[Archived] Michael Appleton - New Rovers Manager

[LDRover]

Easy to be knee jerk after such a disappointing defeat but is it really wise to give this guy until Xmas?

Aside from dropping Murphy every footballing and tactical decision has been a bad one and his after match quotes are more Kean-like than Kean himself.

It's @#/? or bust now because I fear relegation this season is a real possibility.

[booth]

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.

And with one of the best natural goal scorers in the league.

[johnny price11]

I'm trying to remain objective about the Appleton situation, but it's getting harder and harder. The lack of tactical knowledge is currently terrifying me. His tactics enabled Danny Shittu to look like a colossus. Keep in mind this is a football league journeyman who has barely played in the premiership. For 180 minutes we lumped it up to him, allowing him to win the majority of headers. Why was this not altered for tonight's game?

It very much does feel like we put all our stock into keeping clean sheets and nick a goal currently, but if we concede first it always appears as if we dont have a plan B. I really do like the guy and hope he can turn the results around soon enough, as I personally believe he has a bit of potential and I just want some stability. I'm just mentally tired of change.

[Aberdeen Blue]

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

I actually fear for our Championship status under MA right now. I do not blame MA but the Indian @#/?s that caused all the pain of the last two years.

Until we are rid of the Venky scum and their acolytes we are royaly screwed.

@#/? OFF VENKY'S!

[DE.]

I don't trust Appleton to keep us in this division let alone take us up from it, and that includes with a pre-season behind him. I don't think he has what it takes, and every match deepens that belief as Appleton refuses to learn from or even acknowledge his mistakes.

[Amo]

[Tom]

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.

That's just scary

[Rover_Shaun]

Do I sense that the board is finally returning from neverland?

[Tom]

Do I sense that the board is finally returning from neverland?

Don't be an idiot, you really want to gloat? Go elsewhere and do it

[Rover_Shaun]

Gloat? No. Just stating a fact to some that have found it good sport to dish it out

I had hoped all the embattled Rovers fans still willing to support the club (through time and money) would get a day out at Wembley.

[47er]

We can't even say we weren't warned about Appleton. His record at Blackpool, short as it was, showed exactly what he was about and what his limitations were. 10 games and 7 draws was it? Very few conceded and very few scored.

A one- trick pony who tries to keep it tight at the back and hopes for one chance to win the game.

Only here because Shaw knew him and wanted a win over Singh.

We are in deep kean. Another short - stay manager who will have to be paid off.

[tomphil]

After initial shock at his appointment i have tried to remain behind Appleton from the off but im finding it difficult now. He seemed to have something about him and he's certainly said the right things but apart from that we've seen nothing at all to suggest he's anything other than another dud. Blackpool fans said as much but i put that down to sour grapes, now the sad fact is the things they said about him at the time are the same things we are saying now.

[RevidgeBlue]

Lose against Burnley and he has to go doesn't he? I was full of confidence the other night we wouldn't go down but can we take the risk he'll get the 5-6 points necessary to guarantee safety?

On tonight's performance we haven't got 5 goals in us between now and the end of the season. Let alone points.

SOS Bowyer and McPhillips.

Why oh why give him a whopping new contract when he was only on a one year deal at Blackpool?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Lose against Burnley and he has to go doesn't he? I was full of confidence the other night we wouldn't go down but can we take the risk he'll get the 5-6 points necessary to guarantee safety?

On tonight's performance we haven't got 5 goals in us between now and the end of the season. Let alone points.

SOS Bowyer and McPhillips.

Why oh why give him a whopping new contract when he was only on a one year deal at Blackpool?

I can't see him getting the sack anytime soon. With Shaw and Agnew in his corner I can see a Steve Kean situation all over again, the guy is going to be stuck to the club like a limpet. We just have to hope he does better next season, if he doesn't and he blows that transfer kitty on dross (if we even have one?) then we are screwed.

[tomphil]

Lose to Burnley and the crowd will turn no doubt then in all likelyhood we will loose to Blackpool. They are performing better than us and will have a point to prove to him. That would be the end for him i think, how could he turn around after that. It won't be long before he looses some of the dressing room if he hasn't already. Maybe he will have some dignity and resign if it carries on like this but what the hell would happen next i really do dread to think

[RockinRover]

It's really frustrating. The sheer fact he's made us so hard to score against should have given him a good platform to build on, but he simply hasn't done it and instead of using the solid backbone he's given us and building an attacking threat around it he seems too frightened to explore any other attacking option other than hoofing it up.

[bypass06]

The difference between the Managers last night was, One was stomping around his technical area effing & jeffing at his players.

The other looked like he was waiting to be collected by Madame Tussauds.

[USABlue]

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.

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

I'll give you that and I'll give this fella time though I am more than a bit concerned we can no longer find the net, or even look like we are. It's just like if the opposition score we lose. HAs this manager the nous to keep us up, I am positively DREADING Sunday now and can only hope Jones makes a huge difference. I am just not convinced with this fella and I hope you can rub in the fact I was wrong next season. Problem is he's come in shored up the back and that's it, that's bloody it theres more to it than that isn't there please tell me there is. In fact Gav I am so distraught about my team that if we lose on Sunday I may not be keeping up with us till next season.

