Harris & Clemence

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Millwall are now 5th in the Championship under Harris having just beaten Burnley and Leeds. Barrow are above us with a much smaller budget under Clemence. I think given it’s the 3rd different manager we’ve had in a short time and the performances/style of play and results (a bit worse) are almost exactly the same the problem must be deeper than just the gaffer.

Is Jackett influencing the style of football? Have we got too many cooks in the kitchen? Players on really good wedge for this division so just going through the motions? I don’t know the answer but it’s baffling.

I thought Neil was sacked a few games too early but weren’t exactly gutted he left either, same goes for Clemence. We look like idiots now. Discuss…
 
Jackett may be contributing to the style, but Harris has taken the exact same style to Millwall. It’s working better for them at the moment, because they have better players who can do it, and take advantage of the few chances they get - if it lasts all season then fair play to them. Lots of 1-0s though, which, as we know, when they turn into 0-1s and 0-2s, it’s very hard to turn it back around.

I’d also be surprised if we finish below Barrow, but I thought the same last year so what do I know.
 
Fair play to Harris, he’s good at grinding out results, I know stats are irrelevant but they got hammered on possession and shots. When you win you’ll take it but it’s hard to watch week in week out and as soon as the wins dry up the fans will become impatient. I wish him well though he’s doing a fine job.
 
Clemence never got a fair go tbh, but it’s done now, I think he recruited really well in the summer and if anything it highlights how knee jerk and impatient the owners have been. I didn’t disagree with either decision though so it also shows that you have to earn your success simply signing players with good form in the division isn’t enough. We all probably need a reality check, this division isn’t a walk over and things are going to take time.
 
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Gills93 said:
Fair play to Harris, he’s good at grinding out results, I know stats are irrelevant but they got hammered on possession and shots. When you win you’ll take it but it’s hard to watch week in week out and as soon as the wins dry up the fans will become impatient. I wish him well though he’s doing a fine job.
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Agree with most of that,but I’ve seen both Burnley and Leeds matches,yes it was backs to the wall against Leeds,but Burnley was totally different,Millwall played some brilliant football,and probably outplayed Burnley for 70 minutes
 
They were both good managers and unsurprisingly are not failing at the moment in their current jobs. A Milwall supporting chum calls Harris style of play 'turgid' but they are so desperate for success he'll just suck it up for this season.
Indeed, Bonner was riding our own crest of a wave in September so the squad are clearly not cr@p. However we are about two games past the average fans tolerance level for a poor run of results. So things must improve and the Galinsons sacking their 3rd manager is, I am sure, not the answer. Neither is a January clearout and re-hire a practical solution. Just an expensive extra roll of the dice.
Bonner is a quality manager and we do have quality players and others now returning from injury. This misery will turn round and we will get that confidence and winning mentality back.
 
Vambogills said:
They were both good managers and unsurprisingly are not failing at the moment in their current jobs. A Milwall supporting chum calls Harris style of play 'turgid' but they are so desperate for success he'll just suck it up for this season.
Indeed, Bonner was riding our own crest of a wave in September so the squad are clearly not cr@p. However we are about two games past the average fans tolerance level for a poor run of results. So things must improve and the Galinsons sacking their 3rd manager is, I am sure, not the answer. Neither is a January clearout and re-hire a practical solution. Just an expensive extra roll of the dice.
Bonner is a quality manager and we do have quality players and others now returning from injury. This misery will turn round and we will get that confidence and winning mentality back.
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How do you know Bonner is a quality manager?
 
The questions are, IMHO:
1. when does solid become turgid? and
2. how often does an all out attacking strategy open you up to regular counter attacking sucker punches?

Harris was criticised for a defensive approach which meant we never lost a lead but very rarely came back if we fell behind.

I don't know if it was ever confirmed but I think that there was some talk that Harris was being asked to change his approach (by Galinson?) shortly before he was sacked and we were suddenly more open against Grimsby and Crewe away from home, paying the price.

This season Bonner's team only conceded 2 in the first 8 games and then suddenly were more open against Grimsby and Crewe, amongst others. Coincidence?

My worry is that BG wants US style entertainment which, in my opinion, can only get you out of League Two if we really do spend, spend. spend and pay what Wrexham did in wages for McClean and Fletcher.

At the moment, I think Bonner is caught between two stools. His natural instinct is to attack and that is what BG wants as well, but with the injury situation we are too vulnerable to being picked off by lesser teams that hit us on the break and then just sit on their lead.

Harris's approach would probably be better for us at the moment, particularly at home, even if we want to change it long term after promotion.
 
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GillsBluenose said:
The questions are, IMHO:
1. when does solid become turgid? and
2. how often does an all out attacking strategy open you up to regular counter attacking sucker punches?

Harris was criticised for a defensive approach which meant we never lost a lead but very rarely came back if we fell behind.

I don't know if it was ever confirmed but I think that there was some talk that Harris was being asked to change his approach (by Galinson?) shortly before he was sacked and we were suddenly more open against Grimsby and Crewe away from home, paying the price.

This season Bonner's team only conceded 2 in the first 8 games and then suddenly were more open against Grimsby and Crewe, amongst others. Coincidence?

My worry is that BG wants US style entertainment which, in my opinion, can only get you out of League Two if we really do spend, spend. spend and pay what Wrexham did in wages for McClean and Fletcher.

At the moment, I think Bonner is caught between two stools. His natural instinct is to attack and that is what BG wants as well, but with the injury situation we are too vulnerable to being picked off by lesser teams that hit us on the break and then just sit on their lead.

Harris's approach would probably be better for us at the moment, particularly at home, even if we want to change it long term after promotion.
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Stools is the right word. We're shit at the moment.
 
Gills93 said:
Clemence never got a fair go tbh,
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Yeah Clemence was binned too soon. He should have had at least a season. He was only here for, what, less than six months? That's not even enough time to get through probation in an office jobbie.

Harris' sacking we all know seemed to be a knee-jerk reaction to some perceived insubordination (?) considering how long it took to find a replacement (see previous paragraph for thoughts on how useful that was).

Pretty sure we weren't (all) saying how bad Harris was as a manager, but how boring the football was.
GillsBluenose said:
Harris was criticised for a defensive approach which meant we never lost a lead but very rarely came back if we fell behind.
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This ☝️. As soon as the score became Gills 0 - 1 Anyone else, I just knew it was going to be a long day.

I would have preferred Clemence to have stayed over Bonner. All seems a lot of huffing, puffing, and firing, for a farily bland end product.

The refreshing breeze brought by the winds of change have shifted to the fetid stink of despair.

UTG 😊
 
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Charlie's grandad said:
How do you know Bonner is a quality manager?
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Got a promotion on his CV? Followed by 2 pretty good seasons in L1 against the odds.

TBF, any manager is only as good as he’s currently doing.

Pulis had no track record before us, then got us promoted. Sir Keith had just USA experience, then was quality for us. Taylor was great first time then turgid on return. MA was brilliant, then sacked quickly. JED was superb for a season and a half, then everyone turned against him. We got a top flight, European winning manager in Keith Burkenshaw who was absolutely dire in Div 3.

3 or 4 clubs’ fans think Steve Bruce is the bees knees. 3 or 4 others say he’s the worst most boring manager ever.

Only as good as their current form.
 
I`m pleased for Neil Harris and wish him all the best at Millwall. Our owners are no doubt wiser after the decision they made to let him go; Even wiser after digesting a, presumably, similar decision-making process that saw Clemence leave.

We`re fast approaching a very important "twist or bust" phase for GFC. It`s going to be interesting. UTG.
 
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