Pauno out

[SouthDownsRoyal]

This is a situation where Bowen would do a job for us. Need a manager of steel who says it how it is. Paunovic is just too easy on the players.

Lolz

[Stranded]

I'm all for the summer reset.

I don’t think anyone we panic bring in now is substantially more likely to keep us up. They're certainly not very likely to do more than keep us up and be in the same boat this time next year.

So, let's have Pauno see out his contract. Then we know what our recruitment need actually is, what our goal is, what division we'll be in, what playing staff we need. We put in a clear break between this season and next.

If we change this month, we'll get some no mark with no Champ experience, who'll make some short termist signings we end up stuck with for longer than we want and potentially for the wrong circumstances.

The problem with a summer reset involving the manager going in May, is it potentially wastes a few weeks of a shortened summer recruiting the new man before he even gets chance to sign some players.

If the reset involves the manager then he needs to go earlier so we can sort the right contracts and plan with the man we plan to have in charge not a dead man walking.

And yet, our only actively good seasons in the last six or seven years have come appointing a new manager in the close season. And our next best was appointing someone internal early in the new season.

Also,the only managers we've had recently to last a whole season from start to end, are the two appointed close season.

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue.

You may well be right but this summer and the coming months into it are going to be massive for the future of the club. We potentially have 10-12 first team members leaving and will have to totally reshape a squad within a budget - something we haven't had to do before - we aren't talking about bringing in 3 or 4 players, we may well have to bring in 8 to 10 all as loans/frees or very small/well structured fees regardless of which division we find ourselves in come May.

We need to be planning for that now really and due to the structure of recruitment i.e. the football board, the manager is a very key part of that decision making. So whilst bringing in a new manager in June may not be fatal, it just adds another risk during what is also a shortened summer due to the WC in November.

So for me, the club need to make a call well ahead of the summer, either move VP on before the end of his deal and bring in the new guy or give VP a new deal so he can start that process with a relative level of confidence. We are already likely to be at a disadvantage next year if we stay up this so knowing what is what sooner rather than later just makes sense.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

That's what I mean re Drinkwater. I'm genuinely struggling to think who the aggressive characters in this squad are, if any. Whilst there are obvious downsides to having an aggressive character or two, they can very often prove to the backbone of the team. Unfortunately we haven't recruited one as we've let some Iranian guy sign a load of high profile Bollywood players that haven't worked really. Quality players, but when have high profile, big reputation players ever worked for this club in the last two decades? Carrico, Drenthe, Puscas etc.

Yiadom, McIntyre, Morrison and Laurent are all physical players who get stuck into challenges.

They are physical players but there is a difference between a physical player and an aggressive player. I can't imagine we have a Roy Keane-like character in our dressing room really that will get in someone's face and I certainly don't see it on the pitch. The most aggression I see is Pauno on the touchline when a referee gets a decision wrong, justifiably so.

[Snowflake Royal]

The problem with a summer reset involving the manager going in May, is it potentially wastes a few weeks of a shortened summer recruiting the new man before he even gets chance to sign some players.

If the reset involves the manager then he needs to go earlier so we can sort the right contracts and plan with the man we plan to have in charge not a dead man walking.

And yet, our only actively good seasons in the last six or seven years have come appointing a new manager in the close season. And our next best was appointing someone internal early in the new season.

Also,the only managers we've had recently to last a whole season from start to end, are the two appointed close season.

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue.

You may well be right but this summer and the coming months into it are going to be massive for the future of the club. We potentially have 10-12 first team members leaving and will have to totally reshape a squad within a budget - something we haven't had to do before - we aren't talking about bringing in 3 or 4 players, we may well have to bring in 8 to 10 all as loans/frees or very small/well structured fees regardless of which division we find ourselves in come May.

We need to be planning for that now really and due to the structure of recruitment i.e. the football board, the manager is a very key part of that decision making. So whilst bringing in a new manager in June may not be fatal, it just adds another risk during what is also a shortened summer due to the WC in November.

