Victim of a Plague of Ghosts? (2 Viewers)

[Grendel]

So another season has died and ends with a sense of crushing disappointment and anti-climax. All this from a position of strength and dizzy heights in the league which we have not been accustomed to.

There have been so many theories surrounding the demise - some of which are so conspiratorial they are not worthy of scrutiny.

The managerial performance, however, most certainly does. The frequent bickering about budgets really though needs to be looked at rationally. The club was top of the league. Top 6 looked a certainty and a less than average performance post October would still have delivered that. The abject failure to do so cannot be over-looked.

The club decided to appoint a manager who has a higher pedigree than this league. He wanted the structure to be to liking and the backroom staff he wanted. He was given his wish.

He has since October failed to deliver on many counts.

Inflexible team selection
Indulging the Cole Experiment (an unmitigated disaster as predicted)
A plethora of appalling signings who have achieved nothing post January but his permanent signings all in fact look suspect
A refusal to address the goalkeeping issue
Poor use of the budget at the start of the season

Managers fit well at some clubs and some situations. Mowbray seemingly lacks the flexibility and adaptability for this league and his stubborn refusal to adapt does not bode well at all.


The quality of football is poor and defences find us easy to deal with. If this persists relegation is a certainty next year.

Anderson needs to act. Mowbray has not been a victim of the curse of Coventry past. He is not the victim of those ghostsis at all. He has adequate resources. He is the victim of his own shortcomings and intransigence.

He has to go

 

---

[Hobo]

Out of interest Grendel, if Mowbray was sacked who would your first two nominations be as a potential replacement? Which player would you like to see signed to build the team around? How long would you give them to achieve, promotion?

 

[Chipfat]

We have had so many different managers all with different attributes and levels of experience, but as of yet nobody can sustain any levels of consistancy or progress. We start well we finish poorly, we start poorly and finish well either way we end up in the same place.

I do not know the answer and do not think TM has any idea of how to change this current situation but this has to run deeper than just a manager and the tools we are being told he has to work with. This is a very poorly ran club in every aspect the manager has to take ownership of results but sooner or later we as fans have to look at what is going on when a pattern appears no matter who holds the managers position. I do not wholey disagree with you Gren, but problems are deeper than a squad on any given day, we are running around in circle's with change of faces being our only answers to problems. Directors, Chairmen, Director of Football, Managers, Assistant manager, Academy directors the list goes on, what has it changed or solved.

Im at a loss to what this club is doing other than surviving for JS to have her day in court.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Many theories surrounding the demise?

No there isn't, just one fact.....our squad are shit and had we not have had the purple patch earlier in the season would be undertaking our annual end of season relegation battle.

Sometimes it's crap being a CCFC fan!

 

[Monkeyface]

Whilst I can't argue that Mowbray is at least partly responsible, I can't say I'd like him to get the sack. The first half of this season was the most exciting for years, and of the 30 years I've been going, I've never felt so optimistic. Chipfat is right, the problems run deeper than Mowbray. Getting rid of him would just be wallpapering over more cracks.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Out of interest Grendel, if Mowbray was sacked who would your first two nominations be as a potential replacement? Which player would you like to see signed to build the team around? How long would you give them to achieve, promotion?

Don't think it would matter he would hate him too.
The bloke never has a good word for anyone in Sky Blue even thinks JH was shit..........

 

[chiefdave]

No there isn't, just one fact.....our squad are shit and had we not have had the purple patch earlier in the season would be undertaking our annual end of season relegation battle.

Really? I could take a dip in form being down to over performing at the start of the season but our form has fallen off a cliff. You don't have that sort of swing without there being something behind it.

 

[Nick]

Many theories surrounding the demise?

No there isn't, just one fact.....our squad are shit and had we not have had the purple patch earlier in the season would be undertaking our annual end of season relegation battle.

Sometimes it's crap being a CCFC fan!

Another fact, pretty much the same squad that was flying high!

 

[Grendel]

Don't think it would matter he would hate him too.
The bloke never has a good word for anyone in Sky Blue even thinks JH was shit..........

