Can Jolley organise and motivate a team.?

Sadly I fear not.!!

But he can use a computer

He just said he thinks we had a chance to get something from the game in the 2nd half  

Based on his time in charge at the end of last season, clearly yes he can.

On the plus side he is loyal and does not publicly criticise players by name.

On the minus side, er ......

What dopey board would try a rookie manager in his first English managerial appointment when we haven't a pot to p**s in ?

Another useless decision from a useless board. If we have got no money, then admit it and spend the manager's salary on an experienced man who can get the best out of cheaper players.

Expecting Michael Jolley to perform miracles on a shoestring, without the professional help afforded to managers of similar sized clubs is just plain stupid.

Mind you, perhaps Jolley was a bit naive in taking on the job - obviously he thought his so-called tactical nous, would be able to offset the fact we cannot afford the better players.

That interview has summed it up for me. He is deluded.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

What dopey board would try a rookie manager in his first English managerial appointment when we haven't a pot to p**s in ?

Another useless decision from a useless board. If we have got no money, then admit it and spend the manager's salary on an experienced man who can get the best out of cheaper players.

Expecting Michael Jolley to perform miracles on a shoestring, without the professional help afforded to managers of similar sized clubs is just plain stupid.

Mind you, perhaps Jolley was a bit naive in taking on the job - obviously he thought his so-called tactical nous, would be able to offset the fact we cannot afford the better players.

Russel Slade ?

Its not the manager, its the budget. we all know where the budget comes from.

On paper Jolley made a good couple of signings in Whitehouse and Welsh, one injured and the other just injured a crim or just past it.
3 new mids and a reasonable replacement for Collins will see a huge improvement.

No good getting rid of Jolley, i do believe he is building something and will take time. pay peanuts and it will take a while to build any quality!

You all moaned about Paul hurst, now it’s michael Jolley no happiest in any appointment we make even if we appointed Alex ferguson none of you would be happy, have you ever thought it’s the board not giving the manager money to do his stuff ? We are getting left behind fairly quickly on and off the pitch Lincoln and Mansfield are the explain of that

Quoted from OllieGTFC

You all moaned about Paul hurst, now it’s michael Jolley no happiest in any appointment we make even if we appointed Alex ferguson none of you would be happy, have you ever thought it’s the board not giving the manager money to do his stuff ? We are getting left behind fairly quickly on and off the pitch Lincoln and Mansfield are the explain of that

There’s several threads where several of us have said all of that. The problem is the board and its’ 1980s (at best) culture. I fear we’ll never know how good or bad Jolley could be if he’s not given the budget to improve us.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

There’s several threads where several of us have said all of that. The problem is the board and its’ 1980s (at best) culture. I fear we’ll never know how good or bad Jolley could be if he’s not given the budget to improve us.

Since have been watching town have seen us slip from the championship to non league, it can’t just be the managers we appoint, seriously if we are not careful I can see us going out of business all together

Quoted from crusty ole pie

Russel Slade ?

Or any number of managers that are looking for work but who will be expected to produce a team that can compete in league 2, regardless of the budget, or lack of budget.

It is not the manager I am having a go at - it is the complete lack of strategy from the board. Yes by all means try a Michael Jolley type, in the full knowledge you will have to spend a lot of time and energy and money in helping him, and to give him the tools needed, both in the backgound staff and better players.

Not our lot - they just hope a rookie manager can pull off a miracle, when it would be hard enough for an experienced manager who is struggling with a non competitive budget.

Quoted from OllieGTFC

You all moaned about Paul hurst, now it’s michael Jolley no happiest in any appointment we make even if we appointed Alex ferguson none of you would be happy, have you ever thought it’s the board not giving the manager money to do his stuff ? We are getting left behind fairly quickly on and off the pitch Lincoln and Mansfield are the explain of that

No one in his right mind is going to give a totally inexperienced and on the face of it clueless manager a pot of money. I doubt he could get a game out of Messi, Ronaldo, Salah et al

Quoted from monkeyboy

Its not the manager, its the budget. we all know where the budget comes from.

