A few months ago, seems longer because of the results but the Bowyer threads were all concerned with him be poached and leaving to go elsewhere. Cardiff, Birmingham and laughably even Leeds. When was the last time a single person on here was worried about that happening. His star was rising but has since fallen like a stone. That tells you all you need to know about what’s happened to him and the performances. 23/72 is not the stats of a “one to watch” manager. I hate the continual harking back to Curbishley but when we were in a hole he made a public point of saying we go back to basics. Not once have I seen Bowyer adopt that stance. Instead he’s tinkered with players out of position and odd formations.He’s even failed to stick with formations that have worked well even one game ago. No idea what’s wrong but something definitely is. Lee didn’t really want to become a manager and perhaps deep down he still doesn’t now that those early successes have long gone. Perhaps he’s convincing himself one way or the other but there is definitely something not right.
He’s relatively new as a manager and now that this poor run has continued and confidence is low, possibly it’s the lack of experience of knowing how to get out of that and quickly. There’s a reason PL sides about to get relegated immediately run to one of a few known managers who can quickly get a team back to basics and get the required points at the end of the season.
Well if I can think of going back to basics then I’m sure Lee can. It’s been an option and been disregarded.
Going back to the title of the thread. I think what Bowyer has ‘lost’ is that spark and enjoyment.
It comes across in his demeanour and is clear to see. Sadly it happens in this game at times.
I wish he could take a break and come back invigorated to start the ‘journey’ again. But that’s not an option without stepping back from the game entirely for a period.
I sincerely hope he can stop the rot and introduce a better style with the new signings, but if that doesn’t happen in the next 5 games I can see TS making the decision which for many is becoming an inevitability.
If TS were to bring in an unknown Dane Or American, then under those circumstances I'd prefer Bowyer to stay, but I don't think that will happen.
I fully understand the sentimental value fans attach to Lee Bowyer, but I think he has lost his way & it's time for a change as everyone needs a lift. The mentality some on here have that it doesn't matter where we finish this season is crazy to me & I really don't understand it
Another thing that I think has worked in his favour is not having any crowds. Given recent home performances, I think the atmosphere at the Valley would be toxic right now & if TS had seen that, I think he would've already pulled the trigger
I can imagine TS and Roddy squirming in the Directors box as the team is booed off again, a different feeling to watching a game 2000 miles away on TV
Yeah, but even watching the game thousands of miles away, it was still ......... grim.
We didn't enjoy watching the match last night. I don't suppose Thomas did either. And it wasn't just the result.
Going back to the title of the thread. I think what Bowyer has ‘lost’ is that spark and enjoyment.
It comes across in his demeanour and is clear to see. Sadly it happens in this game at times.
I wish he could take a break and come back invigorated to start the ‘journey’ again. But that’s not an option without stepping back from the game entirely for a period.
I sincerely hope he can stop the rot and introduce a better style with the new signings, but if that doesn’t happen in the next 5 games I can see TS making the decision which for many is becoming an inevitability.
The problem is we are at a stage in the season where those 5 games could be the difference between having a chance or virtually no chance. Mind you, whilst we haven't been great away, our issues are at home as one tactic scuppers us time and time again. I don't think opponents even have to watch us now, they know how to set up against us.
Are we as a team making progress ? Are we looking that we might ? For me at this point no but we have some new players and we have to accept that when they settle we might become better. How long before we can tell ? I think six games is reasonable but by then the slight hope of playoffs will have completely vanished. Unless there is a general upturn then Lee should go at the end of the season.
Bowyer can count himself lucky that fans aren't allowed in at the minute. There would be more than a few grumblings these past few weeks at the full time whistle.
Given that Bowyer criticised 2k fans after the MK Dons home defeat, i'm not sure what he would've made of being booed off by 15k fans.
Might have jumped into the first few rows Eric Dier style to have it out.
Going back to the title of the thread. I think what Bowyer has ‘lost’ is that spark and enjoyment.
It comes across in his demeanour and is clear to see. Sadly it happens in this game at times.