So for me, the club need to make a call well ahead of the summer, either move VP on before the end of his deal and bring in the new guy or give VP a new deal so he can start that process with a relative level of confidence. We are already likely to be at a disadvantage next year if we stay up this so knowing what is what sooner rather than later just makes sense.

I may well be right? Those are objective facts.

It's not like our managers have really had much say in recruitment for years.

We know who is leaving, we have a scouting and agent network. We're perfectly capable of planning signings now for a different manager. In fact we're blatantly doing it right now anyway.

[Snowflake Royal]

That's what I mean re Drinkwater. I'm genuinely struggling to think who the aggressive characters in this squad are, if any. Whilst there are obvious downsides to having an aggressive character or two, they can very often prove to the backbone of the team. Unfortunately we haven't recruited one as we've let some Iranian guy sign a load of high profile Bollywood players that haven't worked really. Quality players, but when have high profile, big reputation players ever worked for this club in the last two decades? Carrico, Drenthe, Puscas etc.

Yiadom, McIntyre, Morrison and Laurent are all physical players who get stuck into challenges.

They are physical players but there is a difference between a physical player and an aggressive player. I can't imagine we have a Roy Keane-like character in our dressing room really that will get in someone's face and I certainly don't see it on the pitch. The most aggression I see is Pauno on the touchline when a referee gets a decision wrong, justifiably so.

Yiadom is very aggressive. Stupidly so at times. Thunders into challenges. Niggly fouls. Gets in people's faces.

[Stranded]

And yet, our only actively good seasons in the last six or seven years have come appointing a new manager in the close season. And our next best was appointing someone internal early in the new season.

Also,the only managers we've had recently to last a whole season from start to end, are the two appointed close season.

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue.

You may well be right but this summer and the coming months into it are going to be massive for the future of the club. We potentially have 10-12 first team members leaving and will have to totally reshape a squad within a budget - something we haven't had to do before - we aren't talking about bringing in 3 or 4 players, we may well have to bring in 8 to 10 all as loans/frees or very small/well structured fees regardless of which division we find ourselves in come May.

We need to be planning for that now really and due to the structure of recruitment i.e. the football board, the manager is a very key part of that decision making. So whilst bringing in a new manager in June may not be fatal, it just adds another risk during what is also a shortened summer due to the WC in November.

So for me, the club need to make a call well ahead of the summer, either move VP on before the end of his deal and bring in the new guy or give VP a new deal so he can start that process with a relative level of confidence. We are already likely to be at a disadvantage next year if we stay up this so knowing what is what sooner rather than later just makes sense.

I may well be right? Those are objective facts.

It's not like our managers have really had much say in recruitment for years.

We know who is leaving, we have a scouting and agent network. We're perfectly capable of planning signings now for a different manager. In fact we're blatantly doing it right now anyway.

You may well be right when you say:

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue

The future, can't be a fact - so try not to hit the offended button right off the bat.

As I pointed out - we have a football board now on which the manager is a key part and from everything coming out of the club has been a pretty active part in attracting players as part of that. I would assume any new manager would likely take a seat on that board too unless we decide to go back to a DoF model.

As for knowing who is leaving - to a degree we know that Rafael, Araruna, Swift and Laurent are out the door either because they want to go or we don't intend on giving them a new deal but we'll want to keep Holmes if we can - would a new manager want Dann for another year? VP does. Carroll? Halilovic, Hoilett? All due to go - under VP Halilovic may stay and Hoilett go, the next guy may prefer it the other way round.

And if you say, if we are blatantly already planning signings for the next guy, then that is a microcosm of the issues at the club as unless we are committing to the style of play we are currently seeing and finding a coach to suit, then they will have learnt nothing about wasting money and we are already back on the path towards another deduction.

