What I heard today

[Thor]

I'm not sure that's quite right, what they weren't prepared for was the bombs he was dropping all over the place.

[Loyal_Supporter]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

Fletcher had the players running for hours on the Friday before the Carlisle match, quelle suprise they ran out of steam 2nd half. Fletcher I think had read that infamous parody 'How To Lose Friends & Alienate People'.
I think most of us know that unfortunately a few players are not making the required step up and will obviously not have their contracts renewed.
Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated, but any changes to staff will have to fall in with their budget and costings projections.
Us lot have to sit tight and mostly wait til June when many contracts will be up.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

Sargeant not good enough? Have you ever seen him play? He's been better than Brill when he's came into the side this season. He should be starting.

[gshaw]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

Sargeant not good enough? Have you ever seen him play? He's been better than Brill when he's came into the side this season. He should be starting.

Yes I watched the goals flying past him in the highlights of the games he's played. All ones a first choice keeper should do far better with. Not the answer and lack of experience would destabilise a wobbly defence even further. The fact we played a half-fit Brill at start of the season rather than him speaks volumes.

Send him out on loan to an NL side in Jan to play as first choice there and get an experienced loan keeper in until end of the season.

[Chicken Dhansak]

This is what happens when backroom staff have been around for some time. Some of the start to go stale and think they've got
a job for life. In other words they think they are bullet proof.

[Disoriented]

This is what happens when backroom staff have been around for some time. Some of the start to go stale and think they've got
a job for life. In other words they think they are bullet proof.

Are you saying the club should call an Uber for Danny, Ross and Jobi?

[Sid Bishop]

This is what happens when backroom staff have been around for some time. Some of the start to go stale and think they've got
a job for life. In other words they think they are bullet proof.

Are you saying the club should call an Uber for Danny, Ross and Jobi?

I think 3 Coaches plus a Manager/Head Coach for a division 2 team is a bit over the top. I remember the time we has just ONE coach called Les Gore and one Manager, seemed to work not too badly !! Also proves the case somewhat for allowing a manager to bring in his own no two as in Carl Fletchers case, seemed like the existing coaching staff were ''Singing from a different hymn sheet'' So how can any new manager manage in his own way if he has to compromise his tactics and way of setting up a team to suit the existing coaching staff ? What with a powerful DOF, very hard for anyone to come in and manage a team as they wish to.

[RedDwarf 1881]

What has happened to Fletcher may mean other applicants will be put of, as it clear it is going take sometime for the coaching staff to come to terms with the loss of Justin. I just don't think they are ready for any 'outsider'.

That's why I feel Russell Slade would have been a good choice because of the experience and character he has . If anybody could have come in from outside and been OK it would have been Russell.

[Cheshunto]

This is what happens when backroom staff have been around for some time. Some of the start to go stale and think they've got
a job for life. In other words they think they are bullet proof.

Are you saying the club should call an Uber for Danny, Ross and Jobi?

I think 3 Coaches plus a Manager/Head Coach for a division 2 team is a bit over the top. I remember the time we has just ONE coach called Les Gore and one Manager, seemed to work not too badly !! Also proves the case somewhat for allowing a manager to bring in his own no two as in Carl Fletchers case, seemed like the existing coaching staff were ''Singing from a different hymn sheet'' So how can any new manager manage in his own way if he has to compromise his tactics and way of setting up a team to suit the existing coaching staff ? What with a powerful DOF, very hard for anyone to come in and manage a team as they wish to.

I don’t think we’re gonna see a new Manager / Head Coach Sid for the foreseeable future.
Also I think that Football has moved on a bit since your playing days, with Goalkeeper coaches, Defensive coaches etc but I agree, we are little overstaffed for a L2 outfit.
I think that Ling and Nigel will persuade Ross to continue until the end of the season unless we have a disastrous run, with the promise of funds to tweak the squad in January.
Hopefully Angol and Wilkinson can stay injury free for a while.

