Going Backwards?

I fully appreciate that H&S, for some at least, are still in their honeymoon period, but the side look poor compared to last seasons in my opinion (i have missed one game home and away so far).

We were barely out the top 8 last season but remained on the cusp of the playoffs without really making a charge. After 10 games this season we have hardly been out of the bottom 8 and thta doesnt look like changing for the forseeable.

When the managers took over they immediately slagged off the team for not having any shape, the players not being good enough or fit enough? Are we any better off in any of those areas?

Perhaps we are marginally fitter but our shape is confusing at best. the players appear lost with the positional tinkering not only from game to game but within games too.

H&S may think they are tactical genius's but they simply havent built a squad capable of making the regular adjustments. When we play 4-3-3 we havent really got the players to play the 3 'front positions' whilst at 4-4-2 the wingers arent really wingers.

They may shout on the touchline which pleases some but for me this covers up a lack of thought and real knowhow.

In my opinion Woods should never have been sacked. We werent a million miles off and Woods knew what area's he had got wrong. We were still very close to challenging.

For me we have gone backwards, we look toothless, conceed everytime we have to defend a set piece, give the ball more cheaply than a Sunday league team and have managers who talk a good game but change like the wind which appears to confuse the players as to what their jobs are.

i am NOT advocating sacking the managers, just feel it will take longer to get back with these managers (plus a dwindling budget) than it would have done with Woods.

See you all at Kidderminster?

I hate  to say but you are right every word myself i hope that thee  next chairman mas a clear out.

in my opinion we where a million miles off promotion last season super alans goals just papered over the cracks

Quoted from Kris Mustampa

I fully appreciate that H&S, for some at least, are still in their honeymoon period, but the side look poor compared to last seasons in my opinion (i have missed one game home and away so far).

We were barely out the top 8 last season but remained on the cusp of the playoffs without really making a charge. After 10 games this season we have hardly been out of the bottom 8 and thta doesnt look like changing for the forseeable.

When the managers took over they immediately slagged off the team for not having any shape, the players not being good enough or fit enough? Are we any better off in any of those areas?

Perhaps we are marginally fitter but our shape is confusing at best. the players appear lost with the positional tinkering not only from game to game but within games too.

H&S may think they are tactical genius's but they simply havent built a squad capable of making the regular adjustments. When we play 4-3-3 we havent really got the players to play the 3 'front positions' whilst at 4-4-2 the wingers arent really wingers.

They may shout on the touchline which pleases some but for me this covers up a lack of thought and real knowhow.

In my opinion Woods should never have been sacked. We werent a million miles off and Woods knew what area's he had got wrong. We were still very close to challenging.

For me we have gone backwards, we look toothless, conceed everytime we have to defend a set piece, give the ball more cheaply than a Sunday league team and have managers who talk a good game but change like the wind which appears to confuse the players as to what their jobs are.

i am NOT advocating sacking the managers, just feel it will take longer to get back with these managers (plus a dwindling budget) than it would have done with Woods.

See you all at Kidderminster?

If Woods had been sacked a year before he was Grimsby Town wouldn't be in The BSP now. The only time I've ever written to a football chairman in my life, was in late February,2010, asking Mr Fenty to replace Woods as Manager before it was too late. I'm afraid Woods gave every sign during his fifteen months in charge that he'd never have taken the club back into The League. H&S, providing the rug isn't pulled from underneath their feet, will bring the good times back to Blundell Park. (with apologies to VOR)

Quoted from ROKERITE

If Woods had been sacked a year before he was Grimsby Town wouldn't be in The BSP now. The only time I've ever written to a football chairman in my life, was in late February,2010, asking Mr Fenty to replace Woods as Manager before it was too late. I'm afraid Woods gave every sign during his fifteen months in charge that he'd never have taken the club back into The League. H&S, providing the rug isn't pulled from underneath their feet, will bring the good times back to Blundell Park. (with apologies to VOR)

whats the interest in gtfc fella?

You are right, but give them 2 full seasons we know what they can do although that was in a lower league, we can't change another management team again and a not saying you want that.

