Maybe. But his record at this level suggests he has and can do it. He's interview getting stick on twitter tonight but what else can he say if the players are letting him down. He can take the blame, in previous weeks he has shielded the players, it hasn't changed anything.
Truth is our recruitment is rubbish and will continue to be. We've had a new manager every season pretty much and see the same results. Don't think this will change until we get this right and potentially some of the issue comes own to £.
Plus who do u go for likes of Harrop etc have profile now so again £. We don't have it.
The Enfield performance sounds pathetic with not even basic effort of the required standard - this is after the terrible result at Weymouth and an overall limited display against St Albans - form wise we seem to be sleepwalking our way to relegation under Stringer - you have to wonder whether he's taken them as far as he can with his constant aggressive shouting at them (didn't Feeney do that!).
There are always other Managers out there - maybe Watson should be given a chance if he wants it or see who else wants it - someone needs to get much more out of the players before it's too late.
This is a proud Club which form wise is looking like going down with a whimper which is shameful.
The basic fact is we dont create enough. When we do attack and look to put the ball in the box whos there?no one normally. Against St Albans when they attacked there were 3,4,5 in the box. We never did that. Whos our top goal scorer? Search me. Not one player in our team ever looks a constant goal threat. The odd chance here and there but no one is a pain in the arris for opposing defenders. To make things worse our clean sheet record is appalling. So basically its a recipe for failure. Dont create. Dont score. Cant defend. Judging by most of the performances this season Dont care must be aimed at this team as well. Worse Welling Utd team Ive seen since the NLS division was formed over 20 years ago
The basic fact is we dont create enough. When we do attack and look to put the ball in the box whos there?no one normally. Against St Albans when they attacked there were 3,4,5 in the box. We never did that. Whos our top goal scorer? Search me. Not one player in our team ever looks a constant goal threat. The odd chance here and there but no one is a pain in the arris for opposing defenders. To make things worse our clean sheet record is appalling. So basically its a recipe for failure. Dont create. Dont score. Cant defend. Judging by most of the performances this season Dont care must be aimed at this team as well. Worse Welling Utd team Ive seen since the NLS division was formed over 20 years ago
Ha that made me grin.
It is Chukwu. The bloke we got rid of, who scored against us last night.
In my opinion yes. Something's not working and I think there's enough ability in the team to be better than we are - plenty of games we've lost this season but played ok, last night being the exception, we were terrible.
For a long while there seems to have been some friction in the dugout, with senior players arguing with Rod on numerous occasions. I'd like to see Kev given the chance to run the team, if he wanted to.
The Stringers seem fairly embedded into the club, however...
Our top scorer now is Gene Kennedy with 6 goals. Anointed Chukwe is on 5 as one of his goals was changed to an own goal, he is level with Zain Walker and Josh Redfearn. Whichever way you look at it it's not good.
I don't think the problem lies with Rod Stringer, he is a good and experienced manager at this level and all his predecessors have struggled too. I think the problem is the budget which is chicken and egg. If you want the club to be self sufficient then you can't expect any owner to constantly subsidise the club. Our gates are really low for National League South which means we can't afford to attract National League South standard players so we struggle. Indeed, many clubs in the Isthmian Premier League have bigger attendances than us and some in Isthmian South East too. My question is this are the gates bad because the team is poor or is the team poor because the gates are bad? If we can't compete at National League South standard then eventually our luck will run out and we will get relegated. From our attendances and revenue stream it is painfully obvious we are punching above our weight.
Warren Feeney saved us from relegation twice and Rod Stringer and Kevin Watson saved us from relegation once and I believe if anyone can save us this season then it will be them again. I think changing management could be a wrong move. Personally, I prefer the shouting, screaming type of manager that shows passion and cares rather than the sit quietly in the dugout arms folded Danny Bloor type. Constantly, saying Up the Wings and congratulating the opposition on beating us. That's as much use as a chocolate teapot but that's just my opinion.
Far too many comings and goings. The squad is far too unsettled - and quite frankly there have been far too many players out of their depth. It's been run like a Sunday league team. I doubt this is Rod's fault. He seems visibly frustrated.
I haven't been able to get to games since Xmas but watching from afar it just seems like there's constant tinkering and an approach where if you throw enough **** against a wall, hopefully some of it will stick. I went to most of the games in the first half of the season and it was virtually impossible to guess the formation or starting XI - change after change, week after week. I appreciate at this level when you take a chance on players from lower levels that it will take time to settle but it seemed like one week you were in, next you were out, and it must be impossible to get any sort of settled team. Most partnerships in central defence, central midfield and up front take a while to gel, but we didn't seem to be giving it any of that. The game at Boreham Wood was a prime example - I remember arriving and thinking, bloody hell the formation's changed AGAIN and there have been multiple changes AGAIN. We went out and looked what we were, 11 strangers absolutely lost on the field (albeit I will concede against a very strong professional outfit)
Trying to keep up with proceedings from afar it seems like there isn't a week goes by without multiple changes - new loan signings, out the door with several others - and I just can't believe there is enough time at a part time level for any partnerships to be gelling.
