Exactly. Any talk of being "thorough" is to cover for the fact they don't know what to do. They're trying desperately to find a candidate who won't totally embarrass them whilst being relatively cheap.

It's so far up their sleeve, at a point where continuity and time is of the essence, it's taken them nearly two weeks to extract from said sleeve? The silence and shifting odds indicate they're running around like headless chickens (if you'll pardon the pun!)

Absolutely, as good as Lowe may be, you also have to consider the politics of his situation. Will he be there next week? Who's got authority to tell a player who's contract's running down he'll be there next season? Does he have the experience at this level for a PO run in? Will he get the job if he wins another game? These questions would eat away at even the best coach's position.

Ah, so another day is done, no manager appointed. 10 days since the Wolves game when news broke. No Time for a new manager to establish himself with two full days training before Swansea. Oh what a circus! Unity and cohesion was needed to galvanise after Eustace's departure, get a new guy in efficiently and go again. That window is now passed. Instead the club appears to be falling apart from the top down - will the rot hit the players by Saturday?

I thought I'd just sum up a few themes on this thread... 1. The club should have a shortlist, be able to update it in half a day (given we've been left in the lurch). Then, it's 3-4 days to interview 6 candidates and/or sound out agents. No excuses beyond 5-7 working days (where we're at now. 2. We need a quick appointment - we're seeing discord in our ranks already, other clubs like Boro are mobilising and prospective managers are starting to see the dysfunction. 3. We need an impact manager/ motivator on a contract to the summer. There's no long term thinking at the club and the summer will be a sh!tshow. We're unlikely to get a top candidate of this mould but will probably get a 'passable' B-grade substitute. 4. All this is traceable back to the regime. This episode *must* be the catalyst for a new Venkys Out campaign.

Starting to think a Karanka type figure is on the cards. Anyone with kudos in the English game has woken up to how fragile the clubs situation is.

This seems to be justifying why I was arguing the club needed to move quickly. We've now got direct competition from Boro for managers and the fans are starting to get restless at the lack of concrete news. The candidates are starting to see from all this how BRFC are dysfunctional and getting cold feet.

Yup, there's probably a 10% chance we go up. We're not getting a good manager long term now, nor are we getting one in the summer if we stay in the division. Without breaking the bank, it's time for a short term shot in the arm to try our best to get promoted, then re-evaluate. Otherwise, it could be a long time before the club's given a position like this again.

That, and for a modest outlay, we could get in someone with skills and experience who could have an immediate impact and motivation. Lowe is perfectly capable mind.

Season's done of they appoint him. Hopefully the fans would write the remaining fixtures off and coalesce around a new Venkys Out campaign. Ridiculous appointment.

This is true... for now. The players need to know what the board's decision is, otherwise doubts will be sown that "They're going to scupper this and put Manager X in with 8 games to go. Will X or Y's style suit us?" All that uncertainty and those nagging questions that will arise the longer the club stay silent. Equally, the fans will get restless at the continuing incompetence of the management. Maybe we could go longer with Lowe as caretaker - the board just need to say so and tell us when they're going to appoint! Certainty and unity is needed for this run-in. An issue as central as the Head Coach can't be let slide. An effective team in this situation needs to take a decision and move on.

Hmm, I don't think it excuses taking over two weeks for an appointment. Days, maybe, but you should spend a day narrowing down to a shortlist (say 6 people), being ruthless and getting the lowdown off a few agents. A lot of your shortlist will ultimately be who you were thinking of anyway. Two days to interview the shortlist - appointment. Maybe some politics delays things to ensure the appointment doesn't disturb the players and the fixture schedule. It's been seven days since we knew Eustace was gone, and we've got six clear days without a game - so we should be within spitting distance of an appointment. *Should* being the operative phrase!

The club has been blindsided by Eustace and hasn't been as well prepared as it should've been - agreed. However, when a manager departs suddenly it sometimes does take a few days to work things out with the top candidates. You can't have a new manager on speed dial all the time, when the trigger is actually pulled the appointment might not work in practice. If we get a decent appointment by midweek, I think the club will have done OK- that's 10 days which seems reasonable.

I agree but stress the need for a quick appointment. Dragging it out beyond Swansea raises anxiety and uncertainty which is what we don't need. Cracks will start to show in the fanbase and squad. Very quickly the club should be able to find the top six candidates who are viable then interview and appoint (hopefully by Wednesday).

I think anxiety will build the longer without an appointment - it looks chaotic. The club should have a shortlist of six managers constantly under review and now be working their way through that to work out who's the best fit. 13 (hopefully 16) game contract, appoint Tuesday/Wednesday, first game Swansea. Job done, tyvm.