On paper Jolley made a good couple of signings in Whitehouse and Welsh, one injured and the other just injured a crim or just past it.
3 new mids and a reasonable replacement for Collins will see a huge improvement.

No good getting rid of Jolley, i do believe he is building something and will take time. pay peanuts and it will take a while to build any quality!

Chicken and egg. Where does the buck stop at a football club?

Very rarely does a chairman or owner fall on their sword or chequebook. Normally it is the manager who carries the can.

Jolley knew all about the budget before he came. He knew all about the board and the owner. If he didn't he was a fool and I don't think anyone could accuse him of that. He thought he could make silk purses in 3 transfer windows (he said). He has had two and we do not look any further forward. But for some outstanding goalkeeping even his much praised defensive improvements would be shown as sham.

Yes he has been a bit unlucky but only a bit. He signed Welsh and then played a system that Welsh could not possibly fit. Maybe the injury to Whitehouse was important but would the Brothers Grimm have let go a really good player? As a manager you have to get results with what you have available. The problem for both Slade and Jolley is lack of goals. For Jolley the extra problem is that he has a proven goalscorer on loan here but his tactics and selections are simply not creating the chances for Dennis to finish.

To be honest I don't think he knows what to do next and the end of the season can't come quick enough for him. He may survive but if he shows the same inability in organising a side in August as he has shown since Christmas he won't last much longer. And, to be honest again, I don't think it would matter how many backroom staff Fenty let him have or even if his transfer budget was doubled, he would still struggle as a manager of a league team. I sincerely wish he would prove me wrong but I suspect he is one of those people who just cannot do it.

Inexperienced and learning the ropes is one thing, inexperienced, inept and learning the ropes is quite another.

"In Jolley we trust" how many times did we read that over the last year. Well it appears Fenty doesn't enough to give him too much dough.

What good signings has Jolly made--what shite players that were already here has he given contracts to. What has Jolly done better than Slade who was absolutely shite

Quoted from golfer

What good signings has Jolly made--what shite players that were already here has he given contracts to. What has Jolly done better than Slade who was absolutely shite

He kept us up last year. I have no doubt that we would have been relegated under Slade.

But sadly we have not seen much improvement this season. Our current form is as bad as in the latter days of Slade. 4 goals in our last 10 games is totally dreadful.  We pick up the odd point here and there and hardly ever score. We are routinely at the foot of the form table. So we appear to be back at square one.

Could it be that the upsurge in form for the last five games of last season was a flash in the pan?  

Motivation is the key word in this post. You can be tactically naive but as long as you can motivate a team you have a chance. The fact is the current players, as we’ve said before are already on the beach. It’s not good enough while they are picking up a wage and this is what MJ should be sorting out. If he can’t motivate them then something is wrong.  Is it beyond him? Is he too nice?

Talking of beaches, Buckley would have had them on the beach by now as punishment for such half hearted performances. A proper manager who wasn’t there to make friends.

Completely agree about motivation, the players are all professional so in theory they can pass and control a ball but can they be arsed about going for the 50 50 ball. Just listen to Atkins over at 'ull, in all his interviews he comes across with enthusiasm, it's all about having the players in the right frame of mind at 5 minutes to kick off.

Maybe Thomas told Jolly what we are trying to tell him. Change the style of play-set up an attacking team. We can't score goals when we have 11 players in our penalty area. I learnt that in 4z at school.

He’s not good at interviews and he’s far too serious.
He’s got us safe nice and early with a woefully thin and cheap squad.

You only have to look at us letting Mitch Rose go who’d played pretty regularly when fit to realise how lean the budget has been.
Players on the beach, best players injured and whatever Thomas is. Need to now bios for next season. Saw enough in the cup run and the good spells to see he can motivate a team.

Just needs the backing of our urine poor board.

Quoted from golfer

Maybe Thomas told Jolly what we are trying to tell him. Change the style of play-set up an attacking team. We can't score goals when we have 11 players in our penalty area. I learnt that in 4z at school.

Crikey what size school were you at? Must have been Shanghai School Number 74.

St Trinians-I learnt a lot there

Not sure it's about Jolley or Slade really.
We are all sick and tired of the lack of achievement over many recent years. It's just that Slade and Jolley happen to be the latest two managers.

