• Nigel Adkins has been given the Tranmere job on a permanent basis signing until the end of the 25/26 season. Continue the discussion here.

Current Management

badger

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19 Sep 2009
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4
Player
Mark Jones
Hi There,

There is some truth in the fact that a great Footballer doesn't necessary make a great Manager. Sorry John it's time to go while we still have a chance of survival. And it's time to take 'Trigger' with you. Jason was quoted in the press as saying he didn't realise the quality in this division.
Surely you have got to know your subject matter before you take on a task. Here is my suggestion for the new management team, Ray mathias and Steve Munghall as his assistant. Ray has gained some vital experience working along side Paul Ince and there is no one better who knows the Club than 'Mungy'. Let's get back to basics and bring some pride and enthusiasm back to Prenton Park....
 

Ian

Super White!
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Aldo
Manager
Kingy
Surely you have got to know your subject matter before you take on a task.
This is one of Barnes' problems. He has many right now, but he has zero knowledge of this league and knows nothing about the opposition. You would think McAteer would know more having played in this league for a few years but we are talking about McAteer here..

Welcome to the forums badger :)
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
We've sacked Mathias once before - what makes him good enough for us now? Have we lowered our standards?
 

DixieDean

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22 Sep 2005
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539
We've sacked Mathias once before - what makes him good enough for us now? Have we lowered our standards?

Matthias should never have been sacked in the first place.

Coincidentally, it's almost 6 years to the day that Matthias got sacked (27th September), which came 12 games into the season, after a home defeat to Wrexham.

We won our first 2 games (including the Leage Cup 1st round) and then failed to win another game before he was sacked. I felt at the time it was unfair as we were playing decent football and played Wrexham off the park, only for their keeper to play a blinder and if I remember correctly, Wrexham's goals were very good (one a 30 yard screamer I think).

For me it's different with Barnes. The players don't appear to want too play for him and he (and trigger) also appear not to know what to do to get the best out of them.

Sack Barnes on Saturday and get Matthias back in on the 6th anniversary of the biggest mistake the club have made (in the last decade).
 

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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Iain Hume
Totally agree with Dixie Dean that it was the wrong decision to get rid of Mathias then. I remember the Wrexham game and their winner was one of the best goals I've seen at PP. Whether getting him back now is the right move, I'm less sure. Mungy doesn't seem to have a great management pedigree, if we did opt for Ray I'd prefer him to be in tandem with Shaun Garnett.
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
Matthias should never have been sacked in the first place.

Coincidentally, it's almost 6 years to the day that Matthias got sacked (27th September), which came 12 games into the season, after a home defeat to Wrexham.

We won our first 2 games (including the Leage Cup 1st round) and then failed to win another game before he was sacked. I felt at the time it was unfair as we were playing decent football and played Wrexham off the park, only for their keeper to play a blinder and if I remember correctly, Wrexham's goals were very good (one a 30 yard screamer I think).

For me it's different with Barnes. The players don't appear to want too play for him and he (and trigger) also appear not to know what to do to get the best out of them.

Sack Barnes on Saturday and get Matthias back in on the 6th anniversary of the biggest mistake the club have made (in the last decade).

I agree, I was just playing devils advocate as such. My preference would be for someone with some association with the club to take charge, one of the things I always liked about Ronnie Moore was that you knew that he genuinley wanted to see Tranmere, as a club, progress - it felt he was a supporter as well as a manager. Barnes is only here to progress his career and fair enough, he has no ties with the club. But that's why I'd quite like to see Mathias given another chance. If not, I'd like to at least see us opt for a manager with some proven credentials at this level. Barnes ticks neither box.

As for your last point, I'd argue that sacking Moore was a far bigger mistake than sacking Mathias. Fingers crossed for Ronnie in his application for the Rotherham job - top bloke, top manager.
 

badger

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19 Sep 2009
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Mark Jones
Have we lowered our standards? No I don't think so, we would have in Ray Mathias a very experienced 'football guy' with his most recent venture being in the Premier League, and with a very sound knowledge of this league too.
And in 'Mungy' we would have a down to earth motivator with Tranmere Rovers in his blood..Come on and let's get behind these two and build a case for when, not if, 'Digger' and 'Trigger' move on.
 