Look at slades first season.

The question is though in these difficult times, how long can we continue to lose circa 900K per year, whilst hovering around mid- lower mid table? Unless some amicable decisions are made from our two ' saviours' in the boardroom i would suggest not very long, so i think H & S  had better get things moving quickly, time is definitely  very much of the essence at GTFC.

There are signs of a good team, that is all I can say. Yeah, there are definitely weaknesses too but we haven't been outplayed often. I actually don't think I've ever seen a team that has lost so many games without really playing that badly.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

whats the interest in gtfc fella?

It started with betting, I lost a lot of money on you the season before last; it turned out Newell really was the failure of Hartlepool rather than the success of Luton. What did surprise me was that even after Stein arrived things didn't pick up. I thought Woods was a shocking choice; it wasn't so much giving him the opportunity after Newell had gone, but sticking with him when he clearly hadn't a clue.
My interest in Grimsby disappeared at the end of 2009-10 but I'm always aware when a managerial vacancy occurs, and when Hurst and Scott were linked with the club I was intrigued. I came across them first at Ilkeston Town. I was following Bradford Park Avenue's progress at the time and couldn't help but note the impact H&S were having at a club in the same division. I then noted the rapid success they had at Boston United. They were actually just "those two joint managers" to me, it's only at Grimsby that I've remembered their names.
I'm convinced, and I risk boring people about it, that these two are winners. My interest in your club has been revived and I don't want to see you lose these two when it seems you and Mr Fenty have finally got it right. I can never understand why football fans at every club are so quick to write off a manager who has proven his worth elsewhere. I spent quite a lot of time on HNA a couple of yearsago, reading the abuse Brendan Rodgers received from Reading fans, culminating in his dismissal six months into the job. He's shown at Watford he was no mug but some never gave the fellow a chance. It hasn't taken long to show how precipitate those Reading fans were. I'd be very sorry if a similar mistake happened at Blundell Park.

Sacking Woods set us back a year. Last year was about par for a first season in this division. This summer Woods would have strengthened the side and we could have had a real go for the summit. Unfortunately we got rid of a lot of the squad and had to start again with another set of players. Sadly now Fenty's money has gone so these guys will probably never be able to show what they could have achieved in a second year with a decent playing budget.

Quoted from GrimRob

Sacking Woods set us back a year. Last year was about par for a first season in this division. This summer Woods would have strengthened the side and we could have had a real go for the summit. Unfortunately we got rid of a lot of the squad and had to start again with another set of players. Sadly now Fenty's money has gone so these guys will probably never be able to show what they could have achieved in a second year with a decent playing budget.

connell wanted out bore wanted out atkinson wanted out peacock wanted out all under woods leadership

I think it takes a while to build a team capable of winning this league Dean Saunders had a poor first season at Wrexham and they have learned the lessons and have performed well last season and this so far so I really think we ought to show patience at this stage and hopefully a new chairman will be found who can run the club properly and save us from the unthinkable administration until we have got things right on the pitch which I believe we will if H&S get given the time to do it.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

connell wanted out bore wanted out atkinson wanted out peacock wanted out all under woods leadership

The only one I think we miss is Connell and he clearly still wanted out under H&S so not something that could just be leveled at Woods...

Everything the chuckle brothers have said they wanted to change and needed to improve they haven't...I don't see any improvements personally and info believe we have gone backwards but I also believe getting rid of shouty and shorty wouldn't be the right answer either...I didnt want them and in all honesty I don't know manyfans that did but we have to support them no matter what...were they another cheap option? Who knows and only time will tell if they work for us...I don't think they will, whilst we never really looke promotion candidates but we were still sat in 8th or 9th just outside the playoffs, this season we look even miles off of that...

I'm not sure we're going backwards, but we certainly aren't going forwards.  We have replaced average players with similar, eg. is Pearson any better than Garner or Watt?  Is McKeown any better than Arthur?  And I know you won't like this, but are Disley, Church, Artus really any better than Leary, Hudson, et al?

