You've described Neil by implication as an "incompetent appointee". Based on what?

Your own ignorance of Scottish football? The same applies with Gary Hooper.

Anyway, I'll humour you. Suppose for a moment that Neil doesn't work out. Would that mean he was s**t? Nope: it'd just mean it hadn't worked out here. Same with Hughton: very obviously a good choice when we appointed him.

Yet there's something about football fans which means we assume that if someone fails at our club, they must be s**t. Newcastle fans commiserated with Palace fans on their appointment of Pardew because "he's inept". But he's not. It's the views of those fans which is.

Neil? He's a gamble. Might work out, might not - but he's not been appointed because McNally wants a b***h or something, and he's not been appointed because of conservatism or lack of vision either. Hamilton have collapsed since Neil left. He very obviously has something - and doing him after one measly defeat is just ridiculous.

My concerns at present are much more with the structure of the club, and what our long term vision is. For one thing, the young, hungry manager we've chosen is at odds with the expensive, experienced squad we assembled - just as Adams' appointment was at odds with that too.

For another: if we're looking for Neil to be a head coach type figure, and to model ourselves long term on Swansea or Southampton, where's our Director of Football? Why haven't we got one, and why wasn't Joe Royle replaced?

But on Neil himself: the harsh reality is that no manager anywhere can be judged without a pre-season, and without a chance to sign at least some of their choices as players. That means that if we don't go up - and we might very well still - he needs time to build a side in his image. As a minimum, until Xmas to show he and we are progressing; but really until the end of next season actually.

New start, new era. And in new eras come setbacks and disappointments. The test of NCFC is whether we can overcome them.

Posted By: thebigfeller on January 25th 2015 at 04:11:01

Message Thread

sobered up now: McNally has to leave (NCFC) - ChengdeCanary, Jan 25, 03:43:13
- disagree on just about every point (n/m) (NCFC) - RochdaleCanary, Jan 25, 10:53:47
- Are you seriously doubting Gary Hooper? (n/m) (NCFC) - BINMEN8R, Jan 25, 09:27:10
- And you reach this conclusion about Alex Neil after... one defeat?! (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Jan 25, 03:56:24
  - Wasn't he in the stand for most of that? (NCFC) - Goalmusic, Jan 25, 11:33:54
  - As I said VERY clearly, I blame Alex Neil for nothing... it's a long term problem that.. (NCFC) - ChengdeCanary, Jan 25, 03:58:30
    - You've described Neil by implication as an "incompetent appointee". Based on what? (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Jan 25, 04:11:01
      - Yes. In many ways, this season doesn't matter. (NCFC) - norway, Jan 25, 11:56:05
      - agree wholly (n/m) (NCFC) - Cardiff Canary, Jan 25, 11:51:49
      - Blimey. (NCFC) - Garry Brooke, Jan 25, 09:39:58
      - Big Fella, we're on the same page. You're not reading what I've written... being... (NCFC) - ChengdeCanary, Jan 25, 04:22:33
        
        Yes, many a transplant have failed to make it in the English leagues. That's because... (NCFC) - thebigfeller, Jan 25, 04:48:37
        
        I think the problem is we are running out of people to "keep the faith" in (NCFC) - Jim, Jan 25, 07:23:43
  - It's difficult to say but littlefella has a point surely? (n/m) (NCFC) - admckechnie, Jan 25, 03:58:21

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