One Manager at a Time: You’re Only Leaving for the Oatcakes
Wazzers Wanderers (H) December 23rd
My name is Peter and I am a Plymouth Argyle supporter.
They say you never forget your first. Mine was Billy Bingham. All I really remember was the furore over him also being Northern Ireland manager. Schuey was my 40th and I have to say, without Greens On Screen, I would never have remembered some of the names between those two. With apologies to Alan Gillett, I still don’t remember him even though he is there in black and white, for fifteen days before Shilton was appointed, alongside Nissie. Who I do recall.
Even Tim Breacker and Des Bulpin, with their 100% record, Allardyce at England style, I remember, courtesy of the post Holloway victory at Bramall Lane. But after events that, for Argyle fans, are as seismic as those in Iceland, the arrival of Nance for his record breaking third spell in charge (in your faces, Robert Jack, Malcolm Allison, Kevin Summerfield, Ellis Stuttard and Martin Harvey. Eat my shorts managed by committee!). Quick quiz question. Who is the only Argyle manager with a 100% win record in a season to be relegated?
In all that time I only got hurt three times. Tony Waiters, Luggy and yesterday. I liked a fair few, felt sorry for a few more, was pretty indifferent to the arrival and subsequent departure of several, and only regretted one. I always felt Paul Mariners appointment was a real heart over the head decision, and one that, whilst not tarnishing his achievements and memory, I for one would have preferred not to have had. But I will always have Rochdale at home.
In looking down the list it was a surprise to me at least, from memory, how few times we either poached or had poached our manager. Even when we were poaching, such as the somewhat startling attempt to hire Vic Buckingham from managing Ajax in the early 60’s, somehow we got trumped by Sheffield Wednesday. It isn’t what we do, and by and large, it doesn’t happen very often to us the other way. Allison, Sturrock, Pulis, Holloway and Lowe before yesterday. And, for the first time ever, to a side lower than us in the league.
Of course it should be remembered that both Lowe and Schumacher were prised away from their existing club, the unfortunate Bury, and whilst the club that eventually disappeared from the League were in such dire straits the departures of first the managerial duo, and then a large number of their playing staff to Bury by the Sea, as Argyle were briefly known in Northern climes, it still came as a shock when Schuey jumped ship (or more precisely chopper) just a few weeks after some open ended but comforting words about being settled, knowing when the right offer would come and being invested in the project.
The reaction of the fans is, well, predictably salty and reflects as much as anything the fact that in his time here he and Lowe delivered on Simon Hallett’s gamble that young managers with fresh ideas, given the right infrastructure and support would thrive and that entertaining and successful football could be delivered without following the traditional football processes. So far Hallett has picked two coaches, albeit one he already had seen up close, and both have delivered a promotion. In doing so their departures have netted the club a seven-figure profit, it would seem. He might be onto something here.
It would therefore be foolish to back against him, and his excellent support structure, from once again finding a suitable coach to come and burnish their credentials at a club whose stock has never been higher in terms of reputation, methodology and achievement. Fans have got used to the fact that players come and go, and it may be that they may also have to accept the same is true of coaches as well.
It is an unhappy coincidence that both Lowe and his reluctant protegee Schumacher both decided December was the best time to abandon their post. In part that will be because of the artificial pressure induced on struggling clubs by the January window, and the need to bring in their new managerial blood to allow them to go January sale shopping. Despite the absence of any real bargains in those particular shop windows.
The risk to Argyle will of course be that having carried away a sizeable number of the backroom team he appointed, Schuey may well also be after a couple of his former playing protégées. The obvious candidate is the frequently lauded Azaz, on the back of another man of the match performance against Rotherham, and on loan from Villa, with shades of the Swansea Whittaker recall to sell option. All of Argyles other main assets are on long term contracts and so a sale will happen only if the price meets Argyles valuation (or the release clause). The only exception to this might be Jordan Houghton whose calmness at this level has led to multiple re-evaluations of his worth to the club and who Schuey almost always selected. January will be a long month for Argyle fans it seems.
