Is Nigel really that good??

[Paulstag]

My tin hat is on ready but here goes.

With 8 games to go last season we were 3rd and we only just managed to scrape into the playoffs by 1 point and both us and Forest Green agreeing to not attack for the last 10 minutes of the game.
David Flitcroft got pelters for doing a very similar thing.

Nigel plays his mates out of position just so they get games.

Everyone going we have one of the best managers in the football league need to realise he was a good manager but times and the way players are coached now has changed.

[bobbystagsfan]

Be careful what you wish for.

[yorkstag]

Who knows but I think he is the best we will get. He built a club at Burton and I hope he will do the same here.

I think continuity is key and constantly changing managers doesn’t help.

We will be fine

[bobbystagsfan]

I knew we would get to this point if we didn't hit the ground running.

Cloughs first half of season was to stabilise us and reduce the wage bill - he did that.

First full season was top 7 finish I assume - he did that and got us to play off final but obviously did not go our way but still was an exciting season and one so much better than the previous dross we had been served up under Coughlan and Dempster.

Second full season objectives are probably top 3 or a top 7 finish again. We've only played three league games and people are questioning if he's good enough. We haven't been outplayed by anyone yet but just been let down by defensive mistakes and players not being able to take their chances. We've also been unlucky with injuries, but some on here will try to conjure a conspiracy that Clough buys injured players on purpose, just like the 'hE oNlY pLaYs hIs MaTes' bull.

The toxicity seems to be creeping back in already.

[Billy the fish]

If he was he’d be managing at a higher level , not very well thought of in Sheffield well the Red side of it .. negative Nigel he was fondly named

[arsene wengers coat]

Nothing is getting toxic.

We'll be alright, we just need promotion and we want to see signs of that from the first whistle of the season. We haven't seen progress this season yet.

[gazza1988]

When was it said by someone at the club that he was to reduce the wage bill? Or are we assuming so because he got rid of Maynard and Cook, to make those decisions look justified?

[bobbystagsfan]

When was it said by someone at the club that he was to reduce the wage bill? Or are we assuming so because he got rid of Maynard and Cook, to make those decisions look justified?

David Sharpe said that, could have been under Coughlan so my bad.

[Rob]

When was it said by someone at the club that he was to reduce the wage bill? Or are we assuming so because he got rid of Maynard and Cook, to make those decisions look justified?

It wasn't and he hasn't, Clough has plenty to spend if he wants it. I think it's great he isn't chucking it about like Evans did, but I do wish he'd chuck a bit more

[stagsfan6493]

I like Clough, he's a very good manager.

Recruitment has been poor this summer though, signing unnecessary players and not building on last season by strengthening up top or at the back. That doesn't make him a bad manager though.

[cassellswasmagic]

Be careful what you wish for.

This. Clough is the best we’ve had in years. We must let him get on with it. Just enjoy the ride.

[Curry 9 Brace 7]

It wont be a quick fix at Mansfield for Cloughie, it took him a good few years to get Burton sorted

[bear 73]

im so sorry that Sheff Utd fans regretted that from a being in a relegation position, he lead them to 7th in the league plus a money spinning day at Wembley in the semi final of the F=A cup.
The following season into the playoffs making history as the highest scoring semi final 6=5, so history was made twice his team was the first time that Sheff Utd scored a goal at Wembley
Also he made the semi final of the league cup, two games against Spurs.
He brought players into the club that played for them in the Premier league, plus players like Che Adams that also brought them revenue.
On poll 62% wanted him to stay, and th iv done with it, e best thing he did was being part of Kevin McCabes departure.
Not bad in 18 months
If he left Mansfied now the records would show the club in a far better place than when he took over,
All clubs he leaves in a better position than when he comes in,
Negativity goes along way
It cloggs up progress

[Amber Andy]

If he was he’d be managing at a higher level , not very well thought of in Sheffield well the Red side of it .. negative Nigel he was fondly named

Well you should know all about negativity ! I can't recall you ever posting anything remotely positive.

[Vice President]

Nigel is an excellent manager at this level - as was Flitcroft. They both just missed out on promotion in their first full season.
It’s a shame we didn’t stick with Flitcroft at the time. We will learn from that and give Nigel a fair chance.
This is a long term project, and whilst I question some of his decisions - I wouldn’t want to swap him for anyone else right now.

