Current Staff Next Manager

[Toe knee]

Loads of negative comments in the Oxford Mail. Loads on here, Loads on Twitter, loads on Facebook & other forums. Loads on the street. Mmmm it's not excatly United the fan base, which is not a good sign. Let's hope we stay up ,or I can see it going one way if we get relegated, & don't Push on ....

 

[joshua]

Just one observation on the MK reporters assessment of Manning . So he had a very good first season, good football exciting players that were sold. A terrible 2nd season which resulted in him getting the sack. So his second season performances are being put down to the fact that the recruitment of players was out of his hands.
So who recruited the players in his first successful season I’m assuming that was also out of his hands. So he’s had 2 seasons as a manager, managing players that he hasn’t recruited. So nobody actually knows how good he is. I’m on the fence at the moment, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Time will tell if we’ve made the right choice

 

[holdsteady]

Loads of negative comments in the Oxford Mail. Loads on here, Loads on Twitter, loads on Facebook & other forums. Loads on the street. Mmmm it's not excatly United the fan base, which is not a good sign. Let's hope we stay up ,or I can see it going one way if we get relegated, & don't Push on ....

If you add up the people who have made negative comments though it might be less than a hundred, the social media age gives small numbers a much larger voice, and perhaps 10 percent of those would literally be against any manager, some people are just very negative about everything (Kip, Sue McIvor, Private Fraser from Dads Army, that donkey from Winnie the Pooh) and you have to take it with a pinch of salt.

If they have done the work and genuinely believe Manning is the best man to take us forward then announce him and get on with trying to turn us around, listening to people on Twitter and Facebook (some of the people who comment on the Facebook pages make us all on here seem like intellectual heavyweights) is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Toe knee]

If you add up the people who have made negative comments though it might be less than a hundred, the social media age gives small numbers a much larger voice, and perhaps 10 percent of those would literally be against any manager, some people are just very negative about everything (Kip, Sue McIvor, Private Fraser from Dads Army, that donkey from Winnie the Pooh) and you have to take it with a pinch of salt.

If they have done the work and genuinely believe Manning is the best man to take us forward then announce him and get on with trying to turn us around, listening to people on Twitter and Facebook (some of the people who comment on the Facebook pages make us all on here seem like intellectual heavyweights) is a recipe for disaster.

It should also give big numbers, a absolute massive voice then . Which I'm not hearing. If your chuffed with it ,you will say it . For example if it was Appleton getting the job, the small number's & their little voices would be absolutely drowned out....

 

[Symp59]

I think it will be a great signing he's a modern manager and will hopefully get our backing. Speaking to a good friend recently who's son had a massive input in taking Mous to Portsmouth he said his son was fed of the same old merry go round That applies to Mapp his record has been poor since he left us. Let's hope he canbuild something. My worry and alot of people's worry is will our backers get fed up of the constant bickering and walk away .

 

[Made-in-Jericho]

Today’s OM article actually makes me more concerned about Manning’s appointment.
Not much of a record of recruiting players. Success built on a pre-existing squad. Poor motivation when things went pear-shaped and he lost good players.
Hardly inspires confidence.
But if it is him they need to get on and make the announcement as all this silence, delay, hesitation and prevarication is just toxic and destructive.

 

[arthurturner]

Anyway.... are we still having Trevor Hebberd at the match tomorrow? Be good to see him on the pitch at half time. Proper legend.

Indeed. Best player ever to put on the shirt. Don’t know about being on the pitch at half time I’d have him in the starting eleven.

 

[tatabanya]

Just one observation on the MK reporters assessment of Manning . So he had a very good first season, good football exciting players that were sold. A terrible 2nd season which resulted in him getting the sack. So his second season performances are being put down to the fact that the recruitment of players was out of his hands.
So who recruited the players in his first successful season I’m assuming that was also out of his hands. So he’s had 2 seasons as a manager, managing players that he hasn’t recruited. So nobody actually knows how good he is. I’m on the fence at the moment, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Time will tell if we’ve made the right choice

Which is why the Head of Recruitment is so important. You need a certain type to play a certain way. Manning will be a big success here if he is given a talented squad to work with, I’ve got little doubt of that. But we don’t have that squad now, and we don’t have the infrastructure in place to change that in the summer at the moment

 

[Marked Ox]

Huge point and Key point. Manning doesnt have the experience to help him to deal with such a scenario, shown by MKD's free fall leading to his dismissal. Another important point is that if kr's coaches remain he isnt going to have any real help to stop the decline, as they are the coaches who put us in this position in the first place. Hopefully there has been a rethink of decision, as of all the candidates there were manning is not the one to keep us in this division bar a miracle. He is the cheaper option of those available as his football credentials are lower than these other candidates. Yes he had a good season, with the dream squad that he had, but no doubt even kr would have made a good fist of them getting to the play offs.