Quoted from lee65

I'm not sure we're going backwards, but we certainly aren't going forwards.  We have replaced average players with similar, eg. is Pearson any better than Garner or Watt?  Is McKeown any better than Arthur?  And I know you won't like this, but are Disley, Church, Artus really any better than Leary, Hudson, et al?

For me the jurys still out regarding Pearson and Artus, I think Garners a much better defender than Pearson who turns like a battleship and I can`t see what Artus brings to the table

To be fair, they haven't replaced Garner. He's injured.

Quoted from Abdul19

To be fair, they haven't replaced Garner. He's injured.

Fair point, I think with current staff, Kempson and Garner are the best pair, if pace is needed then perhaps we should give I'anson a number of games

Unfortunately, I eventually had to come to the conclusion last season that Woods just didn't have a clue about what was necessary to compete in this division. Despite this, I don't think it was the right decision to sack him during the season. Much better to wait until the end of the year, then look for a new manager during the close season.

I think the team we have this season is generally better than that from last season, though there isn't a huge amount in it. Obviously, lacking a player like Connell who single-handedly won us games last season makes us seem worse than we actually are.

I'm hopeful that we can knuckle-down and drag our way up the table during the rest of this season but it won't necessarily be pretty. Most of the new signings are capable enough (though none are exactly world-beaters), but I think that Elding and Artus are both probably not the sort of players we required. Artus reminds me of Sweeney - lots of skill, but too keen to show it and therefore never moves the ball on fast enough. Often caught in possession as well. Elding has had a few very good goalscoring seasons during his career. However, the last was a few years ago and he's not exactly been tearing up any trees in recent seasons. The new Adam Proudlock, perhaps!

Quoted from Maringer

Artus reminds me of Sweeney - lots of skill, but too keen to show it and therefore never moves the ball on fast enough.

No doubt the opposition will be equally quick to work out that he can't use his right foot! At least Artus puts some effort in though.

Quoted from AndyGTFC

There are signs of a good team, that is all I can say. Yeah, there are definitely weaknesses too but we haven't been outplayed often. I actually don't think I've ever seen a team that has lost so many games without really playing that badly.

Totally agree.

Can't believe people are saying we look worse than last year ?!  
Have we forgetten how utterly clueless we looked ?

The only reason we were higher up the league table last season was having a lot more luck and ALAN CONNELL'S WONDER GOALS.

I know it's disappointing where we are now but all we need is one mega-run(which with Town's support is always possible) so don't give up so easily just yet please ?

Quoted from Kris Mustampa

I fully appreciate that H&S, for some at least, are still in their honeymoon period, but the side look poor compared to last seasons in my opinion (i have missed one game home and away so far).

We were barely out the top 8 last season but remained on the cusp of the playoffs without really making a charge. After 10 games this season we have hardly been out of the bottom 8 and thta doesnt look like changing for the forseeable.

When the managers took over they immediately slagged off the team for not having any shape, the players not being good enough or fit enough? Are we any better off in any of those areas?

Perhaps we are marginally fitter but our shape is confusing at best. the players appear lost with the positional tinkering not only from game to game but within games too.

H&S may think they are tactical genius's but they simply havent built a squad capable of making the regular adjustments. When we play 4-3-3 we havent really got the players to play the 3 'front positions' whilst at 4-4-2 the wingers arent really wingers.

They may shout on the touchline which pleases some but for me this covers up a lack of thought and real knowhow.

In my opinion Woods should never have been sacked. We werent a million miles off and Woods knew what area's he had got wrong. We were still very close to challenging.

For me we have gone backwards, we look toothless, conceed everytime we have to defend a set piece, give the ball more cheaply than a Sunday league team and have managers who talk a good game but change like the wind which appears to confuse the players as to what their jobs are.

i am NOT advocating sacking the managers, just feel it will take longer to get back with these managers (plus a dwindling budget) than it would have done with Woods.

See you all at Kidderminster?