Gordon I did not like Big Sam either the problem to me was not getting rid of him it was who we replaced him with. That's that for me.

The difference between the Managers last night was, One was stomping around his technical area effing & jeffing at his players.

The other looked like he was waiting to be collected by Madame Tussauds.

Just like who?

Lose to Burnley and the crowd will turn no doubt then in all likelyhood we will loose to Blackpool. They are performing better than us and will have a point to prove to him. That would be the end for him i think, how could he turn around after that. It won't be long before he looses some of the dressing room if he hasn't already. Maybe he will have some dignity and resign if it carries on like this but what the hell would happen next i really do dread to think

I am sure Paul Ince will want to make a point too.

Gloat? No. Just stating a fact to some that have found it good sport to dish it out

I had hoped all the embattled Rovers fans still willing to support the club (through time and money) would get a day out at Wembley.

Me too. Sadly I think we all felt one goal would put us out. How does this manager plan on getting us in the goals, does he even know how?

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.

What do we have left 10 games, well 10 nil-nils should see us safe

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

Although in management terms not that experienced he is way too experienced for us to look at.

[Stuart]

Just horrible, horrible tactics.

I really can't understand the tactics for defensive corners. The two wingers marking the touch lines at the halfway line. I said just before the goal I didn't like it. We seemed to hive their attacking players two, even three, men at the edge of the box unmarked.

It may have looked good on training. It didn't work.

[Athlete]

tactics FFS what tactics ? how many attempts on goal in 2 games V Millwall 1 ?.....

I fear for our Championship status big time

[Rover_Shaun]

Is there anyone who still thinks Appleton is up to the task?

I wonder if BRAG ever invested in that spell checker? They may need it on Monday.

I feel a poll coming on

[G Somerset Rover]

tactics FFS what tactics ? how many attempts on goal in 2 games V Millwall 1 ?.....

I fear for our Championship status big time

Even more frightening, how many chances and goals in our last 7 games (10 and a half hours of football)?

2 goals, no other chances but a whole host of hoofball! That Millwall keeper may as well have had a couple days annual leave instead of turning out against us, he didn't make one save in two matches.

[Gav]

I think people calling for his head need there heads checking quite frankly, not only because he's been in the job for only a few months, not only because he's inherited a bunch of players that aren't good enough, not only because you get nowhere by changing your manager week in week out and I could go on.

Yes its disappointing going out of the cup, and the run of form recently is cause for concern, but he needs to be given time and a pre-season in my book.

Is he the right man for the job? probably not, but do you actually have any faith in tweedle DUM and tweedle DUMMER appointing anyone better? I certainly don't if Appleton was the best they could come up this time around.

All that said, last night was devoid of any pattern to the play, we had no idea as a team who to pass too, no runners, hoof ball and an unfit Dunn was the best player on the pitch which speaks volumes.

But he must be given a pre-season and the chance to clear the decks, because we have nobody else and the idiots running the club can't be trusted to appoint anyone better.

[rovers11]

Is there anyone who still thinks Appleton is up to the task?

I wonder if BRAG ever invested in that spell checker? They may need it on Monday.

I feel a poll coming on

I'll stick my neck on the line and say I do think he is up for the task. Has to be given the summer to overhaul the squad - pretty much need a brand new team.

There's only so much Appleton can do with a bunch of players that can't pass it 5 yards. That's not just been the case under Appleton, we couldn't pass it under Berg or Kean either (and, note, we had 'flair' players then - albeit useless ones).

I don't believe hoofball is the Appleton way - he likes to get it out wide and put crosses into the box. The players he's brought in are hardly hoofball players - Bentley, Jones, Campbell, Stewart. The hoofball football is, I believe, a by product of the players inability to pass the ball. The times when we do try and pass it, we give the ball away! Appleton did actually say before the game last night that he wanted the players to have more composure on the ball but, simply, many of the players don't have the ability to pass it.

The jury's out but this was never a short term fix. Personally, I think he is getting 100% commitment from the players, they just lack quality.

Let's get that win against Burnley, secure ourselves from relegation and overhaul the squad in the summer. A massive summer ahead with big, big changes.

[Parsonblue]

Is there anyone who still thinks Appleton is up to the task?

I wonder if BRAG ever invested in that spell checker? They may need it on Monday.

I feel a poll coming on

Personally, I still think it is too early to pass judgement. I fully accept performances have been awful of late as I know only too well having witnessed everyone of them first hand. However, when he was appointed I said he needed time and I haven't changed that view. Is he good enough? Who knows? In the summer he may make some decent signings and with his own squad in place and a decent pre-season we may be a different team. Then again we may not. Do I trust Venkys, Shebby, Shaw and Agnew to appoint someone better - no. The problems at this club are not confined to the dugout. The real problems are at a higher level and until we have owners and a management structure in the Boardroom that are fit to run a football club we will continue to struggle no matter who the scapegoat in the dugout is.