A manager sometimes shows his true credentials when backs are to the wall, something manning didnt have when the chips were down last season.

Well except when he managed Lommel where he took the team from bottom place to 3rd. Also, evidence for being the cheaper option other than guesswork suiting your point?

 

[Marked Ox]

Loads of negative comments in the Oxford Mail. Loads on here, Loads on Twitter, loads on Facebook & other forums. Loads on the street. Mmmm it's not excatly United the fan base, which is not a good sign. Let's hope we stay up ,or I can see it going one way if we get relegated, & don't Push on ....

Just like MApp then.

 

[Yellowblood]

The article in the OM this morning at least gives the fans a glimpse of the type of manager/head coach Manning might be.
In all honesty, it worried me that we are set to recruit the type of manager we don't need at the moment. With our current slide down the table, I believe we need a strong character with experience of lifting a group that are obviously low on confidence.
If we were mid-table with no risk of relegation then Manning might have been a good choice.
Hopefully he can get us the points we need and start looking forward to next season, and have a hand in recruiting a team around his footballing philosophy.

 

[Joey]

Just one observation on the MK reporters assessment of Manning . So he had a very good first season, good football exciting players that were sold. A terrible 2nd season which resulted in him getting the sack. So his second season performances are being put down to the fact that the recruitment of players was out of his hands.
So who recruited the players in his first successful season I’m assuming that was also out of his hands. So he’s had 2 seasons as a manager, managing players that he hasn’t recruited. So nobody actually knows how good he is. I’m on the fence at the moment, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Time will tell if we’ve made the right choice

Agree with this and I've mentioned it before. If you are happy to write off this season because he has his best players sold and lost all the plans, which is fairly reasonable, then you can't give him loads of credit for last season when he was given a fantastic squad for this level.

They played great stuff but plenty of managers would have got a tune out of a squad with the likes of Darling, Coventry, Mceachran, Twine, Parrott, Eisa, Wickham, Corbeanu etc. This isn't me being negative and I'm still cautiously optimistic about him but you can't have it both ways and lavish praise on him for last season while excusing him for this.

What I am pretty confident about is that he'll be a better manager than Robinson who's really done a number on us on and off the pitch. Hopefully this is all part of a new set up where no one has too much power.

 

[Brahma]

If we go down, it won't be the fault of Liam Manning. KR legacy and that of our UK senior management is becoming very clear.

I think he we will keep us up.

 

[Shaun Rice]

@Steve Gilbert should Manning be added to this poll?

 

[dickwalton1964]

Indeed. Best player ever to put on the shirt. Don’t know about being on the pitch at half time I’d have him in the starting eleven.

I agree.

Our greatest ever player. I’ve watched Oxford for 51 years now and in my time he stands alone as the best ever to pull on the yellow shirt. What an outstanding footballer he was. He genuinely had the lot - skill, could run all day, could tackle, score, assist. I don’t know the man but he always seemed so humble for someone so brilliant at what he did. I always remember that interview he did a day or so after the cup final win, he was MOTM by a mile but looked genuinely embarrassed about all the praise he got.

Great memories, what a footballer.

 

[Joey]

If we go down, it won't be the fault of Liam Manning. KR legacy and that of our UK senior management is becoming very clear.

It has to be his fault a little bit. Don't get me wrong, Robinson and the board have screwed up royally but we probably need about one point per game, we still have to play three of the six teams below us and Cheltenham who are only a point ahead. Our squad has been poorly put together and is atrocious value for money but they've not been helped by having an incompetent manager for most the season. Brown, Moore and Findlay are all solid but not great defenders at this level, the midfield three of Brannagan, Bate and McGuane would get into the majority of teams and the likes of Wildschut, Goodrham, Henry etc have something about them to offer. There is a hell of a lot of crap in this division this year, if we play anywhere near the level we can we'll get out of this.

I think he we will keep us up.

Agree, I'm far more confident now than I was a few weeks back. Especially as he's willing to play 532, the only formation that makes sense with our squad.

 

[dickwalton1964]

If we go down, it won't be the fault of Liam Manning. KR legacy and that of our UK senior management is becoming very clear.

I think he we will keep us up.

See previous posts. By definition, Manning would have has to take some responsibility if we go from 3 points clear to relegation. That’s just basic mathematics working that one out.

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

So is Liam Manning our manager or not?

All very bizarre but unfortunately in keeping with the clubs North Korean-style secretive communications policy.

 

[holdsteady]

It should also give big numbers, a absolute massive voice then . Which I'm not hearing. If your chuffed with it ,you will say it . For example if it was Appleton getting the job, the small number's & their little voices would be absolutely drowned out....

