But when he does unearth one he’ll leave like Dickie Dosh, Dean Smith etc etc and the cycle begins again and again and again…
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Money was overrated in my view. He had a top half Div 3 team playing in Div 4.
Knew how to organise a defence though.
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Go back 7 years to February 2012 in Dean Smith’s first full season in charge. We were doing as bad as we are now.
We had only won 6 of our first 29 league matches that season. Smith had a huge amount of support because of the change in form that happened when he replaced Hutchings a year earlier, but there were plenty who had begun to doubt him.
Eventually Smith learned how to be a good manager. We need to give Keates time.
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But even if you think that he wanted to push the club further but we all know what happened there with the board not matching his ambitions
Indeed, and that will continue until Boner effs off.
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I think we’re all of the same mind , and realise you just can’t keep replacing the managers , either they’re good and leave or do poor because they have such a small budget compared to other clubs they have to compete against
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Some People were in meltdown, but the momentum was upwards and it was pretty clear we had a good chemistry and plan.
This seems far more random and unpredictable. We may actually go down, something that should be almost implausible with Cook.
Think from this most are of the same opinion that they don’t actively want him sacked right now but if he went, they wouldn’t be too bothered. Sad, wanted it to work but with every game and every post-match interview it looks less likely.
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It worried me some time ago when Dean started to publicly threaten the players with non selection if their performances didn’t improve! To me, this showed a little naivety and a lack of man management skills. I see today that he’s at it again!! As to his January signings, it’s too early yet to judge but I must say I was not impressed with Norman when viewing his Plymouth performance. A lack of skill and too much thumping the ball up field! I agree with the comments that I have seen re Kinsella. I would have thought that we need a player of his ability in our team.
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I called him out on this on here at the time. I was in the minority as most who commented seemed to think he was doing the right thing by ■■■■■■■ their eyes out in public.
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Something Dean smith never did was question the players publicly good management calling them out in public is never a good idea Whitney was slated for it.
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What ever you thoughts of Dickie Dosh we all knew he used to give the players a round of ■■■■■ behind closed doors but would always defend them publicly and never bad mouth them
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He is one of a number of people at the club who isn’t good enough unfortunately.
From the CEO through the playing side to those working the kiosks, none of it is competent. One of the few in any position at the club doing their job well was Liam Kinsella. A face, it seems that no longer fits. The place has gone beyond parody.
Keates started this season so well but he has unravelled along with the team. The January window followed by Saturday’s selection probably represents the opening lines of the final act for him as our manager.
He looked frozen on Saturday. Statuesque. Petrified.
Of course I will be there on Saturday hoping we can reverse this run of form. I hope I see Liam Roberts make a save. I hope to see Scott Laird at full-back. I hope to see a winger on the right-wing. I hope that we can adapt to whatever unfolds during the game. I hope Keates makes game changing or game saving interventions. But I rather suspect that very few, if any of these things will happen. Rather, I suspect we will be down wind of another “fine margin”.
At some point soon there will be a clamour for Keates out. But in terms of incompetence at the club he is barely inside the top ten. Admittedly, some of those he has brought in are less competent than him (imagine being a goalkeeping coach who’s charge doesn’t do saves). So I shan’t be joining that clamour, partly out of the sentiment Bernie lays out above and partly because I think it fitting that we go down with a Walsall man at the helm thereby ensuring at least one person in a position of power down there has some inkling of how much it hurts.
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I for one can’t even stomach reading these threads atm. All too depressing after such a bright start - it’s the hope that kills you. I really hope Deano can turn it round but sadly I do have my doubts. How ■■■■ is it being a Walsall supporter these days ?!
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Has not got a clipboard either
General consensus before the season: Lucky to stay up.
General Consensus after a few wins: We might be even pushing for the play offs!
General Consensus after a few losses (but still above where was predicted before the season: Keates has made mistakes but he’s still the man.
General Consensus one loss after the end of the window: Not good enough! Weem Goon Down!
I’ll abstain from saying whether I think he’s good enough because I simply don’t know.
What I have seen over the last few days has simply amazed me. Fans insulting other fans simply for attending. Fans criticising players with no idea of what has even happened at the match (lots of whinging about Devlin, he was literally our only outlet first half). Fans turning on yet another manager while the real problem remains.
It doesn’t matter whether Keates is good enough or not, we will simply turn on managers repeatedly until we get somebody exceptional. Because ultimately that will be the only level of personnel that can achieve anything with both the board restrictions and the fans whose expectations swing like the wind. Yes we’ve signed players but look at them. Non league bargains. Players with barely any league experience. Loaning players from Forrest Green ■■■■■■■ Rovers who can’t even get a performance. Don’t tell me that’s backing, it’s insulting. And so is being mocked for actually attending and being passionate about this club.
That’s my word on it anyway. Back to your sound bites and lack of variety of opinion.
If only paul daniels was still with us 
Not sure if Keates is at the level of Dean Smith and has the basic ability to learn. I remember when Alan Buckley was first manager and had a torrid time. Some one had the sense to put an old head with him forget the guys name Bert ?. Anyway it steadied the ship and the rest is history. I really think Keates could do with the same sort of guidance. If he doesn’t sadly I can’t see him turning this around.
If not an assistant he needs to go and an experienced manager needs bringing in.
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I think too much is being made of Keates’ comments about changing the team if performances do not improve.
Has he ever criticised a player by name in any of his comments to the media?
What would we think if he said after a match that we lost, “Despite the result I am pleased with the way they all played and I am not going to make any changes, the players can relax in the knowledge that their places in the side are secure.”?
Are people just looking for something to pick faults with, like they used to when Jon Whitney was manager?
Personally i am not looking to pick faults at all backed the bloke since day one and i still think he deserves more time to get it right and allow the new players to bed in.What i do not like is the style of football we are playing its basically hoofball and hope Cook wins it in the air and he or someone else can get on the end of something to create a chance is anyone else seeing it any differently or am i being harsh? what has happened to the club ethos that Dean smith put in place and has been thrown out of the window since he left?
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