Ex-Staff Gary Rowett

[Carpy]

1.Gary Rowett

Position: Head Coach

Nationality: England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Signed: 20th December 2024

Departed: 23rd December 2025 | Departed Posts: 1st Post

Previous Clubs: Birmingham City (Interim), Millwall, Stoke City, Derby County, Birmingham City, Burton Albion

Stats: TransferMarkt

Instagram: garyrowett1

 

[m]

So name this new man given its so easy

At the risk of repeating a point already made by others: this isn't helpful.

We may all see the causes of under-performance differently, and I certainly don't see Rowatt as our weakest link, but the 'name the new man' argument is weak.

 

[trainingcone]

For what it's worth in my opinion. We are not good enough to stay up in the championship this season. Getting rid of Rowett is not the answer. Basically we have suffered too many injuries, the Indonesia trip in the summer not helping, not sorting out our stricker situation, mark Harris should have gone in the summer, not good enough for the championship. We lack quality for this league in virtually all positions apart from Cummings, brown, branners and maybe lankshear and keersmaecker. Let's see what happens in the January transfer window. There us still time to pull this around. Big game against Charlton next Saturday to get some points.

 

[Joey]

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.

It's always Ed who gets mentioned regarding recruitment but Mitchell is in charge there. Appointed in November last year and in December we made five signings; Romeny, Helik, Mills, Matos and Bradshaw. If you say Romeny was the board and Bradshaw the manager then that's three out of three successes.

In the summer we got a player who could cut it towards the top of this division in BDK and a young player ready to contribute now for around £4m each. Then suddenly it's ripped from under him and we have to pivot to completely different waters and struggled a little but his record when he had support here is excellent and it was top drawer at Wycombe too. Absolutely the least of our problems.

 

[m]

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.

The squad-buidling has been terrible.

When we play 2, or even 3, central midfielders, and we have 3 in our squad, that's little short of unforgivable. Of course, we absolutely shouldn't be able to pin the blame for that on one person.

 

[carefreeoufc]

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.

Ed is completely out of his depth. His rise in this club, along with our rise to the Championship is nuts.

We have a football director who, up until a few seasons ago, was not much more than a scout.

 

[BTCW]

Here’s an answer to the question everybody keeps asking:

“If you’re Rowett Out, who do you replace him with”

Answer below:

The same people who employed Manning, who employed Buckingham & who employed Rowett will do that. That’s their job. They’re 3/3 in terms of successful managerial appointments. No reason not to trust them to get the replacement right.

 

[RgYellows]

You really think Williams & Ferguson are going anywhere - we have owners who lack the gonads for that

Sorry are you seriously suggesting the same people ruthless enough to become billionaires are scared of Tim f*****g Williams

 

[Osei Yaw]

And Ed Waldron !

I see no issue with Waldron myself, or Scott Mitchell. I think they could do a good job but they've been hamstrung by the incompetence of Williams and Ferguson. I think the CEO and Chairman combination has also stitched up Rowett (as well as Buckingham) and are a much bigger issue.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

Lose at Charlton and I think he will be gone.

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

Sorry are you seriously suggesting the same people ruthless enough to become billionaires are scared of Tim f*****g Williams

Not scared no maybe have more pressing matters than our club

Otherwise why is he still in place when it appears the virtually unanimous view is he shouldn't be

 

[uptheus]

BDK is too slow on the ball, so takes any momentum out of the game!

 

[Under The Cuckoo Lane]

For what it's worth in my opinion. We are not good enough to stay up in the championship this season. Getting rid of Rowett is not the answer. Basically we have suffered too many injuries, the Indonesia trip in the summer not helping, not sorting out our stricker situation, mark Harris should have gone in the summer, not good enough for the championship. We lack quality for this league in virtually all positions apart from Cummings, brown, branners and maybe lankshear and keersmaecker. Let's see what happens in the January transfer window. There us still time to pull this around. Big game against Charlton next Saturday to get some points.

Delete Cummings from that list!

 

[RgYellows]

Not scared no maybe have more pressing matters than our club

Otherwise why is he still in place when it appears the virtually unanimous view is he shouldn't be

I think there is a little bit of truth in their hands off nature being a factor, but honestly I think the best explanation is that awful note Williams sent out last Christmas. The one that was clearly meant for his boss, which for some reason he decided to send to us as well.

Williams tells his boss he delivered a promotion, a successful planning application, sell out crowds and record match day activations. They think he’s doing a great job on all the points they care about.

I worry that he’s failing to maximise the opportunity that their massive wealth and investment offers our club, but he can point to progress through his tenure.

 

[ECYellow]

I found the extension for Mark Harris baffling

Moronic!

