League Two Rovers (3) v Salford (4)

[Sparky]

If Dawes was to leave, Danns or Parky would be manager

I agree it would probably be one of those but surely it would be Danns. As much as I love Parky he wouldn’t be for me as the number one.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Although it’s premature to be speculating on who succeeds Dawes, I expect the club has a succession plan in mind. As they did when Micky came back, when he explained that one of his tasks was to develop Dawes (and Parky?) into a potential future manager.

So, if Dawes isn’t up to it, we can blame Micky!

 

[drwhoman]

The team needs reinforcement at the back with O’Connor reverting to midfield screen. A couple of loans looks to be the best way forward.

 

[Sparky]

The team needs reinforcement at the back with O’Connor reverting to midfield screen. A couple of loans looks to be the best way forward.

Yes even without LOCs injury and even if we had a defensive midfielder, we still need suitable competition for our full backs. Perhaps that is a luxury we can’t afford though as we’ve got a fairly large squad with all those midfielders and attackers. Perhaps the money left isn’t much unless we can offload someone like Hemmings or Lewis (the matter which Dawes seems to like).

 

[Am on mobile]

If Daws was to leave you would assume danns take over parky has said he does not want it and dannzyy has experience doing it

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

It clearly has changed. He admitted pre season (as did Dawes), that the squad last season was unbalanced with not enough experience and leadership. Carrying on with the same would have likely meant the same.
So it has changed and most would agree for the better. The question is whether the new manager can get the best out of the group we have.

Spot on.

I think it is also clear that Dawes was not simply lined up as a successor to Mellon. If that had been the case it would not have taken six weeks to appoint him, and we would not have (apparently) spent that period interviewing more plausible candidates like Barry-Murphy.

I am pretty sure somebody like Barry-Murphy would have been Palios's preference. A 'compromise' candidate with a fair amount of management experience, but also a track record in dealing with inexperienced players and playing reasonably attractive football. However, for whatever reason - Barry-Murphy's desire for his own coaching staff, disagreements over the nature of what remains of the development policy - it did not happen.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Always struck me as odd that we appointed the manager before we appointed the technical director. May have just been down to tying up the formalities I suppose, but still.

Very odd. Which still leaves me suspicious that the Adkins appointment was a last minute decision to placate supporters after the unpopular appointment of Dawes, rather than being planned in the long term.

Vaughan had previously served as a technical director but was not performing exactly the same function as Adkins (whatever his role is exactly), and as recently as February 2023 Palios stated that there was no particular need to replace Vaughan.

 

[Higgy 2]

There was no protection for the defence from the midfield all game, and Leake in particular was left completely exposed. It is no surprise when a young player struggles in those circumstances.

I agree - Leake is still raw and should be afforded some protection. I do think he will become a top asset.
Meanwhile why no relieve him of some defensive duties and play him as a wing back in a 3,5,2 formation also solving the conundrum of pairing Norris & Dennis. Granted 442 would solve that one, but given the central midfielders we have I could see them getting over-run.
Yarney would make up the three at the back.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

There’s clearly some confusion either about what a strategy is, or how it differs from an operational plan.

On the playing side, club is undoubtedly pursuing a development strategy, the aim of which, broadly, is to develop and sell talented players as part of a long term sustainability model. That’s been the case for a couple of years now and, I’d suggest out of necessity, is unlikely to fundamentally change in the foreseeable. The (much wider scope) strategic report in the club’s financials touches on it, many of Palios’ public statements have expanded on it, and Adkins refers to it too.

However the club’s operational plans - such as the differing focus of recruitment in these last two summers, as is glaringly apparent to us all - have appeared haphazard and volatile. That’s on Palios. But those plans, however much they differ and however well/badly executed they were, still serve the same strategic aims.

It is to be hoped that Technical Director Adkins will get much of the haphazardness and volatility out of the operation. That’s a hope more than an expectation for me, although early signs do give cause for optimism. But if, say, we‘re looking for another manager in a few months time, there’ll likely be more volatility to come. And if, for some reason, we’re also looking for a new Technical Director in a few months time, then we may as well give up!

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Vaughan had previously served as a technical director but was not performing exactly the same function as Adkins (whatever his role is exactly), and as recently as February 2023 Palios stated that there was no particular need to replace Vaughan.

Vaughan was a Sporting Director, whereas Adkins is a Technical Director. I don’t know how the roles differ, other than noting that Adkins’ remit is to oversee recruitment, development and management, whereas I recall Vaughan, besides his obvious involvement in recruitment, was heavily involved in restructuring the footballing processes, which I think was completed well before Adkins’ arrival.

It remains to be seen if Adkins’ remit over recruitment includes the recruitment of a manager, whenever the time comes. I’d like to think it does.

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Very odd. Which still leaves me suspicious that the Adkins appointment was a last minute decision to placate supporters after the unpopular appointment of Dawes, rather than being planned in the long term.

The club said, when announcing Dawes’ appointment, that it was also progressing with appointing a technical director so, if your suspicion is correct, it would’ve been a pre-emptive measure to placate rather than a reactive one. I just think that, once MP had decided he wanted to appoint a rookie (even if he hadn’t decided on Dawes specifically at that point), he knew he’d need a technical director to oversee.

