[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[RevidgeBlue]

Come on Rev thats just silly talk, you must have alot of faith in tweedle dum (Shaw) and tweedle dummer (Agnew I certainly don't.

Appletons doing ok, he'll be judged next season by me, this season was over as soon as Kean started in the managers chair.

But they were the ones who appointed Appleton?

[Gav]

But they were the ones who appointed Appleton?

Yes agreed, and in my opinion he's doing ok, do you think they've got what it takes to appoint a better man for the job? I don't.

[thenodrog]

........ The balance of his sides is all wrong.

Agreed. We got a result but how I don't know. Today we gave MGP and Lowe way too much to do. King, Best, Rhodes and Bentley don't have a tackle between them.

[patrickvalery]

http://audioboo.fm/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=michael+appleton

Appleton post mast comments (2 parts)

[Wendal]

I have to agree with those doubting Appletons ability.

The one consistent element of his tenure is an inflexible approach, He has no idea/desire to try and control a game or take it to the opponents.

His whole approach centres around keeping a clean sheet and trying to get a lucky bounce along the way.

For the majority of his tenure we have played without the ball, camped out in our own half, essentially just holding on. We are absolutely clueless going forward.

For me Appleton is a small time manager with a small time mentality. His approach will never ever get us promoted.

[Ewoodbhappy]

Would like the club to be "boring" for a while, with nothing interesting happening. Can't disagree with that.

It certainly is every Saturday at 3p.m. for 90 minutes unfortunately.

Perhaps we could get Messi on loan?

[jim mk2]

There's little chance of a decent performance until Appleton fields one or two players with a bit of creative flair.

He's already sidelined our most creative talent Rochina and also offloaded Vukcevic who I feel could have been very useful with a decent run of games. However we still have Dunn, Gomes, and Nunes on the staff who ought to be able to get us ticking over a bit in terms of general play if only Appleton would give them some game time.

Damn good job too. Both of them a waste of time and money in this league. Young, hard-running midfielders are required, not showponies.

[Mike E]

Tbf jim, I wonder how we'd get on playing Rochina in midfield. In Dunn's kind of role. Altho Appleton was right to get rid of those who didn't want to be here.

[roverandout]

i started out believing in appleton, honestly thought he would be a 'good'un' but i am having serious doubts about him now

[OJRovers]

We've seen Kean and Berg removed due to 'targets' set by shebby and Venkys

When Appleton joined, I seem to remember him talking about having a target for the rest of the season, can anyone recall what he said?

There is no doubt that he has completely missed even the lowest level of target, regardless if we get to wembley or not.

I'm not having that he's inherited a poor side. He's inherited the most expensive squad in the league. Look at what Bolton and first new managers have done with supposedly poor squads.

I would get rid, get a new chief exec in summer and let them recruit someone with the experience to know how to get promoted.

[imy9]

We've seen Kean and Berg removed due to 'targets' set by shebby and Venkys

When Appleton joined, I seem to remember him talking about having a target for the rest of the season, can anyone recall what he said?

There is no doubt that he has completely missed even the lowest level of target, regardless if we get to wembley or not.

I'm not having that he's inherited a poor side. He's inherited the most expensive squad in the league. Look at what Bolton and first new managers have done with supposedly poor squads.

I would get rid, get a new chief exec in summer and let them recruit someone with the experience to know how to get promoted.

Mentioned it before we have one of the most unfit teams in the championship as well as one of the most unbalanced. This takes time to correct- 2 years of failings will take time to sort out. He has my backing as I dread to think who would be his replacement...

[DE.]

I'd keep Appleton for the exact same reason - Venky's would only employ somebody as bad or worse. How many bald, ghost white managers are left to go through?

[blueboy3333]

Appleton started well tbf, it's just that in this league teams can go on bad runs at any time. Cardiff are on one now, as are Boro and Leicester. It's just that they'd already had a good points haul, a well-prepared pre-season leading to good fitness levels, settled squads and managers who had chosen all their own players. Appleton had none of these things. The time to judge him is next season, like it should have been with Berg. I just think Appleton is a much stronger character than Berg and a far better communicator with the players. I'd imagine there will be massive changes in the summer, with two powerful central midfielders who can pass a ball being first on the list. We have nobody at the moment who is good enough to get the ball wide, and the wide men aren't fit. Next season, with the right additions and key players being kept on, could be a good un'.

[47er]

I'd keep Appleton for the exact same reason - Venky's would only employ somebody as bad or worse. How many bald, ghost white managers are left to go through?

Trivial but is Appleton actually bald or does he simply shave his head? Discuss.

[Tom]

I think if we get to Wembley venkys will overlook the league form as long as we stay up

I imagine they would love the day out at Wembley and milk it for all its worth

[davefarnworth]

MA is dour. His team are dour. The Championship is dour. 16th? Something isn't right.

[USABlue]

I'm more concerned about our attacking play in general to be honest, or lack thereof. This makes Eric Black's Rovers look like 1970's Brazil.

Me too, very concerend. We don't seem able to muster much of anything. One almost has the feeling that all it will take is one goal from the opposition and we lose. I just don't feel like we will score when I watch us.

Mentioned it before we have one of the most unfit teams in the championship as well as one of the most unbalanced. This takes time to correct- 2 years of failings will take time to sort out. He has my backing as I dread to think who would be his replacement...

I don't think fitness has anything to do with not passing the ball. Dunny actually looked a little trimmer than when I last saw him play.

