Should it be the owners or the fans say?

[Ambitious]

Let's face it, with OUR fans we'd be changing managers every month! I don't need to see Bob the Builder at number one to know the masses are ******* idiots.. so definitely the board for me, less likely to make rash decisions based on a game by game basis.

[Albert]

If it were to be the fans to have a say, for whatever reason, it should be done as a vote of all season ticket holders where action would only be taken if 60+ percent of all season ticket holds agreed with it, rather than needing a mere majority. In that way it could avoid issues of many people sitting on the fence.

Of course, the idea of the fans deciding it would be ridiculous unless the fans also forked out to pay off his contract.

[WilkoRam]

Although we, the fans, are the lifeblood of our clubs and also are the people who turn up to watch for entertainment each week, I don't think we should have the choice. Yes I think our opinion should be known and taken onboard by the club but we don't know enough to be dictating what goes on.

I would like the board to be sounding out possible replacements and if one of those indicates they're interested come the summer then we should go for the change but we (the fans) can only go off what we see on the pitch. Although that's the most important area it doesn't describe everything that the new manager coming in will have to deal with. So we don't know if the right man is out there. I hope he is, because after 4 seasons I don't think Nigel is that man.

[ronnieronalde]

We don't know the true plan of GSE and what they have promised the investors (we should never forget that there are two seperate entities here).

If GSE have convinced the investors that a return on investment (ROI) is possible by selling a rising star (or two) while building towards a promotion challenge then they may well be happy to put the £3 - £6 million in each year until the big money sales can be made.

Its possible that it could be this coming summer, I could see a low to mid table Prem club gambling £3m rising to £5m on Hendrick for instance.

The following summer maybe £7m rising to £10m for Hughes. If Mason makes the breakthrough and scores goals then £10m coming in that following summer.

 

Is that the plan? Is that what GSE are working toward? A regular stream of incoming cash from a well run academy, attracting the best talent because they know they'll get a chance?

 

All ifs and buts obviously but unless they come clean with us, all we can do is speculate!

 

It could work btw, Clough could get a couple of million to spend and maybe a slight wage bill increase and a couple of players come in who gel, knit the team together and off we go. But it could just as easily not work, or only partially work and we'll be where we are now......

 

If a new manager comes in and "the plan" remains as is, then we could well be calling for the new guy's head by the new year, something GSE (as Ramblur points out) will fear as it will be them in the firing line just as much as the new manager.

 

Do we give Clough a chance to see if the plan will work, its taken this long to get players coming through who are genuinely saleable, or do we thank him for his hard work and the foundations he has built which could yet be the making of this club without having to resort to a sugar daddy throwing money round like confetti.

 

What's making it unpalatable is the Leicester's, Cardiff's and Forest's having unlimited funds to spunk on wages and players while we're struggling to make ends meet. Clough's net spend over the 4 years is about £1m - while taking the wage bill down from £18m to £8m.

Part of me says we need a fresh face - maybe a new manager willing to play a more open, free flowing game whatever the financial restrictions he's working under and part of me would love to see Clough shopping at a higher level to see what quality he would bring in.

 

If GSE's plan is how I describe it above then I fear we will struggle with or without Clough.

 

With Clough we might just get enough youngsters coming through to finance the plan. A new manager may not wish to gamble on so many kids.

 

A change of manager will clearly please a significant number of fans, might even give the players a new lease of life and improve results short term. It seems a long shot that the club would be more likely to mount a serious promotion challenge without a change of plan from GSE though.

 

There must be something good in the water in Uttoxeter, even the next generation of YoungUttox ram is carrying on the proud tradition of talking sense. Long term planning!!

 

When you cut out the wums this is a really good thread to read.

 

I bolded that part Mr U to ask if  you think there has been even a whisper or a soundbite coming from the players that he's holding them back. Some seem to think a change would "galvanise" the troops when every single quote or interview I've seen suggests that the first team squad is totally united and supportive of each other.

 

I just can't imagine all of them are towing the club line. Surely it would get leaked through the press if the players didn't rate the manager.

[uttoxram75]

There must be something good in the water in Uttoxeter, even the next generation of YoungUttox ram is carrying on the proud tradition of talking sense. Long term planning!!

 

When you cut out the wums this is a really good thread to read.

 

I bolded that part Mr U to ask if  you think there has been even a whisper or a soundbite coming from the players that he's holding them back. Some seem to think a change would "galvanise" the troops when every single quote or interview I've seen suggests that the first team squad is totally united and supportive of each other.

 

I just can't imagine all of them are towing the club line. Surely it would get leaked through the press if the players didn't rate the manager.

No, i don't think there's any worse emotions within the camp than any other club in the league. You'll always get players unhappy not to be playing, whoever is the manager - and I agree, if Clough's man-management was as bad as some make out it would have leaked out through players or ex-players.

Professionals within the game tend to speak highly of his integrity - I think Dean Saunders the other week said that Nigel is a top man, absolutely straight as a die, or words to that effect.

I have clear memories of disagreeing with substitutions, tactics, team selection etc long before Clough came to Derby. I have no doubt we'll moan about the same with future managers.

The personal dislike for Clough from some fans is very, very strange. Whether he is a good football manager or not is open to debate but, he seems a really decent bloke to me. He's probably too honest and down to earth for modern tastes. People seem to want flamboyance and one-liners from media savvy, greedy, disloyal minor celebrities......maybe we should have an X factor type vote?