New Colchester Manager/s

Should have brought them here.

They were clearly waiting for this kind of opportunity when they were tipped to take over us, Bradford etc...

Didn't want to move away from their family base.

Suits them from a personal perspective.

This could be really bad news for those in the relegation battle 😕

Great appointment for Colchester without a doubt they are excellent managers. As mentioned it suits them from a family perspective.

Danny's daughter plays for Chelsea and has just represented England at U15's, I would expect them to move up the table now.

Danny Cowley is on his way back down the leagues. His pioneering 'data & stick loads of crosses and corners' into the box method which worked at Lincoln is now a busted flush. He failed at Huddersfield and he failed at billionaire backed Portsmouth. What makes people think he's gonna turn around the fortunes of a floundering Colchester side? The guy has never been in this position before (joining a financially screwed club with no fans in a dead out of town stadium losing millions every season currently sat one place above the relegation places in the middle of the January transfer window), no idea why anyone is so confident he'll save them or is sat around proclaiming going "TOWN SHOULD HAVE GOT HIM".

Little to no success above League 2 in the past, they've probably found their level

I’d be over the moon with that if I were a Colchester fan.

Good appointment on paper for sure, then again football isn't played on paper it's played on grass or not as time might tell in Colchester.

Odd career trajectory though.  

Quoted from Poojah

I’d be over the moon with that if I were a Colchester fan.

So would I and geographically it makes total sense but unless Colchester has a hidden budget we are not aware of I am very surprised they’ve taken this job. Colchester is not a sleeping club, in the way that Lincoln and Grimsby are, in so far that it’s highly unlikely that will be able to treble their home attendances, and, certainly at Lincoln they had total control and spent pretty heavily (but well) on players salaries during their promotion years.

That said they did wonders at Braintree on very little so may be back to basics for them and pretty sure this will ensure Colchester are safe from relegation.

If chrisblor has got his facts right, I would question why we would want him here.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Danny Cowley is on his way back down the leagues. His pioneering 'data & stick loads of crosses and corners' into the box method which worked at Lincoln is now a busted flush. He failed at Huddersfield and he failed at billionaire backed Portsmouth. What makes people think he's gonna turn around the fortunes of a floundering Colchester side? The guy has never been in this position before (joining a financially screwed club with no fans in a dead out of town stadium losing millions every season currently sat one place above the relegation places in the middle of the January transfer window), no idea why anyone is so confident he'll save them or is sat around proclaiming going "TOWN SHOULD HAVE GOT HIM".

He didn’t fail at Huddersfield, he kept them up - the issue was the relationship with the owner. And at Portsmouth they arguably built the foundations that have allowed allowed the current team to flourish having inherited a mess.

Quoted from 123614

If chrisblor has got his facts right, I would question why we would want him here.

He/she hasn’t.

Not close at all to the finances at Colchester but it was this time last year when Matt Bloomfield was significantly backed in the January transfer window, bringing in quite a few high earning players and most thought they would cruise out of danger (final position 20th, 6 points above the drop).  The owner was bankrolling them a bit the last time I saw or heard anything, not sure if he's still there.

They had a good run initially post-investment but dropped off mid-Feb onwards, in fact they needed a bit of a late rally to avoid the drop altogether.  The day the window opened they were also in 20th and 5 points above the drop, a pretty excrement return on decent investment.

Ok appointment on paper, nothing to get excited about.  I share the views of others that they are a spent force and I'm not sure Colchester is the type of environment where they'll get time to implement anything.  Colchester's managerial record from 2020 is staggering.  2016-20 they had a period of stability under John McGreal but in the 3-and-a-half years since he was sacked they've appointed and dismissed Steve Ball, Hayden Mullins, Wayne Brown, Bloomfield, Ben Garden and now Matthew Etherington.  Brown and Ball are the longest serving managers with 34 games a piece,  the equivalent of three-quarters of a season!

Quoted from Chrisblor

Danny Cowley is on his way back down the leagues. His pioneering 'data & stick loads of crosses and corners' into the box method which worked at Lincoln is now a busted flush. He failed at Huddersfield and he failed at billionaire backed Portsmouth. What makes people think he's gonna turn around the fortunes of a floundering Colchester side? The guy has never been in this position before (joining a financially screwed club with no fans in a dead out of town stadium losing millions every season currently sat one place above the relegation places in the middle of the January transfer window), no idea why anyone is so confident he'll save them or is sat around proclaiming going "TOWN SHOULD HAVE GOT HIM".

Didn't fail at Huddersfield - they were brought in to save them from relegation out the championship which they succeeded at.

Portsmouth wasn't really a failure although it wasn't a success either, they finished 10th and we're 12th I think when sacked, just meh.

