| end of an era, start of another 20:01 - Oct 27 with 2809 views | basilrobbiereborn |
The only good thing about today's news really is that it puts a lot of people out of a very prolonged misery. I doubt the manager has enjoyed much if any of the last four months or so, and for that reason alone I think he'll be relieved as much as disappointed tonight.
I daresay a lot of people - like me - will have mixed feelings about it all. A great many people liked him for his stoicism and what was perceived as the quietly dignified way he went about things. On the downside, he was also perceived by many to be just as stubborn as the chairman, and it was clearly not a marriage made in heaven from the word go.
Most people have decided to put the blame for their dysfunctionality squarely at the door of the chairman, but there is another school of thought which says he had unrealistic expectations about what he would be able to spend, and still others who felt that having his agent in the middle of his dialogue with the chairman undermined them from the word go. I don't think any of us will really know who is to blame for what, but clearly they brought out the worst in one another too much of the time.
Such is the antipathy towards the chairman though, that Riga's appalling record on the pitch is going to go largely unremarked by many. It was so poor that he even managed a lower points per game ratio than Barry Ferguson, which takes some doing. In my time watching the club, perhaps the most reviled manager of all was the short-lived Graham Carr. He managed 23 points in 19 games ; what would we give for that now?
More to the point, he leaves us with a group of players whose collective ability and potential remains very uncertain. Some of them are clearly good players, and on occasions this year we have played some neat and attractive, if not very incisive football. But we have a plethora of midfield players who seem unable to create anything for the front players, nor protect a noble but beleaguered back five.
He also leaves us paper thin in certain positions, notably across the whole of the back line, and it is inevitable that arguments will rage about how much of it is his fault, and how much is that of a chairman who clearly lost faith in him quite a while ago.
And yet, despite all this, and not really being a fan of him, I have real reservations about whether he should have gone. We have had very little continuity in the last couple of years, and now we face yet more uncertainty whilst we await a new appointment. The new man has a big job on his hands, and whilst we shouldn't give this season up as a bad job yet, in some ways he will need to use the remaining 30 odd games as a platform to get us right for next year, wherever we may be.
As ever, the onus now is upon the chairman to be decisive and quick in finding a replacement. His recent track record in this regard is appalling, and he needs to recognise that the new man will be constrained enough by the situation we are in without the chairman adding further degrees of difficulty. He has more to lose from us being in L1 than anyone, so let's hope that has a galvanising effect.
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| end of an era, start of another on 16:40 - Oct 28 with 592 views | Lala |
| end of an era, start of another on 16:33 - Oct 28 by Old_Laytonian |
If God gave me lemons I'd make Gin & Tonics  |
Well you're even more of an optimist than me OL......make mine a large one...  |  |
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| end of an era, start of another on 17:47 - Oct 28 with 570 views | janegallagher |
Nah tequilas for me |  |
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| end of an era, start of another on 18:50 - Oct 28 with 548 views | bfcpete |
| end of an era, start of another on 10:35 - Oct 28 by Tejas |
No reason why you should get Mullered for that, or any post Curryman. I’ve not been to nearly as many games as you this season due to work commitments, so I respect your view of Riga and I know personally how supportive you’ve been.
I really wanted Riga to work, because I liked him, and still believe that with the right backing by a progressive board and Chairman, he will make a half decent Championship Manager. After the Ince fiasco I was very pleased we got someone of his quality and potential, I was beginning to think the worst. However, looking back, and reflecting on your post, I think your point about KO’s managerial selection history is especially relevant. I remember, discussing this when Holloway left, with you and our usual “mob” in the South. I was convinced by that debate that Oyston had made some good choices with managerial positions, so why worry about the future.
At that time though, we were still basking over the outcome of the Grayson/Ollie era and things seemed much more optimistic then. However, it’s very clear now that actually Karl Oyston has an abysmal record with Managers, with both selection and support. After his breathtakingly childish “spat” with Riga, which would shame the most junior manager in my organisation, I’m struggling to get my head round where he is going to take us next. Whoever comes in MUST be his choice and work to his rules, that’s not unique to Blackpool, it’s the same at all clubs — the Management/Chairman relationship is key. But with his rules, that don’t appear to be competitive with any other club in any other professional league and his arrogant stance that he’s right and everyone one else in the game is wrong! I can see no further than a continuation of the “managed decline” that is so obviously an Oyston strategy.
