Confirmed Graham Alexander New Manager, Chris Lucketti as Assistant

[Jürgen Krapp]

I really do think the club (whoever made this appointment) have massively over-estimated the effect this "homecoming" would have on fans.

Everyone is sick to death of negative back five hoofball and I believe that when the teamsheet was announced on Saturday (irrespective of illness and injuries) the realisation of what we have to look forward to started to set in for a lot of people.

There needs to be a massive improvement over Heckyball in the next half dozen games or there really was no point in changing manager and tainting a legacy.

Problem is with the squad the way it's built, I'm not sure you can realistically expect anything other than Heckyball. We're porous enough when playing a back three, never mind if we shifted to a four. That's before we touch on the lack of ability at the top end of the field and the lack of any threat on the wings (other than Stan Mills).

I must confess I was surprised at just how quickly the conversation in some corners pivoted from 'the squad needs a better manager' to 'we need a better squad'. I hope more than anything Alexander proves that the former was true and we just needed a new manager in, but if there's one thing to be said for appointing a club hero it might just get the entire fanbase on the same page about the quality of the team.

I will also say though, I wouldn't be expecting a dramatic rebuild in January. January is usually a very different window to the summer. Players will be more reluctant to move to a relegation threatened side or leave their club if they're in a promotion/play offs race and current players might want to see out their contract too. Not saying it's impossible, just tempering expectations.

 

[Bobbage]

Problem is with the squad the way it's built, I'm not sure you can realistically expect anything other than Heckyball. We're porous enough when playing a back three, never mind if we shifted to a four. That's before we touch on the lack of ability at the top end of the field and the lack of any threat on the wings (other than Stan Mills).

I must confess I was surprised at just how quickly the conversation in some corners pivoted from 'the squad needs a better manager' to 'we need a better squad'. I hope more than anything Alexander proves that the former was true and we just needed a new manager in, but if there's one thing to be said for appointing a club hero it might just get the entire fanbase on the same page about the quality of the team.

I will also say though, I wouldn't be expecting a dramatic rebuild in January. January is usually a very different window to the summer. Players will be more reluctant to move to a relegation threatened side or leave their club if they're in a promotion/play offs race and current players might want to see out their contract too. Not saying it's impossible, just tempering expectations.

The squad is missing four quality Premier League loans this season.

That's the difference.

 

[Pgord]

Hoping that PNE can at least get a draw tonight partic if we get some players back from sickness.Was thinking that’s very optimistic against Birmingham but having looked at their home record this season league/cup they haven’t won!.For me we were lucky not to be 2 down early against Millwall (hit bar/offside) so the early part of game is critical not to go a goal down🤔

 

[Jürgen Krapp]

The squad is missing four quality Premier League loans this season.

That's the difference.

100% agree, which is why I'm not expecting us to play anything other than 'Heckyball'.

We just don't have anyone who can unlock a defence like Dobbin. Maybe we can get a couple in January, but you would expect a lot of those quality Premier League loans to already be out on loan.

 

[Bobbage]

100% agree, which is why I'm not expecting us to play anything other than 'Heckyball'.

We just don't have anyone who can unlock a defence like Dobbin. Maybe we can get a couple in January, but you would expect a lot of those quality Premier League loans to already be out on loan.

I also agree. It's one of those strange ones isn't it? We are desperately missing that Premier League glitter that the loans can bring, but at the same time the Lowe squad had reached the end of it's life-cycle and needed significant investment just to keep us treading Championship water...

Sadly, we only seem to have been able to choose one at once this Summer.

 

[Aitch]

I also agree. It's one of those strange ones isn't it? We are desperately missing that Premier League glitter that the loans can bring, but at the same time the Lowe squad had reached the end of it's life-cycle and needed significant investment just to keep us treading Championship water...

Sadly, we only seem to have been able to choose one at once this Summer.

