Time for a new manager?

[Stig]

9 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

I think this harks back to Evatt's 'fragile mentality' dig after Rotherham away last season. Although he got panned for it (and he'd signed them all so some of it was on him), there was a ring of truth in it and there still is now. 

We still have too many, even after SS's changes, that don't have the minerals to dig in at tough places or roust themselves and others to respond when 20k of us ask for more of them. Some look scared, of the size of the crowd at home and the vociferous nature away, at small grounds where ifs up close and sometimes personal.

On the downing tools thing, there may be something that'll come out in the wash to substantiate it, but there's a bit of two things for me, some may have sacked it and their negativity is bleeding through into others, while others are young players who've hit a wall form and energy wise, all at the same time and too early in the season. 

So, some may have downed tools but the impact of that has been magnified by 3 or 4 falling off a form cliff at the same time

 

 

Oh the fragile mentality comment was completely accurate. It's just that Evatt got panned for it because he'd shaped the squad to be exactly that. 

This is where SS has a bit more leeway for me to at least get to the end of the season and 2 transfer windows to try to change the squad. The fact we've offloaded 3 outfield players this week and the squad still seems overly bloated shows the extent of the issue. Needs a good 3/4 more trimming and 1/2 adding to have a squad that's more fully involved and happy, but with that 1/2 additions to lift the mood.

[Pablo]

Jesus H....and some of you have the cheek to call other clubs fans deluded ffs...😂😂

[waffer cup 07]

4 minutes ago, Pablo said:

Jesus H....and some of you have the cheek to call other clubs fans deluded ffs...😂😂

Like Everton fans.

[Pablo]

Just now, waffer cup 07 said:

Like Everton fans.

Sooo easy....ya never lose it....😙

[Whitesince63]

12 hours ago, Cheese said:

We need a couple of hard fuckers in the team. No idea why, but I thought Simons was that when he first signed, but he's been fairly anonymous. We've been a bunch of softies for far too long. Dempsey is the closest we've got, but even after returning to full fitness, he's been in and out of the team far too much.

Didn’t we have one of those in Thomason who some couldn’t wait to get rid of and who is now on the verge of the PL with Wrexham?

[Cheese]

2 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Didn’t we have one of those in Thomason who some couldn’t wait to get rid of and who is now on the verge of the PL with Wrexham?

He's more of a 'fireworks down the underpants' fucker than a hard fucker. We need someone who's going to get a well-deserved red card now and then. A cunt who everyone else hates, but we love.

[Whitesince63]

6 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

When Markham signed Randall, Schon and McAtee etc, Evatt clearly felt he’d been sold a pup and the”fragile mentality” comment probably related to the Prima Donna aspect of some players believing their own hype and he made it clear those players hadn’t got what it takes to get promoted.

You can see it when certain players try and fail to execute technical passes and flicks and the movement is negligible - we often look like fancy dans expecting to win without earning it.

Whatever SS tries to sort it out -system changes, getting rid of dead wood, redefining roles - is ok by me, because change is needed.

But he’s not changing anything is he, just the personnel. He could start with his failed inverted winger stuff but he just seems as stubborn as Evatt was and hopes that it might work again in one match then he can say “I told you so.”

[Whitesince63]

1 minute ago, Cheese said:

He's more of a 'fireworks down the underpants' fucker than a hard fucker. We need someone who's going to get a well-deserved red card now and then. A cunt who everyone else hates, but we love.

Agree but Thommo at least never shirked a tackle. Sadly I can’t think of too many really hard players about these days, I think with refs giving fouls for even touching a player it’s probably a lost art? A tough mentality on the other hand, a never say die,never beaten attitude is quite another thing and the last one of those we had was probably Sarce. Mind you even if we did find one our bunch of softies would probably take exception?

[masi 51]

15 minutes ago, Cheese said:

He's more of a 'fireworks down the underpants' fucker than a hard fucker. We need someone who's going to get a well-deserved red card now and then. A cunt who everyone else hates, but we love.

What are you like at Football!!

[Zico]

On 14/01/2026 at 07:43, ianofcleveleys said:

It's turning into a shitshow on top of a shitshow, with the fees and contracts doled out to the likes of Dalby, Taylor, Simons, Erhahon, Gale and a swathe of loans who've shot their bolt by Christmas.

If he's potted after Wigan, whoever comes in hasn't much room for manoeuvre in the fortnight that's left, and I don't hold with the idea that these are a good enough squad someone else should be able to shake up, sort out and get up

I've seen that the players are good enough at various times this season 

I thought maybe a first proper full season for the likes of Burstow, ACD and Simons was catching up with them 

But they all, like the rest of the team, seem to have seen a big dip in form around the same time

I think the squad good enough 

The manager has a track record of being good though

But something isn't right 

Maybe SS is trying too hard, I might be wrong but I don't think he had this expectation and pressure at Plymouth, whilst Stoke were quick to get rid

Around this time last year there were a decent batch of managers who we might have been able to get in 

Not seeing the same, so not sure what to think

The Bolton job has historically been a generally safe one, IE got time and recovered after a shit start but also a good January window 

I think SS deserves the same, or at least suspect Sharon will

Unless all the players hate him or he admits he doesn't know what to do next, I think he'll be safe till at least the summer 

But I'm sure there must be someone who could get this squad promoted

Just not sure who it is

[Cheese]

14 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

What are you like at Football!!

