A Consistent Philosophy

[Strawberry Avenger]

Some good comments above. Freedman’s treatment was indeed harsh but the consensus was even with better resources he didn’t know how to do things differently. If that was true we will never know.

Boatsy makes the point about hiring the wrong type of manager over and over again. Lets have a look..
Mclaren, ex England manager recent successs in winning dutch league
Davies, excellent man manger and Championship success (ok we’ll gloss over the obvious flaws)
ODriscoll , known for positive passing game
Pearce, club legend, former England U21 manager
Montanier, an experiment with continental style, success with Real Sociedad
Warburton, history of developing young players and good football
Karanka, recent success in getting Boro promotion
ONeill, 25 years mangerial experience and success at a high leve.

We have tried pretty well every type of manager above, you could argue every one of them had a good CV and had delivered elsewhere. Who else do you want? What have we not previously done?

I cant help coming back to the conclusion that the problem is we rip everything up and start again every season.

Good post.  But Dougie did know how to do things differently.  He just didn't have the players to do it.

Davies speaks for himself.  3rd person or not.  I liked him.  The flaws not so much.  But we were closest to the sun with him in charge.

O'Neill.  25 years of managerial success and experience.  He's the one to get us 'there.'

Patience.  Discipline.  Time.

The owners.  O'Neill.  And yes, THE FANS.

SA.

[TheGreenMan]

To be fair to Norwich they play good attacking football not hoof ball from the centre half hoping to find our occasional tricky winger or rely on corners or long throws into the area to try and score.

[ozzyten10]

I do feel that O’Neill has it in him to do the job. It won’t be pretty though. That said, his most successful sides have had a balance between flair and strength. Looking at his villa side he put Barry, downing, Delphi and young together and All have had great careers and are still playing. He built it on a very strong defensive pairing at the back. He also likes a big man up front but has used flair small players around them. I am willing to give him next season as I feel we have to stick at some stage or another.

[Strawberry Avenger]

It's very interesting.

Is it just a coincidence that from all the managers listed above the one who got closest to promotion was the one who was given the most time?

That is no coincidence. Look at Norwich last season and this season. Last season they finished around mid table or even lower, they didn't panic though, they kept their manager and look at them now.

Yeah.  They stuck with it.  They weren't so hot last season...but built on that foundation and the football looks better for it.  But you have to be tough to beat first.  Then get the football going.

Norwich didn't go from being a relegation team to a promotion team.  They had at least one mid-table finish.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

I do feel that O’Neill has it in him to do the job. It won’t be pretty though. That said, his most successful sides have had a balance between flair and strength. Looking at his villa side he put Barry, downing, Delphi and young together and All have had great careers and are still playing. He built it on a very strong defensive pairing at the back. He also likes a big man up front but has used flair small players around them. I am willing to give him next season as I feel we have to stick at some stage or another.

Martin has indicated that it won't be pretty to 'start with.'  In his interviews he said that.  He compared us to Swansea. But Norwich and Swansea's teams have laid the foundations and had them in place longer.

The football will come in time.  Martin's sides have a balance of robust with 'play a bit' but that won't happen until he can get his hands on a pre-season and some Summer transfer business.

I don't understand the disgruntlement so far.  It's not his team.  Not his pre-season.  It's not like they were constant top 6 under Aitor.  The £20 million Portuguese and Soudani experiment long since packed their bags, mentally, physically or loaned out or injured.  That's not down to Martin.  Ergo x3 DCMs.

This job was always going to be a poisoned chalice coming in halfway through a season.

Forest have old players, lightweights, non proven Championship players or outright injured players.

Given that leaves us pretty much with Lolley in attack and two CHs, and one quality DCM and a part-time striker (take your pick of old Murphy or injured Grabban...) how are you supposed to get top 6 with 4 - 5 players?

It can't be done.

SA.