Who Are We?

Whatever your opinion of the footballing reasons for the events of this week it raises a lot of questions about what sort of club we are and what we want to become. The new ground aside we don't seem top have any clear long term vision as a football club or as a business.The new manager and JF don't even seem to be able to agree on a target for next season.

When you look at the 3 managers we have had this season they are all extremely different and will need very different players.Successful clubs have a long term plan which is reflected in their managerial appointments. Teams that have risen through the leagues like Swansea and even the Scunts have replaced their managers with similar managers who will play a similar way. What style of play do we want? What is our policy on youth players? What squad size do we want? What age of player do we want? What length of contract do we give to players / managers? How much time do we give to managers to get results? I don't expect to be privy to all the answers but it would be nice to believe that these questions are at least being considered and that the manager and the chairman are on the same page.

I've done a lot of cringing this week and had to put up with people laughing at our club again. It would be nice to think that it was all part of a long term vision rather than a short term knee jerk reaction.

I'm going to say it to get it out the way because it annoys the shite out of me...

... We are all town aren't we?

Not sure about what your saying check out this link maybe not all clubs are as long term as you think,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39505512

We have a plan, get up a league and move to a new ground, dead simple you don't need a 10 page manifesto. MB came in saying he wanted to do this and that and just set himself up for a fall.

Your point about managers is an odd one too The Swans - Monk, Gudelin (spelling) Bradley and Clements, similar managers? did they all want to play the same way? The Scunts - Since 2013 Laws, Wilcox, Robins and now Alexander 4 managers in 4 years is not really a long term plan IMHO. You don't need a policy on everything we are a football club not the feckin government.

Quoted from Vance Warner

Whatever your opinion of the footballing reasons for the events of this week it raises a lot of questions about what sort of club we are and what we want to become. The new ground aside we don't seem top have any clear long term vision as a football club or as a business.The new manager and JF don't even seem to be able to agree on a target for next season.

When you look at the 3 managers we have had this season they are all extremely different and will need very different players.Successful clubs have a long term plan which is reflected in their managerial appointments. Teams that have risen through the leagues like Swansea and even the Scunts have replaced their managers with similar managers who will play a similar way. What style of play do we want? What is our policy on youth players? What squad size do we want? What age of player do we want? What length of contract do we give to players / managers? How much time do we give to managers to get results? I don't expect to be privy to all the answers but it would be nice to believe that these questions are at least being considered and that the manager and the chairman are on the same page.

I've done a lot of cringing this week and had to put up with people laughing at our club again. It would be nice to think that it was all part of a long term vision rather than a short term knee jerk reaction.

There is no long term in football. There is money, and there are players who either fit in or don't. Managers come and go at 99.9999 % of clubs and there is absolutely no shame regarding what has happened this week. We made a mistake and have tried to rectify it, just as all clubs do.

The only long term "vision" we have is off the field by moving to a new stadium which may be the catalyst for a more sustainable future which would be great.  

Its nice to hear we are going to try and win the league but lets be honest why say things like that just so fans can feel good.  It makes you a target from the fans when we dont win the league.  Lets just get behind the new regime and help our club back to where we belong.

I think the OP makes some good and interesting points.

It may be harder for lower league clubs to have such long terms plans and stick to them, but it wouldn't hurt to have such plans.

Barcelona have their 4-3-3 system that runs through La Masia and their first team managers are required to use it as their primary system (obviously allowed to deviate from it at times but primarily 433).

Southampton I think have a good long term model and have had Pochettino, Koeman and now Puel who have all carried their project on and they continue to bring youth through and sign young promising talent.

Swansea at one spell went from Martinez, to Rodgers, to Monk, who all had the same philosophies and meant little upheaval/transition with each change.

All those 3 are at massively different levels to us but they're still football clubs. Yes they can afford to be more picky and choosy but would it hurt us to have a plan which wouldn't need to be ripped up and redesigned every few years?

It won't be long before JF is shaking the hand of another new manager and saying he was the overwhelming choice, they are delighted to have him and are looking to the future. Trouble is that in football, the future is now, unless you are one of the very big clubs. I just hope we have a bit of forward momentum on the pitch for a while before it all goes t1ts up again. It is the lot of a lower league football fan.

Quoted from Tommy

I think the OP makes some good and interesting points.

It may be harder for lower league clubs to have such long terms plans and stick to them, but it wouldn't hurt to have such plans.

Barcelona have their 4-3-3 system that runs through La Masia and their first team managers are required to use it as their primary system (obviously allowed to deviate from it at times but primarily 433).

Southampton I think have a good long term model and have had Pochettino, Koeman and now Puel who have all carried their project on and they continue to bring youth through and sign young promising talent.

Swansea at one spell went from Martinez, to Rodgers, to Monk, who all had the same philosophies and meant little upheaval/transition with each change.

All those 3 are at massively different levels to us but they're still football clubs. Yes they can afford to be more picky and choosy but would it hurt us to have a plan which wouldn't need to be ripped up and redesigned every few years?

I think the premier league clubs can afford to do as you say, but what chance of that lower down? McMenemy, Kerr and Buckley have been the most successful managers in my lifetime and all with different styles. The one thing they had in common was winning which is the main thing. Getting the best manager for the job regardless of style is my main concern.  

I think sometimes people  think GTFC is a bigger club than it really is.
I'd rather cringe this week than fight off relegation. next season.  
People look at the managers 'available'  and moan when we don't sign Adkins or Readfern or whoever.
Has it occurred to anyone they might not actually want the job !!!!!
After six long years in the wilderness we are back in the league. JF is probably petrified of going back there and I can't blame him. He got burnt with Woods and made damn sure it was t going to happen again.  If people want to laugh I really don't give a fat rats t-t. I trust Slade to steady the ship in the league we're in and that will do for now.  

Quoted from Civvy at last

I think sometimes people  think GTFC is a bigger club than it really is.
I'd rather cringe this week than fight off relegation. next season.  
People look at the managers 'available'  and moan when we don't sign Adkins or Readfern or whoever.
Has it occurred to anyone they might not actually want the job !!!!!
After six long years in the wilderness we are back in the league. JF is probably petrified of going back there and I can't blame him. He got burnt with Woods and made damn sure it was t going to happen again.  If people want to laugh I really don't give a fat rats t-t. I trust Slade to steady the ship in the league we're in and that will do for now.  

A steady hand may just steer us to PP as a football league club.