I wish he could take a break and come back invigorated to start the ‘journey’ again. But that’s not an option without stepping back from the game entirely for a period.
I sincerely hope he can stop the rot and introduce a better style with the new signings, but if that doesn’t happen in the next 5 games I can see TS making the decision which for many is becoming an inevitability.
The problem is we are at a stage in the season where those 5 games could be the difference between having a chance or virtually no chance. Mind you, whilst we haven't been great away, our issues are at home as one tactic scuppers us time and time again. I don't think opponents even have to watch us now, they know how to set up against us.
I don’t disagree. We could and should be performing better, without doubt. I do think there is a real argument to be had for improving the backroom. Newcastle have tried to assist Bruce by bringing in Graeme Jones.
Look at how Eddie Jones adapts his coaching team to address areas that need improving. Bowyer shouldn’t be too proud to seek that advice and Roddy should be proposing it. I’d love to see an Andrew Hughes type character come in and galvanise the squad.
As Bows would say, "It is what it is!" Sadly what it is, is a very poor team display, being repeated over and over. No matter who comes in, during the tinkering, there is little or no improvement in performance or results. I'd love Bows to be 'The Man' who takes us to bigger brighter things, Eddie Howe style, or Curbs if thinking closer to home. Sadly the whole is continually less than the sum of its parts.
We are like a luxury hotel, that in the brochures it looks amazing. But on arrival, we find a poor front desk attitude, lazy porters, sloppy room cleaners and chefs that only have one signature dish that gets rotated with cold porridge. The amazing sea view doesn't really make up for the expense and poor ratings will result in people going elsewhere.
Going back to the title of the thread. I think what Bowyer has ‘lost’ is that spark and enjoyment.
It comes across in his demeanour and is clear to see. Sadly it happens in this game at times.
I wish he could take a break and come back invigorated to start the ‘journey’ again. But that’s not an option without stepping back from the game entirely for a period.
I sincerely hope he can stop the rot and introduce a better style with the new signings, but if that doesn’t happen in the next 5 games I can see TS making the decision which for many is becoming an inevitability.
The thing is in almost any other walk of life you would like to think his boss would say something like "you have worked flat out for 2 years, in far from ideal circumstances, take 2 weeks off and totally switch off. Me and Jonnie can look after things".
It never happens in football, ever. It's probably a reason why MOST football managers, with notable exceptions get worse the longer they are in the same job.
Bowyer can count himself lucky that fans aren't allowed in at the minute. There would be more than a few grumblings these past few weeks at the full time whistle.
Spot on, better on here is toxic than at the ground, if things were opened up and we could go back to games in say a months time (won't happen) how many on here would seriously consider going to a match?
Loyalty is a very fragile word in footy terms, I do feel some towards LB as he has been through such shit times with previous owners, however what’s being served up currently is nothing short of complete & utter ****ing garbage. There doesn’t, as pointed out by many, any consistent formation or tactic and regardless of our 2 1st choice CB’s not being available the team just can not defend front to back. February is an important month for LB if play offs are out of reach by the end then I think TS advised by Ged Roddy might pull the trigger. Eddie Howe would be my choice, but no doubt he has a few suitors in higher leagues than us.
Lots of people feeling insulted now. The "enough is enough" contingent (note I didn't say "brigade") feel insulted by people ridiculing them or suggesting that they want the team to fail, the "show some loyalty, it's early days yet" cohort (still no "brigade") are insulted by the suggestion that they place loyalty to Bowyer above the club or are blinkered.
This move to narcissistic self obsession away from the actual topic is pathetic, ridiculous and childish.
Bowyer can count himself lucky that fans aren't allowed in at the minute. There would be more than a few grumblings these past few weeks at the full time whistle.
Spot on, better on here is toxic than at the ground, if things were opened up and we could go back to games in say a months time (won't happen) how many on here would seriously consider going to a match?
100% with bells on! I can't wait to get back to The Valley as soon as it is safe to do so regardless of what pish is served up.
