The members on this mb take some believing.One minute,we are doomed because of the odd defeat then,a couple of wins and we could make the playoffs.Neither suggestion will happen.One minute,GC hasn’t got a clue because he hasn’t signed anyone and how long should we give him then,he is a genius and we will struggle to keep hold of him.The next thing,Bogle for England.Oh yes,fans were also suggesting that Mickey is past it and should be put out to grass because he had one poor game at Carlisle,now that did make me laugh.

Percy plunkett wrote: February 22nd, 2023, 11:32 pm The members on this mb take some believing.One minute,we are doomed because of the odd defeat then,a couple of wins and we could make the playoffs.Neither suggestion will happen.One minute,GC hasn’t got a clue because he hasn’t signed anyone and how long should we give him then,............

I have just re-read the 'When should we dispense with Coughlan' thread. There were 89 replies.

A number of posts were supportive of Coughlan. A number of posts said that the football being played eight weeks ago was shite. A number of posts said that nobody could do any better. This was conjoined with posts saying the blame should be placed on Kelly. Two posts suggested that the blame lay with the board. A number of posts moaned about people having a moan. So posts developed other points.

The number of posts which could be interpreted as supporting sacking Coughlan was two. The number of posts which actually stated Coughlan should be sacked was (Apologies for shouting) ZERO. NIL. ZILCH. NONE.


I agree some members of this board take some believing.

Which in itself raises an interesting point about Darren Kelly. It would appear that the first and second choices of transfer targets for Coughlan fell by the wayside. So the new recruits could be more from Kelly's recommendations based on the style of player Coughlan originally sought.

To me all of the new lads have added something, and all have been able to walk straight into the side as Coughlan specified.

Now sometimes as a club a loan may be from a higher club who will be releasing the player - as with Liverpool's Cain last year. Sometimes it's to add game experience to someone they hope to keep, as with Swansea's Cooper.

The quality of recruitment probably suggests the latter to me, which in our situation is fine. However long term, just means that recruitment is always temporary, while your mainstays get progressively older.

So has anyone changed their thoughts on Darren Kelly and/or our loan recruitment policy since the transfer window closed?

I think (and hope) that Coughlan may be a stronger influence than Kelly on recruitment. Kelly's appointment seemed to unsettle Flynn, but let's be honest recruitment wasn't great at the time. We do need a couple more players who may be likely to stay beyond their initial contract. Not sure that Kelly's book will provide them.

Can you believe that a thread titled "How long do we give Coughlan" was posted less than 2 months ago on here! At the time I said he was doing the right things albeit limited options.

While I think that the play offs are beyond us, a strong finish in the top half of the table may help player retention and recruitment, I hope.
I note that we are 6th in the current form table, based on the last 6 games, but note that Sutton are 5th so Saturday will prove a test of our strength.

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 9:02 am I think (and hope) that Coughlan may be a stronger influence than Kelly on recruitment. Kelly's appointment seemed to unsettle Flynn, but let's be honest recruitment wasn't great at the time. We do need a couple more players who may be likely to stay beyond their initial contract. Not sure that Kelly's book will provide them.

I honestly had no inkling that Kelly was about to depart when I posted this.

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:11 am

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 9:02 am I think (and hope) that Coughlan may be a stronger influence than Kelly on recruitment. Kelly's appointment seemed to unsettle Flynn, but let's be honest recruitment wasn't great at the time. We do need a couple more players who may be likely to stay beyond their initial contract. Not sure that Kelly's book will provide them.

I honestly had no inkling that Kelly was about to depart when I posted this.

Is he going? Have you got a source/link?

whoareya wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:13 am

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:11 am

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 9:02 am I think (and hope) that Coughlan may be a stronger influence than Kelly on recruitment. Kelly's appointment seemed to unsettle Flynn, but let's be honest recruitment wasn't great at the time. We do need a couple more players who may be likely to stay beyond their initial contract. Not sure that Kelly's book will provide them.

