Hourihane Devaney and Stead

I thought Devaney is supposed to be the permanent coach to create continuity to help with any changes in the head coach - so to help enforce a playing style etc. I think thats why he doesnt want the top job.

I just think the way were setup is bound to cause conflict under the surface even if its not shown in public.

Ive been in situations where your the main guy but there are others wanting to put their own stamp and ideas forward and even railroading things to undermine you and its frustrating. Maybe we have some of that going on.

We've DC who is supposed to be top dog but feels his hands are tied and is battling getting his ideas across when other coaches are pushing different ideas
Disco who says we shoudnt do this and that because thats not how we are supposed to be playing (assumed)
Then Conor who also has his own ideas and beliefs and is wanting to put his own stamp on things and probably has one eye on the main job himself
Plus Stead and all the other coaches having their say.

We've had reporters say they couldnt tell who was the guy in charge on the touchline so its clearly something thats going on.

Weve also seen th goalkeeping coach getting involved and start shouting tactics and formations at the players,

I'm only guessing with the points above but certainly too many cooks can spoil the broth so to speak.

 

I wish they were solicitors. Can’t rate them when there is no sign of coaching and development. Just depends where the blame lies but not impressed with any of the set up.

 

Exactly, ‘how come’. There are countless possible answers:

- the coaches are rubbish
- the coaches have conflicting ideas, confusing the players
- the manager gives different matchday instructions to the way they have been coached
- the coaches are great, but the players are incapable of doing what they have been coached to do
- the coaches are great, but the players just choose to ignore them
- the coaches are rubbish, the manager is rubbish and the players are rubbish
- everything works perfectly in training, but it falls apart on match days when they are faced with another eleven players, with their own set of tactics
- the players don’t care because they are fed up of being slagged off by the fans

The list can go on.

We just don’t know what the issues are, so to start pointing the finger at people who we never see doing their bit, I.e. the coaching, is a bit daft really, as we don’t have all the facts. The buck really stops at the Head Coach, because he does have all the facts and is in charge of all the coaches and players. If any of them aren’t pulling their weight, for whatever reason, it is up to him how involved they’ll be on the training ground and on the pitch on matchdays.

 

But then folk are saying Clarke isn't to blame and the issue is above him.

Sormaz employed him but also Sormaz doesn't train or try to motivate them. That's Clarke and his staffs job.

 

In fairness I would put money on it not being ‘balls this up so they can go straight down the other end and score’.

I think this again, just goes back to the ineptitude of this group of players. I feel for the coaches in that whatever they ask clearly doesn’t get executed.

Where does that leave us? Well, in the case of technically poor teams, usually you have to play a more simplistic, percentage based game (a la Warnock).

4-4-2, two rigid banks of 4 (or maybe even 4-51/5-4-1), long balls, as many big men on the field as possible, niggly ‘anti’ football. That’s how you play with a limited squad. Do we want to see this? Right now I don’t care so long as results improve.

 

Where's Adam Murray when you need him

 

Disco seems to be less & less involved in match day ‘chats’ between the coaching team, I think he would love to have a go at the top job, god help us if he does…

Stead is a funny one, strange to know what his role is, once Collins left.

Hourihane will probably get the gig when Clarke falls on his sword.

it’ll be interesting to see who he has as his assistants if he does get the job.

We’re rubbish & I still don’t know who the blame falls on the most!

Clarke looks lost in setting the side up to start games, with strange substitutions, but he also doesn’t have much choice to choose from.

The ‘addition’ of those in the window also won’t fill many people with much more confidence!

 

I genuinely like all 3 assistant coaches.

I can’t comment how good they are, but I’d suggest Hourihane is the one to watch in the future.

The role for Devaney in regards continuity hasn’t shown any benefit to be honest, and he can’t pick the players up when being caretaker. So I’m not sure how that fits in now.

I think Stead has stayed as it was cheaper to keep him than sack him - but also I hear he his actually a decent coach, so perhaps that was reason enough too.

 

I think if the players played together as a team then that would be a sign that they were being well coached despite their individual deficiencies. To me the problem is we have too many coaches. I know football has changed over the years but we once had a manager and coach only eg Danny W and Eric Winstanley.(and a coach to take the team to away matches) Not the plethora of Head Coach, two assistant coaches, goalkeeper coach, performance analyst, assistant sports analyst, sports science, physio, assistant physio etc etc. Most of the fans could analyse our recent performances. The team appears to lack motivation, is weak in defence when teams press us or a ball over the top, losing possession in midfield too easily, powderpuff attack that can't hang onto the ball or win headers and finish. (apart from DKD. There you have it, our recent performance analysed for free.

 

You should be coach!!