Lots of people feeling insulted now. The "enough is enough" contingent (note I didn't say "brigade") feel insulted by people ridiculing them or suggesting that they want the team to fail, the "show some loyalty, it's early days yet" cohort (still no "brigade") are insulted by the suggestion that they place loyalty to Bowyer above the club or are blinkered.
This move to narcissistic self obsession away from the actual topic is pathetic, ridiculous and childish.
There. I've insulted everybody.
And I have LOL'd your post which I assure you is not intended as an insult.
Having thought about the situation, I now believe more than ever that we can have a shot at promotion this season or stick with Bowyer. TS has a difficult, but necessary decision to make, IMHO.
I have tried to rally round and give him the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I am just kidding myself. The evidence is there for all to see. We are going backwards.
It is now quite apparent that he is just not a very good manager; I think that he is just not bright enough to think strategically, nor does he have the emotional intelligence necessary to be a good man-manager. You need to be shrewd in this game and LB is just not capable of this. It is interesting that the only argument for keeping him on is loyalty; no-one is making a convincing argument as to why he will bring us success, because he is failing on so many fronts. This is why the argument that this is just a slump in form does not make sense to me - he has not shown the aptitude as a manager that would result in anything else than mediocrity. As such, we cannot have him as the foundation of our project to restore our club to former glories as he does not have the skills to do so, so it would be a predictable failure.
Make no mistake, we have a squad that many other teams in this division would have killed for - we are underperforming badly and heading for mid-table obscurity. He has no ethos; we don't look like a team when we play and the players don't look like they understand what their jobs are. He flails from one team and formation to another out of what now looks like sheer desperation, hoping that he will stumble upon a magic combination by chance, because he doesn't appear to have the smarts to work it out for himself. Plus, if you play well, he will drop you; how is that going to motivate a player to give their all? However the clincher for me is his negativity, which will trickle down and affect all at the club. Teams that enjoy their football play good football and do well; does that look like us at the moment?
So, tactically - not very good Man management/motivation - not very good Training? - we appear to be getting worse the more time that is spent on the training ground Improving players? Not any more; starting to look like a hollow boast.
So what is he good at? And good enough at that it will turn our fortunes around in the face of all the evidence that we have seen so far? Loyalty aside, what logical reason do we have to expect him to succeed?
So, the argument appears to be that we owe it to LB to forego promotion and tread water as a club and put TS's project on the back burner. As much as I am thankful to him for what he has done for us in the past, he isn't good enough now and this situation is not good enough for CAFC, especially since we now have an ambitious owner who wants us to move forward again as a club.
Keeping Bowyer here and then expecting a miraculous turnaround in results is sheer fantasy based on the available evidence. We either get shot and then have an outside chance of salvaging the season, or we soldier on and delay the inevitable and vital rebuilding job that is the only way to long-term success. How many seasons are we (or more importantly, TS) prepared to spend in this horrible League?
End of the day, he is not a very good manager. We need to find someone who is and then let them rebuild the team. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can begin to turn this club around. If I was TS, then I would have already begun this process as his project is doomed with LB at the helm and any delay sets us back further each week.
As much as my heart wants to disagree with your post @bigstemarra my head is saying you’re right. I haven’t liked your post because using the like and LOL button has seemingly got people’s back up. Just going to stick my head above the parapet and take whatever flack comes my way.
Having thought about the situation, I now believe more than ever that we can have a shot at promotion this season or stick with Bowyer. TS has a difficult, but necessary decision to make, IMHO.
I have tried to rally round and give him the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I am just kidding myself. The evidence is there for all to see. We are going backwards.
It is now quite apparent that he is just not a very good manager; I think that he is just not bright enough to think strategically, nor does he have the emotional intelligence necessary to be a good man-manager. You need to be shrewd in this game and LB is just not capable of this. It is interesting that the only argument for keeping him on is loyalty; no-one is making a convincing argument as to why he will bring us success, because he is failing on so many fronts. This is why the argument that this is just a slump in form does not make sense to me - he has not shown the aptitude as a manager that would result in anything else than mediocrity. As such, we cannot have him as the foundation of our project to restore our club to former glories as he does not have the skills to do so, so it would be a predictable failure.
