Does anyone on here still think sacking Collins was a good idea

Divide and conquer.

 

Really good topic this, so ill give my version.
Was it right to sack him?...no, not with one game to go but I do believe they had someone to come in but obviously that didn't work out, they absolutely did this because our owners thought it would benefit the club....which brings me to the more pertinent question....has our board done things right?
Well I do believe in all honesty they are trying like hell to be good at what they do....but are struggling. They inherited a sh#t show and rightly ousted the culprits, with that in mind we has a Ceo in Khaled, with an excellent CV but was way out of his depth, without the many competent people around him, as he was used to at City.
The summer transfer window was an absolute disaster and I do believe with a couple of proper additions, instead of what we went for, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
So the new season....things look like we are really struggling to get the coach they want in, so it does look a lot like we are fire fighting again. For whatever reason (money probably been the main) no one is jumping to come.
I do think this highlights where we are as a club right now and I believe patience is the key not just in struggling to appoint a coach but actually struggling financially as a club.
My own solution for what its worth, is to appeal to the fan base and admit things have been wrong but have a short, medium and long term plan and here it is ...blah blah blah...please stay with us. Brussia Dortmund did something similar a few years ago (ok we are no Dortmund) but the principle is the same. I believe we will be in a mess for a few years ahead and accept it but what I would like to see is more clarity, transparency and honesty and a real plan...not the short term, season on season rebuild.

 

Completely agree with every word.

When you asked on fans on here what should Collins do differently the only answer you ever got back was that we should play at a higher tempo but allowing the game to be stretched just played into the oppositions hand with the lack of height & pace in our side.

We didn’t have a single winger at the club & we only had one natural full back in Jordan Williams. Whoever was in charge was basically stuck with a 3-5-2 system. I think the penny dropped for some who had been calling for Collins head when Devaney took over & picked the same side & system Collins picked.

I actually think Collins did well to cover up our weaknesses until that Lincoln game. There were games in the first 3 months of the season where teams respected us & stood off us & Kane & Russell dominated possession. If sides would’ve realised how slow we were I think they would’ve pressed us high up the pitch & we would’ve got exposed far earlier than we did.

 

As I tried to allude to earlier in this tread I think the club is now in a position where having gone down two routes which ultimately failed (whose fault that was doesn`t really matter now) they now can`t win unless whoever they appoint hits the ground running and has us top of the league from game 1.
Even then the person appointed is likely to have scorn poured on them from certain quarters before any ball is kicked as opinion of them will manifest itself in abuse and prejudgement on this platform and other social media.
We`re in danger of whoever it is being damned before they ever get a chance to prove otherwise.

 

The big issue for a lot of our fans is that they’ve become used to the defence been the strongest area of our side & having quality defenders who can look after themselves & don’t need much protection from the rest of the side. It means you can play on the front foot & be entertaining.

Midfielders & wing backs could take riskier passes more last season because if it was intercepted / given away Thomas, Anderson & Kitching could deal with been ran at & defending one on one where as this season the lads at the back couldn’t.

 

Looked to me like all 3 were interested wellens was at oakwell. More likely the fact we're skint and lost 4 1st team regulars on free transfers, the transfers budgets hardly going to be great looks like a tough job to me.

 

I felt desperately sorry for Collins. I hated almost every second of Valball but accept that the results were good, and in the same vein, it's about getting points on the board. But the football we played under Collins was, although not to everybody's taste, much easier on the eye and still functional.
IMO, he did well with a poor squad and in the end he was badly done by.

 

A manager with no experience of English football.

The football was some of the dullest I've ever watched.

No connection to the fan base.

Tactics very questionable.

Many players regressed on the season before.

That's just my opinion.

 

Got to be more to it that we are just skint.

If Wellens was indeed at Oakwell then it surely can't just be budget. Orient themselves are losing key players this summer with loanees going back and top scorer out of contract too. We earn more than them per annum through tickets etc. plus we sold big players for big fees last season. If we don't have a bigger budget than Orient I am very worried. No disrespect to them at all by the way.

 

Fair points.

I disagree, but i guess it's an opinions game.

 

Orient have committed to significant investment moving forward but I agree we should be able to compete with them and should be looking at why are we struggling to convert*

*If we actually are, people are just assuming.

 

Thank you for posting this Jay. I'm still absolutely fuming at this decision and struggle to clearly articulate my thoughts on the matter so I appreciate it when someone has done so succiently.

The fact that no one in the club has taken ownership or even attempted to explained this decision is disgraceful. I believe the club made the correct decision in creating the new role of Director of Football but the lack of communication from the incumbant is seriously concerning especially after the silence of preceeding 6 months from the previous CEO. It's not a good look and leads one to question their competence for the position. My fear is that have appointed another Linton Brown type, someone out of their depth and who can seriously derail the ambitions of our football club.

 

The way to look at this situation properly is to, for instance imagine that the Fowls had sacked Darren Moore just before their last game last season, we'd be calling their chairman out for the timing if nothing else. It was a baffling decision at that point of the season.

 

The biggest lesson to learn is don't trust players coming to the end of their contracts to behave professionally, think he was sh@fted by those in his team who didn't care if we got to the Championship or not.

 

Games left wasn't the deciding factor, days left to the end of the season ticket early bird offer was.

 

Spot on. The fantastic four ruined our season.

 

It looked that way. Hope not and it was just a dip in form, but difficult to argue with.

And we had so few quality options that when we tried starting games without the likes of Cole and Kane, we didn't look any better. Cosgrove looked good in the play-offs but had put in several poor performances prior to that.

 

I'll not accept that Williams wasn't trying.

 

Agreed, I don't think so either. I couldn't be as confident with the others.

 

Getting results without the performances at the end of a season to get promoted or stay up is fine but his anti football killed any chance of rejuvenating the atmosphere at The Well! He bored everyone from game 1 wouldn’t change made bizarre selections and substitutions and his dour ludicrous press conferences were bat **** mental should have gone before Christmas.
BTW replying walking not carping.