Actually whilst AT had it much worse than Aidy, he didn't have enough backing either. He was constantly promised loan signings that didn't materialise, and numerous targets who have since quadrupled in value were identified by AT, approved by Aidy, and blocked by Igwe. And the true hammer blow fell at Xmas, when Carsley, Aron, and Sammy had all been injured. With Doyle Aidy's first choice CM and holding the side together in the middle with his workrate and ball-winning, he was given away, to get him off the wage bill. I think I'm correct in saying he never won again at the club? Then the Connor Thomas affair-another CM out of the club, just as he was needed in the side.
Neither Doyle or Thomas were replaced; Carsley never played again. Sammy and Aron eventually returned to near-fitness, and were pitched straight into the side (although Aron had been played RM by Aidy up to then, and it was working, he was scoring goals, we were top half..). Sammy was useless in Aidy's formation and style of play, and both he and Aron were still gradually getting their fitness back in the first team-but the wins didn't come. Aidy got sacked, and Thorn-and his style of play-got the best out of Aron and Sammy at CM-and, incredible as it now seems, David Bell and McSheffrey, who both played their best football in the past 4 years in those months. Those players, plus Lukas and King, proved much more productive under Thorn. Hussey came in at LB and transformed our shape and balance, giving us a natural left-footer and width going forwards. Likewise Clarke came in at RB, added another dimension, and the ball-playing defensive partnership of Keogh and Cranie was born. That back 4 only returned to the pitch again a few weeks ago, and it was too late.
We were hence saved from relegation by Andy Thorn-his methods worked better with the players that were left than Aidy's did.
That doesn't mean Aidy wasn't short changed: he need Carsley, Doyle and Turner for his tactics to work. Without them and with the ball-playing footballers at the club disillusioned-and some, such as Baker, McIndoe and Hussey, seemingly ostracised from the side-he was never going to turn it around without being to be able to replace his key players. Maybe his own fault, as he honestly admits he "didn't do his homework on SISU".