The Poolie Bunker

Who will be Pool’s 19th manager in ten years?

Stuart Maynard ex York manager and Karl Robinson ex Salford manager are both available,

I don’t think Challinor is a realistic option although it wouldn’t hurt approaching him and making him an attractive offer.

Just looked at Stuart Maynard’s career and it does seem quite turbulent, a few mentions of fallouts with Chairmen etc.

I just hope whoever makes the decision shows a bit of ambition this time and not just lazy choices of local ex players with little or no pedigree as a manager…

There'll be a fair few fancy it, there always is but it has to be someone who has a decent track record at this level at the very least.
There will be loads of opinions on the matter from the fans.
If every single Poolie was given a blank piece of paper and asked to write down their first choice, the vast majority would write CHALLINOR.
So ask him first.
And before anybody says, give over he wouldn't come back....just fucking ask him...then we'll know for definite.

Kevin Maher ex Southend manager has a good record and is currently available.

My worry is that no matter who comes in, they will be at the mercy of the football committee. For me the manager should have the say on who he wants playing in his system/team.

I'm all for pools asking Challinor, shy bairns get nowt...I reckon he'll have bigger fish to fry but wouldn't hurt to ask. I reckon it would put an extra three thousand on his first home game if it happened.

They need to go too, let’s get back to the way it should be run with a manager and chief exec, each on charge of their own roles.

Said it yesterday, but Sol Campbell should be given consideration.

Graeme Lee?

Noooooo I want a season ticket refund if he gets the job

would Phil Brown fancy it?

Of the previous managers in recent years other than DC should he fancy a dabble - which I think is highly unlikely the only other one I'd re- employ would be John Askey.
Thought he did a decent job in difficult circumstances and was harshly sacked- his team played decent football and he signed Mani D. His failure was our inability to stop conceding goals which was severely impacted by all the Sweaties that Hartley recruited on 2 year contracts.

Past success, doesn't always guarantee you future success- Dicky Dosh won the conference with Cambridge - but he was fucking awful at Pools.
Assuming Maynard doesn't want it- given he's the name that's been mentioned a lot, I think we could worse than try and poach Jonathan Greening from Scarborough. Plus he's ex borer, so would probably be happy to work with the existing coaching staff.

Am in total agreement . Get him signed up till xmas at least. Cant see him signing permanently as im sure a championship side will sign him up. I know he has affection for us though and his record is fantastic. Would agree in thatvhexwould put a few thousand on the gates

Everyone talking about Challinor, he would only be a short term fix, as soon as a bigger club came in he would be off, Pools need to be looking long term, tbh I can’t think of a name, it can be pot luck appointing a manager even IOR went through a few.

1st thing to sort out is who's going to be Caretaker manager for at least these next 2 fixtures.
And not one of the current employees fill me with confidence.

Gunna be a slow transaction to turn these losers into winners.

Plenty saying just replace replace.
Er they under contract and the budget has gone.

A bit more patience needed.
It won't be a quick fix.

Time to readdress this situation without magic dreams.
Just stay up

UTP.

DC Dident walkaway from Stockport to end up back at the shit end of division 5.

its a bit like leaving your job as a driver for a member of the royal family to take a job on the bins .

It’s better hours on the bins

no matter who we employ they,ll have some bad mark on their cv even with a good record. just checked the name jimmy dean who did an excellent job at peterborough sports and now doing the same at spalding who are well in the NLN play off positions. has gained loads of solverware as a manager but did get the sack from scunthorpe for failing to win a play off campaign.

John Askey is the one that came to mind for me too.

Don’t think he had a fair go at it last time round.

Whoever we get, can’t see us enjoying free flowing expansive football any time soon. Priority will be to stop the rot and get us away from the relegation places.

