Flitcroft gone

[scotsstag]

The sacking of DF and the appointment of JD leaves me perplexed and concerned.

DF got the club within a whisker of promotion in his first full season. Most clubs would keep that manager in the belief that they will be promoted the following season. (Paul Cox & Ian Greaves weren't sacked after one full season for failing to get promotion). I also thought that JR was looking for a long term manager. Whatever, JR clearly didn't think he could take the club any further.

To appoint JD, with no experience at this level and without even looking to see who else is out there seems strange. (JR may feel that he has had his fingers burned by appointing the experienced Evans & Flitcroft - but they did a lot better than the inexperienced cheap options of Duncan Russell and Adam Murray).

The further concern is is this a sign that the Radfords are withdrawing from 'project promotion'? and are we going back to 'project sustainability'? I suppose we will find out by the calibre of strikers we bring in and what happens with offers for our best players over the summer.

Did they do "a lot better" than Russell and Murray when you take the huge difference in budgets into account?
I personally think not.

[georgefostersbeard]

The sacking of DF and the appointment of JD leaves me perplexed and concerned.

DF got the club within a whisker of promotion in his first full season. Most clubs would keep that manager in the belief that they will be promoted the following season. (Paul Cox & Ian Greaves weren't sacked after one full season for failing to get promotion). I also thought that JR was looking for a long term manager. Whatever, JR clearly didn't think he could take the club any further.

To appoint JD, with no experience at this level and without even looking to see who else is out there seems strange. (JR may feel that he has had his fingers burned by appointing the experienced Evans & Flitcroft - but they did a lot better than the inexperienced cheap options of Duncan Russell and Adam Murray).

The further concern is is this a sign that the Radfords are withdrawing from 'project promotion'? and are we going back to 'project sustainability'? I suppose we will find out by the calibre of strikers we bring in and what happens with offers for our best players over the summer.

I was also very surprised as we know that JR has normally been quite conservative in his dealings with managers. I think the choice of Evans demonstrated a change in approach and an attempt to speed up the promotion effort. He was stung by Evans in so many ways - giving him everything he wanted, putting up with his antics and being sold down the river when "China" came calling.
For the first time in my 40 years as a Stags fan, they appointed the manager I wanted and thought that we had a long term appointment particularly with the development of the new training ground.
Sitting back and reading others' posts and thinking about it, JR and CR gave Flitcroft everything he wanted and it actually demonstrated the flaws in his approach which is almost everything that Bury and Swindon fans warned us about. I do wonder whether Dempster was attracting attention from other clubs or was asking about opportunities to develop. I don't think we have any evidence that funding is dropping but am hoping that we are actually moving to a known unknown (ie an untested manager who we know well), we know he plays pressing football and wants to do it with the majority of the current squad. This points to the club thinking that the issue was management and not personnel.

Ultimately, as VP says, recruitment is going to tell us everything.

[mjneave]

I have no 'inside knowledge' whatsoever, but there could be something in the idea that JD is attracting attention from elsewhere. Being an 'oldie' I remember Don Revie being appointed at Leeds because the then Chairman was writing such a glowing reference for him that he thought 'Why aren't we employing this man here?' Tore up the reference and appointed Revie. The rest is history. JR is certainly very astute and I would guess he has been thinking about a managerial change for some time and may well have been 'looking around' quietly in the background and decided that JD has all the essential qualities to bring success to Stags. Both men have my full support. After all we all want the same thing - success on the [itch and success as a club.

[geoffhill]

With a few games to go we were in a very strong position for the automatics.Ultimateley Flitcroft failed and was sacked.I feel sure Dempster will get full support from the Radfords.I wish him all the best. only time will tell of course I just hope the fans get behind him.

[MutinyOnTheCounty]

I'm sure the fans will be behind Demps, Geoff.


My only concern is whether he manages to keep us performing roughly as well as DF did for the majority of the season. If we're there or thereabouts i'm sure most will give him time, but if we fall significantly short he'll soon know what it is to sprout grey hairs!

I'm aiming for top 10 or better as the yardstick. As mentioned the budget will define whether i revise it to playoffs, but i won't be expecting autos

[pemill]

As we have seen with other teams it doesn't matter how you play for the vast majority of the season providing you are in touching distance of the autos. Then when it really matters hit some form, get points on the board and over take those that are choking.

Obviously it would be nice to get to the top early and stay there, get promoted in April and sit back with a cigar on.

[Spiritater]

As we have seen with other teams it doesn't matter how you play for the vast majority of the season providing you are in touching distance of the autos. Then when it really matters hit some form, get points on the board and over take those that are choking.

Obviously it would be nice to get to the top early and stay there, get promoted in April and sit back with a cigar on.

We couldn't possibly do it that way, it wouldn't be the Mansfield Town way