Why Pressley will never make it as a manager (12 Viewers)

simonregis

New Member
Wilson was going nowhere or was Christie until Pressley gave them man management and encouraged them. Our crop of youngsters were under his charge and they all speak so highly of him. He is, in my mind, one of the best under 21 coach/manager I think I've ever seen. The problem for him, at club management, is you have to work with older players and they don't like being told what to do. Nearly all his successes at City and in Scotland were coaching the youngsters and if I was a premier manager I would bring Pressley in to manage the youngsters. When you look at the season we are just finishing it was the older players who let SP down.
 

jimmyhillsfanclub

Well-Known Member
Wilson was going nowhere or was Christie until Pressley gave them man management and encouraged them. Our crop of youngsters were under his charge and they all speak so highly of him. He is, in my mind, one of the best under 21 coach/manager I think I've ever seen. The problem for him, at club management, is you have to work with older players and they don't like being told what to do. Nearly all his successes at City and in Scotland were coaching the youngsters and if I was a premier manager I would bring Pressley in to manage the youngsters. When you look at the season we are just finishing it was the older players who let SP down.


Wilson just took his chance with both hands.

Christie lacked motivation under SP.

Thomas didn't progress & in fact went backwards under SP. Haynes also appeared to suffer a major crisis of confidence under SP.

He may yet make a half decent lower league manager, but if hes gonna make it, hes got a fuck of a lot of work to do & a shit load of stuff to learn.....
 

LastGarrison

Well-Known Member
So you're threat titled "Why Pressley will never make it as a manager" gives no actual insight into why you think he won't make it as a manager apart from the fact that older players "don't like being told what to do".

Interesting.
 

ajsccfc

Well-Known Member
Second reason - statistics have shown that managers with their hair parted in the same way Pressley enjoys are susceptible to 34.5% less success than those with alternative partings
 

Nick

Administrator
Strange, at the time I could have sworn people were going mad that he was forced to play youngsters because SISU wouldn't invest. Now it was genius?
 

LJC_CCFC

Member
Wilson was going nowhere or was Christie until Pressley gave them man management and encouraged them. Our crop of youngsters were under his charge and they all speak so highly of him. He is, in my mind, one of the best under 21 coach/manager I think I've ever seen. The problem for him, at club management, is you have to work with older players and they don't like being told what to do. Nearly all his successes at City and in Scotland were coaching the youngsters and if I was a premier manager I would bring Pressley in to manage the youngsters. When you look at the season we are just finishing it was the older players who let SP down.

He was forced to work with youngsters at Falkirk and here, he literally had no other choice.
 

LB87ccfc

Member
Wilson just took his chance with both hands.

Christie lacked motivation under SP.

Thomas didn't progress & in fact went backwards under SP. Haynes also appeared to suffer a major crisis of confidence under SP.

He may yet make a half decent lower league manager, but if hes gonna make it, hes got a fuck of a lot of work to do & a shit load of stuff to learn.....

Haynes had a major crisis of confidence thanks to Webster bullying the poor kid every game screaming his nut off when in fact it was Webster at fault blaming others.

Christie was fine until his agent put it in his head that he was Mr big shot.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
Other than being clueless and bullshitting his way through just about every post match interview I can't think of too many things wrong with his management style.
 

LB87ccfc

Member
Other than being clueless and bullshitting his way through just about every post match interview I can't think of too many things wrong with his management style.

Dont lie, you said he was your hero when we was playing fast attractive football outscoring teams :sarcasm:
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
Sorry but I do not see the same calibre of manager as you. What were his successes and did they outweigh the failures? The U18's finished 4th not bad but the U21 team finished bottom but one.

A lot of the work on the academy players was put in before SP even arrived by some good coaches including Gregor Rioch. Yes SP gave them opportunities in the first team but it was usually because there wasn't any one else left to choose. Yes the likes of George Thomas (report today) were grateful and appreciative but there were others like Haynes, Conor Thomas, etc that went backwards under SP and the structures he put in place.