One final thought from personal experience. Having been headhunted twice in my career, it’s a flattering and emotional experience. Once I left the company I worked for and never regretted it. When I was approached whilst at the new company, I found myself being offered a very substantial upgrade on my salary by a close competitor. Having resigned, my then employer asked for a day to respond which they did, and because I was vested in the project I rescinded my resignation. My boss who was a charismatic self-made multi-millionaire shook my hand, congratulated me on having the courage to change my mind, and then said simply. ”If you resign again, then make no mistake, you will have to be prepared to go. You don’t play this hand twice.” Without knowing the details of recent approaches, I think the speed of the conclusion of the compensation negotiations were quite possibly based on the fact that SH and his board felt that, to quote Macbeth, “If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly .” If not Stoke then it was going to be someone, and better to have the money when it could be used than the distraction.
All of which leaves the remaining management team of Neil Dewsnip and three spells Nance preparing the survivors of Saturdays latest episode of “An Afternoon with Gavin Ward meets Casualty” for the visit of Birmingham City.
The game against Rotherham was set up to be one of those afternoons all fans dread. Penultimate Christmas shopping weekend versus home game against a dour northern club, who, like Argyle, seem unable to win away from home and were desperate to impress their new manager. Of course at the time we only knew about the first similarity. the only club in the bottom ten not to have lost their manager. Oh how we laughed.
Add to that the fact that they had a three out of four-win rate at Home Park in recent meetings, and Richardson was similarly successful when managing at Wigan, Rotherham also had a former Grecian striker up front, and an ex-Plymouthian who never played for the club on the bench. What could possibly go wrong?
Well for twenty minutes, most things. Despite heavy possession, Argyle struggled to create clear chances, and Rotherham didn’t. They scored one and could have scored a couple more before their defence decided to take things into their own hands, or in the case of Ayala, forearms.
The jump into Hardie, leading with the arm, was about fifty percent less dangerous than the one shown on Match of the Day later that evening at Newcastle which led to a red card for Jiminez of Wolves. Hardie, clearly concussed, may still yet be surprised to find Schuey is not at the ground on Saturday.
His replacement, Bundu, I suppose should at least be grateful that Ward spotted the foul on him this time, after his mysterious invisibility at Portman Road. Having given the foul, I still cannot understand why a referee would not at least look at the injury caused as some kind of guide as to whether the resultant gash might have been caused by some form of serious foul or dangerous play. That a player can be needing a skin graft to repair the damage inflicted but apparently not be the subject of a dangerous tackle is beyond this simple fan’s comprehension.
Half an hour gone and onto our third (and final) forward option step forward Finn to take control of the game. Also enter the crowd, rightly riled up by the ineffective refereeing, and the increase in volume and hostility that meant Mr Ward now was doing all in his limited power and ability to try and make things up for past indiscretions. Unfortunately for Rotherham, it seemed like he was going to try and make up for all two and a half Argyle games so far this season in one fell swoop. They got no decisions for the rest of the game. What a shame.
The penalty at the corner he awarded was a soft one. One that if given should probably mean he will be awarding about another hundred for the rest of the season, assuming he is consistent. Luckily for football we know that not to be the case.
Level at half time, Argyle were quickly in the lead, following a neat step over by Cundle allowing Azaz to side foot into the corner. Ayala then compounded his past misdemeanours (or perhaps merely simplified his Christmas travel and holiday arrangements) by handling Whittaker’s through ball aimed at Azaz. I don’t normally condone celebrating players being red carded, but for Senor Ayala I am prepared to make a generous exception. Two red cards in two consecutive is a special kind of stupid.
There was still time of course for Argyle to kill the game off, but where would be the fun in that? Cue a header from the centre half released by Argyle for “not using his size well enough” to allow Tom Eaves to net his first Rotherham goal of this spell and reminding Argyle that, whilst he may be a crap Andy Carroll, he is, like his lookalike, reasonably proficient from three yards when unmarked dead centre of the goal.
Into stoppage time and for the second home game in a row, pandemonium ensuing after Azaz flighted a pass through to the ever-willing Whittaker and his trusty left foot slip the ball through, off, under and past Johanson all at the same time.