Annoyingly I think they could do well with Colchester's squad which seemed to be big and mobile when we played them, exactly what they like to work with.

Quoted from davmariner

He didn’t fail at Huddersfield, he kept them up - the issue was the relationship with the owner. And at Portsmouth they arguably built the foundations that have allowed allowed the current team to flourish having inherited a mess.

Finishing 18th in the Championship when Huddersfield had only been relegated from the Premier League the previous season (and benefitted from approximately £30 in parachute payments as a result) is not success. It's not like he took over a team that was a dead cert to be relegated with a few months left of the season, he took over in September after 6 league games and managed a total of 13 wins in his 40 games in charge. Scraping Championship survival in those circumstances is pretty poor going.

His time at Portsmouth was rubbish too, he managed 1 win in his last 16 league games in charge there which is pitiful for a large club in League One, owned and heavily bankrolled by one of the richest man on the planet (currently estimated to be worth $1.1bn by Forbes). Sorry, really not seeing why anyone is getting so excited about this (other than his success with a team 40 miles down the A46 over half a decade ago now).

Quoted from Chrisblor

Finishing 18th in the Championship when Huddersfield had only been relegated from the Premier League the previous season (and benefitted from approximately £30 in parachute payments as a result) is not success. It's not like he took over a team that was a dead cert to be relegated with a few months left of the season, he took over in September after 6 league games and managed a total of 13 wins in his 40 games in charge. Scraping Championship survival in those circumstances is pretty poor going.

His time at Portsmouth was rubbish too, he managed 1 win in his last 16 league games in charge there which is pitiful for a large club in League One, owned and heavily bankrolled by one of the richest man on the planet (currently estimated to be worth $1.1bn by Forbes). Sorry, really not seeing why anyone is getting so excited about this (other than his success with a team 40 miles down the A46 over half a decade ago now).

Could probably have got a round in at Wetherspoons for that!  

Didn’t they turn down Bradford? In which case why would they consider us? I think it’s great for Colchester but they’ve ended up at a bigger, but still small club 17 miles from where they started. That says it all about their priorities, and you have to respect them for putting family first.

We currently sit 20th. Of the four teams below us two have very wealthy owners who could easily but their way out of trouble, and now one have a manager who has won the L2 championship previously.

I think our task was just made a little harder.

Quoted from RonMariner

We currently sit 20th. Of the four teams below us two have very wealthy owners who could easily but their way out of trouble, and now one have a manager who has won the L2 championship previously.

I think our task was just made a little harder.

You do realise we also have a manager who got a team automatically promoted from league 2 also?, plus we are 6 weeks further down the line than Colchester, personally I think we'll be fine, at least with us it aint gonna be kick n hoof as in the Cowleys style.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

You do realise we also have a manager who got a team automatically promoted from league 2 also?, plus we are 6 weeks further down the line than Colchester, personally I think we'll be fine, at least with us it aint gonna be kick n hoof as in the Cowleys style.

I do indeed. But that doesn't change my opinion that our task just got a little harder.

When you’re at the bottom of the table and kick and hoof gets results who cares what it looks like? Whatever works IMO!

I find it strange that the majority view appears to be  that for us it’s not possible to sign good players in the January window because they are not available but when it comes to other clubs eg FGR, Salford the view changes to they will be.

Quoted from HerveJosse

I find it strange that the majority view appears to be  that for us it’s not possible to sign good players in the January window because they are not available but when it comes to other clubs eg FGR, Salford the view changes to they will be.

Welcome to The Fishy

Quoted from RonMariner

We currently sit 20th. Of the four teams below us two have very wealthy owners who could easily but their way out of trouble, and now one have a manager who has won the L2 championship previously.

I think our task was just made a little harder.

We have wealthy owners to  

Quoted from HerveJosse

I find it strange that the majority view appears to be  that for us it’s not possible to sign good players in the January window because they are not available but when it comes to other clubs eg FGR, Salford the view changes to they will be.

Money talks

Quoted from GibMariner

Money talks

Exactly. I suspect FGR and Salford are more likely to splash the cash than us.

The question will be who spends their cash more wisely.

Sometimes I wonder how some people reach the level of conviction and certainty in their opinions based on little bits of information and such short periods of time.
Who knows whether the Cowleys at Colchester will work and who is credibly going to claim that ‘this team are in trouble’ or ‘’this team will be safe’. There are two relegation spots and probably 6-8 teams who might contest the battle to elude the worst kind of demotion in the remaining 20 odd games. I think it’s appalling that we’re in this mess, yet again, but it is what it is. Can’t really assess our chances of survival and progress until we have some more players and a few more games have passed. What worries me,  as I’ve said elsewhere, is that, with the players we have, I think we’ll lose our next three games, or, at least, I don’t see us winning any of them. I want to be wrong and surprised.

