Rage Online

slappy wrote:Look at what Lenagan did with Wigan Warriors. Appointed an overseas coach rather than a big name. Took someone who bought into the whole youth development and bringing through local players.

I'm not sure how much Lenagan had to do with Wilder's appointment, but I suspect that was more to do with a young cheap manager who knew the lower leagues and Conference, and would work within a budget.

I think that the buying into the youth development is critical (and understanding that the budget is the budget and the manager can't simply expect that it will be stretched).

CW has improved in the YD front (Ruffels especially against Fleetwood), but I don't think that it is second nature to him. I think that Il would like to have somebody who wanted to use the youth players without having to be forced into it.

Will be watching South Today to see if there are any clues tonight.

Pompey fans I know have no strong indication yet.

If it is CW perhaps chat it through with family up North, take the team through the cup replay and announcement on Friday?

South Today just said Pompey continued interviewing candidates today, including Steve Claridge...

OUFC4eva wrote:If CW was to leave I would probably expect Mickey Lewis and Andy Melville
to go with him.

Who would therefore become the U's caretaker manager ?

Chris Allen, maybe even Dubes or would Jim come back in as he did in 2008 after Patto was sacked.

What's Jim doing these days?

Fordy

OUFC4eva wrote:If CW was to leave I would probably expect Mickey Lewis and Andy Melville
to go with him.

Who would therefore become the U's caretaker manager ?

Chris Allen, maybe even Dubes or would Jim come back in as he did in 2008 after Patto was sacked.

What's Jim doing these days?

Why would you expect Lewis and Melville to go with him - it is not as if they came with him when he joined us is it - he was pretty much forced to take them (or Lewis at least). It's like expecting him to take the Dev Squad with him....

I would imagine that one if not both would stay here initially (depends I guess on who there is on the coaching staff at Pompey at the moment does anyone know who IS there, apart from Awford?)) and would therefore be caretaker. CAn't imagine he'd bring someone in to be caretaker, so would expect it to be (in order of likelihood, depending on who does leave) - Lewis, Melville, Allen, then probably Kitson

The fact that Wilder has spoken to a team in a relegation fight in the same division as we are top of the league, a team with significant financial millstones and development hurdles, a team with a (self professed) mid-table budget, is a strong indicator that he either does not wish to be at Oxford, or that he has insufficient confidence in his squad to achieve the promotion that would guarantee him a much improved contract in the future.

Had the approach been from a higher level team, or club with much better prospects, it would be a very different matter.

Let's be in no doubt, Wilder has done a pretty good job this season under Lenagan's all seeing eye. However, I suspect Lenagan's approach on this was to an extent, a test of Wilder's continuing loyalty and desire to remain, and talking to Portsmouth will have done Wilder no favours in Lenegan's eyes.

I think, to be fair, if anyone got sounded out for another job, they'd want to go and see what it's all about. It's just in football, these things become public from a very early stage, so there's less chance of pulling a sickie and sneaking off for a surreptitious interview.

As Oxblogger posted elsewhere, the Pompey brand is still fairly big at the moment, and as I posted earlier, it's a job with almost nothing to lose: he can't make them worse, there's a reasonable chance of making them better. Very much like Oxford were when he took over here. So, you can't blame him for at least going to see what there interest might come to. Given their financial state, I doubt they'll be able to offer much more money, but you'd guess a longer contract will be on the table...?

I thought IL's comment about Wilder staying at the club because he wanted to, not because we'd forbidden him to speak to anyone else was spot on too. If Wilder doesn't go (and let's not forget that his rival for the job is currently out of work and therefore not requiring compensation payments), hopefully he will appreciate the gesture made by the club...this might if anything prove to be a good thing.

----

Any news if he's made it up to Gateshead yet for tonight's inevitable postponement? Pompey to Newcastle on a CrossCountry train, that's a long old trek, plenty of time to focus the mind.

They may currently be in a bit of trouble, but they get 15000 supporters each week, so if (a big if admittedly and not a quick if) they get their finances and infrastructure sorted out they have more resources than us. I don't blame Wilder for wanting a chat and I'd be surprised if IL did either, he's out of contract at the end of the season and if nothing else it might get him a longer contract at Oxford.
Can Pompey even pay compensation though at the moment? If not, I don't see how they could employ him, is it perhaps a case of Portsmouth wanting to be seen to be doing the whole interviewing process when the reality is they need someone who is free. Next season might be a different kettle of fish however.

I think this: http://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/news/arti ... 17549.aspx is interesting.

Firstly because it echoes what we put out the other day and secondly because the pair together present an argument that by allowing their managers to talk to Portsmouth both clubs are basically giving a statement about the strength of their current relationship with their manager and what they as clubs have to offer them, compared to Newport, whose refusal to let Edinburgh speak to Pompey indicates a fear that he might be persuaded to move. As our statement hinted, of the three the most negative impact of the Pompey issue is likely to come in Wales.

It is also worth noting the odds at the bookies have lengthened dramatically for Wilder since he spoke to them, from being a close second or joint (but never outright) favourite, out to a longish fourth favourite behind Barker, Awford and Tisdale. One would assume that shift is based on news filtering out from the Pompey camp.

