General Feedback from Friday's visit at OUFC

[Bicester Yellow]

It was made clear today Karl’s a head coach, not a manager. Which I think we can both agree on, isn’t the case.

Let’s just hope they get a proper structure in place for when they make the change whenever that may be.

It’s not healthy for a football club to delay or bottle making the needed change due to worries of what’s left behind.

Let’s just say Mousinho leaving couldn’t have come at a worse time. Can’t say much more.

Basically if mousinho was still there Karl would have been sacked by now, that’s my opinion & belief

 

[LowerSouth]

In my previous job, a number of us had an issue with our line manager, who we felt was lazy and underperforming, rude and bullying, so we organised a meeting with our main manager.

At the first meeting, said line manager also attended, and many of the people in attendance understandably clammed up (not me) and it was a waste of time, and nothing changed.

The next time we called a meeting with our manager, we insisted the line manager wasn’t allowed to attend, and it was much more productive, people opened up and got stuck in, and it really opened our managers eyes to what had been going on, and he made sure relevant action was taken.

I understand the point your trying to make.
But he’s not your manager.
And your not an employee.
Its hardly comparable .

 

[Chippy]

Basically if mousinho was still there Karl would have been sacked by now, that’s my opinion & belief

He only joined them a month ago, so we had plenty of chance, and chose not to go with that option. I don’t think the few games since tipped the balance that much?

Maybe it’s more a regret we didn’t act sooner?

However I get the impression there’s a quite a bit those attending today are not saying, I assume due to confidentiality or they’ve seen another side to things, and I can totally respect that

 

[Bicester Yellow]

He only joined them a month ago, so we had plenty of chance, and chose not to go with that option. I don’t think the few games since tipped the balance that much?

Maybe it’s more a regret we didn’t act sooner?

However I get the impression there’s a quite a bit those attending today are not saying, I assume due to confidentiality or they’ve seen another side to things, and I can totally respect that

Totally. Have to say fair play to who did attend and sounds like they were strong & asked pertinent & worthwhile questions and good news about the stadium as well.

 

[Bornyellow]

He only joined them a month ago, so we had plenty of chance, and chose not to go with that option. I don’t think the few games since tipped the balance that much?

Maybe it’s more a regret we didn’t act sooner?

However I get the impression there’s a quite a bit those attending today are not saying, I assume due to confidentiality or they’ve seen another side to things, and I can totally respect that

It’s definitely regret of not making the call sooner. I think they now realise the time to make the change was before the Pompey/Bolton games. Giving any new manager time to asses the squad and start the rebuild in January. Now the hope is we stay up and can begin a serious reset over the summer.

 

[Mad Dog]

I understand the point your trying to make.
But he’s not your manager.
And your not an employee.
Its hardly comparable .

The principle is the same.

 

[LowerSouth]

Re: data led recruitment:
- is that an admission that hasn’t been the case for the last few windows?
- will some structure be put in place to do this properly?

Happy that this seems to be the direction TW wants to go in - just hope it’s more than window dressing.

Plymouth invested heavily last season in a new data package.
In a recent interview, manager Schumacher intimated that this enabled them to identify targets before the transfer windows opened and ultimately led to signings being made early in the window.
Hopefully we can acquire the same programme and have people on board who are able to act upon the info’ in a more precise and expedient manner.

 

[Marked Ox]

He only spoke about Jones and Murphy
You might even be surprised with tomorrows starting line up

Jones starting?

 

[DannyW]

Karl did ask if he could join the meeting and it was agreed by TW. Him being there didn’t stop fairly difficult and damaging questions being asked. I can’t think of many industries where the subject of the attending guests displeasure would sit in front of people who want him sacked. We talked openly about the divisions in the fan base he’s causing, the disastrous transfer windows, poor recruitment, why good players have been shipped out, the terrible performances, our 18 month decline and pretty much everything we wanted to raise. Him being in the room didn’t stifle the questions but it was a little awkward.
My take from the meeting is that whilst KR is very comfortable at the moment, it won’t take much more to see him ousted. I believe TW does have the power to do that by presenting the facts to the board and asking them to make the decision. Whether one more defeat tomorrow will trigger that I don’t know.

Fair play then, I withdraw my earlier comment

 

[uptheus]

Something that Tim Williams said today and I’ve been saying for a few seasons “ shoot if you’re outside the box shoot or in his words have f*****g go and then bemoaned that sometimes our players take and extra touch a half second decision and the moments gone.

That’s it all sorted then!

