Chris Hargreaves so what's your thoughts?

3 or 4 separate sources suggesting hes a strong contender. V interesting insight from a Gashead on the new manager thread about him.whats your thoughts?

Bit of a lottery choosing a manager not sure he would be my choice but if he's the one and can get the team sorted then good luck to him..

He knows the club. He’s had one failed job in management. He knows the club. Give him a 5 year contract etc

Not the worst suggestion I've heard as the new manager. Has had a long and positive career in the game, much of it around our level. Has managed, albeit not very successfully, and is doing a decent job as a coach in Brizzle. Obviously knows the club and the area, so nothing will come as a surprise to him, and i think if he's given a go, he would put his heart and soul into it. He would only have to get us into the top 12 to be our most successful manager for 15 years. I think he will definitely be on the radar, but whether he is touting for the job, i don't know for sure, despite hearing a few unsubstantiated rumours that he is. Could be a great move for both parties, or another flop. Who knows?

Hope he's not still got that mullet though.

Why are we banging on about him? There's nothing to suggest that he is anywhere near to getting the job.

Does anyone in football that has links to the club, either as a player, or from these parts, automatically become a candidate for the job?

Bleeds black and white. Would run through brick walls for the club etc

Just a minor point, does he know anything about tactics, playing to our strengths etc?

I would imagine any manager would put their heart and soul into it. I'd prefer poaching someone who currently managing and having success while they're at it.

But I guess poaching means payoffs so we'll go for cheap option.

For as much as he's played here, knows the town, the club ect can't help but think he'll be cheap and that seems the remit to getting to the town job....
Not to dis Chris but I'd prefer we get a proven manager with known tactics, formations and one with some kahoonas to sort this shower out!!

NO

I played with him in teams and against him as a young teenager as we are the same age and knew him well then. He scored a lot of goals, and I made a fair few! Always felt a bit weird watching him play for Town but I’m trying not to let this colour my view in whether he would be a good Town manager if indeed he was an actual candidate - nothing concrete to suggest that either way.

What really matters is; what are his credentials? What level is his coaching qualification? What managerial experience does he have? What contacts - both players and staff?
I guess these are the sort of things you find out in an application and an interview. Knowing the club is of little relevance to me, although not completely unimportant. It’s his credentials that should earn him the right, not his birthplace. On paper, doesn’t look that strong for me. Not from a management experience point of view anyway.

Not really. I know many a manager has come back after a failure and a sacking but the lad has not shown any sign of success as a manager and that is what we need.

Two things in CH's favour: we could afford him; and he'd be willing to come here. (I'm assuming in both cases)

Being an ex-player helps too: us spoilt fans will tend to cut him a bit more slack. If he wants to return to management he'll presumably feel
he's got something to prove too. His spell at Torquay is probably not a fair yardstick - they were pretty much in turmoil when he took over.
Though according to Wiki he improved performances and results...but not enough to save them from relegation.

Anyone's a gamble. I'd have the Barrow manager (Evatt) in a heartbeat - but I rather doubt he'd want to come. Success elsewhere is no
guarantee of success here in any event (as we know well enough). Hargreaves is a reasonable option to my mind.

Good coaches often don't make good managers but in this case he will make an inexpensive one. That of course is the critical indicator.
Can he sell our best player to get this years £200k repayment to the dear leader?
Coaches are often the nice guy in management teams, sure he'll be ok there

What is the difference between a coach and a manager. Some have coaches,some have managers,and some have both.

Quoted from golfer

What is the difference between a coach and a manager. .

You can't travel to matches in a manager  

Quoted from golfer

What is the difference between a coach and a manager. Some have coaches,some have managers,and some have both.

20 grand a year!

Quoted from 137

Two things in CH's favour: we could afford him; and he'd be willing to come here. (I'm assuming in both cases)

Being an ex-player helps too: us spoilt fans will tend to cut him a bit more slack. If he wants to return to management he'll presumably feel
he's got something to prove too. His spell at Torquay is probably not a fair yardstick - they were pretty much in turmoil when he took over.
Though according to Wiki he improved performances and results...but not enough to save them from relegation.

Anyone's a gamble. I'd have the Barrow manager (Evatt) in a heartbeat - but I rather doubt he'd want to come. Success elsewhere is no
guarantee of success here in any event (as we know well enough). Hargreaves is a reasonable option to my mind.

Ditto - he is currently 'walking the walk' and 'stock' rising - done a great job there so far. Up to Town to make him an offer he can't refuse - or settle for mr. average, and hope to avoid the one relegation place this season, with this set of players increasingly losing confidence of the possibility of winning.

If the budgets gone then buy some more shares Fenty and get the Barrow man in -the manager the most important jigsaw piece of them all.

Basically for Shakey it sounds like he expressed an interest to his employers down South, he'll probably come up for interview but doesn't mean its a banker he'll be chosen.