Slade brought in players like Rhys Brown and a younger Collins. Plus a few more if I had time to research it. He also tried to sign Walker from Notts who has proved a success at Mansfield. It was probably right to let him go or we would have gone down.

Jolley massively over performed in the last six games last season. We hoped it would continue this year but after a few positive runs it has come to nothing. There are probably 6-8 players of promise but nowhere near enough to be strong promotion hopefuls.

I just can't wait for this season to end as we all need a break from recent results, but still pleased that we stayed clear from the trapdoor. Bet Notts Co would swap places....

Seems to me that the players that have contracts for next season are not putting a shift in to impress, and the ones out of contract either dont want or are not fussed about being her next season. And jolly not setting them up right is not helping

Quoted from IlkleyMariner

Not sure it's about Jolley or Slade really.
We are all sick and tired of the lack of achievement over many recent years. It's just that Slade and Jolley happen to be the latest two managers.

Slade brought in players like Rhys Brown and a younger Collins. Plus a few more if I had time to research it. He also tried to sign Walker from Notts who has proved a success at Mansfield. It was probably right to let him go or we would have gone down.

Jolley massively over performed in the last six games last season. We hoped it would continue this year but after a few positive runs it has come to nothing. There are probably 6-8 players of promise but nowhere near enough to be strong promotion hopefuls.

I just can't wait for this season to end as we all need a break from recent results, but still pleased that we stayed clear from the trapdoor. Bet Notts Co would swap places....

Hurst signed Collins and Rhys Browne.  Slade signed DJ last summer but hardly played him. He started really well this season for Yeovil but got sidelined for the season early on. Slade signed Dembele, just a shame his agent got inside his head.

Rumour has it that we narrowly missed out on David Meyler in January and we got rejected by Lee Angol. Both of those signed for League One teams. You can blame finances but I expect higher teams to pay higher wages anyway. We were apparently interested in Bowman last summer and he replaced Stockley at Exeter in January. His wife is from Devon so competing with that is difficult.

Given Jolley's background in the academy system I'm not surprised he's signed players from the U23 scene that he's either coached or played against his team (Hendrie, Whitmore, Embleton, Robles) I'm disappointed that we haven't tapped into Limbrick's apparent knowledge of non-league for a rough diamond.

We desperately need a successful transfer window. Someone like Meyler early on would definitely increase appetite among fans for season tickets.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Hurst signed Collins and Rhys Browne.  Slade signed DJ last summer but hardly played him. He started really well this season for Yeovil but got sidelined for the season early on. Slade signed Dembele, just a shame his agent got inside his head.

Rumour has it that we narrowly missed out on David Meyler in January and we got rejected by Lee Angol. Both of those signed for League One teams. You can blame finances but I expect higher teams to pay higher wages anyway. We were apparently interested in Bowman last summer and he replaced Stockley at Exeter in January. His wife is from Devon so competing with that is difficult.

Given Jolley's background in the academy system I'm not surprised he's signed players from the U23 scene that he's either coached or played against his team (Hendrie, Whitmore, Embleton, Robles) I'm disappointed that we haven't tapped into Limbrick's apparent knowledge of non-league for a rough diamond.

We desperately need a successful transfer window. Someone like Meyler early on would definitely increase appetite among fans for season tickets.

I think this is a v.balanced response.we have to be realistic.I know this is a really shiite run but are we realistically going to get any better than jolley? I do think we have to give him time but he'd probably do himself a favour by admitting his mistakes.I suspect he got pre season badly wrong and it set us off on the wrong foot.I'm amazed that someone so intelligent hasn't found a way ( via informed sources) of letting us know that he's operating with one hand tied behind his back viz a vis the budget.the frustrating thing is the lack of hope.I like jolley and still want to believe in him but I think he needs a really good summer and first ten- twelve games or else he's toast. Ps Michael,if I read yhis, that bottle of Portuguese red is still waiting for you!

