Club Leadership New Manager Profile

[West Oxon U’s]

I would prefer Alan Sheehan over Matt Bloomfield.


Sheehan’s press conference after being appointed Head Coach of Swansea City.

 

[tatabanya]

I would prefer Alan Sheehan over Matt Bloomfield.

Does it not worry you that Alan Sheehan’s Swansea were worse than Gary Rowett’s Oxford this season, with far better players?

 

[West Oxon U’s]

Talk to me about Luton’s relegation under Bloomfield last season after he was appointed in January?

 

[tatabanya]

Talk to me about Luton’s relegation under Bloomfield last season after he was appointed in January?

They had the third most points in the league from March onwards, which was supported by a huge improvement in their performance data. Unlike the Swansea run under Sheehan.

I don’t think Bloomfield is an outstanding candidate by any means, but he’s far more qualified than Sheehan from what I can see.

 

[Leysboy]

I don’t think Bloomfield or Sheehan get the gig.

 

[West Oxon U’s]

They had the third most points in the league from March onwards, which was supported by a huge improvement in their performance data. Unlike the Swansea run under Sheehan.

I don’t think Bloomfield is an outstanding candidate by any means, but he’s far more qualified than Sheehan from what I can see.

Luton were ELEVENTH in L1 when Bloomfield was sacked on October 6th!

 

[dickwalton1964]

They had the third most points in the league from March onwards, which was supported by a huge improvement in their performance data. Unlike the Swansea run under Sheehan.

I don’t think Bloomfield is an outstanding candidate by any means, but he’s far more qualified than Sheehan from what I can see.

I suppose the obvious difference is Sheehan kept Swansea up and Bloomfield took Luton down. Fine margins though. After that win at home to Coventry in the penultimate game Luton were an away win at WBA from staying up. Let’s imagine they win that final, solitary game of football, stay up and we now go and poach Bloomfield from Luton, a fellow Championship club - our fan base would be heralding it as a fantastic appointment, we’d be ecstatic. One game, just one game and the whole perception of a manager changes - perhaps the board are looking a bit deeper than that one game.

 

[RgYellows]

I suppose the obvious difference is Sheehan kept Swansea up and Bloomfield took Luton down. Fine margins though. After that win at home to Coventry in the penultimate game Luton were an away win at WBA from staying up. Let’s imagine they win that final, solitary game of football, stay up and we now go and poach Bloomfield from Luton, a fellow Championship club - our fan base would be heralding it as a fantastic appointment, we’d be ecstatic. One game, just one game and the whole perception of a manager changes - perhaps the board are looking a bit deeper than that one game.

The one game difference between Karl and Des was pretty f*****g important though.

 

[tatabanya]

Luton were ELEVENTH in L1 when Bloomfield was sacked on October 6th!

And where were Swansea when Sheehan was sacked? And where were Bloomfield’s Wycombe when he was poached by Luton?

 

[Jster]

Luton were ELEVENTH in L1 when Bloomfield was sacked on October 6th!

There are many ways of phrasing this. That early in the season, positional details don't mean an awful lot. You could also say 3 points off the playoffs, also true, which sounds a lot better.

I am a little underwhelmed by the idea too, but even so.

 

[Oxy]

Apologies if this has been mentioned, I know the candidates (the main 3) have been interviewed and one is standing out.

We know they’re younger, but have they all had experience in the champ or only managed in England? Like could it be someone like Lars Friis? Or has that been ruled out?

 

[dickwalton1964]

The one game difference between Karl and Des was pretty f*****g important though.

4 or 5 years apart not a week apart, nothing like the same circumstances.

 

[Morris Oxford]

Although we will undoubtedly be told that the new manager was the standout candidate it feels very much to me that there isn’t a standout one this time round. The ‘list’ looks ‘thin’ and a bit underwhelming, of course there’s always an element of luck as to who is available at any given time, but sometimes you make your own luck by taking control of the situation when you might end up managerless.

Take the 3 previous managerial appointments made by the current board.

After the previous 18 months of chaos under Robinson, Manning with his structured, clear, concise approach would have interviewed really well and was clearly what was needed. A breath of fresh air. Those doing the interviews were probably quite relieved and surprised he turned up.

Des was slightly different, a bit more of a gamble but whoever it was inherited a team second in the table, he came from the same City Group background? and of course the Oxford connection, so in the end not a particularly difficult decision to make.

When it was known Rowett was interested and available, then he with his Championship experience was a no brainer, an easy decision to make.

To my mind from what we know about who is interested and available within budget, this decision feels more of a gamble and not as clear cut as the previous 3 appointments.

This is the appointment where the board need to earn their corn.

 

[RgYellows]

4 or 5 years apart not a week apart, nothing like the same circumstances.

That misses the point entirely.

Football clubs turn on one game. A generation of Oxford supporters are getting their first taste of Championship football because of one game. It is widely accepted on here that the existence of our club hinged on one game 15 years ago.

