The thing about Ryan Lowe was that he was the obvious candidate at the time. Promoted with a Bury team against the odds, yet with the club just about to implode. He had just finished in the automatic promotion spots in L2 and was pretty much out of a job - I know we paid some compo but the club never actually started the next season. And we were effectively a L1 team coming down to L2, where we are a very big fish in the pond.
When he moved on, we had long since identified we had his successor in house already - someone ready to step straight in with some gudiance from a couple of old heads to start with - initially Keith Downing on the touchline and training pitch and ND in the stands.
This time around is so different. Two divisons higher, the calibre of manager needed so different. Yet there was no obvious or standout candidate in December or now. Those tearing up trees in L1 - Mousinho, Warne, Evett - at arguably at bigger clubs than Argyle already. They wouldn't be interested in coming here and we probably wouldn't be able to afford their compo anyway. So if we are poaching, we are looking at the clubs in places 5-10 realistically.
Is there anyone in L2 that could step up? I quite like Wild, but its a massive step up from Barrow to Argyle in the Championship. Challinor and Parkinson could probably step up of course, but they aren't going to be leaving Stockport or Wrexham in L1 for us. Mike Williamson at MK Dons, Paul Cook possibly?
The out of work pot is arguable worse now than it was in December. Eustace, Rowett and Nathan Jones are now unavailable, replaced by Duff, Ismael and Beale. Then there are the out of works that would probably never consider us - Cooper, Potter, Neil and the out of work 'big name ex-players' - Rooney, Lampard, Parker who maybe interested but probably have expectations (their wages, budgets, transfer funds) way above our station.
Lastly, there is the massive risks (IMO) - the academy coaches with no EFL experience or a random name from abroad. Another IF if you like. Andrew Crofts, Leighton Baines, Brendan Barry Murphy, Ryan Mason, Big D Schruder, that one from Norway, one that someone will find in the German third tier.
My early doors shortlist - Skubala, Duff, Williamson - on the basis we go for less risk this time around.
Absolute left field, dark horse, 1000-1 outsider, hunch, pick - depending on whether ND has any influence left, just how desperate he is to get back into football and whether he can recreate what he started to build at Derby with no funds - Wayne Rooney. Ticks quite a few boxes - Championship experience, good contacts, worked at Derby with no money and kept them up until admin, then nearly kept them up with points off, young and ambitious, needs something to get him back in and after Birmingham no big club is taking a chance on him - doing well here would get his reputation back. And bonus boxes - mate of Dewsnip and a Scouser.
I don't think he'd get it but he is what we are kinda looking for!
When he moved on, we had long since identified we had his successor in house already - someone ready to step straight in with some gudiance from a couple of old heads to start with - initially Keith Downing on the touchline and training pitch and ND in the stands.
This time around is so different. Two divisons higher, the calibre of manager needed so different. Yet there was no obvious or standout candidate in December or now. Those tearing up trees in L1 - Mousinho, Warne, Evett - at arguably at bigger clubs than Argyle already. They wouldn't be interested in coming here and we probably wouldn't be able to afford their compo anyway. So if we are poaching, we are looking at the clubs in places 5-10 realistically.
Is there anyone in L2 that could step up? I quite like Wild, but its a massive step up from Barrow to Argyle in the Championship. Challinor and Parkinson could probably step up of course, but they aren't going to be leaving Stockport or Wrexham in L1 for us. Mike Williamson at MK Dons, Paul Cook possibly?
The out of work pot is arguable worse now than it was in December. Eustace, Rowett and Nathan Jones are now unavailable, replaced by Duff, Ismael and Beale. Then there are the out of works that would probably never consider us - Cooper, Potter, Neil and the out of work 'big name ex-players' - Rooney, Lampard, Parker who maybe interested but probably have expectations (their wages, budgets, transfer funds) way above our station.
Lastly, there is the massive risks (IMO) - the academy coaches with no EFL experience or a random name from abroad. Another IF if you like. Andrew Crofts, Leighton Baines, Brendan Barry Murphy, Ryan Mason, Big D Schruder, that one from Norway, one that someone will find in the German third tier.
My early doors shortlist - Skubala, Duff, Williamson - on the basis we go for less risk this time around.
Absolute left field, dark horse, 1000-1 outsider, hunch, pick - depending on whether ND has any influence left, just how desperate he is to get back into football and whether he can recreate what he started to build at Derby with no funds - Wayne Rooney. Ticks quite a few boxes - Championship experience, good contacts, worked at Derby with no money and kept them up until admin, then nearly kept them up with points off, young and ambitious, needs something to get him back in and after Birmingham no big club is taking a chance on him - doing well here would get his reputation back. And bonus boxes - mate of Dewsnip and a Scouser.
I don't think he'd get it but he is what we are kinda looking for!