Yet another epic home win, met with a surprisingly low-key response from Schuey, although he may have had one eye on the upcoming January 13th trip to Millmoor for his soon to be new side. Good news for the Potters. Ayala should be back available for that one.
Argyle then up to sixteenth, and as close to the play-off chasers as to the relegation group take on the next team below them in Birmingham City, with both sides nursing injury issues. The game could also feature another ex Grecian as Jay Stansfield will be likely in the squad, despite rumours that Ipswich Town may be making a bid to recruit him in January.
It was inevitable that, after the dismissal of John Eustace who was in change when Brum grabbed a late, and undoubtedly undeserved winner at home to Argyle in August, the incoming manager would be the story for many. Rooney, after stints in charge of Derby and Washington arrived along with a new US based consortium that includes Tom Brady the most successful quarterback of his generation but has so far struggled to change the narrative for City. That narrative at present is that they are not that good and he has plummeted to seventeenth from sixth when he arrived.
A recent unexpected away win at Cardiff was followed by an unexpectedly close defeat at home to Leicester which does give them some confidence ahead of a game for which the preparation has been shall we say, unhelpfully disrupted for Argyle.
Such is the fluidity of the situation I have to refresh Pasoti before posting this article in case the unexpected happens, and a new coach appears. Realistically the only manager we can be sure will be there is Wazzer, and the good news is he is nailed on to be in the away dugout.
So, the crowd will play a huge part in helping the team recover from an unexpectedly difficult week of injuries and change to their usual routine. Wise heads like Edwards and Houghton will no doubt be to the fore, and one would hope for a strong and emotional crowd to get behind the players.
We will undoubtedly check some midland based scores with a degree of Schuedenfruede when fragile Potters potentially get smashed in their relegation six pointers against Millwall and this week’s opponents Birmingham on SKY.
But we have our own season to focus on and a new era to begin.
It starts on Saturday.
And in spite of everything that is going on OGAAT wishes everyone of the green persuasion a safe, relaxing enjoyable Christmas.
May all your Christmases be Green and White (and black, like the humour).
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wazzers Wanderers (H) December 23rd
My name is Peter and I am a Plymouth Argyle supporter.
They say you never forget your first. Mine was Billy Bingham. All I really remember was the furore over him also being Northern Ireland manager. Schuey was my 40th and I have to say, without Greens On Screen, I would never have remembered some of the names between those two. With apologies to Alan Gillett, I still don’t remember him even though he is there in black and white, for fifteen days before Shilton was appointed, alongside Nissie. Who I do recall.
Even Tim Breacker and Des Bulpin, with their 100% record, Allardyce at England style, I remember, courtesy of the post Holloway victory at Bramall Lane. But after events that, for Argyle fans, are as seismic as those in Iceland, the arrival of Nance for his record breaking third spell in charge (in your faces, Robert Jack, Malcolm Allison, Kevin Summerfield, Ellis Stuttard and Martin Harvey. Eat my shorts managed by committee!). Quick quiz question. Who is the only Argyle manager with a 100% win record in a season to be relegated?
In all that time I only got hurt three times. Tony Waiters, Luggy and yesterday. I liked a fair few, felt sorry for a few more, was pretty indifferent to the arrival and subsequent departure of several, and only regretted one. I always felt Paul Mariners appointment was a real heart over the head decision, and one that, whilst not tarnishing his achievements and memory, I for one would have preferred not to have had. But I will always have Rochdale at home.
In looking down the list it was a surprise to me at least, from memory, how few times we either poached or had poached our manager. Even when we were poaching, such as the somewhat startling attempt to hire Vic Buckingham from managing Ajax in the early 60’s, somehow we got trumped by Sheffield Wednesday. It isn’t what we do, and by and large, it doesn’t happen very often to us the other way. Allison, Sturrock, Pulis, Holloway and Lowe before yesterday. And, for the first time ever, to a side lower than us in the league.
