Devil Takes the hindmost - Worst Manager (Day 2)

Ok, the results from yesterday clearly show that Megson is out - and that puts him in fifth place as our worst manager since Allardyce - a fair reflection in my opinion as it was clearly mob rule that forced him out of the club over his personality and dour football strategy rather than his ultimate management ability.  Just shows to me how the crowd and the ones with the loudest voices don't always know best (think ST!).

Anyway day 2 and the polls are reset to zero - remember this is a marathon not a sprint - so who are the worst three of the four remaining managers left?

Remember you have THREE votes to use.

Use them well.

With respect Sluffy, when did you last attend a Bolton match? Aged 12?

Hardly surprising that you don't sympathise with the people who wanted Megson out. In fact I think you get great satisfaction from the fact that sacking Megson and bringing in Coyle didn't have the effect all the "mobs" thought it would, just like you warned of at the time.

Sluffy wrote:Ok, the results from yesterday clearly show that Megson is out - and that puts him in fifth place as our worst manager since Allardyce - a fair reflection in my opinion as it was clearly mob rule that forced him out of the club over his personality and dour football strategy rather than his ultimate management ability.  Just shows to me how the crowd and the ones with the loudest voices don't always know best (think ST!).

Too late for a smuggest post of the year award?

Lee's the worst manager, followed by Coyle and Lennon. 

Lee was clearly way out of his depth it's almost not fair to have him in this as I wouldn't class him as an actual manager, that's pretty much been accepted by him seeing as he has only ever coached since. 

On Freedman, Coyle and Lennon, it's very hard to offer a fair comparison IMO all have some good and many shitty aspects to their skillset. Given proper backing I think Lennon could have done well with us but I really think he's let the situation get the better of him - can't blame him for that in many ways.

Yawn.

Ok, this poll isn't scientific but it isn't fixed either - at least 21 random people voted on the first stage of this competition and out of a choice of donkeys, many of which you yourself don't rate, they said that Megson was the BEST of a bad bunch.

I guess to fit your views these people DIDN'T go to watch the games either!

I could give a fuck either way how people thought of Megson, Coyle or anyone else - it doesn't effect my life in anyway at all and there's nothing I can do even if it did. All this is about is having a bit of fun.

My opinion was that Megson was the best of these 5 managers, it seems the majority of the others who voted thought so too.

I'm sorry if that doesn't fit in with your scheme of how things should be.

And thank you for acknowledging my 'warning' of Megson's sacking and Coyle's management and although I was in the vast minority at the times was indeed shown ultimately to be bob on.  The thing though it still counted for nothing - both then and now - nothing I say and do matters to the owners of the football club and their decisions of how to run it - and even if they did listen to the vast majority of the crowd voice - they would have got it badly wrong by ditching Megson and persevering with Coyle.

Management is about being rational not emotional.

Football is just an entertainment to me, a hobby, an interest.  One that I've had for over 50 years.  I'm not sad enough to believe the club owes me something for following it for so long nor pathetic enough to have temper tantrums when something is said or done I don't like.

If you think Megson was the devil incarnate, then good for you.  I simply think he was a competent manager employed to do a certain job which he successfully did but in such a manner that displeased the masses and with a distinct lack of charm that ultimately sealed his fate on a personal level rather than on a footballing one.

bwfc1874 wrote:

Sluffy wrote:Ok, the results from yesterday clearly show that Megson is out - and that puts him in fifth place as our worst manager since Allardyce - a fair reflection in my opinion as it was clearly mob rule that forced him out of the club over his personality and dour football strategy rather than his ultimate management ability.  Just shows to me how the crowd and the ones with the loudest voices don't always know best (think ST!).

Too late for a smuggest post of the year award?

Or maybe the factually correct one?

think it's time you got a new hobby Sluffy

Sluffy I can't take you seriously. Seems like you're just trolling, you don't honestly believe Megson was the best of that bunch of managers?

i voted for Megson as the worst, the football was appalling, he had no man management skills (ask Elmander) and he alienated the entire support of the club (apart from Sluffy obviously)

Norpig wrote:i voted for Megson as the worst, the football was appalling, he had no man management skills (ask Elmander) and he alienated the entire support of the club (apart from Sluffy obviously)

Don't take the bait

Sluffy wrote:

bwfc1874 wrote:

Sluffy wrote:Ok, the results from yesterday clearly show that Megson is out - and that puts him in fifth place as our worst manager since Allardyce - a fair reflection in my opinion as it was clearly mob rule that forced him out of the club over his personality and dour football strategy rather than his ultimate management ability.  Just shows to me how the crowd and the ones with the loudest voices don't always know best (think ST!).

