Update from Doug O'Kane

Agree with everything you've written there - apart from I feel Collins should still be in a job.

No grief from me - I come in peace!

 

I genuinely think they only pulled the trigger because they thought they could get more from Devaney. He hinted at playing a more direct attacking style, utilising the press, playing on the counter, similar to how we played last season. In fleeting spells on Saturday we saw some of that, though very fleeting. Though the performance didn't improve sufficiently to say it's paid off. That said, Devaney had only been put in charge a few days before. Another week might have given him the opportunity to further get some ideas across. Only time will tell.

The real issue, regardless of who's in charge is the number of goals we're conceding, and for me, that requires more than a tactical adjustment.

I think the expectation from some of our fan base though, is that we're going to appoint a new head coach, who immediately revolutionises the team, and we steamroll Bolton and Peterborough/Oxford in the play-offs. I genuinely think if we appointed someone today, say Richie Wellens, and we don't get promoted, some of our fans would want him out.

 

I understand a bit better what you're saying now, and I agree. It's the timing aspect that is completely off this time, though I wouldn't have sacked him any earlier either.

 

Collins sacking clearly had an effect on Lincoln and Blackpool !!!as for us I didn’t see any noticeable difference in tactics or effort from our boys

 

You say that though as if appointing someone now would be a help. Given the timing, that's not necessarily the case. Say Wellens is appointed today (given that's who we did agree on yesterday), and he wants to employ his own style of play straight from the off, it will take more than 3 days to implement a change like that. Given he's got the same playing squad as Devaney and Collins, I don't think we can expect to see much improvement without extensive work on the training ground.

The performance wasn't great on Saturday, but Devaney did try to change the style from Collins. I guess if anything that proves my point.

I think it's about getting the appointment right, so that we're not in this position again in 12 months time, and that might take time.

 

I can’t say I’ve interacted with anyone who is happy at the change who thinks it’ll miraculously get better more around people saying whatever happens it couldn’t get worse for 4 games.

 

Ive seen some, particularly people who wanted Collins out a few weeks ago, who have referenced making appointments to save our season, or words to that effect.

 

I think someone posted on here the other day that we were the team with the fifth most points in the entire league from substitutions. So, Collins must have done something right.

 

I didn't say it wasn't, just that anything where Nixon is involved usually has to be taken with a planet-sized pinch of salt.

 

Looking back at results I’m struggling to work out when they could have sacked him sooner.

People say he should have been gone start of April but we won 2 drew 2 and lost 2 in March so was that really sackable form for a team that had just gone 5 unbeaten and beat derby 2-1 at home?

April we started with a 3-1 away win against Burton to get a bit of confidence back. Only to go an lose 2 on the bounce away from home. Still would be harsh to sack him then based on those results I think. We then drew at home against Reading with a Jalo late equaliser. Followed by a very tight loss against Portsmouth, which people dubbed one of the best performances that we have put in this season.

Looking at that should he have been sacked sooner? I don’t see a time where the club could have. We’re in a right mess now and I don’t see how we’ve helped ourselves in sacking him.

 

They aren't losers, but they just simply can't win.

 

Agree with this, I’m just praying this extra week with Devaney somehow pays off enough so we can at least compete & be in with half a chance of making the final.

 

I'd say that's a given. Devaney's copybook has already been marked as not good enough after the game at the weekend.

 

You make some good points, Stevenage away for me as bad a performance I can remember, I can forgive technical stuff but that was pure apathy from start to finish

 

It's a two game shoot out.. maybe three with a bit of look. So help from anywhere would be welcome. If Lincoln or Blackpool had managed to win their last game we wouldn't even be having this conversation.. We were flat with Collins and the same will DIsco.. the only difference between Collins ball and DIsco ball was Dicso hit more aimless long balls.
We look under the previous and current coaching staff devoid of ideas and still can't defend..
I truly couldn't see us being any worse with someone else's impact..

 

totally ignoring the fact that after our early positioning we should have been pushing for automatic, not scraping in at 6th, given the points we pissed away against lower league opposition this year, or by trying to defend a lead against others! Err sithi?

 

If some of you won 10 million on the lottery I'm sure some would complain that it wasn't 11 million.

 

Micky finn ring me ***