The Thorn issue. (9 Viewers)

ClarrieB said:

They have argued that no other manager could have done better - if not for these defenders of the indefensible we would have got rid and stayed up.

Click to expand...

Try again. It was said an experienced manager would have saved us, and this was at the time ex England managers were doing so crap in our division. It was also pointed out we had experienced managers in this division previously that hadn't done much better with much better squads. It was said that an experienced manager might have done better, but also might not have. Remember at the time we had a small squad with injuries meaning we couldn't put out a fully fit team. How could an experienced manager have done better? There is no proof either way.

Just because at times certain posters make certain comments it don't also mean many agree with these views, although some try to make out this is the case.

Always defended AT last season against critics, but against Nuneaton I thought AT should have fielded a better and stronger midfield that would have given Bruno the service to perhaps show what he is about (or not). I do however think there is something more to give from the Albanian guy if played around better players. Otherwise, probably THE most pointless trial I have seen given to 2 players in order to see what they're capable of. Our 1st VI would have comfortably beat Nuneaton and knowing full well what sort of support was going to be shown at a local friendly, a win by a good margin might have been a good advert for fans that were not thinking of going to the games next season! On the whole, I think he got it all wrong regardless of the result.

ampthill_sba said:

Not very good on the observations made at Nuneaton I'm afraid.

Click to expand...

Thing is the whole team played crap by the sounds of it, do it's hard to judge a few guys playing their first game of the year.

Yes it's a tad concerning we arn't playing well, but it's still very early days. If hope to see improvements over the next few games, the proposed first 11 playing together and learning how each other play.

Look how crap team GB are. They have some good players in there, but having never played together look crap.

Macca said:

Hoofball was awful no doubt. Although I do remember coming out of the boro game, a terrible experience, though we won 1 0, and thinking "so be it" as we moved into the top 6. Sadly once we were found out we went into free fall. I still think that the attractive football thing is a con though. I mean me and my mates could pass side to side and back to the keeper under no pressure.

Click to expand...

I never said attractive football. I do remember how much happier we were to keep hold of the ball and pass it about again. Anything was better than keep losing playing hoofball.

Astute said:

I never said attractive football. I do remember how much happier we were to keep hold of the ball and pass it about again. Anything was better than keep losing playing hoofball.

Click to expand...

Apologies, the inference elsewhere is that though we kept losing last year, we played nice football. It passed me by. Anyway my thoughts are that despite how furious I was last year I think thorn could and should do better this time around. See what happens

We are heading for dangerous water. Thorn was let down by the board as we had a clearly depleted squad and relegation was expected and AT & Co duly delivered this. Now having rebuilt this squad we are now hearing that as they are all freebies not sure of their quality thus affording AT more excuses to avoid any criticism. we are in danger of having a Teflon manager were no blame will ever stick for poor results. Unfortunately the management merry go round is a vital part of our game, Lambert to Norwich, Adkins to Saints, etc.. are prime examples of this. Maybe Brian Gunn at Norwich and Alan Pardew at Saints can demonstrate how unlucky they were etc...to be replaced by Lambert and Adkins but their replacements were the correct appointments and I'm sure their fans weren't so full of pity as we are for AT's plight. we don't know what is good or bad for AT this season, a manger not being under pressure is unhealthy for the club

Why I don't think AT is the right man and this is not based on the recent defeats in the friendly games.

Don't create enough chances Watford at home 0-0 at the start of last season, I don't think we created a chance in the whole game. When we lost 1-0 to Hull at home before Xmas we just never looked like we could score and we were unable to chase the game, it was an easy away win for them and they were awful

Tippy Tappy football Totally ineffective with the players available, went more direct after Xmas and won more games - took AT too long to figure this out.
man management of Clingan & eastwood Maybe atad harsh on AT but AT got nothing out of Fat Freddy and Sideways Sammy was an uter waste of space all season.

Team motivation for the 2 big 6 pointers the team just never turned up at Forest & Brizzol and the 2 final home performances was totally unacceptable especially Donny.

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrBecks gets away with this as he is well groomed and has worked on this in interviews and says it less, AT comes across poorly and needs to work on his appearance
to have any credibility.

Nothing to do with a lack of fit strikers that can score goals and wanted to play for us I see.

Macca said:

Can t we give this a rest? This argument is about 8 months too late and the chances of agreement are nil. The damage has been done and actually the whole archaic crazy gang method might work in this pub league. Why not wait and see eh? How I hate the closed season

Click to expand...

I agree. Same debate. Same debate. Same debate.

It's ruining this forum

Grendel said:

As one person has already stated thorn is our best manager since Jimmy Hill, another the best in the championship and plenty that the best managers in the land could not have got more points than thorn last season I conclude that these people would think that.

Click to expand...

You are at it again. No one on this thread has stated Thorn is the best manager since Jimmy Hill. Stop using things you once saw as a counter argument. Have the intellect to discuss things that are written in the here and now.

