The New Raith Rovers Thread

[TxRover]

 

13 hours ago, stevoraith said:

Liam Fox is the type of appointment we could maybe have got away with if Murray had been poached by another club. 
In that scenario you allow the club some leeway since they had no choice but to find a new man at that point in time and had to fish in a potentially small pond. 
 

There is no hiding place for the club in the scenario the board have placed themselves. 
Murray was fine. I didn’t particularly enjoy some of the performances recently but the results were ok and I’m sure with the squad we have we would have ended up in the playoffs with him still at the helm, if not perhaps winning the league like a lot of the fanbase expect after last season. 
After getting rid of a manager who was ok based on ok results and meh performances the board cannot afford appoint a new man who has a decidedly below ‘meh’ record at his previous clubs. 
He, and they, will find themselves with a very short grace period if they do. 
 

TL:RD

If you decide to replace a manager who is ‘ok’, you MUST replace him with someone who is demonstrably better than ‘ok’. 
Liam Fox is not that. 

Jesus H. Christ, I take a day away and this explodes.

11 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

We had a decent enough manager. We fired him. The next guy had better be brilliant. He has no goodwill in the bank and he now has huge expectations on his (or her) shoulders. If second wasn’t good enough that only leaves first.

Did we now? He got skelped by Ross County in the playoffs, barely met expectations in the Cup and shit the bed vs Airdrie again.

9 hours ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

2-2 @ Ayr 

Jesus H C, Spartans lead County

McGlynn doing his usual Falkirk lead hearts 

The Ross County we couldn’t beat.

8 hours ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Ross County oot

Again, the one we couldn’t beat.

 

The manager we had was excellent most of the first half of past season, but stumbled badly the second half. He seemed to be unable to adapt his tactics to teams who had adjusted theirs, and then he got rinsed in the playoffs against a weak Ross County side. He then made some changes and proceeded to use the same tactics and plans as last season and failed to progress in the Cup…after a less than sterling series of friendlies…and then got kicked in the puss vs Airdrie.

If we had stuck with IM, anyone believing we were going to make the playoffs is certifiable. We spent all last season hoping for a striker to materialize magically at Stark’s Park…we then signed, checks notes, zero strikers (until, possibly, Nicholson), even Gibson is a winger, something we have a decent number of. Don’t get me wrong, Gibson was an excellent signing, but it’s clear that IM either didn't value a striker signing and/or didn’t press the DoF/BoD for one.

Domt rush this selection, take the time to get the manager we want, and it was never going to happen as quickly as Barrowman suggested.

[MICMAC]

Jim McIntyre leaves Arbroath, hope tae fek the board aren't stupid enough to hire him.

[R.R.FC]

7 hours ago, Chrisrush1471 said:

Is it possible they finished higher because of how poor the former manager was?

It certainly will have helped! I do think looking at the squad they had on paper last season, most had them down for a relegation fight so I think he over performed with what he had.  No doubt they under performed the season previous under Potter.

[R.R.FC]

6 hours ago, McGuigan1978 said:

If we wouldn’t take a manager who’s helped Livingston go from the third tier to the Premiership and then keep them there in his own right with a considerably smaller budget than everyone else around them, then I’m not too sure who people would find acceptable? 

This. If people don’t want Martindale because of his off the field history that is fair enough.

However, as a manager he has the best track record of anyone in the Championship and it’s not even close. Things can go stale at the same club after a while which has maybe happened for him (see also John McGlynn with us and Dick Campbell at Arbroath). But that doesn’t mean he is suddenly a bad manager and the last year deserves more weight than the many years previous of massive over achievement.

Either way, I don’t see it happening. He’s in with the bricks at Livingston and has said previously he would be there as long as they want him. Relegation and new people behind the scenes may have changed that right enough. However, he does everything at Livi and by all accounts really enjoys the recruitment aspect. Hard to see how he would fit into a structure where he would only be coaching the team and not lead the recruitment.

If people think we will get anyone with a better track record than Martindale, they will be in for a very big disappointment.

 

[Jilted John]

I don’t think Martindale would be keen on our structure. He runs the entire show at Livingston. Even to the point he sorts out all the trades work needing done.

[spot on]

23 minutes ago, Jilted John said:

I don’t think Martindale would be keen on our structure. He runs the entire show at Livingston. Even to the point he sorts out all the trades work needing done.

And all the brown envelopes that get dished out 

[Scary Bear]

7 hours ago, TxRover said:

 

Jesus H. Christ, I take a day away and this explodes.

Did we now? He got skelped by Ross County in the playoffs, barely met expectations in the Cup and shit the bed vs Airdrie again.

The Ross County we couldn’t beat.

Again, the one we couldn’t beat.

 

The manager we had was excellent most of the first half of past season, but stumbled badly the second half. He seemed to be unable to adapt his tactics to teams who had adjusted theirs, and then he got rinsed in the playoffs against a weak Ross County side. He then made some changes and proceeded to use the same tactics and plans as last season and failed to progress in the Cup…after a less than sterling series of friendlies…and then got kicked in the puss vs Airdrie.

If we had stuck with IM, anyone believing we were going to make the playoffs is certifiable. We spent all last season hoping for a striker to materialize magically at Stark’s Park…we then signed, checks notes, zero strikers (until, possibly, Nicholson), even Gibson is a winger, something we have a decent number of. Don’t get me wrong, Gibson was an excellent signing, but it’s clear that IM either didn't value a striker signing and/or didn’t press the DoF/BoD for one.

Domt rush this selection, take the time to get the manager we want, and it was never going to happen as quickly as Barrowman suggested.

It’s amazing we made the play-offs at all, never mind finishing second, what with that second half slump. Certify me now. I think we’d have made the play-offs again under Murray. 