The problem with the significant investment is that it seems to have been wasted. Be nice to go bacck to last January and start again

 

[Staffordwhite]

I believe that when the teamsheet was announced on Saturday (irrespective of illness and injuries) the realisation of what we have to look forward to started to set in.

There needs to be a massive improvement over Heckyball in the next half dozen games or there really was no point in changing manager and tainting a legacy.

I agree, but I’m not sure anyone expected anything else, given what’s available.

‘Hi Graham, Here’s a bucket of shit, turn it into a winning team for us. There’s a good lad.’ 🙃

Not going to happen.

There won’t be a massive improvement in results.

It’ll just be a case of how Grezza reacts when he realises (if he hasn’t already) the scale of the shitstorm he’s walked into.

Will he throw some raw kids in, to see how they cope? Or stick with Burgzorg’s three touches in 31 minutes? 🤯

Will he dispose of the easy-ozey fitness coaches? The shambolic recruitment team? The injury prone players? The ludicrous contract extensions?

Will he get involved in stadium atmosphere (à la Beck) and insist on sticking away fans in the top corner of the STFS while giving the Kop back to our singers? (Easily done in L1.)

Given that many are already resigned to L1 next season, GA has a free hit to be radical and play a major part in forging a brave new era - if he’s got the vision and the balls for it.

Or he can stick with the status quo - and end up like Hecky and Stuart McCall. 😕

 

[IanBogie9]

Can the bozos who booed at the end of the Millwall game let us know what they were thinking?

 

[Jack Daniels]

Can the bozos who booed at the end of the Millwall game let us know what they were thinking?

They had a couple of Boo's from the previous home game stuck within the lower reaches of their throats.

They can probably breathe a little easier now with the throat cleared.

 

[RibbletonWhite2.0]

The problem with the significant investment is that it seems to have been wasted. Be nice to go bacck to last January and start again

When you go back to last Jan here is the money we have spent:

Lang - injury prone, ok but nothing special (over 2 mil)
Moran - can't even get off the bench (roughly 1 mil)
Harry Clarke - looks ok, nothing special, A RB playing either as RWB or RCB (1 mil)
Leo Leroy - is he better than whiteman? (3 mil)
Devine - liked the signing at the time but has done nothing so far this season (6 million)
Kenny - Looks decent but again he is injury prone (3 million)
Mills - A winger who is forced to play at RWB (over 2 million.)

We have invested significant money since Jan. The issue being that during pre season Hecky didn't know what formation he wanted to play. He wanted to play four at the back but we didn't have the players to do that - he then reverted to type but we had already wasted money on Clarke and Mills who did not suit the formation.

And this is why Hecky is a dreadful manager and has left us in a really bad place. Ridsdale and Hemmings haven't helped with the lack of backing etc in the past but people still look at the list above and think Hecky can do no wrong. It's some of the worst management I think I have ever seen at this club. How a manager can not decide on a formation and if you don't want to play with wingers why sign Mills? It's Sunday League management and people still think Hecky shouldn't get criticised. He is a huge reason we are in this mess.

Sorry for the long reply but sometimes I think people are too blindsided to see it.

 

[janiejones]

I agree, but I’m not sure anyone expected anything else, given what’s available.

‘Hi Graham, Here’s a bucket of shit, turn it into a winning team for us. There’s a good lad.’ 🙃

Not going to happen.

There won’t be a massive improvement in results.

It’ll just be a case of how Grezza reacts when he realises (if he hasn’t already) the scale of the shitstorm he’s walked into.

Will he throw some raw kids in, to see how they cope? Or stick with Burgzorg’s three touches in 31 minutes? 🤯

Will he dispose of the easy-ozey fitness coaches? The shambolic recruitment team? The injury prone players? The ludicrous contract extensions?

Will he get involved in stadium atmosphere (à la Beck) and insist on sticking away fans in the top corner of the STFS while giving the Kop back to our singers? (Easily done in L1.)

