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Ex-Staff Gary Rowett

Player Photo

1.Gary Rowett

Position: Head Coach
Nationality: England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Departed: 23rd December 2025 | Departed Posts: 1st Post
Previous Clubs: Birmingham City (Interim), Millwall, Stoke City, Derby County, Birmingham City, Burton Albion
Instagram: garyrowett1
 
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Mad Dog said:
I have decided to allow him the next two games, if I can see a genuine upturn in positivity, and a front foot approach to games, the same approach that has seen us take points from all the top teams in this league, then I will allow him the January window, and I will expect the club to then fully back him to strengthen the team where it's most needed.

But if it's more of the same old negative, cowardly anti football shite, then heads will roll!

I have spoken.
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Wouldnt surprise me at all if we beat Preston, playing well but then go back to our usual non performance away from home the next game.
 
Scotchegg said:
I haven't posted for a while, and focusing on life has been wonderfully liberating!

But all good things come to an end and I thought I'd dip my toe into the mildly bonkers Rowett thread rather than the positively insane political ones.

I'm very lucky to have seen my club rise to the very top in the 80's before the depressing fall to the brink of oblivion. Climbing back to the Championship has been built on steady progression with a few slight dips just to prove that Oxford never take the easy route.

Even during a time when going to games has become less frequent, the idea of not having this club in my life seems impossible to contemplate and I'll support them no matter who is in charge or what league we are in.

But I can't help thinking that we're selling the club short by accepting our lot at the moment. I don't like the idea of accepting that survival is enough. Or that a credible defeat is ok if we don't get spanked. As much as I loved Des, I think he would have taken us down last season and a change was needed. Rowett, and his first half dozen games, were enough to get us safe and a burst at the end of the season kept us up against the odds. And he rightly got credit for that.

Many pointed out that his record with us was playoff level, and its not unreasonable that we should look forward to much of the same this season as we aim for a little stability outside the bottom 5/6. Yet we're only one point better off than we were after the 20 games under Des last year. And some of the football, especially away from home, has been pretty average at times.

I'm not desperate to get rid of Rowett. But equally, I'd struggle to put together a truly convincing argument for him staying. For every Ipswich there is a Stoke. For your Bristol Cities, we've also had the Wrexhams and others where we've not turned up.

There have been a number of questionable line ups, premeditated substitutions and little to inspire. Norwich got a point from SLong busting a gut to get in the box in the last minute to make the goal. Ipswich was a stunning pass from BdK and a brilliant first touch and finish from Placheta. Neither appeared "coached" or part of a wider game plan. Of course, it would be churlish to give all the credit to the players when we win and the blame to the manager when we lose. But its more about the way that we set up without consistency that worries me rather than individual moments of greatness or errors.

As I think @Stranger said, this shouldn't be Rowett In or Out, but what is best for Oxford United. There is an argument on both sides that should be given equal value and respect because we're pretty much in the toss of a coin territory and the balance is likely to tip one way or the other on a match by match basis.

Anyway, Merry Christmas, Up the U's and thanks to everyone who has reached out to me recently. That has meant far more than any result on the pitch lately.
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Legend.
 
Steve Gilbert said:
I think one thing that we have to remember is that whether you want Rowett sacked now or are on the side of still giving him a chance to keep us up, we all want the same thing…Oxford United to stay up this season and for the club to progress off the pitch with the stadium.

Is Rowett the perfect manager? No because if he was he would be managing a top championship side or be in the premier league. He made a mistake the other night by leaving Harris on and taking Lankshear off IMO. I also thought he made a mistake by starting Leigh rather than Currie.
I do however believe we have a great chance of staying up under him. The style of football isn’t great but we knew it wouldn’t be as soon as he was appointed. He is known for being a pragmatic manager. I will add though that while Millwall fans slag him off, without him then they could very well have dropped into League 1 and he made them into a solid Championship club before moving on.
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Well said. And as for @Mad Dog and his contributions, his posts have made me think and try and work out my own position on things. Surely that’s what you want from a forum.

For what it’s worth I actually think posters are very reasonable and welcoming here.
 
90syeIlow said:
Some good points here that I largely agree with.

It just feels like in a multitude of ways that we've gone backwards with Rowett this season and that's my prime worry, but maybe we would have kicked on with a proper pre-season that he were to setup and to bring in more physical players that suit his style of play.
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And that’s it. For me, I’m not as clear in my opinion as @Mad Dog (and his opinion is totally fair enough). I find it a genuine struggle to work out what is best.
 
Mad Dog said:
That's hilarious!! :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

That's just me trying to inject a bit of humour into the debates!

I must say though, I genuinely burst out laughing aloud when I read that, just gotta figure out how to explain my outburst to Mrs MD now...

:unsure: I am struggling to think of what to get her for Christmas though, so....
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Check the sizes carefully, I ordered an XXL and when I tried it on it barely seemed like an L.
 
