CJparker
New Member
Yes, the team is struggling at the bottom of the league but we should learn from Coventry’s recent history and back our manager to the hilt. Here’s why:
Most importantly, the club has continued to flounder since relegation with a disparate series of managers, including promotion specialists (Reid, Adams), playing stalwarts (Nilsson, McAllister), experienced Premiership bosses (Dowie, Coleman) long-ball specialists (Boothroyd), and internal promotions (Black, Thorn). The fact that we couldn’t achieve consistent success under any of these managers, who boast five championship promotions between them, suggests that managerial style is irrelevant to success.
Since relegation in 2001, City have struggled to make an impact on the division and have never seriously challenged for a play-off place, contrary to all expectations when we came down. The chopping and changing of managers (Thorn is the 10th full-time boss since relegation) has had a de-stabilising effect on long-term performance. A recent report by the League Managers Association (LMA) found that, upon appointing a new manager, the average club can expect to see an improved points haul in the first dozen games under a new boss before the results return to their pre-appointment level. This suggests that knee-jerk hiring and firing, tempting as it may be, has no benefits long term and in fact will damage the club by making it unable to have consistent management over a period of several years.
Looking at clubs with long term management, like Crewe (Dario Gradi), Port Vale (John Rudge) and QPR (Ian Holloway) amongst others, it is clear that a long-period of building and planning can take place before consistent ‘punching above our weight’ success. There are very few managers with a magic wand who can bring instant success – the trade-off for success is usually years of patience and consistent, unspectacular building. This is the opportunity that City desperately need to give their boss, and since AT is in possession, he should be given this chance.
If Thorn is given the chance to stamp his imprint on the team long-term, we should accept that this process of re-building may have to begin in League One. The squad we have now was shorn of ten players (if you include Eastwood) over the summer with few replacements; there have been some standouts, but of the remainder many are of sub-Championship quality in that they are unable to turn in consistent second-tier performances (Deegan, Baker, Bell, McPake, O’Donovan, MacDonald, Christie, Murphy), while other senior players have disappointed (McSheffrey, Clingan). The rest are kids and the odd old pro playing above his level (Platt). This is a squad that looks unlikely to win League One, never mind survive in the Championship, and it should be the current manager, with his in-depth knowledge of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, who gets to plan the re-building for next season.
Looking back to the train ride up to the first home game of the season, the mood ranged from black humour to outright defeatism (and in some cases alcoholism, no names mentioned – Kevin Mofid). Nobody back in August expected us to do anything other than go down, so it seems very harsh to be calling now for AT’s head on the basis of the league table.
Whilst fans moan about declining attendances and City’s league table position, it is worth noting that clubs with similar or fewer resources have been promoted to the Premier League in recent years – look at Watford, Bradford, Burnley, Hull, Stoke, Blackpool and Swansea. All drew similar crowds as Coventry do, so to blame the manager for not putting bums on seats, as if this is the key to promotion, are again misguided.
So the defence of Thorn is clear; we need someone to be given a long term chance, and he’s the man in possession. There’s no evidence that anyone else would do better long term, so give him a go. Clubs who do give bosses a long-term chance are more likely to prosper as a result, albeit not necessarily immediately. Our current squad is weak and relegation-bound, and this is not Thorn’s fault - the team’s performances this season have been in line with prior expectation. Low crowds are not necessarily a barrier to success. Thorn has proved he can play attractive football – now is the time to show a bit of loyalty and give him the chance to change recent history and bring some success back to Coventry City.
Most importantly, the club has continued to flounder since relegation with a disparate series of managers, including promotion specialists (Reid, Adams), playing stalwarts (Nilsson, McAllister), experienced Premiership bosses (Dowie, Coleman) long-ball specialists (Boothroyd), and internal promotions (Black, Thorn). The fact that we couldn’t achieve consistent success under any of these managers, who boast five championship promotions between them, suggests that managerial style is irrelevant to success.
Since relegation in 2001, City have struggled to make an impact on the division and have never seriously challenged for a play-off place, contrary to all expectations when we came down. The chopping and changing of managers (Thorn is the 10th full-time boss since relegation) has had a de-stabilising effect on long-term performance. A recent report by the League Managers Association (LMA) found that, upon appointing a new manager, the average club can expect to see an improved points haul in the first dozen games under a new boss before the results return to their pre-appointment level. This suggests that knee-jerk hiring and firing, tempting as it may be, has no benefits long term and in fact will damage the club by making it unable to have consistent management over a period of several years.
Looking at clubs with long term management, like Crewe (Dario Gradi), Port Vale (John Rudge) and QPR (Ian Holloway) amongst others, it is clear that a long-period of building and planning can take place before consistent ‘punching above our weight’ success. There are very few managers with a magic wand who can bring instant success – the trade-off for success is usually years of patience and consistent, unspectacular building. This is the opportunity that City desperately need to give their boss, and since AT is in possession, he should be given this chance.
If Thorn is given the chance to stamp his imprint on the team long-term, we should accept that this process of re-building may have to begin in League One. The squad we have now was shorn of ten players (if you include Eastwood) over the summer with few replacements; there have been some standouts, but of the remainder many are of sub-Championship quality in that they are unable to turn in consistent second-tier performances (Deegan, Baker, Bell, McPake, O’Donovan, MacDonald, Christie, Murphy), while other senior players have disappointed (McSheffrey, Clingan). The rest are kids and the odd old pro playing above his level (Platt). This is a squad that looks unlikely to win League One, never mind survive in the Championship, and it should be the current manager, with his in-depth knowledge of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, who gets to plan the re-building for next season.
Looking back to the train ride up to the first home game of the season, the mood ranged from black humour to outright defeatism (and in some cases alcoholism, no names mentioned – Kevin Mofid). Nobody back in August expected us to do anything other than go down, so it seems very harsh to be calling now for AT’s head on the basis of the league table.
Whilst fans moan about declining attendances and City’s league table position, it is worth noting that clubs with similar or fewer resources have been promoted to the Premier League in recent years – look at Watford, Bradford, Burnley, Hull, Stoke, Blackpool and Swansea. All drew similar crowds as Coventry do, so to blame the manager for not putting bums on seats, as if this is the key to promotion, are again misguided.
So the defence of Thorn is clear; we need someone to be given a long term chance, and he’s the man in possession. There’s no evidence that anyone else would do better long term, so give him a go. Clubs who do give bosses a long-term chance are more likely to prosper as a result, albeit not necessarily immediately. Our current squad is weak and relegation-bound, and this is not Thorn’s fault - the team’s performances this season have been in line with prior expectation. Low crowds are not necessarily a barrier to success. Thorn has proved he can play attractive football – now is the time to show a bit of loyalty and give him the chance to change recent history and bring some success back to Coventry City.