A bizarre allegation given I an too young to comment on hill as manager.

I have commented on hill as chairman and thought he was a disaster. That said I couldn't have been alone as the frequent chants of "kill kill kill Jimmy hill" could be heard from the terraces. Something I never did.

I also haven't constantly abused a young goalkeeper this season as you have seen fit to.

 

[italiahorse]

Really? I could take a dip in form being down to over performing at the start of the season but our form has fallen off a cliff. You don't have that sort of swing without there being something behind it.

Another fact, pretty much the same squad that was flying high!

I think the budget gets found out in the end. Strength in depth and all that.

 

[Nick]

I think the budget gets found out in the end. Strength in depth and all that.

Don't we have a lot of players and a higher budget than other teams who caught up and overtook us?

 

[olderskyblue]

It's weird. How many 2nd half of the season collapses have we had now? Quite a few as I recall.

a little concerning all the managers who have had chances to address it, but all failed. Must admit, I expected TM to do better from where we were.

 

[Gazolba]

Regarding Mowbray, I've gone from hopeful optimism to guarded pessimism. I'm not sure he has what it takes to get us out of this division but I'm not quite ready to call for his exit. Only 3 teams out of 24 can get promoted and 6 out of 24 reach the play-offs, so the vast majority of clubs will have no success each season. And you can't blame Mowbray for the decades of failure before he joined us. I'd give him until the end of his contract.

 

[Paxman II]

Grendel has a point but I would not go as far as saying TM must go. he is a victim of circumstance. A club that is in turmoil and lacking the sort of investment required to be certain of getting out this league. A club which is a big fish in league 1 needs to hope it can make it out through appointment of the right manager. TM to most looked like we landed the answer. I still think we have but it will take a bit more from SISU to help him out. Loans have been all too prevalent this season and that has cost us. There is no doubt some injuries at crucial times played a big part in our downfall, Turner for example and the defensive 4 have changed all too often. Armstrong gave us a tonic but we never really found a ready made back up. That needs money from the owners.
behind the scenes things are more organised but still need further addressing. TM will continue his work. We have settled a little from recent shocking form and lets be honest 1-0 away at table toppers is not the end of the world. Players must look at themselves over the bad run and ask a few questions. Madison's move to Norwich seemed to unsettle the club and the lads form dropped off completely. Again SISU's view of things have not helped. But we will have a reasonable budget next season, TM will have discovered plenty about this league and he is capable of getting us up in my opinion. I don't think in all honesty he was truly thinking of promotion or even top six this first season. Next season he will be. I think we will be good and be right in there next year without the likes of Fleck, Maddison and loans with half a mind on their parent club once the bandwagon of a promotion was gone.

 

[Gazolba]

<snip> I think we will be good and be right in there next year without the likes of Fleck, Maddison and loans with half a mind on their parent club once the bandwagon of a promotion was gone.

I hate to think where we would have been without the loans this season. Would we have scored even a single goal? We will have to get loanees in because (a) we won't be able to find/afford permanent signings who are good enough, and (b) SISU wont want to commit to the multi-year contracts that permanent signings will demand.

 

[Samo]

So another season has died and ends with a sense of crushing disappointment and anti-climax. All this from a position of strength and dizzy heights in the league which we have not been accustomed to.

There have been so many theories surrounding the demise - some of which are so conspiratorial they are not worthy of scrutiny.

The managerial performance, however, most certainly does. The frequent bickering about budgets really though needs to be looked at rationally. The club was top of the league. Top 6 looked a certainty and a less than average performance post October would still have delivered that. The abject failure to do so cannot be over-looked.

The club decided to appoint a manager who has a higher pedigree than this league. He wanted the structure to be to liking and the backroom staff he wanted. He was given his wish.

He has since October failed to deliver on many counts.

Inflexible team selection
Indulging the Cole Experiment (an unmitigated disaster as predicted)
A plethora of appalling signings who have achieved nothing post January but his permanent signings all in fact look suspect
A refusal to address the goalkeeping issue
Poor use of the budget at the start of the season

Managers fit well at some clubs and some situations. Mowbray seemingly lacks the flexibility and adaptability for this league and his stubborn refusal to adapt does not bode well at all.