Make no mistake, we have a squad that many other teams in this division would have killed for - we are underperforming badly and heading for mid-table obscurity. He has no ethos; we don't look like a team when we play and the players don't look like they understand what their jobs are. He flails from one team and formation to another out of what now looks like sheer desperation, hoping that he will stumble upon a magic combination by chance, because he doesn't appear to have the smarts to work it out for himself. Plus, if you play well, he will drop you; how is that going to motivate a player to give their all? However the clincher for me is his negativity, which will trickle down and affect all at the club. Teams that enjoy their football play good football and do well; does that look like us at the moment?
So, tactically - not very good Man management/motivation - not very good Training? - we appear to be getting worse the more time that is spent on the training ground Improving players? Not any more; starting to look like a hollow boast.
So what is he good at? And good enough at that it will turn our fortunes around in the face of all the evidence that we have seen so far? Loyalty aside, what logical reason do we have to expect him to succeed?
So, the argument appears to be that we owe it to LB to forego promotion and tread water as a club and put TS's project on the back burner. As much as I am thankful to him for what he has done for us in the past, he isn't good enough now and this situation is not good enough for CAFC, especially since we now have an ambitious owner who wants us to move forward again as a club.
Keeping Bowyer here and then expecting a miraculous turnaround in results is sheer fantasy based on the available evidence. We either get shot and then have an outside chance of salvaging the season, or we soldier on and delay the inevitable and vital rebuilding job that is the only way to long-term success. How many seasons are we (or more importantly, TS) prepared to spend in this horrible League?
End of the day, he is not a very good manager. We need to find someone who is and then let them rebuild the team. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can begin to turn this club around. If I was TS, then I would have already begun this process as his project is doomed with LB at the helm and any delay sets us back further each week.
It is a shame, but there it is.
Most managers reach a point where they become not very good. It isn't always their fault, but they may just get themselves into a hole they don't know how to get out of. It doesn't mean they were always bad, but it means they are scrambling for an answer and they don't know where to find it.
I believe, and it is a belief rather than known fact, that Bowyer is a bit too proud. he has made errors which everybody can make, but he can't admit them to himself. That is why, IMO, he has taken it out on players in a completely inappropriate way. What he is asking them to do is likely to be possible with better players, but they are not him and getting angry they can't perform to his levels is a recipe for disaster. He needs to accept the evidence based on what he is seeing and find a way to maximise what these good players for the level can achieve.
I don't know JJ's emotional intelligence either, but I suspect it is not a weakness. He has ambitions to be a manager and maybe, if the players like him, as I believe they do, he could turn the tide in the short term. Beyond that, it may need much more, but we have good players, and he is probably there looking at what is happening and thinking what should be done differently. If that is the case, he would be ideal for a caretaker role when in all honesty, we have nothing to lose in giving it to him.
20 games to go in a dreadful division and nobody running away with it.
This is the season to give it a go.. Not next bloody year!
LB is not going to turn this around...
PERIOD!
The evidence is blindingly obvious!
TS would be stupid to stay with LB as it will be a wasted opportunity.
Get rid now and bring in someone with more experience..Paul Cook for instance.
Most of us have been pretty meh about our performances and the home form is relegation material.
Please whilst there is time TS put LB and most of us out of our misery and make the change.... we have a good squad that just needs stability and confidence and LB cannot offer neither.
Yes, he has lost it. This year, Bowyer is responsible for: - Input on transfers, even if he had reduced options due to the circumstances. - Routinely playing people out of position when it clearly isn't working. - Rotation of tactics constantly so players have no way of knowing where a teammate may make a run to or be available for a pass. - Publically calling out players. Also subbing them for pulling out of a challenge, seemingly picking and choosing when to do this. - Calling out the fans for being negative when we're playing shit. - The overall tactics and coaching of mostly-Championship quality players.
