As things stand, I would keep Thorn.
I am not sure I have seen quite so many baffling tactical decisions as others on here... sometimes I am frustrated, but this has not happened every game and I could not name a City manager who didn't frustrate me at one time or another through their minute by minute influence on a game. The fact we have hired and fired too freely since I have been supporting the Club is not a get out of jail card, but it does impact on my decision. Thorn attempts to play more of a passing game than the likes of Boothroyd. It has not worked this season and we have been relegated (although we are all aware that the performance of the board and of senior players has been a huge contributing factor). At times, the little triangles played around the midfield have frustrated. None of this means I want a departure from this inclination to play football (although, I acknowledge you would be hard pressed to describe us as a footballing side with our recent tactics of hoofing it up to Platt, but I think this is borne of desperation).
I think the players still like and want to play for Thorn. ROD said as much to me despite an obvious frustration at a lack of game time. I have not heard anything to the contrary. Once we are settled in League 1, I have no reason to believe this will cease. I think it is fairly well accepted that Boothroyd had lost the dressing room, owing in no small part to the tactics he was seeking to employ. The opinion that Thorn still has players onside despite relegation somewhat impresses me (although I am not overstating this... it is what it is and nothing more). He is a nice bloke and seems to care about the Club. Does this matter in any real way..? Probably not, but is better in my eyes than the contrary.
His position would constantly be under review. Every position should be. I do not want failure seeping further still into the fabric of the Club I love. But I would give him the close season and see how we get going at the start of next season. I would avoid knee jerk decisions. I would play to our (limited) strengths and give him support.
As everyone is aware, this all depends on what happens with SISU. If he is sacked, which has apparently been seriously considered by the board at least once this season, then it is an unknown as to how much they would stretch the purse strings in finding a replacement. Would it be Carsley / Lee Clarke / Sean O'Driscoll (or is he DoF somewhere already - maybe Forest?) / someone already employed at a lower league club (I would obviously applaud the signing of a young and highly regarded manager, maybe Paul Tisdale or Karl Robinson)..? None of us really know, but the cheapest available option never appears to be far from the equation with SISU. If Hoffman gets investors to make an acceptable bid and take over the running of the Club, I know he does like Thorn and may well be thinking along the same lines as I am. But nothing lasts forever, we shall see what the future holds for our potential Phoenix of a football club!
There you go, glad I could unequivocably clear up the matter without any ifs or buts.
