So, IF the season was to end now...

[OneSirKeefy]

Just in case we’ve seen/heard our last game for the season (at least for a fair old time) how do you think Steve Evans and Paul Raynor have done?

Not just results on the pitch, but anything else you think is relevant. The whole package including off field, transfers, coaching, press conferences, touchline, tactics and formations etc.

 

[Gills 58]

Fine. Not great but quite good and steadiily improving. Starting line up a little negative at times once we were safe from relegation, eg home to Wimbledon. Evans behaving himself so far.

On related matters, fantastic if it means Liverpool don't win the Prem but a personal disaster for me as I'm top of the prediction league at the moment.

This presents me with a real dilemma. Do/don't I want this season expunged from the record. On balance I'm prepared to see the season wiped off and sacrifice my chances in the Prediction league. It's worth it for the joy of seeing Liverpool fans denied again.

(Ps - I like Klopp and the team, it's just a large number of their fans I can't stand).

 

[OneSirKeefy]

My own view is

on field good
off field excellent.

That’s due to Steve Evans (at our club) being so much different to everything I thought he was. He is very articulate in his press conferences. Seems to have behaved himself on the touchline (at least better than a dozen or so other L1 managers). Engages with the fans, is good in the community, and hasn’t blown our budget despite producing a decent, tough to beat outfit.

So I’ve voted excellent on that score. On field is better than I expected as well.

 

[Billy_Bleach]

My own view is

on field good
off field excellent.

That’s due to Steve Evans (at our club) being so much different to everything I thought he was. He is very articulate in his press conferences. Seems to have behaved himself on the touchline (at least better than a dozen or so other L1 managers). Engages with the fans, is good in the community, and hasn’t blown our budget despite producing a decent, tough to beat outfit.

So I’ve voted excellent on that score. On field is better than I expected as well.

Well summed up mate.

 

[markinkent]

Well summed up mate.

Seconded.

 

[madrid_gill]

Rubbish. Last year we managed 55 pts, this year 51. We've gone backwards.

Seriously though, agree with OSK's summary

 

[jogills]

I'd go Good and exceeded expectations if I was to be pedantic, voted Good.

They should award the titlke to Liverpool whatever. One of the best teams and worthiest winners for many a long year.

 

[Therealwaldo]

Best idea I heard was just complete the current season, however long that takes and make the next season fit the time available. So, as an example, if the worst was over by August, we then play the remaining 2 months of the season, finishing in October. Then have a 6 week close season and then start a shortened season in December, perhaps only playing every team once instead of twice. Half a season takes 5 months meaning that we could then finish on schedule in May. Of course, none of that works if the epidemic is still in full swing in August.

 

[Vambogills]

We finished 13th last season on 55pts and too many people were dissappointed. PDPS acted and so SE had three main priorities. To a) improve the clubs final league position, b) Improve home performances and c) win over disaffected fans. He would have achieved all three if it ended today.

 

[markinkent]

Improved home performances has been key. Its now enjoyable to go to home games again.

 

[PhilK66]

The enforced break from football which is more than likely to be quite a few weeks should be taken as the summer break. All promotion and relegation issues to be deemed nul and void and start again next season. Just an idea.

 

[chris who]

Personally I don't feel I can vote for any of the above.I personally think he has been better than I expected both in results and behaviour. But his permanent signings have been generally poor.I do not feel this has a home in the options above at all.I also must comment on the bottom option which I find offensive in the way it is worded.Nearest to OK but I did not expect the top six.This season we have done slightly beyond what I expected as result of mainly due to loan signings which lay no foundation for the future at all.Tucker apart who given he was already at the club there is no telling how well or otherwise he would have done under anyone else or if he would have got a game at all.

 

[nibbles]

Personally I don't feel I can vote for any of the above.I personally think he has been better than I expected both in results and behaviour. But his permanent signings have been generally poor.I do not feel this has a home in the options above at all.I also must comment on the bottom option which I find offensive in the way it is worded.Nearest to OK but I did not expect the top six.This season we have done slightly beyond what I expected as result of mainly due to loan signings which lay no foundation for the future at all.Tucker apart who given he was already at the club there is no telling how well or otherwise he would have done under anyone else or if he would have got a game at all.

Think ‘good’ best sums up your response. You’d have to admit that to yourself first though.

 

[chris who]

Think ‘good’ best sums up your response. You’d have to admit that to yourself first though.

In some parts I would agree.But I do think it has been a season of contradictions.We will need a total rebuild again in the summer or whenever.A really good manager lays foundations for others.He leaves behind far better than when he arrives. Not sure Evans has done that as yet.

 

[OneSirKeefy]

In some parts I would agree.But I do think it has been a season of contradictions.We will need a total rebuild again in the summer or whenever.A really good manager lays foundations for others.He leaves behind far better than when he arrives. Not sure Evans has done that as yet.

Sorry I couldn’t think of enough options to include everyone mate. But sounds like you’d be “poor” or “ok”. Don’t think you’d be the last option because despite being Anti-Evans, you have shown that you are not closed minded and you have given him a chance and supported the team.

We have had at least 4 or 5 loan players for many seasons as have nearly every club. This is not an “Evans thing”.

