This is not as bad as it seems

The club is set up for an easy transition in terms of replacing a head coach. If the sports science team go too I accept things will be a little more difficult.

What Hecky did for us before the ‘plan’ began to show its flaws was remarkable, but from then on he has struggled.

Had he been sacked I would have been disappointed but not surprised.

Fresh ideas could be what saves us. Admittedly if the wrong appointment is made it could also sink us.

I think even Heckys biggest fans (I’m one of them) have to admit he’s made mistakes this season.

The first game of the season he dropped Adam Hammill for Brad Potts. I think Potts had trained with us once at that point. That may not have cost us the game but it was a strange move.

He has also persisted with certain players this season despite bad form. Potts one of them, including playing him on the wing on a number of times when he has proven he can’t play there effectively at this level.

Next he has persisted with Bradshaw as a lone striker or paired striker when for a while now Tom has been largely ineffective. More recently he has also kept Bradshaw on the field before other strikers despite them having more influence on the game than him. I know Thiam looked poor against Fulham but against Sunderland he was very good in the lone role and he hasn’t started since.

In my opinion he persisted with Adam Davies in goal at least one month too long. He proved on Saturday he believes Townsend can step in so if that is the case he should have made the call earlier. If Townsend had been poor throughout January it may also have pushed the board into delving abit deeper to sign a keeper.

It’s easy to say with hindsight but I believe in the last month he has made 2 big errors regard tactics and team selection. Villa was a mistake with the 5-3-2. He also missed a chance that day to learn A LOT about whether these ‘number 10s’ can actually play in a 2. For me he had nothing to lose by taking the chance.

The next was the exclusion of Mallan for Williams on Saturday.

Now my next point links directly into those 2 decisions. Part of Heckys coaching philosophy is that he does not believe the number 10 position should exist. Despite that we have ended up with a lot of number 10s. Hecky makes it blatantly obvious he does not trust these players in his team. In my opinion if he does not trust certain players he will never get the best out of those players. He will also never play those players in the number 10 as he doesn’t believe in it.

His formations since he has been in charge have near enough ranged from;
4-4-2
4-1-4-1
4-1-3-2
4-3-3
5-3-2

The only time I can recall him going directly with a number 10 was in the cup versus Northampton where he played Moncur in a 4-4-1-1.

It has never really been noted as a negative however in hind sight has it put us on the back foot that he will always opt for the player in the defensive midfield position rather than the number 10 position that he feels doesn’t exist.

Why is it acceptable for there to be a midfield position where the player has no real attacking responsibilities but it’s not acceptable for there to be a midfield position where the player has little defensive responsibility??

Maybe the next manager will be able to embrace these players. Maybe the next man can keep the defence tight but is trusting and able to get the technically gifted Moncur/Mallan/Knasmullner excelling in their favoured positions and for the benefit of the team.

For all Heckys good qualities the squad of players he has been given do not suit how he believes a team should play.

If our next manager believes in the number 10 role or is able to get the best out of some of those players in a 2 then we may see a much more creative team again.

I know this post focuses largely on the negatives of Hecky but I believe it’s important to show that there were areas of his coaching and tactical side that may have held certain players back.

Let’s just hope the next man is appointed to suit the squad of players. It’s a huge decision and I look forward to seeing who the candidates will be.

 

Lot of sense being spoken here

 

Brilliant post!

 

Well said.....

 

I'm not disappointed to see him go at all. A change was needed. This is huge for the new owners though, 1st big decision and it's one that could shape our clubs future.

The only thing that really worries me is the timing. We've signed 6 players in January that have all come to play under Hecky. How this affects them only time will tell.

 

To suit the squad a head coach who is ***** will be needed

 

Lee Johnson or Keith Hill, then.

 

I'd have Lee Johnson back in an absolute heartbeat. Anyone that says they wouldn't needs their bumps checking. Look at the league table.

 

Jeez.
Fan telling a professional how to do his job.

 

Each to their own: I sat through enough of his tripe for this lifetime.

 

I like the way you pick out the sentences to suit your arguments... class that is.

 

Good post. Trouble is, you can’t have it both ways.

Hecky is a defender by trade - and the way we coach and bring on defenders for re-sale value speaks for itself. If a coach comes in who was previously a striker, then that might flip the emphasis the other way.

It’s a balancing act I guess - although Hecky did inherit LJ’s squad and carried that momentum on, even into last season. So for how well Hecky did do, the little one must take some praise. And he’s now eventually found similar form at Bristol too.

 

We need to appoint from within again until the end of the season. An outsider won't have a clue what each player can or can't do soon enough.

 

Thanks PH- you've really f*cked us off here

 

I’d guess Hassell & Devaney as temp caretakers until summer. Depends on Clapham too - maybe why he’s done a few
More interviews this last week?

 

Not sure I agree with that.

Sometimes people within cannot see the elephant in the room.

Is the elephant a bunch of attacking players that are not being used correctly.

We’ve had it drilled into us for a long time now that the CAM shouldn’t exist.

We’ve sort of just accepted it. We’ve all become as adamant as Hecky that when playing a 5 man midfield you need a player infront of the defence rather than one behind the striker.

We’ve all accepted that every CM who signs for Barnsley should be capable of playing box to box even if it doesn’t suit there style of play.

Surely if you’re open minded there’s a way to get the best out of these players who have created so much at other clubs?

I’ve seriously hardly ever seen anyone question it. I haven’t myself until now. It’s as if we’ve all been too trusting of Hecky.

Don’t get me wrong there may be a man in the club who believes in the number 10s we’ve got. But if there isn’t I see no harm in appointment someone who can come in with a fresh pair of eyes.

 

If someone can get something out of George Moncur they ought to get the job for life

 

Well we surely can't need anymore midfielders. Poor old Knasmullner. Turns up to meet the coach from a plane from Austria, signs a deal, flies home to sort his gear out and when he comes back the manager's left! There's surely enough quality in this squad to stop up?

 

Where do I go to get my bumps checked?

 

I’d rather have Keith Hill back.