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- 5 Dec 2017
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Out of interest, if you were in charge, what would you do with Buckingham? Would you back him, or sack him?
I think that’s well put. Is he building something or just randomly floundering around? I suspect it’s a bit of both. I don’t think he deserves to be sacked now but I hope the club are asking your questions, because I don’t want him recruiting a new team then being fired after a hopeless start.Get the feeling you're trying to call me out somehow, but I'll answer as though it were asked at face value anyhow...
First off, I'd only have recruited Buckingham if he was the stand-out candidate who offered the best chance of continuing on the excellent start to the season. So if I'd been in charge all that time, I'd hold him to those standards, and presumably would be very miffed at why he had not fulfilled what he had promised.
But, for the sake of argument, let's pretend I took over tomorrow, and so had had no say in his recruitment, and had to make a call as to what to do going forward...
I would need to speak to him. I would want some reassurance from the manager that he knows what he is doing. That he knows why we are so flaky. Why we've taken just 3 points from 18 available in six home games against Reading, Orient, Lincoln, Northampton, Barnsley and Stevenage in the last 3 months.
Is he learning? Does he know why we didn't win on Tuesday? Does he know why we didnt win last night? What does he propose to do to remedy it? And why on earth didn't he do that sooner?
I would need to get a feeling from the man that he has a grip on things and they can and will improve. I'm not seeing enough of that as a supporter.
If I were in charge I'd be asking pertinent questions before making any decisions.
Unfortunately, I suspect none are being asked. And the same lackadaisical relationship between senior club leadership and team manager that allowed KR to remain as long as he did, and has apparently prevented Buckingham from being given the support he needs, is now effectively allowing him to meander along into next season with negligible signs of improvement.
As a supporter, we're not party to any more insight than what we watch on a matchday. And so we have to hope that Buckingham does have those answers. At least until such point as it's unequivocal that he does not.
We're not quite there yet.
Strange list- that's not all the home games we've played in the last three months. If you omit some of the games when we do well then the stats will look a whole lot worseWhy we've taken just 3 points from 18 available in six home games against Reading, Orient, Lincoln, Northampton, Barnsley and Stevenage in the last 3 months.
Strange list- that's not all the home games we've played in the last three months. If you omit some of the games when we do well then the stats will look a whole lot worse
What a nice fellow you must be!You're a creepy little f*cker aren't you?
The salient point, that would be appreciated by any genuine Oxford fan (as opposed to some creepy f*cker who is only here to promote some myopic view of McGuane, Murphy and Buckingham) is that we've consistently dropped points at home that we shouldn't have.
I've given you plenty of 'complete' stats. You don't engage with those do you? But of course, you're not here as a genuine supporter, are you?
You're a creepy little f*cker aren't you?
The salient point, that would be appreciated by any genuine Oxford fan (as opposed to some creepy f*cker who is only here to promote some myopic view of McGuane, Murphy and Buckingham) is that we've consistently dropped points at home that we shouldn't have.
I've given you plenty of 'complete' stats. You don't engage with those do you? But of course, you're not here as a genuine supporter, are you?
I think that’s well put. Is he building something or just randomly floundering around? I suspect it’s a bit of both. I don’t think he deserves to be sacked now but I hope the club are asking your questions, because I don’t want him recruiting a new team then being fired after a hopeless start.
The depth in available 1st team players has killed us at the wrong times - a trueism in footballingReally think that if the recruitment is right and we have more than one CF ,younger midfield options, a physical presence in the midfield,Solid GK as well as a few other changes we will be in for a great season.
Not as far away as some love / enjoy making out , real signs of improvement and the team going in the right direction.
This season isn't over yet either ..COYY
Absolutely spot on Chippy, it's going to take a change in the club's recruitment policy to get the right caliber of player through the door.What we absolutely need from the manager and recruitment team, is the ability and knowhow to recruit the right players, who themselves then have the ability and knowhow on the pitch to get us out of League One and be capable of sustaining us in the Champ.
By that I mean some flair players and some capable of doing the physical, dirty and dark arts side of things. We always seem to recruit players who on their day are pretty to watch but are flimsy when any sort of robustness from the opposition stands in the way. We’ve simply got to create a squad that can handle different types of opponents home and away, in varying match day conditions across 46 games, and not be frightened to change a winning team and our tactics and style if the next opponents are a totally different kettle of fish to those we’ve just beaten.
So are Des and the coaching staff and the recruitment team on board and able to realise this? It’s questionable given the stats from matches against teams in the top half of the table and against teams who simply try, and know, how to stop us from playing in the only way we are able to with the squad of players we have.
I don’t have the stats but even under the previous manager when we were doing ok I never ever felt confident going into games against the better sides in the league (eg top 6-8) or the ones that are very physical and know how to play dirty. I don’t believe our record against them even then was anything special. We’ve got to be far more savvy in terms of the players we recruit and the tactics we deploy on different match days against varying opponents, and have the ability to change our approach in games too.
A very interesting post above from @SirAndyOfCrosby about the questions that those running the club should be asking of Des, but not only the manager but the recruitment and coaching staff too. The answers to those questions should give a much better indication of whether we really have the right people to be able to get us to the next level and stay there. The bigger problem is do those running the club have the understanding to actually be asking those questions and know what the right answers should be?
Wait, at least 16 teams make the top half now?Let’s hope Buckingham can beat another top half side next week.
Otherwise Peterborough looks like it was a one off fluke in 30+ games.
Wait, at least 16 teams make the top half now?
You can make the point your trying to portray without misrepresenting the stats.
So how have we played a top half team 30+ times since Des took over?Top 12.
Since DB has been here, the only team in the current top 12 we’ve beaten is Peterborough?
Far more important issue than bashing Des. We should be bashing our fanbase for only sending in 800 supportive comments on the planning application for a new community stadium.
If you haven't already done so please submit yours here. Deadline is tomorrow!
Comment on planning application: 24/00539/F - Planning register | Planning register | Cherwell District Council
Planning register contentplanningregister.cherwell.gov.uk
View attachment 19082
Spot on, which I tried to get across to many on Friday night, we are sleepwalking into an abyss. We shouldn’t be worrying about whether Des is good enough just yet. Give him a chance and get the stadium sorted. If we don’t it won’t matter who we replace him with. Because there won’t be a club to support.Won’t have a manager to try and get sacked in two years unless they get off their arses.
Spot on, which I tried to get across to many on Friday night, we are sleepwalking into an abyss. We shouldn’t be worrying about whether Des is good enough just yet. Give him a chance and get the stadium sorted. If we don’t it won’t matter who we replace him with. Because there won’t be a club to support.