The quality of football is poor and defences find us easy to deal with. If this persists relegation is a certainty next year.

Anderson needs to act. Mowbray has not been a victim of the curse of Coventry past. He is not the victim of those ghostsis at all. He has adequate resources. He is the victim of his own shortcomings and intransigence.

He has to go

A plague of ghosts??? Oh do shut up you tart. If you want Mowbray out just say so but please don't come on all poetical. :jerkit:

 

[Hobo]

Grendel is obviously researching and giving careful consideration to answering my questions? Considering he seems to have made his mind up on Mowbray for several weeks now, I thought the high flying executive might have had the answers to hand?

 

[Houchens Head]

I think Grendull should go.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

Grendel is obviously researching and giving careful consideration to answering my questions? Considering he seems to have made his mind up on Mowbray for several weeks now, I thought the high flying executive might have had the answers to hand?

Maybe Grendel sould be the new manager if he can afford the pay cut☺

 

[shy_tall_knight]

Do we get to see the budgets for all 24 teams in this league but I think just comparing budgets can be misleading. A player signed on a 4 year contract costing £100k a year costs the same this season as a player on a 12 month contract being paid £100k but the key difference is we have committed to that player on the longer contract. Whilst I recognise there could be another David Bell, this continual churn of players since relegation just unsettles the club. Also the Maddison may look like good business but definitely sent the wrong message to the other players and the fans - even if was good business we could have done with Jones or the Hungarian joining then.

TM bought / signed up poorly during the pre season followed by more poor players after Christmas, too weak or too old and slow, the only pace in the squad seem to be our loan signings.

 

[dongonzalos]

Grendel is obviously researching and giving careful consideration to answering my questions? Considering he seems to have made his mind up on Mowbray for several weeks now, I thought the high flying executive might have had the answers to hand?

Sorry Hobo should have saved you the trouble. I asked the same question last time he was attacking Mowbray. It's not his job to appoint the new manager so he doesn't have to give an opinion on it
I guess you will kick yourself now that you didn't think about that before asking the question.
However it's not his job to sack Mowbray but .........

 

[Nick]

Didn't people say the same about Pressley and Thorn? That neither could be sacked because nobody else would work with SISU etc etc?

 

[Jack Griffin]

Whilst I can't argue that Mowbray is at least partly responsible, I can't say I'd like him to get the sack. The first half of this season was the most exciting for years, and of the 30 years I've been going, I've never felt so optimistic. Chipfat is right, the problems run deeper than Mowbray. Getting rid of him would just be wallpapering over more cracks.

Wrong target, the guyGrendel has no idea where the problem really lies. Its the short term approach that the owners have, they ain't in it for Football reasons, therefore they are not suitable owners. When we get owners who love the game who are not crazy gamblers like previous helmsmen (you know who I mean) then there might be some steady progress, otherwise all I foresee is stagnation.

 

[usskyblue]

Mowbray seemingly lacks the flexibility and adaptability for this league and his stubborn refusal to adapt does not bode well

An observation also supported by the fact that downturns in the second half of the season aren't a new phenomenon for Mowbray.

 

[dongonzalos]

Didn't people say the same about Pressley and Thorn? That neither could be sacked because nobody else would work with SISU etc etc?

Who said nobody else would, just asking who he would prefer instead?

 

[shy_tall_knight]

It is often stated that all clubs in this division are subject to loan deals and short term contracts - is that true ? The only player that will play 30 games for us last season and also 30 games for us this season is Fleck and he's off also at the end of the season. TM has bought badly but he seems to have got the loans right its the short term contracts is where he performed badly.

 

[Huckerby]

Love it when people say investment but they really mean spunk endless amounts of money in with no return

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[dadgad]

Wrong target, the guyGrendel has no idea where the problem really lies. Its the short term approach that the owners have, they ain't in it for Football reasons, therefore they are not suitable owners. When we get owners who love the game who are not crazy gamblers like previous helmsmen (you know who I mean) then there might be some steady progress, otherwise all I foresee is stagnation.

