In Praise Of Dinosaurs.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

I have recently watched a Podcast called No Tippy Tappy Football. Great Name. It featured two of Notts County's Legendry Managers Neil Warnock and Big Sam Allardyce. And what they discussed was interesting and between them they came up with ideas which Stuart Maynard should adopt in helping him to becoming a better Head Coach.

Play the Notts Model way and let  in 85 goals or play the way to Win. They didn't refer to Notts, I am Para Phrasing. Ronald Koeman's Everton side let in 25 goals in 8 matches playing Tippy Tappy Football Relegation form. So he was Sacked by Everton. Big Sam came in played football his way and kept the Toffee's Up.

To Stuart Maynard

You Don't Go To A Club and say I'm going to play this system. You Go to a Club and look at the Players you've got and what Strengths they've got and you build a System around those Strengths , You have to Toughen Up You can't be Nice or You're Not Going To Survive. Make Notts your Team Not Luke Williams team. Again I'm Para  Phrasing. Make your own decisions don't let the Recruitment team Do It For You. Build your Team your System make Poor Players Average make Average Players Good and Good Players Great. Success is 95% Man Management. Always have a Good Goal Keeper improve them first. Always have a Team Leader on the Pitch.

It's these sort ideas and Experience  from the likes of Neil and Big Sam that would make either of them an ideal Director of Football at Meadow Lane., and help Stuart Maynard to become a Better Head Coach. Both these Gentlemen lamented the fact that Young Managers nowadays can only play Tippy Tappy Football something described by Big Sam as the Worst Most Boring Type of Football.  Despite the fact that these two great Notts Legends and the success they brought this Club and others they've managed are Now Considered Footballing Dinosaurs. And yet David Moyes at West Ham who  is also placed in the Dinosaur Bracket, currently the Hammers are 8th in the Premiership, he taken West Ham into Europe for the past 3 seasons and they won their first Trophy in 43 years under Moyes tenure and yet still some Hammers Fans want him gone, because of his Footballing Style. Huddersfield Sacked Neil Warnock and look where they are Now on the verge of Relegation and many Terriers Fans are saying they shouldn't have Sacked Warnock. So maybe Footballing Dinosaurs are Not Quite Extinct Yet.

[Robbie]

A well put together article @Wheelbarrow repair man and you put your case well.

The owners philosophy on how they want Notts to play football is well known, and they appointed Stuart Maynard because he believes in that footballing philosophy too.

Neil and big Sam were both successful with their style of play at Notts and they will always be regarded as legends who guided Notts to great success.

Unfortunately, I don't believe their style of playing fits into what the present ownership wants to see. 

Of course,  Notts have to ensure that they don't get predictable with their play, with the tippy tappy side and back movement that has generated mistakes and has proved so costly this season.

We have to remember that the same Notts defensive players that have let in 98 goals this season, were one of the best defensive units in the NL.

Unfortunately, a step up in level exposed many shortcomings, that I'm sure good recruitment of players are are either league 1 or league 2 level, can fix things for next season. 

Although it may be a good idea for some, I just don't believe that bringing in either Neil or Sam at this point to help Stuart would work and could prove counter productive.

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

I can Not really take Credit for a vast majority of this article Robbie has I am quoting things both Sam and Neil said in the Podcast and I've only added my own thoughts which are relevant with what I think is wrong at the Lane. Regarding what type of Football should be played at the Lane if it's Not Working next season will the Brothers or more to the point Richard Montague allow Stuart Maynard to change certain things or Stick to the present set up come what may? Even if Notts end up in a season long Relegation Battle? And as was stated by Sam and Neil, young Managers can't play any other way, but the passing side to side backwards and forwards between defenders and the Goal Keeper. Even if Notts look like being stuck with this type of Football there are many ideas from Sam and Neil that Stuart Maynard can adopt, which wont interfere with the playing style. 

Examples Man Management Luke Williams had it in Bucket Loads, as stated he improved all his players, which is something Stuart Maynard needs to attain even if he needs to take a course in it. Also be willing to mix things up, something Williams refused to do. There have been times Maynard has attempted to do this the trouble was he kept changing things around the Victories at Newport and Bradford prove this he tinkered with a winning formula and the Magpies lost their following matches. A Good Goalkeeper is needed boy do Notts need a good Goalkeeper. If Tiernan Brookes isn't that guy he still needs to be in the Squad as back up. next season, sending him out on loan again will only destroy his confidence. Man Management skills. Maynard doesn't come across as the hard type of Manager. No that's wrong  he doesn't come across as a Strong type of Manager. This is My Team and I'm in Charge, because if he doesn't Toughen Up  he isn't Going To Survive. Be your Own Man Stuart Not A Yes Man.

I don't know why people think that the appointment of a Director of Football in the Warnock/Allardyce mould would upset things at the Lane. After all learning from a Master manager would help Stuart Maynard No End. They would help him toughen up, they would help him with his Man Management Skills. Even if Notts don't appoint a Director of Football, which seems highly unlikely you can't tell me adopting some of their ideas isn't going to Help  Stuart Maynard become a better Head Coach.

 

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

I get what you are saying.

Let's just see how things develop in the summer.

Looking on the bright side, Stuart has 3 wins out of 4 and a win on Saturday would be 4 wins out of 5 which would be Notts's best run in 39 matches including the last 19 of of Luke William's tenure.

In the form table over the last 5 matches Notts are in 7th place so we are starting to see an improvement even with the current team, that clearly need strengthening.

When changes come in the summer, and with time to work together on the training ground after a summer break, I am optimistic that we see a much tighter defence next season.

With Matty Palmer back to partner Robertson in midfield, that in itself is a mouthwatering prospect, even without the new players.