Manager/Coach Des Buckingham

[Northstandboy]

Manager Stats (Click Below)

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[Sheik djibouti]

In any case, I don't think it was money that motivated Manning, it was his ambition to coach at the highest possible level that drove it (as it does with most managers).

The money is purely market forces at play....and THAT is the most obscenely perverse thing about football, not a player or managers ambition.

 

[Nox]

So is money the only motivation for everyone?
Loyalty, building something special, setting standards which you basically just don't live up to in reality .
All I'm hearing is money, money , money .
Is that all that matters now ?

It's a rich man's world.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

It's a rich man's world.

Yes , and look at all the wars , selfish behaviour, couldn't care less about others that we are living in .
Maybe a change is due ?

 

[Shaun Rice]

Fron what Purkiss said on the Dub he'd been wanting more responsibility but not been allowed anything by Robinson. He'd done well when taking charge of games when Robinson was suspended and we had our best performance of the season under him.

I suspect a competent board would have an idea of his mindset and what he wanted, even before he got the Pompey job most on here we unanimous that he's an impressive guy and they'd have been around him a lot more but my faith is so low in those running things that it's entirely possible they missed this, especially as Tim still seemed to be in thrall of Robinson until the very end.

A huge missed opportunity and as @Osei Yaw said there's no hindsight there, plenty of people wanted Robinson out earlier knowing Mous could take the reigns, even if only as a caretaker at first to give him a chance to prove himself.

This is like debating if Iron Mike Tyson would’ve beaten AJ now! Actually it’s more absurd because there are so many factors to consider and also factors none of us can know. Existing and new Coaches, recruitment team, squad mentality, squad ability level, backing, money available. How our players would’ve taken to him etc etc. oh and that’s at both clubs!
Fact is Des doesn’t have the team behind him he really wants and our recruitment team have had an absolute mare!

 

[Swaby39]

So is money the only motivation for everyone?
Loyalty, building something special, setting standards which you basically just don't live up to in reality .
All I'm hearing is money, money , money .
Is that all that matters now ?

They’re no different to players. they’re a bad season away from having to drop down a level or two - but players at least have the right to be defiant, stay out their contract, force a move or go on loan to ensure their family doesn’t lose.

As a working man/woman there aren’t many people in life who can say their money was ‘this’ one day and a week later it’s several multiples of that just for taking a leap - and it is a leap for Manning but he was never going to duck that challenge with so much in his favour. You have to credit him for attracting their attention just 12 months after being fired by MK Dons and shelved for months - an experience that I’m sure played an enormous part in his decision while he could only think 12 months ahead on his deal with us.

It’s not ALL money, but to expect anyone to turn that down is a double standard because not one of us here would do it differently if you take our life-long loyalties to OUFC out of it.

 

[Osleroad]

In any case, I don't think it was money that motivated Manning, it was his ambition to coach at the highest possible level that drove it (as it does with most managers).

The money is purely market forces at play....and THAT is the most obscenely perverse thing about football, not a player or managers ambition.

In any case, I don't think it was money that motivated Manning, it was his ambition to coach at the highest possible level that drove it (as it does with most managers).

The money is purely market forces at play....and THAT is the most obscenely perverse thing about football, not a player or managers ambition.

But we were led to believe his time with us WAS all about the project to get promotion to Champ so that was thrown out of the window for money and a dab of prestige.

 

[chromeyellow]

Oxford had deep-pocketed owners who appear to be there for the long term. With the plans for a new stadium there was the chance for Manning to build a team and your management style to the Championship and from there, perhaps to the Premiership -to achieve something like Brighton or Brentford have done.

Leaving for a club in the doldrums like Bristol City seems a short-sighted move

 

[Leysboy]

@le
@Leysboy seems very excited at the prospect

I don’t travel up and down the country, in the hope we lose. I want nothing but success for OUFC, but being realistic we aren’t going to achieve anything with this current manager I’m afraid.