Quoted from Poojah

I’d be over the moon with that if I were a Colchester fan.

Your easily pleased..

Championship , top end of League one, League two relegation fight is a pretty steep decline.At least they won’t have to relocate if the next job is back at Braintree.

Is Akinde Pen still at Colchester ? I would imagine if so that their penalty count will increase once the Bros are in the fourth officials ear constantly.

Quoted from davmariner

Should have brought them here.

No chance.
Look at the last school teacher masquerading as a football manager we had, that went real well.

Quoted from davmariner

He didn’t fail at Huddersfield, he kept them up - the issue was the relationship with the owner. And at Portsmouth they arguably built the foundations that have allowed allowed the current team to flourish having inherited a mess.

I wouldn't go that far with Pompey I go to a few of their games as my wifes Nan is a st holder - they hated the Cowleys style of football (as it wasn't winning ) and not easy on the eye with a hefty budget for league 1 ; they did try and change their style a bit but it didn't end well - Mousinho has completely changed the style and personnel it's more the new style of young coaching /football maybe we are looking at . It's turned it around there , I suppose we have to hope Artell can do the same with us .

Quoted from Mappers

I wouldn't go that far with Pompey I go to a few of their games as my wifes Nan is a st holder - they hated the Cowleys style of football (as it wasn't winning ) and not easy on the eye with a hefty budget for league 1 ; they did try and change their style a bit but it didn't end well - Mousinho has completely changed the style and personnel it's more the new style of young coaching /football maybe we are looking at . It's turned it around there , I suppose we have to hope Artell can do the same with us .

Where have you got the idea that Portsmouth have/had one of the top wage budgets in L1 from? They don't. Under Cowley they had a mid-table budget and he had them in a league position that reflected their budget if not slightly higher.

Portsmouth are having a good season, but it was helpful that over the past 2 seasons Sunderland, Ipswich & Sheffield Wednesday were promoted with budgets that dwarfed Portsmouth.

I don't get the Cowley failed at Huddersfield and Portsmouth myth that is being spouted. He left both clubs is significantly better shape than he inherited,

And remember this next season. When Cowley & Colchester are near the top of L2 going for promotion. Remember that Cowley wasn't good enough for our precious fans and our owners. I wonder where we'll be in the table with Artell (if he hasn't been sacked by then).

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Where have you got the idea that Portsmouth have/had one of the top wage budgets in L1 from? They don't. Under Cowley they had a mid-table budget and he had them in a league position that reflected their budget if not slightly higher.

Portsmouth are having a good season, but it was helpful that over the past 2 seasons Sunderland, Ipswich & Sheffield Wednesday were promoted with budgets that dwarfed Portsmouth.

I don't get the Cowley failed at Huddersfield and Portsmouth myth that is being spouted. He left both clubs is significantly better shape than he inherited,

And remember this next season. When Cowley & Colchester are near the top of L2 going for promotion. Remember that Cowley wasn't good enough for our precious fans and our owners. I wonder where we'll be in the table with Artell (if he hasn't been sacked by then).

Well, if getting sacked from your job isn't failure then I don't what the hell is!!..
Pompey fans hated their style, in the same way an awful lot of town fans hated Hursts style, and I think your being a bit too presumptuous that the Cowleys will succeed at Colchester and Artell will fail here.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Well, if getting sacked from your job isn't failure then I don't what the hell is!!..
.

You're right in the 'normal' world but football just isn't normal. Football managers getting sacked seems to be inevitable, the measure of success or failure is what they achieved and how long they survived in a job.

Rooney is clearly a failure at Birmingham - team has gone backwards alarmingly and he was sacked after a very short period in charge. If Klopp were sacked at Liverpool there is no way you could say he had failed.

The number of managers who leave their jobs as a result of their own decision is very small (and includes those who leave to facilitate a move to another club).

Quoted from GollyGTFC

Where have you got the idea that Portsmouth have/had one of the top wage budgets in L1 from? They don't. Under Cowley they had a mid-table budget and he had them in a league position that reflected their budget if not slightly higher.

Portsmouth are having a good season, but it was helpful that over the past 2 seasons Sunderland, Ipswich & Sheffield Wednesday were promoted with budgets that dwarfed Portsmouth.

I don't get the Cowley failed at Huddersfield and Portsmouth myth that is being spouted. He left both clubs is significantly better shape than he inherited,

And remember this next season. When Cowley & Colchester are near the top of L2 going for promotion. Remember that Cowley wasn't good enough for our precious fans and our owners. I wonder where we'll be in the table with Artell (if he hasn't been sacked by then).

