The Lonesome Death of Roy Carroll: A new era

Thursday, 24 December 2009

A new era

We're in a pretty novel position at City this week: on the brink of a new era, but still in mid-season. It's the first time it's happened for a while. The start of the Hughes era coincided with the start of the 2008/09 season, as did that of Eriksson in 2007/08. Stuart Pearce was different - emerging out of the end of the Keegan era as a caretaker but only being permanent from 2005/06. Keegan himself replaced Joe Royle at the start of 2001/02.

To go back to the last time we did this sort of thing - sacking a manager in mid season and finding someone else - it's when Joe Royle took over from Frank Clark in February 1998. Of course, it was all the rage in the mid 1990s. But that's another story. It does throw up some interesting issues for followers of football clubs, though: How do you understand the part of the season after the managerial change? Who is ultimately responsible for it? Do the objectives for the season stay the same? Or do they drop to allow for a bedding in period? It seems in our instance that the change came about due to a raising of expectations, and with rumours of a possible contract break if we fail to get top four, that those raised expectations remain locked in place.

So it's going to be a big learning experience for all of us. And how better to start learning than with a busy festive period and two Carling Cup semi-finals.

15 comments:

Blue Phoenix - Moving on up! said...: I just wish we'd get rid of the buffon Cook now.

I think he is a back stabbing git and we don't want peopel at the club like that.

You can bet Hughes being sacked was because this buffon was feeding false promises to KAldoon and then to cover up his own back he pointed a finger at Hughes and made him scape goat.

Mancini in Cook Out; 24 December 2009 at 23:35
wizzballs said...: Patrick, sorry, can't agree.
This came from on high. Khaldoun or Mansour.; 24 December 2009 at 23:49
the gob said...: Brian Marwood has done the best disappearing act since Lazarus..I think you'll see a power struggle in the coming months with Cook being ousted and Marwood taking over as Chief Executive..Its just a hunch..; 25 December 2009 at 00:30
pjdemers said...: Couldn't agree more with Patrick on this one. Even if the decision came from higher up its Cook's job to execute it and he made an absolute pigs breakfast of it. That he was allowed to be anywhere remotely near Manchester during the unveiling of Mancini, let alone a deliver press statement borders on sheer incompetence.

I really think he should be given a nice severance package and asked to quietly tender his resignation. Quite frankly it would be more than he deserves.; 25 December 2009 at 00:35
wizzballs said...: I understand people are pissed off at Cook... but Marwood taking over as chief exec? He's not qualified in any way, and he's Cook's man. Marwood hasn't disappeared because he was never on the radar to begin with! Khaldoun, on the other hand..... well... his original statement caused quite a few problems by insinuating a pattern of results had led to Hughes' firing. Everyone else is picking up the pieces now (however hamfistedly).

Did you see Cook's comments today about Liverpool? Hilarious. Some have called him a pantomime villain, a lightning rod for criticism aimed at the club.... or an inspector closeau, a bumbling inept genius who succeeds despite himself.

You can lather yourselves up as much as you like, but there are two reasons Cook is going nowhere... One; he's quite good at the rest of his job, and Two; he knows where the bodies are hidden. in fact he hid them, whilst the press was working itself into a furore over how idiotic he is. And the sheik won't let the press push him into action.... after hughes's sacking, the press are desparate to know they have some influence on city. but sheiky, he does what he wants, as we've seen. ok, that's three and a bit reasons. you try sticking to two after half a bottle of Ballie Nicol Jarvie....

Merry Christmas Citizens!; 25 December 2009 at 02:00
wizzballs said...: oh flaming hell, I wish I'd just said:

Merry Christmas Citizens!

seriously if cook has to go as well to unify us, then so be it... I just worry that we are arguing in ever decreasing circles....; 25 December 2009 at 03:01
DDJ said...: Cook out asap....simples.

If Kenyon is available, post-Abramovich gardening leave - and, if it is true that he is actually a Citeh fan from his childhood, then bring him in.

Cook is a pantomime villain - an idiotic figure of fun and suited to derision and ridicule - hell he can't even say the word 'process' in English!; 25 December 2009 at 04:10
Ambient said...: Looks like Mancini has pulled the rug on gormless Garry once more. When do the custard pies start flying?

Happy Christmas all blues!; 25 December 2009 at 10:40
Johnny Crossan said...: PJDEMERS QUOTE
"For you, Johnny Crossan, to suggest that Hughes was afforded even a modicum of decency tells me that you reside in state of delusion so wonderfully constructed that no amount of psychedelic drugs could allow me to achieve the state of hallucination in which you currently find yourself.

The only area in which I disagree with CitySlacker is I think you're more than welcome to use any language you want to reveal yourself to be what many of us suspect you are. "Tit" seems to be a little too charitable at the moment."