I want an experienced manager in place, that has proven himself either at this level, or the next step up, and as a club supposedly striving for the Top 30, then that is what it’s going to take.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Oxford had deep-pocketed owners who appear to be there for the long term. With the plans for a new stadium there was the chance for Manning to build a team and your management style to the Championship and from there, perhaps to the Premiership -to achieve something like Brighton or Brentford have done.

Leaving for a club in the doldrums like Bristol City seems a short-sighted move

Yeah there are two arguments, was he morally justified in running out so soon, and was it the best thing for his long term career.

 

[MC Yellow]

It’s not ALL money, but to expect anyone to turn that down is a double standard because not one of us here would do it differently if you take our life-long loyalties to OUFC out of it.

In all honesty, if I truly believed in my own abilities, if I believed in my squad and if I trusted the support of my board of directors, I think I would stick around, show some loyalty and deliver what I truly believed I could deliver with the resources available. I mean, at £250k a year my family is not going to go without, and in the meantime it gives me the luxury to build something great and show off my attributes as a loyal and capable manager.

For those on here who feel that Manning was our nailed on route to promotion, why didn't he think so himself? One year on, with promotion in the bag, he would undoubtedly command a much better contract from OUFC and attract the interest of other clubs?

So did he chase the money because he has no loyalty or did he just not believe in himself or this squad to stay on for a full season and deliver the goods?

His head was turned, not just because of the significant uplift in money, but because in his heart of hearts he probably felt he wasn't going to take Oxford anywhere of any note that would be more lucrative to him in the longer term.

 

[Foley]

I want an experienced manager in place, that has proven himself either at this level, or the next step up, and as a club supposedly striving for the Top 30, then that is what it’s going to take.

An experienced manager guarantees nothing.
McKenna had no experience as a manager or Skubala.

 

[chromeyellow]

An experienced manager guarantees nothing.
McKenna had no experience as a manager or Skubala.

And if Portsmouth had insisted on an experienced manager they would never have chosen Mousinho

 

[Swaby39]

In all honesty, if I truly believed in my own abilities, if I believed in my squad and if I trusted the support of my board of directors, I think I would stick around, show some loyalty and deliver what I truly believed I could deliver with the resources available. I mean, at £250k a year my family is not going to go without, and in the meantime it gives me the luxury to build something great and show off my attributes as a loyal and capable manager.

For those on here who feel that Manning was our nailed on route to promotion, why didn't he think so himself? One year on, with promotion in the bag, he would undoubtedly command a much better contract from OUFC and attract the interest of other clubs?

So did he chase the money because he has no loyalty or did he just not believe in himself or this squad to stay on for a full season and deliver the goods?

His head was turned, not just because of the significant uplift in money, but because in his heart of hearts he probably felt he wasn't going to take Oxford anywhere of any note that would be more lucrative to him in the longer term.

Well his position here was more precarious than that. On a rolling deal his contract is essentially worth one year’s salary to him so call it £250k if that’s the number. The board wanted promotion and if they didn’t get it, they could in theory send him on his merry way for nothing, putting him back on the shelf and financially fine but not so fine that he doesn’t need a job fairly promptly depending on his lifestyle.

The alternative that arrived was a multi year contract that guaranteed him significantly more - think it was suggested he’s on 4x so call it £1m a year - meaning that decision banks him around £3.5m regardless of his success. No doubt if he exceeded expectations it’ll be much more. Worst case scenario he walks away from Bristol a seriously wealthy man and changed the future for his family.

Then you look at all the frilly bits that will matter - a club at a higher level with deep pockets, decent stadium and facilities, youth setup (he’s passionate about young players) working with better players and a good season away from the promise land. It would also be naive to rule out that he didn’t see our board as one to side with and felt more aligned with Bristol city’s leadership group. I’m afraid the possibility - not guarantee - that he might get promoted with us and have that on the CV doesn’t compete with the above.

What would a promotion with us get him? Probably a job not dissimilar to Bristol City. So the net result is the same only he skipped the journey.

