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My Views on Mick 11:13 - Jan 20 with 6382 viewsMartus

As a man and a manager, he is top notch. Since he came in, he has made me proud to watch my team again, with hard working players and a real underdog spirit. He handles himself with the press very well and comes across as the boss - its his way or the high way. And he was exactly what we needed after Keane and Jewell - someone to build us back together and build a team from scratch again. Since then he has took us forward and turned us to promotion contenders.

Mick was lauded for creating a team that got in to the play offs in his second full season, with freebies and the £90k & £200k we spent on Mings and Sears. Not many people could achieve this, and Mick was the sole reason behind this rise. That team and that season basically worked of Murphy to spearhead our play, where he would chase everything and bring others in to play - aswell as his amazing goal scoring. We based our whole game around him. And we did the same last season, albeit finishing one place off of the playoffs.

This season has been a different story. After watching Fulham and Lincoln, it has proven to me there no game plan, or If there is it simply does not work. Whilst it might not have been pretty to watch (but wins masked this poor football style) we used Murphy as the target man, we bypassed the midfield by launching the ball to Murphy who bring others in to play with his hold up play or he would chase every ball. Without him, we are still playing the same game plan, but Murphy was the reason it worked. Against Fulham and Lincoln we were launching it to Pitman and Best and this does not suit either of their styles. Pitman is a much better player when the ball is at his feet, not chasing loose balls or headers. Best is also in a different mould, a player who is best with his back to players - with the power to hold off players and bringing others in to play. So basically we need to adapt to life without Murphy by playing a style which will better suit our current strikers - something McCarthy has yet to do or figure out.

I really like Mick - for everything he has done for us, which is even more impressive given his budget. Something I cant believe many other managers would be able to do, and create such a great team spirit and team ethic. I love how he handles himself and how he handles the media and just makes he believe that he knows what hes doing - and has that air of confidence and arrogance that makes him a manager that other teams fear.

The only problem is his football style is ancient. But i still believe that with a starting line up which includes Lawrence, Williams, Bishope and McGoldrick he would play a different more attractive style. We, or he, has been incredibly unlucky with the injuries we have had. He has played more defensive and negative due to the quality of players we are missing. I honestly believe this - and I hope this is true, as this is the only thing which has made me keep the faith with Mick. I still remember how well Bishop did 2 seasons ago, he really was a bright light, as well as McGoldrick and WIlliams - they are exciting players which can light up Portman Road when they are back. Its just a case of getting them fit and injury free for a period of time.

The budget we have and the injuries we have had, have tied one of Micks arms behind his back. He is still a great championship manager, but he really has had some bad luck and a poor budget. Rest assured - he would get another job in the championship. He deserves better support from his club, where he has been restricted.

I just believe he is still the manager we need. This season hasn't been great, but under our specific circumstances - the lack of budget and injuries - he has done well. Remember where we are financially with other clubs, he has got us up there for the last 2 seasons where we have no right to be - he has done very very well for us. Yes the style has been poor, that NEEDS to change, but I still believe in him to put it right.
[Post edited 20 Jan 2017 12:35]

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 11:34 - Jan 20 with 4511 viewsThe_Romford_Blue

A good well written post

Have an arrow of approval

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My Views on Mick on 12:19 - Jan 20 with 4457 viewsMartus

My Views on Mick on 11:34 - Jan 20 by The_Romford_Blue

A good well written post

Have an arrow of approval


Why thank you.

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 12:38 - Jan 20 with 4418 viewsPilgrimblue

A good post BUT my worry has been precisely the point you make that his style is ancient. Can he change? Well on evidence the answer is probably no as he quickly reverts to Skuse/Douglas (when stats show they haven't worked) and is constantly encouraging a long ball game.
Week in week out I watch other teams move the ball around with confidence and pace. Most don't spend much more but have a style we can only dream of! It might not get three points every game but it's good to watch and keeps the fans happy.
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My Views on Mick on 13:05 - Jan 20 with 4387 viewsMartus

My Views on Mick on 12:38 - Jan 20 by Pilgrimblue

A good post BUT my worry has been precisely the point you make that his style is ancient. Can he change? Well on evidence the answer is probably no as he quickly reverts to Skuse/Douglas (when stats show they haven't worked) and is constantly encouraging a long ball game.
Week in week out I watch other teams move the ball around with confidence and pace. Most don't spend much more but have a style we can only dream of! It might not get three points every game but it's good to watch and keeps the fans happy.