But I’m surprised you don’t think our current squad is better than the squad Evans inherited. Even if you don’t factor in that Eaves and Holy were always going no matter what.

Our squad of current permanent signings would include Bonham, Ogilvie, Tucker, Ehmer (if re-signed), OKeefe, Willock, Byrne, Pringle, Akinde, Hanlon, Mandron. I’ve probably forgot some. And that is as good as we’ve had for many years, apart from the odd star like Eaves, Dack and Egan.

If Evans was to leave now, imho he’s definitely left a better squad than he inherited.

 

[chris who]

Sorry I couldn’t think of enough options to include everyone mate. But sounds like you’d be “poor” or “ok”. Don’t think you’d be the last option because despite being Anti-Evans, you have shown that you are not closed minded and you have given him a chance and supported the team.

We have had at least 4 or 5 loan players for many seasons as have nearly every club. This is not an “Evans thing”.

But I’m surprised you don’t think our current squad is better than the squad Evans inherited. Even if you don’t factor in that Eaves and Holy were always going no matter what.

Our squad of current permanent signings would include Bonham, Ogilvie, Tucker, Ehmer (if re-signed), OKeefe, Willock, Byrne, Pringle, Akinde, Hanlon, Mandron. I’ve probably forgot some. And that is as good as we’ve had for many years, apart from the odd star like Eaves, Dack and Egan.

If Evans was to leave now, imho he’s definitely left a better squad than he inherited.

Resigned Ogilvie.Signed Bonham, O'Keefe and Mandron.As for the others they were Lovell's players or players that the jury is still out on I include Willock and Pringle in that as they have largely not played and Akindie as he is yet to play enough to make a judgement as to weather he is a good investment .As for the others well least said in many cases.Evans was somewhat fortunate that he was handed the best squad we had had for a few years.I don't see that as being improved upon as yet.If Evan's leaves at the end of the season we are very much in the same position as when he arrived development of Tucker apart.
I don't remember the last Gillingham manager who had 5 loan players for a whole season but maybe my memory is poor on that subject.About half our loans have been covering for injuries but then you were allowed short term deals and I feel over the years our short deals have generally been of better standard than our long term ones .Evans has got that part spot on it has to be said.
Do feel Evans has been fighting to repair his reputation and to a large extent he has been successful in doing that.I do think he is now much more employable than 9 months ago. But that is a very different question.

 

[Nobby_66]

"Evans was somewhat fortunate that he was handed the best squad we had had for a few years."

If that was really the case, you should vote "good" or "excellent" as he has managed to get more out of this "best squad" than Lovell even though Lovell had Eaves and Holy on top of what he left behind.
Is the squad left by Lovell better than that put together at some expense by JED? If not, how far back is "a few years"
Just asking

 

[chris who]

"Evans was somewhat fortunate that he was handed the best squad we had had for a few years."

If that was really the case, you should vote "good" or "excellent" as he has managed to get more out of this "best squad" than Lovell even though Lovell had Eaves and Holy on top of what he left behind.
Is the squad left by Lovell better than that put together at some expense by JED? If not, how far back is "a few years"
Just asking

Given that JED left behind some good players but a total shambles with players unfit at best and at worst did not care less.I don't think he could claim to have reached anywhere near the level of Lovell at the moment of departure. So yes our present squad in my opinion is far stronger even without loans than the shambolic squad that finished JED's time in office in my opinion.
I believe it was something like four wins in half a season. Yes three were at home so some might just compare home form as away wins don't real count do they?

 

[shotshy]

I'll happily admit that I wasn't one of Evan's greatest fans and was not too happy when he came to us … but, .. I'll admit that I was worried unnecessarily.

His interaction with the fans has been great and he has built a resilient squad of players.
Of course they are not all out players, but any successful team at our level relies on loan players.

I'm delighted to admit that I'm, now an SE convert.

It's ridiculous to compare to Lovell or Edinburgh after all this time.
Those days are gone ( and in Justin's case ..)

 

[Captainreblue]

Good- I'm wasn't overly concerned by SE appointment from the football perspective, he's got a good track record, it was more the shenanigans that seem to follow him around off the pitch that were my concern (touchline antics, press conferences etc) but he's impressed not only in that but on how open he seems to be with the fans and his willingness to engage with fans and actually talks a lot of sense IMO. Think he's really made a conscious effort on that front, although there still is a bit of me that fears he might revert to 'type' if things start going a bit tits, but that's for another day.

He's certainly got the best out of a limited squad in terms of size and to a certain extent ability so deserves credit for that. The only slight down side is I'm not overly convinced his recruitment has been wonderful, yes he's brought in some good players, but going back to the summer when he said he needed to bring in players that would be better than the players already here, I'm not sure he's done to well on that (17 players brought in and still we have 5 or 6 regular starters from last season). Overall he's done better than I expected given where we've been the last few years and looking at the squad at the start of the season. I think most of us in August were just looking to go into the last few games safe, not looking to the outside chance of a top 6.

We look like a Gillingham team again and has given us the basics back hard work, effort and a never say die attitude, which both players and management deserve huge credit for.