I'm not the answer mate. I'm too old to change career now.

[Whitestar]

Its the old frog in a pan of water scenario, the ones that have been here longest have boiled to death (Toal, Johnston, Sheehan, Dempsey, Morley etc) and the ones that have just jumped in have felt the water and basically jumped out again.

I have worked at places like that, I've been the jumper and the boiler, no good will come of it!!!.

[Winchester White]

39 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

But he’s not changing anything is he, just the personnel. He could start with his failed inverted winger stuff but he just seems as stubborn as Evatt was and hopes that it might work again in one match then he can say “I told you so.”

We get it, you don't like inverted wingers! 😁

 

[ianofcleveleys]

55 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Agree but Thommo at least never shirked a tackle. Sadly I can’t think of too many really hard players about these days, I think with refs giving fouls for even touching a player it’s probably a lost art? A tough mentality on the other hand, a never say die,never beaten attitude is quite another thing and the last one of those we had was probably Sarce. Mind you even if we did find one our bunch of softies would probably take exception?

The one time Evatt and Markham really got it right in terms of the right types for the job, we got promoted. We almost stumbled on it in an emergency after the Phoenix debacle but ended up with a squad that had Doyle, Sarce, Lee, MJ, Baptiste etc in it, with Gilks barking at those at the back. All been around the block, could all handle themselves and the opponents, not fazed by a bit of pressure. We won 16 of our last 22 games that season. 

We've obviously gone close to succeeding again since but fallen short, in certain games/situations and thid current squad looks a mile off having that sort of nouse

[meanderson93]

1 hour ago, Whitesince63 said:

Didn’t we have one of those in Thomason who some couldn’t wait to get rid of and who is now on the verge of the PL with Wrexham?

No, he was never hard, he was just clumsy and late very often. Bookings ≠ Hard. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

12 minutes ago, meanderson93 said:

No, he was never hard, he was just clumsy and late very often. Bookings ≠ Hard. 

Trying too hard perhaps, especially when others disappeared under the physicals.

You're correct about bookings not equalling a hard man, but the latter is something of a dying breed nowadays.

Tomo was the most vocal of them all, and wasn't averse to getting in the face of opponents and winding them up.

Showed a bit of passion that might be missing a touch now.

[Wanderlust]

5 hours ago, Whitesince63 said:

But he’s not changing anything is he, just the personnel. He could start with his failed inverted winger stuff but he just seems as stubborn as Evatt was and hopes that it might work again in one match then he can say “I told you so.”

Evatt tried to change things towards the end of his tenure, changing systems, roles and bringing in new players but couldn’t make it work - and I think SS is trying to change things now. The problems are similar in as much that both went for attacking approaches which the opposition found ways of controlling - and both managers tried playing systems that require better quality players than the ones we have.

Can’t see us buying better players, so the approach/system needs to change and the question is whether or not the lads are the best options for playing in whatever new system he goes for.

[meanderson93]

On 13/01/2026 at 20:02, RUREADY2ROLL said:

Bet the 75% who voted on sticking with him change their mind after this dross 

Wonder if the 25% who voted for him to go change their mind after that derby day away win? 

[RUREADY2ROLL]

6 minutes ago, meanderson93 said:

Wonder if the 25% who voted for him to go change their mind after that derby day away win? 

Well he did well today

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

Fannies

[gonzo]

Is he still the stubborn scouser then?

[Winchester White]

Just now, gonzo said:

Is he still the stubborn scouser then?

There's been some absolute whoppers on here lately. Don't get me wrong we haven't been playing well of late but some of the comments and posts have been off the wall.

[paulhanley]

We just need to support the guy. He has not done a 100 per cent perfect job since arriving but one year is not enough. If this time in 12 months we are still in League 1 and looking like staying there - we can start having this conversation. It is not the time now and it wasnt even before today.

[gonzo]

3 minutes ago, Winchester White said:

There's been some absolute whoppers on here lately. Don't get me wrong we haven't been playing well of late but some of the comments and posts have been off the wall.

It's seen a few normal posters off.

I'll fight the cunts all day. 

[masi 51]

We played the same system today that Evatt played but that is where the similarities end. No Sheehan coming taking the ball off the keeper and getting taken from behind as he struggled to return it to the keeper who would then knock it sideways......Rinse, Repeat.

Some awful teams in this league who play one way against us, long ball into the corner and hope for a throw in so they can overload the box and throw it in long or wait until our full backs push up then go direct and out number us.

Everything is not perfect and we are crying out for a natural scorer, but SS has shown that he is not a one trick pony