Mostly this.
The real weakness at Ccfc is that it is poorly run. Mowbray has done his best (bad luck with injuries) but he's no Messiah. The O'Brien situation proves it.
His authority was also undermined by that 'superstar' with the hairband, the Cole saga and Toxicity of Sisu who should fuck off.

There's no genuine ambition to be successful and will never be while we're owned by
anonymous off shore hedge fund.

 

[usskyblue]

Mostly this.
The real weakness at Ccfc is that it is poorly run. Mowbray has done his best (bad luck with injuries) but he's no Messiah. The O'Brien situation proves it.
His authority was also undermined by that 'superstar' with the hairband, the Cole saga and Toxicity of Sisu who should fuck off.

There's no genuine ambition to be successful and will never be while we're owned by
anonymous off shore hedge fund.

All well and good...however, who was pointing at ownership when we were top of the league? This was as much a footballing/tactical failure as it was shitty ownership.

 

[shy_tall_knight]

All well and good...however, who was pointing at ownership when we were top of the league? This was as much a footballing/tactical failure as it was shitty ownership.

But aren't the 2 linked, towards the top when the January transfer window opens, did we supplement our young stikeforce with a forward who was actually playing regular football - No, hoped Arma would continue and brought in Henderson & Hunt. Did we get a centre half who was playing regularly, no Ramage followed by some more urgent loans.

Of the 14 players who played against Fleetdwood in Feb only 4 (Rcc Stokes Vince & Ruben) will be here next season, is TM used to building squads in such chaotic circumstances WBA M'boro Celtic were more stable clubs, TM seems to have got it badly wrong even considering our owners.

 

[usskyblue]

But aren't the 2 linked

Yes. The clue was in this sentence:

This was as much a footballing/tactical failure as it was shitty ownership.

 

[thewards5579]

Yes. The clue was in this sentence:

This was as much a footballing/tactical failure as it was shitty ownership.

You speak a lot of sense US would you not support TM and MV to be given a chance to build us a progressive team for next season?

Sent from my Harrier Mini from EE using Tapatalk

 

[usskyblue]

You speak a lot of sense US would you not support TM and MV to be given a chance to build us a progressive team for next season?

Sent from my Harrier Mini from EE using Tapatalk

The thing the club has lacked
for many, many years is stability. Chopping and changing managers, quite simply, hasn't worked. However, Mowbray, and his lack of a tactical alternative when we got sussed by other clubs has been a big part of the problem this season.

If Mowbray and MV can learn from the failures of the second half of this season, they should be given another campaign to put things right.

The trouble is; this is where the line blurs. Has TM taken responsibility for his part in the collapse? Because, unless he does, he can't address the shortcoming.

The reality of his tenure is; As much as ownership needs to change....Mowbray does too.

.

 

[harvey098]

Im not sure if you can build an idea of someone you've never met from their posts on a football forum but every time I read one of Grendels posts I just feel so sorry for him / you (if you're reading). You seem a very empty, bitter and negative man. I hope you find some inner happiness mate.

 

[rupert_bear]

Mowbray dictates the system we play, that system clearly doesn't/isn't working not in this division. Grendel has a point with his assessment of Tony Mowbray. Do I think he should be sacked though ? Since he took the reins proper last summer he and Venus have put scouting networks in place none existent prior to last summer and have had to juggle with host of defensive injuries. We have recently signed 3 new players and despite reservations high lighted on here have a fair number of our squad with another year to go on their contracts so it's all about who and how many TM brings in and there lies a problem imo, I am not convinced promotion and playing in higher divisions, with higher costs and not nesessarily higher gates is the SISU priority, if it was surely a portion of the Maddison fee could have been used January to bolster a promotion push, not talking silly money either. Unless there is an Anderson plan yet to be delvulged I don't see another managerial roundabout being too beneficial, but to play the Mowbray way we need better players in the vital forward positions, I do wonder what Venus and head coach Jamie Clapham think though.