind Manning!

[Port Said Red]

5 minutes ago, Bcfc24 said:

Not the most welcoming is it, but of a disgrace from the lions if you ask me, all need to get behind Manning!

More than a bit, I hope the bloke doesn't see it and think, **** that.

[W-S-M Seagull]

18 minutes ago, pillred said:

FFs! Do you think that with ALL the players we have to rejoin in the next month or so potentially we have any chance of being in the position to be relegated?

It's happened in football before. 

If he comes in and loses 4 or 5 in a row then we can find ourselves drawn into a relegation scrap.

[Spud21]

Been spending the night watching Oxford highlights and Mannings pre and post match interviews and from what I gave seen I am quite impressed, I like the way he speaks, he definitely doesn't strike me as a LJ word salad type at all and in most of them he doesn't really dwell on "tactics" talk and mist of it is about the group and the players attitude, so in many ways he actually reminds me more of Nige with slightly more "modern" language than of LJ. (no mentions of box entries , although they do get a few pens so that will be his first challenge, to accept he isn't getting any more of those) 

Although one concerning thing, in every interview after international breaks he spoke if how the players and staff were given time off, so assume Lansdown will want a stop putting to that immediately. 

[Davefevs]

52 minutes ago, Zuni said:

Disagree a bit on the fitness. We looked like a team that had lots of conditioning, long distance running etc but lacked football specific fitness to some degree.  Not a sports scientist but do work in the industry and just my opinion as a fan who has watched most of the games over NP/Rennie era. 

And a lot / most games this season the opposition have been blowing and we’ve been strong or not had bench strength to take advantage, e.g. Ipswich.  Just my opinion (and some non-running data re pressing etc) as a fan who works in Financial Services who’s seen all the games bar Oxford (bizarrely)!

[Charlie BCFC]

Some of the comments on this thread are ridiculous. I get the frustration about Pearson leaving but seeing people write him off because they don’t know anything about him is unfair. He fits the brief of what the club wants in terms of style of play and has plenty of top class academy experience. If we are willing to spend so much on compensation then we must be convinced he’ll be the right man

[Malago]

2 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

Some of the comments on this thread are ridiculous. I get the frustration about Pearson leaving but seeing people write him off because they don’t know anything about him is unfair. He fits the brief of what the club wants in terms of style of play and has plenty of top class academy experience. If we are willing to spend so much on compensation then we must be convinced he’ll be the right man

It doesn’t matter who we employ, if we keep selling our best players we'll be going nowhere fast.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, Malago said:

It doesn’t matter who we employ, if we keep selling our best players we'll be going nowhere fast.

Brentford sold plenty of theirs tbh, they got up in time to a degree but pushing FFP may have had another year at it before having to have a reckoning.

It is fairly normal in the Championship though and not just the Championship. I am hopeful that Scott might have been the last for a bit.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Zuni]

52 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

And a lot / most games this season the opposition have been blowing and we’ve been strong or not had bench strength to take advantage, e.g. Ipswich.  Just my opinion (and some non-running data re pressing etc) as a fan who works in Financial Services who’s seen all the games bar Oxford (bizarrely)!

We see things differently on this point.

[Garland-sweden]

NP-Manning, its like you have a good car then you buy a cheap Skoda. The board say pl, in Cardiff we had 11 injuries, can only laugh about it.

[StefanDimz]

9 minutes ago, Garland-sweden said:

NP-Manning, its like you have a good car then you buy a cheap Skoda. The board say pl, in Cardiff we had 11 injuries, can only laugh about it.

A cheap Skoda gets you from A to B just like any other car.

[W-S-M Seagull]

On the Oxford podcast,their assistant Chris Hogg said they are very much a team. 

One interesting point that was made on the podcast is that Hogg lives in Ipswich and commutes to Oxford and that they feel that Bristol would be just too far to commute which it obviously is.

So there is a real possibility that Manning comes here without his long time friend and assistant. How that would work, I don't know. 

Edited November 7, 2023 by W-S-M Seagull

[Garland-sweden]

34 minutes ago, StefanDimz said:

A cheap Skoda gets you from A to B just like any other car.

Yes but not to a higher ground.

[YGBjammy]

2 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

On the Oxford podcast,their assistant Chris Hogg said they are very much a team. 

One interesting point that was made on the podcast is that Hogg lives in Ipswich and commutes to Oxford and that they feel that Bristol would be just too far to commute which it obviously is.

So there is a real possibility that Manning comes here without his long time friend and assistant. How that would work, I don't know. 

Ipswich to Oxford is like 2.5hrs? How does that work?! That sounds crazy

[Bodiesaffer]

3 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Brentford sold plenty of theirs tbh, they got up in time to a degree but pushing FFP may have had another year at it before having to have a reckoning.

It is fairly normal in the Championship though and not just the Championship. I am hopeful that Scott might have been the last for a bit.

They also had sound replacements.  Plus building for years with a sound game plan.  

[Mjtsmith1]

56 minutes ago, YGBjammy said:

Ipswich to Oxford is like 2.5hrs? How does that work?! That sounds crazy

More like 3, 3 1/2?! Who commutes that far? 

[Warwickshire Red]

3 hours ago, Garland-sweden said:

Yes but not to a higher ground.

Have you the seen the price of them these days? Not so cheap and actually very good. Their factories make engines for Audi too as all VAG now.

[fisherrich]

6 hours ago, sglosbcfc said:

As others have said, all Bristol City fans will want Manning to be a great success. I have to say I have my doubts and I was very disappointed and frustrated when Pearson was dismissed. I will back Manning 100%, but I fear that the fans will turn quickly if we start to drop down the division as the wounds of letting Nigel go will take a long time to heal. For his and Lansdown's sake, I hope we get positive results and quickly.

Agreed - A couple of defeats and things will get toxic very quickly. A very average appointment. Massive gamble and a cheap option.

[1960maaan]

1 minute ago, fisherrich said:

Agreed - A couple of defeats and things will get toxic very quickly. A very average appointment. Massive gamble and a cheap option.

In the current cost cutting climate it's not the cheap option though is it?
An OOC manager might be, but 6 months salary for Nige then paying Oxford for someone who has only been in place a short while. I saw a rumour of £600k, so around £1m to change Managers ?

I'll wait to see, as you always have to, and get behind the team. As always , time will tell.

[RedReg]

20 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

In the current cost cutting climate it's not the cheap option though is it?
An OOC manager might be, but 6 months salary for Nige then paying Oxford for someone who has only been in place a short while. I saw a rumour of £600k, so around £1m to change Managers ?

I'll wait to see, as you always have to, and get behind the team. As always , time will tell.

I would have rather seen them give the million to Nige to spend in January 

[Port Said Red]

27 minutes ago, fisherrich said:

Agreed - A couple of defeats and things will get toxic very quickly. A very average appointment. Massive gamble and a cheap option.

As was Alan Dicks, as was Gary Johnson, the only real difference here is that much of the ground work has been done and the new man has a strong base to start from. Few new Managers get that luxury, it gives him the opportunity to focus purely on working with the players. 

Looking at his background that appears to be his greatest asset, I am optimistic he can take the opportunity.