Agree 100% Best post Ive seen on here for ages
Nice 1 Mr Mustampa

Quoted from GrimRob

Sacking Woods set us back a year. Last year was about par for a first season in this division. This summer Woods would have strengthened the side and we could have had a real go for the summit. Unfortunately we got rid of a lot of the squad and had to start again with another set of players. Sadly now Fenty's money has gone so these guys will probably never be able to show what they could have achieved in a second year with a decent playing budget.

We wouldn't have had a go for the summit. Connell was the only thing stopping that team being worse than our current one and he would have gone in the summer regardless of who the manager was. The main problem with the current team is the lack of decent widemen and all the widemen were part of the team last season.

Quoted from lee65

I'm not sure we're going backwards, but we certainly aren't going forwards.  We have replaced average players with similar, eg. is Pearson any better than Garner or Watt?  Is McKeown any better than Arthur?  And I know you won't like this, but are Disley, Church, Artus really any better than Leary, Hudson, et al?

You must be joking ! Pearson is certainly better than Watt. The mid-field trio are certainly better than Leary , Hudson and Cummins. They actually play like mid-fielders which is more than can be said for what we had last season.

I agree with the original post we are way behind were we were last year, i think we only needed a few decent additions to make us really competitive for promotion and we have been set back at least a year by sacking Woods.
The new managers have been far from impressive, they came in slagging the squad off, drunk our best player off and have assembled a poor squad that is not capable of playing their primitive brand of kick and chase football.
Im not buying this connell papered over the cracks bullshit, he got the ball to his feet in and around the box, this team are not capable of offering that to a striker last seasons team could do this.

we were not quite there last season but we were a damn site closer than we are now, We went from September to when Woodsy got the sack without being beaten at home, we never left the top half of the league and now we dont look like troubling it.

This season the squad is massively unbalanced and if that is 900k worth of footballers Bert and Ernie want shooting.

Quoted from Kris Mustampa

I fully appreciate that H&S, for some at least, are still in their honeymoon period, but the side look poor compared to last seasons in my opinion (i have missed one game home and away so far).

We were barely out the top 8 last season but remained on the cusp of the playoffs without really making a charge. After 10 games this season we have hardly been out of the bottom 8 and thta doesnt look like changing for the forseeable.

When the managers took over they immediately slagged off the team for not having any shape, the players not being good enough or fit enough? Are we any better off in any of those areas?

Perhaps we are marginally fitter but our shape is confusing at best. the players appear lost with the positional tinkering not only from game to game but within games too.

H&S may think they are tactical genius's but they simply havent built a squad capable of making the regular adjustments. When we play 4-3-3 we havent really got the players to play the 3 'front positions' whilst at 4-4-2 the wingers arent really wingers.

They may shout on the touchline which pleases some but for me this covers up a lack of thought and real knowhow.

In my opinion Woods should never have been sacked. We werent a million miles off and Woods knew what area's he had got wrong. We were still very close to challenging.

For me we have gone backwards, we look toothless, conceed everytime we have to defend a set piece, give the ball more cheaply than a Sunday league team and have managers who talk a good game but change like the wind which appears to confuse the players as to what their jobs are.

i am NOT advocating sacking the managers, just feel it will take longer to get back with these managers (plus a dwindling budget) than it would have done with Woods.

See you all at Kidderminster?

Sadly agree with every word mate, couldn't have put it better myself! My thoughts exactly!

UTM

Personally I think we have more high quality players this year but just because we have a better standard of player doesnt make a better team. Trouble is at the minute we make to may basic mistakes like others have said we always seem to give the opposition a goal also regardless of what Hearn is or isnt capable of doing we dont have a goalscorer like AC last year, i hope i eat my words and hearn starts banging them in left,right and centre but i just dont see it. We must keep HandS though through thick and thin this year IMO (unless were in imediate relegation danger) becasue they clearly are good managers their record proves it, the spine of the team is there and if this team doesnt cut it this year, it wouldnt take that many additions to make it to make it into a quality side.

Quoted from lee65

is Pearson any better than Garner or Watt?