I seem to remember that the U21 coaches were all raving about Wilson but the lad got held back by injury, he got his chance because there was no one else then following season formed a good partnership with Clarke. But didn't SP have to make a choice between him and Cody Mc and went for the cheapest option? Luck plays a part for all managers

Best U21 coach seen - not sure about that at all. He was more a manager short on tools who had to use the youngsters and in some cases like Maddison overused to the point of injury? Some of the lads involved in the first team were not ready, not strong enough a point alluded to by Mowbray. However it is fair to say needs must and that wasn't necessarily SP's fault. Of course the young lads are pleased excited and grateful, that shows their desire to push and be better - ambition. That's the sort of player we need but they have to guided and managed strongly & properly ...... not left to sink or swim even when needs must

All just my opinion of course but in many ways SP contributed to the damage done at CCFC and the successes are highlighted because they were so rare. Got a feeling the Mowbray way of doing things will be more knowledgable, more effective and get far more out of the undoubted talent we seem to have.

SP had a tough job, shone for a while when he had two strikers scoring for fun then it all fell apart when he lost focus in how to succeed in L1. Again just my opinion but I do not see him as anything special in the cut throat arena of football management
 
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shy_tall_knight

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but SP had a few good months in 2013 Aug - Dec as he had the best strike force in the division, the free flowing football stopped once one was injured and the other was sold. Bobby Gould for all his faults did well in the transfer market spotted more goods than duds. SP not sure how much he was in charge but Andy Webster, O'Brien for Baker, the Bournemouth trio, Miller, Aaron Martin, Prutton, Chuba Fonz etc.. his judgement (if it was his judgement was very poor). If we are to be promoted since season it will be the new signings (both perm & loans) and the management of the experienced palyers that will clinch it, relying on developing our youth is a smokescreen to justify failure.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry but SP had a few good months in 2013 Aug - Dec as he had the best strike force in the division, the free flowing football stopped once one was injured and the other was sold. Bobby Gould for all his faults did well in the transfer market spotted more goods than duds. SP not sure how much he was in charge but Andy Webster, O'Brien for Baker, the Bournemouth trio, Miller, Aaron Martin, Prutton, Chuba Fonz etc.. his judgement (if it was his judgement was very poor). If we are to be promoted since season it will be the new signings (both perm & loans) and the management of the experienced palyers that will clinch it, relying on developing our youth is a smokescreen to justify failure.

Even the blind could see this. But many thought it was great seeing lots of goals in lots of games. But if we had organisation as well as the strikers we had we would have been flying. Only the 'deluded' saw there was a problem during these games where we kept giving away soft goals when we were scoring so many at the same time.
 

Covstu

Well-Known Member
With a decent side around him, we played some decent football but when they were sold he could not adapt his style of play or formation to suit the skillbase he had at his disposal. You cannot insist a bunch of talentless journeymen play like Barca at a high tempo, it just wasnt going to happen.
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
The argument that the only reason he did well last season was because he had Leon and Wilson is ridiculous. So basically, when he was given the tools to do the job properly he did well? But when he wasn't given the tools he was shit? To me when it's put simply like this, surely he was in actual fact a good manager? Maybe his recruitment was shit but he still got the best out of those players last season?
 

ccfcway

Well-Known Member
The argument that the only reason he did well last season was because he had Leon and Wilson is ridiculous. So basically, when he was given the tools to do the job properly he did well? But when he wasn't given the tools he was shit? To me when it's put simply like this, surely he was in actual fact a good manager? Maybe his recruitment was shit but he still got the best out of those players last season?

surely we dont need to put Pressleys stats v Mowbrays stats up again with the same group of players ?
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
surely we dont need to put Pressleys stats v Mowbrays stats up again with the same group of players ?

Thats not the point is it? Imo it was pressleys man manage em which failed him THIS season. Sure TM has a better end to the season, but only because the players were either unprofessional or demotivated under pressley.
Yes he had his flaws but it's completely unfair to critisise him and saying he will never make it, when in actual fact he has shown signs of being a good manager with the correct tools?
 

lordsummerisle

Well-Known Member
The argument that the only reason he did well last season was because he had Leon and Wilson is ridiculous. So basically, when he was given the tools to do the job properly he did well? But when he wasn't given the tools he was shit? To me when it's put simply like this, surely he was in actual fact a good manager? Maybe his recruitment was shit but he still got the best out of those players last season?