When they took over in March '21 Portsmouth were in 10th  place.  3 points behind 6th placed Charlton with two games in hand.
They ended the season still in 10th place but 10 points behind Wycombe in 6th placed.  

In 21-22 under the Cowley's, their only full season in charge, they had a higher end of mid-table budget - figures are a bit skewed owing to mixing of seasons...but it gives an idea.



Reduction in number of players on the books but significant increase in non-football staff on the books, more likely be office staff but could also be football related backroom staff.

When they left Portsmouth just over a year ago they were 12th, with an 11 point gap to the 6th placed Barnsley.   On league placings alone, they left them in a worse position than when they took over.  Arguably even more so considering their departure came at the end of a two-month winless run.

Of course there's that argument that he laid the foundations for this season, but then there's also the argument that where he failed Mousinho has succeeded.  
'
I don't think they particularly 'failed' at Huddersfield, I'm not sure the remit was solely to keep them up (not just six games into the season).  But they had a mid-table budget and didn't reach mid-table.  What you definitely have to acknowledge though is the majority of business was done before they arrived.  1 permanent signing just after they joined (Danny Simpson) and then two further (Richard Stearman and Harry Toffolo) in the Jan window.  Five loans in the Jan window too.




TL;DR

They're not all that.  Not the worst appointments you could make, but I wouldn't be getting too excited as a Colchester fan.  One thing to note though is that at both Portsmouth and Huddersfield they had pretty decent bounces in form either straight after taking over or soon after.  What followed was generally streaky runs of wins/defeats rather than any form of consistency.

They seem to be similiar to Hurst in that they operate better with so called underdog clubs - Braintree and Lincoln at the time were backs to the wall jobs were they worked wonders but not so well at the clubs with higher expectations and where a more fluid exponent of football is expected . You could argue Colchester is closer to the former 2 rather than latter so might suit them but Golly's view that they are some sort of lower league oracles isn't my view but each to their own i guess .

They seem to like to work with senior players , one's that they know a lot of the time but Colchester are quite big on bringing academy players through so it will be interesting to see if they change in that regard .

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Well, if getting sacked from your job isn't failure then I don't what the hell is!!..
Pompey fans hated their style, in the same way an awful lot of town fans hated Hursts style, and I think your being a bit too presumptuous that the Cowleys will succeed at Colchester and Artell will fail here.

Just to mention that Artell was sacked after getting Crewe relegated.

Didn’t they sell all his best players though ?

Quoted from arryarryarry

Just to mention that Artell was sacked after getting Crewe relegated.

That proves my point doesn't it?..sacked for failing...
Doesn't mean he hadn't had success, and won't be successful here though.

Quoted from Mappers

They seem to be similiar to Hurst in that they operate better with so called underdog clubs - Braintree and Lincoln at the time were backs to the wall jobs were they worked wonders but not so well at the clubs with higher expectations and where a more fluid exponent of football is expected . You could argue Colchester is closer to the former 2 rather than latter so might suit them but Golly's view that they are some sort of lower league oracles isn't my view but each to their own i guess .

They seem to like to work with senior players , one's that they know a lot of the time but Colchester are quite big on bringing academy players through so it will be interesting to see if they change in that regard .

I recall he had a bit of Clive Nate’s investment cash to play with when he took over at Lincoln.

They're definitely going in next season's promotion acca

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I recall he had a bit of Clive Nate’s investment cash to play with when he took over at Lincoln.

Ballsy move to take them on when they were a below average conference team getting 2.5k tbf then .

Quoted from Mappers

Ballsy move to take them on when they were a below average conference team getting 2.5k tbf then .

Was it?

Left Braintree to move to a club that had (and realised) the potential to get back in the EFL quickly and progress further, under a new owner who does things for the right reason & had guaranteed funding on and off the pitch.

I’m sure it wasn’t too much of a big decision, what’s en experienced PE Trachers salary £35k perhaps?

Quoted from HertsGTFC

Was it?

Left Braintree to move to a club that had (and realised) the potential to get back in the EFL quickly and progress further, under a new owner who does things for the right reason & had guaranteed funding on and off the pitch.

I’m sure it wasn’t too much of a big decision, what’s en experienced PE Trachers salary £35k perhaps?

Sorry Herts i meant by Nates , he must have seen the potentiak in them to be better

Was certainly a good move for the Cowleys like you say .

Quoted from Mappers

Sorry Herts i meant by Nates , he must have seen the potentiak in them to be better

Was certainly a good move for the Cowleys like you say .

100% agree with that.

Ask Lincoln supporters if they think he is a good manager.  He took them from mid table National league to L1 with three trophies in the cabinet on the way. He got Braintree into the playoffs but they sank like a stone when he left.

I think he will pull Colchester clear of the drop zone.