If Karl had won his biggest game then his legacy at OUFC would involve tenth anniversary celebration dinners instead of a record for longest time spent not doing your job without getting sacked.

Being able to win that one game is a really important part of being a football manager. Being able to walk into a changing room and convincing the players that you’re the guy who wins that game is also a pretty big advantage.

The fact that Bloomfield’s biggest game was a relegation decider in 2025 and Karl’s was a play off final in 2020 has absolutely no bearing on that point.

I’ll back Bloomfield if he is appointed, but your level of complacency in saying he almost didn’t get Luton relegated until he did is something that would make Williams and Ferguson blush.

 

[dickwalton1964]

That misses the point entirely.

Football clubs turn on one game. A generation of Oxford supporters are getting their first taste of Championship football because of one game. It is widely accepted on here that the existence of our club hinged on one game 15 years ago.

If Karl had won his biggest game then his legacy at OUFC would involve tenth anniversary celebration dinners instead of a record for longest time spent not doing your job without getting sacked.

Being able to win that one game is a really important part of being a football manager. Being able to walk into a changing room and convincing the players that you’re the guy who wins that game is also a pretty big advantage.

The fact that Bloomfield’s biggest game was a relegation decider in 2025 and Karl’s was a play off final in 2020 has absolutely no bearing on that point.

I’ll back Bloomfield if he is appointed, but your level of complacency in saying he almost didn’t get Luton relegated until he did is something that would make Williams and Ferguson blush.

But that one game didn’t make KR a bad manager, in some ways it enhanced him and he got us close again. What affect the pandemic had we will never know but Robinson was an emotional manager who fed off the support - I doubt I’m alone in thinking with 35,000 Oxford fans inside Wembley we beat Wycombe.

My point is though that one game is just that, one game. There’s a far bigger picture and the very same applies to Bloomfield. Robinson lost his ‘one game’ and arguably came back stronger, Des won his and got the sack.

 

[OX14]

Talk to me about Luton’s relegation under Bloomfield last season after he was appointed in January?

Talk to me about Luton last season before Bloomfield took the reigns. If I remember right the same Rob Edwards who had Middlesbrough flying this season in second before jumping ship to Wolves was in charge.

Does that not tell you it may not all be on the manager as to why they were so s**t and continue to be this season. Even appointing Jack Wiltshere hasn't turned their fortunes around.

 

[RgYellows]

But that one game didn’t make KR a bad manager, in some ways it enhanced him and he got us close again. What affect the pandemic had we will never know but Robinson was an emotional manager who fed off the support - I doubt I’m alone in thinking with 35,000 Oxford fans inside Wembley we beat Wycombe.

My point is though that one game is just that, one game. There’s a far bigger picture and the very same applies to Bloomfield. Robinson lost his ‘one game’ and arguably came back stronger, Des won his and got the sack.

If by “came back stronger” you mean getting dismantled at an earlier stage of the play offs, getting sacked and managing in the league below then I couldn’t agree more.

But I don’t care about the manager, I care about the club - and the difference for us between the game Karl lost and the game Des won was pretty f*****g significant. As I said, complacent.

 

[dickwalton1964]

If by “came back stronger” you mean getting dismantled at an earlier stage of the play offs, getting sacked and managing in the league below then I couldn’t agree more.

But I don’t care about the manager, I care about the club - and the difference for us between the game Karl lost and the game Des won was pretty f*****g significant. As I said, complacent.

Upshot then - Bloomfield lost his big game, he’s f****** sh*t. Let’s hope it’s Sheehan then. God help us if it’s someone like Wagner who once got stuffed 4-0 by Leeds in a play off game while Norwich manager.

 

[OX14]

Upshot then - Bloomfield lost his big game, he’s f****** sh*t. Let’s hope it’s Sheehan then. God help us if it’s someone like Wagner who once got stuffed 4-0 by Leeds in a play off game while Norwich manager.

I just had a look back at Bloomfield's time in charge of Wycombe and no wonder their fans were distraught when he left for Luton.

1st full season in charge took them to Wembley in the vertu final where they lost to Posh.

2nd season reached the 3rd round of the league Cup where Aston villa beat them 2-1. They already had beat Swansea away to reach the 3rd round. Took them to the 4th round of the fa cup, his last game in charge of them was a 2-0 win against Pompey in the 3rd round. There was some outstanding league results too for little Wycombe. 5-0 win away at Stockport, 3-0 away win at Stevenage and 3-0 home win against Leyton Orient stand out.

They had the momentum and I reckon if he stayed at Wycombe they would have replaced Charlton in the championship this season.

 

[dickwalton1964]

I just had a look back at Bloomfield's time in charge of Wycombe and no wonder their fans were distraught when he left for Luton.