I agree, I really do hate watching the likes of Berra and Knudsen just launch the ball forward. What's worse is no midfielders call for the ball from the defenders. Its ancient football, and Douglas is especially guilty of not wanting the ball.

I believe that due to the poor results Mick is being cautious and reverting back to being solid and hard to beat - instead of playing an open and expansive style of play.

My hope is that when we have a bit more confidence (good results and optimism i guess) and some creative players come back, then we will start to play a better style of football. But Mick obviously believes, rightly or wrongly, that the fit midfielders we have at the moment aren't technically good enough to warrant playing through the midfield.

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 13:27 - Jan 20 with 4339 viewsFrimleyBlue

Who brought williams back to club?
Its not luck. It was inevitable he was going to get injured.

Its also mick who has turned sears from a goal scoring striker into a winger.

Its also mick who perservered with douglas and skuse.


Yes we are a midtable club with a midtable budget. However the type of selection and tactics used are the reasons alot have turned on mick.

People keep saying this season. Its not just this season. Look at the past 18 months. Its been a downward spiral.

Our downfall has been rejecting 8 mill for mcgoldrick. Instead of varney. Pitman. Best we could, could! have had better and 8 mill was too good an offer imo to refuse and its shown to be.

People in midseason were talking about getting 40 games between williams. Mcgoldrick and bishop. We should be having players who individually play that amount.

We lost murphy. Big big lose.

And i accept that we didnt have alot of time to replace. But. 16 days into transfer window and imo we still havent replaced him.

Thats the point mick plays hardball to evans. You either replace murphy or i go as we can not get anywhere

Waka waka eh eh
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My Views on Mick on 16:41 - Jan 20 with 4247 viewsMartus

My Views on Mick on 13:27 - Jan 20 by FrimleyBlue

Who brought williams back to club?
Its not luck. It was inevitable he was going to get injured.

Its also mick who has turned sears from a goal scoring striker into a winger.

Its also mick who perservered with douglas and skuse.


Yes we are a midtable club with a midtable budget. However the type of selection and tactics used are the reasons alot have turned on mick.

People keep saying this season. Its not just this season. Look at the past 18 months. Its been a downward spiral.

Our downfall has been rejecting 8 mill for mcgoldrick. Instead of varney. Pitman. Best we could, could! have had better and 8 mill was too good an offer imo to refuse and its shown to be.

People in midseason were talking about getting 40 games between williams. Mcgoldrick and bishop. We should be having players who individually play that amount.

We lost murphy. Big big lose.

And i accept that we didnt have alot of time to replace. But. 16 days into transfer window and imo we still havent replaced him.

Thats the point mick plays hardball to evans. You either replace murphy or i go as we can not get anywhere


It was not inevitable that he was going to get injured...... He was a great asset for Wales in the Euros and was on the list for a few championship clubs on loan. Hes a good player and I was glad McCarthy brought him in, its just a unlucky injury.......

Now I agree with you about Douglas ...... aka the pointless footballer. But Skuse is, in my opinion, a good player. He sits in front of the defence to free up other midfielders to go forward. He is not an attacker so should not be compared against one.

If Mick and Evans accepted the £8 mill offer for McGoldrick - the fans would have been very angry! Saying how we have no ambition, so dont give me that. Remember, this is the man whobuild this side from scraps.

I am not condoning his tatics and style, i am only trying to say that the main creative players are once again injured and unavailable - and as our budget isnt big, we dont have the luxury of having replacements who Mick would have more faith in to play more attractive football.

