Micky Adams and loyalty

[sammy g]

I think the way football is played has moved on in the decade or so since he guided Leicester to the top flight and today's manager of top half league 1 and above teams are as a rule a smarter breed then the counterparts at the turn of the century. I don't think Adams has enough about him to develop sufficiently to meet these changes. Some managers like Warnock have kept up and continued to be successful. I also suspect his time at Port Vale this time will be similar to his second spell with us. Maybe Crawley will come calling!

 

[El Presidente]

I don't think it's ignored, so much as explained away by mentioning that he had a premier league squad in the championship, making it a lot easy to win promotion, thus downplaying his part in it..

That's ignoring the fact that Leicester were in administration and had a transfer embargo placed on them for the season they were promoted.

The three teams relegated from the Premiership last season have not been promoted or were even in the running to do so this season.

 

[Icy Gull]

That's ignoring the fact that Leicester were in administration and had a transfer embargo placed on them for the season they were promoted.

The three teams relegated from the Premiership last season have not been promoted or were even in the running to do so this season.

But you have chosen to ignore the fact that he had virtually all of the large squad that got relegated so the embargo wasn't such a big deal, I doubt the three that came down this season kept their best players, but I stand to be corrected. Leicester may have been in admin but they had a spanking new ground and great support too, which always helps. I believe they came straight back down again as well?

The fact remains that apart from the Leicester promotion Micky has actually achieved pretty much f*** all and seen through pretty much f*** all since leaving here the first time.

 

[El Presidente]

But you have chosen to ignore the fact that he had virtually all of the large squad that got relegated so the embargo wasn't such a big deal, I doubt the three that came down this season kept their best players, but I stand to be corrected. Leicester may have been in admin but they had a spanking new ground and great support too, which always helps. I believe they came straight back down again as well?

The fact remains that apart from the Leicester promotion Micky has actually achieved pretty much f*** all and seen through pretty much f*** all since leaving here the first time.

You are correct that they went straight down, but under Bassett Leicester were relegated with 28 points, and the reason why they didn't sell many players was that no one wanted them. The two sides that came down with Leicester were Ipswich and Derby, who finished respectively 7th and 18th the following season, despite both having good crowds and decent stadia.

I don't understand the hatred towards Adams and why so many revel and obsess about him, wishing him no success. He didn't physically harm anyone to my knowledge in his second spell, we were poor, but we were poor in Wilkins first season, and under Slade too, despite both of them having a bit of financial support to the same level as Adams.

 

[Icy Gull]

You are correct that they went straight down, but under Bassett Leicester were relegated with 28 points, and the reason why they didn't sell many players was that no one wanted them. The two sides that came down with Leicester were Ipswich and Derby, who finished respectively 7th and 18th the following season, despite both having good crowds and decent stadia.

I don't understand the hatred towards Adams and why so many revel and obsess about him, wishing him no success. He didn't physically harm anyone to my knowledge in his second spell, we were poor, but we were poor in Wilkins first season, and under Slade too, despite both of them having a bit of financial support to the same level as Adams.

Never warmed to him but I don't hate him and I wish him no ill, he gave us great days but I cannot forget him chomping at the bit to go somewhere better and he doesn't seem to have learnt his lesson, although I do understand why he would commit suicide by going to his boyhood team. I hope he has the decency to respect Vale giving him another go and stays there at least until he gets them out of League 2.

 

[Scoffers]

Loyalty is for fans not managers or players who get dumped frequently by the clubs, get over it

 

[El Presidente]

Never warmed to him but I don't hate him and I wish him no ill, he gave us great days but I cannot forget him chomping at the bit to go somewhere better and he doesn't seem to have learnt his lesson, although I do understand why he would commit suicide by going to his boyhood team. I hope he has the decency to respect Vale giving him another go and stays there at least until he gets them out of League 2.

Fair enough, can't say I warmed to quite a few Albion managers over the years either!

 

[Bold Seagull]

What were Port Vale thinking of, having him back? What a bunch of losers.

Why? He was doing brilliantly for them, and a Championship team came in, probably at least doubling his wages, Port Vale probably sent him away with their blessing and wished him the best of luck. Not all of football is petty grudges and spitefulness. He get's sacked, why wouldn't they want him back? Players all still want to work with him, I think it would be a case of them cutting their nose off to spite their face. Adams ultimately is the loser, Port Vale have got a manager back they know can get the best out of their squad.

