Keates

[GiggityGiggityGiggityGoo]

Originally Posted by Junior Shabadoo

Twenty plus years of listening to moany fans blather on about what the club should have done six months ago tells me that. Plus there being not a scrap of complaint about Mills' terrible methods when the team won compared to fans finally analysing this when the team was losing shows that many fans only go route one, winning creates messiahs and losing means every decision to get there must be wrong. We're giving Keates time and that might mean waiting for success - you reckon if Mills had gone to Tranmere while we did this would have been greeted with anything but "no ambition"? Afraid not.
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The board appointed Mills to milk the cash cow, he was the fans top choice after all, Tranmere rejected him due to them doing some background research.

Mills record in the league is woeful, which should have been questioned if not set alarm bells ringing.

Anyhow, we now have someone willing to put the effort in and things look much better now.

[Alan Attack]

Originally Posted by [Removed User

;2044711]

Alan - I was referring to two things. One was the endless parade of fans who believe it has to be "this season" every bloody season or the manager must go or at least be under pressure/change tactics/formation/ditch his favourites etc. The other was the way that filters through the club.

Wilkin was sacked after taking us to Wembley and making a bad tactical error. Don't get me wrong there were clearly a lot of other things wrong at that time but he'd already built a squad with huge promise and it's sobering to wonder where we'd be now if him and Darlington had stayed. I'm sure someone can find my posts from when Mills was mooted onwards that it was not the moment for change and Mills record was wholly deceptive.

I've never suggested it has to be this season with regards to Keates. In fact, I've historically been a supporter of our managers. What I am saying is "why not?". Lincoln DID do it from nowhere. They finished 13th the previous season. We finished 8th with 8 points more.

Furthermore, the season Cambridge were promoted via the playoffs (finished 2nd to Luton), they finished 14th the previous season.

I'm not relying on these facts. I won't be disappointed if we're not promoted this coming season (depending on circumstances). However, if we have a good start, if we stay in contention, if we have luck with injuries and results, why not. Major ifs, I know. Considering 2-7 make the playoffs, I'll be disappointed if our squad isn't aiming for this.
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[GarryOggy]

Originally Posted by GiggityGiggityGiggityGoo

The board appointed Mills to milk the cash cow, he was the fans top choice after all, Tranmere rejected him due to them doing some background research.

Mills record in the league is woeful, which should have been questioned if not set alarm bells ringing.

Anyhow, we now have someone willing to put the effort in and things look much better now.

Mills was up against Brabin for the Tranmere job and saw his backside because he wasn't their first choice.

[Alan Attack]

Originally Posted by [Removed User

;2044750]I wasn't actually referring to you specifically Alan, but anyway..

Lincoln did their research and appointed the right manager(s).
Cambridge expected to go up as they did a huge amount of well documented prep. You're right of course it could be us. I just think our average age doesn't fit the profile of teams who go up and we need an awful lot of other ducks in a row. I also suspect we'll have our worst start for a long while before we settle down.

Was Lincoln's appointment of Danny Cowley any different to us appointing Wilkin? On paper, both had steered their clubs to top of the Conference finishes. I'm sure had Wilkin stayed with Nuneaton the season we appointed him, they'd have reached the playoffs instead of drastically falling away.

Is the average age of this squad any higher than Fleetwood's of 2013? Or Luton's? It's not as if we're carrying blokes in their mid 30s. Keates has recruited lads 26-31 with Kelly being the oldest. I wouldn't be too adverse to us signing a striker who's in his early 30s though.

[WasanActonlad]

Inspiring photo of squad jogging along canal tow path.....
"Leading from the front"

[Ooh aah Paskin]

Originally Posted by [Removed User

;2044750]I wasn't actually referring to you specifically Alan, but anyway..

Lincoln did their research and appointed the right manager(s).
Cambridge expected to go up as they did a huge amount of well documented prep. You're right of course it could be us. I just think our average age doesn't fit the profile of teams who go up and we need an awful lot of other ducks in a row. I also suspect we'll have our worst start for a long while before we settle down.

I am actually thinking we will have a steady start. And probably be steady all season, not enough for the title but enough to keep up with play off pace.

Of course, the start may depend on how the fixtures fall.

[dixienormous]

Originally Posted by [Removed User

;2044750]I wasn't actually referring to you specifically Alan, but anyway..

Lincoln did their research and appointed the right manager(s).
Cambridge expected to go up as they did a huge amount of well documented prep. You're right of course it could be us. I just think our average age doesn't fit the profile of teams who go up and we need an awful lot of other ducks in a row. I also suspect we'll have our worst start for a long while before we settle down.

I'm puzzled as to why you think we'll have one of our worst starts for a long time when you consider the calibre of players we've signed? I know they'll need time to gel but I still can't work that one out Mike.

I'm not convinced Dunn's quite good enough if I'm honest.

[EnglishRed]

Teams do need time to gel but we've got a lot of players who know each other or have played with each other before. That should help.

[nessasmum]

I'm optimistic that they'll settle in together very quickly because I get the feeling that Keates is recruiting on personality as well as talent etc. I reckon he is very good at reading people. Looking at the signings so far, he's building a whole package and avoiding egos etc. It's why I think he wouldn't go for Rhead.