Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Forum index | Previous Thread | Next thread
McKenna 19:52 - May 25 with 1153 viewscressi

A massive summer regards ins and outs. I believe like a lot of young managers he only has one way of playing and rarely deviates from his plan, subs generally like for like I hope he succeeds. But I believe come Xmas we are not top 6 he could be under serious pressure. May not be a popular view but this Yr has been a shambles one home win all season. And lost the last nine at home totally unacceptable.
0
McKenna on 20:10 - May 25 with 1035 viewsbsw72

That’s an odd statement that “like a lot of young managers he only has one way of playing” and I don’t think is true. All managers have their preferred way of playing and tend to build squads around their approach, that’s generally why clubs replace managers.

I also don’t think this year has been the “shambles” as some see it, disappointing but not a shambles. A shambles is defined as a “ state of total disorder”, we have been far from that. The squad has shown unity, but have not been good enough, have lost key players through injury and had our naivety punished, but I expect to come out of it stronger.

Time will tell.
[Post edited 25 May 20:11]
0
McKenna on 20:11 - May 25 with 1013 viewspointofblue

I am hoping McKenna is more introspective in private then he has generally been in public.

Saying that, I do think his hands have been tied to a degree when it comes to changing systems. Phillips' injury really prevented a switch to a potential three man midfield, and a lack of Burns and Ogbene restricted the opportunity to play with a back three/wing backs which was, I feel, our best formation this season. Perhaps Johnson could have been tried there? The City game seemed to see it end, even though that was more down to the messy communication between him and Godfrey.

Poll: Who would you play at right centre back on Saturday?

0
McKenna on 20:18 - May 25 with 934 viewscressi

McKenna on 20:10 - May 25 by bsw72

That’s an odd statement that “like a lot of young managers he only has one way of playing” and I don’t think is true. All managers have their preferred way of playing and tend to build squads around their approach, that’s generally why clubs replace managers.

I also don’t think this year has been the “shambles” as some see it, disappointing but not a shambles. A shambles is defined as a “ state of total disorder”, we have been far from that. The squad has shown unity, but have not been good enough, have lost key players through injury and had our naivety punished, but I expect to come out of it stronger.

Time will tell.
[Post edited 25 May 20:11]


90% Of young managers believe we need twenty touches to cross the half way line. Never change to two up top. And corners against never leave one up top to occupy defenders which I can't .understand.
0
McKenna on 20:19 - May 25 with 920 viewsjasondozzell

I think that's unfair take and I fear that we will see lots more of this if we aren't immediately top two next season which is not guaranteed.

He's a great young coach who I think has actually done far better this season than people realise. Is there a single League one side who anyone thinks in two years could pull off a mid table Premier League finish?

We competed and played some very good football. We always needed absolutely everything to go right and instead had some terrible luck with injuries and in some games with moments.

We should probably have finished bottom. In fact until Christmas we gave a reallyb good account of ourselves. But the gap is huge and we just couldn't keep it up. I think losing Wes, Tuabzebe for big periods was huge loss.

McKenna has communicated well, been dignified and classy.

He's not daft. He'll know what we needed to do better.

Do not forget. If we'd finished in the play offs last season and lost in them it would still have been seen as an excellent first season back in the championship.

KM will continue to improve us as a club.
[Post edited 25 May 20:21]
2
McKenna on 21:02 - May 25 with 715 viewsChurchman

McKenna on 20:19 - May 25 by jasondozzell

I think that's unfair take and I fear that we will see lots more of this if we aren't immediately top two next season which is not guaranteed.

He's a great young coach who I think has actually done far better this season than people realise. Is there a single League one side who anyone thinks in two years could pull off a mid table Premier League finish?

We competed and played some very good football. We always needed absolutely everything to go right and instead had some terrible luck with injuries and in some games with moments.

We should probably have finished bottom. In fact until Christmas we gave a reallyb good account of ourselves. But the gap is huge and we just couldn't keep it up. I think losing Wes, Tuabzebe for big periods was huge loss.

McKenna has communicated well, been dignified and classy.

He's not daft. He'll know what we needed to do better.

Do not forget. If we'd finished in the play offs last season and lost in them it would still have been seen as an excellent first season back in the championship.

KM will continue to improve us as a club.
[Post edited 25 May 20:21]


I agree with a lot of this, but not all.

The club gave it a go and I’m happy about that. We tried to play in accordance with the managers philosophy. I like that too. Hoofball? Not for me. It’s ugly, doesn’t work and besides, we don’t have the players to do it.

Yes, I expected us to do better; be more competitive and we need to do better. Behind the public statements McKenna will know that. But we need to be better off the pitch too. I hope he stays and commits to that early. I also hope the players he would like to retain want to be there. Anyone who thinks they’re too big for the club, thanks and goodbye - ASAP.

