Richardson out

[Sutekh]

one of the key reasons we have not broken through is a lack of consistency in approach over a sustained period.

Hopefully this bit settles it, LR will be here for the long term - or at least until a run of results say otherwise.

Now can we move on and let the club get on with it? We’ve seen that continual management changes do nothing and dumping another one now will achieve just that.

Let’s all wait and see what happens over the summer.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I'm conflicted really. We've chopped and changed managers for a decade and look where it's got us. We need to truly back a manager over a sustained period and give them a chance to make their imprint on the club, and hopefully that stability and structure will bring success.

But do I think LR is the right horse to back? No. I'm worried in 18 months time we'll regret wasting 2 years and a lot of money on him.

[AthleticoSpizz]

………and the same could be said of any manager desperate enough to have to manage in L1

[Getthebeerens]

Looks like I’ll have my Saturdays free next season based on that statement.

Mr Couhig we don’t expect free flowing football right now but perhaps a few shots at goal each game would be nice.

God knows what the players will think about this statement as LR has ruined the atmosphere in the dressing room based on players leaking info about tactics.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Without knowing who the “dressing room” actually is (and how many), should we worry anyway?
Half the “dressing room” will be gone pre 26/27 season

[WestYorksRoyal]

I do think this narrative that it's been woeful anti football all along has a recency bias. The past couple of weeks have been dire, really poor performances and results with the season on the line.

But there have been games like Plymouth, Stockport and Wigan where we've looked better. Even games like Barnsley where we didn't get over the line with a win had encouraging moments.

Personnel decisions annoys me with him too though. He recalled Patton from a productive loan spell only to put him in the U23s behind a geriatric Keane. Roberts starts his career well, gets injured, and then returns from injury only to get 10 minutes a game in who the fcuk knows what position (anywhere between CB and LW). Rinomhota can't get in a laborious, confused midfield when he has the athleticism and ball carrying ability that nobody else has. A whole load of "WTF?" decisions that don't help him.

[Sutekh]

I don’t know, how can anyone lose a dressing room though it’s not like they move around.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Explain yourself Brogue

[Orion1871]

Statement made Brogue look like a right Huang Ker.

[Brogue]

I just tell you what I’m told.

[morganb]

Guess Couhig is in the country as he'd not sack the manager from afar

Imagine people were seen at the stadium having meetings and 2 + 2 was put together and they assumed the manager was to be sacked but in fact they were drafting an open letter

There were a few ITKs (other than Brogue) on both HNA and Twitter saying they'd heard he'd gone so everyone else gets swept along

[fred sharpes nose]

From Rob "When the season concludes, we will undertake a full review from top to bottom.

We will look honestly at what has worked, what has not and where we need to improve. That includes our current structure, our squad and the standards we set ourselves. We will listen to our supporters, whose passion drives this club, while ensuring that decisions are made with clarity, experience and a long-term view.""

Options still on the table IMO

Here’s a thought, bear with me. Assume Noel was still manger. Assume he had been allocated a short term mentor to develop his lack of first team management/experience/ pressure. Assume he was given the same opportunities on the January window and also with out of contract players. Assume he was given the same budget to beef up his coaching staff. Assume he finished 14th to 10th. Would he be sacked end of season? Probably yes, given ownership pressure to make playoffs and investment. I think him and the fans would have accepted that. Now here’s the big question- if all of the above happened and we are looking for a new manager from 1st June 2026 how high or low down the pick list would Leam be? I cannot believe he’d be anywhere near the top 3 - so long out of work, only success being one promotion years ago, total failure at Rotherham. Coming to the conclusion that Rob pulled the trigger too early based on panic, and he always had Leam in mind anyway. Fair play on points gained and if appointed at start of the season maybe things would be better higher up the table. But given what we’ve seen so far that’s debatable - and also had he started the season with exactly same resources and didn’t make the playoffs then he too would likely be sacked given ownership messages to be better than last season. On the basis of style (dour defensive), and “it’s not my fault” and historic credentials I think we should reset, write off the season, take that as a learning experience for Rob Joe etc. and start with a clean slate for 26/27

[fred sharpes nose]

3 reasons to sack a manager

1) terrible run of results - nope
2) gross misconduct - nope
3) losing the dressing room - by all accounts he has.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the role if you lose the dressing room it’s bye bye.

From my understanding wing had a meeting with the owners after the Lincoln game where he told them the players no longer have confidence in Richardson.

That could well be WIng has no confidence in the manger and him alone. One of Lewis Wing or Leam Richardson will not be here at the start of the seasn

[stealthpapes]

I do think this narrative that it's been woeful anti football all along has a recency bias. The past couple of weeks have been dire, really poor performances and results with the season on the line.

Strong disagree. It was there after the Carlisle game. As mentioned not a page ago, there was a TV game just before Christmas with a highly disproportionate fallout. There’s been a constant miasma of mithering.

Personnel decisions annoys me with him too though. He recalled Patton from a productive loan spell only to put him in the U23s behind a geriatric Keane.

No. This didn’t happen.

Patton went straight from his loan into the first team. Three sub appearances then a start against Burton. After that, he’s not featured and he played his first U-21 game in months vs Derby this week.

Anyway, that statement.

Ha.

[Clyde1998]

I do think this narrative that it's been woeful anti football all along has a recency bias. The past couple of weeks have been dire, really poor performances and results with the season on the line.

Strong disagree. It was there after the Carlisle game. As mentioned not a page ago, there was a TV game just before Christmas with a highly disproportionate fallout. There’s been a constant miasma of mithering.

Blackpool maybe? Remember coming away from that wondering how we won 3-0, when we should've been about 3-0 down by the time we took the lead and Pereira was our man of the match.

[stealthpapes]

Has to be Peterborough at home.

[Hound]

Has to be Peterborough at home.

We were actually pretty good for most of that game. Esp the first half. LR strangely subbed off Kelvin straight after we scored, then they retook the lead and we had an awful last 20

[morganb]

As per the date this thread was started, some people didn't want Leam from the start.

Deep down I think people wanted Noel to succeed as he is one of our own. He looked to be failing so he was sacked fairly promptly.

At this point we could have brought anyone in (within reason). We didn't. We didn't even run interviews. Couhig and JJ had already decided on "their mate" Leam.

People looked at Leam's history and thought he wasn't the manager we needed, but at the start he did ok points-wise. The football was poor but we were winning.

Once the results started to downturn, we got into a habit of losing late, his post-match interviews blamed everyone and everything but himself plus the style of football hadn't improved/had got worse then there have been calls for him to go from the (majority of?) fans

The open letter does mention a post season review. Perhaps Leam could go then, or at least have a stern talking to and be set strict performance targets for the next season

With Leam still in charge we might bring in the players we need/integrate Academy products into the squad. He might change our style to be more watchable. We could reach the play-offs or even win the League, but at the moment it doesn't feel that way.

[stealthpapes]

Has to be Peterborough at home.

We were actually pretty good for most of that game. Esp the first half. LR strangely subbed off Kelvin straight after we scored, then they retook the lead and we had an awful last 20

I’m struggling to get to the match thread.

It was no BOLTON FALLOUT but it were close.

I also wish to resurrect “the relegation slots are sealed in October”.

[stealthpapes]

Once the results started to downturn, we got into a habit of losing late,

Literally one game, right?