What I don't understand is why in our conference days did we have I'm my opinion better players than we have now.? The budget is better now than it was then. Look at the likes of Magnay, Pearson, Miller, Nolan, Tait, Connel ect. If the budget is better now how come we got these players to play against the likes Welling, Tamworth ect and now we can't seem to attract better players now we are a league club. It saddens me when I think of the team that got promoted and how quickly they all went there separate ways. Utm

To be honest I enjoyed it better and we normally went home a bit happier. The shite we played against then was no shitier than the shite we play against now that we still can't beat. 3 shite managers since Hurst

Ashby Mariner, I think our league problems stem from Hurst dismantling the conference squad, winning or losing games is infectious, currently I would assume the players are thinking if we go a goal down then that's it, we'll lose, whereas the conference team were confident of getting a result. look at the teams that have come up from the conference in the last 3 years, the majority are in league 1 or pushing foe promotion from league 2, apart from Barnet, and I would hazard a guess that initially if not currently they still have the majority of their conference squads.

Quoted from golfer

To be honest I enjoyed it better and we normally went home a bit happier. The shite we played against then was no shitier than the shite we play against now that we still can't beat. 3 shite managers since Hurst

Time gives us rose tinted specs. How many times was the Saturday night talk on the Fishy about how we had struggled against/failed to beat some wretched pub league outfit that parked the bus at BP? We had the same old budget talk and chuntering  about how well PH was doing and how he only needed another six years ......

Quoted from Gaffer58

Ashby Mariner, I think our league problems stem from Hurst dismantling the conference squad, winning or losing games is infectious, currently I would assume the players are thinking if we go a goal down then that's it, we'll lose, whereas the conference team were confident of getting a result. look at the teams that have come up from the conference in the last 3 years, the majority are in league 1 or pushing foe promotion from league 2, apart from Barnet, and I would hazard a guess that initially if not currently they still have the majority of their conference squads.

And Cheltenham and Macclesfield who might go straight back down. And winning wasn't that infectious, we only won 4 of our last 12 games in it (granted, that's a superb run compared to now)!

When Bogle was banging in League 2 goals for fun, I can't remember a single person complaining about Danny East being let go!

We were in the conference for six season and 100+ players probably went through the doors. Only a handful of those conference players have proved league standard the rest looked better because they were playing against worse players.

I'd hazard a guess at something like 15% of those players have had extended runs in the league since playing for us in the conference.  

As for manager I think we've tried every route apart from the foreign route, player managers - Groves, promoting from within - Woods, Roger, experienced - AB, Slade, big name  former players - Newell, Highly qualified coach - MJ. NOTHING WORKS, we do not appear to be able to compete at this level under this board.

Changing MJ would I predict with a high degree of certainty result in a bottom half finish, but to be fair keeping him probably has the same result. I would still rather give him time.

Quoted from Ashby mariner

What I don't understand is why in our conference days did we have I'm my opinion better players than we have now.? The budget is better now than it was then. Look at the likes of Magnay, Pearson, Miller, Nolan, Tait, Connel ect. If the budget is better now how come we got these players to play against the likes Welling, Tamworth ect and now we can't seem to attract better players now we are a league club. It saddens me when I think of the team that got promoted and how quickly they all went there separate ways. Utm

Connell used us to reignite his career and get back in the league and that gamble paid off for him. Nolan was a Lincoln reject and on the scrapheap when he signed for us. There was an interview a few weeks ago stating how the penny dropped when he came here. Tait is in the SPL but Craig Clay went to the SPL and went straight back to the Conference. I think Pearson would be great alongside Öhman but he's in the Conference. Ian Miller disappeared off the radar and Magnay got relegated with Hartlepool. Connell, Amond, Nolan and Bogle aside, I don't recall any others going on to better things.

I think Miller copulated his knee in the Conference playoff final and never recovered.

Quoted from Abdul19

I think Miller copulated his knee in the Conference playoff final and never recovered.

He’s been fairly regular at Darlo games this season as his wife’s from up this way.

Sure he plays part time for some team near Cambridge.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Connell used us to reignite his career and get back in the league and that gamble paid off for him. Nolan was a Lincoln reject and on the scrapheap when he signed for us. There was an interview a few weeks ago stating how the penny dropped when he came here. Tait is in the SPL but Craig Clay went to the SPL and went straight back to the Conference. I think Pearson would be great alongside Öhman but he's in the Conference. Ian Miller disappeared off the radar and Magnay got relegated with Hartlepool. Connell, Amond, Nolan and Bogle aside, I don't recall any others going on to better things.

