Tony Cousins

**De Town** · 14/08/2016, 6:20 PM

Originally Posted by Olander

Are you not the full shilling or something?

He's not, no.

**Town Legend** · 14/08/2016, 6:21 PM

TC never had a plan B when things didn't work. All year he's tried to play this new formation of 4-3-3. Even in pre season I could see it wasn't going to work. He got rid of whatever wingers we had at the club to accommodate this formation. We had no other option then when this formation wasn't working as we couldn't switch to a 4-4-2 without out and out wingers. I thought come the window he'd sign at least two but he signed none. It seems like he's a stubborn manager and tries to force things to work and won't hold his hands up and say 'well maybe this isn't working I'll sign a few wingers and switch formation.'

The season we blew a 12 point half way lead he should of been let go. The following season he won promotion but what a lot of people forget is that the squad he had would of put a lot of premier teams to shame and we only clinched it on the second last game of the season. Look at Limerick with a similar squad and practically had it wrapped up at the half way mark. Last season we were very fortunate to finish 6th. And then what does he do? He rips the squad apart and sign in untried young lads and players who got their previous club relegated!! As said above he's a decent first division manager for a club trying to balancing the books and be competitive. But if that club is looking to go places then they may move on from TC.

I appreciate what TC has done for the club when he initially took over but once we got the club on the right road and were looking to go up again we needed to look elsewhere. I wish him well but he did last 3 years longer than he should of.

**Charlie Darwin** · 14/08/2016, 6:58 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

Now get over it ! Dont be commenting on other clubs affairs when you havent a clue whats goin on in the background.( this is aimed at certain posters who dont like what I did)

All I said was fair play to him for being the bigger man and not escalating the situation. I understand everyone gets emotional about their team but you have to maintain a bit of class too (and like I said I criticise Rovers fans for the same).

**redarmyfaction** · 14/08/2016, 7:41 PM

When John Coleman was at Southport, he offered to meet anybody , in the stand, who abused him, in the carpark after the game.

**Nesta99** · 14/08/2016, 8:40 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Ridiculous, really, supporters shouting abuse at managers? This is new to you? Its part of the job, you have to take the good days and the bad.
When FC Zurich got relegated the fans ran after the manager down the tunnel (live on TV), management had to barricade themselves into dressing room. Angry fans.......its a managerial hazard.

Anyway Cousins isn't a shrinking violet, im sure he can handle a few f words thrown at him. As for Shamrock Rovers fans......lol, please!!

Rovers players lock themselves in the dressing rooms and leave the management outside! There is an amusing report of a referee having to lock himself in his room after a game in the old Athletic grounds in Dundalk I think 1930s and needing a Garda escort to the train station which isnt the brisk little walk it is now. Sure there wasnt a whisper to Van Gaal and his ilk last season when an unfancied club were strutting their way to a league...

**jinxy lilywhite** · 14/08/2016, 9:04 PM

It seems Longford fans seem to blaming everything going wrong with the club firmly on the door of Tony cousins.

Be careful what you wish for as the next guy may be worse or have less resources than TC.

**Town Legend** · 14/08/2016, 9:07 PM

Jinxy, he was only part of the problem. If you bothered to do a bit of research before posting you'd realise that.

**outspoken** · 14/08/2016, 9:25 PM

Originally Posted by Town Legend

Jinxy, he was only part of the problem. If you bothered to do a bit of research before posting you'd realise that.

Exactly I think most town fans on here have laid blame with the board. Acornvilla is right they don't want outside input and are a bunch of yes men

**WoodquayBoy** · 14/08/2016, 11:01 PM

Lads, we tried to warn ye about Cousins. And if we didn't try to warn ye, then we're very very sorry about that. An awful dose of a man when it comes to management

**GC13** · 14/08/2016, 11:31 PM

Word is Alan Matthews is being considered for the job

**Acornvilla** · 15/08/2016, 1:40 AM

Originally Posted by GC13

Word is Alan Matthews is being considered for the job

He's already publicly said he'd be interested afaik, would be a bit of a meh appointment, given where his career has gone since leaving us the 1st time. Not sure I'd like him back, but he might be able to get us a few results.