"Reveal yourself to be what many of us suspect you are"

intriguing - I refer to my previous reply to your pal City_Slacker

"The story of Lonesome, sorry Lonely - I'll re-name him just for you - is a sad but familiar tale. Young southern-based City fan, cruising the Oxford common rooms, and then he falls in with a bad lot. Dear Henry Winter, racist and bigoted he may be, but a talented
poisoner nonetheless.The Telegraph think the world of him. Did you hear him at the Press Conference? First question to Mancini "Do you know the kind of people you'll be working for?" "Did you do any background checks on their character?"

Now he just wants to destroy City."

It seems you, like Lonely and CitySlacker are his willing ally. You are all beneath contempt.; 25 December 2009 at 10:43
Nogheed said...: Cook will be ousted in the summer.He's the last remnant of the hastily constructed Thaksin set-up. He appointed Hughes, had to wash his hands with him now in order to survive. The media is on his back for real now, smelling blood, and won't let go until he's history. Him out would clean the slate and make way for more of a liason-type of person; someone with a footballing and social integrity. Surely City can get anyone in with marketing skills from anywhere, but need to be more smart with the next person talking and acting on their behalf. We need someone eho can do that in the long term, as managers will come and go, whatever happens.

Rog the Nog; 25 December 2009 at 19:44
wizzballs said...: OTT from Crossan. 'beneath contempt'? what have you been drinking today?

all this infighting...will it ever end? the next guy is always as big a blue as you, probably as well read on the subject and just as reasonable, underneath it all.

to be fair, IMO Winter is a smug little so-and-so, always has been, always will. A man who descends into blustering, arrogant nonsense at the drop of a hat, who just this month has openly suggested that different ethical standards should be applied to Alex Ferguson, because he is such an important figure in British Football....

he was a big hughes ally before he joined city, and is continuing that now. he does have an agenda, you can tell from his tweets, blogs, questions and columns that he is on a mission to trash the city heirachy, and disparage the owners. I think a large part of that is just him sticking up for his mate, or defending the high regard which he has always had for Hughes.

Let's put it into perspective. His counterparts Paddy Barclay and Joe Lovejoy, chief scribes at the Times and Guardian respectively, criticised the manner of the sacking, but both rated Hughes's efforts at city as well below par, and thought the move was more than justified.

It's all irrelevant now. Cook is the new target. And I think there is more to that than meets the eye. It's like Kenyon at Chelsea. Abramovich and Schvidler (?) escaped criticism for a series of controversial episodes at the club, because Kenyon took responsibility and made himself a target... a pantomime villain, if you will. I suspect, despite his genuine ineptitude in certain PR situations, Cook is fulfilling a similair role at city, deflecting criticism from Mansour and Khaldoun. Just like Abramovich, these are people whose reputation is vital to them, people who have extremely significant roles outside of football. Being targetted by the rapacious English football media is something they could do without.

Anyway, I guess we all expect tomorrow to be exciting in one way or another. We'll scarcely have time to gather our thoughts before Monday's game... and then we're into the Window, more crucial league games, the FA cup, the Carling Cup semi-finals, the climax of the League, and even then we will still be on tenterhooks, waiting to find out where we really stand with Mancini, and vice-versa.

Hopefully that will be enough to keep our minds occupied without worrying about the power-plays and politics!; 26 December 2009 at 02:54
Johnny Crossan said...: Ok Wizzballs, it was OTT. Above contempt but very worrying.
Anyway, wise words my fellow blue but I am shocked to learn that Ryan Giggs' biographer is now chief scribe at The Guardian.

I wonder who'll play today, Lonely seems to have dropped his Postit montage but for what it's worth here's my team:

Given

Micah Kolo Kompany Barry

Tevez DeJong Robbie Bellamy

Adebayor

Richards at CB on Monday and Zab RB. Also Stevie in for Robbie or Bellamy and RSC for Ade.; 26 December 2009 at 08:23
N Rowland said...: Crossan - just as I thought, you have been drinking excessively and you worry too much about the goings on off the pitch, and not enough on it. Starting 10 on the pitch are we today? Or is it the "ghoater" of Christmas past slotting in beside Ade today?

Let's all get behind the team, eh? That includes the whole organisation. Jack - keep up the great work!; 26 December 2009 at 12:57
Johnny Crossan said...: Apologies chaps, room for Stevie!

Given

Micah Kolo Kompany Barry

Robbi DeJong Stevie Bellamy

Tevez Adebayor

Richards at CB on Monday and Zab RB. Also RSC for Ade

Hiccc.....; 26 December 2009 at 13:11
pjdemers said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 27 December 2009 at 00:54