1st full season in charge took them to Wembley in the vertu final where they lost to Posh.

2nd season reached the 3rd round of the league Cup where Aston villa beat them 2-1. They already had beat Swansea away to reach the 3rd round. Took them to the 4th round of the fa cup, his last game in charge of them was a 2-0 win against Pompey in the 3rd round. There was some outstanding league results too for little Wycombe. 5-0 win away at Stockport, 3-0 away win at Stevenage and 3-0 home win against Leyton Orient stand out.

They had the momentum and I reckon if he stayed at Wycombe they would have replaced Charlton in the championship this season.

Far too sensible !

Look instead at a last day defeat away at a difficult venue (WBA), coupled with a very unlikely Hull away win at Portsmouth to relegate him.

 

[RgYellows]

Far too sensible !

Look instead at a last day defeat away at a difficult venue (WBA), coupled with a very unlikely Hull away win at Portsmouth to relegate him.

Or look at both and don’t ignore his relegation because it “only came down to one game” - as you say, “far too sensible”.

I never said he was sh*t, I just don’t see why almost not being relegated makes up for being relegated. You’re now making silly statements and pretending I said them so that you can keep on arguing, so I’m going to leave it there.

 

[NorthernExile]

Talk to me about Luton last season before Bloomfield took the reigns. If I remember right the same Rob Edwards who had Middlesbrough flying this season in second before jumping ship to Wolves was in charge.

Does that not tell you it may not all be on the manager as to why they were so s**t and continue to be this season. Even appointing Jack Wiltshere hasn't turned their fortunes around.

That's a fair point.

He'll also be aware that if he fails here, it'll be a hard climb back to get himself to the Championship.

I think in both instances (Sheehan and Bloomfield), I'm trying to find the hope. My initial reaction to them being linked was one of disappointment given their most recent failures. I think it's fair that some would be underwhelmed, but if it is one of them, you don't have to scratch too far to find a cause for belief they can do a good job.

Bloomfield certainly looks more of a mercenary on the face of it though... left a promotion-bound club he had a testimonial with for a relegation scrap in the league above. Regardless of whether he may have taken them up, he'd have had a lot of interest come the end of the season. Those bitter about Manning have to recognise at the very least this was comparable, and arguably worse given his connection with the club.

Sheehan seems the better man, if not manager.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Without being too ‘Linkedin’ about it, a candidates’s record is the past, and we’re hiring for the future

 

[OX14]

Far too sensible !

Look instead at a last day defeat away at a difficult venue (WBA), coupled with a very unlikely Hull away win at Portsmouth to relegate him.

The same West Brom side who made light work of beating us 2-0 only 12 games prior. If I remember right we never laid a glove on them and it was one of only a couple of games last season under Rowett where we were totally outclassed.

This season is hard to judge but they had a massive turnover in playing staff during the summer this is just some of the departures.

Tim Krul
Victor Moses
Tahith Chong
Carlton Morris
Alfie Doughty
Mark McGuiness
Amari Bell
Thomas Kaminski
Thelo Aasgaard
Reece Burke

 

[Stranger]

The same West Brom side who made light work of beating us 2-0

To be fair, it should have been 1-0 - their second came deep into stoppage time with Cumming up for a corner that WBA broke from to score

 

[NorthernExile]

To be fair, it should have been 1-0 - their second came deep into stoppage time with Cumming up for a corner that WBA broke from to score

We didn't lay a finger on them that day. They were up there with Leeds and Boro for the best team we played last season. Their movement off the ball was another level. Was incredibly surprised to see the wheels come off.

 

[NorthernExile]

The same West Brom side who made light work of beating us 2-0 only 12 games prior. If I remember right we never laid a glove on them and it was one of only a couple of games last season under Rowett where we were totally outclassed.

This season is hard to judge but they had a massive turnover in playing staff during the summer this is just some of the departures.

Tim Krul
Victor Moses
Tahith Chong
Carlton Morris
Alfie Doughty
Mark McGuiness
Amari Bell
Thomas Kaminski
Thelo Aasgaard
Reece Burke

Krul didn't play for them at all but good point with the others. Mad to think they couldn't stay up with that core.

 

[OX14]

To be fair, it should have been 1-0 - their second came deep into stoppage time with Cumming up for a corner that WBA broke from to score

Yes I know they did but they had 21 shots on goal with 4 on target. We had 4 shots with 0 on target. It was the most one sided game I witnessed with Rowett in charge last season.

 

[OX14]

Krul didn't play for them at all but good point with the others. Mad to think they couldn't stay up with that core.

Yes I know he didn't last season but he played for them the previous season in the Premier league.

Luton can't really be compared to other ex Premier league clubs with parachute payments anyways as the majority of that money is going on their new stadium.

 

[isibuko]

The ‘list’ looks ‘thin’ and a bit underwhelming

The ‘list’ is currently made up by this forum and betting companies.