[Snowflake Royal]

You may well be right but this summer and the coming months into it are going to be massive for the future of the club. We potentially have 10-12 first team members leaving and will have to totally reshape a squad within a budget - something we haven't had to do before - we aren't talking about bringing in 3 or 4 players, we may well have to bring in 8 to 10 all as loans/frees or very small/well structured fees regardless of which division we find ourselves in come May.

We need to be planning for that now really and due to the structure of recruitment i.e. the football board, the manager is a very key part of that decision making. So whilst bringing in a new manager in June may not be fatal, it just adds another risk during what is also a shortened summer due to the WC in November.

So for me, the club need to make a call well ahead of the summer, either move VP on before the end of his deal and bring in the new guy or give VP a new deal so he can start that process with a relative level of confidence. We are already likely to be at a disadvantage next year if we stay up this so knowing what is what sooner rather than later just makes sense.

I may well be right? Those are objective facts.

It's not like our managers have really had much say in recruitment for years.

We know who is leaving, we have a scouting and agent network. We're perfectly capable of planning signings now for a different manager. In fact we're blatantly doing it right now anyway.

You may well be right when you say:

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue

The future, can't be a fact - so try not to hit the offended button right off the bat.

As I pointed out - we have a football board now on which the manager is a key part and from everything coming out of the club has been a pretty active part in attracting players as part of that. I would assume any new manager would likely take a seat on that board too unless we decide to go back to a DoF model.

As for knowing who is leaving - to a degree we know that Rafael, Araruna, Swift and Laurent are out the door either because they want to go or we don't intend on giving them a new deal but we'll want to keep Holmes if we can - would a new manager want Dann for another year? VP does. Carroll? Halilovic, Hoilett? All due to go - under VP Halilovic may stay and Hoilett go, the next guy may prefer it the other way round.

And if you say, if we are blatantly already planning signings for the next guy, then that is a microcosm of the issues at the club as unless we are committing to the style of play we are currently seeing and finding a coach to suit, then they will have learnt nothing about wasting money and we are already back on the path towards another deduction.

Players always say the manager attracted them. It doesn't mean much.

Of course we're already planning for the summer. With little likelihood of extending Pauno.

[Stranded]

I may well be right? Those are objective facts.

It's not like our managers have really had much say in recruitment for years.

We know who is leaving, we have a scouting and agent network. We're perfectly capable of planning signings now for a different manager. In fact we're blatantly doing it right now anyway.

You may well be right when you say:

So I just don't think that stacks as an issue

The future, can't be a fact - so try not to hit the offended button right off the bat.

As I pointed out - we have a football board now on which the manager is a key part and from everything coming out of the club has been a pretty active part in attracting players as part of that. I would assume any new manager would likely take a seat on that board too unless we decide to go back to a DoF model.

As for knowing who is leaving - to a degree we know that Rafael, Araruna, Swift and Laurent are out the door either because they want to go or we don't intend on giving them a new deal but we'll want to keep Holmes if we can - would a new manager want Dann for another year? VP does. Carroll? Halilovic, Hoilett? All due to go - under VP Halilovic may stay and Hoilett go, the next guy may prefer it the other way round.

And if you say, if we are blatantly already planning signings for the next guy, then that is a microcosm of the issues at the club as unless we are committing to the style of play we are currently seeing and finding a coach to suit, then they will have learnt nothing about wasting money and we are already back on the path towards another deduction.

Players always say the manager attracted them. It doesn't mean much.

Of course we're already planning for the summer. With little likelihood of extending Pauno.

Right, then identify and employ the new guy now if that is the case so they are part of the direction we take.

To me by March latest, we either a) extend VP as he is meeting the minimums needed in keeping us safe until we can be more active in 2023 or b) pay him off/put him on gardening leave and bring in the new guy.

The only fact we have is that the board that plans the footballing direction and transfers includes the guy we have little likelihood of extending - so unless Gilkes and co are going down another path and cutting him out then I can't see how any player recruitment planning isn't including 25% of the football board - and if it is then that probably makes VPs position untenable.