 

[OtteryYellow]

I found the extension for Mark Harris baffling

Wasn't that just to try and get some value for him in a sale

 

[carefreeoufc]

Wasn't that just to try and get some value for him in a sale

I put it down to us preparing for L1

 

[tomoufc]

Here’s an answer to the question everybody keeps asking:

“If you’re Rowett Out, who do you replace him with”

Answer below:

The same people who employed Manning, who employed Buckingham & who employed Rowett will do that. That’s their job. They’re 3/3 in terms of successful managerial appointments. No reason not to trust them to get the replacement right.

But any reason not to trust them when to sack?

 

[uptheus]

For what it's worth in my opinion. We are not good enough to stay up in the championship this season. Getting rid of Rowett is not the answer. Basically we have suffered too many injuries, the Indonesia trip in the summer not helping, not sorting out our stricker situation, mark Harris should have gone in the summer, not good enough for the championship. We lack quality for this league in virtually all positions apart from Cummings, brown, branners and maybe lankshear and keersmaecker. Let's see what happens in the January transfer window. There us still time to pull this around. Big game against Charlton next Saturday to get some points.

I hate these types of posts!

We’ve proved ourselves at times that we can be good enough. In fact, I think Rowett has made too many errors over the last couple of months e.g. in terms of starting team selections, using the squad efficiently, timings of substitutions and mindset/mentality etc. Even the way he speaks post match indicates he’s been pissed off with various things e.g. summer pre-season, player acquisitions which ultimately filters down through the the team/players

Lastly, we all knew this league would be hard based upon other club’s budgets, time in this league etc, but I’d rather we’re in it than not, but just wish we’d give it a go more e.g. it took us to be 2-0 down before we actually started taking the game to them.

I’d hate for it to be another 25 years before we’re back in the Championship, hence give it a bloody go!

 

[OtteryYellow]

Ed is completely out of his depth. His rise in this club, along with our rise to the Championship is nuts.

We have a football director who, up until a few seasons ago, was not much more than a scout.

Are you saying that some people don't rise rapidly in other businesses? Plenty have in places I have worked. Do you personally know him and the rest of the recruitment team?

 

[Joey]

BDK is too slow on the ball, so takes any momentum out of the game!

I've said a few times the recruitment team are the least of our problems but if we're extending it to players too then it's absolutely BDK. Complete class act who's working with the ball going over his head most the time and very little movement when he does have it at feet. Best player at the club who would excel at a lot of teams in this league better than us.

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

I

I think there is a little bit of truth in their hands off nature being a factor, but honestly I think the best explanation is that awful note Williams sent out last Christmas. The one that was clearly meant for his boss, which for some reason he decided to send to us as well.

Williams tells his boss he delivered a promotion, a successful planning application, sell out crowds and record match day activations. They think he’s doing a great job on all the points they care about.

I worry that he’s failing to maximise the opportunity that their massive wealth and investment offers our club, but he can point to progress through his tenure.

Think you may well be right on all of this but it bodes ill for our club

 

[Scotchegg]

Respect that view but (a) who replaces him and (b) what do we do about the rot above him

With respect, neither are for me to answer. Looking on the search function on here, Gary Rowett was barely mentioned prior to being appointed other than alongside the usual speculative posts with Eustace and Mous that appeared every 6 months.

I don't care for football generally if I'm honest. I don't know much about established managers at this level let alone those who are up and coming or those going under the radar. So I'm the least qualified of posters to put names in the pot (although Kip probably runs me close!!)

As for those above, that's a much bigger issue. I said in the summer that Waldron was not immune from criticism, and at this level you either need to out spend others or out smart them to get ahead. We won't out spend many so we need to be smarter, and thats hard with someone so inexperienced in his role and at this level. But equally, most of our summer signings have looked decent at times, and a change of manager or a decent run of games could yet show that the recruitment was much better than some are saying.

As for Williams and Ferguson, both are Ericks men, and I can't see either going anywhere. As frustrating as that may be, I'm not sure that its a battle any of us will win.

 

[holdsteady]

Respect that view but (a) who replaces him and (b) what do we do about the rot above him

The question of who replaces is important but

- not a reason to keep Rowett

- not something posters on here can be expected to know, we are laymen, it’s the people who get paid who have that choice to make.

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

With respect, neither are for me to answer. Looking on the search function on here, Gary Rowett was barely mentioned prior to being appointed other than alongside the usual speculative posts with Eustace and Mous that appeared every 6 months.

I don't care for football generally if I'm honest. I don't know much about established managers at this level let alone those who are up and coming or those going under the radar. So I'm the least qualified of posters to put names in the pot (although Kip probably runs me close!!)