The majority are probably in the “I will give him a go and see what he does camp”, that’s a reasonable position for a manager like Manning who hasn’t been around long, but it’s hardly going to get loads of people saying it online.

I remember when Appleton got the job he got loads of why has he been employed comments and very little support apart from a few people saying the above, that turned out alright.

Going after a manager before he has even been officially announced is a bit mental, our two most successful managers recently have been Wilder and Appleton, both were not exactly big names or greeted wildly but without them we would be fucked.

 

[holdsteady]

So is Liam Manning our manager or not?

All very bizarre but unfortunately in keeping with the clubs North Korean-style secretive communications policy.

It is strange, it’s not like we are announcing a big name manager and they want a bells and whistles fanfare, with the current situation we are in a quick announcement and getting down to work would seem the best approach so the delay if he definitely has it is a bit weird.

 

[Toe knee]

The majority are probably in the “I will give him a go and see what he does camp”, that’s a reasonable position for a manager like Manning who hasn’t been around long, but it’s hardly going to get loads of people saying it online.

I remember when Appleton got the job he got loads of why has he been employed comments and very little support apart from a few people saying the above, that turned out alright.

Going after a manager before he has even been officially announced is a bit mental, our two most successful managers recently have been Wilder and Appleton, both were not exactly big names or greeted wildly but without them we would be fucked.

I'm in no camp, we'll see ,then I'll make judgement. I can see where people are coming from though, an opinion is an opinion right or wrong.

 

[holdsteady]

I'm in no camp, we'll see ,then I'll make judgement. I can see where people are coming from though, an opinion is an opinion right or wrong.

So you are in the I will give him a go camp, told you that was the majority .

 

[Toe knee]

So you are in the I will give him a go camp, told you that was the majority .

Haha , I'm not giving him a go, the board are, I just watch & follow.

 

[Isle of Wight Yellow]

If you are happy to write off this season because he has his best players sold and lost all the plans, which is fairly reasonable, then you can't give him loads of credit for last season when he was given a fantastic squad for this level.

They played great stuff but plenty of managers would have got a tune out of a squad with the likes of Darling, Coventry, Mceachran, Twine, Parrott, Eisa, Wickham, Corbeanu etc. This isn't me being negative and I'm still cautiously optimistic about him but you can't have it both ways and lavish praise on him for last season while excusing him for this.

Yeah this is a good point.

I’d rather have KR in charge next season with all those players added to this squad, than Manning with just our current squad.

 

[RgYellows]

I'm amazed if we don't get this announced before the game today.

 

[Swaby39]

Yeah this is a good point.

I’d rather have KR in charge next season with all those players added to this squad, than Manning with just our current squad.

But isn’t there an argument to say Manning not only got several of those in the door, he also got them playing some of their best football? Many of them have gone on to much better things so it’s not good fortune that they played well - he put them together to do so. I understand both sides of the argument but we’re almost arguing against ourselves. Didn’t he just do a really good job that season?

 

[The Mighty Aldo]

Now I don’t know much about Manning but have witnessed his teams play us twice

At the end of last season they should have given us a drubbing

Away at MK a few weeks back they were all over us and missed two sitters and should have been 3/4 up
Then Manning made changes and took two players who were controlling the midfield for them off. Bate scores a goal that their keeper should save ( Eastwood would have been crucified on here) and then we are all over them.
The point being is he technically any good and can he manage games and crucially has he got a plan B

 

[Sharp Edges]

Before the weekend, they was hoping to have it done early this coming week.
Been a couple of meetings over the weekend including a full board meeting.

I’d be stunned if it’s not all completed and announced by Friday at the latest.
If it’s not, I’d have lost any confidence in the people running the football side of the club!

Do you still feel the same way?

 

[RgYellows]

Now I don’t know much about Manning but have witnessed his teams play us twice

At the end of last season they should have given us a drubbing

Away at MK a few weeks back they were all over us and missed two sitters and should have been 3/4 up
Then Manning made changes and took two players who were controlling the midfield for them off. Bate scores a goal that their keeper should save ( Eastwood would have been crucified on here) and then we are all over them.
The point being is he technically any good and can he manage games and crucially has he got a plan B

Manning was sacked last year

 

[OxfordYankee]

Now I don’t know much about Manning but have witnessed his teams play us twice

At the end of last season they should have given us a drubbing

Away at MK a few weeks back they were all over us and missed two sitters and should have been 3/4 up
Then Manning made changes and took two players who were controlling the midfield for them off. Bate scores a goal that their keeper should save ( Eastwood would have been crucified on here) and then we are all over them.
The point being is he technically any good and can he manage games and crucially has he got a plan B

Manning had been sacked by the time we played them.