Gary Caldwell Apraisal

[grecian-near-hell]

Popular with the fans didn't matter so much (fans can be won round fairly quickly with a win or two), but getting the trust and commitment from the players at the same time as making it clear he wanted to play a different kind of football would have been a real challenge. It's testament to his ability that he got this commitment in a remarkably short time..

Interestingly with a virtually new squad. The best part is getting them to gel in such a short time particularly as he often says there is more to come - exciting times ahead!

 

[The 3 United's]

I can't fault any of these responses regarding our excellent manager, but would say that in life in general and in football never judge anything or anyone too soon.
I believed in the appointment from the beginning as the club put a huge amount of time and effort into getting the right person.
Terry Cooper(first time around) and Alan Ball had huge playing experience, like GC and were able to bring this to the table when they were managers. It doesn't work all the time; Gerry Francis: but even he had some success when he moved on.
GC's man management skills look first class and his dealings with the media are top notch.
A late friend of mine, who was an avant City supporter, used to
say that when someone new came into a managerial job( he was in banking) they had to put ' their
mark' on it, whether it was necessary or not. So new managers trying something different isn't unusual and they can really learn a lot about their staff/players, which GC appears to have done.
GC has virtually had to do a total rebuild and he knows what he wants regarding the type of player. We are seeing some of the best football I've ever witnessed by a City team in 65 years and my only concern is that we supporters are going to expect too much. A top half finish would be excellent and making the play offs would be a big order, but seeing what GC has done so far may not be impossible.

 

[Rosencrantz]

I think right from the start really, you could tell GC was going for an ambitious style of football which he had identified as being needed to take us on to a higher level. I think that, along with the negative vibes from previous clubs supporters made some fans nervous at best, have serious doubts at worst. Rather than look at his previous managerial experience, I thought it was more important to look at the roles he had since (Newcastle, Man City, Hibs) and the other experiences he talked about in the initial press conference and interviews. He had obviously been keen to go out and learn in order to be better prepared than he was previously. The question was how he applied that learning and experiences he had acquired.

As a Matt Taylor squad adjusted to different questions being asked of them and GC had a good look at what we had (hence some experimentation) this obviously got some worried or reinforced initial misgivings that some held. I felt the question wasn't in what GC was doing, I could see what the direction was he was attempting and admired the ambition, it was just a question of whether the changes were too much, too soon. It was a brave move to make by GC as many managers wouldn't have been so keen to make those changes when the side were doing relatively well and the fans were satisfied.

Everything he has done since he has come in is to put this club and players on a more professional footing in order to have success at this level. Something we have rarely achieved. At the same time he has bought into what the club is, what it stands for, and the limitations whilst not letting that stand in the way of the ambition. The recruitment on and off the pitch has been very good. This was a difficult summer and would have been for any manager. It was natural to feel like we were going into the unknown as the season started. But as we can see, the recruitment stands up and fits the style of play. It would be good to have a couple more in certain positions, but to manage such a turnover of players and make the start we have is impressive.

Anyone's view of a manager or squad is a moving target that gets repeated reassessment. All we can say at the moment is that GC has come in and set out to make a positive difference to this club. So far, so good.

 

[Devon Red]

I think I've said this before, but a good way of quickly working out whether GC is doing a job is asking the question:

If we were offered Matt Taylor back tomorrow, would we take him in place of Caldwell?

I'd say 90% of the fan base would currently say no - which tells you everything.

 

[denzel]

I think I've said this before, but a good way of quickly working out whether GC is doing a job is asking the question:

If we were offered Matt Taylor back tomorrow, would we take him in place of Caldwell?

I'd say 90% of the fan base would currently say no - which tells you everything.

Correct. GC could definitely manage higher than MT, whether it is with us is up for question!

 

[dontpassback]

I like Gary and I think he’s done very well for us and don’t see any reason why that shouldn’t continue.
I think he has tactical acumen, what would appear to be good coaching and communication skills and an impressive network of contacts throughout the game (which he’s utilized so far for us to very good effect).
I also like the way he seems to have understood and embraced our club’s ethos.
However, what I like best is that he has the edge to him of a hard nosed football professional.
We operate in a tough and murky business and we need someone who understands that and has the knowledge, experience and character to lead us.
In the past we’ve perhaps been a bit too demure.
We’re in League One on merit and have as much right as anyone else to be there and to try and progress further.
I think in Gary we have the best person for us at this time to do that.

he has been around the block a bit,and totally agree about being streetwise professional,we dont get the patronising from him like we did with tisdale,he says it as it is,and i think his football contacts are are a lot better than matt taylor

 

[arthur]

He had obviously been keen to go out and learn in order to be better prepared than he was previously.