As for those above, that's a much bigger issue. I said in the summer that Waldron was not immune from criticism, and at this level you either need to out spend others or out smart them to get ahead. We won't out spend many so we need to be smarter, and thats hard with someone so inexperienced in his role and at this level. But equally, most of our summer signings have looked decent at times, and a change of manager or a decent run of games could yet show that the recruitment was much better than some are saying.

As for Williams and Ferguson, both are Ericks men, and I can't see either going anywhere. As frustrating as that may be, I'm not sure that its a battle any of us will win.

Fair points - and sad but probably true

 

[Paul Cannell]

I just voted to give him to the end of the season.

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 agree with this. It's really perplexing that we have lost the ability to defend professionally, especially as Currie & Spencer are much better than last season's wide defenders. It's stunning that we change players at such a rate that there's no way to build partnerships or understanding between the players, and don't react promptly to clear problems during games.

Why not get rid now?

1. I believe the problem is that we don't have a functioning midfield, which isn't Rowett's fault and is the reason (along with trying to neutralise opposition advantages) that he's chopping and changing so much. We have BDK (who's quality) and Vaulkes (who's just about there on a good day). No Brannagan. We'll always be overrun.

2. I don't think this is his squad. The transfer window was wrecked by Tim the acting CEO's budget fuck-up - who knows if Waldron was going to pull a midfield out of the hat? I don't believe he was. BTW - how much of the transfer budget went on being generous to Elliot Moore?

3. The objective is to survive. I think that Rowett, if given significant input into January's business, is our best hope.

What will actually happen is that the management will use their decades of experience to dick around until the January window has finished then sack Rowett, I fear. Worst of all worlds.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Respect that view but (a) who replaces him and (b) what do we do about the rot above him

For the millionth time, it’s not the fans job to identify a new manager. And stuff about the ‘rot’ is largely speculation- I don’t think Tim Williams was the one who selected a team of five defenders and three centre forwards.

 

[carefreeoufc]

Are you saying that some people don't rise rapidly in other businesses? Plenty have in places I have worked. Do you personally know him and the rest of the recruitment team?

He’s gone from a member of staff to COO basically in the space of a handful of years. With the added element of going from L1 to the Championship.

Completely get what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s unfair to suggest the shoes may be a bit too big.

 

[Chippy]

It’s not just Rowett, it’s the backroom team and the transfer/recruitment team too. We need a fresh approach, better players, new ideas, and a complete uplift. We’ve not been very good for quite a while, you could argue punching above our weight, but even last season and especially this I don’t think we’ve given the Championship a proper go.

The mentality from top to bottom, across all spectrums including marketing, communication, fan involvement etc… just hasn’t felt right since we got promoted. Something is missing and we’ve been missing trick after trick. That could be to do with the new stadium taking priority and money above everything else, but I just haven’t really had the feel good vibes that promotion in 2024 should have given us.

As far as GR is concerned I do think it’s now time for a change but only if a significant number of other personnel changes are also made. Exactly who goes and who comes in I have no idea, other than a few obvious changes I’d like to see, but we need fresh impetuous as there seems to be little feel good factor anywhere within the club right now.

 

[oxfordfan1]

Far too many passengers im afraid, same ol faces show up week in week out. Leigh can't kick a ball with his right foot so 99percent of the time turns back and plays a pass backwards. The strikers we own can't hit a barn door, vaulks long throws are becoming a exercise in how to give posession to the opposing team and getting caught on the counter. Lankshear, brannagan, kevin, currie, Mills, Spencer and Long for me are our only consistent performers. I think huge mistakes have been made ie releasing moore when we had pretty much no cover. Budget is being swallowed up by player wages who once again cannot get on the pitch and when they finally do there garbage. Phillips, Romeny, placheta, sibley. Manager needs to go far to passive no urgency at all in out build up play. If rowett wasn't keen on goodhram should have sold him last summer when we had these reported multi million pound offers on the table. Fed up as you can tell!!!! Pains me to watch the downfall of a team which had potential to establish ourselves as a championship club after many many years of crap and had a decent crack last season. Results against teams around us have cost us I believe we will be a league 1 club next season once again.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Today has tipped me over into the 'Rowett out' camp. The overly defensive formation with no real speed or width? At home? Replacing one left back with another? Bringing Marris and Bradshaw on, while taking off Prelec and Lankshear? Making another sub in the 90th minute? Terrible, terrible, terrible.

The team played OK for parts of the second half, but that was too little, too late. The setup and subs hamstrung them.

There would obviously be the 'who' question if he left (and a couple of very very dodgy names were mentioned to me today!), but blimey this is tough to take. And before anyone says it, no I am not expecting miracles, and no, it is not because we have lost one game. Playing like this we are going down with a whimper.