It does all smack of the rumours which came out from the supporters forums down there very early on (and strengthened by the somewhat clumsy PR releases that followed), that Barker has been a shoo-in all along (having worked with CRO catlin at bury), but that Pompey were going to make a big thing of contacting other clubs and drawing up a shortlist of names to act as a smokescreen to cover up this fact. It seems Oxford and Exeter have both seen through this, tho perhaps not Newport).
Seems the bookies have also known, never letting Barker drift out beyond evens, but doing a good job of enticing money in on Wilder, and clearly the fans down there were never going to be duped either.

Who is to say that Barker will not be the right man for them anyway (particularly if Coppell can be brought in alongside to add his experience to whole operation behind the scenes) and I wonder whether they actually needed to go through this whole charade to convince supporters, rather than just get on with it, bigging up their new man and the benefits that Coppell will bring to the footballing operation. A more cynical view might be that it was necessary in order to provide cover for Barker 'leaving' Crawley to take the role without the need for compensation (to get round FA sanctions). A highly conspiratorial view, might even ask the question whether Crawley have indeed been complicit in this strategy and may somehow find themselves compensated in another fashion - but one would assume that a willingness to avoid comparisons with previous personnel at the club would mean that such activities would not be contemplated.

I sense the players will be on the receiving end of some comforting news prior to kick-off, although probably under sworn secrecy not to reveal anything until Barker's appointment is announced tomorrow.

I have no problem with Wilder going to speak to Portsmouth. As has already been said, most of us sneak off for job interviews when these opportunities come up. I have worked for the same company for 10 years but have been to a few interviews in that time. I have never had a real desire to leave my current job but a) wanted to see what the new opportunity was all about, b) keep my interview 'skills' up to date, and c) if more money was offered, potentially use it as leverage with my current employer to get a better deal.

Even if Wilder is offered the Portsmouth job, I can't see him taking it unless it is an unbelievable multi-year deal. Talk about a poisoned chalice.

Wilder's odds seem to have drifted significantly - http://www.oddschecker.com/football/foo ... nt-manager - Barker now odds on favourite, with Wilder available at between 8-1 and 20-1. Presumably this means he won't get it.

Excellent news.

The first 90 minutes can't have done much for his chances either.

Cmon Oxford, this is awful

GodalmingYellow wrote:The fact that Wilder has spoken to a team in a relegation fight in the same division as we are top of the league, a team with significant financial millstones and development hurdles, a team with a (self professed) mid-table budget, is a strong indicator that he either does not wish to be at Oxford, or that he has insufficient confidence in his squad to achieve the promotion that would guarantee him a much improved contract in the future.

Had the approach been from a higher level team, or club with much better prospects, it would be a very different matter.

Let's be in no doubt, Wilder has done a pretty good job this season under Lenagan's all seeing eye. However, I suspect Lenagan's approach on this was to an extent, a test of Wilder's continuing loyalty and desire to remain, and talking to Portsmouth will have done Wilder no favours in Lenegan's eyes.

Refreshing and honest view. I agree with the opening paragraph and the two reasons you mention as to why he is considering leaving. However, I cannot now see him getting the Portsmouth job and think it's a slug-off between Tisdale and Barker/Coppell.

As for the remainder of the coaching team, I doubt Wilder will be allowed to take both of them, maybe one at a push but some of our coaching team have great experience and ability. I bet when the time comes for Wilder to leave we will be left with Melville and/or Lewis to work with a new man.

Jimski wrote:Wilder's odds seem to have drifted significantly - http://www.oddschecker.com/football/foo ... nt-manager - Barker now odds on favourite, with Wilder available at between 8-1 and 20-1. Presumably this means he won't get it.

Excellent news.

This betting lark is bemusing.

Just checked your link because as you say last night he drifted to 20's. Now this morning he is back in the hunt, odds between 8's and 12's. Some more money must have been lumped on.

Still can't see him getting the job.

I must say I find how this is all panning out very strange. Normally you don't see a club ask for permission to speak to another manager unless they know they want him. Pompys approach of asking to speak to a number of managers in employment is pretty poor in my view they should identify who they want to take the job rather than interviewing such a long list. I'm sure it goes on behind the scenes at other clubs but I've never known it to be done like this before, usually if a club grants permission it means the manager is going to move, this will not be the case in at least one example here. The timing is simply awful as well - mucks about with the prep at Fleetwood, a defensive crisis last night and our manager is busy preparing for a interview and having the interview rather than focussing on a very tricky situation and if they announce on Monday that could scupper our chances at Wrexham (I think the result last night was in spite of everything the performance was pretty poor from the senior players in front of the back four but full credit to the youngsters).

If Wilder following the interview is not interested he should announce that, however, if he wants the job (and by his lack of announcement I assume that he does) and IL isn't willing to extend his contract he should leave now, employing a manager who so obviously doesn't want to be at the club is not going to work, either from a player point of view or a fan one.

Even if he stays I don't think there is a way back for him now, Pompy and Wilder seem to expect us to sit idely by while they make their mind up, as others have stated they are a smaller club both in terms of budget and promotion chances than us and I find it all quite disrespectful.