To be honest I fell out of love with football during the world cup. The game seems to be full of talk and hype. Soul being replaced by superficiality and the next new thing is always the best there has ever been .... until it isn't. It seemed to me that Jolley was a symptom of this style over substance business as well. Unlike Ipswin though I didn't say anything because I hoped against hope that Jolley might be different to Bignot. Maybe he would have talents that would inspire us out of this league. After all he did save us from relegation. Then by the end of August I was thinking about those games and wondering - maybe the side really played not much better than it did under Slade, and Jolley should have given Rose a massive bonus for coolness under fire.

Anyway the lad had a summer to get set. The 3-5-2 looked nailed on as his system and he recruited accordingly. Unfortunately some recruits either were not good enough to do as he asked or they were bemused by his tactics. In addition he failed totally to obtain a striker which everyman and his dog knew we desperately needed.  So we have a fistful of forwards who might score the odd wonder goal but none of whom looks the least bit likely to do what proper strikers do - score good goals and also scuffle the half-chance over the line somehow or other in 2 games out of every 3 or 4. This keeps coming back to haunt him and ultimately may decide his fate as manager.

Jolley's recruitment that tied to his original 3-5-2 also left him with a lopsided squad that does not have the players to fit well in a 4-4-2 or even 4-3-3. In effect, Jolley has been his own worst enemy.

But having said all that about systems, football is a confidence game as much as anything. Players who feel their manager is on top of his game will give that extra 5 or 10% on the field. If they understand his tactics, his selections and his substitutions and they fit into a system understood by everyone in the squad .... then motivation is easy. It is crystal clear that Grimsby Town players are not in that situation and it sometimes looks as if they are strangers to each other and the system they are supposed to be using. Lack of effort? Not really, they give a professional's effort to try and do what they are told but they appear to do just that and no more because they are lacking inspiration on and off the field.

As I say, football is a confidence game. This is where the difference between a manager and a coach matters, and despite what some people believe including one or two on the Fishy, there is a difference in skill sets between the two. Coaches work during the week to improve general and individual performances with the next match in mind. Managers manage selection, playing formations and set tactics and above all they manage the players as a group and as people. They set the tone for the squad. Effectively, they say where the cones should go and the coach then puts them out.

A coach will try to get the team playing well and creating enough chances so goals will follow. A manager knows that the team needs a striker who can score when the team is not creating chances. I am not sure whether Jolley sees himself as coach or manager.

You have to ask questions about him in this respect. He may have every FIFA coaching badge but that most definitely is not a management qualification. Yet as a former NY banker he will know management is about results. Football management is how to go about winning games. Coaching is only one means to that end, not the end in itself. Which is why great coaches, from Malcolm Allison onwards, have often struggled to be successful managers. Jolley is struggling for those same reasons.

So is there an answer?

For me, a great deal depends on the next game. Failure to win very convincingly and by a good score would finish Jolley in my eyes, 6 on the bounce is unacceptable at any level. Even 5 +1 draw would not save him if it was me.

But there again ...... it isn't my decision.

Admittedly I’ve not read ALL of your post, Ron, but if THAT World Cup didn’t reignite some sort of passion inside of you, there really is no hope for you at all. Give it up, find another hobby.

Michael Jolley re-ignited my passion for GTFC last April and something has happened since that has caused the momentum to peter out.

Was it failures in recruitment? Was it ditching the coach that understood the club? Is it the budgetary constraint?

Yes there was is an answer!

It's called breaking the budget now for 6 months and getting a player in that will take the pressure off the squad, that's if we can still get non attached players? The person am thinking about is Darren bent. Still without a club, but still training every day with burton. Surely, give him (or please someone else mention another player available) an opportunity to put himself back on the market and give us a boost.

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

Yes there was is an answer!

It's called breaking the budget now for 6 months and getting a player in that will take the pressure off the squad, that's if we can still get non attached players? The person am thinking about is Darren bent. Still without a club, but still training every day with burton. Surely, give him (or please someone else mention another player available) an opportunity to put himself back on the market and give us a boost.

The last time I saw Bent he was playing with an extra stone of fat on him,

He must be even heavier now.

And why haven't Burton signed him?

Quoted from Gaffer58

And why haven't Burton signed him?

See my post above .

OP, how did you fall out of love with football during the world cup?

Baffles me

Quoted from conocoloco

OP, how did you fall out of love with football during the world cup?

Baffles me

I enjoyed it and so did my wife,

The football was not bad either. ;)

...2 full backs playing full back
...2 centre backs playing centre back
...2 midfielders playing midfield
...2 wide men playing wide
...2 centre forwards playing centre forward
...1 goalkeeper playing in goal
So there's my input to 'is there any answer.'

2-2-2-2-2-1 formation. Nobody's played this before in a match to my knowledge? Try it Michael..it just might get you out of a pickle.
UTM  8)

Quoted from wuffing

...2 full backs playing full back
...2 centre backs playing centre back
...2 midfielders playing midfield
...2 wide men playing wide
...2 centre forwards playing centre forward
...1 goalkeeper playing in goal
So there's my input to 'is there any answer.'

2-2-2-2-2-1 formation. Nobody's played this before in a match to my knowledge? Try it Michael..it just might get you out of a pickle.
UTM  8)

Sadly your theory, however well intended, falls down with the fact that we sent our only wide player out on loan to Boston.

Aye Codger, The only time I saw Max play was in a pre season friendly a while ago and was impressed with his wide play, crossing and trickery, with the fact that he gave 120%

I think the only answer is to assume you will get stuffed 5-0 every week and relegated every season. Then everything else is a bonus.

I doubt JF will pull the trigger if we lose to Morecambe, but lose the next three games with 2 at home then MJ will surely have to go.