Ex-Staff Liam Manning

[MiddleBartonYellow]

What bothers me most of all is that Liam Manning started at MK when the good players had been signed and he had an excellent squad.
For various reasons this season he has not replaced those players and the MK Board could see what was happening and got rid of him.

This is what our Board should have done with Robinson because we have an equally bad squad. But for our Board then to hire Manning in the situation we are in smacks of gross negligence on their part.

To be brutally honest I don’t think it matters who we brought in,these players are not good enough to survive a relegation battle.

So the question is who was the man to get us out of League 2 next year, which is a completely different animal.

Obviously I will back Liam Manning and hope some sort of miracle can happen but I’m not holding my breath

The fact that MK massively reduced there budget didn’t play any part in it then.

 

[Mad Dog]

Some of the posters on here, really need to take a good look at yourselves. I live in Leeds with other exiled Oxford supporters in the West Yorkshire area, so my only information I can get is either the club, Oxford Mail and now and again as a last resort I pop on here. With exception to several supporters on this site, some of you really need to shut the F**K up. Some of you are deluded, Mapp this, Mapp that, and so with the other named managers who are being interviewed, it really is pathetic. Does anyone really know hand on heart who the next manager is, go on, hands up, probably NO, then the current coaches who are doing the best for Oxford Utd, which one of you is going up to them and say " thanks but no thanks" same answer none of you, does anyone know if the new manager to be is going to bring in his own team? I suspect the answer is NO. Just shut up, wind your necks in and WAIT, you do embaress our football club. We are talking about peoples livelyhoods here, maybe, just maybe that the whole structure of the club needs addressed, I don't know I can't say. Just be bloody patient and when everything is announced, we get behind the team, the board, the players and all associated with our club. Rant over children.

Judging by that illiterate, embarrassing, rambling waffle, I think it's you that needs to "shut the f**k up"

 

[tatabanya]

Those who want to slam the appointment as the cheap option also the only ones who keep banging the “triangle is too small” drum. Almost like they’ve got an agenda.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

The biggest problem Manning faces is actually knowing how bad we actually are not whether he can make us significantly better. In this run of 10 games the opposition have not even had to try very hard to beat us. All they have needed to do is put 3 or 4 shots on goal over 90 minutes knowing at least 1 will go in the net, and then just be solid and close the game down knowing we don't create anything and even if we did we would miss. We just don't know if us improving by 50-100% just means that the opposition goes up a gear or two and we still get outclassed.

Derby was a slightly more encouraging game in this respect, we did create more chances than usual, we did actually score 2 goals. But it just feels like if the opposition need to up their game to do something more to beat us they can and we would have no answer to it and would have to rely on them missing their chances for us to get any sort of a result ie Fleetwood and Ipswich and MK since the turn of the year. Morecambe, Forest Green and Accrington are likely in exactly the same boat as us regarding this. Cheltenham aren't because they actually do have a player that can score goals on a reliable basis. The key is to be slightly better than them at our respective brand of rubbish when we play them in the next few weeks. We couldn't do it recently against equally rubbish and clueless Cambridge and Burton. These 3 games have to be targeted. Next week is one massive game for us.

 

[Osei Yaw]

From my point of view, it's more the insinuation that there is no point in trying. If we say it's not Manning's fault if we go down, then it suggests it's already too far gone, that there is no hope at all and we just chuck the towel in. Like Manning is completely powerless. I actually think that attitude does him a disservice in some ways as he and Hogg are obviously bright young coaches.

I think everyone accepts that if we do go down, Robinson warrants a huge chunk of the blame, closely followed by the board for their inaction. But the way the conversation is framed, it's almost as if Manning is not being expected to do anything about it.

He still has 10 games to do something. Yes, confidence is down and the squad is badly assembled, but there is still some quality to work with and I daresay a system that best suits this squad that we bizarrely haven't used since we last won.

It's also being implied in places that we can only win against Morecambe, Cheltenham, FGR and Accrington, and not take points off anyone else. Short got the players into a much better position in the space of 2 weeks, where he only ever had the authority of being the temporary stand in. From where I was sat yesterday, we were worthy of a point against a well organised side. If Short can bring the performances to a stage where we have managed to at least score a couple of goals against one of the better defences in the league then we quite clearly have a chance.

We need to ignore the idea of the last 10 games like they are all chained to each other. The first 8 of those were all under a manager who had lost the plot and was setting everything on fire through a mix of incompetence and malice. The last 2 games since he has gone have seen a considerable improvement in performance, if not points. As bad as confidence is, it can return very quickly with a win.

I'm not really a fan of the 'believe' or 'positive bus' twaddle that we normally get, but right now we do actually need to believe we're good enough. Importantly, we need to rid ourselves of this losers mentality we have picked up. No more self pity and no more apathy. We absolutely can get out of this. Manning can get us out of this and we need everyone to work together to that end.

 

[Symp59]

He's got one he'll of a job .I wish him all the best with a small squad any way but every injury really is another nail. I think so many people are angry with the season one person should never again have so much power. But come on Liam and come on the team a win Saturday would give us more of a chance.

 

[Banbury2018]

Good luck to our new manager and assistant I suspect you’ll need it for several reasons.

 

[Swaby39]

Yep the striker problem is massive. The fact we cannot defend is also huge. It was never going to be easy.
I stand by if the same would have been for Appleton or McCann.

I just don’t think it’s unreasonable to have the expectation that he should keep us up.

If you were consistent with feeling that way then I think you’d be the minority - fair enough! I expect less of the wider fan base. I think if Appleton had got the job, he’d have escaped the criticism Manning faces for going down and because he wasn’t many people’s first choice he will be under more scrutiny.