 

[NMH]

It's a Micksed bag of perceptions - his would have been that he did well for us and deserved a leap forward - no hard feelings there.
Uncertainties reigned at Withdean with us anyway, but he sure did come back to support our cause too. Tick of approval.

His position at Leics showed him slightly sold down the river maybe, that he had to wait behind his pal for a long time instead of being 'gaffer'.
I think he was victim of some misunderstandings there.

Second time for us was not under such light circumstances - he was dealing with DK and the board behind the back of Dean Wilkins. For whatever some thought about DW, he had been an Albion man, and his intentions for BHAFC were excellent. He'd been round Adams a lot before too, and it was the fruits of his labour that Adams inherited... and promptly turned into a depressing crowd of losers. Wilkins built el-Abd up for instance, whereas Adams probably lost the player and did his confidence no good.... and no amount of 'cuddles' could cover up the weekly disasters. It was a shame to have to watch, and Tommy Fraser seemed to be the most motivated player on the field. It didn't work at all - and maybe the board should be blamed as much if not more than MA - they STILL maintained that Wilkins had to go though, which was either puzzling or embarrassing ....or perhaps that they'd be hiding their embarrassment by still standing by the debacle, and the complete f***-up they'd made due to their old sentiments.
STILL there's never been an explanation for why DW got elbowed so simply after all the years with The Albion. Maybe something 'private' going on? Something controversial? Could it have been worse that Adams' apparent trysts in the privates department?
DK wasn't looking bulletproof at that point, and there were suspicions of division in the boardroom around that time - which under our tenuous circumstances wouldn't be good. I think it was a copybook blot - in having 'loyalty' for Adams, the DISloyalty to Wilkins was a curse in itself, to the outcome.

The right decision made, was bringing in Russell Slade. Oh, let us never forget him, let his name NOT be a footnote forgotten in that piece of rapidly being eclipsed Albion history. He was nothing to do with the previous managers (that I can think of), came from 'left field' and was a bit of a wing-and-a-prayer decision.
He kept us up barely, pulling the ship around in a tight space while making it seem like a happy old time. Love the man!
I wish we'd had him longer and earlier than we did - and maybe his ambitions were always affected by repeatedly saving clubs from relegation.
HE ought to be managing at a higher level - he deserves it.

It's quite understandable - probably to Russ Slade too - that with a new chairman and the chance to bring in a high-profile guy like Gus Poyet, we'd be moving on. Connections in high places, fine playing career, young, upstanding and respectable, good attitude for the players.... taking us into the new stadium. Case proved in a season and a half (or so), as we became Champs with a month (that's what, about 11%?) of the season still to play.

Adams can be only best remembered for the early noughties when we achieved 2 Championships, over-rode the claims of other egoistic clubs (cheats and nasty sheepshaggers) as 'superior forces to be dealt with', and got a galvanized squad of players behind one amazing striker spearheading The Albion.

Amongst all that, there was Martin Hinshelwood, who we have to agree with him, respectfully, that he didn't have the stuff of management. Not his fault.
Steve Coppell was there to do an impossible job and he carried it out - shame he too saw the brighter lights elsewhere calling to him.
Peter Taylor - fair play - he never said he'd stay the course for more than he was drafted in for, and he fulfilled his short term marvelously.
McGhee was an odd one - could get good players but was a dodgy tactician, we endured too many games with an alienated team that had disparate talents - and egos that didn't allow for great teamwork (with CKR and LK in particular). He seemed to care more that his formation was carried out, and ignored the fact that some disgruntled players were weakening the side with (surely deliberate) bad passing, and he put our only goalscoring talent on the wing! (ffs!) and stubbornly stuck with HIS plan even when it patently wasn't working.


Quite a chequered quilt for over a decade on the lam!

 

[Simster]

On the positive side, he was a good manager for us, got us promoted, went on a stadium march after he'd left. Also he seemed to have time for the supporters, which I quite admire.
On the other hand, left under a cloud having moaned publicly whenever he was overlooked elsewhere, and was incredibly paranoid about anyone who disagreed with him. And the less said about the utter car crash which was his second stint here, the better - I couldn't believe what a poor side we were under him. No Premiership striker to bail him out on that occasion, and the posse on which he relied had long since retired.