DiveDiveWhereverYouMayBe said:

You are at it again. No one on this thread has stated Thorn is the best manager since Jimmy Hill. Stop using things you once saw as a counter argument. Have the intellect to discuss things that are written in the here and now.

Click to expand...

Apologies, just saw that this was said only yesterday. I'll let you off. You are still an unbalanced writer, though. That is as insulting as I will get today.

DiveDiveWhereverYouMayBe said:

You are at it again. No one on this thread has stated Thorn is the best manager since Jimmy Hill. Stop using things you once saw as a counter argument. Have the intellect to discuss things that are written in the here and now.

Click to expand...

CJ Parker said it yesterday.

You can't make sweeping conclusions based on what one or two posters said yesterday or 6 months ago, although of course you do.

This is a football website. We have had one of the worst seasons in the clubs history, where ordinarily the manger would have been sacked. He wasn't he is still in post but if you think the debate goes away you are mistaken, he is the single most important person at the club and will have a huge impact on the team's results. The debate as I can see it is he may be a good manager given the right resources but who knows lets just wait and see some will give him 10 games others until xmas but others I think will be accepting of avoiding relegation cos he hasn't got the resources poor old AT. If you find the attacks on AT as boring the same can be said over those who defend him.

Plenty have said he is the best manager since relegation and a smaller number have claimed him to be the best since Sillet.

Not quite as many as those who have quoted others as doing so.

gaz said:

No other manager could have done better ?

So that's still not anyone saying Thorn is a better manager than mad Mick then.

Click to expand...

Yes it is -it say's by proxy

(No other manager > AT) = (All other managers <= AT)

ClarrieB said:

Yes it is -it say's by proxy

(No other manager > AT) = (All other managers <= AT)

Click to expand...

Exactly. Good to see some sensible posters on here at last.

Sick Boy said:

Plenty have said he is the best manager since relegation and a smaller number have claimed him to be the best since Sillet.

Click to expand...

Considering he is the only manager we have had since relegation he must be the best.....and worse ;D

Nonleagueherewecome said:

You can't make sweeping conclusions based on what one or two posters said yesterday or 6 months ago, although of course you do.

Click to expand...

Says the man who thinks Bigi may be worth £25 million and if Thorn has £2 million to spend he will get any club promoted out of this league.

@richh87 said:

I think a "SISU are the worst owners in our entire history" line should set off more alarm bells.

Ooh, free transfers we've never heard of to form the spine of a team that's lost Keogh, Cranie and Clingan. Thanks SISU?!

We are Coventry City, even being in this division is an embarrassment. SISU condemned us to relegation by ripping our squad apart and I will never forgive them.

We can't judge this squad as the strongest in the division; we've no idea what the new players are like - and as for the ones that got us relegated - well, say no more.

Click to expand...

all true m8 we need an inspirational manager to gel the squad and make them improve dont know if thorn can do that

Mary_Mungo_Midge said:

I agree. Same debate. Same debate. Same debate.

It's ruining this forum

Click to expand...

I can see to an extent why this is frustrating but at the same time I think it is to be expected. Like or not the continued employment of a manager who led us to Division One is a source of some concern to many - whatever the context - especially when managers have been sacked for far, far less. So it is a subject of controversy and as such will encourage debate on both sides.

For me it is a real concern as I believe the club has to get promoted first time round. If not more budget cuts, reduced attendances and mediocrity in this division are a real possibility. I agree to an extent with your view that clubs with bigger expenditure tend to do better but I also view the manager as having greater influence than you believe. We are bigger than most in the division and this can work well or can be an obstacle. Why I say can be an obstacle is that I cannot see the club really struggling as th ey have in the past - regardless of manager they will probably always next season be mid-table at worst. My fear is we will always be around the play-offs and for most this will vindicate Thorn and people will believe his performance is acceptable. I don't. We have to get promoted. I believe him to be poor at motivation, tactics and communication. This will to an extent be masked by the league and so he will get less scrutiny but the danger is we will miss out and that will be us as happened in the first season in the Championship when we changed the management team as opposed to leaving well alone.
There are lots of topics on here that do not involve this discussion. Many threads I do not look at as they are not interested so that for you is an option.
For me I believe it is the single biggest factor that will decide the clubs destiny - short and long term - and will need rectifying a lot sooner than many on here suggest.

Great post. Sadly I think we will just have to accept what we have. Just want to get started now

Who could we realistically get to replace Thorn?

QUICKER_THAN_WRIGHTY said:

Who could we realistically get to replace Thorn?

Click to expand...

There would be many candidates. Again sisu and ranson have been poor at recruitment. Coleman never had managed at this level and boothroyd was on the slide. You need a young league 1 or 2 manager who sees this a a big opportunity to enhance their reputation not someone who views it as just another payday.