We wil be out of the bottom three by Christmas with three wins in the next four games
I don't think it's a case of being right or wrong, it's impossible to know for certian because we cannot run both scenarios and so can only ever guess one of the outcomes. We can only ever have an opinion (which was why the Caldwell debate rumbled on and on long after he was sacked).
Even with the benefit of hindsight, I personally would definitely not have sacked him 12 month ago as he achieved what I wanted him to do, which was keep us up. I'm still happy with my personal decision to give him as long as the Reading game this season to try and turn things around, but I honestly can't see a way forward for the club now given the overwhelming animosity towards Cook which is now affecting individual players and team performance during games and I feel the only way forward for this squad is to remove the source of the fans discontent.
I'll still support the players / team during games, I'm not going to get on Cooks back as I believe it's detrimental to the team, but I'll not be upset or disagree with the decision if someone does finally pull the trigger.
I also reserve the right to clamber back over the fence if he does manage to turn things around , I just can't see it happening now, where as I still believed he might be able to a month ago.
We wil be out of the bottom three by Christmas with three wins in the next four games
Fair enough on 12 months ago as hindsight proved that he kept us up, but surely if you are giving yourself the benefit of hindsight you would go back and have him removed in the summer at least to avoid us getting into this situation now?
I have Zakky, I said I'd give him until after the Reading game, I genuinely thought at the time of posting that I'd still be torn and unable to decide, but the Reading debacle made it easy for me, I've scaled the fence, said hello to Moonay on the way over and hurled myself into the outstretched waiting arms of MiW and KDZ.
I have to say, it's very crowded over this side !!
Cook Out !
£££££££££££££
Welcome!
Poor Moonay, I think the chap has taken up squatters rights on the top of that.
No KDZ, weirdly even given what we know now I'm happy with my decisions to back him and give him every opportunity to succeed this season, I guess it's a,personal thing, it feels right for me to have given him the chance to succeed, even if he's failed with that chance. The first time I would have sacked him was 16:50 last Saturday despite all the other horror games I've seen this season. I guess I'm still a bit (odd and) in the minority on this one, but I suppose it's just how I am.
If the squad is good enough and we manage to recruit a good enough manager we still have plenty of time / games to avoid relegation this season, if the squads not good enough or we don't recruit a better replacement we'll go down anyway, no matter what has gone on up until this point. Obviously as time ticks away it becomes more critical.
Cook and the board have had almost unwavering support for the past 18 months. It was only prior to the Bolton game last season did he come under any real pressure. Even then, on matchday, everyone was behind the team.Its now obvious that booing the players or the manager won't get Cook sacked. Only a continuation of shit results will do that. We all might as well get behind them in every match because if ( big if ) we go on a winning run he survives ( and so do we ) but if not he gets the push.
Win/win surely for some.
Got to be honest i don't get the mentality. Relegation is looking very likely and the damage to the clubs finances will be massive if we go down - with the benefit of hindsight i don't understand why anyone wouldn't wish we would've taken a different path.
A bit like i wanted us to sign Marshall and Kieffer Moore, at the time on paper they looked the part but given the benefit of hindsight i'd have probably looked at other players.
Yes, you are correct KDZ, I've been selective on when to use hindsight and when to ignore it and perhaps I'm not able to articulate my feelings adequately.
With hindsight I may well have binned him in the summer, knowing what was to come, and without that hindsight I'm glad that I gave him every chance to get us into this shambles, but now enough is enough.
A club closing ranks to protect Cook. In any other region there’d be editorials about the managers future. Back page headlines about fans turning on the manager & team.
But it’s just another regular week. There’ll be more coverage about the team’s Christmas dinner!