A good manager is proven by making the best use of the tools available, all this "right tools for the job" and "hands tied behind their back" crap takes me back to the Thorn days.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
The argument that the only reason he did well last season was because he had Leon and Wilson is ridiculous. So basically, when he was given the tools to do the job properly he did well? But when he wasn't given the tools he was shit? To me when it's put simply like this, surely he was in actual fact a good manager? Maybe his recruitment was shit but he still got the best out of those players last season?

SP kept playing players out of position. He made subs at the wrong time and even subbed the wrong players. We had games without a shot on target against teams near the bottom. If he got the best out of the players he had how did TM take us out of the bottom 4 and up to 17th? I say he was deluded as he always saw a different game than we did.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
A good manager is proven by making the best use of the tools available, all this "right tools for the job" and "hands tied behind their back" crap takes me back to the Thorn days.

Spot on.

He was able to bring in well over 30 players. Who do you blame for this many players all being poor? You have to admit it must have something to do with SP whatever your thoughts are about him.
 

LB87ccfc

Member
Spot on.

He was able to bring in well over 30 players. Who do you blame for this many players all being poor? You have to admit it must have something to do with SP whatever your thoughts are about him.

I blame the non existent scouting network at the club and Waggott being tasked with the game of FM at the club as it was he who had the say on many a player, SP did not agree with half the signings but I am not going to go over and over about this again
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
A good manager is proven by making the best use of the tools available, all this "right tools for the job" and "hands tied behind their back" crap takes me back to the Thorn days.

No that's not how it works. What a ridiculous argument, a manager should be able to make his own team, yes SP probably did have a say in transfers but I guarantee you it was his 4/5th choice 99% of the time.
Take QPR for example, they had some top class talent in both of their relegation seasons, this season they had HR for half the season, who is a top class manager, yet they couldn't stay up and barely even challenged. Why? Because they didn't have the correct transfer policy (led by directior of football) which is similar to us, and they didn't think about a team, they thought more about the individuals. Tudgay, Jackson, pros, Swanson, nouble all have ability but it doesn't mean they can play as a team. The problem with waggot in control meant we had a team of individuals rather than a team.
I like TM I think he is a top class manager, or at least seems like it, I'm not saying SP shouldn't have been sacked, I'm just saying righting him off completely is way too far as he has shown some ability. Also tbh, I would argue, we played just as shit under TM as SP bar 1/2 games, and that the only difference was that we got the rub of the green under TM.
 

ajsccfc

Well-Known Member
So shoring up a defence during a remarkable run of away form that saw us safe was the rub of the green? Come on.

The vast majority of managers don't have complete control over recruitment or get their first choice targets, but make do. If a team is failing, everyone's to blame.
 

stupot07

Well-Known Member
Thats not the point is it? Imo it was pressleys man manage em which failed him THIS season. Sure TM has a better end to the season, but only because the players were either unprofessional or demotivated under pressley.
Yes he had his flaws but it's completely unfair to critisise him and saying he will never make it, when in actual fact he has shown signs of being a good manager with the correct tools?

The slump after he lost Clarke was horrendous, despite having Wilson, Moussa and Baker at his disposal


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors :)
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
No that's not how it works. What a ridiculous argument, a manager should be able to make his own team, yes SP probably did have a say in transfers but I guarantee you it was his 4/5th choice 99% of the time.

So was the only player he got that wasn't his 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice Webster? He was shite but he kept putting him in the team.

So how can you guarantee anything? Just saying the word means nothing. And I am yet to see any evidence that SP didn't get any players he wanted. But he did get nearly 40 players brought in.
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
The slump after he lost Clarke was horrendous, despite having Wilson, Moussa and Baker at his disposal


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors :)

Wilson injured until March? Moussa refusing to play last few games?
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
So shoring up a defence during a remarkable run of away form that saw us safe was the rub of the green? Come on.

The vast majority of managers don't have complete control over recruitment or get their first choice targets, but make do. If a team is failing, everyone's to blame.

