Gregor Robertson on Jolley's appointment

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Was underwhelmed then 😉

I sat next to Gregor in the press box for the game on Saturday and we had an interesting conversation. Such as nice, down to earth guy to talk to. Despite the Town link he was gutted when Lincoln came from behind against Chesterfield as he's really good mates with Jack Lester.

Quoted from psgmariner

I thought he would have had more to say than that.

https://www.facebook.com/L3Visuals/videos/614757708869790/

Just to keep you going until Gregors ready

Quoted from psgmariner

[img]https://m.imgur.com/EaDeKzx[/img]

Not a lot can be said about that!

Quoted from Mighty_Mariner

I sat next to Gregor in the press box for the game on Saturday and we had an interesting conversation. Such as nice, down to earth guy to talk to. Despite the Town link he was gutted when Lincoln came from behind against Chesterfield as he's really good mates with Jack Lester.

As someone who was part of how we got back in the league it must be painful for him to see the state we now find ourselves in.

Let's Getourfactsright........Gregor was slumped in a chair after drinking 42 bottles of 'Mariners Promotion Ale' in MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE  

(Allegedly)

oops no idea why my original post didn't work.

His article in The Times is here https://www.thetimes.co.uk/art.....68b1ebdd4acf5c2e8d6f

GREGOR ROBERTSON
march 12 2018, 12:01am, the times
The former investment banker who beat Sol Campbell to become Grimsby manager
gregor robertson

The Journeyman visits Grimsby Town


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That was quite a statement released by Grimsby Town ten days ago to announce the appointment of Michael Jolley as their new manager. The club’s desire to move away from the “classic managerial merry-go-round” was coupled with the air of a lucky punter who has won the star prize at Cleethorpes funfair.

The to-do list for the 40-year-old investment banker turned coach, with only six months’ experience as a manager in Sweden, was so extensive that by the end of the gushing 16-paragraph, 713-word release you felt that Jolley might even be the man to secure the best deal for Grimsby’s fishermen in post-Brexit EU fisheries negotiations, too.

“Michael’s exceptional prior academic and business background — firstly, at Cambridge University and latterly as an investment banker with HSBC — also means he is experienced, hard-headed and extremely articulate in communicating simple solutions to complex problems in a concise way,” it read.

“He will bring a modern, cutting-edge approach to match preparation . . . has a track record of playing an exciting, high-pressing, attacking style of football . . . will create a tactically astute, cohesive group with a focus on an ethos of youth development at the heart of his philosophy . . . that sees Grimsby Town Football Club as one of the most attractive propositions for hungry, aspiring young professionals on their way up in the game.”

No pressure, then. A more pressing matter is ensuring the League Two status of a club without a win in 16 games — a point reached in paragraph 11. On the evidence of the Mariners’ scrappy 1-1 draw with Port Vale on Saturday — courtesy of a 91st-minute James Berrett equaliser and a heroic performance from the goalkeeper James McKeown — survival is no foregone conclusion.


Jolley is aware of that, of course, and although Russell Slade’s replacement was welcomed warmly before kick-off and the club’s shift of direction has been greeted enthusiastically, with nine games remaining and a seven-point buffer to the relegation zone, and with the teams beneath them having games in hand, excitement has been tempered by a feeling that the appointment is also brave.

“I’ve been asked, ‘Is it a risk appointing you?’ ” Jolley says, “and yeah, it is a risk. But [whomever] Grimsby appointed in this situation is a risk. We’re in a relegation fight at the bottom of League Two.”

After Berrett’s 91st-minute equaliser against Port Vale — who are two places below Grimsby in the lower reaches of League Two — sparks crowd trouble, Jolley, second left, speaks to his players during a break in play
After Berrett’s 91st-minute equaliser against Port Vale — who are two places below Grimsby in the lower reaches of League Two — sparks crowd trouble, Jolley, second left, speaks to his players during a break in play
MICK ATKINS/PROSPORTS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Jolley was born in Sheffield and when his dreams of a career as a footballer ended when he was released by Barnsley, aged 16, he studied economics before entering the world of financial trading. An opportunity to transfer from London to New York with HSBC was grasped gladly but it put him close to the tragic attack on the twin towers on 9/11.

“I was about a mile and a half away,” Jolley says. “I was safe, but I was too close for comfort. A good friend of mine unfortunately passed away. It was horrendous. A guy I worked closely with had to go to something like 45 funerals, because he knew so many people who were involved. It helps to put everything else into perspective.”