I'll be very surprised if Beech isn't named care-taker in the next day or 2. Probably get it permanent if he stops the rot and wins a few games.

we were not exactly doing well when askey fif get the sack. it did nor help though when he could not name a single striker in the side because they were all injured. might not have worked long term but the sacking was a bit premature. same with graham lee who actually did the job asked of him to keep us safe in the league with good cup runs on top. we know it was mainly challinors side but has the record of the manager with the highest league finish for years. there was zero mprovement after both left

Whoever picks up the poisoned chalice, can I please ask them not to utter the immortal words " we must make the Vic a fortress".

Chris Beech will be next manager, the likes of Maynard would want an immediate budget to enable him to bring in a complete midfield of his own, but the budget is blown for this season

The budget that Clark was given is blown, doesn’t mean that the coffers are empty.

The problem that Askey had was that his team had no backbone or leaders, we played decent football, but as soon as we scored a goal, we thought it was job done, we eased off, and got overrun. Crawford and Cooke were the main culprits in midfield, and Lacey and Onarise were too lightweight in defence.

It was telling that within a month of Askey leaving, we had signed both Tom Parkes and Luke Waterfall.

My view, based on the people mentioned so far

Challinor - absolutely yes, but absolutely no chance.
Maynard - yes
Karl Robinson - yes
Greening - yes
Pete Wild - a cautious yes - he hasn’t done much since he left Halifax

Kevin Maher - a cautious no - he couldn’t achieve with Southend, who were in a better situation than Pools
Beech - no
Lee - no
Hamshaw - no
Appleton - no
Sweeney - no
Liddle - no
Anyone who is under consideration purely because they “know the club” or “know the area”, but their management record is either non-existent or worse than 40% win ratio - absolutely no

Mike Williamson - unlikely to leave South Shields to come to Pools
Steve Watson - was over-achieving at Darlington but the well has run dry now and they're struggling as a result
Mark Tinkler - currently Boros U21 coach
Still think we're in for a period with Beech in charge.

It would be worth looking who is doing well in the North and South leagues below. Maybe who lost play off final or who is top now. Also one of the managers from our league who is doing well with a lesser team who would see us as a step up. We can’t be going for someone who had a good record ten years ago. I’d love to see a style of play like Gateshead had a couple of years ago. Lots of quick passing and players flooding forward.

Maybe go from Clark to Clarke.

Anyhow we need some info from the main man.

Like been said the fixtures are about to get tougher on paper anyway.

UTP.

That's a very fair summary in my book. I'd probably say no to Pete Wild now - as you say he's treading water these days and Accy will be along any minute to say he won't leave the North-West

Don't understand the enthusiasm for John Askey some are showing either. He was well-supported by Truro's foreign owners to keep them in the National League last season, but they went straight back down. He's still in that nice job (currently 7th in the NLS) and 62 now. Would he really fancy the bearpit at the Vic again? I very much doubt it.

Bit left of field, Adam Hinshelwood the Worthing manager had his side well drilled and playing decent football.
59% win ratio from the stats I can find online.

Bit left of field, Adam Hinshelwood the Worthing manager had his side well drilled and playing decent football.
59% win ratio from the stats I can find online.

The problem is that we're realistically looking at managers that are out of a job. The York bloke or Challinor would be great (but very unlikely). Karl Robinson not so unlikely but he's no Maynard or Challinor.
Outside of that we'll have to pay to take a manager from another club and that's not happening because we've already heard that the budgets shot.

So I think we're heading into the Chris Beech season. I hope he's a natural and does wonders with the squad he inherits.

You're got to hope Beechy can get a tune out of them (at least in the short term) given that he had a big hand in signing the majority of the squad

Beech will be interim until a new manager is appointed, he will then return to his cushy recruitment job, no point him putting his head above the parapet knowing at the same time he wouldn’t be the fans choice after the way he left Pools. I don’t think he was at the game on Saturday either to watch his new recruits, in fact do Pools require a recruitment person as they have no money to recruit any new players ?

he wont move back up north as he is settled with a young family daarn saarf

.

