I don't think anyone dislikes Wagner. His likeable nature is one of his strengths and

Probably one of the reasons he stayed in the job. Its also clear that the players like him as well which is also often a factor when things start to go downhill in that if they don't like the manager they can down tools.

Its clear Wagner is a decent guy.

The question is whether he's a good coach who has got the best out of the squad at his disposal. Arguably, he is starting to get close to doing that now. But unquestionably he did not for a large chunk of this season.

Was it right not to get rid of him at the time the question arose prior to Christmas? Possibly as one could argue that a new coach would have been unlikely to get more out of the squad results wise since then (although they could have done, we just don;t know).

Would a better coach/manager have had this squad in a better position in the table had they been in charge all season. I think they would have. We can see now that we have a squad of players that has too much quality going forward for most teams at this level. Most coaches/managers would, i think, have been able to adapt better to not having Sargent, Barnes and Gunn and would have found a way to grind out points during our bad run. That he was not able to adapt and that he kept making the same mistakes showed that he has significant limitations in my view. He didn't play Nunez or Sainz for quite a while when both were fit and available. he made some very questionable subs at moments in games that cost us. There appeared to be a complete blind spot to the midfield issue that most fans could see very clearly. The defensive marking was (and still is in my view) horrendous,
.

What he does have though is the loyalty of the players and a style of play that seems to work (to the extent that our attacking strengths and intensity when we are "at it" outweighs the ongoing defensive flaws in the set up) when we have all of our best players available. If that remains the case for the rest of the season then we have a decent shout of getting into and doing something in the playoffs.

I'd still replace him in the summer regardless though.

Posted By: Jim on March 21st 2024 at 09:41:17

Message Thread

Has this been posted already (NCFC) - bartender100, Mar 21, 06:25:49
- Perhaps we were wrong about Sargent... (NCFC) - Wilts, Mar 21, 12:06:49
  - Sarge was brought in to score at Prem level (NCFC) - littletinyphil, Mar 21, 13:27:54
  - 2.06 ppg from the 18 league games he’s played in (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 12:23:09
- Depends what the fans saw as his target for the season (NCFC) - littletinyphil, Mar 21, 10:53:55
  - We were 17th at our worst (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 10:55:38
    - The turnaround will be if we actually reach the playoffs (NCFC) - littletinyphil, Mar 21, 11:46:57
      - Failure now will be not reaching the playoffs (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 11:57:23
        
        Failure all season would be not reaching the playoffs (NCFC) - littletinyphil, Mar 21, 12:18:20
- Humans aren't rational. Wagner loses 1 game a month currently. In a results business (NCFC) - Lentil Weaver, Mar 21, 07:09:31
  - I don't think anyone dislikes Wagner. His likeable nature is one of his strengths and (NCFC) - Jim, Mar 21, 09:41:17
    - That sums it up really well (n/m) (NCFC) - camcan, Mar 21, 10:19:31
    - Great post (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 09:47:45
  - I think he looks quite cuddly, certainly more so and Daniel (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Mar 21, 07:37:37
  - i wouldnt say that's universally true (NCFC) - fal5taff, Mar 21, 07:30:05
    - The Boro result recently is where I am with the above (NCFC) - Lentil Weaver, Mar 21, 07:47:53
      - Never in the history of football (NCFC) - Captain Bligh, Mar 21, 09:06:44
      - There's a lot of sense in what you're saying and I agree with most of it (NCFC) - Yellalee, Mar 21, 08:18:54
        
        Also the run at the end of last season lingers in the memory (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 09:52:20
        
        Yep worse PPG than Smith that season 😬 (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 09:53:16
        
        Does Knapper get any praise here? (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 21, 09:44:03
        
        But that's pretty much mirrored Sainz being brought into (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Mar 21, 10:52:42
        
        Agreed, we won't know for sure but I'd like to see the PPG before and after Knapper this (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 21, 11:33:22
        
        Roughly 2ppg post Knapper I think (n/m) (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 11:46:46
        
        Decent (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 21, 12:13:59
        
        Many have said he’s been the difference (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 09:53:52
        
        I listened to a podcast about Dan Ashworth and haw he transformed the way England did (NCFC) - strap_on sally, Mar 21, 10:09:37
        
        Definitely a significant improvement (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 10:49:38
        
        Maybe it also shows how toxic it was having Webber around (n/m) (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 10:52:08
        
        Anecdotally I have heard that Webber was a dominating presence at Colney (n/m) (NCFC) - Jim, Mar 21, 11:04:22
        
        It can't be great having the top football man at the club working a year's notice (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 11:07:19
    - Won’t see a better post today (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 07:33:01
      - want a bet? (n/m) (NCFC) - Charles21, Mar 21, 11:50:48
- i remain amazed how long it takes these youtube people to say so little (NCFC) - fal5taff, Mar 21, 06:57:39
  - A bit like listening to an answer from Simon Jordan (n/m) (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Mar 21, 07:35:16
    - I cant stand the sound of that man!!!!!! (n/m) (NCFC) - shoddy, Mar 21, 08:37:30
  - That is content creators for you (n/m) (NCFC) - Lentil Weaver, Mar 21, 07:11:30
- Definitely NOT (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 06:51:38
  - Just imagine where we could've been if we sacked him (NCFC) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Mar 21, 08:40:35
    - Yes,but we are still potentially at the start of what may be the (NCFC) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Mar 21, 10:46:32
    - I got to a point when I'd have supported sacking him (NCFC) - paulg, Mar 21, 09:47:40
      - Don’t need a transformation (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 09:56:47
        
        5%-10% better is probably even more difficult (NCFC) - paulg, Mar 21, 10:35:47
        
        What you're saying is we need Dave Brailsford (n/m) (NCFC) - jamesward, Mar 21, 10:56:11
        
        what some are saying, yes (NCFC) - paulg, Mar 21, 13:50:42
    - Safe in a playoff spot (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 08:45:56
      - So you would sack him for being 8 or 9 points short? Not saying that's wrong (NCFC) - megson, Mar 21, 09:14:43
        
        No (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 09:39:53
        
        Fair (n/m) (NCFC) - megson, Mar 21, 13:46:40
  - sometimes not posting , is the right thing to do (n/m) (NCFC) - ghostof barry butler, Mar 21, 07:21:30
    - But you still did eh (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 07:30:45
      - no no no no no no no NO (NCFC) - Tombs, Mar 21, 08:09:48
        
        I spotted the error almost immediately tbf (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 08:12:47
        
        that's reassuring (NCFC) - Tombs, Mar 21, 08:16:24
      - you have no idea how many times i dont post (n/m) (NCFC) - ghostof barry butler, Mar 21, 07:31:46
        
        lol (n/m) (NCFC) - SCC 28, Mar 21, 07:33:19

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