Of course it should be remembered that both Lowe and Schumacher were prised away from their existing club, the unfortunate Bury, and whilst the club that eventually disappeared from the League were in such dire straits the departures of first the managerial duo, and then a large number of their playing staff to Bury by the Sea, as Argyle were briefly known in Northern climes, it still came as a shock when Schuey jumped ship (or more precisely chopper) just a few weeks after some open ended but comforting words about being settled, knowing when the right offer would come and being invested in the project.
The reaction of the fans is, well, predictably salty and reflects as much as anything the fact that in his time here he and Lowe delivered on Simon Hallett’s gamble that young managers with fresh ideas, given the right infrastructure and support would thrive and that entertaining and successful football could be delivered without following the traditional football processes. So far Hallett has picked two coaches, albeit one he already had seen up close, and both have delivered a promotion. In doing so their departures have netted the club a seven-figure profit, it would seem. He might be onto something here.
It would therefore be foolish to back against him, and his excellent support structure, from once again finding a suitable coach to come and burnish their credentials at a club whose stock has never been higher in terms of reputation, methodology and achievement. Fans have got used to the fact that players come and go, and it may be that they may also have to accept the same is true of coaches as well.
It is an unhappy coincidence that both Lowe and his reluctant protegee Schumacher both decided December was the best time to abandon their post. In part that will be because of the artificial pressure induced on struggling clubs by the January window, and the need to bring in their new managerial blood to allow them to go January sale shopping. Despite the absence of any real bargains in those particular shop windows.
The risk to Argyle will of course be that having carried away a sizeable number of the backroom team he appointed, Schuey may well also be after a couple of his former playing protégées. The obvious candidate is the frequently lauded Azaz, on the back of another man of the match performance against Rotherham, and on loan from Villa, with shades of the Swansea Whittaker recall to sell option. All of Argyles other main assets are on long term contracts and so a sale will happen only if the price meets Argyles valuation (or the release clause). The only exception to this might be Jordan Houghton whose calmness at this level has led to multiple re-evaluations of his worth to the club and who Schuey almost always selected. January will be a long month for Argyle fans it seems.
One final thought from personal experience. Having been headhunted twice in my career, it’s a flattering and emotional experience. Once I left the company I worked for and never regretted it. When I was approached whilst at the new company, I found myself being offered a very substantial upgrade on my salary by a close competitor. Having resigned, my then employer asked for a day to respond which they did, and because I was vested in the project I rescinded my resignation. My boss who was a charismatic self-made multi-millionaire shook my hand, congratulated me on having the courage to change my mind, and then said simply. ”If you resign again, then make no mistake, you will have to be prepared to go. You don’t play this hand twice.” Without knowing the details of recent approaches, I think the speed of the conclusion of the compensation negotiations were quite possibly based on the fact that SH and his board felt that, to quote Macbeth, “If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly .” If not Stoke then it was going to be someone, and better to have the money when it could be used than the distraction.
All of which leaves the remaining management team of Neil Dewsnip and three spells Nance preparing the survivors of Saturdays latest episode of “An Afternoon with Gavin Ward meets Casualty” for the visit of Birmingham City.
The game against Rotherham was set up to be one of those afternoons all fans dread. Penultimate Christmas shopping weekend versus home game against a dour northern club, who, like Argyle, seem unable to win away from home and were desperate to impress their new manager. Of course at the time we only knew about the first similarity. the only club in the bottom ten not to have lost their manager. Oh how we laughed.
Add to that the fact that they had a three out of four-win rate at Home Park in recent meetings, and Richardson was similarly successful when managing at Wigan, Rotherham also had a former Grecian striker up front, and an ex-Plymouthian who never played for the club on the bench. What could possibly go wrong?
Well for twenty minutes, most things. Despite heavy possession, Argyle struggled to create clear chances, and Rotherham didn’t. They scored one and could have scored a couple more before their defence decided to take things into their own hands, or in the case of Ayala, forearms.
The jump into Hardie, leading with the arm, was about fifty percent less dangerous than the one shown on Match of the Day later that evening at Newcastle which led to a red card for Jiminez of Wolves. Hardie, clearly concussed, may still yet be surprised to find Schuey is not at the ground on Saturday.
