So, What Happens Next?

[Winslow Lee]

I'd keep Rose. He's proved himself decent at League 2 level, and in a different side might have proven decent this year. We already have the spine of a decent side for next year (assuming we can hold on to a few who'll want away). I know the strikers have proven woeful, but it is the creativity department wherein lays the problem.

He averaged 9 league goals a year at Mansfield, if we are aiming at just staying in league 2 he’s probably your man, anything higher I think we need better. While creativity hasn’t been great Watson has still managed to get in the right position and take chances when they came his way, our strikers haven’t.

[guest3063]

What difference do you think David Oldfield or Kevin Wilkin will make - except add to the admin budget? They are just other managers, the same as Brady and co.

What do you think Brady has done to be given the job full-time? Maybe you think his 28% win ratio is good enough?

If we had appointed a new manager at the time KC was sacked and he had the same record as Brady has now people would be saying it's not good enough. Therefore, why is Brady being let off so lightly? Because he's a nice man, it's not his players, there not good enough. Why? Genuine question, I'm just interested.

[west stand oap]

My take on the playing side for next year:-
Forwards - Hoskins is under contract and I doubt the club have any intention of trying to offload him.
Ashley-Seal is under contract, would not be first choice but may literally find his feet in div.2.
Rose has a decent record in div.2 with 56 goals from 210 games with Bury and Mansfield.
Alex Jones has shown enough that he may be worth a contract.
Chuckwuemeka offer a new contract, obviously has potential.
Smith is under contract but I think his future is elsewhere.
Midfield - Sowerby is under contract for 2 more seasons.
McWilliams should be offered a new contract.
Watson should be offered a new contract, the only midfielder to contribute goals.
Pollock has been injured all season but showed promise last season and is worth persevering with.
Defenders - Horsfall, Harriman and Mills are all under contract.
Lloyd Jones should be offered a new contract.
Kioso I would have tried to get back on a season loan but little chance of that in div.2.
Goalkeeper - Rather than have 2 mediocre keepers fighting for the shirt and taking up part of the budget is it worth signing just 1 and paying a bit more for a better keeper and having Berry on the bench?. Can always get an emergency keeper in the event of an injury.
Do not offer contracts to Arnold (not good enough and now injury prone), Korboa (has not shown enough to warrant keeping), Marshall (rarely in starting 11 and the odd cameo performance not sufficient), Bolger (makes too many mistakes, defence has improved immeasurably without him) and Sheehan (too injury prone, only worth keeping if payed per games played and not on season contract)
Manager - I like the fact that we have 3 people who are Northampton through and through but is that enough? results say no and many of the performances have not been good. I have been a supporter for about 60 years since the Cliff Holton and Alec Ashworth era and I know Everbrite has as well so we are both Northampton through and through, ideal credentials for the next management team. But seriously if there is no suitable candidate from the out of work managers I would try either an up and coming manager with success in the National League or somebody employed as a number 2 at another EFL club who wants to move into management.

[Coolcat]

With the writing on the wall (but not written yet) what should happen next at the Cobblers?

1/ Keep the Brady bunch into next season regardless of relegation and announce it now.
2/ Appoint a new manager NOW and let them prepare for next season.
3/ Wait until the end of the season and then decide what to do. At the stage when other teams are planning and we're not.
4/ Another option??

This is an important time in decision making and in my belief it needs to be made sooner rather than later, preparations need to be put in place for next season with immediate effect otherwise next season will be as bad as this one has been.

3/ Just isn't true! Why do you think other clubs are planning before the season has finished?
A fair amount if not the vast majority are still (like us) unclear of what awaits next season, whether that be promotion, playoffs or relegation!

I'd guess the Cobblers are nearer the front of the queue in knowing their fate...thus choice 3 - wait until the end of the season is clearly the most rational option.

Swindon Town will take option 2!

[guest3063]

3/ Just isn't true! Why do you think other clubs are planning before the season has finished?
A fair amount if not the vast majority are still (like us) unclear of what awaits next season, whether that be promotion, playoffs or relegation!

I'd guess the Cobblers are nearer the front of the queue in knowing their fate...thus choice 3 - wait until the end of the season is clearly the most rational option.

Swindon Town will take option 2!

Teams are always planning. We have a caretaker manager who can't make plans on who he wants to keep or sign in the next window because he doesn't know if he'll be in charge.

If after the end of the season we decide to bring in someone new, how long will it take to appoint that manager? 2, 3, 4 weeks. Long enough to be left behind in the transfer market. A decision needs to be made sooner rather than later in my opinion.

[bungle]

What do you think Brady has done to be given the job full-time? Maybe you think his 28% win ratio is good enough?

Name a manager who you think would have got a better than 28% win ratio with this squad (0 established L1 strikers, 0 creative players capable of creating assists apart from Marshall, long injury list, no January window etc). List three games which we lost which could be directly attributable to Brady's tactical mistakes or team selection (given that we know, for instance, that Marshall hasn't been fully fit for a while).

To put it another way, do you think Chris Wilder for instance would have got a significantly different win ratio out of this lot?

Against P*sh for instance I would say that he played exactly the right team, got it tactically 100% right in the first half and made the correct subs. We lost due to individual naivety and mistakes.