[Millsy]

This will definitely not be popular but much of the conversation seems to be resigning ourselves to Pauno being utter dogshite, he won't be here anyway, so do we sack now or later, but we can't afford now etc etc.

As far as I'm concerned if he's dogshite get rid of him yesterday, why wait as long as we have (unless we can't afford it).

I think he has something about him. Yes as I argued last season he was awful for most of last season and the first few games were likely luck/honeymoon, but what if he has a plan that does work brutally well when everything clicks? There were injuries last season too. He's shown stretches of brilliant form this season too.

The embargo/injuries/player losses etc have had an utterly devastating effect on the poor guy's chances, no one can deny that. They're not just convenient excuses that are wheeled out by his apologists, they are real and significant issues that must never be forgotten.

I'm genuinely interested to see what he may manage with a proper pre-season with HIS chosen players. His games are often exciting to me even if we don't enjoy the outcome, we attack and pass well. Yesterday was disappointing but we put 2 past the second-best defence in the league.

He's brought the best out in Swift, Azeez, Clarke, Richards, Olise, now Camara it looks like etc, his signings have been generally impressive given our situation. It's not his fault we couldn't keep hold of Olise and Richards. He seems vindicated in his decision to freeze Puscas out and favour Hoilett (when people like me knocked him for that). In the coming years we desperately need someone who can do develop youngsters. He's proven he can, and that's why we got him.

The situation of the CLUB generally is awful and yes he does have some annoying quirks. He's new to English footy, why wouldn't he. But hand on heart for me the question isn't should we sack him now or later, it's is this guy a rough diamond and what can he do with a reasonable situation around him?

Similar to what I and only one other person here was arguing non-stop before we got rid of Brenda - and now look at him.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I'm not sure how much of an influence Kia Joorabchian is having over the clubs' decisions, particularly when it comes to recruitment. Who has the final say on transfers is very much anyone's guess to be perfectly honest and who holds the biggest influence is also a factor as well. I just can't trust the club with the decisions being made in the transfer market at the moment.

The problem with Pauno is he will have been here for 3 full seasons by the time we come out of this mess with the EFL, the business plan etc before he can properly start building a squad that he wants. Every manager is limited in some way but he has it worst than most in the league and I'm sure he wouldn't mind spending a couple of million each summer or each window to bring in the necessary players like what other clubs can do, but for whatever reason our board prefer to spend silly money.

[Hound]

I'm not convinced hitting the 'business plan' for next year will be particularly difficult. Obviously be made a hell of a lot easier if we can offload Moore.

But Rafael, Puscas and Swift will all be gone almost certainly. Only Moore, Joao and Meite left on big money I expect.

Other clubs like Millwall and Preston seem to manage perfectly well within reasonable wage boundaries. Any new manager will have a number of strongish champ players knocking about and a pretty blank canvas otherwise. We won't be able to spend big, but who will (except the parachute payment clubs of course). We're still a reasonable draw for a lot of players, reduced wages or not. 16m wage budget still seems pretty generous to me

[Snowflake Royal]

You may well be right when you say:



The future, can't be a fact - so try not to hit the offended button right off the bat.

As I pointed out - we have a football board now on which the manager is a key part and from everything coming out of the club has been a pretty active part in attracting players as part of that. I would assume any new manager would likely take a seat on that board too unless we decide to go back to a DoF model.

As for knowing who is leaving - to a degree we know that Rafael, Araruna, Swift and Laurent are out the door either because they want to go or we don't intend on giving them a new deal but we'll want to keep Holmes if we can - would a new manager want Dann for another year? VP does. Carroll? Halilovic, Hoilett? All due to go - under VP Halilovic may stay and Hoilett go, the next guy may prefer it the other way round.

And if you say, if we are blatantly already planning signings for the next guy, then that is a microcosm of the issues at the club as unless we are committing to the style of play we are currently seeing and finding a coach to suit, then they will have learnt nothing about wasting money and we are already back on the path towards another deduction.