Injuries? I’m not a believer in luck. If you bring in or retain injury prone players for whatever reason (quality, cost, availability) expect a lot of injuries. So Hirst, Tuanzebe, Cajuste, Phillips, Burns. in particular, we cannot complain or be surprised. Ogbene, Sammy, Philogene - that tbf to you was unfortunate.

Looking objectively, we were mostly competitive first half of the season. Not in the second. We’ve been a long way short most games. Even today we were the away team for long periods. Their players? Little pressure though Hirst pressed at times. Freedom of the pitch. Our players? Not an ounce of space anywhere unless a Broadhead or whoever broke on them.

Overall, even if the some supporters wet the bed, the owners, management, manager and staff need to hold their nerve, review, plan and do for next season.

I’m down at the moment because the team looks broken, but time out, a few in a few out and we can start afresh.
1
McKenna on 21:08 - May 25 with 672 viewsjasondozzell

McKenna on 21:02 - May 25 by Churchman

I agree with a lot of this, but not all.

The club gave it a go and I’m happy about that. We tried to play in accordance with the managers philosophy. I like that too. Hoofball? Not for me. It’s ugly, doesn’t work and besides, we don’t have the players to do it.

Yes, I expected us to do better; be more competitive and we need to do better. Behind the public statements McKenna will know that. But we need to be better off the pitch too. I hope he stays and commits to that early. I also hope the players he would like to retain want to be there. Anyone who thinks they’re too big for the club, thanks and goodbye - ASAP.

Injuries? I’m not a believer in luck. If you bring in or retain injury prone players for whatever reason (quality, cost, availability) expect a lot of injuries. So Hirst, Tuanzebe, Cajuste, Phillips, Burns. in particular, we cannot complain or be surprised. Ogbene, Sammy, Philogene - that tbf to you was unfortunate.

Looking objectively, we were mostly competitive first half of the season. Not in the second. We’ve been a long way short most games. Even today we were the away team for long periods. Their players? Little pressure though Hirst pressed at times. Freedom of the pitch. Our players? Not an ounce of space anywhere unless a Broadhead or whoever broke on them.

Overall, even if the some supporters wet the bed, the owners, management, manager and staff need to hold their nerve, review, plan and do for next season.

I’m down at the moment because the team looks broken, but time out, a few in a few out and we can start afresh.


It's a fair point about injuries being a reality we needed to deal with. But I think in Tuabzebe and Wes especially we lost a lot of how we play and our defensive solidity.

We were probably only able to sign players like Cajuste and Phillips precisely because they are injury prone.

You're spot on about the need to hold our nerve. I expect KM will say to the players to go back to the processes that have served us so well and shut out the promotion talk.

If we play to our full ability, he'll know we'll be okay.
1
McKenna on 21:17 - May 25 with 593 viewsNutkins_Return

I think people confuse "not what we wanted" with "totally unacceptable". It's understandable. It's very very disappointing but it's understandable.

First half of the season everyone is fully pumped and giving everything and full of belief despite the challenge. We struggled but we picked up some points. Once the chances to stay up started to slide, a bit of the belief dropped and it has killed us. We are still a long way off the quality of the teams we are playing and we're killed with injuries.

We've regularly been in games like today. There is only so much he can do. The main thing he would change would be 1-2 hindsight changes to signings but I don't see much hope of how we could have survived. Go up next year and we will be considerably better placed to have another go. Same points second time around and you might have more of a point.

Poll: Who do we think McKenna (not you) will partner Greaves with ?

0
McKenna on 21:36 - May 25 with 517 viewsChurchman

McKenna on 21:17 - May 25 by Nutkins_Return

I think people confuse "not what we wanted" with "totally unacceptable". It's understandable. It's very very disappointing but it's understandable.

First half of the season everyone is fully pumped and giving everything and full of belief despite the challenge. We struggled but we picked up some points. Once the chances to stay up started to slide, a bit of the belief dropped and it has killed us. We are still a long way off the quality of the teams we are playing and we're killed with injuries.

We've regularly been in games like today. There is only so much he can do. The main thing he would change would be 1-2 hindsight changes to signings but I don't see much hope of how we could have survived. Go up next year and we will be considerably better placed to have another go. Same points second time around and you might have more of a point.


Newly promoted teams usually suffer second half of the season because they get worked out and it’s easy to forget just how good these teams and players are at doing that.

Player acquisition? It felt a bit like we were bringing in talent rather than building or enhancing a team. Our loans were also disappointing too. All of them but especially Phillips. The gamble didn’t pay off.

I don’t think we’d have survived whatever we did, but we might have looked more like a team and been more competitive for longer. Either way, it wouldn’t have been enough. It’s vital everyone learns from this. If McKenna stays he will know who the fighters and faint hearts are. Adversity always brings that out.
0




About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2025