Andy - next season

[behind-the-goal]

I can’t say that I’ve got over Saturday, but at least the dust has settled a bit and I think I can begin to look at things a tad more rationally than I did after the game.

Let me start off by saying that I’ve never been Andy’s greatest fan. I even said on here I wanted him to go when it was clear Mickey P was being ousted. (The fact that Mickey has since got an FA Trophy medal kind of says it all.)

Anyway, when Andy took over at the beginning of the 2017-18 season he had precisely two players. Despite that, he saved us from relegation and got us to 17th. He even brought in an exciting player like Aaron Greene, as well as important players like Sam and Ryan.

He built on that the following season and we came 10th, bringing in Bricknell.

The next season was curtailed due to lock-down when we were 7th with 10 games to play. He’d brought in Mo and Ken Charles and between them Mo, Billy and Ken scored 35 league goals in 32 league games.

2020-2021 was curtailed again after 10 games when we were 3rd.

Last season we ended up 3rd and were a couple of minutes away from a play-off final.

This season we were in the play-off positions for six months,

After a bit of reflection I can also remember that it’s not true that we have always been long-ball under Andy. I can remember a series of games when we played really attractively with ball to feet all the time.

What I’m leading up to is this: perhaps it’s not Andy that we should be criticising. Perhaps it’s the coaches. I won’t name names, but you all know who I’m talking about. Perhaps we should allow Andy to be the ‘manager’; the guy who can get people like Mo in (twice!) and change the coaches to guys who can take us to the next level. Ferguson never stood still on that: Knox, Kidd, McClaren, Ryan, Queiroz, Smith, Phelan. Always new ideas; didn’t Alex him any harm. Maybe Andy could try it.

[andyetfc]

 If players take it upon themselves to play route one football, and nothing is done about it, then who carries the can?

[lovely stuff]

4 hours ago, behind-the-goal said:

I can’t say that I’ve got over Saturday, but at least the dust has settled a bit and I think I can begin to look at things a tad more rationally than I did after the game.

Let me start off by saying that I’ve never been Andy’s greatest fan. I even said on here I wanted him to go when it was clear Mickey P was being ousted. (The fact that Mickey has since got an FA Trophy medal kind of says it all.)

Anyway, when Andy took over at the beginning of the 2017-18 season he had precisely two players. Despite that, he saved us from relegation and got us to 17th. He even brought in an exciting player like Aaron Greene, as well as important players like Sam and Ryan.

He built on that the following season and we came 10th, bringing in Bricknell.

The next season was curtailed due to lock-down when we were 7th with 10 games to play. He’d brought in Mo and Ken Charles and between them Mo, Billy and Ken scored 35 league goals in 32 league games.

2020-2021 was curtailed again after 10 games when we were 3rd.

Last season we ended up 3rd and were a couple of minutes away from a play-off final.

This season we were in the play-off positions for six months,

After a bit of reflection I can also remember that it’s not true that we have always been long-ball under Andy. I can remember a series of games when we played really attractively with ball to feet all the time.

What I’m leading up to is this: perhaps it’s not Andy that we should be criticising. Perhaps it’s the coaches. I won’t name names, but you all know who I’m talking about. Perhaps we should allow Andy to be the ‘manager’; the guy who can get people like Mo in (twice!) and change the coaches to guys who can take us to the next level. Ferguson never stood still on that: Knox, Kidd, McClaren, Ryan, Queiroz, Smith, Phelan. Always new ideas; didn’t Alex him any harm. Maybe Andy could try it.

You mention Mickey P.  Lets not forget Mark Kirby either.

[lovely stuff]

When i was watching the little Wingate & Finchley Forward playing against us this season. Being tricky, being skillful, being exciting every time he got the ball. I though to myself at the time. 'That is our sort of player. That is the type of player we used to have all the time at this club'.

[55 seasons]

I suspect we would be very lucky, behind the goal, to find a decent young coach at this level who would be prepared to play ‘second fiddle’ to a manager. 
 

I appreciate your sentiments but there comes a time when change at the top feels inevitable.

[Ignored by most]

Stand by for big news in next few days 

[andyetfc]

Poch’ the new chosen one?

Edited April 25, 2023 by andyetfc

[djwilf]

Club statement tonight. Parted company with Andy Leese.   

Thank you for all your efforts.

[The Crowing Cockerel]

Never nice to lose a manager who has been with us for 6 years, but the style of play combined with missing out on the play-offs meant the writing was on the wall.

All change in the close season then. I'd imagine the squad will look completely different come August.

[Rebel without a clue]

New era starts now, no doubt a majority of the current team will be gone as well

[djwilf]

Players come and go.   Allegiances mean alot.  Hopefully new manager will bring in some needed quality and fresh ideas.

[55 seasons]

Andy leaves with his head held high and thanks for some good times. It’s the right time for a change, so credit to the Board as well. 

[Benjrider10]

I don’t think anybody can question the effort and hard work that Andy Leese put in during his tenure. He started quite literally from scratch and brought in some talented players (and some who didn’t work out). He may also have decided it was time for something different - combining a full time job and a manager of a football club at our level is a huge ask that not many can do. Thank you for all your hard work and sacrifice over the 6 years, Andy, and the best of luck in whatever you decide to do next.

And now the speculation over who the next incumbent will be, begins …..

I expect wholesale change, and that’s not a bad thing because we had plateaued.

 

 

[dwhe]

I didn't see that coming

[lovely stuff]

Should be a wealth of applicants. There are always more managers at this level looking for a club , then there are positions available.

Obviously the club need to seriously think about the way forward. As the candidates will fall into two categories. Those willing to manage the club without being paid . And those looking for a small regular wage? 

Edited April 27, 2023 by lovely stuff

[The Crowing Cockerel]

14 minutes ago, lovely stuff said:

Those willing to manage the club without being paid . And those looking for a small regular wage? 

I understand Andy was in the first category, but is that common at this level?

Do we want an old hand with plenty of experience at this level (your George Borg type), or a youngster with limited experience but contacts, coaching badges and hunger?