Dennis Lawrence New Wrexham Manager (unconfirmed!)

[Mr Wonderful]

Would prefer Askey to Den, he’s been around the non league environment to have the knowledge needed.
Den, as it were, would be coming in from the cold, albeit with GB as an excellent foil.

Regardless, I will back the boards decision.

[Cenotaff]

Originally Posted by southcoastexpress

Keates soon got his men,Cooke and Ferrier after he left!

Yeah, with the offer of football 2 leagues above and with far more money available to them as a league club. The 2 situations aren't compariable in the slightest.

Do you seriously expect us to have the same draw to a player as Walsall, at present.

[llewelyn]

Originally Posted by Phils-an-alki

I was just giving my opinion. I admit I rattled on too long and posted too much on the subject. I don't post to offend or mean to disregard anyone, honest. Anyway if Big Den takes us up feel free to tell me I told you so and to eat my words.

Thats fine. Thanks for that, and i promise i won't

[Connolly]

Originally Posted by southcoastexpress

Oh no!

And he will have cost some sort of fee I expect.

My worst fear was Morrell clawing his way back but this appointment if true,is underwhelming

Askey must be wondering why the Wrexham board aren't interested in appointing a proven successful manager.It could be the money,which makes us always go for the cheap option(Mills excepted)and stops us buying a proven striker.

Keates soon got his men,Cooke and Ferrier after he left!

Askey has 1 promotion in 6 or 7 years of management, his average points tally is 73 which may have sneaked us into the play offs on goal difference last year but wouldn't have been enough to reach Non-league play offs for 12 years prior to that.
He has a career win % of 41% which over a conference season would see him win just over 56 points, not good enough for play offs, and his win % at Macclesfield (second spell, which is considered his successful spell) is 44% which again isn't good enough for play offs.

What do people see in Askey to say he's got such a good chance of guiding us to promotion, because I just cant see it?

[ahshrops]

To have a club legend get us back in the league would be amazing.

Ever since DL was a little boy he's been destined for great heights ... I'll get my coat....

[EnglishRed]

I hate the phrase 'cheap option'. It's nonsense.

[WAFCExile]

Originally Posted by Phils-an-alki

If he wasn't an ex player would you all be this excited about getting him? No chance

Yes.

Only four types of manager are available to us:

1. Untested managers on the way up (e.g. Wilkin)
2. Failed managers on the way down (e.g. Little)
3. Journeyman managers who've found their level (e.g. Smith, Mills)
4. Largely untried managers (e.g. Flynn, Saunders, Morrell, Keates, Ricketts)

The fifth, and rarest, type of manager (a proven consistent success) isn't available to us in the National League. It's a myth we're ever going to appoint a manager like that.

Dennis Lawrence has a number of things going for him:

1. He has half a lifetime in football. That doesn't guarantee he'll be a good manager, but he at least has experience.
2. He has worked with Graham Barrow in the past, and the Board has said they're looking for someone who'll work with our current backroom staff. This is important, because it would be both very expensive and very disruptive to sack them all and bring new guys in.
3. He has nearly one hundred caps. He's even played at the highest level — the World Cup — but spent a lot of time at lower levels. He knows the struggles of getting the best out of lower quality players, but also knows what it takes to be successful.

[*]He's had several years experience as a coach at a higher level than Wrexham (2½ years at Wigan and 2½ years at Everton). This will give him good experience of the professional standards we should be aspiring to.[*]He has the highest coaching badge available — a Pro licence. He might be somewhat untested in practice, but his qualifications are impeccable.[*]He has had nearly 2 years experience as a manager. You couldn't say managing Trinidad is a lower level than managing Wrexham. [*]An international manager, especially for a weaker side, must be able to spot talent to do their job. So he should be fairly good at signing players, as he's doing this everytime he puts a new squad together.[*]He fits the profile of our most successful recent managers. It wouldn't be a massive change if he came (and we don't need that.)[*]He was development coach at Everton, which suggests he's also good at bringing players on.[*]He has connections in the area, which increases the likelihood he'd agree to come.[*]He's well regarded by others. Martinez took him to Everton. His current employers don't want him to leave. He's never been sacked. Joey thinks well of him. Those are all good signs.

There are negatives, of course. He doesn't know the league, or necessarily the players available to us. His win record is poor (although of course with a poor team). It might take him a little while to settle into club football. It's a risk. But everything's a risk. As I said at the beginning, a manager who's proved consistently successfully isn't an option.

The main alternative being touted (John Askey) is more of a known quantity — and perhaps, therefore, less of a risk. But based on Askey's record, it would take us five more years to go up. I'm not sure that's acceptable to most.

[marathonplny]

my money's on Challinor

[Alan Attack]

Big Den’s credentials are no worse than Keates or Ricketts.