If you were Wilkins, would you stay?

[Gritt23]

Ok, put yourself in Wilkins shoes. You've taken us to 7th in the League, probably feel you are building nicely for a challenge next season. You've cleared out the deadwood (sorry Guy and OGH, but that is the phrase) and you are preparing for a busy summer bringing in players to make the push for a promotion.

Suddenly your job has gone to a former manager from years back, and you are offered the job of senior coach, do you ....

 

[RM-Taylor]

No, walk away and find a club that is right and doesn't have a f***ed-up chairman in charge.

 

[Yoda]

Not a cat's chance in hell.

 

[BensGrandad]

When our youth team had their good season it was suggested that he had been approached by one of the top Premiership clubs to take over as Youth Manager/coach perhaps that is where his future lies.

 

[Gritt23]

Of course, if he does walk out he will be a very strange commodity on the managerial market in that he has a very good reputation as a coach, an excellent reputation for bringing home grown youth players through, and when given the managers job he showed he can make good progress with a minimal budget.

No failures in that, and yet he's available. I'd be well chuffed to get him in, and you'd be scratching your head at why he's available.

 

[Silent Bob]

Go to a (much) bigger club and coach/run the yoof set up.
Make a (slight) step down and continue managing.

Both would seem FAR better options than stay here and take a job with little prospect and fraught with potential issues.

 

[Easy 10]

If I was Wilkins, I'd be at option 3 stage right now.
Later on today, I think I'd be carrying out option 2.

I'm a massive Adams fan, but Wilkins deserved better than this. We'd made real progress under his stewardship, and he must feel utterly crushed that he's basically been sacked despite having made that progress. And having him carry out the process of releasing players on the eve of Adams's arrival is a pretty shitty way of doing things.

Part of me IS happy to see Adams back. But the way its been done leaves a very sour taste. I thought this club treated people better than that.

 

[pasty]

A similar thing happened to me many moons ago. I was an assistant manager in my job when the manager left, and I was given the role "on a trial basis" which continued well for a few months. Then, totally out of the blue I was introduced to the new permanent manager, without even having known interviews were taking place. To put the icing on the cake, I was then asked to train the new manager in the specifics of the role. Needless to say my reply contained the word "off".

 

[bright1064]

If I was Wilkins I'd tell Knight to shove the job up his arse!

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'm struggling to think of another example in football where the situation of sacked manager as coach and new manager have gone on to be successful.

Dare I say it, but given we're on the brink of Euro 2008 the Venables / McLaren comparison, whilst not EXACTLY the same, has similarities sufficient to make me feel slightly uncomfortable.

 

[beorhthelm]

everyone assumes that Wilkins knew nothing about this and that he would not be happy. maybe he would rather be in a coach/assistant role? we will see in the coming days....

 

[Scotty Mac]

no - he has been shit on. as much as i dont like the guy, he deserves a LOT better than this

 

[vulture]

Wilkins loves this club to much to walk away...its all very strange...Im sure we shall here more asap

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Wilkins loves this club to much to walk away...its all very strange.

I bloody hope he does. I also think he and Adams would be an absolutely ASTOUNDING double-act.

But then I put myself in his shoes. I love and feel dead proud to work for my employer -- but if I was shafted that badly and could get a good job elsewhere, I know what I'd do. I'd f*** off.

 

[Scotty Mac]

I bloody hope he does. I also think he and Adams would be an absolutely ASTOUNDING double-act.

But then I put myself in his shoes. I love and feel dead proud to work for my employer -- but if I was shafted that badly and could get a good job elsewhere, I know what I'd do. I'd f*** off.

if i was in wilkins shoes i would never stay - he has gone from being the big cheese to one of the lads, despite the fact he has done an outstanding job and taken us to a position many thought wasnt possible at the start of the season

how many other clubs have had a manager over achieve in his job, only to be relegated to first team coach the season over? if first team coach is the future of dean wilkins, then he could get a far better job than brighton and hove albion

 

[saltash seagull]

i just hope wendy is more forgiving than i would be