Rest Of Season Predictions

What do we think then?

Will there be an uptick of form after the removal of a manager holding us back?

Will it be a complete shambles as players give up wirh nothing to play for?

Will Conor get his boots back on and score 8 free kicks in 10 games?

I predict Conor goes full on Mike Bassett and plays 4 4 ******* 2 and we win 9 of the last 10 before beating Wrexham at Wembley as the Netflix doc us ruined with Van Wilder in tears on the pitch.

 

I think there will be new manager bounce to a degree, but unless we can keep the starting XI together for most of the run-in, that uplift will still leave us short.

We simply haven't got a top-6 squad. We are always an injury or suspension away from losing strength and substitutions in any position weaken us.

 

Yep. It's happening.

 

- Two wins out of ten, none at home.
- Conor leaves at the end of the season.
- Phillips and DKD are sold.
- We try to appoint an unknown foreigner but can’t get a work permit.
- Stead starts next season as the new caretaker manager.

I find it’s best to start with low expectations - it avoids disappointment.

 

10 / 10, from me, keep the faith , C,O,Y,R.

 

We've got plenty of winnable games so the jobs his to lose.
Connor then declares his love of Mladens processes and all is good again.

 

More of the same. We tend to go on mini runs, so a few victories after which this BBS will insist Conor is given the position permanently, then a few defeats after which there will be calls for him to be sacked and for the owners to go for not making a permanent appointment, throwing away our chances of promotion by putting a rookie in the role, and missing out on Duff who should have been approached as soon as Huddersfield sacked him.

 

- Hourihane does a Devaney and gets marginally better results than Clarke but not enough to be considered for the permanent position.

- We appoint our sixth choice manager (“We’ve tracked Friedrich for several months”) in late July.

- Manager not in place early enough to make any substantial Summer signings.

- “We’re waiting for the higher league clubs to make a decision on loan destinations” says Mladen in August

- We sign 3 right backs, 2 defensive midfielders and 2 goalkeepers from Solihull Moors and Cowdenbeath. We sign another right back and defensive midfielder on loan from Spurs.

- Team looks like it has never played together, because it hasn’t, during our week 1 defeat away at Bradford

Have I missed owt?

 

Bit of a bounce if we see a bit more energy and attacking intent and the supporters get behind them, should be enough to see a few players up their performance levels. I don't think there's any chance it'll take us close to the top 6 though.

Can see a few youngsters getting a chance before the end of the season, especially since Conor has brought Harban into the first team setup. No bad thing.

 

That's probably not going to be far from the truth. I can definitely see DKD and Phillips being sold. I also think we will go down the foreign route for the next head coach.

 

My guess - and its obviously based on nothing - is we've already sounded him out and thats why it took 72 hours to get rid of Clarke.

He's either said f.ck off no chance or 'I need a couple of months' hence the Hourihane appointment fully confirmed to end of season.

 

I don’t think anyone is lined up ever was apart from Hourihane…..they are just hoping theyve got the timing right regarding early bird tickets

 

I think Hourihane knew he was next Head Coach when he signed. Hence the signings of Nwakali and Craig on loan.

Can't explain Darrell Clarke being given the job in the first place other than panic and suddenly Hourihane becoming available muddying the waters.

That's all conjecture on my part and yesterdays chip paper.

Onto this season. Wouldn't be surprised if Hourihane has the gig full time and both parties want to see how he gets on before proper announcement in the summer.

On the playing foot. If we win five or six matches and have a squeak of the Play-Offs wouldn't put it past him playing again.

 

I'm not too fussed either way, I think he's a decent manager but not as good as is often claimed. I'd have no objections if he was appointed but neither am I clamoring for him.

Wouldn't be surprised to learn what you've written is true as I don't think our board have many good ideas so reverting to something that nearly worked before would probably be their first choice.

 

It's got to be more than coincidence that Duff gets sacked and we sack Clarke.

 

Its probably more to do with how **** we were Tue/Sat than a grand plan to get Duff.

 

Agree that he would have been told there was a big possibility of becoming next head coach

 

Maybe one of those pre-contract signings that say “Yes, my wife can’t wait to sample that lovely new shopping centre in town (and the spectacular bridge of course)” but we”ll leave it until mid-May. Then we’ll see MD with a big smile on the video saying what a terrible mistake he made leaving us and can’t wait to get started with this fantastic group.

 

It's a valid guess, and makes some sense, but I still think CH was always next man up, from the day he signed back with us.

 

Sadly, you may not end up far off. It’s what we’ve come to expect now.