Watching Pools under Clarke was like drowning and when he quit was like finally breaking to the surface in relief…..only to find Beech will be in charge and facing the prospect of going down for a second time……his record is ……?

craig mahon at fylde who got them promoted last season and were top until saturday is the stand out name in our division. no league experuance as a player or manager which is ideal as we are not playing at that level even if some think we should be. jimmy dean is the other. fone well with the little known peterborough sports and spalding in the play off positions. again its how much they want to stay where they are living and leaving cushy numbers for a well supported basket case club where they coul pass the removal van going back home after another quick sacking.

I though Beech was head of recruitment so why would he be put in charge of the players.
Surely at this stage, 1 or possibly 2 members of the coaching staff will be put in charge for the interim period.

Whatever Clark was doing was obviously wrong, so will Bromby let him take the blame and recruit someone else in the same manner they employed Clark?

Who applied for the job when Bromby were doing the interviews earlier?
With Clark coming out top, it does not bode well with how Bromby work!

Remember what was said at the time:

"Clark’s ‘clarity of his vision’ for the club moving forward impressed during the interview process as did his “preparation, his attention to detail and his understanding of both the demands of the role and the environment at Pools”.

“This is a crucial set of appointments for the club and the result of an extensive piece of work that has been going on behind the scenes by Bromby & Partners. Leigh, Stuart and Chris from Bromby & Partners have led a full professional review of the football department and the subsequent processes culminating in these appointments."

“Our role was to support the club through a full review of football operations and the recruitment processes that followed. Throughout that process, Lee Clark consistently impressed with his preparation, his attention to detail and his understanding of both the demands of the role and the environment at Pools. What stood out most was the clarity of his vision, the demands he places on players and staff and the way he wants his teams to represent the football club.

“Alongside his extensive managerial experience, he demonstrated a real hunger to build the culture and mentality needed to create a competitive environment at the club. There was strong interest in Lee and it was important the club moved decisively to secure a coach with his experience, leadership and belief in what Pools is trying to build. We believe this is an exciting appointment and one that fits the direction the club wants to take.

“It was also important that the club built the right support structure around him. Gary Liddle brings strong knowledge of both the club and the level, while Chris Beech adds significant experience across recruitment and football operations at this level and above. An additional coach will also join the First Team staff and will be announced in due course. Collectively, we believe these appointments provide Pools with a strong football structure heading into the new season.”

Well that did not work out at all did it!!

So why would you trust Bromby to go through another expensive process of recruiting another manager?!?!
They failed badly and they were heavily paid for their work!

It will be interesting to see what Landon has to say about it!

Will he resolve Bromby of any blame and put the blame solely on Clark? Then rinse and repeat?
Or will he have a massive clear out of those who are in 'charge' and get a manager in he can trust, the fans can trust and somehow turn our football club around!

Over to you Landon...

to be fair to bromby when they interviewed clark being taken in as he seems a right bullshitter who is never short of words. think he could con most of us if we were stuck in a room with him and would do well as a salesman of electric appliance in a country where they had no electric. he was just the same when i heard him yap on look north yorkshire when he was at huddersfield.

Well they’ve got the patter and mastered the jargon…..sounded ‘good’ in theory…..trouble is, once we finally got out on the pitch, it all came tumbling down.

Here's my opinion. I think we're in for a shock. As others are calling out, this highly paid consultancy decided that a good appointment was a manager with a terrible record, who had previously retired from the game, came back in, got relegated & then became our number 1 pick. What makes anybody in the remotest bit of confident that they will now go & do what they should have done in the first place... i.e 1) Hire a manager with proven success at the level 2) And/Or hire an up & coming exciting manager from the division below or same level.

They hired Lee Clark after quite some delay after deciding Nicky Feaths wasn't the man. I agreed, he wasn't the man to kick-start a new Pools era of high standards, freshness & promotion aspirations. Fans questioned the appointment of Lee Clark and it took the wind out of the sails a little bit of what felt like a new "money-bags Pools" era after Raj - where the key thing was that we wouldn't be making decisions anymore that... well, felt like a Raj Singh decision. Enter -> Lee Clark.

