Hmm Cousins didn't have the demeanour of a man that was 100% assured of his position on Friday night by all accounts. I'm not totally against him staying on for a lot of the reasons outspoken posted above. He seems a genuinely lovely fella but at some point enough will have to be enough.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
I've never had the opportunity to speak to TC, but from anyone I've heard that has, he's a lovely fella. However, nice fellas don't always make good managers.
TC has failed to learn his lessons from last year. He's had 2 years with an extremely competitive budget and he had failed to get us up. People will point to the injury of Sammo, but barring him and perhaps Hope (2 injuries that happened throughout the season) our squad should have been big enough coupled with the lack of of quality in the league should have seen us over the line. If anything I feel the midfield pairing of Connolly and Gorman are a better pairing than Sammo and Gillespie, and that's no slight on Sammo.
When Teams started to find out about Sully, we had no plan B, and that comes from the manager. Our style of play in the middle part of the season cost us dearly, as our insistence on the long ball starved our better ball players of possession.
Our set pieces, both offensively and defensively seemed like pot luck half the time. Over the year two coaches have left, Britton (who brought in sully, don, Doyle, et al) and Coffey and from what I've heard TC had a part to play in both departures. Team selection baffled at times, the one that stands out was purdy (in centre mid) corrie and sully in a 5 man midfield v mervue. Baffling.
When we needed a new striker and winger in the window, we brought in Ebbe and O'brien...
I think it's time for a new voice and a change at the top.
It's looking like we'll be starting the season with a new squad, I think it's time we brought in a new manager too.
If he can't keep the players we have now them a new squad should have a new manager. If he can keep the players we have now (which a player I was talking to today reckons he can do) then he should stay simply for the sake of stability and the bigger picture of the squad and bringing through young players. However either way I would like 2 new coaches I don't feel deans and Cronin cut it at this level. No time to sit back now we have to make up our minds quickly and try and gain and advantage over our rivals for next season, I'd love to see if we could poach any of those mervue lads.
I think everyone would agree that whatever the decision is it needs to be made quickly. We can't afford any long drawn out uncertainty. The budget should be pretty similar to this year's I'd imagine so confirm the manager as soon as possible and let him get to work on firstly keeping or trying to keep our best players and then adding to the squad as best he can.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
I also think that the club would be wise not to make any smart arlic comments that Roddy was referring to earlier this season ever again as it came to roost for us. I heard it confirmed tonight at the supporters club meeting it WAS true.. I hope comments like that are never said again.. I know who said it but I am not goin to reveal who it is.
Gary Cronin is he the right man to manage Longford Town?
He didn't even show up at the final game. We would have returned the favour and let him have a sip out of the cup and everything.
Celebrating 130 Years of Athlone Town Football Club - Pride of the Midlands Since 1887
I think there is too much being made of that comment! It was a comment made in jest, nothing wrong with a bit of slagging!
AgreedOriginally Posted by Keen2win
If you can keep your head when all around you have lost theirs, then you probably haven't understood the seriousness of the situation.
Exactly, it's part of football and local rivalry and it's not as if athlone didn't make comments about us during the year it's all swings and roundabouts in this game.
Well If we keep Cousins we need a strong Number 2 who has the potential to be Number 1 and keeps Cousins on his toes for the season. We don't need a yes man Number 2. Some of the defending at times was shambolic from a team which finished second in the tablet. If he stays fair enough, I would of been of the opinion that he deserved the chop earlier in the season after the slump and let us not forget most of us thought we would drop to 4th and not make any playoff at all.
This years slump injuries withstanding was unforgivable with the lead we had at the start of July. The football has been primitive at times but that's the first division. I forgive the previous season as Limerick were always going to come good in the end and catch us.
Looking at next years First Division does TC have it in him to win the league ? I can see Shels whether all amateur or not will have about maybe 1k thru the doors every second week and most Dublin based players happy to play for them. The new Galway will be a threat as they should be able to attract some decent players to augment the Mervue contingent. Who knows what Waterford or Harps put together and Cobh have been a bogey team for us all season and that leaves just the Youths who maybe bottom of the table but will always be sticky at ferrycarrig park. There is SD this year to pick up points against. It could be a wide open division and I wonder after 2 tough campaigns are some of the players and the manager up to it ?
Last time I wrote about this I was told to F... off but here goes this is what I was trying to put across
I believe it is every fans duty to slag off the opposition but not the club managements, technical staffs, committees or players place to say such things, they can brag, boast, slag, joke, or whatever after they have won something but not before.
I would imagine TC was over the moon when Shoddy said they were going to batter us, he would have used it to fire the blood in De Town players, we lost 1 nil hardly a battering, then of course we beat them in their place, Pat Devlin would use the Bray are no great shakes quote to motivate his players
There are numerous examples of people saying what they were going to do only for it to bite them in the arse,
I know the chairman probably let his emotions get the better of him and he just called it like he saw, it's understandable as he has so much invested in this club he clearly loves, I have spoken to him a few times at games and he appears to be a lovely man and I have nothing but admiration for what he has done and is trying to do for De Town, Here's hoping he has loads to brag about after next season is OVER
No offence but your talking rubbish. Roddy said we were a shambles and athlone would hammer us, did it spur us on to win? No we lost 1-0. So your idea that harmless comments on the radio cost us promotion is way out of line.
Plus it's pretty unlikely anyone from Bray was actually paying any attention to anything that was on Shannonside. I don't think the comments appeared anywhere else?
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
I am not saying it cost promotion all I'm saying is it doesn't help and I don't think things like that should be said before a game thats all no offence intended towards jim or anyone else just my opinion obviously lots of you don't agree so lets agree to disagree and leave it at that.
hope to see you all again in Feb/March 2014
I've spoken to Cousins a few times and he really is a genuinely nice fella who'd always stop for a chat. That's why I for one always stood up for him until the collapse this season. I really do think its time for a change. As a person I highly respect but as a manager I just don't think he has it in him to get us promoted. But.....if he does remain in charge I will be back at the CCS to give my support to the team in the hope all works out with promotion next season. As a matter of interest, if Cousins was to remain in charge who would everyone like to see him keep and move on next season? Also the few players that we possibly might not hold onto, ie Josh and Sully and maybe one or two others.
Keep: Bennion (But bring in a young back up and release hunt ), haverty, hope and maybe willo but not overly pushed with him, Tyrell and Quinn as he proved his worth and temperament at the end of the season, salmon, connolly, Rhys, shaw, sully Josh and Gavin Doyle.
Release: hunt, Deans (was brilliant in play offs but no way has he another year in him), Nkololo (He's a gentleman but didn't do enough when fit to prove his worth) O'Brien (was an awful signing), Michael Ischieli.
I don't think wel keep Connolly, Gorman, Josh or Sully so whoever is in charge has a huge rebuilding job to do. Better make it quick.
Just confirmed: Cousins is staying on for next season.
Don't think it would have been my decision but at least it's been made quickly and he can get on with at least trying to keep our best players.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
Agree totally about the promptness of the decision.
Cousins' existing relationship with the players will hopefully provide an advantage in getting a core group re-signed for the 2014, which would be great. The downside is that we're probably looking at another season of frustrating tactics and decision-making. And with Shels and the new Galway club now in the mix, it won't be good for the heart...
He must have assured JH that a good proportion of the players would stay around if he was still manager. Can't see any other reasoning!
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