This is one of the main reasons why he is a good manager

 

[C j phill]

It was clear from his very early interviews on ECFC social media that he is an intelligent, confident and well spoken individual. From the style of football we are playing, through the players he has signed, it is also obvious that he knows what he wants and how to achieve that.

Devon Red's question is a very good observation and in my view, he is an upgrade on Matt Taylot and the Club landed on its feet when he applied for the job.

He appears to have bought in to the Club philosophy and psychology. Either that, or he is very clever in interview situations, saying what he knows the audience wants to hear.

I suspect that his length of tenure with us will go one of two ways. If he really has bought in to us as a Club, and we catch can match his ambition, he will move his family down and be here for the long haul (as with but not quite as long as Tisdale) or he'll be off in the short term, as soon as an upgrade job in the North becomes available.

 

[jimbo-gould]

I’m really happy so far with GC’s appointment. I’m happy to admit I didn’t want him in the first place but was very open minded in terms of not writing him off too soon.

On the pitch I think he has done brilliantly. Not easy to come in when he did, losing our best player through their own stupid actions and implement a different style of play. I never really thought I would see a City side playing out from the back as well as we are now, let alone it appearing to bring in the results.

Transfer wise I’ve been really impressed with who he brought in in January and have been even more impressed with those signed this summer due to some of them being a completely untested in the men’s game. My one criticism on player turnover is that we don’t appear to have many players under contract for next season and it’s got to the stage where I’m worried about GC doing such a good job he will be poached from a club higher up, leaving us with a big rebuilding job to do with someone for less competent.


I like what he stands for as well. He comes across as it’s all about the club and really works for a good relationship with the fans as well. I think he has thrown himself in for more than both Taylor and Tisdale ever appeared to do previously.

 

[Billy The Fish]

I think right from the start really, you could tell GC was going for an ambitious style of football which he had identified as being needed to take us on to a higher level. I think that, along with the negative vibes from previous clubs supporters made some fans nervous at best, have serious doubts at worst. Rather than look at his previous managerial experience, I thought it was more important to look at the roles he had since (Newcastle, Man City, Hibs) and the other experiences he talked about in the initial press conference and interviews. He had obviously been keen to go out and learn in order to be better prepared than he was previously. The question was how he applied that learning and experiences he had acquired.

As a Matt Taylor squad adjusted to different questions being asked of them and GC had a good look at what we had (hence some experimentation) this obviously got some worried or reinforced initial misgivings that some held. I felt the question wasn't in what GC was doing, I could see what the direction was he was attempting and admired the ambition, it was just a question of whether the changes were too much, too soon. It was a brave move to make by GC as many managers wouldn't have been so keen to make those changes when the side were doing relatively well and the fans were satisfied.

Everything he has done since he has come in is to put this club and players on a more professional footing in order to have success at this level. Something we have rarely achieved. At the same time he has bought into what the club is, what it stands for, and the limitations whilst not letting that stand in the way of the ambition. The recruitment on and off the pitch has been very good. This was a difficult summer and would have been for any manager. It was natural to feel like we were going into the unknown as the season started. But as we can see, the recruitment stands up and fits the style of play. It would be good to have a couple more in certain positions, but to manage such a turnover of players and make the start we have is impressive.

Anyone's view of a manager or squad is a moving target that gets repeated reassessment. All we can say at the moment is that GC has come in and set out to make a positive difference to this club. So far, so good.

This sums up my feelings well.

The club has appointed the man who, to me, has what is required to take us to the next level. Championship, or second tier, football for my beloved team has, let's face it, been a pipe dream for all my life but I believe that this man could actually take us there without breaking the *bank. I have chuckled when David Earl has said we could get promoted but I find myself beginning to think "Know what? We actually could with GC". He has the nous, the drive, ambition and experience to do this. Who can say what might happen in the future, it could go any number of ways, but we have never, ever had a better chance of doing something really special and for that Gary Caldwell is the man for me. Really hope he can drag this club kicking and screaming up another division.


*breaking the bank? Fills me with dread to think of them forcing us to put seats in there.