[Lovejoy]

What has happened to Fletcher may mean other applicants will be put of, as it clear it is going take sometime for the coaching staff to come to terms with the loss of Justin. I just don't think they are ready for any 'outsider'.

That's why I feel Russell Slade would have been a good choice because of the experience and character he has . If anybody could have come in from outside and been OK it would have been Russell.

You might be able to get Russell Slade on the cheap then as he is not cutting it at Hereford. They lost 5-1 yesterday to a team in the relegation zone of the National League North.

[Adz]

Sounds like CF had the right idea, but the wrong implementation. I can see why Travis talks about the culture fit not being right. A leader needs to take people with him on a journey, not just tell them what to do.

[Max B Gold]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

Sargeant not good enough? Have you ever seen him play? He's been better than Brill when he's came into the side this season. He should be starting.

Better than Brill

[BiggsyMalone]

Agree with dis, it can hit the play off places with the ability within it. I hope the trio of Ross, Danny and Jobi sort out the mess we've found ourselves in.

Yeah, they really showed how good they were in their first stint in charge

[Chicken Dhansak]

This is what happens when backroom staff have been around for some time. Some of the start to go stale and think they've got
a job for life. In other words they think they are bullet proof.

Are you saying the club should call an Uber for Danny, Ross and Jobi?

What I am saying is that these three names are not the be all and end all, if it means that the club cannot hire a descent
manager if those three have to remain in situ. As has been said many times on here, most good managers will want their own
backroom staff to come with them, but I'll bet Martin Ling will not endorse that.

[The Orient Hour]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

Fletcher had the players running for hours on the Friday before the Carlisle match, quelle suprise they ran out of steam 2nd half. Fletcher I think had read that infamous parody 'How To Lose Friends & Alienate People'.
I think most of us know that unfortunately a few players are not making the required step up and will obviously not have their contracts renewed.
Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated, but any changes to staff will have to fall in with their budget and costings projections.
Us lot have to sit tight and mostly wait til June when many contracts will be up.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

I am not part of the clubs PR machine, if I think somethings not right, I will say so.
I said on Orient Hour that's its patently clear we need to sign 3 or 4 players in the window.

[Long slender neck]

He used to be, but they sacked him.

[RedDwarf 1881]

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.



Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

Sargeant not good enough? Have you ever seen him play? He's been better than Brill when he's came into the side this season. He should be starting.

Yes I watched the goals flying past him in the highlights of the games he's played. All ones a first choice keeper should do far better with. Not the answer and lack of experience would destabilise a wobbly defence even further. The fact we played a half-fit Brill at start of the season rather than him speaks volumes.

Send him out on loan to an NL side in Jan to play as first choice there and get an experienced loan keeper in until end of the season.

That makes sense but I can't see it happening. Our priority must be a Vincelot type Central Midfielder . I dread Adams reminding us of that fact on Saturday .

[RedDwarf 1881]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

I am not part of the clubs PR machine, if I think somethings not right, I will say so.
I said on Orient Hour that's its patently clear we need to sign 3 or 4 players in the window.

I agree . If Ross is still in charge by than I hope he knows who to get

[Lucky7]

Everything is budgeted at the club, they won't be relegated

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.

The trouble is some of those who aren't gonna be good enough have already had their contracts renewed! And the ones that haven't signed might be worth keeping.

Ekpiteta is perhaps the only one who should get one, he is worth a decent fee.

Gorman, Sargeant, Sotiriou might be worth it as cheap backup, also they have not had much chance.

McAnuff, Dayton, Harrold gone for sure. Alabi as well. But that was always going to be the case.

The problematic ones are those who might have no interest from League clubs, but are on League money and therefore quite difficult to shift even if transfer listed. We saw that with Alabi this season but we might have three or four of this type next year.

Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

I am not part of the clubs PR machine, if I think somethings not right, I will say so.
I said on Orient Hour that's its patently clear we need to sign 3 or 4 players in the window.

