Goodbye Ardley and Abbott.

[Feral Fox]

Never nice to hear about anyone losing their jobs, but that is the profession they are in and results have shown they weren't up to the job.

Not sure who will take over now though. Doyle as caretaker manager (It get's him away from the pitch which is a bonus!)???

"We are not inviting applications for the manager’s position. A further update will be provided to supporters in the near future."???

https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2021/march/neal-ardley-departs-240321/

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

It did start to look like this thing would be round the corner, but I expected it to be at the end of the season. 

I am a bit saddened by it. I always wanted it to work out for Neal. He always looked, from the outside at least, a man that was trying his best to make things work. He'd come through quite a lot at Notts; Alan Hardy, mini Alan Hardy, the summer of no owners, signing a squad in a week, the play-off final.... 

However, this season hasn't been remotely good enough. Not necessarily just in terms of results and points, we are still there or there abouts (no I don't think we'll win the league), but the performances for large parts of the season hasn't been good enough. We've chopped and changed tactics, but the recruitment simply wasn't up to it. We neither have enough starting quality, nor quality in depth, to be pushing to win the league. I don't think a new manager will change that this season, unfortunately. 

Thanks to Neal and Greg for all their efforts. There were some good times, but ultimately we're not where we all want to be. Interesting to see who the new manager is. Hans Backe anybody? 

From the communication by the club, I can only think they have thought about this for a while and somebody became available who they like, so decided to pull the trigger now...

[Feral Fox]

I'd agree with all the above. He has been a good ambassador for the club during turbulent times, but results matter and he took us down, lost in playoffs and looked like slipping off the pace drastically for last couple of months. 

I assume they must have been thinking this for a while and have a replacement in the bag because if I'm right, he was out of contract at end of season anyway?

 

[DangerousSausage]

I'm not surprised he's left, but I'm surprised he's left right now. I honestly thought he'd be given until the end of the season to try to get the team firing on all cylinders again and maybe even take us up. I doubt that would have happened, but I was expecting him to get the chance. I'd also like to thank Neal and Greg for their efforts - NA has been in charge through some uniquely testing and strange times, nearly got us straight up again and has stuck by the club and helped stabilise it after a period of utter chaos.

I'm not convinced that changing the manager now actually gives us a better chance of promotion this season - the summer recruitment wasn't great (that's not all on Ardley) and to fill in the gaps we've brought in a succession of bit-part players who don't really add any quality to the team, with the possible exception of Ellis (and that one is on Ardley and Abbott). As a result, we've got a collection of individuals, some of whom are very talented, but who have never really gelled as a team. Added to this is an over-reliance on players well past 30 who haven't really got anything more in the tank. We've got some cracking individual footballers, but this isn't a situation like the Munto season when we were underachieving with by far the best team in the division until Charlie was sacked.

But it is what it is. As applications aren't being invited (and I'd nearly finished my CV too), it looks like a new man is waiting in the wings and will be in place by Saturday. It actually feels like quite a shabby way to treat NA, but that's the business. He may well take his next job after another manager has been ejected in similar circumstances. I hope the owners have considered this carefully and have someone who knows what is required in this league. I don't want a rookie, I don't want an old knacker from the merry-go-round looking for a last pay day, and I don't want someone from the Slovakian second division taking his first steps in English football. And most of all, I really don't want us to fall into another cycle of firing managers when they don't deliver instant results. Hopefully the next incumbent will fix our problems and take us to the next level rather than proving to be part of the learning curve of an inexperienced football club owner.

[menzinho]

Genuinely shocked.

I think the issues this season are deeper than just NA, this season’s squad is weaker (I know Ardley is the manager but it sounds like a team effort with the recruitment now) and Roberts missing is just a massive massive blow that no-one could've predicted, he would’ve been up there for goals and assists this season.

By no means do I think Ardley was perfect and we were struggling but every team goes through a bad spell at some point! The players were still playing for him and I thought given how we came so close last year (and how we ended the season so well) he would've had the whole season to try and get us up. If it didn’t happen fair enough, let him go then.

You're right though the owners clearly have someone available who they don’t want to miss out on. I just hope for their sake (and ours) he’s worth it…

[RetroPie 𝕏 @Retro_Pie]

I am more annoyed than shocked, I think its a real concern about if a quality manager can come in at this stage and I would rather not see Michael Doyle take charge of any games. I would hate for the situation to arise whereby he wins a few games, fans call for him to takeover for the rest of the season and its another Chris Kiwomya type moment.

I suppose we will have to wait and see what happens.

[DangerousSausage]

2 hours ago, RetroPie said:

I am more annoyed than shocked, I think its a real concern about if a quality manager can come in at this stage and I would rather not see Michael Doyle take charge of any games. I would hate for the situation to arise whereby he wins a few games, fans call for him to takeover for the rest of the season and its another Chris Kiwomya type moment.

I suppose we will have to wait and see what happens.

I agree, but I reckon whoever comes in over the coming days will be the permanent manager. Just hope they make the right call.

[Fozzy]

Time was right for a change, although it did surprise me. We should have kicked on from last season where we over achieved significantly, but this side has appeared worse and his dependence on an ageing, immobile midfield has been one of our biggest issues.