Games against Leeds, Leicester, Hull and Bolton (granted, I'll give you Peterborough) are a lot harder than some of our remaining games - Blackpool, Birmingham, Huddersfield etc - so I don't think those fixtures are comparable. I'd find it very concerning if we picked up the same amount of point in the next 5 games that we picked up in the previous 5 games considering we have easier games coming up.

For me, the players gave nothing for Berg and tactically he didn't have a clue. He also didn't have the authority to bring in his own backroom team or make changes to the foundations of the club - Appleton seems to have that freedom.

I agree that many of Appleton's signing haven't worked out yet but they are the right calibre of player - proven championship players, hungry youngsters and players with something to prove (i.e. Bentley)

I haven't seen a whole lot that suggests Appleton is any more adept. He seems very one dimensional.

[USABlue]

I have to agree with those doubting Appletons ability.

The one consistent element of his tenure is an inflexible approach, He has no idea/desire to try and control a game or take it to the opponents.

His whole approach centres around keeping a clean sheet and trying to get a lucky bounce along the way.

For the majority of his tenure we have played without the ball, camped out in our own half, essentially just holding on. We are absolutely clueless going forward.

For me Appleton is a small time manager with a small time mentality. His approach will never ever get us promoted.

Nail squarely on the head.

[USABlue]

We are back to where we were under SA, but with less flair, and substandard players, and in a lower league, with @#/? owners, yet again, well done the Loons!

Exactly and waaaay less effective with the hoofball and set pieces. Which strikes me as odd Gav, you did not like Allaryce because of his style I'm confused you support Appleton who looks all the world to me like a poor mans Big Sam. Just Sam could actually get his teams to score goals.

[T4E]

I accept the shortfalls in the squad Gav but lumping the ball 50 yards to their centre halves ad infinitum is our plan a b and c and it doesn't work.

We can all see this (2 goals in 6 games tells it's own story) yet there's no attempt at changing it.

Totally agree. I'm on board with the theory that Appleton needs time to sort this sorry mess out, but yesterday was a real eye opener. There was no effort to try anything other than aimless hoofs towards the strikers. Even after 85 minutes of it not working we kept on trying it for the last 5.

Yesterday was the only game I've seen recently, but it's not hard to understand why we're not scoring any goals.

[Parsonblue]

There's little chance of a decent performance until Appleton fields one or two players with a bit of creative flair.

He's already sidelined our most creative talent Rochina and also offloaded Vukcevic who I feel could have been very useful with a decent run of games. However we still have Dunn, Gomes, and Nunes on the staff who ought to be able to get us ticking over a bit in terms of general play if only Appleton would give them some game time.

I take it you've not been watching Nunes in the Under-21's. He's given some shocking performances of late and it was a relief to see him sent off the other night. I totally agree about Dunny and Gomes who I think can still offer a great deal. I also agree that Vukcevic might well have offered more given the opportunity. However, on Rochina we will have to agree to disagree. Getting rid of that show pony put me firmly in the Appleton camp!

[thenodrog]

Exactly and waaaay less effective with the hoofball and set pieces. Which strikes me as odd Gav, you did not like Allaryce because of his style I'm confused you support Appleton who looks all the world to me like a poor mans Big Sam. Just Sam could actually get his teams to score goals.

Gav isn't alone in that though is he in fairness? The saying 'be careful what you wish for' has been demonstrated to perfection and thrown full in the faces of the assorted ranks of Facebook warriors and neanderthal boo boys. Odd cos many still don't appear to have learned a thing.

[thenodrog]

I take it you've not been watching Nunes in the Under-21's. He's given some shocking performances of late and it was a relief to see him sent off the other night. I totally agree about Dunny and Gomes who I think can still offer a great deal. I also agree that Vukcevic might well have offered more given the opportunity. However, on Rochina we will have to agree to disagree. Getting rid of that show pony put me firmly in the Appleton camp!

You are wrong. Take QPR for example after a good spell followed by a 'flat' spell Taraabt has been dropped by Arry and Hoilett who disappointed early in the season re-instated. The form of flair players comes and goes but their presence does frighten the opposition. Rochina was such a talent and there is always a place in any team or on any bench for such ability. I did notice Rochina frequently had two players assigned to mark him which in itself is a quality as someone elsewhere is by definition unmarked. Ever thought that if his on field decision making and awareness had been better we would never have seen him in blue and white halves?

[Gav]

Exactly and waaaay less effective with the hoofball and set pieces. Which strikes me as odd Gav, you did not like Allaryce because of his style I'm confused you support Appleton who looks all the world to me like a poor mans Big Sam. Just Sam could actually get his teams to score goals.

I think you're being a bit harsh on AppletonUSA, he can only work with the tools he's been given and sadly those tools aren't good enough or motivated enough to make an impact in my eyes, and is the reason why I won't be judging him until October or November time.

If you look at when Mark Hughes joined the club, his football in those first few months was absolutely dire, he was brought in to keep us up and thats exactly what he did by Suring up the defence to start off with, Appletons trying to do that same for me. He may not be the manager in the world, he may well be out of his depth, but lets give him a chance to show us what he can do rather than writing him off after only a few months into the job.

Damn good job too. Both of them a waste of time and money in this league. Young, hard-running midfielders are required, not showponies.

I couldn't agree more, both Rochina and Vukcevic had enough chances to impress and failed miserably, glad we got shut.

[John]

Spoke to some Pompey fans yesterday pre match - they are grateful for his time there as manager as obviously difficult times for them. Said very honest but in their view will never cut it as a manager at the top level.