Lenny J-L is at Shrewsbury, Alex Rodman is with Bristol Rovers, Toto and Kayden Jackson are both at Ipswich. Isn't Connor Jennings at Tranmere Rovers still?

Is this current squad better or worse than the one that got relegated into the Conference.? I regard that 4-0 defeat away at Burton as one of the worst days in the club’s history. The idiots who caused mayhem after that game brought shame on the club. Surely, we must now be in a bit better shape than back then?
I have supported this club for 62 years and yearn for better times. The genuine fans of which there are many deserve better.  A successful football team would give the area a huge boost but currently we a left tearing our hair out week after week. I thought we had turned the corner when we had the run that took us into the 40 plus points zone but then it went pear shaped again. You

Can Jolley organise and motivate a team?

At the moment the answer has to be no. Whether he just hasn’t got it in his locker or he’s still in a learning curve it’s anyone’s guess and will become apparent by October. My current feeling is that football management may be just a bit beyond him. Some say he’s a good coach. Well I haven’t seen any evidence of good coaching this season at all. All I’ve seen is a team that’s played fluently in four games and the rest of the time ground out results in games when we were second best.

There was no method to his recruitmment in the summer signing past it players for a high tempo game and yet again we were left with gaps in the squad to play certain formations.

With senior players leaving under a cloud questions have to be asked if he has the attributes to manage a squad. I hated the decision to have a group of four seniors as a conduit to management especially when three of them have been our worst performers. Creates unnecessary levels between the players and could have caused resentment from younger players that were playing better and getting overlooked.

His team selections have baffled me all season and formations too. Collins played instead of Whitmore and RHJ is stubborn insanity. It’s put us on the back foot all season and isolated our strikers. I’m going to say it now.. Danny Collins has been shite overall for two seasons with the odd good game and wouldn’t get in any League Two side and not many in the Conference yet MJ says he’s a very important player for us. If he is MJ, I have serious questions about your judgement. Cardwell contract extension? Seriously?!! Woolford in a central midfield two? Woolford in central midfield? Woolford in the team? Seriously?! Yet these three players have played in front of Clifton, Rose, Vernam, RHJ and Whitmore regularly and Ring has been brought in as a wing back when he’s barely faster than Collins!!!

This isn’t purely about budget, it’s about management and MJ has got a lot to prove in my eyes in the transfer window and first couple of months into the next season. I hope he’s learnt from his mistakes and proves me wrong as I’m really not sure about him at all. And stop with the interview technique of textbook avoidance in answering the questions. Fans deserve direct answers and you’re starting to sound really boring and childish as the weeks and months go on..

As the saying goes, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Problem is, I feel that Jolley is trying to do so.

He probably needs to try and make a functional sow's ear purse from what he can get and to do this we need to be able to compete physically, which is not something we've managed too often this season.

There aren't too many players who have guaranteed themselves a place in the team for next season so hopefully we can sign some playersx this summer who can run a bit harder and play a bit harder.

Releasing Collins and Woolford will probably help us get a few yards further up the field from the off so I hope we can replace them with more physical and mobile players.

It wouldn't surprise me to see both Davis and Whitmore retained, in which case we won't need anyone to replace Collins (Ohman, Whitmore, Davis, RHJ, Pollock and Hendrie at a push can all play in a back three). I fear that Ring is going to be too slow and lightweight so hopefully we'll sign other options in the wing-back roles and Wright will probably get a chance there as well. It's midfield attacking and up front where the real changes need to be made. I dare say that if Whitehouse gets fit, he could play as the more advanced midfielder alongside Hessenthaler and Clifton. But I wouldn't be upset to see a real workhorse signed to sit in midfield.

Ultimately, I don't mind if we play to defend and then break as many entertaining and good teams have done the same. We just need to make sure that we have a defence strong enough to hold out and the ability to cause problems on the break.

I have just watched the "highlights" on You Tube.