You need to sign 3 or 4 decent chat buddies it’s not still the 80s get with the times
Once a brown nose and all that I trust Gilso 0%

[F*ck The Poor & Fat]

Sounds like CF had the right idea, but the wrong implementation. I can see why Travis talks about the culture fit not being right. A leader needs to take people with him on a journey, not just tell them what to do.

That is exactly right Adz. Something people often learn through experience. If/When Fletcher gats another chance he will be a better manager for this experience.

[F*ck The Poor & Fat]

I know you're part of the club PR / propaganda machine that's been running at political levels the past few days but the complacency to state we won't be relegated is simply astounding.

That's the kind of attitude Ross and the players are displaying, thinking they can waltz through games without putting the effort in. If anyone comes in and tries to give them the requisite kick up the backside they close ranks as we've now learnt.



Ekpiteta will be gone on a free or a nominal fee in Jan if he doesn't sign a new contract.

Gorman I doubt is cheap, Sargeant not good enough, Sotiriou worth hanging onto if they give him a chance.

With Ross in charge I wouldn't be surprised if Alabi got a contract extension, that's how ridiculous it's got now.

I am not part of the clubs PR machine, if I think somethings not right, I will say so.
I said on Orient Hour that's its patently clear we need to sign 3 or 4 players in the window.

You need to sign 3 or 4 decent chat buddies it’s not still the 80s get with the times
Once a brown nose and all that I trust Gilso 0%

I’d trust his judgement over yours any day of the week.

[Eat The Rich]

I agree with @Adz and @Doh Nut

I think everyone would have been more receptive to CF if he'd had an achievable short term, mid term and long term plan. Instead he had barely got his legs under the table and he was ripping everything up. There were four really crucial points that have been made that really illustrate the point.

Firstly he tried to give the players an aggressive pre-season in the middle of November. That alone will have destroyed both the good will and trust in the manager. Player's would know that it wasn't the right time to be doing that, that pressing ahead with it would lead to exhaustion and injury, which is exactly what happened. They've looked knackered ever since and Dayton picked up a strain as soon as he came back. How many others have also picked up tweaks since Fletcher arrived?

The second thing is a question of attitude and morale. Ling. snr made the point about Fletcher being very focused on critiquing all the players, telling them what made them poor players. It might be true to say that Alabi couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo but how much good is it going to do his confidence to tell him that straight to his face? Do you think he would now be more likely to score? Ling had it right that if you want to see the best of people then you need to give them confidence, show some belief in them and focus on their strengths. The time to help them with their weaknesses is when you've won their trust and they're playing well. In times of crisis you focus on strengths, in times of success you try to gain an extra advantage by working on your weaknesses.

The third factor was mentioned by Ling & Kent. It was that Fletcher did not understand how League 2 clubs work. Fletcher didn't consider that there are cycles that clubs at this level work to. You generally have half to a third of your squad out of contract every year. That way you never have to do a full rebuild. You generally won't be able to sell the players you don't want because there won't be any takers willing to pay. Clubs wait for players' contracts to expire. That means you have to plan your transfer activity accordingly. Fletcher wanted Ling & Kent to get rid of players who had 18 months left on their contracts. Its just not realistic. No one is going to pay for them and there's no way the club could pay them all off. Its totally unrealistic. Fletcher failed, once again, to take a short, medium and long term view.

His final mistake was in trying to implement a drastically different playing style, based around probing possession and aggressive counter pressing. Now, that's a lot to ask of League Two players at the best of times but to try to do it on day one is patently absurd. Instead of realising that he wanted the impossible he tried to change the players through an aggressive mid-season pre-season and transfer list those he deemed unsuitable to his plans. That is not how football management works.

