Has Derek Thrown in the Towel?

[Keith]

After he wouldn't say that the squad are good enough to avoid relegation, he's now said that last season's squad was clearly better than this.

At a time when he needs to be building self-belief in a team that is devoid of any confidence, it comes across as if he doesn't believe in them.

Has he accepted we're going down, or some clever psychology? We'll see if there's a response on Saturday, but if not, then this is the point where the manager believed we're heading for League Two.

[Redalert1970]

Don't think he's thrown the towel in Keith ... Just been honest in my opinion

The one thing I like about Derek is he's always honest

[KenH]

I agree, he's an honest guy, just telling it how it is. He's not wrong. Our current team, as a whole, at the moment isn't as good as the promotion winning team last year. I'd say the current squad is low to mid table L2. Last year's squad was clearly top of L2!

Same happened with Jim in one of his interviews after a bad game, when he said something like he "can't afford the players he wanted so he's got to make do with the players he has", which was derided at the time as being negative and confidence destroying to his players, but it did seem to give them a kick up the bum and things got a little better.

[BerlinWaller]

Have people forgotten how many times SR publically called out his players this season or is it different when they have a Irish accent and a smile? Just go through the post match interviews on youtube and he calls the players out time and again. Some on here have a very clear agenda against Derek for whatever reason despite him being our greatest ever Manager.

This topic is so bad, i had to double check if RR had started it.

[Little Shrimp]

Have people forgotten how many times SR publically called out his players this season or is it different when they have a Irish accent and a smile? Just go through the post match interviews on youtube and he calls the players out time and again. Some on here have a very clear agenda against Derek for whatever reason despite him being our greatest ever Manager.

This topic is so bad, i had to double check if RR had started it.

That's a bit of a silly accusation. Keith put forward the point that it might be clever psychology, and both Ken and RA have broadly agreed with Derek. Given what he's said, it's a very fair point of discussion.

For what it's worth, I don't think he's right that this season's squad (after January reinforcements) isn't as good as last season's. It probably isn't as suited to what he wants, but that's understandable given it was built by a different manager.

Personally, I think that he's trying to play a bit of a psychological trick. He's quite deliberate in what he says, and I think he's likely looking for some kind of reaction. Up for debate whether it's a good tactic or not - guess we'll see on Saturday!

[vvm]

Personally, I think that he's trying to play a bit of a psychological trick. He's quite deliberate in what he says, and I think he's likely looking for some kind of reaction. Up for debate whether it's a good tactic or not - guess we'll see on Saturday!

This is my understanding, it's a risky trick to play but I think risks need to be taken and he knows that

[redrobo]

No way would our manager throw the towel in more likely to be some on this thread who don't seem happy with DA as manager. Get a grip The season isn't finished yet so get behind him.. and the lads on the field for *ods sake

[Born again Bill]

Think if my boss hinted his workforce weren’t good enough I don’t think he would get a positive reaction . Massive gamble by Derek if that’s what he is doing !

[KenH]

Think if my boss hinted his workforce weren’t good enough I don’t think he would get a positive reaction . Massive gamble by Derek if that’s what he is doing !

But what else can he do? Some of the current squad aren't putting in a shift at all, some by not actually working hard, some by switching off, some by not doing what they're told. Derek has a choice of letting them carry on (and continuing to suffer the poor results of the last couple of months) or sticking a rocket up their bums and hoping for a response. We're in last chance saloon. Being nice, being supportive, telling them how good they are, simply hasn't worked.

[redrobo]

Just listened to his 8nterview and he's got it spot on. The current squad assembled by our former manager does not have the strength in depth to compete at this level.

I agree 100% with him that last seasons squad was better but that doesn't mean it would have been good in EFL1. He made the point that the quality in the Natonal League is .lower than EFL2 as is EFL2 compared to EFL1. Time after time many have posted about the squad not being up to the current standard. And yet when our manager makes that assessment some on here are quick to critisise.

Robinson was quick to find fault in numerous areas both on and off the field. He is totally responsible for the position we find ourselves in. He's taken the quick opportunity to run and for that I thank him but he had no intention of seeing it through and for me we are best without him.

GOOD RIDANCE AND DELIGHTED HE'S GONE.







d

[Keith]

Just listened to his 8nterview and he's got it spot on. The current squad assembled by our former manager does not have the strength in depth to compete at this level.

I agree 100% with him that last seasons squad was better but that doesn't mean it would have been good in EFL1. He made the point that the quality in the Natonal League is .lower than EFL2 as is EFL2 compared to EFL1. Time after time many have posted about the squad not being up to the current standard. And yet when our manager makes that assessment some on here are quick to critisise.

If it was December, and a new manager was saying that, then it would be a kick up the arse and signalling that come January transfer window, he'd be looking for replacements. I'd think that was fair & reasonable. But regardless of what he would like, these are his players until the summer. Publicly knocking them down, twice in a week, is a dangerous tactic. The players need building up. If, at the end of the season, he said what he thought, then fair enough but right now, I'd rather hear him say they are definitely good enough. More to the point, that's what they need to hear too.

[redrobo]

Sounds to me that you are not 100% behind DA. Surely you can't still believe that Judas was a good manager. He talked a good game but failed to bring in players who could compete at this level

[KenH]

The players need building up.

Robbo constantly did that but we still didn't get the results, so a different tactic is needed.