 

[uptheus]

If this is true then I wholeheartedly apologise to TW. All I can say is he must be on a fantastic wedge to take all the flack on a daily basis for the calls made by people half the world away, who never attend matches and so have little clue of KR’s balls-ups.

I mean, I assume that TW is keeping them up to date with regular - and damning - appraisals…

Hence why I’ve said previously, that if Tim/Grant do not have authority then I’d walk if I were them.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

He only joined them a month ago, so we had plenty of chance, and chose not to go with that option. I don’t think the few games since tipped the balance that much?

Maybe it’s more a regret we didn’t act sooner?

However I get the impression there’s a quite a bit those attending today are not saying, I assume due to confidentiality or they’ve seen another side to things, and I can totally respect that

 

[bazzer9461]

That’s it all sorted then!

Probably not

 

[Carpy]

For me a manager of a football should have a say in most aspects of a football club, to how the academy ask their teams to play (should mirror how the first team play), which academy players get contracts, player contracts and even get to have a say in how the club should be marketed and how to get fans to the stadium. After all, they are the manager of the football club.

I could not disagree with this more strongly, a manager, as perfectly evidenced by Karl is no longer accountable to anyone when he is so heavily relied upon for the running on the club, we are where we are because of exactly this.

A manager whose job relies on results on the pitch in order to continue their employment (or so I'm told) will happily make decisions in their best interests in order to continue their employment, having someone who is accountable for setting the style of play of all age groups, who ensures there is a pathway to the first team for youngsters, who works with the recruitment team to identify players to play in a way that the club want to see, to instill an identify into the club, that is their sole role, they don't have the burden on results on the pitch to distract them from it.

A Head Coach or 1st Team Manager should be employed to work within this sort of model, and sure, if they can justify signing Josh "have a week off" Murphy to someone who soley has the interests of Oxford United at heart, then good on them, but I suspect a player like that would not have been playing football in Oxforshire had this structure been in place last summer

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

I haven’t read all this thread but I get the impression that the tough, personal questions weren’t asked of him in person like they are on here ? Why not ? By definition, if you were there it’s because you’ve written in to Tim Williams basically asking him to sack Robinson. You’ve got Robinson face to face and it seems you’ve bottled it. What’s the worst he can do if you basically tell him he’s a fat, useless, scouse gobshite - like you do on here. Was it 12 who went ? I hope each and everyone at least had the balls to tell him you wanted him sacked.

The irony of someone criticizing alleged cyber warrior behavior through cyber warrioring

 

[uptheus]

It's clear from this thread that opinions are split on whether KR should have been present or not.

Regardless of how it came about it can't be simply dismissed as wrong.

To believe that Karl wasn’t aware who these people were and just stumbled upon the meeting is laughable!

 

[uptheus]

From what has been said the club is going back to that identity this summer by bringing in young players who can be developed then sold as a profit. We also have to get back to playing the football we have become used to.
With regards to recruitment and academy manager, the 1st team manager should over see them to ensure they are inline with the 1st team.

It is the difference between having a manager or a head coach.

I think you need a mixture of youth and experience players, I mean, imagine a team full of Joseph’s

 

[uptheus]

It was made clear today Karl’s a head coach, not a manager. Which I think we can both agree on, isn’t the case.

Let’s just hope they get a proper structure in place for when they make the change whenever that may be.

It’s not healthy for a football club to delay or bottle making the needed change due to worries of what’s left behind.

Let’s just say Mousinho leaving couldn’t have come at a worse time. Can’t say much more.

Do you still want Karl as manager/head coach (whatever). And will you still be calling for his head if we lose against Rovers whilst letting Tim know your feelings?

 

[chuckbert]

The principle is the same.

I really don't think it is. To not complain about a bullying boss in front of him/her is pragmatic and related to job security. But there is no skin off your nose to complain about a football manager, other than getting over the social awkwardness. That is still a barrier, but it is nothing like the barrier to complaining about a boss.

You also mentioned in reply to me that we are not customers but fans. In that case there is really no barrier to complaining in front of him. (BTW, I said customer, because a lot of people who wrote to TW also commented that they would not buy a season ticket next season. That is customer power not fan power).

 

[Mad Dog]

I really don't think it is. To not complain about a bullying boss in front of him/her is pragmatic and related to job security. But there is no skin off your nose to complain about a football manager, other than getting over the social awkwardness. That is still a barrier, but it is nothing like the barrier to complaining about a boss.

You also mentioned in reply to me that we are not customers but fans. In that case there is really no barrier to complaining in front of him. (BTW, I said customer, because a lot of people who wrote to TW also commented that they would not buy a season ticket next season. That is customer power not fan power).