Quote Bullseye="Bullseye"Well huge thanks to Mick Potter for holding things together this season. Such a shame he's gone just as things were starting to bear fruit. Now it looks like we'll have to start from scratch again. Just hope we get a decision on what division we're in asap.
As for Mick's successor, I hope the board has been thinking about this for some time. It may be that personal loyalty between the coaching staff has coloured the judgement here. The coded message from Potter about hoping the job didn't go to certain individuals who had been involved in the past (Noble obviously) was interesting. The board won't want to risk losing the dressing room by appointing the wrong man, similarly they won't want to let emotion take over and employ someone purely on the basis that he was loyal to Potter.
It's a tough decision. Personally I'd like to see a totally fresh start with a young coach that is forward thinking, up to the minute who can command the respect of the players. If we lose a load more players then the argument for keeping Cummins starts to look weaker, as there'll be fewer of the current squad around. I'm not that enthusiastic about Noble, who's been out of things for a while. His heart may be in the job but he could alienate certain players and staff if he parachutes back in.
A third option would be interesting. Who's available? We're not rolling in cash so the likes of Craig Bellamy won't be coming. For similar reasons I'd say Brian Smith won't be either. What we need is the equivilent of a Brian Smith circa 1995/6.
Of course if we're not in SL this is all academic.'"
Pretty much agree with that.
One thing I'm not too sure of it about is more of the squad leaving weakening FC's position. Whenever everything is sorted (yesterday would have been nice), whatever is left of the current 2013/4 contractees are going to form the senior players (assuming SL) for next season, for the simple reason that virtually all of the better players who might have been out there are now long ago, signed, sealed and delivered elsewhere. So they will form an influential part of the set up and probably the bulk of the 'leadership group' within the squad and, as such, will largely set the tone for what goes on. So whilst it [imay[/i weaken the influence very slightly I think it will be far from any 'tipping point'.
I hope the decision about the coach is already provisionally made and ready to be announced, if so, the stability that represents should itself hopefully persuade any possible tupe refusniks to reconsider and commit to the club.
Incidentally, the board was mentioned - do you, or anyone else, actually know who is currently on the board? GS is chairman, OK, Gary Tasker??
:/