It never showed us once in the opposition half. We looked absolutely pathetic - panic stricken every time we touched the ball.

This against a team who themselves have been on a poor run of form, and have hardly set the division alight.

I understand the players were given some verbals after the game from some fans, and I would have joined them if those highlights are anything to go by.

10 games without a win and playing like that most managers would be goners.

I think everyone at GTFC, especially in the boardroom will have to decide what they actually want to achieve, if anything, and work it out accordingly.

If the "plan" is to continue with a poor playing budget, then it might be better to have a more experienced manager to at least get more out of the players we have contracted, and be able to bring players in who at least would make a game of it for next season.

It is no good the board keep pretending we "might be challengers" each season, when it is obvious the only game in town is survival.

Slade and AB were both very experienced same results unfortunately.

If it's not the boards fault,if it's not the managers fault,if it's not the players fault then it must be our fault-so to help them I will not be attending any games in July.

Quoted from golfer

If it's not the boards fault,if it's not the managers fault,if it's not the players fault then it must be our fault-so to help them I will not be attending any games in July.

I'll help them as well.....I won't be renewing my season ticket next season, I'll just cherry pick my games.....that's dedication  

Quoted from promotion plaice

I'll help them as well.....I won't be renewing my season ticket next season, I'll just cherry pick my games.....that's dedication  

You and I ought to be voted fans of the year,we might even be mentioned in dispatches as the fans who saved G.T.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I have just watched the "highlights" on You Tube.

It never showed us once in the opposition half. We looked absolutely pathetic - panic stricken every time we touched the ball.

This against a team who themselves have been on a poor run of form, and have hardly set the division alight.

I understand the players were given some verbals after the game from some fans, and I would have joined them if those highlights are anything to go by.

10 games without a win and playing like that most managers would be goners.

I think everyone at GTFC, especially in the boardroom will have to decide what they actually want to achieve, if anything, and work it out accordingly.

If the "plan" is to continue with a poor playing budget, then it might be better to have a more experienced manager to at least get more out of the players we have contracted, and be able to bring players in who at least would make a game of it for next season.

It is no good the board keep pretending we "might be challengers" each season, when it is obvious the only game in town is survival.

Having been there I can tell you that the Sky highlights are pretty representative of what happened on the pitch.

Woolford had been passing the ball to their players throughout the game but even I couldn't believe what he did to give away the goal.

Cardwell is no form of centre-forward. he simply couldn't receive a clearance or win a header. He was out-timed, out-positioned and out-jumped throughout the 90 minutes. Someone should remind him of the people who have played in that position over the years starting with Ron Rafferty and help him work out what he has to live up to.

Nobody on the pitch on Saturday can carry the ball out of defence in the way that John McDermott or Peter Handyside could and so they just hack the ball out to the opposition who, simply control and pass the ball around them.

There is no way that team will be anything more than mid-table strugglers in League 2 at best.

Quoted from Welwynmariner

Having been there I can tell you that the Sky highlights are pretty representative of what happened on the pitch.

Woolford had been passing the ball to their players throughout the game but even I couldn't believe what he did to give away the goal.

Cardwell is no form of centre-forward. he simply couldn't receive a clearance or win a header. He was out-timed, out-positioned and out-jumped throughout the 90 minutes. Someone should remind him of the people who have played in that position over the years starting with Ron Rafferty and help him work out what he has to live up to.

Nobody on the pitch on Saturday can carry the ball out of defence in the way that John McDermott or Peter Handyside could and so they just hack the ball out to the opposition who, simply control and pass the ball around them.

There is no way that team will be anything more than mid-table strugglers in League 2 at best.

I thought the highlights were a decent guide after listening to the radio commentary.

It is pitiful that we have a set up that doesn't seem to include attacking the opposition goal. I really don't know what has got into the team / management that for months now they want to pass it sideways a few times, then back then sideways again only to be robbed or give the ball away - there doesn't seem to any attacking intent at all. Call me basic, but I thought the idea of football was to score a goal or two.

I love possession football, but it has to be with a purpose. If Jolley is staying then he will have to have a re-think surely?

Post of the week by the way in getting Ron Rafferty and Cardwell in the same sentence!