Darrell Clarke - Chris Wilder Was thinking last night after hearing his interview that “this guy reminds me of someone” especially with the way he “speaks”. It was Wilder. Then I looked at his managerial background. Very similar to Wilder pre Sheff Utd. Promoted from Conference with Oxford. (Clarke has this with Bristol Rovers) Promoted with Northampton from L2 (Clarke both with Bristol Rovers and also Port Vale) Done well at lower clubs below L1 with both yet to get promoted from that said division. Wilder then had that move to a team where he had more resources than previous clubs who were struggling to get out of L1 at the time. Clarke now at a club where he has the chance to prove himself ala Wilder at Sheff Utd. Very Similar backgrounds.
Yeah but it went downhill when you said he moved to a team with more resources, that’s where the similarities ended.
Just hope we have the same trajectory as they did. But we have a knack of doing all the hard work, and then failing to get over the line. I'm sure this board is ambitious, but time will tell.
Our problem is we have cash rich owners but we don't have a cash rich club. Can't see Clarke being backed at all if I'm honest. Hope I'm wrong. People will say "easy to spend someone else's money" etc. I just wish these owners would be more pro active with their spending instead of fire fighting all the time propping the club up.
If you buy the right players to get promoted increasing your income. Stopping something going bust isn't pro active its reactive.
Could be wrong but I think SCMP is still active on L1 & L2 so effectively limits spending on wages to 60% of turnover. Squad is top heavy for me in areas, big summer ahead in getting the balance right, would much prefer us to utilise the best of the Academy into the first team squad where we can, this will help with wage costs plus develops homegrown talent, but needs the older head or 2 to help with that process. Step forward Mr Hourihane
He must have been given some assurances though as I'm his interview he said he believes he's now at a club with the resources to allow him to build a team capable of promotion.
That's called a gamble though. Ask Chansiri what happens when you bet the stadium (LIterally) on promotion and don't get it.
Tbh i was more talking about them spunking money trying to get to the premier league and ending up getting relegated to league 1.
There was something like that and possibly tied to one of the betting companies can't remember the full ins and outs apart from he was pulling in 64k a week in the championship, everyone else's fault of course when it went wrong.