Cowley or Appleton | Vital Football

Cowley or Appleton

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Vital Reserves Team
A hypothetical question we were discussing at work today. Put simply, if you had the choice, who would you have as manager of the club as of tomorrow? Does the current situation affect your decision? Is it a clear-cut Cowley win?

For what it's worth I'd have DC back in a flash. Not necessarily a slight on Appleton, in my opinion the Cowleys are pretty much irreplaceable at this club both in terms of success on the pitch and engagement off it.

Any thoughts?
 
Cowley

I am sure Appleton is a decent manager and will do ok for us, but he just doesn’t excite. From radio interviews, team line ups to motivating the crowd come match day the Cowley‘s were a breathe of fresh air.

Perhaps it’s because they were teachers who were now living their dream they just seemed far more inspirational and captivating. I think we struck gold with them which will never be replicated. They made us and we made them, it was mutual. We don’t have that same bond with Appleton. If you think Cowley’s you think FA cup run and Lincoln city. If you think Appleton you just think oh he is the poor chap who got injured.

That said he hasn’t been here long so perhaps it will come with time.
 
Probably a little unfair to have a comparison between the two at the moment as Appleton hasn't had the time to build the sort of team he wants in terms players and style but we have had an insight into how we will play under him but I think it's only fair he needs a bit more time before judgements on his management can be made.
One thing we do know is that Cowley knew the ingredients required to construct a successful team. His and Nickys enthusiasm was infectious and their appetite to get on and be winners and their dedication to the cause could never be questioned by anyone.
The only thing I would question about Appleton at the moment ,and it's not a big deal yet, but I'm not a great fan of having young under 21 players from premiership clubs on loan and I hope this isnt a road the club are going to go down.
I think you can have loan players, not too many but not young 18 and 19 year olds. What do they offer? They've got little or no experience and I just dont think they offer us as a League 1 club what we need to be top end challenging for playoffs or automatic promotion. I'm not interested in being a little feeder club for your Arsenals, Evertons etc.
giving their youngsters playing experience then sending them back and bringing the next ones in that is not the way to build a successful team that will get you to the right end of the league.
 
The Cowleys for me what they achieved at City was unbelievable 2 titles, FA Cup quarter final and a Wembley win as well and they are an impossible act to follow.

Appleton is a very good coach but I am unsure if he can galvanise the fans the way the Cowleys did but they were a one off.

As a previous poster has said I am unsure about all these young loan players, I think that the jury is still out on him.
 
I'm
Jules said:
Why not just have a thread discussing previous Lincoln City managers? Rather than one that involves the current manager.

I genuinely think it is really unfair on Michael Appleton.
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I'm sure he couldn't care less, I doubt the content of this forum takes up too much of his thoughts.

Just a little hypothetical to see where people are with the situation, there was much more hostility towards the Cowleys after their departure than I expected, MA has been here a little while now and a lot of people are very glowing in their praise. I was interested to see if there was a consensus that MA is a better bet for the club long term than the Cowleys.

If the question upsets you I suggest you need to get a grip!
 
I'll always be grateful for what DC/NC did. Would MA have got us out the National league? maybe not. However, if all the press is to be believed, DC/NC would have spent a lot of money this season on a squad that would now be sitting at home on a larger wage bill I suspect than the current squad eating away at club funds, so in that respect MA is the right man in the current climate. MA was brought in on the pitch of a sustainable model and I believe we will achieve that. At worst, we will be a middle of the road Div 1 team, but given where we've come from I can live with that for a period. Come back to this in 2 seasons time and do a "where are they now" and maybe we will have found the answer.
 
Well at the moment clearly it will be the Cowleys without doubt because of the huge success they brought us. However I hoping that once all this Pandemic is over and in a few years time I can unequivocally say Appleton.
 
Different managers have different qualities, not necessarily better or worse, and very different motivations that drive them at different points in their career. The Cowleys were phenomenal for us for most of their tenure - in terms of the results and successes. We gave them a shop window. Win win. I wish they had gone once promotion was won though. Appleton hasn’t had a fair go yet, and was given a tough job when he took up the role (in part thanks to the Cowleys). Promising signs. Truth will be when he has had a settled run with his own playing staff. But the football landscape has changed considerably now. So, how could we honestly compare at this stage? The question is moot. Important point for me is that I’m happy with what we have now.
 
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