The mad world of football club managership

There's been much criticism of late of Michael Jolley, but I think it's so important to step back for a wee while and to reflect on what he actually did last year in giving the club it's self belief back, the retention of it's Football League status, and more than a little pride. He's the man in charge though so he knows that criticism and praise are all part of the game.

Take a look at Hereford United though....In terms of success in the professional game they've been the most successful team of the last three seasons since they reformed after liquidation. Three successive league titles, Wembley visits, cups won, and now plying their trade in the Football League North just two leagues away from a return to the Football League. Their manager, Peter Beadle, had an astounding win percentage rate of 79% over those three seasons, but because they've only picked up 11 points from their opening 8 games he's been sacked by the club.

When you see statistics like that you realise that football's no longer any pretension of being purely a sport but is now business driven all the way down from the Premiership to the much smaller environs of the non league set up. It's why the likes of Fleetwood have appeared in the Football League and Fylde and Salford City will surely do so in the none too distant future. When the game becomes such an entity it's all down to who has the most successful business model aka the best financial set up. Grimsby have never been in that league. When it was purely down to football we competed at the very top up until the 1947-8 season. I remember us having to sell Kevin Donovan in 2001-02 because we couldn't compete with the wages we offered in comparison to the reputed £250,000 per annum more he'd be getting at Barnsley.

Even in the Buckley years we reluctantly laid out what for us were enormous sums of money to sign the likes of Jimmy Gilligan for £200,000 - and he never did the business for us, but did elsewhere. We are a club that relies on the odd (very) decent team coming through every now and again. Changing Jolley for someone else won't necessarily do that, and again I think it's important to acknowledge what he's also done since being here. He's ensured, for the time being anyway, that the ramblings from the boardroom stay there and don't end up on here. He's bought players in on two year contracts - something every fan acknowledges is a positive for the club in long term planning - so let's not forget they're his players. I hope something clicks in soon and the results start coming, we so desperately need that.

Am not going to mention the influence of JF, I think most folk know my views on that situation so no point in bringing it up again. However, am magnanimous enough to acknowledge that two year contracts could not have been bought in without the nod from the boardroom.

Good points John,

How many time have we seen a new manager start poorly and then either turns things round and get success,
OR
Get the sack and be successful at another club,

All managers whether new or experienced need time to build a good solid squad you can not do that overnight,

I am as unhappy as the rest of the fans but we have to give him time to decide who best fits where,

I believe Jolley will get to the next transfer window at least  whether he gets another summer to recruit will depend on how close to the bottom we are with a dozen games to go,

A return to non league could be the death of our great club because I think our stay will be a lot longer than the 6 years it took us to get back, Also with no chance of getting a new ground money will have to be spent on Blundell Park money we don't have,

BUT

Lets not think about that MJ will in my mind anyway turn things round and we will finish mid table this season then he will strenghen in the summer for a promotion push next season.

Keep the faith lads.

the frustration is ,,well for me anyway....is that... Oldham for instance....weren't anything special at all...we looked comfortable, looked in control for the majority of the first half.....but we lost 3-0 and they didnt have to do anything special to score.....similar at Bury....they didnt have to do anything that special to score.....MK Dons....they didnt have to do anythi .....

At times we look sharp some of the link play, triangles and movement is good....but its just not anywhere near the opposition goal so we are struggling to score.

The pattern follows the same path every week ...Striker becomes isolated...we have no width....we go backwards and sideways....we make a mistake/ switch off 0-1 ... game over apart from how many more will we concede ?

MJ either has to look at himself and decide "is this pattern because of my formation ,my style of play, my tactics "  and decide he needs to make a change himself as a result of that .....or does he decide its nothing to do with the above and " its players not following orders" so drop the player(s) and try someone else in that position.

To date i think its clear from post match interviews he thinks its the players not doing what they are asked.