 

[Sheik djibouti]

I think Manning very much believed in his abilities and took the job at Bristol City to try and do what he was brought into Oxford to do, but at the next level up.
He thought he was capable of taking them from Champ to Prem (but next season, not this) and probably felt they were a big enough club to suit that ambition. Bristol City saw enough in him to go after him and he sold while his stick was high.

Whether or not Bristol City do realistically represent that potential or not is moot, but if they start next season well under Manning, I wonder if a mid-table prem.club might come a courting and his head will be turned once more....

Mind you, it's Bristol City and he's just as likely to get the tin tack by Xmas and be on the lookout for a Lg1/2 job again

 

[MC Yellow]

Well his position here was more precarious than that. On a rolling deal his contract is essentially worth one year’s salary to him so call it £250k if that’s the number. The board wanted promotion and if they didn’t get it, they could in theory send him on his merry way for nothing, putting him back on the shelf and financially fine but not so fine that he doesn’t need a job fairly promptly depending on his lifestyle.

The alternative that arrived was a multi year contract that guaranteed him significantly more - think it was suggested he’s on 4x so call it £1m a year - meaning that decision banks him around £3.5m regardless of his success. No doubt if he exceeded expectations it’ll be much more. Worst case scenario he walks away from Bristol a seriously wealthy man and changed the future for his family.

Then you look at all the frilly bits that will matter - a club at a higher level with deep pockets, decent stadium and facilities, youth setup (he’s passionate about young players) working with better players and a good season away from the promise land. It would also be naive to rule out that he didn’t see our board as one to side with and felt more aligned with Bristol city’s leadership group.

I guess in summary, that equates to the honest truth that with what he had here, there was no guarantee of success.

So as poor as the 2nd half of this season has become, Manning was not the golden ticket that some seem to think.

Manning left for a number of reasons, money being an obvious pull, but you have rightly listed many others.

Manning just didn’t believe in us or himself to deliver for us, with the resources available.

 

[Leysboy]

An experienced manager guarantees nothing.
McKenna had no experience as a manager or Skubala.

One hit wonders.

A bit like fishing for a Jamie Vardy in non Lge.

Experienced heads do matter.

Lord Wilder was experienced in non Lge, and got us out of there. It can be done if you have the right people leading the recruitment process.

 

[Swaby39]

I guess in summary, that equates to the honest truth that with what he had here, there was no guarantee of success.

So as poor as the 2nd half of this season has become, Manning was not the golden ticket that some seem to think.

Manning left for a number of reasons, money being an obvious pull, but you have rightly listed many others.

Manning just didn’t believe in us or himself to deliver for us, with the resources available.

I think people will have to agree to disagree on that! I think he was. This season? Hard to say with the injuries we got but I think we were a certainty for the play offs, would've had a much better January and I don't think many people would've toppled that team over two legs. And if we'd stayed down I'd say we'd be a certainty for an automatic push next year. Now I'm wondering whether top half is doable next year.

 

[Osei Yaw]

One hit wonders.

A bit like fishing for a Jamie Vardy in non Lge.

Experienced heads do matter.

Lord Wilder was experienced in non Lge, and got us out of there. It can be done if you have the right people leading the recruitment process.

 

[Foley]

One hit wonders.

A bit like fishing for a Jamie Vardy in non Lge.

Experienced heads do matter.

Lord Wilder was experienced in non Lge, and got us out of there. It can be done if you have the right people leading the recruitment process.

Well 3 in 2 seasons.
Mous and McKenna as well as Schumacher- promotions from L1 with no experience.
Plus Skubala.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Well 3 in 2 seasons.
Mous and McKenna as well as Schumacher- promotions from L1 with no experience.
Plus Skubala.

Plus plenty of experienced old lags have failed miserably in the last year or so. Managers without direct EFL experience are harder to predict, certainly - Lincoln and Ipswich hired well but things could have turned out differently