Players always say the manager attracted them. It doesn't mean much.

Of course we're already planning for the summer. With little likelihood of extending Pauno.

Right, then identify and employ the new guy now if that is the case so they are part of the direction we take.

To me by March latest, we either a) extend VP as he is meeting the minimums needed in keeping us safe until we can be more active in 2023 or b) pay him off/put him on gardening leave and bring in the new guy.

The only fact we have is that the board that plans the footballing direction and transfers includes the guy we have little likelihood of extending - so unless Gilkes and co are going down another path and cutting him out then I can't see how any player recruitment planning isn't including 25% of the football board - and if it is then that probably makes VPs position untenable.

Not for me. Bring in a new guy before season end and you're looking at dregs available and tainting them with the shit we're currently in, not giving them a fresh start and clean break.

It leaves no patience at the start of next season if things don't start well and we're immediately back with the vocal minority calling for a sacking in October.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I'm not convinced hitting the 'business plan' for next year will be particularly difficult. Obviously be made a hell of a lot easier if we can offload Moore.

But Rafael, Puscas and Swift will all be gone almost certainly. Only Moore, Joao and Meite left on big money I expect.

Other clubs like Millwall and Preston seem to manage perfectly well within reasonable wage boundaries. Any new manager will have a number of strongish champ players knocking about and a pretty blank canvas otherwise. We won't be able to spend big, but who will (except the parachute payment clubs of course). We're still a reasonable draw for a lot of players, reduced wages or not. 16m wage budget still seems pretty generous to me

There does want to be a degree of ambition though. I'm not suggesting there can't be on more manageable wages, as clubs like Brentford have shown for years, but I also wouldn't want to be stuck in limbo like Preston and Millwall either. Fair play to both, run well, managed well, they go about their business well, but, apart from the odd flutter with the play offs, they never even look like going up and they very rarely develop players that end up being PL quality either, I can only think of 2/3 from both clubs that have either moved or been linked with PL moves (Hugill, Cooper and Wallace).

If you look at ourselves, despite how poor we have been for nearly 5 years now (last season aside), we still end up selling players on to clubs at the top end of the Championship or the Premier League (or equivalent) which shows we do have individual talents at the club. Olise, Bacuna, Illori, Williams, Richards etc spring to mind immediately. I know what you're trying to say, but I also wouldn't want to be a club that just have passive seasons in mid table like both those clubs mentioned currently do. Maybe naivety on my part, as I'd obviously take a couple of seasons of stability and steadiness, but I wouldn't want the club to lose ambition either.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm not convinced hitting the 'business plan' for next year will be particularly difficult. Obviously be made a hell of a lot easier if we can offload Moore.

But Rafael, Puscas and Swift will all be gone almost certainly. Only Moore, Joao and Meite left on big money I expect.

Other clubs like Millwall and Preston seem to manage perfectly well within reasonable wage boundaries. Any new manager will have a number of strongish champ players knocking about and a pretty blank canvas otherwise. We won't be able to spend big, but who will (except the parachute payment clubs of course). We're still a reasonable draw for a lot of players, reduced wages or not. 16m wage budget still seems pretty generous to me

There does want to be a degree of ambition though. I'm not suggesting there can't be on more manageable wages, as clubs like Brentford have shown for years, but I also wouldn't want to be stuck in limbo like Preston and Millwall either. Fair play to both, run well, managed well, they go about their business well, but, apart from the odd flutter with the play offs, they never even look like going up and they very rarely develop players that end up being PL quality either, I can only think of 2/3 from both clubs that have either moved or been linked with PL moves (Hugill, Cooper and Wallace).

If you look at ourselves, despite how poor we have been for nearly 5 years now (last season aside), we still end up selling players on to clubs at the top end of the Championship or the Premier League (or equivalent) which shows we do have individual talents at the club. Olise, Bacuna, Illori, Williams, Richards etc spring to mind immediately. I know what you're trying to say, but I also wouldn't want to be a club that just have passive seasons in mid table like both those clubs mentioned currently do. Maybe naivety on my part, as I'd obviously take a couple of seasons of stability and steadiness, but I wouldn't want the club to lose ambition either.

