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Southampton Gull wrote: Being a Dartmothian then yes they are, just not sure why you're dragging me into your argument with Scott.

Senile moment? ;P

Yes a completely senile moment SG. It was of course meant to be SB. I'll keep taking the tablets!

.... and it wasn't an argument with Scott, I was bloody agreeing with him!

Good news!

taunton_gull: a very reasonable question, given the amount of public misinformation that abounded when he was first dropped by the manager - I suspect (but don't know for certain) the rumours would have been welcomed, at least not discouraged by Knill himself in an attempt to make his decision more palatable to those who are fans of the man. Nicho didn't want to go out on loan; like I said he wants to play with a vengeance, but Knill made it clear from the outset that he neither liked nor wanted him around; in fact he came to the club with that label around his head (from someone who played under him at Bury) that he didn't like older players. As for Nicho, I got the impression that Knill couldn't cope with his wit and banter with his team mates, but particularly with his experience and knowledge of the game. In other words, he became obsessed with getting shot as soon as he could.

The main answer to your question is, however, that I'm sure you'll appreciate, once a player is dropped from the squad, he rapidly loses 'match fitness'; not playing regularly, particularly first team, is bad news from this point of view ... and I don't think the reserves represent a sufficient level of performance at this point in time. Hence his request to go out on loan; he needed to play football. Nicho is very conscientious about his fitness; always has been; in the off season he is always preparing for the next season and would be one of the fittest on the training field at the start of the season. OK he's never been a speed merchant; if he were, with his sweet left boot, he'd have been playing at a much higher level. But you can't fault his endeavour, and this team needs as much steadying experience as they can get right now. Hope that answers your question.

brucie wrote:And if the double act that I have heard will be taking charge is correct we are going down anyway.

Come on, Brucie - spill the beans. What have you heard ??? Where's FerrariMatt when you need him ?? He always seems to know, or pretend to know, what's going on !!!

Poetjanstie wrote: As for Nicho, I got the impression that Knill couldn't cope with his wit and banter with his team mates, but particularly with his experience and knowledge of the game. In other words, he became obsessed with getting shot as soon as he could.

Sorry but that is just absolute rubbish. People were clamouring for him to be dropped for ages before Knill did eventually do so.

Though we won't have much money to offer the incoming manager at least we won't have to pay-off an assistant manager as well;and we do have a bit of money from the Brass compensation to utilise.

brucie wrote:And if the double act that I have heard will be taking charge is correct we are going down anyway.

OH NO!!!!


JEDWARD ARE COMING!!!

The Chuckle Brothers surely!

Behind-the-Gulls wrote:The Chuckle Brothers surely!

Don't be daft, they're running Argyle with Harry Potter

AustrianAndyGull wrote: OH NO!!!!


JEDWARD ARE COMING!!!

The results would be rubbish but just imagine the post-match interviews...

Behind-the-Gulls wrote:The Chuckle Brothers surely!

Baker and Phillips??? Good god, those two shouldn't be in charge of a whelk stall let alone a "professional" football club.

TUFC is a club that normally backs it's manager, the fact that Alan Knill has been sacked means that things have gone badly, badly wrong, so right now there is nothing to celebrate not even the sacking of AK, just look at the league table. For me the feeling is more relief, it was clear yesterday by the body language of the players, most look like they didn't want to be out there, and some didn't seem to have a clue what they were supposed to be doing, it was clear AK's time was up, and I think the loss of Chris Brass was the straw the broke AK's back.

Well, that was all rather inevitable. And the pop-side kids from Hele and Ellacombe will be dancing in the streets. Personal opinion? I still think he was somewhat unfortunate – however recognise the very difficult situation the board found themselves in. I did not see it as a ‘sack him or we’re down’ scenario. And equally I do not believe because we’ve sacked him we’re now guaranteed safety.

I was very vociferous in my support of Knill when I posted back in October (?), but have to admit by the beginning of December was beginning to have my own doubts. I just wasn’t seeing the signs of improvement in the team I’d have expected to see by then. I thought at that time, the team would need to show significant improvement during December to save him.

But then I thought those very signs became evident. With the change to 4-3-3 he looked to have some answers, and successive victories, followed by a largely dominating performance against Exeter gave me some confidence. But yesterday’s match – a game that was always going to be difficult against a team in form, was obviously the final nail in the coffin.

A season is only 9 months long, so at some point you have to concede defeat and make a change, but making the amount of changes Knill made to the team, it was always going to take time to come to fruition. There’s a chap at Old Trafford who has turned the reigning Premier League Champions into a pretty average looking outfit - and that is without making significant changes to the playing staff. It takes time for new methods to take effect. It’s called a period of transition, and if it’s good enough for the biggest clubs, it really ought to be good enough for the small ones too.

I also wonder how many of the players are truly comfortable they gave their all for AK (and whether they liked him or his methods is largely irrelevant). Lots of people dislike their boss – it doesn’t give them the right to not do their job. The squad Knill has created is more than half-decent – we’ve had many worse during my lifetime. But they weren’t performing. Whilst it is down to the manager to get them playing, ultimately he’s not on the pitch, so it’s down to the players. Was it Knill’s fault that Hawley took the weakest pen I can remember seeing against Exeter? Or that defenders simply failed to do the basics effectively? His tactics in that game were spot on. We were the better side, and if he could rely on those on the pitch to do their jobs right, we’d have won. But they didn’t and it’s him that has paid the price.

I think the manager has been let down by plenty within that dressing room. I’m sure there won’t be too many tears shed that he’s gone, and if the players were never going to give their all for him, the board had little option than to dispense with him. But I certainly don’t think all the blame for our current position should be laid at Knill’s door.

So what next? Will the board go for the option that will doubtless please the pop side and bring back ‘club legend’ Hargreaves? Despite the fact his experience is zero. Or will they go for another lower-league journeyman – albeit one with a few more miles under their belt? Either way, a change does not guarantee success, which seems to be the assumption of many.

I look forward to the new man coming in, and hope he’s able to get the performances out of those players that Knill couldn’t. But suppose he does keep us up, then in the summer changes the personnel to the ones that he wants. What if the ‘new team’ starts slowly, and the performances are a bit ropey. How long will he get before the calls for his head start? Where does it end? At some point the club have to look at the bigger picture, and realise managers need time.

Hu **** rah !!

Should have gone immediately after the home defeat to Rochdale in the Cup. The set up, tactics, performance, stats - all atrocious.Then f*ck me it was worse 7 days later at home to Chesterfield. When he didn't get the sack after that I stopped going.

I just hope the Board that dithered do not regret that they should have sacked Knill at that earlier time.

I am glad to announce I will be back at my usual spot on the Pop for the Morecambe game, much to the annoyance of Matt, Diamond Girl, Robbotufc and Lexus Guy, probably.