Shrimpsvoices

No I don't think he should be the next manager (although I never knew until the other day he had a spell as caretaker at Blackpool) but I just wanted to say I think this guy has been our unsung hero for the past couple of years.

When he started getting involved with the first team when Jim was here you could see he was a positive influence, he was then there through the transition period and helped Baz and Kev then he seems to have slotted in and worked well with Derek as the two of them always seem in discussions on the touch line.

He has been the one constant over the past couple of years but hardly gets a mention, I hope whoever comes in next can find a place for him in their coaching setup.

Agree! Would be interesting to know how much of a role he’s had in our recent success! I presume he’ll be the one tasked with the released & retained list given the managerial situation.

P/T Indie wrote:No I don't think he should be the next manager...

Funnily enough, I was just thinking about him. I wonder if he would stay with us or go with Derek? Would he be the right man for the top job? Or, would a new manager want to bring in their own number two?

He had a couple of years managing Liverpool reserves, so may have useful contacts for loan players and certainly has lots of experience, so could he step up?

I think a McMahon & Ellison partnership would be great!!

mrpotatohead wrote:I think a McMahon & Ellison partnership would be great!!

mrpotatohead wrote:I think a McMahon & Ellison partnership would be great!!

Actually sounds interesting, but as an equal standing, or as Manager and Assistant ?

I imagine that John will have developed an immense amount of knowledge of Derek’s training methods and approach to man management. New managers usually want their own team but John would be a huge source of information on existing players, the Academy and the club. Even he could help replicate the pre-season training, which I think kept the players fit and in the hunt all season. He is the main link and I hope he’s kept on.

Posh wrote:I imagine that John will have developed an immense amount of knowledge of Derek’s training methods and approach to man management. New managers usually want their own team but John would be a huge source of information on existing players, the Academy and the club. Even he could help replicate the pre-season training, which I think kept the players fit and in the hunt all season. He is the main link and I hope he’s kept on.

Spot on.

Since John arrived at our club, it has been obvious the improvement in the players fitness and tactical awareness.

John could be a valuable source of info to the new manager about players and the club.

But there is always the chance that a new man will want his own team around him. If the new guy is the former Motherwell manager it could well be that his team are already part of their new manager's team and would not want to move South.

Let's hope that the club can sell John to the new manager.He's too important for us to let go.

Still got the photo of John and myself shaking hands when I sponsored a match at Christie on a snow frozen pitch. John was the Captain at the time. Happy memories.....

Derek kept John on the books to make the playing budget stretch further and it worked. If a new gaffer was to bring in a backroom team then it would dilute the playing budget.

I agree about keeping John on board. I said when Jim brought him in that i felt he was underused. I couldn't get my head round the fact he was Head of Coaching but not even on the bench during games. Would love to see him stay.