Too late for a smuggest post of the year award?

Or maybe the factually correct one?

Well not quite, you seem to be suggesting it was his personality that got him sacked, for that to be considered even close to fact then the performances on the pitch would have to have been far stronger. 

As it was we were going down and on a terrible run culminating in a collapse against Hull. 

I also think the atmosphere around the club is a pretty integral measure of a managers success. Megson played a major part in the poisonous atmosphere around the club at the time, which counts against him IMO.

Boggersbelief wrote:Sluffy I can't take you seriously. Seems like you're just trolling, you don't honestly believe Megson was the best of that bunch of managers?

Yes I do.

The poll says he was also - and the poll is not fixed - so it seems I'm not alone either.

as i said before all of them since Big Sam have been at various levels of shit, i voted for Megson because the football was rubbish and negative and his attitude towards the fans.

Sluffy wrote:Yawn.

Ok, this poll isn't scientific but it isn't fixed either - at least 21 random people voted on the first stage of this competition and out of a choice of donkeys, many of which you yourself don't rate, they said that Megson was the BEST of a bad bunch.

I guess to fit your views these people DIDN'T go to watch the games either!

I could give a fuck either way how people thought of Megson, Coyle or anyone else - it doesn't effect my life in anyway at all and there's nothing I can do even if it did. All this is about is having a bit of fun.

My opinion was that Megson was the best of these 5 managers, it seems the majority of the others who voted thought so too.

I'm sorry if that doesn't fit in with your scheme of how things should be.

And thank you for acknowledging my 'warning' of Megson's sacking and Coyle's management and although I was in the vast minority at the times was indeed shown ultimately to be bob on.  The thing though it still counted for nothing - both then and now - nothing I say and do matters to the owners of the football club and their decisions of how to run it - and even if they did listen to the vast majority of the crowd voice - they would have got it badly wrong by ditching Megson and persevering with Coyle.

Management is about being rational not emotional.

Football is just an entertainment to me, a hobby, an interest.  One that I've had for over 50 years.  I'm not sad enough to believe the club owes me something for following it for so long nor pathetic enough to have temper tantrums when something is said or done I don't like.

If you think Megson was the devil incarnate, then good for you.  I simply think he was a competent manager employed to do a certain job which he successfully did but in such a manner that displeased the masses and with a distinct lack of charm that ultimately sealed his fate on a personal level rather than on a footballing one.

I can't believe that a person of your intelligence could take the results of a forum poll like this as seriously as you do.

Yes, Sluffy. Your poll showed that 10-20 people disagree with me on this. Damn, I really need to have a word with myself. To be fair I respect their opinion, some of them no doubt saw us play under Megson, and later Coyle, Freedman and now Lennon and have weighed up all the factors objectively. What I don't get is the fact that you start these polls all the time supposedly for "just a bit of fun" then proceed to take it incredibly seriously. It just makes me wonder if it really is just a bit of fun or an opportunity for you to take yet another swipe at people who unlike yourself have a bit of a relationship with the club that extends beyond monitors and keyboards.

Either way it always ends with this "Megson did the job he was asked to do, end of" sort of attitude. Well if that's the case, what's the fucking point doing this? Why not just give us all the fact and figures and be done with it?

doffcocker wrote:I can't believe that a person of your intelligence could take the results of a forum poll like this as seriously as you do.

Yes, Sluffy. Your poll showed that 10-20 people disagree with me on this. Damn, I really need to have a word with myself. To be fair I respect their opinion, some of them no doubt saw us play under Megson, and later Coyle, Freedman and now Lennon and have weighed up all the factors objectively. What I don't get is the fact that you start these polls all the time supposedly for "just a bit of fun" then proceed to take it incredibly seriously. It just makes me wonder if it really is just a bit of fun or an opportunity for you to take yet another swipe at people who unlike yourself have a bit of a relationship with the club that extends beyond monitors and keyboards.

Either way it always ends with this "Megson did the job he was asked to do, end of" sort of attitude. Well if that's the case, what's the fucking point doing this? Why not just give us all the fact and figures and be done with it?

I don't know why I'm bothering to reply because clearly you have a closed mind on this but I do it never the less out of courtesy.

I hadn't intended in the least to make any veiled points about Megson, Coyle or anyone else in these polls - they were as I stated started as something to do in un, to keep the forum ticking along following the lull of the takeover.

If I had wanted to put up some sort of Megson championing or Coyle bashing thread I would have done that openly - but I don't feel the need to - I said my peace at the time - was ridiculed and marginalised but later proved correct. It didn't piss me off at the time, or benefit me in anyway after the events.