I jumped off the fence to Rowett Out after that. Too many inexplicable elements to managerial aspects of PNE game to mention.
 
It’s a strange situation for me, Rowett is not out of his depth, incompetent, having a breakdown or whatever, but neither is he engaging or getting the best out of this team. So while there is no vociferous outbursts against him I don’t think him leaving would be greeted with much more than shrugs and asking whose next.

It does feel that under him we will go down but not in an embarrassing fashion, will get a total points haul that looks like we were close to competing.

So, for me, it’s time to give a new man a chance and see what they can do with these players, if we are going down under Rowett it’s not much of a gamble.
 
holdsteady said:
It’s a strange situation for me, Rowett is not out of his depth, incompetent, having a breakdown or whatever, but neither is he engaging or getting the best out of this team. So while there is no vociferous outbursts against him I don’t think him leaving would be greeted with much more than shrugs and asking whose next.

It does feel that under him we will go down but not in an embarrassing fashion, will get a total points haul that looks like we were close to competing.

So, for me, it’s time to give a new man a chance and see what they can do with these players, if we are going down under Rowett it’s not much of a gamble.
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I'm with you.

We might be only losing games by only a goal. But we are losing. Consistently.
We need a new energy in the camp and a hell of a January window. But really this season is looking absolutely perilous now.
 
I respect the fact he tried something new today, but I feel he has to go. You could give him the transfer window, but which players are going to join an uninspired Rowett team?

We survived last season with a worse squad and we can survive this one. Brannagan returning will be a massive part in that.
 
Defeatist as it may sound, because it is, I’m starting to think ahead to League 1 next season. The question I’m asking myself, if that were to happen, would I want Rowett as the manager to bring us back up. Can’t see it myself.
 
90syeIlow said:
I respect the fact he tried something new today, but I feel he has to go. You could give him the transfer window, but which players are going to join an uninspired Rowett team?

We survived last season with a worse squad and we can survive this one. Brannagan returning will be a massive part in that.
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We’ve been useless with Brannagan in the team, remember Wrexham? We need him and a couple of new signings but I’m not sure it will be enough. That was a winnable game today, having seen Preston, but we handicapped ourselves with a lineup that offered no attacking threat and wasn’t more solid either.
 
werthersoriginal said:
We’ve been useless with Brannagan in the team, remember Wrexham? We need him and a couple of new signings but I’m not sure it will be enough. That was a winnable game today, having seen Preston, but we handicapped ourselves with a lineup that offered no attacking threat and wasn’t more solid either.
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Every single player against Wrexham was diabolical. Brannagan does have a few poor games a season, but his class and ability to help us grind out a result is second to none.
 
Londox said:
I'm with you.

We might be only losing games by only a goal. But we are losing. Consistently.
We need a new energy in the camp and a hell of a January window. But really this season is looking absolutely perilous now.
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So name this new man given its so easy
 
Doesn’t keep a stable side, brings players in from the wilderness without really giving them any game time and expects them to produce!

Not played Prelec for weeks when he was probably our best forward at times today!

Desperate times!
 
My issue is that we don't appear to have a clear and coached approach under Rowett this season. When he arrived it was very much about being solid at the back and through the middle of the pitch, and Placheta/Goodrham/Dembele to attack with pace. It wasn't perfect, but it was everything we needed to stop the rot when he arrived and to get us over the line at the end.

This season has been all over the place starting with a really inept and naive start against Portsmouth, Hull and Birmingham. We then seemed to remember how to succeed at this level against Cov, Leicester and Bristol City. But since then its been a complete gamble.

Team selection is like managing a kids team in a preseason competition where everyone is promised an hour to keep them happy, and the Oxford twitter guy can probably write the sub tweets in advance and sit back with a Bovril knowing who will changing in the 61st minute. We change systems but these rarely impact the games. And even within games we constantly hit the near corner of the 6 yard box with long throws whilst Helik, Brown and Leigh stand watching in the middle of the box. And should the ball ever come back to Vaulks, he routinely bends the ball to the back post with Helik, Brown and Leigh stood watching in the middle of the box.

I don't know what's more depressing. All of this, or the fact that many fans seem to accept that this is our lot.

I've supported Oxford long enough to know that we have no God given right to win every game. I'm also realistic to know that its tough at this level and its hard to compete against the spending power of some.

But I do expect to see us battle for everything and if we go down, we do it fighting. Under Rowett, I'm just not seeing that this season and I reluctantly think that a change is needed.
 
Scotchegg said:
My issue is that we don't appear to have a clear and coached approach under Rowett this season. When he arrived it was very much about being solid at the back and through the middle of the pitch, and Placheta/Goodrham/Dembele to attack with pace. It wasn't perfect, but it was everything we needed to stop the rot when he arrived and to get us over the line at the end.