[guest3086]

Crewe, Wimbledon, Swindon.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

apparently its only "paper debt" so it doesn't really matter.....as long as the bills are being paid then all is good. Just don't mention the Chinese......

You've been well and truly Trustified already   

[guest3063]

Name a manager who you think would have got a better than 28% win ratio with this squad (0 established L1 strikers, 0 creative players capable of creating assists apart from Marshall, long injury list, no January window etc). List three games which we lost which could be directly attributable to Brady's tactical mistakes or team selection (given that we know, for instance, that Marshall hasn't been fully fit for a while).

To put it another way, do you think Chris Wilder for instance would have got a significantly different win ratio out of this lot?

Against P*sh for instance I would say that he played exactly the right team, got it tactically 100% right in the first half and made the correct subs. We lost due to individual naivety and mistakes.

I'm sure Burton fans were saying the same before JFH arrived.

How do you know another manager wouldn't get more out of our team than Brady has? Nobody can know.

[EB Claret]

How do you know another manager wouldn't get more out of our team than Brady has? Nobody can know.

So it's a gamble to keep Jon Brady but it's a gamble to replace him with a new manager.

So, What Happens Next?    I'm B_ggered if I know !

[GrangeParkCobbler]

You've been well and truly Trustified already   

You think I'm not capable of having my own thoughts on the matter?

[Deepcut Cobbler]

So it's a **** to keep Jon Brady but it's a **** to replace him with a new manager.

So, What Happens Next?    I'm B_ggered if I know !

The world of a Chairman, when you are judged by supporters with an emotional investment...

[Winslow Lee]

I'm sure Burton fans were saying the same before JFH arrived.

How do you know another manager wouldn't get more out of our team than Brady has? Nobody can know.

But conversely what about Barton at Bristol Rovers

[guest3429]

I can only agree with everything bungle has said in his previous posts. Spend all that's available on the player budget for JB.

However, if we are not joining the Super League the football league format may change yet, there may be 6 up from the Conference in the summer!

Football shitstorm begins...

[Knockingonabit]

I also agree with both Bungles posts.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

You think I'm not capable of having my own thoughts on the matter?

Not at all.. I'm just noting the sound bites mate. Don’t you join paranoid central just yet you fcuker.   

[Larry]

What do you think Brady has done to be given the job full-time? Maybe you think his 28% win ratio is good enough?

If we had appointed a new manager at the time KC was sacked and he had the same record as Brady has now people would be saying it's not good enough. Therefore, why is Brady being let off so lightly? Because he's a nice man, it's not his players, there not good enough. Why? Genuine question, I'm just interested.

A manager can only do so much, the various tactics aren't that hard to grasp, especially if you've been in there game long enough.
It's players that make the difference and they cost money, a lot more than managers.

[bungle]

I'm sure Burton fans were saying the same before JFH arrived.

How do you know another manager wouldn't get more out of our team than Brady has? Nobody can know.

The big difference here is that Hasselbaink had the whole transfer window to put things right for Burton. A lot of managers are capable of transforming a side if they have a bit of money to spend but it's a lot harder if you're stuck with a failing side.

Brady hasn't had the chance to bring anyone in, unless you count the free agent Alex Jones who has contributed more to the side in three cameo appearances (one goal, two penalties) than most of the other 'forwards' have all season.

His lack of opportunity in the transfer market coupled with the inherent limitations of our squad have drastically limited his capacity to transform our style of play. Again, I would ask you this: what alternative tactical permutation of our extremely limited squad could Kevin Wilkin or Chris Wilder or Pep Guardiola have possibly explored which would have made the blindest bit of difference? Which player is Brady leaving out who should be starting? 

On another note, people who are calling for a 'non-league manager' seem to have forgotten that we already have one: Brady spent six years at Brackley and by all accounts did pretty well there.

As I've said before, I want to see Brady injecting some fight, a respectable points haul and some 'game management' in the final four games. If he achieves this and can present a positive vision for the future which involves developing the young players (McWilliams, L. Jones, Horsfall, Chuks, Pollock), playing a reasonably expansive style and adding quality and experience in the right areas then I honestly think we should stick with him.

[guest2995]

Watson and Lloyd jones will both leave - probably to stay in division 1.
Sheehan will retire .
Ashley - Seal will be told to leave and so will Smith and Korboa .
Marshall will be released .
Both keepers will drop out of football unless Arnold is kept as 2nd choice .
Harriman , horsfall , mills , mcwilliams , sowerby , hoskins , rose will
all be kept .
They will try and offload Bolger .
Edmondson will end up non league .

[guest3063]

Watson and Lloyd jones will both leave - probably to stay in division 1.
Sheehan will retire .
Ashley - Seal will be told to leave and so will Smith and Korboa .
Marshall will be released .
Both keepers will drop out of football unless Arnold is kept as 2nd choice .
Harriman , horsfall , mills , mcwilliams , sowerby , hoskins , rose will
all be kept .
They will try and offload Bolger .
Edmondson will end up non league .

I agree with most of that. Except Edmondson, who is under contract at Leeds and will be loaned out again and score goals at whatever club he ends up at.

And your thoughts on the manager situation? Firstly does JB want the job next season. If offered it?