Name me a striker in Scotland who we can afford and who would come to Starks Park? They are like hens teeth at the moment.

Choosing a manager for a lower league Scottish team is an absolute lucky bag. You have no clue how it’ll go.

Making the play-offs never really works out for us. Eight goes and eight failures. If we want promotion we want to be winning the league and this league does look winnable this season.

[Paco]

9 hours ago, mrpaddyx said:

Why not, everything else seems to have been done so far?

My non definitive and perhaps slightly half cut list i just made up of managers in the league and whether I would want them

Rhys McCabe - Yes, but he won't be leaving Airdrie

Scott Brown - Maybe, but, he won't be leaving Ayr

James McPake - No, but he may be leaving the Pars soon anyway

Dougie Imrie - No

John Rankin - No

David Martindale - No

Kris Doolan - No

Callum Davidson - Maybe, can't see him leaving Queens Park

John McGlynn - Hell No

I’d say there are worse options out there than John Rankin. 

Wasn’t exactly who I had in mind when Murray was sacked, but if we’re at the level of Liam Fox or Jim McIntyre then he’d be a much safer pair of hands. 

[Specky Ginger]

Potter's record at Dunfermline nine seasons ago was pretty dire, but I can't understand why people are slating his record at Kelty. It was their first ever season in the third tier and they consolidated, surviving comfortably. They didn't have anything like the relative financial muscle in league one that they'd had under Thomson in league two or Ferguson in the lowland league.

[Been going too long]

4 minutes ago, Specky Ginger said:

Potter's record at Dunfermline nine seasons ago was pretty dire, but I can't understand why people are slating his record at Kelty. It was their first ever season in the third tier and they consolidated, surviving comfortably. They didn't have anything like the relative financial muscle in league one that they'd had under Thomson in league two or Ferguson in the lowland league.

At the moment if Potter and mickey continue for another month then we are in relatively safe hands until someone is appointed full time , would like to see a loan or 2 in the door though especially a forward / creative player .

[CountryBumpkin]

I'd not be comfortable as a manager coming into a club that has someone else making signings in that interim period before you arrive, as you're then forced to work with players that you don't need/want and it reduces the budget you have to make your own changes. Similarly with loans, we only get a set number and need to use them correctly. No point in Potter thinking player X is what he wants only to have the new manager push to cancel the loan a week after he arrives because he doesn't fit with the system he wants us to play or for that loaned player to at best sit on the bench every week get minimal minutes and we lose the trust of the loaning club as a result.

For me, as much as we have a structure in place, the first team coach/manager needs to be telling Potter etc what sort of player he wants, what position, what specific attributes he needs to have and its Potters job along with Bill Orr to find some players that meets that and present it back to the manager for final approval before signing. 

[McGuigan1978]

30 minutes ago, Specky Ginger said:

Potter's record at Dunfermline nine seasons ago was pretty dire, but I can't understand why people are slating his record at Kelty. It was their first ever season in the third tier and they consolidated, surviving comfortably. They didn't have anything like the relative financial muscle in league one that they'd had under Thomson in league two or Ferguson in the lowland league.

They only finished above Clyde and Peterhead who were both absolutely terrible that season. I don’t remember Kelty fans having too many positive things to say about his time in charge.

[SirJimmyofNic]

We're waiting on a certain Craig Levein getting punted........... we've the ideal set up for his 5 - 5 - 0

[Grangemouth Bairn]

Heard a few people saying at our game yesterday that Scott Brown has been strongly linked with the Raith job ? Can’t see him leaving Ayr but you never know.

[SirJimmyofNic]

15 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Heard a few people saying at our game yesterday that Scott Brown has been strongly linked with the Raith job ? Can’t see him leaving Ayr but you never know.

Probably got more chance of getting Brendan Rodgers than prizing Broonie away fae Ayr 

[SerieA]

3 hours ago, Jilted John said:

I don’t think Martindale would be keen on our structure. He runs the entire show at Livingston. Even to the point he sorts out all the trades work needing done.

Can he come and finish the cladding 

[Grangemouth Bairn]

7 minutes ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Probably got more chance of getting Brendan Rodgers than prizing Broonie away fae Ayr 

Would you want Brendan ? His record in management when the league’s competitive is abysmal.

[SirJimmyofNic]

6 minutes ago, Grangemouth Bairn said:

Would you want Brendan ? His record in management when the league’s competitive is abysmal.

We've no got enough money for him to spend his way to get there anyway, theres no that amount of demand for conservatories   

[The Tiel Burn]

Like the Martindale suggestion, hopefully the kind of thing that's the board have spotted. 

I'm hoping it's a case of them wanting THEIR man rather than a yes man. Like others "certify me" now as I had every faith Murray would have secured at least play offs. Could another manager get more from the squad? Possibly, could others get far less? Definitely.

The second half slump as it's referred to still secures top 4 and I think since January Saint Rhys Mcabe gathered 3 more points, Broony even less. It's smoke and mirrors at this stage.

Managers with great CVs still slump at certain clubs, some with middling CVs thrive with a group of players. What's to be done is attempting to stack the odds in our favour. Murrays gone so no point labouring that but we can avoid some landmines by considering what's gone before and fan reaction. I'm now almost hoping we face a delay, as that now suggests we've missed our targets and are doing due diligence. 

 

 

[pub car king]

Just on the Martindale suggestion and working under John Potter. 

I don't know how set in stone his  responsibilities are? It might be that Ian Murray hated dealing with agents and contracts where as Potter was happy to help.

If we had a manager that wants to do the bulk of recruitment I'm sure Potter has plenty of other responsibilities around the club.