He should have known all of this. He should gone in, assessed his squad, worked out how to get the best out of them. Then he should have made a not of the 1/3rd of his squad that were out of contract and decided who was staying and who was going. From there you can plan on who to recruit in January and in the summer to replace them, ideally with players that are a bit more suitable to the long term plan. These are things every coach knows, or at least I thought they did, because its all part of your coaching badges.

[gshaw]

Agree with most of that, he did try and change too much too soon.

That said, if we're not competing through lack of fitness how else do you address that mid-season? Stick 10 behind the ball and try to avoid running too much?!

Dayton was rushed back too soon, the guy only just returned from a serious injury then immediately playing 90 mins? Looks crazy when we have JMD, Brophy and Dennis all available.

Looks like club is repeating the same gamble with Angol based on Embleton's interview. Hope that doesn't blow up in their face in the same way.

As for January I don't think it's unrealistic for a new manager to ask for 4-5 signings given the current form and chronic lack of depth in the squad. Knowing 10 are out of contract in summer it's just bringing the rebuild forward a bit and giving more time to stabilise the future side. However I do wonder if lack of budget is more the reason the board didn't want to sanction that.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Dayton didn't warm up properly then overstretched 90 seconds after coming on.

To pin that on Fletcher is ridiculous.

[Mistadobalina]

I agree with @Adz and @Doh Nut

I think everyone would have been more receptive to CF if he'd had an achievable short term, mid term and long term plan. Instead he had barely got his legs under the table and he was ripping everything up. There were four really crucial points that have been made that really illustrate the point.

Firstly he tried to give the players an aggressive pre-season in the middle of November. That alone will have destroyed both the good will and trust in the manager. Player's would know that it wasn't the right time to be doing that, that pressing ahead with it would lead to exhaustion and injury, which is exactly what happened. They've looked knackered ever since and Dayton picked up a strain as soon as he came back. How many others have also picked up tweaks since Fletcher arrived?

The second thing is a question of attitude and morale. Ling. snr made the point about Fletcher being very focused on critiquing all the players, telling them what made them poor players. It might be true to say that Alabi couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo but how much good is it going to do his confidence to tell him that straight to his face? Do you think he would now be more likely to score? Ling had it right that if you want to see the best of people then you need to give them confidence, show some belief in them and focus on their strengths. The time to help them with their weaknesses is when you've won their trust and they're playing well. In times of crisis you focus on strengths, in times of success you try to gain an extra advantage by working on your weaknesses.

The third factor was mentioned by Ling & Kent. It was that Fletcher did not understand how League 2 clubs work. Fletcher didn't consider that there are cycles that clubs at this level work to. You generally have half to a third of your squad out of contract every year. That way you never have to do a full rebuild. You generally won't be able to sell the players you don't want because there won't be any takers willing to pay. Clubs wait for players' contracts to expire. That means you have to plan your transfer activity accordingly. Fletcher wanted Ling & Kent to get rid of players who had 18 months left on their contracts. Its just not realistic. No one is going to pay for them and there's no way the club could pay them all off. Its totally unrealistic. Fletcher failed, once again, to take a short, medium and long term view.

His final mistake was in trying to implement a drastically different playing style, based around probing possession and aggressive counter pressing. Now, that's a lot to ask of League Two players at the best of times but to try to do it on day one is patently absurd. Instead of realising that he wanted the impossible he tried to change the players through an aggressive mid-season pre-season and transfer list those he deemed unsuitable to his plans. That is not how football management works.

He should have known all of this. He should gone in, assessed his squad, worked out how to get the best out of them. Then he should have made a not of the 1/3rd of his squad that were out of contract and decided who was staying and who was going. From there you can plan on who to recruit in January and in the summer to replace them, ideally with players that are a bit more suitable to the long term plan. These are things every coach knows, or at least I thought they did, because its all part of your coaching badges.

Whilst I agree with all of this, aren't these the sort of things that should come up in the interview process? Shouldn't they be testing for awareness of such realities and if the applicant isn't aware, informing them and asking them how they adapt accordingly? Asking a manager what their short medium and long term plans would be would seem like the basic question possible.