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 17:56 - Jan 20 with 4175 viewsLimitlessBlue

My Views on Mick on 16:41 - Jan 20 by Martus

It was not inevitable that he was going to get injured...... He was a great asset for Wales in the Euros and was on the list for a few championship clubs on loan. Hes a good player and I was glad McCarthy brought him in, its just a unlucky injury.......

Now I agree with you about Douglas ...... aka the pointless footballer. But Skuse is, in my opinion, a good player. He sits in front of the defence to free up other midfielders to go forward. He is not an attacker so should not be compared against one.

If Mick and Evans accepted the £8 mill offer for McGoldrick - the fans would have been very angry! Saying how we have no ambition, so dont give me that. Remember, this is the man whobuild this side from scraps.

I am not condoning his tatics and style, i am only trying to say that the main creative players are once again injured and unavailable - and as our budget isnt big, we dont have the luxury of having replacements who Mick would have more faith in to play more attractive football.


8 Million for McInjured, I would have driven him there myself.

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My Views on Mick on 18:04 - Jan 20 with 4156 viewsLuk38644

Brilliant OP.

Mick has plenty of faults and while I wouldn't mind seeing him leave in the summer, I would be very happy to stick with Mick if the style of play improved and we actually saw a plan materialising in front of us, but it just doesn't feel like that at the moment.

I said yesterday that I genuinely feel sorry for the fact he's had a basic budget to work with and we're a mid-table side based on our budget, but that can't excuse the shocking performances we've seen this season at times.

I think most of us agree that the ideal scenario is for Mick to be a success here, turn us around and get us up there again, but the last few months, I've seriously questioned if he's capable of doing that anymore, and that makes me sad more than angry, because like you say, he seems a top bloke and he's done alot for us.
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My Views on Mick on 20:44 - Jan 20 with 4051 viewsBluedandy

You're right McCarthy's "football style is ancient" but you're deluded if you think he'll put it right.

It's game over ... Town fans are fundamentally opposed to MM's football philosophy.

A dignified exit at the end of the season is what's required.

Evans would be profoundly foolish to ignore their wishes.
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My Views on Mick on 21:04 - Jan 20 with 4008 viewsmadmouse1959

Utter crap.

shampoo dave

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My Views on Mick on 21:18 - Jan 20 with 3968 viewsBorisOrTrevor

Thanks Terry.

Now in all of this where does the worst performance in living memory sit? It cannot be forgotten.

BOT

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My Views on Mick on 21:39 - Jan 20 with 3941 viewsWicklowBlue

Great post.....

For me following the success of the 2015 season a couple of things happened which has led to where we are now. I do blame Mick for some of it.

My mind still goes back to letting some key players like Anderson and the Hunts go. Effectively breaking the hardworking ethos of the squad in search of more expansive football being called for. Take key players out of any team and you are starting from scratch.

Also as fans our expectations went from survival to promotion along with a change in playing style. I do think Mick has been trying to achieve this but budget wise has been largely impossible.

Fast forward today where we have lost the combative, hardworking players and have tried to have a more skillful side which is imbalanced and lost focus. We are in transition and fans are in uproar due to the increased expectations from the season 2 years ago. We havent built from that largely because we didnt build on that formula of the hardworking, pressure dare I say it hoof football.

Mirrors the transition the Rep. Ireland team went through since Charlton to today.
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My Views on Mick on 10:42 - Jan 23 with 3712 viewsMartus

My Views on Mick on 21:39 - Jan 20 by WicklowBlue

Great post.....

For me following the success of the 2015 season a couple of things happened which has led to where we are now. I do blame Mick for some of it.

My mind still goes back to letting some key players like Anderson and the Hunts go. Effectively breaking the hardworking ethos of the squad in search of more expansive football being called for. Take key players out of any team and you are starting from scratch.

Also as fans our expectations went from survival to promotion along with a change in playing style. I do think Mick has been trying to achieve this but budget wise has been largely impossible.

