Paul Mariner as a head coach

[TOBOR THE GREAT]

Hi all.. new here... first time poster... "Greeting from Canada", etc.

Back in the '60's I lived just outside Plymouth and have followed Argyle on and (mostly) off ever since. I promise to be more in touch from now on - honest !

My local club these days is Toronto FC, currently struggling at the foot of the MLS tables (and soon to be struggling at the gate).

The thing is, our latest manager (you know him, his initials are PM) has a lot to do with this.

He's not very popular around here, but earlier this year was given a three year contract extension.

Eventually getting to the point, I'm keen to know everyone's thoughts on Paul Mariner's time as a Manager at Argyle.

I understand that it was brief, but was there anything you saw that saddened you that he left ? Or perhaps you were glad to see the back of him, preferring to remember him as a player ?

Can anyone comment on his methods or style ?

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

[secretly remains on the line]

 

[newquaygreen]

I would say he was out of his depth at a time when we needed a really experienced manager. We eventually got one in Peter Reid but by then it was too late and Argyle imploded.
He was popular though but also having Paul Sturrock around for a while at the same time can't have been an easy environment to work in.
You keep him, we don't want him back anytime soon :greensmile:

 

[Keepitgreen]

If enthusiasm guaranteed success we'd be in the Premier League with him. Sadly it needs slightly more than enthusiasm to be a good manager and he just didn't have it. Like you say in your post he has a lot to do with the fact that you're near the bottom of the table.

 

[Cult Of Personality]

Shocking your fans need to get this fool out of your club if you want your club to rise back up the league

A manager or head coach he aint

 

[richy2704]

28 games 7 wins 6 draws and 15 losses, clueless and couldn't motivate us, basically a great player does not a manager make.

 

[Blackpool pilgrim]

Not manager material from what i witnessed, but he wasnt exactly given the greatest of chances we were practically doomed anyway ...

 

[StevePAFC]

There was no point appointing him when we needed a manager with adequate experience which in the end made the Sturrock sacking pretty pointless.

 

[TOBOR THE GREAT]

I get the idea that he saw what was on the horizon for Argyle and TFC came knocking at exactly the right time (not that he would've lasted much longer, I suppose).

 

[Blackpool pilgrim]

I get the idea that he saw what was on the horizon for Argyle and TFC came knocking at exactly the right time (not that he would've lasted much longer, I suppose).

When Peter Reid was appointed manager in the summer, Mariner was still around but was demoted from the managers position to just a coach, John Carver who is now under Pardew up at Newcastle remained as the Assistant manager, it amazes me that Carver worked under Mariner for the rest of that season when we were relegated because he's clearly more clued up on the management side of things than Mariner even if Mariner was responsible for bringing him over here.

 

[TOBOR THE GREAT]

There was no point appointing him when we needed a manager with adequate experience which in the end made the Sturrock sacking pretty pointless.

Do you think Mariner had anything to do with Sturrock being relieved of managerial duties at the time ?

ie - was he perhaps orchestrating the move behind the scenes ?

 

[TOBOR THE GREAT]

I get the idea that he saw what was on the horizon for Argyle and TFC came knocking at exactly the right time (not that he would've lasted much longer, I suppose).

When Peter Reid was appointed manager in the summer, Mariner was still around but was demoted from the managers position to just a coach, John Carver who is now under Pardew up at Newcastle remained as the Assistant manager, it amazes me that Carver worked under Mariner for the rest of that season when we were relegated because he's clearly more clued up on the management side of things than Mariner even if Mariner was responsible for bringing him over here.

Carver spent some time here as well... 7 managers in 6 years... *sigh*

 

[warney]

There was no point appointing him when we needed a manager with adequate experience which in the end made the Sturrock sacking pretty pointless.

Do you think Mariner had anything to do with Sturrock being relieved of managerial duties at the time ?

ie - was he perhaps orchestrating the move behind the scenes ?

Very much doubt it!

Absolute legend as a player. He should have left it at that!

 

[Mazza26]

Not manager material from what i witnessed, but he wasnt exactly given the greatest of chances we were practically doomed anyway ...

Not even remotely doomed. With our large injury list on the mend I felt the timing was wrong - either he should have went before the start of the season or not at all, OR at the very least replaced with someone who was experienced....Also note that Ipswich stayed up having kept faith with Roy Keane (who spent 3-4 times the amount sturrock did btw.) Oh and you see that team that was 6th from bottom beginning with R, well they were managed by B.Rodgers (manager of Liverpool) who was sacked just weeks after Sturrock.

Reading 20 5 5 10 -10 20
Coventry 20 4 7 9 -10 19
Sheff W 20 4 6 10 -9 18
Ipswich 20 2 12 6 -10 18
Plymouth 19 4 3 12 -14 15
Peterb'h 20 2 8 10 -10 14

Mariner wasn't awful but he was certainly below average. The positives - he did manage to do what sturrock couldn't - turn around a 2 goal deficit, away to Barnsley when Rory Fallon had one of his better days. However the players he brought in the transfer window were inadequate and very questionable to say the least. While D.Johnson was a very competent defensive midfielder at premier league level, he was not what we needed at a time when creativity was devoid (especially with the money spent.) As for Bradley Cooper... deary me, don't get x-isle started on that one. :greensmile: So overall he didn't do well Mariner which was a shame for such a great player. That's why i'm sure Sturrock in the transfer window which was coming up would have done better as proved with his previous summer signings. Obviously the summer before that was a poor one for the Scot.

 

[Mazza26]

I would say he was out of his depth at a time when we needed a really experienced manager. We eventually got one in Peter Reid but by then it was too late and Argyle imploded.
He was popular though but also having Paul Sturrock around for a while at the same time can't have been an easy environment to work in.
You keep him, we don't want him back anytime soon :greensmile:

Actually according to some newspaper articles at the time I remember Mariner saying he was apparently close to tears when the news was announced that Sturrock was leaving. He respected him as a coach and enjoyed his short time working with him. Could be gubbins of course.

 

[Trapdoor]

PM had no man management skills !! it was the best thing pafc did letting him go, he was a good player but certainly No Manager.
The best thing your team could do would be to get rid of him but like a Bad penny he probably would turn up somewhere else.
No respect for the man at all.