There's times when a team just ticks, and times when they don't. Accrington, Lincoln and Blackpool are prime examples of the good end, and we're a prime example of the bad end. Granted, Bowyer's options have been limited in the Summer market but he still had various Championship-experienced players and has used most of them out of their natural position. He seems to think Pratley is Maldini reincarnate as a CB and Watson is Clarence Seedorf in his prime. It was also Bowyer's decision NOT to strengthen the defence when EVERYBODY except himself sees a problem there.
Push comes to shove, he's arrogant in his ability. He's 100% earned respect from the fans for what he's done off the pitch over the last few years, no doubt. But that isn't a get-out-of-jail free card. We are a Championship-level club at least with the infrastructure, history, reputation and academy that we have and not reaching even League One playoff finals will be, I think, the final nail in his coffin - as much as Thomas Sandgaard likes to publically support him. For what it's worth - it will take an absolute miracle to reach play-offs, even if we do have Famewo and Innis back with players like DJ and Millar coming into their zone - we would need to put an almost unrivalled run together and stay injury-free to even have a chance when all of the top half are in-form and playing well.
It wouldn't be acceptable if we had to sell our best player to build a stand? It wouldn't be acceptable if we had to rebuild a squad after losing all our major players? The 90-91 to 92-93 squads had continuity, only forced to sell Rob Lee: Can't think of many others moving on to better things. Andy Peake and Gordon Watson? From 18-19 to 20-21 we have none of our main players left barring Pearce.
Jackett's had four seasons to build a squad in League One. Sunderland three. Robinson had two and got nowhere near. We should be better, but expecting everything to click in one season without anywhere near proper planning is crazy.
This is bang on the money. Everyone wants everything instantly in this day and age - it doesn't work like that I'm afraid. Bowyer has earned the opportunity to get a proper season with backing from a proper owner. And no, that earned season is not this season. Putting together a squad in two weeks in the middle of a pandemic does not constitute a proper crack at it.
If it looks like we're getting nowhere by Christmas, then let's reassess. It took us three seasons to get out of this league on the last two occasions we were down here. I'm still expecting us to do it sooner than that but to bounce straight back up was always going to be a tall order. I think people have been a bit spoiled by that stupendous run of form through October/November.
Can't agree with this. So if he fails this season, you still want to give him half of next season too? Sandgaard surely hasn't come in to invest all this money, boasting of grand plans to reach the Premier league in 5 years, to then dick about wasting 2-3 of those years in league one.
We are sitting below Lincoln and Accrington and level on points with Crewe. If some of the sides below us win 1-2 games in hand we will be mid-table.
He's shipped out all of his scapegoats and the same problems are still there. So were they the problem?
There is no guarantee that someone else coming in will do a better job than the bloke who has a promotion from this division on his CV. Only half sensible suggestion I’ve seen is Paul Cook and he’s probably going to sit on his hands until a stable Championship job becomes available.
I’m sure you’re right about Sandgaard not being keen on wasting time in League One but we don’t get to decide our fate on our own - there are other big fish in this pond that have been down here longer than we have who still can’t get out.
Let’s say it happens and we sack a manager six months into the season. What do we do if his replacement doesn’t have us finishing in the top half? Does the next one get sacked in the summer? And then what if the next replacement has us mid table in League One this time next year? Does he get sacked too?
Are we going to become one of those clubs who get a bit of backing and then go through managers twice a year if the fanbase doesn’t like a bad run of form? I certainly hope not.
Thinking about it, Bowyer's mistake was bringing in too many rushed signings in October, many of which have been highly paid flops taking up much of our wage bill.
I think he would have been much better served to have brought in fewer players (just a few loans) and instead told the players he had that they would be given 3 months to prove themselves, the likes of Oztumer, Lapslie, Davison and Wiredu plus the established 1st teamers (including Washington and Gilbey as they had been signed already) and a few youngsters from the academy (Barker, Mingi, Vennings etc). We still had plenty of experience in the squad with the likes of Pratley, Pearce, Williams, Purrington and Oshilaja so it's not as if we needed to bring in more.
And to publicly state that he'd be giving young players a proper go in the team, that they' d make mistakes but it was all part of their learning curve and for the fans to be understanding.