Manning has me feeling quite optimistic. Early indications are his temperament will be a breath of fresh air for those that have endured Robinson in close quarters and tactically he will be pretty exceptional, I think.

It’s a doable job for him but the failure for me is at board level, not Liam Manning, if the worst happens.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I think there’s a difference between saying ‘Others will be far more to blame than Manning if we go down’ (which is fair enough) and ‘Manning has literally ZERO blame or accountability if we go down, it will be NOTHING to do with him, there’s absolutely nothing he can do, it will be a miracle if he keeps us up’, which is ridiculous.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I haven’t actually seen a particularly good side at the Kass this season, apart from maybe Plymouth. We don’t need to be afraid of anyone bar Wednesday. Most of the teams that beat us recently haven’t looked much better than us ,apart from the fact that they can score and defend ... There’s something to work with at least, if he can get them organised and confident.

 

[Swaby39]

I haven’t actually seen a particularly good side at the Kass this season, apart from maybe Plymouth. We don’t need to be afraid of anyone bar Wednesday. Most of the teams that beat us recently haven’t looked much better than us ,apart from the fact that they can score and defend ... There’s something to work with at least, if he can get them organised and confident.

I thought Barnsley were the best side we’ve had here and looking at their recent form, they’re going to give the top 2 a really good go. They were so incredibly well oiled and their final ball (often a cross) was exceptional.

But oddly, I don’t think we’ve had anyone here this season as good as MK were under Manning. There’s a lot more teams happy to play end to end this year and in a slug fest, we will lose. We have no ‘chin’ to use a boxing analogy. But MK were that team who wanted to control every aspect of the game. I don’t need reminding that we beat them, but they were an incredibly good side and we’re it not for that result they’d be up.

 

[werthersoriginal]

I thought Barnsley were the best side we’ve had here and looking at their recent form, they’re going to give the top 2 a really good go. They were so incredibly well oiled and their final ball (often a cross) was exceptional.

But oddly, I don’t think we’ve had anyone here this season as good as MK were under Manning. There’s a lot more teams happy to play end to end this year and in a slug fest, we will lose. We have no ‘chin’ to use a boxing analogy. But MK were that team who wanted to control every aspect of the game. I don’t need reminding that we beat them, but they were an incredibly good side and we’re it not for that result they’d be up.

Barnsley were effective but were sneaky bullies - f**k them and Michael Duff. I actually missed both our home matches with MK last year so I’m intrigued to see what Manning will do.

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

Is there any option at all to bring in out-of-contract players? We seem so desperately short in places.
Or do we only have our squad and youth to work with?
What are the transfer rules outside of the windows?

 

[Scotchegg]

Is there any option at all to bring in out-of-contract players? We seem so desperately short in places.
Or do we only have our squad and youth to work with?
What are the transfer rules outside of the windows?

They had to be out of contract before the end of the last transfer window closed. So the likelihood is that anyone we brought in now would need plenty of work to get match ready.

 

[Swaby39]

Barnsley were effective but were sneaky bullies - f**k them and Michael Duff. I actually missed both our home matches with MK last year so I’m intrigued to see what Manning will do.

Barnsley were excellent and we played right in to their hands. Showed us up for little man syndrome.

 

[DorsetYelloww]

Yes, on your behalf!

Intelligent response. Still I guess you’re stuck for something to say unless someone has actually already told you?

 

[DorsetYelloww]

That’s 3 things over 30 years over an entire county, other counties the list would go on and on, it’s a stuck in a rut, insular county which is notoriously hard to get anything done. An example is the local public transport like trains, towns like Witney, Abingdon don’t have train stations so no rail link to Oxford, no plans to either but the council are bringing in more and more prohibitive car/driving rules that mean most people from county will rarely visit Oxford as who wants to wait for and then sit on a slow old bus for hours.

You can have a go at the club for a lot recently, it’s not being run brilliantly, but the problem of finding somewhere to build a stadium in a county run by fools, nimbys and an over powerful and uninterested ancient university is not really one of them.

Let’s be honest, I could list every development that’s taken place and you’d still defend the muppet show. So I’ll watch Fulham v Arsenal on Sky instead. Enjoy.

 

[Scotchegg]

I notice that @MattyGreensLeftBoot is also from Dorset and has come out of the woodwork with their Gary Lineker rants. Maybe they could meet up with @DorsetYelloww and have mutual meltdowns together rather than spouting such nonsense on here.

Weymouths loss is our gain!!

 

[Shosho]

I’m holding onto the hope that Manning can arrange us into a defensively resolute unit that can squeeze out some wins.

The defence is the issue - where we have an attack that is largely functioning as expected, the defence is easily lower half league one.

Looking through Manning’s history at Lommel and Mk he obviously used 343 at MK but used 4231 at Lommel or a defensive 433 with two midfielders holding and a 10. Clearly can play a few systems and can be adaptable, the obvious worry is how quickly he can arrange us into that.

The one benefit he has is a week until Morecambe then a further week until Cheltenham, hopefully some decent coaching time.

 

[Leysboy]

I’m holding onto the hope that Manning can arrange us into a defensively resolute unit that can squeeze out some wins.

The defence is the issue - where we have an attack that is largely functioning as expected, the defence is easily lower half league one.

Looking through Manning’s history at Lommel and Mk he obviously used 343 at MK but used 4231 at Lommel or a defensive 433 with two midfielders holding and a 10. Clearly can play a few systems and can be adaptable, the obvious worry is how quickly he can arrange us into that.

The one benefit he has is a week until Morecambe then a further week until Cheltenham, hopefully some decent coaching time.

Which is good, because it shows he’s tactically versatile rather than sticking to the same old.

He’s young and still learning, but I think it could become a tremendous appointment. I can see positives, rather than negatives.