Rob Edwards Sacked

I can't bump the thread now as it's closed for comments, but back at the start of May I posted this prior to Edwards being appointed, and when the merits of playing 3 at the back or appointing a manager who plays 3 at the back was discussed:

"One major problem which does exist though with 3 at the back is it requires a more specialised set of players than 433. Most managers and most squads at the top level will be optimised, utilised and drilled for a 433. Switching to 3 at the back could require different types of players and longer-term backing. Brighton and Brentford have done this in sticking with the same manager over seasons and bringing in players for their style of play, but if you're liable to change managers more often, as we have done, then optimising your squad for 3 at the back can maybe limit your options."

https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/next-seasons-manager.59276/page-13#post-3125438

Yet we went and appointed a manager who played 3 at the back anyway, and unsurprisingly didn't end up backing him long-term.

Not that I think he'd shown enough to make him seem worth sticking with long-term, but it's just something which shows how much of a risky and perhaps strange appointment it was from us to begin with.

 

C'mon, Scott was clearly lying about having a more youthful approach. He just tells the fans what he thinks they want to hear. Its all BS. Our academy players wouldnt keep us in league 1.

If Rob was Scott's choice he has to go now. It was a disastrous, ignorant and incompetent decision. How on earth did we get to the point where Scott 'Carlos Tevez' Duxbury is choosing our managers. Totally bonkers.

 

We venerate the likes of JP, Sarr, Asprilla, Kamara, Choudhury etc as superstars but when it comes to talking about Edwards and the team he's been given, we say it is useless and not good enough for League 1, and that Rob has been hung out to dry and such and such, whilst simultaneously making out JP and Sarr are the next comings of Christ on the football field.

So which is it? Has Rob been hung out to dry and these players aren't actually that good or are they amazing, and he hasn't got the best out of them?

It seems people pick and choose what they think about the quality of the squad when it comes to discussing Edwards.

 

In all fairness Wrexham have spent an absolute shitloads to get top 2. They're paying League 1 salaries for at least 3 players!

 

If Bilic doesn't get results to improve and get us at least firmly nestled in the playoff places not a mile off of automatics, then given Gino's track record - probably, yeah.

The only major failure of our recruitment in the summer was the lack of RWB (now lack of RB now that we'll be ditching wing-backs). Aside from that it was decent and left us with a squad which should be playing better than it recently has been. It's very rare that any club signs loads of players in a summer window which in one fell swoop addresses all their weaknesses and where none of the players flop.

As for your comment about the medical team - obviously the club will be aiming to keep the players fit.

 

It's a mix - Sarr is a Premier League player in terms of quality but 3 at the back doesn't really suit much of his skillset. Asprilla is talented but extremely raw. The failure to recruit a RWB has meant Kamara has been stuck on the opposite side of the pitch to where he's mostly comfortable which will undoubtedly impact his output. As I mentioned in my Stoke preview - our midfield papers over a LOT of cracks in defence which we've failed to recruit adequately for and really lets the squad down as a whole - that's not a slight on Edwards, we're basically forced into playing a system that doesn't suit our best players because recruitment in defence has been so shambolic that it's basically impossible to play 4 at the back cos the opponent will just waltz on by and score for fun.

 

Will be interesting to see if Bilic can get a tune out of Gaspar or will go for CC.

 

And yet Edwards has also been to an extent guilty of being "just all talk" in prior to the season and after games always going on about how supposedly he'll get the team playing brave, attacking football and with a few slight tweaks he knows how he can get them all firing, then the players serving up the same negative turd on the pitch again every week.

 

I don't think it's a sham, I think the intentions were good, but the fact they keep getting the recruitment decisions wrong over and over again is bemusing.

 

If promotion was a must for this season, why did we go down the 'project' route and not the Bilic-type 'safe pair of hands' straight away?

 

Clever to remove Edwards before his 3 month probation period was up. Would have had to go through employment tribunals if we'd waited longer.

 

I think he's actually very good at it. That's part of the problem.
I'm not sure how many of the football decisions he actually makes. I have a suspicion he's been set up here, quite possibly to deflect from Gino.

 

Because our CEO is a ****head.

 

Like Scott and Gino I don't really know enough about managers to be able to predict in advance who will succeed. To me Rob seemed like an incredibly inexperienced gamble for a short term project (automatic promotion in 9 months). But I had no idea if he'd succeed or not. After 11 games it was clear he wouldnt succeed in the short term. We need short term success due to our financial situation and the likelihood that our best 5 or 6 players will leave if we dont get promoted. I described Scott's decision as disastrous, ignorant and incompetent with the benefit of hindsight, having seen Rob's performance at the club. I didnt know that at the time he was appointed.

 

End of the day, as others have said up here, you don't hire an unproven, punt manager and expect amazing results off the bat and shouldn't expect autos from them either.

A manager who's only real managerial job was in League 2 in his career won't bring promotion quality results in the first season, if he would ever. That kind of task needs a man with experience.

Again Pozzos with their wires crossed and not sure what they actually want, hiring a 'long-term' manager but with an absolute goal of promotion. Paradoxical.

 

This club is a complete and utter embarrassment from top to bottom.

Sure RE had some faults and is clearly very much learning his trade but he’s had 11 games ffs, backed to hell and high water? F**k off Scott you odious snidey t0sser.

The fact they’ve renegaded on getting rid of Giaraetta absolutely stinks.

The recruitment of non-playing staff has been utterly dreadful for nigh on two years now. I genuinely don’t think it really matters who the manager is now, the club is so f**ked that the job is a hiding to nothing.

Anyone still back the board need throwing in a padded cell.

SOS Elton.

 

Yes, this fitness thing is being forgotten about.Were Edwards' team responsible for that? It's been an issue for a number of seasons, now.

 

I'm pretty consistent. I think Sarr and JP are good at this level. Asprilla has potential. None of them were signed with the team in mind, then or now though. If there was the remotest hope of funds being invested in the team needs, I'd happily see them all sold.

 

I really hope he is being set up. That would be great news!

 

It's the lack of urgency in our play that's the most telling indictment of RE, in my view.

 

Interesting comment on WML. Food for thought. Pure speculation.

 

I am withdrawing my support for the club until the ponzis are gone. Goodbye

 

I don't want to attend anymore Watford games but I will happily take part in any protest against this moron in charge.

 

We're having a new start, just like they promised. We have two or three new starts every season.

 

Save us Elton

 

It probably took a week to convince Bilic that this was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity

 

Whilst not being as extreme as you in my views moog I’ve never been a COG. I’d love to protest to be honest but I fear my time for that may have passed, or at least my window has closed at least for now. Having two small kids changes priorities, until they’re old enough to join me back at the Vic (and protest as well!).

I guess in some ways I’m lucky. Too young to fully understand the shambles of the Basset or Petchey years, and luckily enough to have my formative years during the time of GT’s second coming and then after a blip the Aidy promotion. I’m sure back then if the situation was as it is now I’d be more than with you on this one.

Let’s talk again in 2035 when my kids are teenagers, Bassini is back and they can help us throw vegetables at him.

 

Well, I for one am flabbergasted by this news. All of my favourite podder's assured me that he would be given at least a season.

 

What a waste though. He’ll have done his IT security, plus moving and handling training and got his login and ID pass all for nothing.

 

They got away with it with Xisco...