I am completely baffled on how they could have got the appointment so wrong on so many fronts. Everything that is coming out about why he didn't fit should have been identified as the shortlisting stage.

[Eat The Rich]

I agree with @Adz and @Doh Nut

I think everyone would have been more receptive to CF if he'd had an achievable short term, mid term and long term plan. Instead he had barely got his legs under the table and he was ripping everything up. There were four really crucial points that have been made that really illustrate the point.

Firstly he tried to give the players an aggressive pre-season in the middle of November. That alone will have destroyed both the good will and trust in the manager. Player's would know that it wasn't the right time to be doing that, that pressing ahead with it would lead to exhaustion and injury, which is exactly what happened. They've looked knackered ever since and Dayton picked up a strain as soon as he came back. How many others have also picked up tweaks since Fletcher arrived?

The second thing is a question of attitude and morale. Ling. snr made the point about Fletcher being very focused on critiquing all the players, telling them what made them poor players. It might be true to say that Alabi couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo but how much good is it going to do his confidence to tell him that straight to his face? Do you think he would now be more likely to score? Ling had it right that if you want to see the best of people then you need to give them confidence, show some belief in them and focus on their strengths. The time to help them with their weaknesses is when you've won their trust and they're playing well. In times of crisis you focus on strengths, in times of success you try to gain an extra advantage by working on your weaknesses.

The third factor was mentioned by Ling & Kent. It was that Fletcher did not understand how League 2 clubs work. Fletcher didn't consider that there are cycles that clubs at this level work to. You generally have half to a third of your squad out of contract every year. That way you never have to do a full rebuild. You generally won't be able to sell the players you don't want because there won't be any takers willing to pay. Clubs wait for players' contracts to expire. That means you have to plan your transfer activity accordingly. Fletcher wanted Ling & Kent to get rid of players who had 18 months left on their contracts. Its just not realistic. No one is going to pay for them and there's no way the club could pay them all off. Its totally unrealistic. Fletcher failed, once again, to take a short, medium and long term view.

His final mistake was in trying to implement a drastically different playing style, based around probing possession and aggressive counter pressing. Now, that's a lot to ask of League Two players at the best of times but to try to do it on day one is patently absurd. Instead of realising that he wanted the impossible he tried to change the players through an aggressive mid-season pre-season and transfer list those he deemed unsuitable to his plans. That is not how football management works.

He should have known all of this. He should gone in, assessed his squad, worked out how to get the best out of them. Then he should have made a not of the 1/3rd of his squad that were out of contract and decided who was staying and who was going. From there you can plan on who to recruit in January and in the summer to replace them, ideally with players that are a bit more suitable to the long term plan. These are things every coach knows, or at least I thought they did, because its all part of your coaching badges.

Whilst I agree with all of this, aren't these the sort of things that should come up in the interview process? Shouldn't they be testing for awareness of such realities and if the applicant isn't aware, informing them and asking them how they adapt accordingly? Asking a manager what their short medium and long term plans would be would seem like the basic question possible.

I am completely baffled on how they could have got the appointment so wrong on so many fronts. Everything that is coming out about why he didn't fit should have been identified as the shortlisting stage.

I completely agree and if I had the opportunity is exactly what I would ask Ling & Kent. How do you give a manager the job without having some indication of his short, mid and long term plan? The impression Ling & Kent gave at the meet and greet was that he pulled a Villas-Boas, where what he said in the interview vis-a-vis the short term plan was not what he was saying after being given the job. I remember reading that AVB took the Spurs job on the basis that he'd be able to integrate talents (like Kane, Mason, Bentaleb.etc) from the state-of-the-art academy that Spurs had built. Within a couple of weeks he was demanding these youngsters be sent out on loan and that the club buy the players on his list. This list included some of the most expensive players in the world at the time. Obviously orders of magnitude separate AVB and CF but you get my point.