Fast forward today where we have lost the combative, hardworking players and have tried to have a more skillful side which is imbalanced and lost focus. We are in transition and fans are in uproar due to the increased expectations from the season 2 years ago. We havent built from that largely because we didnt build on that formula of the hardworking, pressure dare I say it hoof football.

Mirrors the transition the Rep. Ireland team went through since Charlton to today.


Most of Micks sides largely focus on wingers. His teams get the ball out wide and focus on getting balls in the box for the forwards to attack. In Micks time here, he has tried to get some good wingers in, and for a variety of reasons it hasn't happened for him yet. Which is why I still think he still hasn't got the balance he wants in our side yet.

Anderson and the Hunts were hard working, but it was clear to see there wasn't enough quality there - hence offloading them. We have since struggled in our wide areas, where funds have meant he have missed out on the wingers Mick wants. The loanees we have drought in have always made impacts out wide - Feeney, Pringle, Fraser, Maitland Niles and Lawrence, but we cant afford the wages to entice them to stay.

This is why i feel for Mick as he hasn't been allowed to get the players he wants to suit his tried and tested formula. And why i still think the "ancient" style of football we play can be changed under Mick - only when he gets the wingers he has sought for since he got here.

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 10:50 - Jan 23 with 3683 viewstextbackup

We were outplayed by a non league team. Add to that the awful football on show for the last 15 months...

We’ll be good again... one day
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My Views on Mick on 10:54 - Jan 23 with 3653 viewstaximan

My Views on Mick on 10:50 - Jan 23 by textbackup

We were outplayed by a non league team. Add to that the awful football on show for the last 15 months...


well yeah, but apart from that

mick is a great bloke apparently

or something
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My Views on Mick on 11:06 - Jan 23 with 3621 viewsITFC_Forever

But surely that's the point?

Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME) and effectively gave up on the season as we didn't wait to get a replacement lined up - yet he often tells us deals don't happen / are delayed as clubs are lining up replacements.... why the hell didn't he do this for Murphy?

And we still play the same way - defenders launching it in to the channels for Murphy to win the ball and bring others in. Except he left in August and isn't there any more.
I have heard from a certain previous left-back of ours that he was specifically told by Mick not to look to pass inside to the midfield and hit the channels instead.

ME and Mick are both to blame - and ME is able to change should he wish to (manager and increasing budget), whereas Mick can't.

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My Views on Mick on 11:46 - Jan 23 with 3578 viewsitfcjoe

My Views on Mick on 11:06 - Jan 23 by ITFC_Forever

But surely that's the point?

Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME) and effectively gave up on the season as we didn't wait to get a replacement lined up - yet he often tells us deals don't happen / are delayed as clubs are lining up replacements.... why the hell didn't he do this for Murphy?

And we still play the same way - defenders launching it in to the channels for Murphy to win the ball and bring others in. Except he left in August and isn't there any more.
I have heard from a certain previous left-back of ours that he was specifically told by Mick not to look to pass inside to the midfield and hit the channels instead.

ME and Mick are both to blame - and ME is able to change should he wish to (manager and increasing budget), whereas Mick can't.


"Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME)"

In the sound quotes.....the (1.19 long one at bottom of article)
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18476204/ipswich-town-prepare-matchd

"Even if I do go, you are going to get someone else in under the same terms and conditions, doing exactly the same things, the Murphy deal would still be the same and the transfer policy will still be the same, so just be careful what you wish for......"

So is it Mick sanctioning it? Or what else choice has he got but to work within the constraints of his job as set out by his boss like the rest of us?

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My Views on Mick on 11:53 - Jan 23 with 3546 viewsLankHenners

My Views on Mick on 11:46 - Jan 23 by itfcjoe

"Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME)"

In the sound quotes.....the (1.19 long one at bottom of article)
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18476204/ipswich-town-prepare-matchd

"Even if I do go, you are going to get someone else in under the same terms and conditions, doing exactly the same things, the Murphy deal would still be the same and the transfer policy will still be the same, so just be careful what you wish for......"

