• 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.

Which management team?

frenchrover

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I notice Michael Appleton has suddenly appeared in the bookmaker's shortlist of potential TRFC managers. Although having played at a relatively medium level (PNE and West Brom) until injury cut short his playing career, his managerial career (at Championship level with Portsmouth, Blackpool and Blackburn) has been far from successful.
 
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According to John Mac in the Echo, an announcement is due this week. The bookies have short odds on Robbie Fowler and Danny Murphy. I noticed another article in the Echo featuring Ryan Lowe and his love for Rovers and keenness to stay. My long shot would be Ryan as player manager. Well, it would be cheap and would keep him at the club.

Totally off topic but not worth starting another thread for, it's incredible to see Alex Bruce playing in the cup final. He's come a long way since a very disappointing month on loan with us a few years back.
 

frenchrover

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Yes, BBTC, I read Mcmahon's article in the Echo and from the way he has worded it it looks as though he is expecting a new man to come in as Manager. Well let's hope something is annouced shortly as I also note clubs in our "new" division are already beginning to recruit new playing staff to strenghten their squads and we don't want to be left with the "left-overs".
 
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According to John Mac in the Echo, an announcement is due this week. The bookies have short odds on Robbie Fowler and Danny Murphy. I noticed another article in the Echo featuring Ryan Lowe and his love for Rovers and keenness to stay. My long shot would be Ryan as player manager. Well, it would be cheap and would keep him at the club.

Totally off topic but not worth starting another thread for, it's incredible to see Alex Bruce playing in the cup final. He's come a long way since a very disappointing month on loan with us a few years back.

Good to hear that an announcement is finally due. Regarding Alex Bruce, I did a double take yesterday as I was not sure he was actually the same player we had all those years ago ! I am glad that BBTC has confirmed that it was the same Bruce that we loaned (I thought Steve might have had another son).

I seem to remember he played full back for us and, as has been noted, was awful.
 

drwhoman

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I would worry about RF and DM. Memories of Barnes and McAteer. At least Robbie does not need the money I suppose. Lowe might be a more sensible choice and would have more knowledge of the lower divisions. That said, player managers are not often a success. I can go back to Peter O'Farrell (remember him BBTC?!) and then there was Ron Yeats of course. Aldo did a reasonable job although the club had more money at that point. McGurk scored again to take Burton to the play off final!
 
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I doubt the bookmakers' odds mean anything at all as there have no been no indications from within the club of who the manager will be: I would not think either Fowler or Murphy are in the frame, although given his background at Crewe and his apparent intelligence (by pro-footballer standards) DM might be a reasonable appointment. Fowler would be a disaster.

Still very much doubt either of them have been considered or would be interested though.

Regarding ex-players, I notice Ryan Donaldson (remember him ?) set up Cambridge's winner in the Conference play-off final today. Ryan had one of the shortest Rovers careers on record; about twenty minutes on loan from Newcastle, before he pulled up with an injury and was never seen again.

So we have a trip to the Abbey Stadium in store next season.
 
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Re the last two posts, yes I do remember Peter Farrell (just!). He was a very good player with Everton and the Republic. I agree that player-managers often fail. I suppose they are by definition inexperienced. However, if they get the right support - a good, experienced assistant - it might work.

I think Danny Murphy might be a good choice, but perhaps like Alan Hansen he's TOO bright to be a manager and will try to become a top pundit.

Thinking again about John Mac's comments about the need for more backroom staff to work with the players, I think the club might think seriously about employing two or three player-coaches. We had Achterberg a few years back and he's now at Liverpool. It seems to me a good option as it would attract experienced players nearing the end of their career who want to go into coaching or management. It would be a lot cheaper than two wages.
 

frenchrover

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So now it's beginning to look like Iain Brunskill will be appointed manager.........from nowhere in the betting to 1/3 on in the space of 7 hours today with all other candidates' odds drifting except for Mr. Wilde's preferred candidate Albert Ferrer who has suddenly appeared at 16/1. I can't say Brunskill fills me with a lot of optimism perticularly seeing that his last management appointment was as Manager at Floriana in Malta for just over 3 months from 29th January 2013 to 8th May 2013 (appointed under the presidency of Steve Vaughan Jnr, the same set up basically that appointed Mark Wright as manager there for 2 months in 2012). Previous to that appointment Brunskill was assistant to "Fat Sam" at Blackburn.
Apparently, he left Floriana to take up a position at the FA's coaching development department and he had some earlier experience coaching at Liverpool.
Perhaps, I'm feeling down having seen Ryan Lowe has left us today for Bury but this potential management appointment doesn't fill me with much optimism for next season.
 

Sparky

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Never heard of this brunskill fella but anyone associated with vaughan is to be avoided
 

andrewesq

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Was hoping those fancy two words "club statement" on the website would give us some groundbreaking news, but alas not today
 
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To be honest, I think Brunskill is the kind of manager we should be recruiting: young, decent coaching experience and not just one of the usual suspects. He could be the person to instigate a culture change at PP and move the club forward.

He may have worked under Vaughan previously, but so did Jimmy Harvey and I don't think anyone would question his integrity.
 

Sparky

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Yeah to be fair he was only with Vaughan I think coz Vaughan owns Floriana in Malta.

Given his history my only doubt would be how well he knows the lower leagues given we'll need a new side at this rate and our budget will dictate this. We'll give him a good chance tho if he gets it.
 
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He is a bit of an unknown quantity, but any younger manager is going to be a bit of a gamble. I would still rather we go down that route rather than appointing someone like Coleman.

His coaching CV is impressive and he seems to have spent a lot of time developing young players: ten years at the Liverpool academy and he oversees youth coaching for the FA in his current job.
 

Boz

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If it is Brunskill, the main question will be whether he can translate undoubted coaching ability into decent managerial attributes.
 

Ian

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Yes, at least he doesn't fit into the usual categories, which are:

1. Ex-player
2. Previous manager
3. Current member of staff

I would certainly like someone new and fresh coming in, we need a shake up.
 
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If it is Brunskill, the main question will be whether he can translate undoubted coaching ability into decent managerial attributes.
Exactly. For that reason, anyone without proven experience is a gamble. But given our situation, we have to take a risk.
 

Sparky

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A note today on the official site seems to indicate they are still interviewing and the process is going to take even longer..

Surely they must have had an idea once Ronnie was sacked. Johnny Mac even if we had stayed up was never a certainty if that.

Meanwhile the likes of Shrewsbury having appointed Mellon are starting to snap up players......
 

bigmart

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look to be too indecisive dragging on too much for me
 
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Yes, it is certainly frustrating. The worrry for me is that we have chosen somebody but they won't come due to financial issues: we have been in that position a few times before.

I noticed that Sean O'Driscoll has now been mentioned in connection with the job. Although he struggled at Bristol City, I think he would be a decent appointment. Doubt we could afford him though.
 
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