[victor A block]

Interesting that it could well be recruitment that is more of a problem.
Last season the Naylor fiasco left us light at centre half and the stop gaps brought in didn't resolve the position until JJ signed. Ultimately the ground we had to make up cost a top 3 finish.
The January recruitment arguably disrupted the side and the insistence on playing Murphy, Akins, Longstaff when it didn't suit against certain opposition. Wembley being a case in point when Clarke and Maris would have offered more protection.
This summer we are signing more midfielders when we are short of a striker and a centre half.
A look at the bench yesterday saw Clarke, Maris, Lapslie and Wallace, all who can do a similar job, along with an untried youth player up front and James Perch covering defence who certainly woudn't have been able to do many minutes in that heat coming back from injury. Totally unbalanced.
He may well have been in for a couple of strikers, but there must be better options out there than Swan. Gale will need another season and Akins/Bowery are hardly prolific.
It could well be groundhog day for this season if things aren't resolved in the next 2 and a half weeks.

[Bradders]

Nigel is an excellent manager at this level - as was Flitcroft. They both just missed out on promotion in their first full season.
It’s a shame we didn’t stick with Flitcroft at the time. We will learn from that and give Nigel a fair chance.
This is a long term project, and whilst I question some of his decisions - I wouldn’t want to swap him for anyone else right now.

Yes. And I don't subscribe to the "outdated methods" accusation, often used to justify criticism of a manager when results aren't satisfactory. Football really isn't that scientific.

[Chrisuknottm]

Nigel is an excellent manager at this level - as was Flitcroft. They both just missed out on promotion in their first full season.
It’s a shame we didn’t stick with Flitcroft at the time. We will learn from that and give Nigel a fair chance.
This is a long term project, and whilst I question some of his decisions - I wouldn’t want to swap him for anyone else right now.

Totally agree with this post but I am frustrated that since losing Cook, Maynard and Johnson as pure goalscorers he is stubbornly sticking to not needing a 20 goals a year striker on the premis that his midfielders all contribute 5 to 10 each which hasn't happened and that the recruitment of Swan is not the answer at League 2 level

[Amber Andy]

Nigel is an excellent manager at this level - as was Flitcroft. They both just missed out on promotion in their first full season.
It’s a shame we didn’t stick with Flitcroft at the time. We will learn from that and give Nigel a fair chance.
This is a long term project, and whilst I question some of his decisions - I wouldn’t want to swap him for anyone else right now.

Totally agree with this post but I am frustrated that since losing Cook, Maynard and Johnson as pure goalscorers he is stubbornly sticking to not needing a 20 goals a year striker on the premis that his midfielders all contribute 5 to 10 each which hasn't happened and that the recruitment of Swan is not the answer at League 2 level

Well none of those three scored enough goals to help us secure promotion.

[Vice President]

Maynard scored enough goals to get Bury promoted the previous season and the jury is still out on whether Johnson can help get Walsall promoted this season.
But it’s not about whether we should have kept either of them - it’s about who have we replaced them with … and are the replacements scoring enough goals?

[Amber Andy]

Maynard scored enough goals to get Bury promoted the previous season and the jury is still out on whether Johnson can help get Walsall promoted this season.
But it’s not about whether we should have kept either of them - it’s about who have we replaced them with … and are the replacements scoring enough goals?

I meant for us.We have signed these 20 plus a season strikers and they have not done it for us. Give Swan a chance ? Was Chris Greenacre a 20 plus a season goalscorer before he came to us ? Or Matt Green for instance.

[Johnny H]

To answer the question in the Title Thread......

No !

[Amber Andy]

To answer the question in the Title Thread......

No !

So what do you suggest we do about it ? Who would you suggest would be better ?

[Johnny H]

We stick with him......but hope he stops his insistence on utility players instead of proper centre halfs and goal scorers !!!

[Amber Andy]

We stick with him......but hope he stops his insistence on utility players instead of proper centre halfs and goal scorers !!!

I think the vast majority of us know we need another centre half so that Hawkins can play up front. I'm not a fan of Hewitt as a defender as I have previously stated. The thing is NC knows a lot more than any of us that post on this board. I don't think we can get a better manager at the moment.