 

[Am on mobile]

Says everything when the club are twitting 3 huge games coming up

 

[dollar'sbloke]

The development plan is something that needs careful examination. Previously Tranmere got the kids who weren't quite good enough for the top flight, who in turn had very high standards and like Tranmere only kept players who were likely to progress towards the first team.
Warwick was notorious for ditching 17 year olds who he thought would not make the cut a year later when King gave out first year Pro contracts. King tended to rubber stamp Warwick earlier judgement although the likes of Irons were touch and go.
Top clubs were famous for ditching young talent that went on to have good careers at lower levels.
Koumas was probably the best recent product who evaded the Liverpool net but in all honesty was never quite up to obtaining such a high standard after development. Many other youngsters have either played at Tranmere's level or slightly higher over the years. Equally many rejects from over the water have had careers with us or similar, going back to the likes of the late Pep.
It has to be noted that many youngsters never recover from rejection whether at the hands of TRFC or LFC.

Times have really changed. All clubs are completely over staffed and quality standards have plummeted. Prem Clubs have players in their twenties, nowhere near the first team and absolutely no chance of ever getting there. I am convinced some 21 year olds are employed at the elite level and yet would have failed Warwick's 17 year old test. The performance of some of our loanees bear this out.
TRFC now get such a poor standard of kids, I know there are mitigating factors, there seems to be some conspiracy theory that they are pretending to be developers whilst really fiddling quotas. Fact is if, as we must hope, young Sam disproves the rule he would be the first development in a generation. Last season the club had five young midfield pros a position that the last successful product is probably retired from the game. These guys are now where they were always destined, far below the pro game where a bit of boot money is the kick back.
The idea that clubs can profit by picking up rejects from slightly higher clubs seems very flawed. Wigan release players who are barely league standard, Tranmere now have three of them it will be a success if just one comes off- my money is on none.
Hopefully Sam will break the trend but he won't disprove it.
Maybe LFC have players good enough outside their reserves group good enough for tier 4, I suspect so. But anyone who falls for the Prem release propaganda should recall Hockenhull, Kirby, Double barrel from MUFC..
My instinct based on little contemporary knowledge, is TRFC should at least try to match Crewe's efforts and get an U-21 side. At the moment it is hard to see why a youngster would come over the likes of Crewe or Wigan. You really need to show parents examples of success. PLaying for Bootle after 10 years and on your 21st isn't a goal for msny!!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The club said, when announcing Dawes’ appointment, that it was also progressing with appointing a technical director so, if your suspicion is correct, it would’ve been a pre-emptive measure to placate rather than a reactive one. I just think that, once MP had decided he wanted to appoint a rookie (even if he hadn’t decided on Dawes specifically at that point), he knew he’d need a technical director to oversee.

I suspect that more experienced candidates were interviewed before we appointed Dawes, and the decision to go for Adkins came relatively late in the day when it became clear the experienced options were not coming.

 

[Ian]

MP told us that the appointments of Adkins, Danns etc were also there to help and advise Dawes so let's see what happens in the next few weeks now that he could do with some of that help and advice.

 

[ADD]

MP told us that the appointments of Adkins, Danns etc were also there to help and advise Dawes so let's see what happens in the next few weeks now that he could do with some of that help and advice.

To put it into context though we are of course only 1 point worse than where we were at this point last season having played two of the likely contenders and were very unlucky not to have got a point against MK Dons.

Yes I am sure Adkins will provide some support/ positive thinking but I do think things are really nowhere near as bad as some seem to think.

 

[Sparky]

To put it into context though we are of course only 1 point worse than where we were at this point last season having played two of the likely contenders and were very unlucky not to have got a point against MK Dons.

Yes I am sure Adkins will provide some support/ positive thinking but I do think things are really nowhere near as bad as some seem to think.

Yes I agree with some of this. Two of our three defeats have been to MK dons and Salford. One who came down from league one and the other who made the play offs last season and have a very good budget at this level.
That doesn’t give Dawes a free pass of course but that is why calls on social media for him to be sacked already are ridiculous. He’ll be given around a dozen games at least I’m guessing which is fair enough.

I have concerns like others about his style of play etc but ultimately he’ll be judged on results

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I am not sure the two sequences of results are comparable.

The squad is much stronger this year with much more experience, whereas it was widely anticipated that the first few games last season would be a struggle due to the number of youngsters in the side.

In any case, Mellon was still criticised for the early results and his record was slightly better than Dawes' at present.

Ultimately, I think constant comparisons between Dawes and Mellon are pointless. Dawes has his opportunity now and will be judged by results on his own terms like any other manager.

 

[bigmart]

For any development model to work, some of the money received for transfer fees need to go to the playing budget, so far since Bristow left we have barely made a signing, hopefully more are to come before the window closes

 

[Sparky]

I also think we need to find a way to get hawkes into the starting eleven. Yes we beat Harrogate without him but they are a fairly poor side. Josh was top scorer and player of the year so we need to find a place for him, especially if results aren’t going our way.
Of course we have more attacking options this season so less reliant on him but he’d always be in my best eleven somewhere