So on balance, he was better than average but I'll never consider him a legend, either for his personal or footballing skills I'm afraid.

 

[Acker79]

I don't understand the hatred towards Adams and why so many revel and obsess about him, wishing him no success.

Just for the record, I have no hatred toward him, just highlighting that people don't forget his promotion with leicester, they just diminish his part in it.

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

I respect him. problem is money talks !!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'm not sure its fair to brand as disloyal any manager who left us, all the time we were playing at Withdean, the crappest ground in the entire league, for a higher placed and financially nore stable club.

That's not disloyalty, it's basic common sense, and any one of us would do the same in an equivalent situation of employment. Taylor, Adams, Coppell: they all had to work under huge restraints and you can understand why they couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. That was the depressing reality all the time we were (I love it that we can now say "were") playing at Withdean.

 

[Icy Gull]

I'm not sure its fair to brand as disloyal any manager who left us, all the time we were playing at Withdean, the crappest ground in the entire league, for a higher placed and financially nore stable club.

That's not disloyalty, it's basic common sense, and any one of us would do the same in an equivalent situation of employment. Taylor, Adams, Coppell: they all had to work under huge restraints and you can understand why they couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel. That was the depressing reality all the time we were (I love it that we can now say "were") playing at Withdean.

Hmm Taylor quit when his contract expired at the end of the season having got us promoted. Coppell was "allegedly" transferred by DK who decided the club needed the money more than his expertise, and who are we to argue, but I'm not convinced he actually wanted to go initially.

Adams jumped ship at the 1st opportunity to be a no 2 having spent 6 months publically stating that he wanted to be considered for a better job.

I wouldn't tar Coppell and Taylor with the same brush tbh

 

[Lady Whistledown]

But anyone of us, if offered a job with a more successful company, with far greater potential to expand, a very clear career development plan in place, twice the salary and a far nicer office and perks, would take the job in a heartbeat.

The assistant manager thing was a bit odd yes, but it must have been made clear he'd get the top job in time, and I suspect he was afraid he'd miss the boat if he didn't take the chance.

 

[El Presidente]

Coppell was "allegedly" transferred by DK who decided the club needed the money more than his expertise, and who are we to argue

That story was put about by the DK haters though, little evidence to support it. We stood to make more money from being promoted that season than from 'selling' SC so it was his decision to leave for a club with a better stadium, better budget and better players. Can't fault him for that, but I don't see a lot of difference between him and MA on that score.

 

[Ernest]

I REMEMBER booing him FROM behind the dugout AGAINST Kidderminster and HE told ME to f*** right off, thought Booker was GOING to lamp ME with his CLIPBOARD as well

ADAMS OUT

 

[Storer 68]

.
Steve Coppell was there to do an impossible job and he carried it out - shame he too saw the brighter lights elsewhere calling to him.


QUOTE]

Err , no he didn't. He ALMOST did, but ultimately couldn't quite get us out of the hole we had dug ourseles into.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

But anyone of us, if offered a job with a more successful company, with far greater potential to expand, a very clear career development plan in place, twice the salary and a far nicer office and perks, would take the job in a heartbeat.

The assistant manager thing was a bit odd yes, but it must have been made clear he'd get the top job in time, and I suspect he was afraid he'd miss the boat if he didn't take the chance.

Yes but what you wouldnt do is tell ALL and sundry that you were looking for said job, then MOANING if you never got considered. Maybe to your mum or family. But not the players or the press or ANYONE who would listen. If twitter was around then it would have been on that as well.

At the time SCC were flying high (or higher than us anyway) and he was making noises about being their manager, cant remember who they appointed - Strachan? But he definitely wanted to be considered and made it known. God did he make it known.

This was in his FIRST stint.

Less said the better about the SECOND stint. Im still trying to work out "who his enemies were" and that it "was THE Leeds Utd we were playing".

 

[Scotty Mac]

Less said the better about the SECOND stint. Im still trying to work out "who his enemies were" and that it "was THE Leeds Utd we were playing".

or that the players just needed a hug