I simply formed my own opinions based on what I saw and reasoned and had enough faith in them to disagree with the crowd.

That's exactly what I do in real life.

Often I agree with the majority but sometimes I don't and I'm strong enough to say so if I'm in the mood to do so.

If you don't like my views and opinions then simply ignore my posts - problem easily solved.

Thank you.

Sluffy wrote:

If I had wanted to put up some sort of Megson championing or Coyle bashing thread I would have done that openly - but I don't feel the need to - I said my peace at the time - was ridiculed and marginalised but later proved correct.  

But you weren't. The only way you could be proved correct is if you had a crystal ball to determine what would have happened had Megson stayed.

You're entitled to believe we'd be a PL club now under Megson. You can even think he'd have got us back into Europe if you want. But you've no evidence whatsoever, just speculation like the rest of us.

doffcocker wrote:With respect Sluffy, when did you last attend a Bolton match? Aged 12?

Hardly surprising that you don't sympathise with the people who wanted Megson out. In fact I think you get great satisfaction from the fact that sacking Megson and bringing in Coyle didn't have the effect all the "mobs" thought it would, just like you warned of at the time.

Just curious to know how many games you watched when Megson was in charge since your posted age is 23 and Megson keft in 2009.

xmiles wrote:

doffcocker wrote:With respect Sluffy, when did you last attend a Bolton match? Aged 12?

Hardly surprising that you don't sympathise with the people who wanted Megson out. In fact I think you get great satisfaction from the fact that sacking Megson and bringing in Coyle didn't have the effect all the "mobs" thought it would, just like you warned of at the time.

Just curious to know how many games you watched when Megson was in charge since your posted age is 23 and Megson keft in 2009.

You are aware that there isn't a minimum age of 18 to get into the ground?

Sluffy, with all due respect Megson was the worst manager we've had post-war including McGovern in my opinion. Not only was the football truly awful, not only did he manage to completely throw away everything Sam Allardyce had built, he also did a whole bunch of unforgiveable things like criticise players in public, brand the fans pathetic and consistently spout the mantra's "Football people know how good a job I'm doing." And my personal favourite. "We were below derby when I came in."

Here's a few examples of Megson Speak

On Ivan Klasnic: "I don't know if I want him because all he does is score goals." 

On the fans: "They're pathetic, football people know how good a job I've done here"

On Europe :"The match against Wigan is more important." (We lost that anyway in case you forgot.)

Megson soured the relationship between club and fans to the point that I, like many others refused to renew my season ticket and refused to go to the Reebok while he remained in charge. I went to some local away games but I refused to put one penny of my hard earned money other than my lifeline payments into that clown's regime. That was the most painful decision I ever made regarding the Trotters but I maintain it was the right one. The only thing the boardroom were listening to was our wallets so the only way to wake them up was to keep our money and not give it to them. I already wrote an article on this very subject but football is primarily a subjective business and so is the way a manager is perceived. The woeful collapse against Hull was simply the last in a long series of straws that finally broke even Phil's stubborn insistence that all was well when it so clearly wasn't. We were going down, no if's or buts, in my opinion if Megson had remained at the helm we'd have gone down that season with a pathetic whimper on the way about "football people". 

Of the remaining men in your poll I would say Lee was the worst, sad for him because he's a fabulous coach but like Brian Kidd can't make the leap to the big chair. Next is Freedman who was heading down the Megson route especially after that baffling decision against Blackpool. Finally and it pains me to say it Coyle. He had a bad hand with injuries in the first half of the relegation season but for me his failure really happened when we started in the championship. He'd clearly lost his will to fight and I hold my hand up and say I was wrong to support his retention but he certainly gave us some good times when things were going well. 

I don't know why we keep dragging these names back up and regurgitating them but other than Megson I'd say Coyle, Freedman and Lennon were left to try and deal with rank mismanagement from higher up. Starting with the late Phil Gartside and of course our former owner Eddie Davis.

doffcocker wrote:

xmiles wrote:

doffcocker wrote:With respect Sluffy, when did you last attend a Bolton match? Aged 12?

Hardly surprising that you don't sympathise with the people who wanted Megson out. In fact I think you get great satisfaction from the fact that sacking Megson and bringing in Coyle didn't have the effect all the "mobs" thought it would, just like you warned of at the time.

Just curious to know how many games you watched when Megson was in charge since your posted age is 23 and Megson keft in 2009.

You are aware that there isn't a minimum age of 18 to get into the ground?

Of course. Now please answer the question.