Brabin Gone

[Colin K]

CLUB STATEMENT: Manager Gary Brabin has been relived of his duties as 1st team manager with immediate effect #TRFC

"Gary Brabin and I have agreed today that his position at Tranmere will end immediately.

I would like to thank Gary for his hard work and contribution over the past 16 months in building a strong squad of players, getting us back fighting for promotion places and setting some Club records in the process.

However, we have agreed that it is best now to allow someone else to take the Club to the next stage.

The Club will make a statement regarding interim arrangements shortly."

Mark Palios

 

[Boz]

My reaction is one of relief. It's hard to feel much sympathy for Brabin, who made little attempt to build any rapport with the fans, while in team-selection and public criticism of players he appeared to have lost the plot.

The next appointment will be crucial. Nothing to add to what I wrote on the Sutton thread, but we may see an interim manager for the next game or so.

 

[Ian]

Ohh sweet hallelujah!! It really couldn't have gone any further. Now let's move on. We have a good squad and we can be a force in this league!

 

[Colin K]

Well Palios has promised a manager with football league experience...but that doesn't necessarily mean good experience! From looking at who is available, I can't really identify a stand out candidate. I suppose it depends on how much Palios wants to pay...we are an attractive club with a decent set of players that need developed into a squad. We also need to get them out on the training ground and get shredding weight as half the squad appears to be carrying too much beef!

 

[Mal]

I agree. I have been impressed with our forwards and some of the defenders and reckon they will be better utilised under a manager who really knows what he is doing. Shame we couldn't have that ex-manager of Braintree.... We don't need any more ' helmets on, dig trenches' negativity.

 

[Ian]

The forwards we have should be banging the goals in just like they did last season. Like I say we have a good squad and we need a manager that can get the best out of them. Also playing them in their positions helps

Tough one to call now. We need an ambitious manager with plenty of experience to get us out of this league. Unfortunately, they dont grow on trees.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I feel slightly embarrassed about my criticism of Palios yesterday now: he obviously could see what the rest of us see. I feel sympathy for anyone losing their job, but Brabin was simply repeating the errors of last season and had to go. I think Cook or Norwood would have been out of the door soon if Brabin had not been sacked.

In terms of a replacement, there is no standout candidate. Adkins has been mentioned but he failed in his last job at Sheffield United. Sadly, no appointment guarantees success, but with the players we have we might at least see some goals and entertainment at Prenton Park now, whoever takes the job on.

I think the playing squad we have is very good (some credit goes to Brabin for that) and only needs a couple of tweaks: more defensive cover, particularly in the full back areas and most importantly more creativity in midfield.

 

[Mal]

Mourhino may be available soon, lol

 

[Tartantranmere64]

Manager of the month on 2nd September, sacked 15 days later. Funny old game!

 

[Ian]

His attitude stunk when he got that MOTM award. His reply, "yeah, I've had a few of them". It will be interesting to see what calibre of manager MP can attract as we've strugged getting quality managers in for years now.

 

[White Squaddie]

Someone who knows what system to play; starts players in the position in which they merited a move to Tranmere in the first place; and midfielders who can create anything would be a start!!

 

[Mal]

For midfield, pogba maybe available on a free soon...

 

[Cowshed Kid]

RLC, I in turn hang my head in shame for doubting MP.
He's made it clear he wants top spot and there was a risk that within two or three games we could be out of touch.
The away form kept GB with a job for this season and fair dos to him for giving him a chance.
Yes, it's not nice to sack a manager but I won't lose sleep over GB who had no connection with the fans at all.
My money is on old boy Adkins.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Watching Brabin's interview after the game yesterday, I think his comment that 'the squad is not big enough' might have been the final straw. He has said all season he wanted quality rather than quantity in the squad but completely changed his tune yesterday, implicitly blaming the chairman for the performance. As I understand it, ample resources were available to Gary all summer to bring additional players in if needed. In any case, the eleven that finished the game yesterday was more than good enough to beat Sutton, including as it did Cook, Norwood, Mekki, Maynard, McNulty, Davies and others.

Anyway, we move on.

 

[Colin K]

I have to say Mekki, Maynard, McNulty and Cook all look like they are carrying too much timber. McNulty has always been a big guy and adapted the way he plays for this, however in the lower leagues pace and fitness is a big factor to success and we lack it. Mekki was outpaced yesterday by every Sutton player and he is meant to be a winger. Quality on the ball is all well and good but having men in the pitch that can outpace the opposition is just as important in my view.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

I have to say that two of our best players this season have been Maynard and Macca.
He's a big lad Macca and he could put another stone on (!) and still be our best proper footballer.
Maynard would also be one of first on team sheet.

 

[Colin K]

Just watching Celebrity Chase and John Barnes is on. I hope his general knowledge isn't as bad as his ability to manage a football team!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I have to say Mekki, Maynard, McNulty and Cook all look like they are carrying too much timber.

Regardless of their current fitness, they are good players at this level if they are managed properly.

 

[Colin K]

McNulty is decent, but up against a young pacy attacker with a bit of skill then I wouldn't always back him. At the end of the day these are professional footballers who are paid to keep themselves in top condition and play football. There is no reason for anyone to carry excess weight when they are paid to play. I could forgive them if it was part time...but in the professional game they should look after themselves better.

Why should it be "regardless of their fitness"...we are coming to a quarter of the season gone! They should be fit by now. Hopefully the new manager comes in and gives them all a hoof up the backsides and tells them to stop eating McDonalds.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I did not say they should not be fit at this stage of the season (that is the responsibility of the coaching staff as much as the player), simply that they are good players.

McNulty and Cook will always be above average weight but it has not prevented them from having excellent careers at this level. McNulty has won the league twice and was Luton's player of the year when they got 105 points. If he was the same build as Gary Cahill he would be playing in the Championship. McNulty has got the better of many pacy strikers: at this level, his football brain gets him out of trouble in many situations; when it doesn't, Ihiekwe is there to cover him. But yes, they probably need to shed some excess weight.