Think we have a bigger base to build from than those two. Or at least did until recently.

If we'd managed our finances more like them, I think we'd still have been able to pick up good individuals and go beyond their performance. Instead we spent oodles on shite.

[Stranded]

Players always say the manager attracted them. It doesn't mean much.

Of course we're already planning for the summer. With little likelihood of extending Pauno.

Right, then identify and employ the new guy now if that is the case so they are part of the direction we take.

To me by March latest, we either a) extend VP as he is meeting the minimums needed in keeping us safe until we can be more active in 2023 or b) pay him off/put him on gardening leave and bring in the new guy.

The only fact we have is that the board that plans the footballing direction and transfers includes the guy we have little likelihood of extending - so unless Gilkes and co are going down another path and cutting him out then I can't see how any player recruitment planning isn't including 25% of the football board - and if it is then that probably makes VPs position untenable.

Not for me. Bring in a new guy before season end and you're looking at dregs available and tainting them with the shit we're currently in, not giving them a fresh start and clean break.

It leaves no patience at the start of next season if things don't start well and we're immediately back with the vocal minority calling for a sacking in October.

We'll have to agree to disagree then but not sure how waiting to the end of the season stops us looking at the dregs available, we'll be looking at a manager from 1 of 3 distinct groups (if we change)

1) a manager performing well and under contract at a smaller club - so minimal compensation i.e. a Rob Edwards, Michael Duff or any rated L1/2 manager (even a random unknown (to us) doing well in a less lucrative league).

2) someone currently unemployed - so either been sacked already or chosen to leave their current employer without a job - so one of the dregs unless we go for someone like Michael Flynn who left Newport by choice but did a good job.

3) someone who has never managed before - in which case, unless still playing they are likely available now. This clearly brings up the "threat" of someone like John Terry coming in

There will always be a vocal minority calling for a sacking regardless of when any new manager comes in any way if things don't improve, all hiring later would do is push that out to Xmas and if it is still shit this time next year - then a lot more may have stopped caring.

Who knows, a new face and a new voice particularly if it were to be someone like a Murty may, even if temporarily bring a feel good factor back especially if they can produce an uptick in form as well.

[Forbury Lion]

I'm leaning towards the Out camp after witnessing this team once again try to sit back with 10 men behind the ball and hang onto a 2-0 lead only to throw it away.
The manager bought an attacker on as a sub instead of a defender, which is the wrong thing to do when playing this wrong tactic. He hasn't learnt from his own mistakes. The team need to be giving everything and doing everything to get 3 points.

As for the ongoing excuses about lack of fitness, well if it's affecting the whole squad then maybe it's down to the training regime not being up to the task of producing match fit players and ownership of that regime ultimately sits with the manager.

You don't have to be a fan of Neil Warnock to admit that if he came in now the existing squad would be more successful in terms of results, possibly at the expense of our disciplinary record, but I'd take that. I'm not saying Neil Warnock is the best option or the only option but he is available.

[Hound]

I'm not convinced hitting the 'business plan' for next year will be particularly difficult. Obviously be made a hell of a lot easier if we can offload Moore.

But Rafael, Puscas and Swift will all be gone almost certainly. Only Moore, Joao and Meite left on big money I expect.

Other clubs like Millwall and Preston seem to manage perfectly well within reasonable wage boundaries. Any new manager will have a number of strongish champ players knocking about and a pretty blank canvas otherwise. We won't be able to spend big, but who will (except the parachute payment clubs of course). We're still a reasonable draw for a lot of players, reduced wages or not. 16m wage budget still seems pretty generous to me

There does want to be a degree of ambition though. I'm not suggesting there can't be on more manageable wages, as clubs like Brentford have shown for years, but I also wouldn't want to be stuck in limbo like Preston and Millwall either. Fair play to both, run well, managed well, they go about their business well, but, apart from the odd flutter with the play offs, they never even look like going up and they very rarely develop players that end up being PL quality either, I can only think of 2/3 from both clubs that have either moved or been linked with PL moves (Hugill, Cooper and Wallace).