There are still a lot of games left to play and I think the owners have thought that they have nothing to lose by changing it now rather than at the end of the season. Let's see what happens.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

Hindsight it appears the appointment of Greg Abbott wasn't the best, I do wonder if Neil Cox had remained if Neal Ardley would've handled live games better. I don't think it's fair to throw Abbott under the bus, I feel he was a decent replacement, and I was pleased to see him return. I just don't think he offered much other than a friendly face and someone who occasionally talked to the local media instead of Ardley.

I am thankful for what Ardley has achieved and done with the club during his time, I don't think some fans will understand just how much he turned around in such a short amount of time.

It's a shame it didn't work out as on paper he looked a decent appointment, perhaps had the ship called 'HMS Notts County FC' not been sinking so rapidly and if Ardley could've replaced Kevin Nolan things might have been different?

I wish them both all the best, though I am extremely thankful towards Neal Ardley for leaving us in a much better state than he arrived - especially squad wise.

[liampie]

i felt disappointed because i dont agree that its the right time. i feel a lot more since the new manager has been named, its uninspiring but i do hope for the best.

thankful for what ardley has done for notts.

[Feral Fox]

This appointment could very well turn out to be a master stroke imo. Much like Moniz would have been if he had the correct structures around him to succeed. 
The new coaching pair do have the correct structures now from what I can see. Steady and secure stewardship from the owners. Data analytics from the owners firm. A philosophy of attacking and creative football, backed up by previous clubs he’s managed at. A squad, with the shackles removed and the instructions to abandon the tippy tap at the back crap, who has such exciting talent. Ruben and Enzio should be rubbing  their hands together now. As should the full backs along side Roberts and the new striker.

If he looks forward and removes Doyle from the equation (and Turner hopefully too) then the midfield may have the chance to run the ball forwards rather than backwards. Maybe Reeves can show us the box to box reputation he arrived with.

so many opportunities all sitting along side we’re 6th with 17 games to go.

Every appointment of manager/head coach will fail. That’s the nature of the business. The bit in the middle is the vital bit.

I’ve every faith in the owners. Even more now their opinions of Ardley and Abbott obviously fitted with mine!

7 hours ago, Chris said:

Hindsight it appears the appointment of Greg Abbott wasn't the best, I do wonder if Neil Cox had remained if Neal Ardley would've handled live games better. I don't think it's fair to throw Abbott under the bus, I feel he was a decent replacement, and I was pleased to see him return. I just don't think he offered much other than a friendly face and someone who occasionally talked to the local media instead of Ardley.

I am thankful for what Ardley has achieved and done with the club during his time, I don't think some fans will understand just how much he turned around in such a short amount of time.

It's a shame it didn't work out as on paper he looked a decent appointment, perhaps had the ship called 'HMS Notts County FC' not been sinking so rapidly and if Ardley could've replaced Kevin Nolan things might have been different?

I wish them both all the best, though I am extremely thankful towards Neal Ardley for leaving us in a much better state than he arrived - especially squad wise.

Very valid point. Since Cox left, Ardley has lost the thrill of the game and seemed to be happier to accept average, which isn’t acceptable IMO.

He let his natural defensive locked in approach take over and I think Greg Abbott didn’t challenge this at all, he was more the guy walking behind with the shovel to pick up all the horse crap. Nice bloke. Friendly and liked a laugh, but didn’t offer anything valuable from the outside looking in on both terms of employment, Derry and Ardley.

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

13 hours ago, Feral Fox said:

Very valid point. Since Cox left, Ardley has lost the thrill of the game and seemed to be happier to accept average, which isn’t acceptable IMO.

He let his natural defensive locked in approach take over and I think Greg Abbott didn’t challenge this at all, he was more the guy walking behind with the shovel to pick up all the horse crap. Nice bloke. Friendly and liked a laugh, but didn’t offer anything valuable from the outside looking in on both terms of employment, Derry and Ardley.

The thing with Neil Cox, he was the hyper active one of the pair.

He was always shouting out instructions and giving orders, plus he was the one who would tell a player honestly that they needed to give more and if the player need a kick (he would). Greg Abbott is the kind of person who makes a joke out of everything, I'm sure he can get angry but it's not the same. Neil Cox was the serious one, the type of person you didn't want to disappoint - whereas Neal Ardley was calmer and the one who build a player up by reassuring them.

[RetroPie 𝕏 @Retro_Pie]

On 24/03/2021 at 19:53, DangerousSausage said:

I agree, but I reckon whoever comes in over the coming days will be the permanent manager. Just hope they make the right call.

Well the question is now, the devil you know or the devil you don't?

I do hope the change works out but I feel far more disappointed that we sought an unknown manager, after sacking one that would've gotten the club into the playoffs at least. It's going to be experimental for the first 4 games and this is the time when we need to be winning games the most.

[DangerousSausage]

For any of you who missed it on social media, Neal Ardley has released a really gracious statement to the Notts fans and I'm going to take the liberty of haring it here. https://www.leaguemanagers.com/news/lma-latest/neal-ardley-statement-mar21/