Yes. IMO he looks very settled in the team now and looks better than Kempson who still loses players and whenever we concede blames others.

Quoted from lee65

Is McKeown any better than Arthur?

Yes. Without doubt. In every aspect of goalkeeping.

Quoted from lee65

are Disley, Church, Artus really any better than Leary, Hudson, et al?

Yes.

Quoted from mariner91

We wouldn't have had a go for the summit. Connell was the only thing stopping that team being worse than our current one and he would have gone in the summer regardless of who the manager was. The main problem with the current team is the lack of decent widemen and all the widemen were part of the team last season.

Connell might not have left had Woods and a few of his mates stayed. We didn't have to sell him either. The actual money received from him paid our debts for a grand total of one month. I was never convinced it was good business I must admit.

The keeper is better this year than last. Other than that was there any great benefit of the enormous game of musical chairs we played over the summer? Probably not other than the signing on fees in in players pockets.

Quoted from GrimRob

Connell might not have left had Woods and a few of his mates stayed. We didn't have to sell him either. The actual money received from him paid our debts for a grand total of one month. I was never convinced it was good business I must admit.

The keeper is better this year than last. Other than that was there any great benefit of the enormous game of musical chairs we played over the summer? Probably not other than the signing on fees in in players pockets.

connell asked to leave before xmas several players knew this

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

connell asked to leave before xmas several players knew this

Why let the facts stand in the way of a good story

Quoted from Garth

Why let the facts stand in the way of a good story

it is not a fact, it is a rumour.

Fenty said it was true though so it must be.

Quoted from Abdul19

Fenty said it was true though so it must be.

wouldnt trust fenty (con) with a barge pole but i do trust the player who told me

luton enquired about him well before xmas that unsettled him, even if we had gone up he was going cos its grim up north

Quoted from GrimRob

Connell might not have left had Woods and a few of his mates stayed. We didn't have to sell him either. The actual money received from him paid our debts for a grand total of one month. I was never convinced it was good business I must admit.

The keeper is better this year than last. Other than that was there any great benefit of the enormous game of musical chairs we played over the summer? Probably not other than the signing on fees in in players pockets.

Well our central midfielders actually have a vague idea of how to play this season.

Agree with this post. All Woodsy needed was a decent midfielder.

It seems having read this what a difference in opinions are; obviously many on here actually have no footballing knowledge, it shows by some of the garbage being written.

Having been to some of the home games from my opinion the fans do not get behind the players enough. Having heard boo's at half time shows the support our own fans have in the current team. What confidence will the boys have in themselves when walking out on the pitch to negativity?

Instead of living in the past and comparing championship quality players to the current team as we are no longer in the same league, financially or any other aspect of football we need to realize the position we are in; support the boys and hope our bad fortune changes!!

UP THE MARINERS!  

i prefer woods. he knew the centre midfield was poor and he bought in sinclair and hughes i believe to  try and fix it and he also bought lee ridley and alan connell who we got a fee for.

Quoted from aaron rattray

i prefer woods. he knew the centre midfield was poor and he bought in sinclair and hughes i believe to  try and fix it and he also bought lee ridley and alan connell who we got a fee for.

Sinclair & Hughes - 2 crocks who didn't have a decent game between them, and if Ridley's supposed to be a saviour then we are in trouble!

Quoted from BrMarin

Agree with this post. All Woodsy needed was a decent midfielder.

And a tactical brain and not to mention the killer instinct...

Without knocking Ridley in any way as an honest straight forward defender, it will be good to see Green back in the left back slot with faster speed down that left flank.

That dimension of play may have been a telling factor in holding Wrexham at bay during their high possession spells on Saturday.

Coulson on from the start as well !

More mobility and guile in midfield !

Would we be any worse off league position wise if we were still playing Heggs, Northy etc, to be honest I am not sure

H&S would have loved North with his running and physical presence - could imagine him alongside Hearn bullying the defenders in this league!

With current players, Duffy is still my choice next to Hearn - give them a good run together!

Hegarty is lightweight and very injury prone, but could cross a ball really well when he was here and weighed in with an odd few goals - would probably be beaten up by defenders in this league.

