Keith Hill may regret returning to Rochdale..

I watched his first Rochdale interview on Player and it was sad to watch.

He seems a shell of the guy that started with us. Yes we had some very poor results and yes it had got to the point where he'd lost the plot completely and was simply waiting to be sacked. But I liked the guy (I know thats not the common view). I have no anger towards him, he was a guy doing what he felt was right but getting it wrong.

Looking at him now, there was little passion in his words, he looks forlorn, punchdrunk, maybe bitter. The twinkle and mischief nowhere to be seen.

I think he's gone to Rochdale purely to find a haven. To feel safe, to be wanted, a place that's not as complex as where he's come. A place he feels he can have more control. But in doing so, he's pulled back the Rochdale curtain, sat in the interview seat and is instantly aware of the difference and contrast from where he's come from and the level he was operating.

I really hope it works out for him. But I fear he needs a long break from football to put his time at BFC behind him and rediscover his confidence.

 

I'd second that.

He came into this job with a chip on his shoulder. The best managers have one. It's not nice to see a man seemingly change so much in a short space of time. Regardless of what happened here he should be thanked for trying his best and leave it there.

 

I never once called for his head, I was always there singing 'Keith Hill's red and white army' when we were losing.

As a person I liked him, and i think many others did too.

At first all the funny comments, irrelevant answers to interview questions, that barbour coat were like a breth of fresh air to many of us.

In the end all those didn't matter (except the coat). When you're still being like that, plus saying things about the fans and the fact that we have no money every single day, when results arn't going your way then that's wrong. 'Yes we know we have less money than everyone else, you knew this when you took over' is what I thought.

It's a shame, because if he wasn't so stuck in his ways and playing people in the wrong position or when they don't deserve to start, then things may have been different. Like the start of last season. It all deteriated from there, sadly.

I hope he has learned form his time here, and wish him all the best in the future.

 

I thought he was a complete tool! I was behind him until Coventry away last season, before game you'd have thought we come away with all 3 points as they were in bottom 3 and had not won in ages. But what did Hill do... Practically sent out our players to go for a draw (0-0 at that too)... And we ended up losing to a last minute goal from Clive Platt of all players! And from then I realised that he talked absolute tripe and lacked ambition and most importantly... Belief. He always spoke about the opposition team so highly at his press conferences, that it was like he was already making excuses up for why we lost a game or why we played abysmally. It would always be "they've got a big budget". But at end of the day its 11 players against 11 players. Don't get me started about that daddy bull and baby bull story he once came out with, because that was just pure madness and at time he was talking about Johnathan Greening! He wants to be like Holloway saying all this mad and weird stuff in his interviews... But difference is Holloway is funny and Hill just sounded like he was smacked off his tits.

 

Another way of looking at it. He's only signed up for rest of season. If they go up, he's back in L1. If they improve somewhat and do ok, his stock will rise again and L1 clubs may erase the memory of his failure here and come knocking. If they don't do very well, Rochdale will surely give him another chance next season. Can't see how he can lose really.

 

So what does Flitcroft deserve and why?