TRFC_Ian

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22 Jul 2006
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Aldo
As someone who has wanted Mathias in charge since the day after we appointed Barnes I'm of course going to say that he would be the right choice now. But it makes so much sense.

Mathias versus Barnes

Experience of management
Tactical nouse
Knowledge of the club
Knowledge of lower divisions
Success in signing players
Experience of turning things round
Rapport with the fans
and finally - picking a decent number 2

Mathias every time for me.

From what I understand he hasnt gone with Ince this time. I wonder if that was because he fancied one last crack at a managers job himself? (Maybe even saw the appointment of Barnes and knew he would have a chance at the job before the end of the season?)

Mungy didn't have the greatest time as a coach at the club and fared even worse at Chester. Mathias worked with Garnett when he was reserve team coach under Kingy so there could be the possibility of him being his number 2 - but I wouldn't be against him bringing his own man in. At least we would have someone with the club in his heart in the top job.
 

badger

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Mark Jones
Have to agree with some of Ian's points but, I don't think you can base Steve Munghall's time at Chester as a barometer of being a good Manager.
The club is a shambles even when he was there. He did lift the already deflated squad and they had a few good wins initially.

I think Shaun should be left in charge of the young kids, and hopefully bring some talented kids through the system.

"A good Footballer plays where the ball is, A great Footballer plays where the ball is going to be" ...
 
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27 Oct 2008
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Johnny morrissey
It has to be Harvey for me with Higgy as his number 2[-o<

But Mathias would run him a close second:smile:

But in the end i think we will end up with McAteer:oops:
 

SonkORLY?

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Eddy Sonko
I wonder if David Kelly would fancy a go?
 

amplesou

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6 Jul 2009
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Dave Higgins
You guys got it so wrong!
Mathias is a yes man he would not push the board for money for new players
Also the runt has already been sacked for being a crap no.1 at Tranmere ! Remember oh you lot just forgot !!
He was a crap no.2 when we got relegated to league one as it is now !
He was watson,s no 2 when he got sacked and got slaughtered twice 8-0 in pre season !
Jesus no wonder peter johnson appointed john barnes at least his memory is better than you dead beats here :oops::oops::oops:
 

Boz

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30 Sep 2005
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Iain Hume
Amplesou, you come across as being as arrogant and pig ignorant as (your hero?) John Barnes and I find your description of Ray Mathias, a Rovers hero offensive and inaccurate. Rovers were well on the way to being relegated when Aldo left and Sheedy/Mathias couldn't turn things round. Watson was sacked after a 0-7 pre-season thrashing by Brum and although Mathias may have been caretaker when we lost the next friendly 1-7 to Man City, he didn't get the job until a few months later. We narrowly missed the play-offs with 80 points. It's been a moot point how big a part Ned Kelly played as no 2 and SonkORLY?'s question is a good one. As already said Ray was harshly sacked early next season, despite Rovers having more points on the board and looking better than now. During his time, we recruited some quality players, Tyrone Loran springs to mind, as well as making good use of the loan system. Maybe he's not the answer to our current plight, but he's light years ahead of Dumb and dumber when it comes to football management.
 
Joined
23 Sep 2009
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Player
Colin Clark
Time for change.

I didn't agree with sacking Ronnie or bringing in Barnes, Johnson was wrong and if he were to admit to this and looked to rectify the matter then he would endear himself a little to the fans because at the moment the fans feel as bad about him as they do Barnes. He should replace Barnes with someone not on the "manager merry go round" who are just looking for another paycheck rather than having the club at heart. Give a chance to someone who has Tranmere in his blood and would love to put them back into the Championsip again. An ex player or ex players with a passion for the club (Ronnie very nearly did it). Mungy, Harvey, Nikko and Sean all names that spring to mind, all Tranmere legends and people the fans can relate to. Perm any 2 or 3 from this lot and let them give it their best, can't be as bad as what's there at the minute. Harvey has managerial experience, Mungy a little bit albeit for that nutcase Vaughan at Chester, Sean and Nikko have coached and these players were at the club at its height of success and who I'm sure would love the chance to help them out of this mess. Johnson should do himself and the club a favour and get rid of Barnes and McAteer and give us fans what we want, Tranmere of the Kingy era.
 
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