I honestly had no inkling that Kelly was about to depart when I posted this.

Is he going? Have you got a source/link?

Reported on Twitter by club.

Free beer wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:16 am

whoareya wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:13 am

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 11:11 am

excessbee wrote: February 23rd, 2023, 9:02 am I think (and hope) that Coughlan may be a stronger influence than Kelly on recruitment. Kelly's appointment seemed to unsettle Flynn, but let's be honest recruitment wasn't great at the time. We do need a couple more players who may be likely to stay beyond their initial contract. Not sure that Kelly's book will provide them.

I honestly had no inkling that Kelly was about to depart when I posted this.

Is he going? Have you got a source/link?

Reported on Twitter by club.

Thanks.

Club website.
He's left club.

G Guest wrote: February 22nd, 2023, 11:10 pm I think that GC has been brilliant. I can't think of another manager that we've had who was willing to make such bold moves during a game as GC does, not even Flynny.
Graham will be in big demand at the end of the season after what he is doing here. Our task is to keep him here. That may be difficult particularly since he lives in Sheffield and may be tempted back north.

I totally agree that he's been great and we want to keep him for as long as possible. Does anyone know if his family are still based in Yorkshire?

My worry is that if we don't get promotion this season (which I don't think we will) then Priestley is as good as gone, he looks better than Joe Gomez at the moment. Add a few others like Norman and maybe A Lewis/Townsend and we're effectively starting again in the summer.

From the County website: ‘Darren first joined the Exiles in June 2021, and now departs for a new opportunity closer to home’.

Sounds like it could have been Kelly’s decision to leave.

Still early days but GC has done the job asked of him, steadied the ship, made us difficult to beat and his signings have looked good and let's be fair his signings and some of the tunes he is now getting out of players is transforming our style of play for the better. I like his honesty after Hartlepool happy but still needs work on finishing if he can achieve that then we will have a good end to the season.
Key will be player retention but this is L2 and the reality is 23/24 season will rely on summer signings and loans it would be good to keep Chepstow's list.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: February 22nd, 2023, 11:59 pm

Percy plunkett wrote: February 22nd, 2023, 11:32 pm The members on this mb take some believing.One minute,we are doomed because of the odd defeat then,a couple of wins and we could make the playoffs.Neither suggestion will happen.One minute,GC hasn’t got a clue because he hasn’t signed anyone and how long should we give him then,............

I have just re-read the 'When should we dispense with Coughlan' thread. There were 89 replies.

A number of posts were supportive of Coughlan. A number of posts said that the football being played eight weeks ago was shite. A number of posts said that nobody could do any better. This was conjoined with posts saying the blame should be placed on Kelly. Two posts suggested that the blame lay with the board. A number of posts moaned about people having a moan. So posts developedm other points.

The number of posts which could be interpreted as supporting sacking Coughlan was two. The number of posts which actually stated Coughlan should be sacked was (Apologies for shouting) ZERO. NIL. ZILCH. NONE.


I agree some members of this board take some believing.

As you have read up on old posts,you would have seen my comments.I said that we had an unbeaten 4 game run over Christmas,including matching the best team in the league,Orient,a solid draw at Wimbledon etc.Whilst some were panicking,I said that we only need two strikers and a midfielder in the window,some wanted wholesale changes,I mentioned that Matty and Robbie were unlikely to get new contracts so,would they leave now or in the summer.You Brendan,panicked that allowing players to go to rival clubs would hurt us,this has proved unfounded as Pools are 10 points behind us and have played two games more.You would have been right if both players were still in their prime but,that is not the case.You seem to be agreeing with me that there isn’t much chance of the club reaching the playoffs.I was commenting on the fickle nature of this mb,we lose a couple and its panic stations,we win a couple and we could be going up.I always take a more measured approach to the football than some,that’s all I was saying,anyway,thank you for taking an interest in my posts.