Unless being one of the cheap options a pre-requisite to the decision. But I'd say we at a bit of a crucial pivitol stage in our existence -we teetering on either another crash to the depths of despair, or with the right guiding hand, pushing on some more with the bit of progress that has been there.

While we are hovering just above the drop zone out the Football League I think we need to push the boat out somewhat. Could be serious false economy should a cheap option (inevitably?) fail.

Whoever we get if they play the players in their best positions and stick with the same formation so the squad understands what they all should being doing ,

We shall be fine.

Quoted from grimsby pete

Whoever we get if they play the players in their best positions and stick with the same formation so the squad understands what they all should being doing ,

We shall be fine.

And that's exactly what limbrick did Saturday...just think with AL maybe the players don't quite have the confidence after being Jolleys understudy, probably done him more harm than good in thus situation which is a shame imho..

I think he'd be alright, but like you say has he been marred in the player's eyes as part of the dysfunctional Team Jolley?

Choosing a new manager is always a lottery but doesn't this remind anyone of when we last chose an ex town player ?  

Not for me.

Surely we can find a manager who's had some success, even for a limited time? To appoint a person who's had one go and failed would be a massive gamble in my opinion.
I read somewhere that Chris has done a good job at the Bristol Rovers Academy but if that qualifies we may as well reappoint Neil Woods, his record is identical to Hargreaves. How would everyone feel about that?

I am not in the least bit whelmed by the prospect of Chris Hargreaves as manager.

No he is not called Pete  

*looks in whelmed bag*

*sees it is empty*

Quoted from buckstown

Surely we can find a manager who's had some success, even for a limited time? To appoint a person who's had one go and failed would be a massive gamble in my opinion.
I read somewhere that Chris has done a good job at the Bristol Rovers Academy but if that qualifies we may as well reappoint Neil Woods, his record is identical to Hargreaves. How would everyone feel about that?

Agreed. Totally different remit and purpose to the role. Academy manager is there to produce players for the first team. The focus isn't on results of their games, as Woodsy alluded to in a recent interview.

You could also add Jolley to the list of Managers coming from Academy backgrounds. Although I'd question question how legit some of the coaching experience listed on his CV is after learning a few things of late and how he never stayed anywhere very long.

Quite like the guy from what I’ve heard on the radio, but cannot believe there are not more suitable managers out there.

Quoted from Tommy

Agreed. Totally different remit and purpose to the role. Academy manager is there to produce players for the first team. The focus isn't on results of their games, as Woodsy alluded to in a recent interview.

You could also add Jolley to the list of Managers coming from Academy backgrounds. Although I'd question question how legit some of the coaching experience listed on his CV is after learning a few things of late and how he never stayed anywhere very long.

Intriguing...

Quoted from mariner91

Intriguing...

Yes, do you care to elaborate Tommy?

More info please tommy.cant leave it or us dangling like that!

Just someone who held a position at one of the Clubs MJ is said to have worked at, over the time MJ was there, where he would've come across MJ, who had never come across him before.

And I'm told that two of the academies he has worked at weren't on-field coaching roles either.

Quoted from Tommy

Just someone who held a position at one of the Clubs MJ is said to have worked at, over the time MJ was there, where he would've come across MJ, who had never come across him before.

And I'm told that two of the academies he has worked at weren't on-field coaching roles either.

Aaah, a cleverly worded c.v. then? Someone at the game on Saturday said her always thought Jolley had blagged his way in

Quoted from forza ivano

Aaah, a cleverly worded c.v. then? Someone at the game on Saturday said her always thought Jolley had blagged his way in

Oh dear, we do love a good conspiracy on here. It's funny how all of these stories always come out about a manager after it's gone mammaries up. A bit like everybody knew Bignot was a loose cannon, everybody knew about Newell etc. Now Jolley isn't a real coach and is making it up...

Well Jolley's gone now, I suppose it makes for juicy gossip (where things often exaggerated and blown out of proportion), but we move on.

Quoted from pen penfras

Oh dear, we do love a good conspiracy on here. It's funny how all of these stories always come out about a manager after it's gone mammaries up. A bit like everybody knew Bignot was a loose cannon, everybody knew about Newell etc. Now Jolley isn't a real coach and is making it up...

Could maybe explain why he was keen to part company with a mutual pay off before the planned disciplinary hearing? He seemed to scarper sharpish, instead of putting his case and trying to keep his job.  

Quoted from ginnywings

Could maybe explain why he was keen to part company with a mutual pay off before the planned disciplinary hearing? He seemed to scarper sharpish, instead of putting his case and trying to keep his job.  

Scarper sharpish, sharp tongue, sharp dressed man......

Think we should hold off appointing anyone unless there is an outstanding applicant willing to come

Think Limbo will steady the ship for a few more games before we need to appoint.

