I couldn't rank him at the moment, but regardless of the outcome this season, we've got to stick with Stendel for another couple of years. He's got a terrific team in place, a team that have bought into his vision and beliefs. In the 39 years I've supported Barnsley, truly memorable seasons are fairly rare. This one is up there with them. I don't think the budget should make it as clear cut a definition of success or failure, football still has some variables, although I think top 6 was a minimum expectation. The fact that there are 5 teams with 80+ points after 43 or 44 games, whilst perhaps emphasising the quality of those squads and budget, would mean that not achieving promotion would be disappointing, bitterly disappointing, but I think it harsh to call it failure. It's been a pleasure to watch. I'm terms of managers ranking, it's difficult without also considering the context of the circumstances they find themselves in. Whilst Wilson v1 was just magical and glorious, I'd also offer a shout for Gudjon Thordarsson and Bobby Collins. Thordarsson came in during the administration fall out and for me worked miracles until Ridsdale lost patience with him. Collins had a club and community in decline during the miners strike and did a fantastic job all things considered.
Good shout about Gudjon. For me, the pivotal moment was when Glavin left as assistant - it went downhill after that. Why did Glavin really leave? Never heard the full story behind it.
I don't honestly know tbh, but I don't think he ever wanted the job in the first place and took it due to the circumstances. But you're right, our form did fall away after he'd gone, particularly from January onwards. To be 2nd in the table on Boxing Day given all that happened was a hell of an achievement.
That’s all well and good. The part that people are taking issue with is that you’re essentially saying that assuming we win our final 2 games for the sake of argument, if Portsmouth drop points, Stendel is a success, if they don’t drop points, he’s a failure. It’s deciding weather a manager is successful based on something completely out of his hands, which doesn’t make sense.
We have had an equal number of games. Of course promotion has always been in our hands. If we fail it will be our fault if we succeed it will be our success. Success is promotion failure is remaining in this league that’s reality.
Again dragging up ancient history. Wilson gave 13 players their professional debuts Had maybe 3 players 3 weeks prior to the season and Pinnock alone cost far more than his entire team. I presume Daniel given the resources he was given he was set a target of promotion if he doesn’t hit the target he will have failed. It’s that straightforward but in no way means I want any change in manager. I suspect he’s far more likely to leave if we do get promoted tbh. I also like Daniel seems a really good chap and we play great football. Regardless of whether we succeed or fail I hope he is our manager next season and for seasons to come. My opinion was that we had created a great L1 team that should get promoted. Money buys success an average player like Thiam cost more than Bristol’s Rovers entire team. Players that we cast if are vital players for Luton that’s how strong a L1 squad we came down with. The real test if we went up would be for the fickle fans to support Daniel when we start to struggle. His test would be to coach at a higher level and get enough quality in and improve what we have.
Not having a go but thought you'd mention Cryne again. Bit of a leftfield comment in the context of the question
But lee Johnson added to those young players lee Johnson signed mawson,Roberts,watkins,brownhill and had to ship out some of the players brought in previous. That's abit like saying what hecky did is no different to what Mick Halfords doing at luton. Took over a winning side kept it going.
Fair enough with Wilson he didn't have it easy but by the time Febuary comes round you expect the players to gel and results and performances to get better they seemed to get worse. He went and Johnson managed to get results to see us safe. I imagine he will leave if we don't go up and doubt he will be short of offers, he had Bradshaw sold his replacement injured for 3 months moore out for 3 months and injurys to isgrove,hedges,pinnilos,fryers,Potts,lindsay and dougall over the season also had a solid winger sold and replaced with no one so he hasn't had it easy. Thiam cost 300k so far I belive according to some on here. We will have to see what happens I think he has done well to get us where we are with 2 games left with the challenges he has faced over the season. We had assembled a good league one side on paper in your opinion but not according to everyone on here. Cavare wasnt as good as jason McCarthy, thiam was ****, Adam hammill would have tore this league apart and we let him go, mowatt couldn't get in a poor Oxford side last season and mcgeehan struggled to get in scunnys team. we needed a new keeper ect
That’s what I mean, the fundamentals were in place after a rebuilding season & just a couple of players were added, a bit like us with Woodrow, Bahre, Dougall & Jordan Williams. In similar circumstances Stendel has done better than Johnson. Halford is pretty similar I guess, I can’t remember how long Luton’s good run had been going on for before he took over but no doubt he’s done a cracking job when almost everyone seemed to expect them to blow up at some point
Luton lost to charlton a couple weeks back their last league defeat previous was when we beat them at oakwell in the 12 o clock kick off. Some run that.
I'm not yet 30 so I think I should be forgiven for throwing Andy Richies name into this. The team spirit he created amongst those players was one of the best weve had amongst the squad in my time of watching the reds.
But you talking as if all these players played together last season which isn't the case at all. Just look at the starting 11 from Plymouth. Davies - played most of last season dropped by both managers at times Pinnilos- struggled with injurys Pinnock - 4th choice center back Lindsay- played nearly all of last season J. Williams- young lad wasn't here last season J brown- was in the u23s last season A mowatt - couldn't get in a poor Oxford side last season C. Mcgeehan- loaned to scunny struggled to get in their team M. Thiam- couldn't get in our side last season Bahre - wasn't here last season Woodrow- Fulham u23s last season. So the argument they have had last season to gel is flawed as most of the line up stendel has used hardly played together last season.