Bromby then spoke about a new Pools football philosophy.......... Then made Jack Hunter captain to build around. Proceeded to build on 4-4-2 as our said new football identity. Lee Clark, plus those two things are serious red flags.

I was actually quite impressed with how Maxwell spoke & in some of the business that was done on the player recruitment side in the build up to the season. Nolan/Harris/Illunga/Ecclestone namely all had the right profile to come in & make an impact at NL level. But, the decisions that followed, adding on the fact we have continued with a limp excuse of a creative midfield... gives me absolutely no confidence that there is 1) the budget to go get a "name" manager now ... 2) that they will want to work under/with the assembled football department that Landon has paid Bromby for.

Any suggestion that we would get Dave Challinor here is - quite frankly - mental. I'd pay good money to be on the end of the phone if Landon did give him a call. "Fancy coming back to Pools, Dave, just thought I'd ask?"

DC has earned the right to demand a top L1/Championship role, through being a manager that demands only the highest-standards, delivering success, with an obscenely good track record. He left Pools because the man has aspirations & a brain... & could see what was coming.

I also think suggestion that Stuart Maynard would come to Pools as pretty bonkers. We have made some good strides in areas as a football club - but we're still a basket case on the football side. He went into York as a successful manager - to replace an already successful manager in Hinshelwood - and has left York as an even more successful one, departing a regime that was already steam-rolling its way through the National League with absolutely no doubt that they would transfer that into being a very good football league team.

We signed Jack Nolan & Will Harris to serious fanfare & presumably very good money (and I rate that!)... but aside from those two particular deals, what has actually changed to now? It's still laughable stuff, watched by a now hardcore 3-4k fans, as the 2k who thought "let's give it another go" already realised it was still classic Pools.

Surprise me though. If Maynard - even Wild - becomes manager, the performances pick up, then I will take it all back & my expectations & blind hope for the season will be restored, which I know we are all hoping for.

If this myth regarding Clark's silver tongued eloquence has influenced Bromby into believing he was the stand out candidate has any credence then the fans were not impressed by it.
Personally I think he is far from eloquent.
His appointment was met with surprise and not just a small piece of suspicion. No cheering and clapping, no dancing in the streets. Nothing of the sort.
We, the fans, took the news with indifference and a we'll see attitude. It didn't take us much time before the murmurings started.
In fact if we had been asked to list our stand out candidates for the job, it could be suggested that he made none or very little appearances as a likely man for the job.
When he was just a rumour there was opposition even then.
That is why Bromby et all should all be escorted out onto Clarence Road with a thanks but no thanks parting shot, and it shouldn't stop there.
Like others, I have a bit of sympathy for Landon. However I think he is at the crossroads where he has to decide what lies ahead.
He has presided over a comedy of errors and he must be bewildered by the extent of that scenario. Terribly let down to put it mildly.
All is not lost though, depending on how he handles the situation.
We wait with bated breath for his plans to put it all right.

Matt Hamshaw name came up on ChatGPT when I asked who would be the next manager at Hartlepool currently a coach at Sheff. Wednesday, it said he was connected with Hartlepool in the past ? Although it also mentioned a Sweeney/Liddle partnership, I didn’t read anymore.
Hignett has just said on Tees if he was invited back would he, he said 100% yes.

didnt Clark get appointed in a panic as everybody thought he was going to Rotherham?

Askey very unlikely. Well thought of down here by the club and fans alike.

I doubt it, he only won 1 game out of nine and couldn’t stop them from being relegated, he left he said because he failed to agree terms for a new contract.

I‘ve got to agree…I really hope those still here are not gonna be allowed to carry on running this farce, but I have a feeling they’ll cobble something together and carry on ..we really are at a cross roads but we need to get off this road sharpish.

The silence today speaks volumes. No-one has been put in temporary charge of things. Does that mean that Landon is questioning Bromby et al.