Whats changed

How has it all changed so much, in such a short period of time?

I was a big fan of MJ, and was gutted when he went, but looking where we are now, it's all for the best.

For me, the majority of players he have signed have all been huge for us

Glennon, Class above, best LB since Townsend, and will have a great career
Benson, Ooses class, brave, clever on the ball, and has a real eye for a pass, a rear quality at this level
Clarke, Best one for me, how have Plymouth let him go? I know they are doing well, but this player would be comfortable in league 1, or am I getting carried away?
Grandin, Tilley & Garmston all need game time before saying that they are world beaters, but all showed quality in the limited time so far.

But he's got Vernam playing. something we all knew he had, but never really delivered
Pollock has so much confidence for a young lad, and I think that Waterfall is playing a huge part in that, IH has mentioned a few times how good Waterfall is off the pitch.
Whitehouse, wasn't really a stand out player for me, did a job, but nothing more, but all of a sudden, he's starting, he's scoring, and he's making a massive difference

How can 1 man, make such a huge difference to players and us fans?

I think it’s clear theres a plan and a vision. Dare I say a plan b when it’s not working too.

I’m in the category of ‘not getting carried away’ but there has been a clear shift in morale and attitude. May be the players really didn’t like Jolley, may be he was just a Bignot in a better suit? May be he was shite. May be he couldn’t communicate what he wanted. May be the leadership of the club is so rotten and Jolley couldn’t ignore that and modelled the same behaviour.

Who knows?

I think attitude has been much improved and with that comes performances. May be some players needed smoke blowing up their bottom. Perhaps some needed to be told some honest truths, it also helps that the likes of Glennon and Benson are a cut above in ability...

Different players will respond to different managers, IH does seem to have an infectious enthusiasm and drive that is inspiring. The main difference I'm noticing besides some of his transfer business being very good is the way the team plays. We look like a team that wants to win and keeps pushing through the game even if things don't always come off and mistakes are made we keep trying. For a long time  it felt like as soon as the other team scores first it's going to be a struggle. The experience and tactical knowledge probably are helping a lot too, I think IH has managed to out think other managers on a few occasions and beat their plan. He hasn't always got it right and he's the first to admit when he didn't.

MJ was a nice bloke and I believe he always had good intentions at the club but seemed way out of his depth and his lack of experience in management caught up to him. I think his exit ultimately showed how out of his depth he was when he lost his excrement at the media and lost the trust of the board in the process and quit when they questioned his professionalism too. He was obviously getting a lot of things wrong tactically and other teams had our number and couldn't figure out what to do, he didn't like that being rubbed in his face every week by journalists.

IH is known to be very media savvy and has a lot of experience with press conferences so he handles things much better and the media tend to be on his side where as MJ just didn't seem ready for dealing with the PR side of things as all his experience was in coaching.

I was never a fan of the great con merchant MJ.  Attila the Hun would have been an improvement on his management and football style. This is borne out by the comments of Vernam last week for example.

But IH is a different beast altogether. He is a football man and a people man. He is exactly what a club like ours needs and like any good manager he communicates with authority but without patronising or belittling. What a pleasant change.

What an inspiration he is to Grimsby, the town as well as the club, he's put a big buzz and boost into everything. People like him are few and far between and are worth their weight in gold.

He did it to Blackpool before and instilled a sense of self-belief and feel-good factor that can't be taught or bought. Even cynics have to concede this point for however long it continues and hopefully the rest of the season and beyond.

Do any of you remember when Jack Charlton took up the ROI manager job and turned a mediocre team into world-beaters? This is similar stuff what Ollie brings: "Put em under pressure"!

Ole ole ole

You forgot Hendrie.  Steadily improving and confidence is growing. A goal last week, a couple of shots on Saturday , including a 35 yard drilled shot which unfortunately a little too straight.

Ollie gets the best out of people, MJ tried to manage from a coaching manual. No way would he have signed a maverick like Billy Clarke because he wouldn’t have been able to control him, the same way as he didn’t get the best out of Chas. Confidence is key and players are now being allowed to make the odd mistake as long as they get more rights than wrongs. Just a different mentality, that’s all.

Asking players to play football is the answer to your question.

Under Slade and Jolley players looked like they weren't enjoying their football, you didn't see them smiling much. Telling players to defend and get back and not let them express themselves couldn't have been much fun.

Now Ollie has released them from these defensive shackles and told them to attack all the time and it shows in the players body language.  Christ, we even leave a player up when defending a corner and winning! We might concede more but we will score a lot more.

It's the nearest we been to Buckley football since he left.

Long may it continue.

Quoted from mimma

Asking players to play football is the answer to your question.

Under Slade and Jolley players looked like they weren't enjoying their football, you didn't see them smiling much. Telling players to defend and get back and not let them express themselves couldn't have been much fun.

Now Ollie has released them from these defensive shackles and told them to attack all the time and it shows in the players body language.  Christ, we even leave a player up when defending a corner and winning! We might concede more but we will score a lot more.

It's the nearest we been to Buckley football since he left.

Long may it continue.

I don't care what Slade or Jolleys stats told them - bringing back every player for a corner is completely stupid. Every time the ball is cleared it just comes straight back so basically the defence has to clear 2 crosses instead of one.

The stats might show a marginal decrease in goals conceded but do they show the number of counter attacks set up by the player or players left upfield?

A proper manager who gets the very best out of what he has available, you can see the players would run through a brick wall for the bloke,