Who knows, one or two might have struggled, but one or two might have been successes. And in January we would then have decent wages available to top up the squad
Lots of people feeling insulted now. The "enough is enough" contingent (note I didn't say "brigade") feel insulted by people ridiculing them or suggesting that they want the team to fail, the "show some loyalty, it's early days yet" cohort (still no "brigade") are insulted by the suggestion that they place loyalty to Bowyer above the club or are blinkered.
This move to narcissistic self obsession away from the actual topic is pathetic, ridiculous and childish.
There. I've insulted everybody.
And I have LOL'd your post which I assure you is not intended as an insult.
Comments
Going back to the title of the thread. I think what Bowyer has ‘lost’ is that spark and enjoyment.
I wish he could take a break and come back invigorated to start the ‘journey’ again. But that’s not an option without stepping back from the game entirely for a period.
I sincerely hope he can stop the rot and introduce a better style with the new signings, but if that doesn’t happen in the next 5 games I can see TS making the decision which for many is becoming an inevitability.
We didn't enjoy watching the match last night. I don't suppose Thomas did either.
And it wasn't just the result.
Also, Thomas is paying for all this.
Might have jumped into the first few rows Eric Dier style to have it out.
It never happens in football, ever. It's probably a reason why MOST football managers, with notable exceptions get worse the longer they are in the same job.
This move to narcissistic self obsession away from the actual topic is pathetic, ridiculous and childish.
There. I've insulted everybody.
I have tried to rally round and give him the benefit of the doubt, but in the end, I am just kidding myself. The evidence is there for all to see. We are going backwards.
It is now quite apparent that he is just not a very good manager; I think that he is just not bright enough to think strategically, nor does he have the emotional intelligence necessary to be a good man-manager. You need to be shrewd in this game and LB is just not capable of this. It is interesting that the only argument for keeping him on is loyalty; no-one is making a convincing argument as to why he will bring us success, because he is failing on so many fronts. This is why the argument that this is just a slump in form does not make sense to me - he has not shown the aptitude as a manager that would result in anything else than mediocrity. As such, we cannot have him as the foundation of our project to restore our club to former glories as he does not have the skills to do so, so it would be a predictable failure.
Make no mistake, we have a squad that many other teams in this division would have killed for - we are underperforming badly and heading for mid-table obscurity. He has no ethos; we don't look like a team when we play and the players don't look like they understand what their jobs are. He flails from one team and formation to another out of what now looks like sheer desperation, hoping that he will stumble upon a magic combination by chance, because he doesn't appear to have the smarts to work it out for himself. Plus, if you play well, he will drop you; how is that going to motivate a player to give their all? However the clincher for me is his negativity, which will trickle down and affect all at the club. Teams that enjoy their football play good football and do well; does that look like us at the moment?
So, tactically - not very good
Man management/motivation - not very good
Training? - we appear to be getting worse the more time that is spent on the training ground
Improving players? Not any more; starting to look like a hollow boast.
So what is he good at? And good enough at that it will turn our fortunes around in the face of all the evidence that we have seen so far? Loyalty aside, what logical reason do we have to expect him to succeed?
So, the argument appears to be that we owe it to LB to forego promotion and tread water as a club and put TS's project on the back burner. As much as I am thankful to him for what he has done for us in the past, he isn't good enough now and this situation is not good enough for CAFC, especially since we now have an ambitious owner who wants us to move forward again as a club.
Keeping Bowyer here and then expecting a miraculous turnaround in results is sheer fantasy based on the available evidence. We either get shot and then have an outside chance of salvaging the season, or we soldier on and delay the inevitable and vital rebuilding job that is the only way to long-term success. How many seasons are we (or more importantly, TS) prepared to spend in this horrible League?
End of the day, he is not a very good manager. We need to find someone who is and then let them rebuild the team. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can begin to turn this club around. If I was TS, then I would have already begun this process as his project is doomed with LB at the helm and any delay sets us back further each week.
It is a shame, but there it is.