Would either bring anything new to the party, no, and could be more boo boys for the fickle fans again.

Quoted from Maringer

Unfortunately, I eventually had to come to the conclusion last season that Woods just didn't have a clue about what was necessary to compete in this division. Despite this, I don't think it was the right decision to sack him during the season. Much better to wait until the end of the year, then look for a new manager during the close season.

I think the team we have this season is generally better than that from last season, though there isn't a huge amount in it. Obviously, lacking a player like Connell who single-handedly won us games last season makes us seem worse than we actually are.

I'm hopeful that we can knuckle-down and drag our way up the table during the rest of this season but it won't necessarily be pretty. Most of the new signings are capable enough (though none are exactly world-beaters), but I think that Elding and Artus are both probably not the sort of players we required. Artus reminds me of Sweeney - lots of skill, but too keen to show it and therefore never moves the ball on fast enough. Often caught in possession as well. Elding has had a few very good goalscoring seasons during his career. However, the last was a few years ago and he's not exactly been tearing up any trees in recent seasons. The new Adam Proudlock, perhaps!

I think JF was right to fire Woods when he did. We were not good enough to get a playoff spot, so nothing was lost by removing him, and bringing S+H in when he did gave tyhem a chance to evauate the squad ahead of the close season.

I may be talking crap here, because as an exile I haven't been to BP yet this season, but I remain optimistic.

Though results are bad, we seem to be playing some good football in patches even in the games which we lose.  Reading the reports it seems like we have had spells of being on top against all of the sides we have played so far, even Braintee when we got murdured 5-0.

My take is that we are making progress, but that we are far too frail defensively. We seem to give cheap goals away far too often and I think S+H really need to adress this as a matter of urgency. Goals are game changers, and often have been conceeded aginstv the run of play with disasterous consequences. We must sort this out pronto if we are to get anything out of this season.

Reagrding the attack, it sounds like Hearn is a great aquisition but we need the right partner for him. That coukld be Duffy, or perhaps Spence with his physical presence once he is fit again.

There is still time to mount a challenge, but we need to resolve our problems soon and with existing resources beacuse I can't see any extra funding any time soon.

Quoted from aldi_01

Everything the chuckle brothers have said they wanted to change and needed to improve they haven't...I don't see any improvements personally and info believe we have gone backwards but I also believe getting rid of shouty and shorty wouldn't be the right answer either...I didnt want them and in all honesty I don't know manyfans that did but we have to support them no matter what...were they another cheap option? Who knows and only time will tell if they work for us...I don't think they will, whilst we never really looke promotion candidates but we were still sat in 8th or 9th just outside the playoffs, this season we look even miles off of that...

I agree with all of this.
We haven't been able to stay in L2 and we haven't been able to respond to relegation.
Why on earth would anyone even think we could achieve this with an ever diminishing budget and managers in their first full time professional role is beyond me.
There will not be a millionaire nutter who wants to lose the best part of £1m per annum knocking on our door soon and our squad will not miraculously improve over night.
Survival of the club is paramount but to be fair, nobody has formulated a plan for this as time ticks away.

Quoted from RonMariner

I think JF was right to fire Woods when he did. We were not good enough to get a playoff spot, so nothing was lost by removing him, and bringing S+H in when he did gave tyhem a chance to evauate the squad ahead of the close season.

Interesting point. As far as I can see their "evaluation" wasn't spectacularly successful. OK they decided the midfield three weren't good enough...no great surprises there.

They decided that Duffy and Makofo were surplus to requirements and then have found themselves playing both regularly.

They also unsettled our top scorer at a time when they surely needed him to be firing on all cylinders.

To provide a bit of balance they should be applauded for the signings of both Hearn and McKeown.

