I wanted KR to succeed more than any other manager we have had, due to 2 things. He turned MK into a brilliant club from top to bottom......they were a similar model to Southampton, Brighton, Swansea, Bournemouth, etc and that is generally a recipe for getting a club up the leagues and as these examples show it can take you all the way.
The other thing being the passion and honour he has shown for OUFC. We have had too many managers who have paid little attention to our history, Appleton and Wilder included. KR wants to be here for a long time and achieve with us.......almost like a fan. I felt that Appleton did not give us the time that he should have first time around and jumped too soon. Another season with us and he would have got a top top job.
I like what KR has done with youth and generally...........strikers the exception, has built a very good squad. Can't remember many managers hauling the youth through in the same way (apart from when we had no choice).
Unfortunately, we are deep in it and Karl's decision with the strikers he has signed (and let go), is probably one of the biggest mistakes. I made a comment 6 months ago on whether Mackie was a step up from Wes Thomas........and I still question this. Bigger is probably the fact that we had a goalscorer that was never given a chance in Hemmings. He would have scored 2.5 to 3 times more than the strikers we have had. Yes he is lazy, but he is a goalscorer. Then there is the Nicky Maynard thing. He has taken risks with Smith and Sinclair so why not a proven scorer like Maynard? I was baffled at the time by that and even more so now. Wingers, I have to say are brilliant buys on paper and generally have been decent apart from goals and injuries.
I don't like calling for someone to lose his job, especially a decent guy, but we have to turn this around and......if there is absolutely any chance that we could bring back Appleton, then should we really pass up the opportunity? Who knows if or when a chance will come up again. He wants ambition and I believe that Tiger is ambitious. There has been huge investment with the club behind the scenes, even if that is not so prevalent on the pitch.
Sorry Karl, but I have believed up to this point....now my faith has now gone.
The other thing being the passion and honour he has shown for OUFC. We have had too many managers who have paid little attention to our history, Appleton and Wilder included. KR wants to be here for a long time and achieve with us.......almost like a fan. I felt that Appleton did not give us the time that he should have first time around and jumped too soon. Another season with us and he would have got a top top job.
I like what KR has done with youth and generally...........strikers the exception, has built a very good squad. Can't remember many managers hauling the youth through in the same way (apart from when we had no choice).
Unfortunately, we are deep in it and Karl's decision with the strikers he has signed (and let go), is probably one of the biggest mistakes. I made a comment 6 months ago on whether Mackie was a step up from Wes Thomas........and I still question this. Bigger is probably the fact that we had a goalscorer that was never given a chance in Hemmings. He would have scored 2.5 to 3 times more than the strikers we have had. Yes he is lazy, but he is a goalscorer. Then there is the Nicky Maynard thing. He has taken risks with Smith and Sinclair so why not a proven scorer like Maynard? I was baffled at the time by that and even more so now. Wingers, I have to say are brilliant buys on paper and generally have been decent apart from goals and injuries.
I don't like calling for someone to lose his job, especially a decent guy, but we have to turn this around and......if there is absolutely any chance that we could bring back Appleton, then should we really pass up the opportunity? Who knows if or when a chance will come up again. He wants ambition and I believe that Tiger is ambitious. There has been huge investment with the club behind the scenes, even if that is not so prevalent on the pitch.
Sorry Karl, but I have believed up to this point....now my faith has now gone.