Surely we did our due diligence and checked out a relative unknown’s references? I mean we were told repeatedly about due diligence around the time he was appointed weren’t we?

Quoted from LH

Surely we did our due diligence and checked out a relative unknown’s references? I mean we were told repeatedly about due diligence around the time he was appointed weren’t we?

You'd like to think so but I've heard more than one credible rumour that some of the players didn't rate him as a manager. Doesn't mean his CV was "massaged" of course but you never know..

This would also mean that Burnley and Eskimo that Swedish club didn't realise his spell at Lincoln under 18s was just doing photocopying too. Unless he never worked for them either and that fancy piece with draughts pieces on beating Malmo and Seb Ring are all some elaborate scam 😱

Quoted from pen penfras

Oh dear, we do love a good conspiracy on here. It's funny how all of these stories always come out about a manager after it's gone mammaries up. A bit like everybody knew Bignot was a loose cannon, everybody knew about Newell etc. Now Jolley isn't a real coach and is making it up...

No-one's suggesting he isn't a real coach though are they.

Just that two of the Academies he worked at were predominantly doing some background work for that Academy, and that a significant figure at another hadn't heard of him despite being there at the time MJ was. What you make of that is up to you.

To get the UEFA Pro Licence is no easy feat. In fact it's an unbelievable achievement for someone who never played the game professionally. And you wouldn't get anywhere near that level of qualification without being able to coach.

I was in favour of him being appointed at the time he was, based on what little information we knew of him. Would I have expected the Club to have done due diligence and asked about at previous Clubs? Yes. They probably did, I don't know. In reality, whether he coached Palace/Crewe/Barnsley/Forest u9s or not would hardly have been a deal breaker anyway would it. I just find it interesting because he certainly didn't live up to my expectations as a "modern-day" coach, and looking at his career he doesn't seem to have hung around very long anywhere he's been at.

Quoted from Tommy

No-one's suggesting he isn't a real coach though are they.

Just that two of the Academies he worked at were predominantly doing some background work for that Academy, and that a significant figure at another hadn't heard of him despite being there at the time MJ was. What you make of that is up to you.

To get the UEFA Pro Licence is no easy feat. In fact it's an unbelievable achievement for someone who never played the game professionally. And you wouldn't get anywhere near that level of qualification without being able to coach.

I was in favour of him being appointed at the time he was, based on what little information we knew of him. Would I have expected the Club to have done due diligence and asked about at previous Clubs? Yes. They probably did, I don't know. In reality, whether he coached Palace/Crewe/Barnsley/Forest u9s or not would hardly have been a deal breaker anyway would it. I just find it interesting because he certainly didn't live up to my expectations as a "modern-day" coach, and looking at his career he doesn't seem to have hung around very long anywhere he's been at.

In any case, coaches are easier to employ than miracle-workers, and saving us from relegation was just about a miracle in my eyes.

I believe MJ was the most significant factor in that - whether coaching-wise or otherwise.

In the end it was best for both parties - Jolley was clearly overly stressed by the job.

Anyone on the Fishy sure they could handle the pressure of being Town manager? I'm damn sure I couldn't...

MJ saved us once when it seemed near-impossible. I think we should let him go quietly.

Quoted from 137

In any case, coaches are easier to employ than miracle-workers, and saving us from relegation was just about a miracle in my eyes.

I believe MJ was the most significant factor in that - whether coaching-wise or otherwise.

In the end it was best for both parties - Jolley was clearly overly stressed by the job.

Anyone on the Fishy sure they could handle the pressure of being Town manager? I'm damn sure I couldn't...

MJ saved us once when it seemed near-impossible. I think we should let him go quietly.

I'm not sure he fulfilled his side of that bargain.

Quoted from pen penfras

It's funny how all of these stories always come out about a manager after it's gone mammaries up.

I suppose because no one dared to suggest it while Jolley was in charge as most people thought he was the dogs balderdash and the sun shone out of him and anyone brave enough to say otherwise got crucified

MJ did at least keep us in the League.

Not sure of the validity of saying “he never stayed at one club for very long”.  Neither did the special one (or the modest one as he has re-invented himself).  All he ever did was keep winning trophies.

I can believe the other interesting comments made above.  Just looking at his management decisions this season raises doubts about his abilities. In hindsight, he seems to talk a good fight.  

I'll forever be grateful for his miracle work of saving a doomed side and club from the drop, but although the idea of Jolley seemed all grand and positive I'm thinking he was beginning to be found out and his departure could turn out to be for greater good. And that it came at the right time, we just need to make sure a competent hand is brought in who continues some of the ethos (blooding youth etc) but can back up what is said.

I suspect that history will judge him as having done more good than bad. I try to remember the positivity he brought on n off the field for the first half of his term rather than the last 2 months when he was more worried about what winless stevenage might fo to us, rather than making them worry about what we could do

He's left us in a better position than we he arrived.