[Keith]

Sounds to me that you are not 100% behind DA. Surely you can't still believe that Judas was a good manager. He talked a good game but failed to bring in players who could compete at this level

I was 100% behind him when he arrived, but had some reservations as to how he would manage the players that he has at his disposal. I really hope he gets them firing on all cylinders, and we survive, but the two 'must win' games he failed, and on Tuesday, failed by a long way. I preferred Baz's approach at Rotherham, which also failed, but narrowly.

Shrewsbury was the worst performance of the season. The players needed picking up after that. It may be that Derek's comments will have the impact and get the players fired up to prove him wrong? I really hope so. But I fear they could have the opposite effect. Let's see what performance they put in tomorrow.

I was entirely behind Robinson, but that's because I fell for his nonsense about 'being here for the long haul' and 'developing the club'. I thought that if we went down, he'd have been in a good position to have us challenging again next season. Instead, he bailed and left us in a mess. I'm certainly no fan of his.

[Wild Bill]

Whether it works or not, time will tell. Adams may have just been honest, but I imagine he has also made a calculated move to get the most out of certain individuals. Some players wont react well, but as we found out with kev he won't worry about them. We still have quality in the squad but probably in all areas we were more effective last season, albeit against inferior opposition.

[mrpotatohead]

Don't know of its tactical or just honest, but Derek has nothing to prove and nothing to lose this season , we were as good as down from day one this season in most people's eyes, and we were proving them right when Robinson bailed out , if Derek is the manager he thinks he is, we will stay up, if we dont he can rebuild and judge him this time next season if we arent in the playoff positions.......either way ,one thing is for certain, Derek will not care what anyone thinks.

[marky No.1]

Heads or tails?
Players either think sod it I'm not playing for him when we're not up to his L2 team standard

or

Stuff this, we will show him what we are made of

Time will tell and not much of it left

[Gone_Shrimping]

I think it was clever psychology from Derek.

Hopefully the players will think "We'll show him we are league 1 standard".

Let's just hope that Wigan don't bang 6 in today ! Callum Lang not playing so that is a boost.

[ianmcm]

I find this quite strange. Considerations of formation aside, looking at the line-up vs Wigan I would say that Carson is an upgrade (and I liked Kyle Letheren); Cooney is Cooney; Bedeau is better than Knight-Percival (who I also really liked) just because of his younger legs; O'Connor is possibly not a much lesser player than Sam Lavelle, however he isn't as much of an onfield general; Leigh is an international footballer and not worse than the previous options at left back; McLoughlin is a very different player to Songo'o but not 'worse', per se; Diagouraga is himself; Wildig also; Gnahoua is not the equal of Mendes-Gomez, that I will concede, but CMG wouldn't have been here anyway, so it's moot; Stockton is Stockton; Connolly is probably the equal of anyone who would have played in a front three last season.

Fane and Ayunga are likely better than last year's similar squad options. Phillips and Gibson are no better or worse than they were. Beyond that, the other players don't feature often enough to make much of a judgement about their inferiority or otherwise.

Obviously others will disagree with my assessment but this isn't a significantly worse squad and may even be better in some areas.

I would say that this isn't the time for psychological tricks or mind games in my opinion and if I was on the board I'd be saying 'You've been brought back to try and keep us up with the resources available. Please get on with it.'

[BerlinWaller]

He wasn't brought in to keep us up, he was brought in to replace a man who promised the earth but jumped ship the first chance he got. We were only going one way with Robinson and his his eutopia football,.I can't get my head around it being Dereks fault.

[Keith]

Of course he was brought in to keep us up! Don't be daft. Robinson put us in the mess, but Adams didn't win the winnable games. Let's hope he can win promotion from League Two again.

[BerlinWaller]

If you want someone to keep you up, you sack the man taking you down and give the new man time and resources to keep you up. When Jim packed his bags with us on a one way ticket to Non League, Derek came in with a transfer window available and kept us up. The very next season he achieved the impossible. Remember how you preached that we should be happy just scraping by at the foot of League 2?

We all know you don't like Derek Keith and looking through your painful to read posts today it is clear to see you are leading the bandwagon for the anti Derek crowd. I think you should support the club and enjoy the rest of League 1 rather than letting your Derek anger eat you up.

[Lurchy]

I think we had a better chance of staying up with Robinson and this squad. The squad is defintely not worse than last year's, they are just moulded to play Robbo's way not Derek's. But Robbo fkd us. I was as happy as anyone that Derek came back but we're getting worse not better. But as my Morecambe born PNE mate always texts me- Keep the faith! A win from somewhere and the situation looks a hell of a lot better

[marky No.1]

We've been looking for a win since 22nd January, so not much chance really. Our saving grace was Wimbledon who haven't won since 7th December but that's no saviour now cos they're in the drop zone too.
Gillingham have now found the will to get points, so screwed again

[fulwoodshrimp]

I welcomed the return of DA but in recent weeks have been puzzled by his tactics. Why on earth was Gnaouia selected for the game yesterday. He has shown throughout the season he is nowhere near good enough to play at this level. What has Obika done to be left on the bench? When the previous manager left Obika was returning to full fitness and looking very sharp. In a game like yesterday when we came back to 2-1 it was calling out for another attacker to join the fray but the manager diddn't read the game well. I worry the Bradford experience has damaged DA and affected his judgements. I believe the current squad was good enough to survive in League 1 but the two managers between them have messed up and reduced us to relegation certainties. I also was worried at DA's Radio Lancashire interview yesterday when the interviewer said Derek had two weeks to work with the squad on the training ground before the next game. His response was it was no good working on the training ground with them. What self respecting coach would have that attitude?