After reading and replying to Fan of Big Tone's discussion about Stuart Maynard having been in his role for a year, I thought further about my response and whilst I don't want this to come across as ripping into Maynard's ability, I do think there's room to talk about how he can improve further. I do feel it's important that we acknowledge where he has come from, what he's achieved so far with us and that he will still be learning his role in a much bigger environment than he has previously held.

I have listed some general areas where I believe he can, and at times is showing a better understanding. I do wonder what the community thinks, especially from more Maynard out supporters.

• Player Rotation: Maynard could focus on better rotation of players to avoid over-reliance on key players like David McGoldrick. This would give other players, more opportunities to contribute and develop, while also managing their fitness and health.
• Consistency in Selection: It’s important for Maynard to avoid frequently switching back to previous players and disregarding current form. Giving consistent playing time to in-form players can help maintain their performance levels and confidence.
• Adaptability in Substitutions: Maynard should work on the timing and manner of making substitutions. Avoiding late and all-at-once changes, and making more gradual and strategic substitutions during the game can help maintain the team's momentum and better manage player fitness.
• Maximizing Player Potential: Maynard needs to focus on understanding each player's strengths and positioning them where they can perform best. For example, Cedwyn Scott [whilst he was here] may perform better as a striker rather than an attacking midfielder, which should be considered in team selection.
• Handling Underperforming Players: Rather than sidelining underperforming players like Kellan Gordon, Maynard could work on ways to help them regain their form and confidence, possibly through tailored coaching and support.
• In-game Decision Making: Improving in-game decision-making, especially against teams like Salford, by utilising strategies that counter the opponent's strengths. This might include leveraging speed and a more direct approach when necessary.
• Learning from Mistakes: It’s crucial for Maynard to continue learning and adapting from his experiences. Recognizing when bold changes are needed versus when they may be detrimental to the team’s performance is key.

If we can rationalise and be fair, perhaps we can further see just how much Maynard has done better than we might feel, along with fair points about how he can improve.

Player Rotation

I believe Stuart has done what he could to rotate his players to try to rest others & give players more game time. I think we have to recognise that the team has suffered with lots of injuries & Stuart has done well to maintain reasonable results with players that may not have figured in the starting 11, if the full squad had been available.

Consistency in Selection

I think Stuart has been consistent in his selections. I believe that he has selected his best 11 available the vast majority of the time. He has managed the injured player's return well too, not rushing them back, & his substitutions have generally been good.

Adaptability in Substitutions

As. I said previously, I think that  Stuart has used his substitutions well & those substitutions have generally been successful in giving players rest time & giving fringe players game time. We also have to take into account that those available on the bench have been weakened by the many injuries Notts have had.

Maximizing Player Potential

I think this is an area where Stuart has maximised player potential to the full. Notts are fortunate to have players that can play in different positions. We've seen Langstaff playing on the wing at times, Jodi playing on both wings. We've seen Stuart introduce inverted Wingbacks & Abbott playing in different positions. I think Stuart believes in adaptability from his players. I don't think Cedwyn could adapt very well unfortunately.

Handling Underperforming  Players

If players are underperforming, they general don't make the starting 11. I think when certain players have underperformed for various reasons. I am sure Stuart has supported & encouraged these players, but sometimes either the Notts system or methods doesn't suit them.

In Game Decision Making 

I think generally, Stuart's in game decision making has been good. It did come undone somewhat against Salford, but I think you have to give the Salford manager credit too. I'm sure Stuart has learned from that game.One of the things he could improve on is changing styles to fit the situation. I think Notts should go more direct when a certain style of play isn't working.

Learning from mistakes 

I think that is always a manager's remit to learn from their mistakes. A good manager always will. He certainly learned much from last season when Notts were leaking goals, he rectified that situation very well.

Conclusion 

Continuous improvement is what a good manager will always looks for. A manager should also be able to adapt to different situations & of course strive to make the right decisions. A manager should be a good people person & strive to get the best out of his players. He should be a good motivator & be able to communicate at all levels of the Club. I think Notts have a manager in Stuart Maynard that can do all those things.

i think there are a lot of fair points, but we could flip most and say that stuart maynard has done them well at times. i do agree, we need to avoid playing players to the point of injury. like managing david mcgoldrick better, but then i think we have seen maynard get the best out of most players.

nick tsaroulla is one player i would like to see being pushed a bit more.

and a lot of managers are not the best at making changes in game, not at this level.

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On 23/01/2025 at 12:02, Piethagoram said:

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???? @Piethagoram

@Fan of Big Tone

"If you learn something from every game, there shall come a point in time, when you should never lose... Jimmy Sirrel"🤫

6 minutes ago, Piethagoram said:

@Fan of Big Tone

"If you learn something from every game, there shall come a point in time, when you should never lose... Jimmy Sirrel"🤫

@Piethagoram Ah, I see, trouble is your signature doesn’t show on my phone.

As much as I agree with Jimmy over lots of things football wise, @Piethagoram @Fan of Big Tone there are just two many variables in football to say that learning something from every game will stop a team losing.

All you can do is reduce the variables, but there always be an element of chance too.

3 minutes ago, Robbie said:

As much as I agree with Jimmy over lots of things football wise, @Piethagoram @Fan of Big Tone there are just two many variables in football to say that learning something from every game will stop a team losing.

All you can do is reduce the variables, but there always be an element of chance too.

@Robbie How dare you question the word of The Messiah! 

Stuart Maynard's biggest downfall is not knowing how to make in-game changes to put Notts on the front foot. He's slow at adapting, and sometimes it gets too late to get anything from games. We can dominate teams at home, but when they change things, we fall off. Even though we get good results, it sometimes costs us points.

He needs to be braver at times, and at other times he needs to take off players who aren't performing well enough. If a player continues to struggle after 45 minutes, and other teams exploit this, it makes no sense to hang on and avoid making changes. Football is about taking your chances. We focus too much on control. Possession isn't always the best tactic; creating and scoring chances is.