Still shit at home? And still played shit away from, home just picked up points? Bristol City and fleetwood aside we didn't deserve to win. We still didn't create many clear cut chances? I'm not saying he isn't a better manager, I'm saying people are being too harsh on SP. he kept us up last season even with a 10 point deduction, best strike force or not, he deserves credit.
Actually I think you will find most managers do have control of their transfer budgets. Bar the clubs run by foreigners or shit owners. I can only think of Leeds, Liverpool, Blackpool, Cardiff, qpr who don't give control to the manager. And look at how it has left them... SP had to go for 5th choice... Not 2nd. Yes everyone is to blame. Doesn't mean he is a totally shit manager is my point.
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
So was the only player he got that wasn't his 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice Webster? He was shite but he kept putting him in the team.

So how can you guarantee anything? Just saying the word means nothing. And I am yet to see any evidence that SP didn't get any players he wanted. But he did get nearly 40 players brought in.

Webster and manset were his choices, but on a severely depleted budget cause of the embargo remember?

its well documented that SP wasn't in control, TM has shown that the transfer budget was in waggots hands.
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
Every manager has players that he inherits from his predecessor. Every manager will miss out on their first choice even Mourinho or Wenger sometimes even their 2nd 3rd or 4th. We don't actually know that some of them were not his 1st choice now do we. Yours like mine is just an opinion

The biggest thing that TM did when he came in was to get the back four playing a higher line, which compressed the space and distance that the midfield had to cover and got the front players connected and supported by the rest of the team. In doing so he improved attacking options and defensive strength. That had nothing really to do with player choices, is pretty basic stuff and something SP failed to get sorted this last season. In fact he failed to get it sorted at any time and it was only the form and pace of Wilson & Clarke that covered over those team deficiencies for 4 months at Sixfields. That isn't rocket science and it was obvious, yet SP failed to comprehend. Good managers get the basics right and mould a team to be greater than its individual parts. What TM managed was what he inherited all except 1 midfield player Ward. But even TM can get it wrong ...... how often did Al Bangoura play?
 
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ajsccfc

Well-Known Member
Still shit at home? And still played shit away from, home just picked up points? Bristol City and fleetwood aside we didn't deserve to win. We still didn't create many clear cut chances? I'm not saying he isn't a better manager, I'm saying people are being too harsh on SP. he kept us up last season even with a 10 point deduction, best strike force or not, he deserves credit.

He does deserve credit for last season, but similarly he deserves criticism for this season. The conditions he worked under can't only apply when he's not doing well.

Didn't Mowbray oversee a new record of away clean sheets? Whether we played poorly or not, that's exactly how you pick up points and it can't be disregarded. Winning games you don't deserve to can be the huge difference between success and failure.

Actually I think you will find most managers do have control of their transfer budgets. Bar the clubs run by foreigners or shit owners.

Some managers have more influence than others, but the number of those who have absolute complete control is a comparatively very low number. Pressley was a million miles from being in a unique situation with us. I don't agree with anyone saying he's the shittest thing in history, but it's pretty much impossible to deny he was failing in his job.
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
He does deserve credit for last season, but similarly he deserves criticism for this season. The conditions he worked under can't only apply when he's not doing well.

Didn't Mowbray oversee a new record of away clean sheets? Whether we played poorly or not, that's exactly how you pick up points and it can't be disregarded. Winning games you don't deserve to can be the huge difference between success and failure.



Some managers have more influence than others, but the number of those who have absolute complete control is a comparatively very low number. Pressley was a million miles from being in a unique situation with us. I don't agree with anyone saying he's the shittest thing in history, but it's pretty much impossible to deny he was failing in his job.

I agree he deserves criticism all I'm trying to argue is, he wasn't supported as a manager should be and given tools he did get the job done, maybe he isn't the best manager ever, but to call him shit, to say he will never succeed as overly harsh on somebody who saved us from relegation to league 2 last year.
 

ajsccfc

Well-Known Member
I definitely agree that nobody can really say he'll never do anything in his career, we're hardly a barometer of quality for anyone.
 

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