IMO they were guilty of deciding that virtually everything about the Woods era was wrong and weren't objective enough (or canny enough with the funds!) to actually look at it broad-mindedly. The reports coming out about fitness etc. pandered to those who were daft enough to think wholesale changes were the answer. The results of this were that for most of the lasty 10 games of the season players were asked to play in a way that clearly they weren't cut out for which only served to underline the view that wholesale changes were needed. This proved expensive because in effect it quickly removed any lingering hopes of making playoffs or top 10 finish and left the whole club in yet another state of uncertainty.
There will of course be posters who say and maybe rightly that under Woods we may still have suffered the same dip in performances. That however is pure speculation. The facts are that the dismal run came under the two new managers, highlighting once again the absolute futility of replacing a manager so close to the end of a season.
What did it achieve? In practise nothing judging by the lack of a flying start to the 2011/12 season. As recent events have sadly shown the need for a total rethink on their terms of the playing staff has done nothing other than put further strain on the finances which could have been avoided with a little more objectivity.

Quoted from barralad

They also unsettled our top scorer at a time when they surely needed him to be firing on all cylinders.

Really ?!! Please tell me more ?

Quoted from barralad

The results of this were that for most of the lasty 10 games of the season players were asked to play in a way that clearly they weren't cut out for which only served to underline the view that wholesale changes were needed.

I thought that at the time(and still do to an extent) but to be fair, Hurst came out later and said it was a case of seeing which of the current squad could play the way they wanted to play in the future.
But yeah I do think it was a bit of a "fait accomplis".

Quoted from barralad

This proved expensive because in effect it quickly removed any lingering hopes of making playoffs

Playoffs were all but gone when Woods got sacked. I'm sure the bookies were in total agreement at the time.

Quoted from barralad

The facts are that the dismal run came under the two new managers, highlighting once again the absolute futility of replacing a manager so close to the end of a season.

Any manager keen on sorting out the wheat from the chaff may talk playoffs but all their energies are gonna be on rebuilding,
As you say they didn't play to our strengths - there's your reason !

Quoted from barralad

What did it achieve? In practise nothing judging by the lack of a flying start to the 2011/12 season. As recent events have sadly shown the need for a total rethink on their terms of the playing staff has done nothing other than put further strain on the finances which could have been avoided with a little more objectivity.

Scott and Hurst didn't set the playing budget.
Is Woods to blame for the clubs financial situation too ?
Remember it was Fenty who said we needed a different type of player for the BSP !  
"on their terms" my bottom !  

I think we have a better squad than last season but the balance of the team does not seem right somehow and the play in the final third gets bogged down. Not enough balls into space for the frontmen, generally launched in from deep or wide, sometimes not very well. If we are to play 442 then we must have Eagle on the left and Coulson on the right. I have had enough frustration from Makefo, keep him on the bench to come on later in games if needed. If we play 3 in the middle Artus must be in there, in fact he could be worth a try wide left. He is one of our most creative players, but it is difficult to fit him in when Disley and Church are in. Church needs games still to adjust to this league, but I am sure he will get better. Elding is not a target man, never has been, he is more of a penalty box player, so he needs to step down unless we change our style to suit and reduce high balls. If we persist then I guess Duffy is the main target man. I don't mind who plays in the central defensive roles all 4 are decent enough players for this league. I am concerned we do not have any other options wide right (recent experiment with Eagle is not the answer). So overall a work in progress but with good potential I would say.

Any manager keen on sorting out the wheat from the chaff may talk playoffs but all their energies are gonna be on rebuilding,
As you say they didn't play to our strengths - there's your reason !

You will have to enlighten me. How could they rebuild when we were outside of the transfer window. I've dealt with their ability to gauge the value of the assets they had elsewhere.

Scott and Hurst didn't set the playing budget.
Is Woods to blame for the clubs financial situation too ?
Remember it was Fenty who said we needed a different type of player for the BSP !  
"on their terms" my bottom !

As usual you contrive to miss the point. When the managers decided-erroneously that Duffy and Makofo were surplus to requirements replacements were brought in. Having had the benefit of seeing both players pre-season they were forced to change their opinion. In the meantime money was spent acquiring those replacements that could have been used more usefully elsewhere. For example in the right winger who keep banging on about or cover for Ridley at left back.