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Welcome Gary Caldwell - new manager

Spanks

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Well, it's taken so long to get to league one again that imho is a case of:

Survival - acceptable
Mid Table - expected
Top 10 - achievable
Playoffs - with a prevailing wind and good luck
 
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Grecian Max

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It might be just me but does anybody else already feel that Matt Taylor going to Rotherham has been a blessing disguise with the appointment of Gary Caldwell? Just the way he is going about things feels like a step up to me....
He has a lot to live up to eclipse Matt Taylor’s achievements.

I would say he appears to *potentially* have more depth tactically. Far too early to tell but my initial impression. It has been fairly impressive how he’s got his ideas to translate quickly to the pitch

I think a Caldwell appointment in League 2, which is often a league that doesn’t need to be over complicated wouldn’t have worked. It was at time infuriating watching Tisdale v2 tinker and change his way through that league often without success, MT was right to streamline it - get good players in and play with quick transitions fondness forward and around the box. Took him 4 years to get a side that was clearly League One quality and that is why we went up.

Up against Clarke, whom I consider a better tactician, he was outdone on that final day and we lost the league title. It’s one example but, like with any manager they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Taylor built a fantastic squad, an amazing bond within it and some really good fun football. I sort of view him as Keegan-like in that he goes all out and looks to overwhelm the opposition and score more goals whilst setting up broadly the same each game (to a fault sometimes - Bowman was rarely rested). Caldwell looks like someone who perhaps can adapt more and given who we are and where we are now it might do us well in the medium term up against higher quality outfits.
 

tom_ecfc

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Well, it's taken so long to get to league one again that imho is a case of:

Survival - acceptable
Mid Table - expected
Top 10 - achievable
Playoffs - with a prevailing wind and good luck
Automatic? 🤪
 

STURTZ

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Matt Taylor left our club in a position just about as good as it has been in our entire history. He left us with some excellent players, a sound squad and a good vibe. Debt free with a ground and training ground to be proud of.

Follow that.
 

iscalad

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Matt Taylor left our club in a position just about as good as it has been in our entire history. He left us with some excellent players, a sound squad and a good vibe. Debt free with a ground and training ground to be proud of.

Follow that.
Not sure he can claim credit for your last sentence.
Agree with the rest.
 

STURTZ

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Not sure he can claim credit for your last sentence.
Agree with the rest.
Why not, he was part of the process and lived within his budget and the financial restraints that allowed those developments to take place.
His embodiment of the clubs ethos whilst building a successful team are his greatest legacy, although I suspect he found it ultimately frustrating.
 

Super Ronnie Jepson

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He also had a bigger budget than probably any other City manager had (barring the time we overspent in League One last time perhaps?) so we should be in good shape.
 

SaintJames

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He has a lot to live up to eclipse Matt Taylor’s achievements.

I would say he appears to *potentially* have more depth tactically. Far too early to tell but my initial impression. It has been fairly impressive how he’s got his ideas to translate quickly to the pitch

I think a Caldwell appointment in League 2, which is often a league that doesn’t need to be over complicated wouldn’t have worked. It was at time infuriating watching Tisdale v2 tinker and change his way through that league often without success, MT was right to streamline it - get good players in and play with quick transitions fondness forward and around the box. Took him 4 years to get a side that was clearly League One quality and that is why we went up.

Up against Clarke, whom I consider a better tactician, he was outdone on that final day and we lost the league title. It’s one example but, like with any manager they have their strengths and weaknesses.

Taylor built a fantastic squad, an amazing bond within it and some really good fun football. I sort of view him as Keegan-like in that he goes all out and looks to overwhelm the opposition and score more goals whilst setting up broadly the same each game (to a fault sometimes - Bowman was rarely rested). Caldwell looks like someone who perhaps can adapt more and given who we are and where we are now it might do us well in the medium term up against higher quality outfits.
I agree largely with all that Max. The only point I would argue over was the Port vale game. Was it a case of Taylor losing out tactically to Darrel Clarke or was it simply a day when either lady luck deserted us and went in their favour, or some of our players had a little too many nerves on the day with the pressure of the occasion? None of us will ever know
 

geoffwp

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Why not, he was part of the process and lived within his budget and the financial restraints that allowed those developments to take place.
His embodiment of the clubs ethos whilst building a successful team are his greatest legacy, although I suspect he found it ultimately frustrating.
Bloody well said Sturtz
 

Sexton Blake

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Why not, he was part of the process and lived within his budget and the financial restraints that allowed those developments to take place.
His embodiment of the clubs ethos whilst building a successful team are his greatest legacy, although I suspect he found it ultimately frustrating.
Agree 100% with all you have said and returning to the opening post on this thread “blessing in disguise” my gut feeling was that frustration would have continued to increase.

GC coming in without any emotional package enables him to approach the job with a fresh mind…..that said you pays your money and takes your chance so only time will tell 🤞
 
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