Given that many are already resigned to L1 next season, GA has a free hit to be radical and play a major part in forging a brave new era - if he’s got the vision and the balls for it.

Or he can stick with the status quo - and end up like Hecky and Stuart McCall. 😕

Your last sentence struck a chord (or two) with me. We're definitely going down down this season. At St Andrews tonight, I fully expect PNE to roll over and lay down.

 

[No Danger]

Your last sentence struck a chord (or two) with me. We're definitely going down down this season. At St Andrews tonight, I fully expect PNE to roll over and lay down.

Hopefully Grezza can change the mindset and at least put some fight into us. The other big question though is are the players good enough even if he can.

 

[L30N]

There's a lot of doom and gloom on the forum recently, it's sad to see but it's expected given the current state of play!
I saw enough on Saturday though to confidently say that performances will improve.
I just hope we can get through to January and still be within touching distance of the spots above relegation, then we need to seriously re-balance the squad and hopefully start to kick on in the second half of the season

 

[JSPNE]

When you go back to last Jan here is the money we have spent:

Lang - injury prone, ok but nothing special (over 2 mil)
Moran - can't even get off the bench (roughly 1 mil)
Harry Clarke - looks ok, nothing special, A RB playing either as RWB or RCB (1 mil)
Leo Leroy - is he better than whiteman? (3 mil)
Devine - liked the signing at the time but has done nothing so far this season (6 million)
Kenny - Looks decent but again he is injury prone (3 million)
Mills - A winger who is forced to play at RWB (over 2 million.)

And not a CB in sight. Our weakest position.

 

[Aqueous]

And not a CB in sight. Our weakest position.

And has been for years tbh.

 

[SonnyJimPNE]

I agree, but I’m not sure anyone expected anything else, given what’s available.

‘Hi Graham, Here’s a bucket of shit, turn it into a winning team for us. There’s a good lad.’ 🙃

Not going to happen.

There won’t be a massive improvement in results.

It’ll just be a case of how Grezza reacts when he realises (if he hasn’t already) the scale of the shitstorm he’s walked into.

Will he throw some raw kids in, to see how they cope? Or stick with Burgzorg’s three touches in 31 minutes? 🤯

Will he dispose of the easy-ozey fitness coaches? The shambolic recruitment team? The injury prone players? The ludicrous contract extensions?

Will he get involved in stadium atmosphere (à la Beck) and insist on sticking away fans in the top corner of the STFS while giving the Kop back to our singers? (Easily done in L1.)

Given that many are already resigned to L1 next season, GA has a free hit to be radical and play a major part in forging a brave new era - if he’s got the vision and the balls for it.

Or he can stick with the status quo - and end up like Hecky and Stuart McCall. 😕

Yeah, in the context of Staffordwhite's questions, the next few weeks and months could be quite exciting in terms of Alexander's decision making and changes, if not in terms of the football. His career here and 'legend' status means he has some major ownership and autonomy over the project.
After Saturday, the signs are not exactly positive on the pitch, but I would love to see him create and launch a new era built from 'one of our own'.
I would suggest, off the pitch at least, Graham, has nothing to lose.

 

[norfolk white]

For those who are calling out GA and CL after just one game in charge can you please state who you would have liked to be our new manager and head coach to have been employed in their place who could have done any better with the players available?

Had we had a fully fit squad last Saturday to choose from the result may have been totally different. Non of us know!

 

[twickerspne]

And has been for years tbh.

I come back to the same question. Surely there is somewhere non-contracted out there who would improve our current plight in this defensive position?

 

[HunterLionheart]

The poor quality loans has really hamstrung us.

As much as I appreciate the spending of money on quality players, that is all negated this season, if the loanees are sub par. A few rough gems and a handful of duds is the same for this year, whether the loans are the gems or the duds.

Next season it could improve, keeping the good ones, but that's bugger all use if we've been relegated.

 

[Archie LEACH]

Brum Wrexham then the baggies - projected points NIL