I believe, and it is a belief rather than known fact, that Bowyer is a bit too proud. he has made errors which everybody can make, but he can't admit them to himself. That is why, IMO, he has taken it out on players in a completely inappropriate way. What he is asking them to do is likely to be possible with better players, but they are not him and getting angry they can't perform to his levels is a recipe for disaster. He needs to accept the evidence based on what he is seeing and find a way to maximise what these good players for the level can achieve.
I don't know JJ's emotional intelligence either, but I suspect it is not a weakness. He has ambitions to be a manager and maybe, if the players like him, as I believe they do, he could turn the tide in the short term. Beyond that, it may need much more, but we have good players, and he is probably there looking at what is happening and thinking what should be done differently. If that is the case, he would be ideal for a caretaker role when in all honesty, we have nothing to lose in giving it to him.
This is the season to give it a go.. Not next bloody year!
LB is not going to turn this around...
PERIOD!
The evidence is blindingly obvious!
TS would be stupid to stay with LB as it will be a wasted opportunity.
Get rid now and bring in someone with more experience..Paul Cook for instance.
Most of us have been pretty meh about our performances and the home form is relegation material.
Please whilst there is time TS put LB and most of us out of our misery and make the change.... we have a good squad that just needs stability and confidence and LB cannot offer neither.
You are all off your bloddy rocker.
I cannot work out if it is mostly substance abuse or just inbreeding and gene juggling...
- Input on transfers, even if he had reduced options due to the circumstances.
- Routinely playing people out of position when it clearly isn't working.
- Rotation of tactics constantly so players have no way of knowing where a teammate may make a run to or be available for a pass.
- Publically calling out players. Also subbing them for pulling out of a challenge, seemingly picking and choosing when to do this.
- Calling out the fans for being negative when we're playing shit.
- The overall tactics and coaching of mostly-Championship quality players.
There's times when a team just ticks, and times when they don't. Accrington, Lincoln and Blackpool are prime examples of the good end, and we're a prime example of the bad end. Granted, Bowyer's options have been limited in the Summer market but he still had various Championship-experienced players and has used most of them out of their natural position. He seems to think Pratley is Maldini reincarnate as a CB and Watson is Clarence Seedorf in his prime. It was also Bowyer's decision NOT to strengthen the defence when EVERYBODY except himself sees a problem there.
Push comes to shove, he's arrogant in his ability. He's 100% earned respect from the fans for what he's done off the pitch over the last few years, no doubt. But that isn't a get-out-of-jail free card. We are a Championship-level club at least with the infrastructure, history, reputation and academy that we have and not reaching even League One playoff finals will be, I think, the final nail in his coffin - as much as Thomas Sandgaard likes to publically support him. For what it's worth - it will take an absolute miracle to reach play-offs, even if we do have Famewo and Innis back with players like DJ and Millar coming into their zone - we would need to put an almost unrivalled run together and stay injury-free to even have a chance when all of the top half are in-form and playing well.
Let’s say it happens and we sack a manager six months into the season. What do we do if his replacement doesn’t have us finishing in the top half? Does the next one get sacked in the summer? And then what if the next replacement has us mid table in League One this time next year? Does he get sacked too?
Are we going to become one of those clubs who get a bit of backing and then go through managers twice a year if the fanbase doesn’t like a bad run of form? I certainly hope not.
I think he would have been much better served to have brought in fewer players (just a few loans) and instead told the players he had that they would be given 3 months to prove themselves, the likes of Oztumer, Lapslie, Davison and Wiredu plus the established 1st teamers (including Washington and Gilbey as they had been signed already) and a few youngsters from the academy (Barker, Mingi, Vennings etc). We still had plenty of experience in the squad with the likes of Pratley, Pearce, Williams, Purrington and Oshilaja so it's not as if we needed to bring in more.
And to publicly state that he'd be giving young players a proper go in the team, that they' d make mistakes but it was all part of their learning curve and for the fans to be understanding.
Who knows, one or two might have struggled, but one or two might have been successes. And in January we would then have decent wages available to top up the squad