I will support the Pool regardless, I will never boycott games, I think it’s counterproductive. But with Oyston at the helm “Progress” is on hold — don’t expect me to be happy with that, and I know you’re not either. |
BRR - you are absolutely right in stating 'the chairman's recent track record is absolutely appalling'. His track record in the last two years is so bad (and getting progressively worse) that if it had been anyone else they would have been sacked ages ago - particularly from so a high profile job paying £500k per year. The fact that he has been through Holloway, Appleton, Thompson, Ince, Ferguson, and Riga as managers during that short period should surely tell you that it is the chairman that is the problem not the team manager.
And I haven't even tried to include the endless and serious other cock ups by the chairman during that period that have led to a disastrous decline in the both the football club and the business. The only decisive action required is to get rid of the chairman | | | |
| end of an era, start of another on 18:59 - Oct 28 with 537 views | The_Ghost |
| end of an era, start of another on 18:50 - Oct 28 by bfcpete |
BRR - you are absolutely right in stating 'the chairman's recent track record is absolutely appalling'. His track record in the last two years is so bad (and getting progressively worse) that if it had been anyone else they would have been sacked ages ago - particularly from so a high profile job paying £500k per year. The fact that he has been through Holloway, Appleton, Thompson, Ince, Ferguson, and Riga as managers during that short period should surely tell you that it is the chairman that is the problem not the team manager.
And I haven't even tried to include the endless and serious other cock ups by the chairman during that period that have led to a disastrous decline in the both the football club and the business. The only decisive action required is to get rid of the chairman |
He was doing alright with McMahon, Grayson and Ollie with only Hendry as a black mark. I can't believe that in just two years he has turned the club into an unstable mess.
It's not like we're a MASSIVE club with Premier League aspirations. The high turnover of managers is one mans fault, and for me he should have quit in the summer. |  | | |
| end of an era, start of another on 08:29 - Oct 29 with 492 views | Since1967 |
Robbie,mwhen you mention 'another school of thought' that would be you, and pretty much you alone. It's an unprecedented situation when a manager has such a poor track record and still retains the support of the fans.
That is because all those who judge the situation taking into account all factors know that Riga has had his hands tied by the toxic regime that is Karl Oyston. | | | |
| end of an era, start of another on 15:03 - Oct 29 with 459 views | steve_g |
| end of an era, start of another on 08:29 - Oct 29 by Since1967 |
Robbie,mwhen you mention 'another school of thought' that would be you, and pretty much you alone. It's an unprecedented situation when a manager has such a poor track record and still retains the support of the fans.
That is because all those who judge the situation taking into account all factors know that Riga has had his hands tied by the toxic regime that is Karl Oyston. |
Since1967 - did he really still have the support of the fans or was he riding on the coat-tails of the dislike for Karl Oyston. I'd say that fans are blinkered on this and BRB is seeing things through clearer eyes than most. | |
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| end of an era, start of another on 16:03 - Oct 29 with 446 views | BOYBILLY |
The Chairman is to blame, anything else is chite. [Post edited 29 Oct 2014 17:47]
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| end of an era, start of another on 16:20 - Oct 29 with 440 views | stu |
| end of an era, start of another on 16:03 - Oct 29 by BOYBILLY |
The Chairman is to blame, anything else is chite. [Post edited 29 Oct 2014 17:47]
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Same old shite from Phil 49, as usual nowt to say |  |
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| end of an era, start of another on 17:07 - Oct 29 with 407 views | HarryHorse |
| end of an era, start of another on 16:20 - Oct 29 by stu |
Same old shite from Phil 49, as usual nowt to say |
I think he did Stu , I can't think of any other situation where the results have been so bad yet the crowd weren't calling for the manager's head . Of course the dislike of all things KO played a huge part , if it was seen that JR had been backed by the chairman things would be very different . I suppose we'll have to wait until JR takes on another managership and see how he does but he certainly did ok at Charlton | | | |
| end of an era, start of another on 17:08 - Oct 29 with 404 views | ArchibaldKnox |
| end of an era, start of another on 16:20 - Oct 29 by stu |
Same old shite from Phil 49, as usual nowt to say |
I can remember being at the homes games against Wolves and Cardiff.
I am sure the fans were chanting Riga's name quite loudly. Of course there were equally loud Oyston Out chants so I suppose it was all the same people. I like to think the support for Riga was honest and forthright. Not just a way to get at KO. As we know KO has a huge ego is a control freak and can be vindictive. He does not like his position being openly undermined. [Post edited 29 Oct 2014 17:15]
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