So is it Mick sanctioning it? Or what else choice has he got but to work within the constraints of his job as set out by his boss like the rest of us?


As ever with Mick, and football managers in general, it's not particularly clear what he means there. Is he implying it was Evans who was in control of the Murphy move, or is he saying "that's football" and that any manager in his position would see that selling Murphy had to happen at that stage?

Either way, neither of them are free from fault of not having a replacement lined up and ready to be signed/signed in advance so we didn't get messed about (well, they were in their right to do so) by other teams wanting replacements or pushing us for more money knowing we needed another striker.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
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My Views on Mick on 11:55 - Jan 23 with 3534 viewsMartus

My Views on Mick on 11:06 - Jan 23 by ITFC_Forever

But surely that's the point?

Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME) and effectively gave up on the season as we didn't wait to get a replacement lined up - yet he often tells us deals don't happen / are delayed as clubs are lining up replacements.... why the hell didn't he do this for Murphy?

And we still play the same way - defenders launching it in to the channels for Murphy to win the ball and bring others in. Except he left in August and isn't there any more.
I have heard from a certain previous left-back of ours that he was specifically told by Mick not to look to pass inside to the midfield and hit the channels instead.

ME and Mick are both to blame - and ME is able to change should he wish to (manager and increasing budget), whereas Mick can't.


Yeah the sale of Murphy was a horrible one. But Murphy wanted to go, and i guess Mick let him go to avoid a disgruntled player.

But as i say, Murphy was the outlet that Mick used, play the ball direct to him and that's how we attack. We still play that way, where we shouldn't because Murphy made that system work. That's the problem, we haven't adapted to life without Murphy.

The style of football is awful, and i don't condone it. But i can only hope that its because the likes of Williams, Bishop and McGoldrick are out, and when they come back (hopefully all on the field together with Lawrence) the style of football will improve as they are the more technical and better players we have at ITFC.

"Bobby conquered Europe!!! And we won the FA cuuuuup!"

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My Views on Mick on 12:00 - Jan 23 with 3502 viewsTownieRob

I 100% agreed with everything you said right up until the last paragraph, as mentioned previously by yourself his football is ancient, that is exactly what we don't need to move forward, therefore he isn't the man we need to take us forward.

Good post though..
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My Views on Mick on 12:11 - Jan 23 with 3467 viewsITFC_Forever

My Views on Mick on 11:46 - Jan 23 by itfcjoe

"Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME)"

In the sound quotes.....the (1.19 long one at bottom of article)
http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/18476204/ipswich-town-prepare-matchd

"Even if I do go, you are going to get someone else in under the same terms and conditions, doing exactly the same things, the Murphy deal would still be the same and the transfer policy will still be the same, so just be careful what you wish for......"

So is it Mick sanctioning it? Or what else choice has he got but to work within the constraints of his job as set out by his boss like the rest of us?


Seem to remember Mick saying at the time that he sanctioned the sale of Murphy, not ME.

With hindsight, he may have been trying to protect ME from too much criticism.

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My Views on Mick on 13:06 - Jan 23 with 3382 viewschislehurstblue

My Views on Mick on 12:11 - Jan 23 by ITFC_Forever

Seem to remember Mick saying at the time that he sanctioned the sale of Murphy, not ME.

With hindsight, he may have been trying to protect ME from too much criticism.


MM didnt want an unhappy player - We got £3m for a player who by all accounts wasnt going to sign a new contract with us. It was a good deal for the club. What is important to understand is that even though we brought in £3m through the sale of Murphy and had been told by Milne that there was money to spend before the murphy deal, the club then went out and even though they knew the style of play was reliant on a murphy type player, made offers of around £1m - So where had the other money gone?

Seems to me that ME doesnt want to spend anymore money. MM has alluded to it and Chambers certainty mentioned it in his recent interview that quality players were needed.

