[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[roverandout]

cant wait for him to clear out the squad in the summer

cant wait for him to clear off in the summer

[SydneyRover]

Appleton doesn't have a clue. Like I said when he arrived, we were appointing someone with a track record of failure and a win percentage similar to that of Steve Kean. Not sure we should get rid now but if there's no improvement in the next three games then I think gardening leave, Bowyer til the summer then at least we will have a bit of time to look for a new boss.

If weren't already on our 5th manager I'd sack Appleton. Going nowhere fast gets worse weekly. Says all the right things but other than arsenal they've been a disgrace. As it is have to stick by him to avoid turning ourselves into a poison chalice. If not already one. This is a never ending hell.

Not sure why this 5th manager stat keeps getting trotted out as an excuse to keep Appleton. He is our third manager of the season, caretakers don't count.

[DE.]

Appleton doesn't have a clue. Like I said when he arrived, we were appointing someone with a track record of failure and a win percentage similar to that of Steve Kean. Not sure we should get rid now but if there's no improvement in the next three games then I think gardening leave, Bowyer til the summer then at least we will have a bit of time to look for a new boss.

[roverandout]

get adkins in now before a bigger club makes a move

[BRFC1995]

good shout, romped this division with reading....pay the money take a chance

[Amo]

get adkins in now before a bigger club makes a move

Venky's work on bizarro logic. The less experience/success the better.

[RockinRover]

He's bald so he fits HER criteria.

[Dunnfc]

Break the bank for Hughes!

Give him what ever, get him in now so he can asses what he wants in the summer, Souey style.

[Amo]

Just horrible, horrible tactics. When he first came in I could see what he was doing: Tightening things up, building from the back. But we've gradually regressed to the point where we don't even try to create a chance. Just launch it up-field and hope some divine intervention carries it into the back of the net. Good idea we offloaded Rochina, Formica, & Vukcevic then, eh? Won't be wanting any of those blasted "Carlos Kickaballs" getting in the way of that.

Appleton redefined the concept of "anti-football" tonight.

[BRFC1995]

no point waiting till the summer every chance we'll be league 1, has to happen whilst we are in this division

[DE.]

good shout, romped this division with reading....pay the money take a chance

I actually wasn't necessarily advocating him as manager, just noting he fits the criteria of bald, white and unemployed.

[beerwins]

I actually wasn't necessarily advocating him as manager, just noting he fits the criteria of bald, white and unemployed.

So is an egg and would be cheaper.

[BRFC1995]

I actually wasn't necessarily advocating him as manager, just noting he fits the criteria of bald, white and unemployed.

only berg was actually unemployed unbelievably........Appy and kean somehow earned money in employment(albeit kean was here already) before staggeringly getting the gig

[Blue blood]

that

So is an egg and would be cheaper.

And play more attractive football.

For all his positive words Appleton has a lot of reputation and good will to reclaim after tonight. If we loose to the dingles then I reckon that there's a very real chance he'll alienate the fans permanently.

[Tom]

I've been an Appleton ally but having serious doubts about him.

Behind the scenes he seems to be doing the right things but tactically appalling recently

I wouldn't want to see a campaign against him and if he was sacked we would be an even worse option than we were before for potential candidates, plus the selection party would be Shebby, Shaw and Agnew.

Catch 22

[perthblue02]

I've been an Appleton ally but having serious doubts about him.

Behind the scenes he seems to be doing the right things but tactically appalling recently

I wouldn't want to see a campaign against him and if he was sacked we would be an even worse option than we were before for potential candidates, plus the selection party would be Shebby, Shaw and Agnew.

Catch 22

Maybe not that selection party, we still don't know who got Appleton the gig, Snake and Shaw have not been shouting from the roof tops that he was their man and I'm sure they would have been after his early games, perhaps he did contact them direct all by himself

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We needed someone to come in who could break the cycle of defeatism that has pervaded the club for the last two years. From his time at Portsmouth and Blackpool Appleton wasn't that person.

[John]

Maybe not that selection party, we still don't know who got Appleton the gig, Snake and Shaw have not been shouting from the roof tops that he was their man and I'm sure they would have been after his early games, perhaps he did contact them direct all by himself

Was going to post something similar - his appointment was nearly as bizarre as Kean's. Wonder how he really got the job...

Back to results, has his win ratio dipped below 20% yet? Problem is his track record suggests he struggles to win football matches.

[G Somerset Rover]

Struggles to score too John. How many goals scored in 11 hours of football is that?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Maybe not that selection party, we still don't know who got Appleton the gig, Snake and Shaw have not been shouting from the roof tops that he was their man and I'm sure they would have been after his early games, perhaps he did contact them direct all by himself

Shaw and Agnew knew him from his Preston days, that's the only connection I can see.

So what do we do? Hope he keeps us up and then give him another season? The caliber of players he has brought on so far and tactics on display doesn't exactly give off any positives for next season. If he gets another season and we struggle again then that could be another season written off by the time we get someone else in.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Got that feeling of Deja Vu about all this fellow Roverites?

The Circus continues............

So what do we do? hope he keeps us up and then give him another season?

This is what we have been reduced to and its bloody shameful.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

It is still quite alarming that anyone other than MA has a voice. In the good old days, BV (before the feckwits), we had proper chairpersons, members of the club that were respected, now it's MA on his own, sublime to the continuing ridiculous. Not even SS, shelfmeister, or the shadow seem to be very vocal about the club. Complete car crash as per the Loons tenure.

[G Somerset Rover]

As I say, we need to score goals to stay up. Can an Appleton team do that? No.

0,0,0,2,0,0,0

Goals scored in Appleton's last 7 games. Pitiful.

[Baz]

Its pretty obvious we need to play 3 centrally in midfield with the players we have. Jones being the only one i think can play in a 2 of our present squad.

Because of this the opposition can mark our midfield and wait till we play a long ball.

[Wendal]

Today just reinforced my earlier opinion:

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.

This quote prior to tonight sums up his approach towards football:

“The aim will be for another clean sheet on Wednesday and hopefully we get the rub of the green at the right time."

That quote is totally in line with what we have seen during his reign. He places little to no emphasis on going forward or controlling games, we will never ever get promoted taking that approach.

The window of opportunity for promotion is getting smaller, managers like Appleton will only consolidate our position as a mediocre Championship club.