His replacement, Bundu, I suppose should at least be grateful that Ward spotted the foul on him this time, after his mysterious invisibility at Portman Road. Having given the foul, I still cannot understand why a referee would not at least look at the injury caused as some kind of guide as to whether the resultant gash might have been caused by some form of serious foul or dangerous play. That a player can be needing a skin graft to repair the damage inflicted but apparently not be the subject of a dangerous tackle is beyond this simple fan’s comprehension.
Half an hour gone and onto our third (and final) forward option step forward Finn to take control of the game. Also enter the crowd, rightly riled up by the ineffective refereeing, and the increase in volume and hostility that meant Mr Ward now was doing all in his limited power and ability to try and make things up for past indiscretions. Unfortunately for Rotherham, it seemed like he was going to try and make up for all two and a half Argyle games so far this season in one fell swoop. They got no decisions for the rest of the game. What a shame.
The penalty at the corner he awarded was a soft one. One that if given should probably mean he will be awarding about another hundred for the rest of the season, assuming he is consistent. Luckily for football we know that not to be the case.
Level at half time, Argyle were quickly in the lead, following a neat step over by Cundle allowing Azaz to side foot into the corner. Ayala then compounded his past misdemeanours (or perhaps merely simplified his Christmas travel and holiday arrangements) by handling Whittaker’s through ball aimed at Azaz. I don’t normally condone celebrating players being red carded, but for Senor Ayala I am prepared to make a generous exception. Two red cards in two consecutive is a special kind of stupid.
There was still time of course for Argyle to kill the game off, but where would be the fun in that? Cue a header from the centre half released by Argyle for “not using his size well enough” to allow Tom Eaves to net his first Rotherham goal of this spell and reminding Argyle that, whilst he may be a crap Andy Carroll, he is, like his lookalike, reasonably proficient from three yards when unmarked dead centre of the goal.
Into stoppage time and for the second home game in a row, pandemonium ensuing after Azaz flighted a pass through to the ever-willing Whittaker and his trusty left foot slip the ball through, off, under and past Johanson all at the same time.
Yet another epic home win, met with a surprisingly low-key response from Schuey, although he may have had one eye on the upcoming January 13th trip to Millmoor for his soon to be new side. Good news for the Potters. Ayala should be back available for that one.
Argyle then up to sixteenth, and as close to the play-off chasers as to the relegation group take on the next team below them in Birmingham City, with both sides nursing injury issues. The game could also feature another ex Grecian as Jay Stansfield will be likely in the squad, despite rumours that Ipswich Town may be making a bid to recruit him in January.
It was inevitable that, after the dismissal of John Eustace who was in change when Brum grabbed a late, and undoubtedly undeserved winner at home to Argyle in August, the incoming manager would be the story for many. Rooney, after stints in charge of Derby and Washington arrived along with a new US based consortium that includes Tom Brady the most successful quarterback of his generation but has so far struggled to change the narrative for City. That narrative at present is that they are not that good and he has plummeted to seventeenth from sixth when he arrived.
A recent unexpected away win at Cardiff was followed by an unexpectedly close defeat at home to Leicester which does give them some confidence ahead of a game for which the preparation has been shall we say, unhelpfully disrupted for Argyle.
Such is the fluidity of the situation I have to refresh Pasoti before posting this article in case the unexpected happens, and a new coach appears. Realistically the only manager we can be sure will be there is Wazzer, and the good news is he is nailed on to be in the away dugout.
So, the crowd will play a huge part in helping the team recover from an unexpectedly difficult week of injuries and change to their usual routine. Wise heads like Edwards and Houghton will no doubt be to the fore, and one would hope for a strong and emotional crowd to get behind the players.
We will undoubtedly check some midland based scores with a degree of Schuedenfruede when fragile Potters potentially get smashed in their relegation six pointers against Millwall and this week’s opponents Birmingham on SKY.
But we have our own season to focus on and a new era to begin.
It starts on Saturday.
And in spite of everything that is going on OGAAT wishes everyone of the green persuasion a safe, relaxing enjoyable Christmas.
May all your Christmases be Green and White (and black, like the humour).
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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