Upon his return to London he could not ignore the urge to embark on a career as a coach. “Life’s not a dress rehearsal,” he says. “You’ve got to do something with your life that you’re really passionate about and borderline obsessed with, and for me that’s football. So as much as I was competent, and I could do other things, this is what I want to do with my life.”

A “15-year apprenticeship” began with evenings coaching in Crystal Palace’s academy. “They were long days,” he says. “I was getting into work for half seven in the morning, leaving at five, getting the train to Beckenham, getting the session set up for six o’clock, doing a session until eight, getting in and having my dinner, and doing the same the next day.”

Further experience was gained in the academies of Lincoln City, Crewe Alexandra, Falkirk and Nottingham Forest. Before joining Burnley as the under-23s head coach in 2014, he studied for a master’s in sports coaching at Stirling University. Working in close proximity to Sean Dyche for three years was influential and although he insists he will be doing things his way, he says that “some of the principles he applies are principles that I’m going to try to apply.” Namely, giving the fans “a team that gives everything” and one “that’s physically fit.”

“Behind that, what [Dyche has] done well is built all aspects of the club. They’ve developed the training ground, the stadium’s improved. Year on year they’ve improved the squad by making good choices, with the support of the board, and good staff. This is a different context, so I can’t do everything the same as him. But the principles are worth applying.”

Jolley knew that opportunities to manage in the UK would be scarce, so in June he took the reigns at the newly promoted Swedish club Eskilstuna, who had four points and were winless in their opening 12 games. “If you’d said my name to the 92 [EFL] chairmen in England, I wouldn’t want to say exactly how many would have heard of me, but it would have been quite a low number,” he smiles. “I was aware that if I was to get a break I would have to take a job that nobody else would take, because of my background.”

Despite an upturn in performances and memorable wins against Malmo and Gothenburg, Eskilstuna were relegated and in January he retuned to the UK to begin searching for managerial vacancies.

He arrives at a club who have endured a discomforting two seasons in League Two after a six-year exile from the Football League. Paul Hurst, the former manager, departed for Shrewsbury Town in November 2016 and performances under Marcus Bignot were erratic. Within five months, he was replaced with the experienced Slade, whose functional football this season yielded 31 goals in 37 league games, the fewest in the division.

Another rookie manager, Sol Campbell, was interviewed for the vacancy, not long after making a claim recently to be “one of the greatest minds in football”. Apparently his research and interview skills were in need of attention, though, so the task of modernising Grimsby, laid out by the board, falls to Jolley.

“People have said to me, tell us your football philosophy,” Jolley says. “Philosophy is a really dangerous word when you’re 20th in League Two. We’ve got to make sure we’ve got enough points to be in League Two. If we can get to the summer and breathe, assess where we are, we can start to put some things in place that can help us build for the long term.”

Grimsby have an option to extend Dembélé’s contract for a further year
Grimsby have an option to extend Dembélé’s contract for a further year
MICK ATKINS/PROSPORTS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
Scouting report: Siriki Dembélé, Winger
Age 21
Club Grimsby Town
Attributes Quick, skilful, direct

Has there been any interest? Dembélé drew admiration after a blistering start to the season and there were reports of interest from clubs in higher leagues in January. Grimsby have an option to extend his contract, which expires this summer, for a further year

Report Dembélé was born in Ivory Coast and moved with his family to London, then Glasgow, as a child. After spending time with Dundee United and Ayr United, in 2016 Dembélé won a place at the Nike Football Academy based at St George’s Park.

After trials with Barnsley and Huddersfield Town, he signed for Grimsby in May. Three goals and a string of impressive displays in October earned him the EFL young player of the month award.

At 5ft 6in, he is sharp, nimble and fleet-footed, with good technique. He needs no encouragement to run at defenders. On Saturday, he skipped beyond Cristian Montaño, the Port Vale full back, a few times but either his end product was poor or he hesitated, giving the defender time to recover.

He fizzed an effort over the crossbar in the first half but his influence waned. Dembélé has talent and four goals and three assists in 32 league appearances have made for an encouraging first season in professional football. With better consistency he could have a bright future.

His 15-year-old brother, Karamoko, made headlines in October 2016 when he made his debut for Celtic’s under-20 side at the age of 13. Both are eligible to represent England, Scotland and Ivory Coast.

Cheers for this. I like Gregors articles from a couple of others I've seen. I do like his take on the club statement and the fact the relegation battle is only mentioned in paragraph 11  

Ah well....if it doesn't work out for Jolley I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Fenty doesn't appoint the Sheff Utd assistant manager Alan Knill as our manager in the summer.