MM will go in the summer and I doubt a manager will such injury prone players, one of the worst squads in my life time and no real funds to improve it will do any better, in fact I think we could go down.

MM needs to take some blame but ME has clearly lost interest in the club and with the budget we have we are where we deserve to be. You cant keep selling your best players and replacing them with frees or loan deals and expect to improve.
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My Views on Mick on 13:11 - Jan 23 with 3362 viewsKing_ding_a_lin_g

My Views on Mick on 12:11 - Jan 23 by ITFC_Forever

Seem to remember Mick saying at the time that he sanctioned the sale of Murphy, not ME.

With hindsight, he may have been trying to protect ME from too much criticism.


Why would you want to keep a player that wants to leave?

As Mick said at the time... you're either inside the tent p!ssing out, or you're outside p!ssing in.
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My Views on Mick on 13:29 - Jan 23 with 3324 viewsSuperfrans

Really good post. Agree with a lot of it, including the final paragraph - up to a point.

I fear Mick isn't the person to bring the best out of our creative players. He seems fine with outstanding creative types, like Fraser, Williams and Lawrence, who you can give the ball to and ask them to run past players - 1, 2, 3 of them - and create their own chances. But he's less good at assimilating such players into a total team approach. Hence Ward has gone backwards and doesn't seem to be able to construct a team which can pass, short, snappy balls, play the ball to feet and work their way up the field that way.

I don't necessarily believe that is the only way you can be a successful side, but it helps. And the Lincoln game, above any other game we've played, showed how far we are from that aspiration. Against a team of that level, our technical superiority should show - but it didn't, we showed no technical superiority at all, which is a big worry. And Mick has to take responsibility for that.

As far as this season goes, we're going to end up somewhere just below mid-table, but there is still work to do. For my money, Mick is the best man for this moment, 9 points off relegation places with a few tough games coming up. I'm in the "keep him to keep us up and then part ways" camp. And the interview he gave last week suggests that that's his own personal plan - to see things through to the end of the season and take stock then. And almost certainly to plan his exit with Evans. He seems utterly fed up to me.

And, fwiw, I blame some of our fans for that with their antics this season. I don't much care for people booing our players, booing our manager's decisions, when we don't have a clue about the circumstances behind those decisions (the QPR game being a case in point) and generally questioning everything the manager does. He's a professional football manager and I have much more respect for him than for the fans who have given him so much grief and spew their bile on this forum. But that's just me.

The end result is that he'll no doubt leave in the summer, by mutual agreement to save face, he'll go off to a job somewhere else in time and he'll have my respect and best wishes. Who we'll get to replace him, god only knows. With an owner who isn't going to waste 10s of millions of pounds and a small group of fans who will hound a manager out after 3-4 years, for 1 season of under-performance, I don't suspect we'll have dozens of top notch candidates begging for a job.

I have little doubt that we'll be league 1 within the next five years and we'll look back on this period in our history as being crucial to our decline. And, I have to say, it will be hard to avoid the conclusion that our fans will have played a big part in putting us there.

Just my opinion.
[Post edited 23 Jan 2017 13:31]

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My Views on Mick on 13:34 - Jan 23 with 3290 viewsArcher4721

My Views on Mick on 11:06 - Jan 23 by ITFC_Forever

But surely that's the point?

Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME) and effectively gave up on the season as we didn't wait to get a replacement lined up - yet he often tells us deals don't happen / are delayed as clubs are lining up replacements.... why the hell didn't he do this for Murphy?

And we still play the same way - defenders launching it in to the channels for Murphy to win the ball and bring others in. Except he left in August and isn't there any more.
I have heard from a certain previous left-back of ours that he was specifically told by Mick not to look to pass inside to the midfield and hit the channels instead.

ME and Mick are both to blame - and ME is able to change should he wish to (manager and increasing budget), whereas Mick can't.


"Mick sanctioned the sale of Murphy (not ME)"


I think you you will find he had no choice as it was in his contract that he could leave for that amount.
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