This season has been all over the place starting with a really inept and naive start against Portsmouth, Hull and Birmingham. We then seemed to remember how to succeed at this level against Cov, Leicester and Bristol City. But since then its been a complete gamble.

Team selection is like managing a kids team in a preseason competition where everyone is promised an hour to keep them happy, and the Oxford twitter guy can probably write the sub tweets in advance and sit back with a Bovril knowing who will changing in the 61st minute. We change systems but these rarely impact the games. And even within games we constantly hit the near corner of the 6 yard box with long throws whilst Helik, Brown and Leigh stand watching in the middle of the box. And should the ball ever come back to Vaulks, he routinely bends the ball to the back post with Helik, Brown and Leigh stood watching in the middle of the box.

I don't know what's more depressing. All of this, or the fact that many fans seem to accept that this is our lot.

I've supported Oxford long enough to know that we have no God given right to win every game. I'm also realistic to know that its tough at this level and its hard to compete against the spending power of some.

But I do expect to see us battle for everything and if we go down, we do it fighting. Under Rowett, I'm just not seeing that this season and I reluctantly think that a change is needed.
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Respect that view but (a) who replaces him and (b) what do we do about the rot above him
 
OX14 said:
Probably not but Ed and Gary shouldn't be anywhere near the january window.
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I like your posts, but I don't feel Ed has done a bad job this season as some make out.

BDK, Spencer, Lankshear and Prelec are all solid signings for a team of our level. The bigger issue was not letting some of the deadwood leave to free up squad space for some more depth, especially in midfield.
 
ubermeistervonmeat said:
So name this new man given its so easy
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This again. It's not down to the fans to have someone else lined up. I've been banging on about this whenever it's mentioned but the last two seasons a team in our division and situation has sacked a manager and appointed someone hardly anyone will have heard of, Rohl at Wednesday and Muslic at Plymouth. Rohl kept Wednesday up and Muslic gave Plymouth a chance when they looked doomed.

It's just lazy to dismiss an opinion if they can't name the replacement, especially if any name mentioned is likely to be mocked anyway. From the comments on here tonight it looks like we're back to being a squad of League 1 players again after watching BDK put in another performance that would get him into any midfield we've come up against this season and the manager choosing to bring on Harris and Bradshaw at the same time while another international in Krastev sits on the bench. Rowett isn't magic, it's entirely possible for someone to get a point per game out of this squad.

Today's performance was far better than the last few but things have gone against us where we've had the rub of the green against the likes of Norwich, Blackburn and Ipswich recently and come away with something. If we were to play like today the rest of the season we'd stay up, the players aren't world beaters but they're good enough.

I'm still Rowett out and said ages ago I don't think he'd be bothered if he gets sacked and a nice payoff. Just give him what he wants, thank him for last season and move on. Obviously at some point it would be nice if we dealt with Williams etc but until that point we can be doing better with what we have.
 
90syeIlow said:
I like your posts, but I don't feel Ed has done a bad job this season as some make out.

BDK, Spencer, Lankshear and Prelec are all solid signings for a team of our level. The bigger issue was not letting some of the deadwood leave to free up squad space for some more depth, especially in midfield.
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While I do agree BDK, Spencer etc are decent signings we are told time and time again that GR had no input in the transfer windows by members on here. If that is the case then Ed can be blamed for signing Tom Bradshaw.

Maybe Ed will work better with a manager/coach who knows exactly which way he intends on playing.
 
Joey said:
This again. It's not down to the fans to have someone else lined up. I've been banging on about this whenever it's mentioned but the last two seasons a team in our division and situation has sacked a manager and appointed someone hardly anyone will have heard of, Rohl at Wednesday and Muslic at Plymouth. Rohl kept Wednesday up and Muslic gave Plymouth a chance when they looked doomed.

It's just lazy to dismiss an opinion if they can't name the replacement, especially if any name mentioned is likely to be mocked anyway. From the comments on here tonight it looks like we're back to being a squad of League 1 players again after watching BDK put in another performance that would get him into any midfield we've come up against this season and the manager choosing to bring on Harris and Bradshaw at the same time while another international in Krastev sits on the bench. Rowett isn't magic, it's entirely possible for someone to get a point per game out of this squad.

Today's performance was far better than the last few but things have gone against us where we've had the rub of the green against the likes of Norwich, Blackburn and Ipswich recently and come away with something. If we were to play like today the rest of the season we'd stay up, the players aren't world beaters but they're good enough.

I'm still Rowett out and said ages ago I don't think he'd be bothered if he gets sacked and a nice payoff. Just give him what he wants, thank him for last season and move on. Obviously at some point it would be nice if we dealt with Williams etc but until that point we can be doing better with what we have.
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Definitely agree with you that he eouldn't be bothered to go - suspect he would be relieved at this point
 
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