**Mr A** · 15/08/2016, 10:46 AM

From the outside looking in it always looked like Longford were in for a difficult year. Budget reduced and some of the core players moving on aren't easy to replace.

A football club can be a very unpleasant place when things are going badly. When the team is losing, every little thing gets on people's nerves. It can very easy for a board and/or management to put the heads down in such circumstances and the whole thing can spiral further. Trying to keep some level of communication going is vital and it sounds like this isn't happening at Longford at all. Although it isn't really their job, probably the first thing the new manager should do is get people talking again.

**outspoken** · 15/08/2016, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

From the outside looking in it always looked like Longford were in for a difficult year. Budget reduced and some of the core players moving on aren't easy to replace.

A football club can be a very unpleasant place when things are going badly. When the team is losing, every little thing gets on people's nerves. It can very easy for a board and/or management to put the heads down in such circumstances and the whole thing can spiral further. Trying to keep some level of communication going is vital and it sounds like this isn't happening at Longford at all. Although it isn't really their job, probably the first thing the new manager should do is get people talking again.

Cousins said the other day in his departing interview the budget is the same as last season. He simply couldn't handle the big presence players like rice who would speak out in the dressing room I'm sure and signed a load of kids from outside the LOI who wouldn't dare question their new manager. You're exactly right there's zero communication at the club. A New manager will only do so much. Some People have been giving out about fans slating the club online but the reason for that is they have absolutely no other platform to air their frustration or ideas for that matter. I know of a couple of life long fans who sent the club an email at the End of last season listing their concerns about the way the club was being run and the total breakdown between fans and board but never even got a reply. No public AGM in 8 years has left to a stale board. New blood is needed especially with more fan representation even if it's through a SLO which every club should have IMO.

**Mr A** · 15/08/2016, 12:59 PM

Surprised to hear that on the budget- I swear I've seen it said in a couple of places it was reduced. Honestly if you can't believe random web sources I don't know what the world is coming to.

It'd be a brave person took on the SLO role at this stage

On a serious note Longford must have one, at least on paper. But most clubs don't take it particularly seriously as yet. I don't think FHFC did really until this year. Would like to see the FAI take more of an interest also, I emailed to say hello at the start of the year and ask for an up to date contact list- got nothing. No SLO I have spoken to has got anything back either. But like the clubs the FAI have too few people covering too many roles so it ain't easy. Would expect the Irish Supporter Network to contribute in this space over the next few years though.

**Town Legend** · 15/08/2016, 1:32 PM

I was told at the very start that the budget was the exact same as last season. The reason the main players were let go has been posted up here all year.

**Ezeikial** · 15/08/2016, 2:31 PM

I remember this other guy called Tony Cousins with great fondness

http://www.dundalkfcwhoswho.com/player.php?id=369

**GC13** · 15/08/2016, 5:43 PM

He (Matthews) sounded out (by phone) some free agents Saturday re their interest in Longford, I was with one of them at the time

**outspoken** · 15/08/2016, 9:47 PM

Why oh why didn't we sack him 10 games ago. What an effort from the players tonight. Gary Cronnin a real fans favourite even after that defeat.

**Acornvilla** · 15/08/2016, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

Why oh why didn't we sack him 10 games ago. What an effort from the players tonight. Gary Cronnin a real fans favourite even after that defeat.

If that sustains, I'd like to see Gary get the nod for the rest of the season, unless we could possibly get Trevor Croly, or someone of his ilk.

**Town Legend** · 15/08/2016, 10:13 PM

What a massive improvement tonight. So unlucky not to get a point but each and everyone of the players battled til the end. It's been so long since I seen a Town team do that.