So...what do we do now?

[Sandman396]

On 3/5/2020 at 5:04 PM, Jedi2 said:

I think a lot of folk had made their mind up that it shouldn't be Dyer when he was appointed, and even had we beaten Aberdeen in the Cup, beaten Hibs recently etc (yes, we didn't so 'the point becomes moot' etc) it wouldn't have changed anything.

I wasn't convinced when he was appointed either, as it looked like a lazy option by the board, and clearly a couple of early performances against St.Mirren and St.Johnstone didn't auger well. However....the players are currently busting a gut, they are also playing a lot of good football, the first 40 minutes last night being a prime example. Tbh we look more 'entertaining' now than we did even with SC. Clearly SC made the team harder to beat, but we were never as adventurous going forward. 'If' AD had been backed in the window, and 'if' he had actual substitutes who he was able to bring on to change games, it would be a clearer picture, but he wasn't and he hasn't, in terms of having impact subs to call on.

The performances now are night and day from the start of January. Most if not all managers take time to get their own ideas across, AD is moving in the right direction. Is it perfect....no, but the signs are much more encouraging. 

If he were to be offered and accepted the job over the next month or so, it would provide stability at a much needed time, and hopefully allow Fowler to start moving on pre-contracts and proper targets this time around. If it isn't AD, we are truly back to square one, and I fear a repeat of last summer's horror show, with a new manager coming in late, and scrabbling around for players.

AD isn't currently a lazy option as it appeared in December. He has moved the style of play forward in a more positive direction, and is clearly bringing out every last ounce of effort from the players. With a bit more luck and better defending at times, we would probably be looking forward to a Cup semi-final, and be right down the necks of the likes of Hibs and Livi.....its small margins. 

Still feel like this now?

Losing to 10 man Hamilton is not "moving forward"

[Jedi2]

13 minutes ago, Sandman396 said:

Still feel like this now?

Losing to 10 man Hamilton is not "moving forward"

I knew that if we lost today, it would lead to a 'Dyer out' scenario. That is a very poor result, absolutely no question, especially frustrating with both Hibs and Livi losing. Of course losing to Hamilton is not 'moving forward'. As far as our situation now goes though, Bowie still seems to be escaping responsibility for the January window when we ended up with fewer players, two strikers, and essentially no cover on the bench.

No question that the case for AD getting the job has taken a significant hit today, as hopes of finishing in the top half are limited to say the least. One thing regarding the play-off spot is that, win against St.Mirren next week, and we are back to 10pts off it though.

If Dyer is punted I still expect a repeat of last summer, with a long gap in finding the new man, and leaving us playing catch up. Can add Hamilton, result and performance, to the St.Mirren and St.Johnstone 'minus' column admittedly.

Over to the board...

Edited March 7, 2020 by Jedi2

[Pompey Repatriated]

Those saying we are playing better. 

Do you think this will start to translate into results?

Are you confident in Dyer having a successful transfer window in summer and he'll be a success next season?

 

[skygod]

4 hours ago, Jedi2 said:

If Dyer is punted I still expect a repeat of last summer, with a long gap in finding the new man....

It needn't mean a long gap if the board starts looking now.

They have a bunch of applications from last summer as a starting point. Some can be rejected and some will have found positions. Some might have found positions and be available again!

There's no reason why they can't put out feelers with the agents of anyone interesting and invite them to have conversations, without prejudice.

It might be that AD comes through, although I doubt it, or that the board has other preferred candidates. But take time to do a proper detailed appraisal.

They need to be brave. The temptation might be to feel, "Once bitten, twice shy", but if you don't have the stomach for it there is little point in being the director of a football club.

This time they have the services of JF, who presumably approved AD's interim appointment. He needs to prove his worth too.

We are with the board, obviously, but they need to stop making elementary mistakes. 

 

 

[Andy]

We are deffo playing better than when Dyer was first appointed, in the middle third of the pitch, compared to Alessio’s tactics.

However we are not playing better in defence, and it is costing us dear.

You could argue that we are also better in final third given we are scoring before today.

But we need to be way more clinical in final third.

We have dominated against Hibs, Aberdeen and today and taken 1 point.

We will never know but I think Alessio would have got us at least 3 points in these games.

Clarke 9.

[Wee_Eck1979]

Saying BB let him down is nonsense, JF has openly talked that certain players were ready to come and terms were agreed but AD said no. Instead our bench is now full of kids who the manager has only turned to in times of emergency and clearly doesn’t trust them to change a game.

[zinger]

BB is an important factor in our structure, mainly due to his financial contribution but we need some football brains on the board to bring expertise that is clearly lacking at the moment.  Lee McCulloch is a man who knows the Scottish game generally, Killie in particular and brought some talent to the team but he himself would not claim to be a team manager. He did a lot of local work with schools to bring Killie closer to the local community and would be able to pull these strengths into an effective boardroom role.

We also need to secure a new manager and give him time to access available new recruits in conjunction with Jamie Fowler who himself has to show us he is the man for the job he holds.  Alex Dyer is a decent guy but is not a number one and his results are increasingly alarming. We move the ball around but there is little end product too often and the defensive chaos continues to cost us dear. Another final minute crazy penalty gift yesterday just to continue the trend established in the Aberdeen cup game.  We must take action on the managerial front now. Candidates looking for a Killie like job will not be in short supply but if Gary Holt shows interest, he could be the man to re-establish us post Clarke.

Let's get St Mirren and Livingstone put to bed before the split and use the remaining games to give young Connell, Cameron and Taylor a run in the team and establish their value going forward.

Yesterday was depressing but we shouldn't overlook the fact we could have been two down had Branescu not pulled off a couple of really good saves in the first half. Playing against 10 men for 15 minutes is not an automatic winning position, so we shouldn't dwell too much on that fact. We were in control of the game pretty well throughout but couldn't take advantage at the clinical end of the pitch.

We've got enough to see us through the season but we are likely to finish 8th or 9th which is far from the expectations left by Clarke's era. Get the next manager appointment right and we're back in business.