I had the beginnings of a little idea on my journey home last night, it's a 40 minute journey now for me so I had plenty of time to think this through and I still think it's a half decent idea.

New manager - Sir Richard of Humphreys.

Mick Wadsworth has stated he likes coaching, he doesn't like dealing with the press and all the other none coaching aspects of the role of manager. So how about we ask Sir Richard of Humphreys if he'd like to be manager of Hartlepool United, on the understanding that Mick Wadsworth is his first team coach, has control over coaching and team selection.

Sir Richard would be the smiley happy face of Hartlepool United, he'd do the interviews, he's schmooze the press, the sponsors, the agents, the local community, he'd do all the things Mick Wadsworth doesn't want to do, leaving Mick to concentrate on the day to day training and organisation of the first team squad.

On a match day Sir Richard wears the three piece suit, Mick wears the shell suit, they both are in the dugout. I can see Sir Richard being Hartlepool's answer to David Beckham. Using his wealth of playing experience to advise the younger members of the squad, being an ambassador for Hartlepool United.

The buzz word here is continuity, we are ticking over nicely at the moment, do we want a new manager coming in and trying to stamp his authority on the club? Sir Richard is a well respected individual at the club, he will have strong lines of communication with all members of staff and very importantly Ken Hodcroft and the clubs owners. He'll also be relatively cheap as all he should need is a bit of a pay rise.

The only thing I couldn't work out is what role Michael Barron takes, if he's happy staying as youth team coach I think we are onto a winner, in fact he could be promoted to reserve team coach and work as Mick Wadsworth apprentice. I see Michael Barron as more of a coach than a manager, would two coaches (Barron and Wadsworth) work together well? In my opinion not with Michael Barron being named number 1, but as understudy to Mick I think it could work, Mick trains him up to replace him if he ever wants offski.

So I give you Hartlepool United's next manager, Sir Richard of Humphreys.


Whaddayareckon?

[x] very effective bait used.

It started badly, tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better. apart from that, excellent.

By the way, he's not a fuck ing knight. He once got invited to Buck house for a cup of tea but a knighthood was not bestowed, I've been four times does that make me a Baron?

You don't like the idea?

I'd rather have Ghengis Khan as manager with him doing a pre match entertainment routine of eating babies.

I can see a potential problem with your pre match entertainment idea, health and safety are going to want to go through the finer details on that one. Would it be before the slow run down of the teams or after?

We all know you don't go much on Humphreys, however he is well liked and respected at this football club, it was noticeable last night how loud the applause was when he came on as a sub, people like him.

I like RH, but if you'd to choose a manager from within the Club, surely it would be Micky Barron?

The trouble with Humphreys or indeed Barron is that its more of the same. As seems to be showing with Wadsworth, we need new ideas not a rehash of the old ones.

I don't know what Barron's ideas are but on the field, when he was playing, he was an obvious leader in a way the team has been mainly lacking since.

Humps was doing most of the shouting an directing from the touchline last night, Wadsworth was sat back in the dugout.

Mr I, I'm surprised by your take on this matter I thought you'd be keen on the idea?

Trouble is that we once appointed a good youth team coach as manager and it wasn't entirely successful.

I can see both sides of this argument.

Wadsworth seems to have us playing well and the players have adapted to the new formation. There seems to be more being done on the training pitch as Sweeney's goal from the free kick showed last night. So it goes without saying that whoever is appointed should be with the stipulation that he stays as coach and does what he appears to be doing well.

With regards to a new manager, the cheaper option is to appoint from within, which may well free up the "wage" a new manager would take to maybe bring in at least one player sometime in the future.

Problem with Humphreys is that he appears to be well liked or disliked, no in between. Barron on the other hand is well liked by almost all Pools fans so would probably be the more favoured choice by fans. But is he ready to step up ? with Wadsworth's help maybe, which could allow Humphreys to take over Barron's responsibilities with the youth/ reserve teams.

A man for the interviews, etc and Wadsworth carrying on is not a bad idea, it's just who actually get's that position.

But my plan isn't allowing Ritchie Humphreys to dictate first team training or team selection, he's purely the figure head, Mick can consult him if he wants, but my plan gives the final word to Mick Wadsworth. Ultimately Mick will groom Ritchie, for want of a better description, into a modern day version of himself.

Roll up roll up, poll added, lets be having you.....

he must have been some player at his peak given how good he is 'now his legs have gone' or whatever that Oldham fan was saying before.

But he had no fecking idea what he was doing and he had nobody to turn to who had experience of coaching players and organising teams, any fool can look like a manager, but it takes intelligence, ability and experience to walk the walk.

We have on our payroll a man who has 400 odd games under his belt as a manager/coach, but he doesn't want to be the boss anymore, give him a figure head (Ritchie Humphreys) and let him get on with coaching.

Tsk. You might as well say Neale Cooper once fell out of favour, so we'd better not recruit another Scotsman. Have you had a liquid lunch, Mr I?

It's interesting and ironic that Neale Cooper is brough into this thread.

Wadsworth is best at coaching, so he should choose who the manager is - we've got one of the best coaches we've had for some time, so we need to keep him at the club and not have a manager who'd want his own staff.

Its also very early days to be judging Wadsworth as good, bad or indifferent. The signs are good but its very very early days, even Scott had a purple patch of four straight wins.

I stopped reading when you said ritchie humphreys as manager.

a manager manages and picks the team, if he isnt picking the team but just facing the media he's like a glorified press officer really.

Not a big fan of promoting from within.

A new manager with fresh ideas, ambition and a 'project' is what this club needs, unfortunatly the chairman just wants us to tread water in league one so we've got no chance.

Shame really.

Richie Humphreys (if he applies for the job) should be judged as every other potential manager should.

I'm sure he would have his own ideas, plans etc.

If he was chosen then he should receive the full backing of everyone (except Mr I, obviously). Probably too soon for him to be a realistic candidate though.

...I say leave as is, until at least x-mas, or unless it goes sadly wrong.

We can't just 'leave it as it is' appointments need to be made. Since the summer Terry Mitchell has left, now Turner and Green those positions need to be filled for the club to function properly.

...I was just referring to the Managers role, but hey do we really need a DOS and a YDO?, a Commercial Manager ....probably yes.

I reckon that's the most ridiculous post in football messageboard history and has more holes in it than Throston Golf course.

You taking the pisss?

Its not that bad.

I think that it is almost inevitable that Humps will end up on the staff (other than playing) at the club. In which capacity I'm not sure............but it will be something and could easily be manager.

No I was not taking the piss, clearly from the poll results there aren't many people who think the idea has legs, that's fair enough, it was just an idea.

If there's one thing that depresses me most about changing manager, it's the same old names get mentioned, managers who have FAILED at other clubs, why would anybody want a manager who has a cv full of failure. League One clubs on the whole can't afford experienced successful managers, so it's either pluck an unknown from a none league club, or be creative and spot a talented coach, perhaps within your existing setup.

See below for examples.....

Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)
Andy Scott (Brentford)
Paul Tisdale (Exeter City)
Lee Clark (Huddersfield Town)
Karl Robinson (MK Dons)
Craig Short (Notts County)
Paul Dickov (Oldham Athletic)

Young hungry coaches, they might not all turn out to be successful, but I'm sure I'd rather try them than employ somebody like Peter Jackson, Dave Penney, Martin Allen, Steve Tilson etc.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 966410.stm?

Maybe it's a veiled comment, and maybe he has someone in mind who he thinks he could work with and wants to bring in.

Step forward.......Paul Murray!