If you look at ourselves, despite how poor we have been for nearly 5 years now (last season aside), we still end up selling players on to clubs at the top end of the Championship or the Premier League (or equivalent) which shows we do have individual talents at the club. Olise, Bacuna, Illori, Williams, Richards etc spring to mind immediately. I know what you're trying to say, but I also wouldn't want to be a club that just have passive seasons in mid table like both those clubs mentioned currently do. Maybe naivety on my part, as I'd obviously take a couple of seasons of stability and steadiness, but I wouldn't want the club to lose ambition either.

Was thinking very much about next season rather than longer term. I'm with you once we're clear of EFL restrictions and on a solid base again

[YorkshireRoyal99]

My thoughts were, if you look at Birmingham's situation now, Bowyer was complaining early December time that funds for January were very limited when he was told it wouldn't be the case and I know a lot of local journalists were saying that it was a consequence of when they suffered a points deduction due to overspending and they are wary of doing such again and being punished further. Obviously it's a different situation and sensible enough, but I wouldn't want ourselves to fall into this situation where we became "too prudent" with our cash. I'd very much want us to be balanced in our approach best we could possibly be.

I do agree, I think our club is a more attractive prospect than both Millwall and Preston, which is probably the most frustrating thing about where we currently are. Our academy shells out top quality on a regular basis and has done for years now, we are playing in a good area for football, not too close to London where we are competing with a lot of clubs but in an area where players can easily drop into London and the local clubs around ourselves are not as good as we are. Clubs like Wycombe, Oxford and Swindon should really be where our youngster go and earn valuable game time and then be drafted into our squads when ready. A few of our players now play for Wycombe and will succeed and others have succeeded at Oxford, such as Dickie and Fosu, but yet we have got no gain from that at all and we could quite possibly be competing with all 3 of those clubs in League One next season when we should be far beyond where they all are, no disrespect intended.

[Millsy]

I'm leaning towards the Out camp after witnessing this team once again try to sit back with 10 men behind the ball and hang onto a 2-0 lead only to throw it away.

This is my issue with this flurry of bedwetting lately.

Assuming this is 100% Pauno's fault, why is losing a 2-0 lead a sackable offence? A clue is the 2-0 lead, which seems to be taken for granted nowadays with Pauno's sides, which we now just learn to expect. We never expected that sort of free-scoring in Stamball but people loved him.

One of the best defences in the league, we put two past them.

If that was 0-0 would we be calling for him to be sacked?

I know it's disappointing to think you're winning but get a draw but I don't see how losing a 2-0 lead means a manager needs to be sacked.

How about our injury-hit, embargo-hit, low moral, out-of-contract team put two past a very good side so let's have some praise for Pauno.

Without a deduction we'd be 17th. 9 points from the relegation zone and only 12 off playoff spots, so lower midtable.

Did anyone seriously expect having lost Olise and Richards and with the crippling embargo not to even mention the almost comical level of injuries that our task was anything other than prevent relegation? In which case Pauno is doing exactly as expected if not better as we're still 3 points off relegation WITH the points deduction.

I just don't see how a draw against a good side (who without deduction would be several places ABOVE us in the league pre-game) is a sackable offence.

Anyone who wanted him to be sacked should have joined the handful haters end of last season. I can't see what's changed this season with all the difficulties we've had and certainly not after that game.

A 4-0 defeat against a crap side and I'll consider switching back to Pauno OUT and only because that'll likely indicate he's "lost the dressing room". An unlucky 2-2 draw against a better side. No, sorry.

[Snowflake Royal]

people did't love Stam, they tolerated him whilst we were winning.

2-0 being free scoring.