I really thought we were safe a few weeks back but these Weymouth and Enfield results and performances start to make me think we're sinking towards the trap door. Hope to get along to a match in the next week or two, and pray for better times
Would be good to hear the thoughts of some of the regulars, as the views above are based on what I saw for the first 4-5 months
At the beginning of the season I can remember in the bar Howard P saying that we would not be going up but we would not be in another relegation dogfight. He must be a little disappointed now. I do not know who was responsible for recruitment but he seemed happy with it and, I must admit, so was I. With this in mind the biggest disappointments so far must be:
a. Signed a striker to score goals who scored one really good one, missed a penalty and has been seen rarely since.
b. Signed a midfield goalscorer(who must have been expensive) who was prolific in the league below, has flattered to deceive all season, very good on the ball but with absolutely no end product - sent out on loan.
You could go on with getting rid of your top goalscorer etc but the problem is, notwithstanding injuries, we have not put out the same side two weeks in a row which means the shape of the side (or lack of it) is constantly changing. Bit part loanees and replacements who are not up to snuff have not helped in the slightest - four reserves from Eastbourne have not exactly set the world alight. We are now at a stage where the side must man up or go under. Just like last year, others are breathing down our neck, the fans can do nothing about that but the team on the pitch can, is the skill there, is the desire there, is the cojones there. I am sure Rod Stringer will have a view but only time will tell.
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In three words I can sum up everything i've learnt in life; it goes on.
We've also been hurt by some truly awful stand - in goalkeepers. I do recall when we had two great keepers at the club at one time. But I guess it is hard at this level to keep a (decent) second choice interested and on board. We really do need a youth/U21 set up, or something to breathe life into the senior set up
When all you have left in your plans is to put you centre back as centre forward and lump the ball, then I think Rod should take a couple of weeks gardening leave.
Constantly lumping the ball forward to their robust defence was like chucking donuts to an elephant.
Our stats over the last 10 games or so have been appalling. We regularly have around 35% possession and an xG of <1. Against Boreham Wood we had 28% possession and a 0.00% xG, at home this is just abysmal. The only recent times we've had a meaningful amount of possession were against the teams around us and we still couldn't pick up points. I think Rod is great, but he has completely run out of ideas to turn this around and the stats prove this as nothing is changing. We're now this passive side that play without the ball for large parts of games and don't create any chances. Recruitment has been terrible and this new influx of players have not had the instant impact we'd hoped for. I don't see there being any other choice but to replace him and roll the dice. We are not creating anywhere enough chances to even give ourself a hope of staying up as things stand. I realise we've lacked a striker all season, but we also miss a creative influence in midfield. St Albans don't have a terrible run of games coming up plus a game in hand, so they could quite easily be a few points clear of us within a couple of weeks.
We, realistically, have to win a minimum of three games in March to give ourselves a chance in April. We don't want to rely on a victory against Salisbury to keep us up. We could even be down by then (but hopefully not).
The problems run deeper than whoever is manager and assistant in my opinion. With our facilities and budget we don't really have a structure like a lot of other clubs have. Not saying we need all of them but commercial manager, chairman, secretary, partnerships, community manager, stadium manager, youth, reserves, kit etc. What do we have? We have Howard, Lisa, the supporters club and some volunteers, and maybe a few others in the background with some interest. They all work very hard and have my total respect but it's like a non-league model from the past.
Whoever takes charge of the first team will have limited help available. It is what it is I suppose, until things improve off the pitch.
Short term, we can still stay up and had a couple of good crowds recently. Fingers crossed and good luck to Kevin Watson.
The problems run deeper than whoever is manager and assistant in my opinion. With our facilities and budget we don't really have a structure like a lot of other clubs have. Not saying we need all of them but commercial manager, chairman, secretary, partnerships, community manager, stadium manager, youth, reserves, kit etc. What do we have? We have Howard, Lisa, the supporters club and some volunteers, and maybe a few others in the background with some interest. They all work very hard and have my total respect but it's like a non-league model from the past.
Whoever takes charge of the first team will have limited help available. It is what it is I suppose, until things improve off the pitch.
Short term, we can still stay up and had a couple of good crowds recently. Fingers crossed and good luck to Kevin Watson.
Nail. On. Head.
People don't have specific roles at the football club. That leads to people getting involved in things they really shouldn't and having too much or too little influence. It's a mistake we have made before and it's a mistake we are making again....
Good luck to Kevin Watson in whatever he chooses to do next. A football man, a good coach and a nice bloke as well
Stringers teams at Stortford and Chelmsford have always been very direct so it seems strange that he ever chose to work with Kevin Watson who seems to prefer passing football.
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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh When the Wingssssss
