TOXIC
On trial
Posts: 227
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Post by TOXIC on Mar 9, 2020 18:45:56 GMT
I suppose he deserves a shot at it, but how uninspiring for the fan's, especially after the last two performances, where they had no oomph about them at all.. Didn't get a season ticket this season, and I shan't next season either Plenty of dead wood to get rid of starting with the midfield trio of O'Neil, lambe and Lewis all too mediocre I shall be attending the legend's evening soon, don't see any of the current crop of player's ever reaching that status
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Post by squeeze. on Mar 9, 2020 18:52:48 GMT
Never wanted an appointment to work more than this one, unfortunately never been so confident that won’t be the case.
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gstictok
Youth team star
Posts: 1,804
Favourite CUFC player: Tom Cowan
Favourite CUFC match: 9th November 1991 Ipswich 1 - 2 Cambridge Utd
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Post by gstictok on Mar 9, 2020 18:53:58 GMT
Initial thoughts underwhelmed especially after the last 2 games but lets see who he keeps and what sort of signings he makes. At least the uncertainty has gone now. I hope he proves us wrong and good luck to him. It won't affect me getting a season ticket for next season.
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Post by kentishu on Mar 9, 2020 18:59:14 GMT
Disastrous pointless cheap short sighted decision. I won't go while he's in charge Says the person who, only a few days ago, said they'd been hooked since 1998. That being said, I am now hoping that Macc survive the season so there's a chance that next season will only see one relegation place too.
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Post by Andrewlang on Mar 9, 2020 19:05:51 GMT
It's odd the appointment should feel so off in some ways. I feel like I should be quite excited by someone that has clearly had to work damn hard to work his way from Comberton Angels (or whatever, I don't know his history) to Cambridge United manager. That doesn't happen by accident...there must be some pretty impressive coaching ability behind that somewhere, right?.
I also feel like I should applaud a club for being brave and not going down the traditional ex-player route but chosen someone who has instead earned the job by proving himself and winning over doubters at every level (I know next to nothing about him actually, he could do with a wiki page now that he's 'somebody'). He doesn't have bags of experience I grant you, but I bet some of us complaining would hump a moose to have Chadwick as manager and he has considerably less experience.
I think I could convince myself to be excited by this tbh. A commitment to an increased budget next season should answer the 'cheap' appointment arguments too - clearly if we're throwing more money at the playing budget this ISN'T a cheap appointment, it's the appointment we think is right.
Andrew
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laker
Youth team star
Posts: 1,594
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Post by laker on Mar 9, 2020 19:09:45 GMT
Really want it to work for him but can’t say I’m impressed by the appointment - not his fault but it just smacks of the “cheap option”. Sense we’ll be back here in a year’s time.
Only hope is that there is a big clear out of players so Bonner isn’t hamstrung by a ton of deadwood.
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jimsh
Unattached
Posts: 30
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Post by jimsh on Mar 9, 2020 19:12:09 GMT
Disastrous pointless cheap short sighted decision. I won't go while he's in charge Says the person who, only a few days ago, said they'd been hooked since 1998. That being said, I am now hoping that Macc survive the season so there's a chance that next season will only see one relegation place too.
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jimsh
Unattached
Posts: 30
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Post by jimsh on Mar 9, 2020 19:15:40 GMT
I have been hooked since 98 but I've become increasingly frustrated by the club's short sightedness and currently can't bear to watch the same mistakes over and over again. As a pensioner I can think of better things to spend twelve quid on
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Post by abbeymadman2 on Mar 9, 2020 19:21:55 GMT
The positives for me from this appointment
- he knows the youth team well, hopefully we'll see more coming through and making an impact. - perhaps (assuming) given his more limited network to a Calderwood, local talent might be scouted and followed more. - he's passionate about the club, that's clear to see. He knows our fans and how we would like to see the team play.
I hope it's a positive period under his leadership, time will tell.
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Post by Jerry1971 on Mar 9, 2020 20:08:33 GMT
Well, Bons is our new HC/manager/gaffer. Whatever the reasons and the politics, whatever the history which we all have witnessed with previous, Mark now has an incredible opportunity which I feel he’s worked incredibly hard for.
We are entitled to opinions, and it is OK to express them, but on a day when Cambridge United has a new Head Coach we should really all be looking at him and not the structure or Board. As such Bons, huge congratulations and from me at least, my complete support.
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Post by bergerac on Mar 9, 2020 20:20:11 GMT
So what has really changed for this new ‘era’ we were promised a few weeks ago? Strang still there, Saint Daniels still there, Bonner still there! First sign of madness, doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.... literally!
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Post by ChrisVessey on Mar 9, 2020 20:23:11 GMT
Barry keeps saying next season we'll have a 'bigger budget' - do we think he means a 'top three proper going for it Mansfield style' or a steady top half one?
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Post by Andrewlang on Mar 9, 2020 20:29:53 GMT
"Barry keeps saying next season we'll have a 'bigger budget' - do we think he means a 'top three proper going for it Mansfield style' or a steady top half one?"
Neither. I think it's probably a steady mid-table one now tbh. I doubt it will be top 5 level of spending so somewhere between that and where we are now is what I'd think
Andrew.
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Post by themiddle on Mar 9, 2020 20:35:18 GMT
Well, all I can say is good luck to him. I hope he does a John Beck and turns the on field fortunes of our beloved club around. If he does, he will go down in our history, totally on merit, having done things his way. Get JB back into the Turner role....full cycle complete. I truly hope it works out well for all of us.
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jwills61
Youth team star
Up The U's
Posts: 1,633
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Post by jwills61 on Mar 9, 2020 20:52:07 GMT
Mixed feelings about this one. First of all, it's worth saying that Mark strikes me as a guy that's going to work very hard with the opportunity he's been given. He's a young coach, without playing experience. To get to where he has is a real achievement and he did a good job with the youth team by all accounts. He also has the backing of former players and coaches, so that counts for something, in my eyes.
I think Mark is pretty articulate. He speaks well and with passion without being cliched. His interviews normally offer actual analysis rather than buzzwords, which is refreshing. And as we're operating under a 'Head Coach' model, part of me thinks 'well, it might as well be him':
- He's a coach rather than a manager - He knows the players better than anybody - He cares about the club and knows it inside out - He's worked with some of our better youngsters, so is best-placed to incorporate them into the first team and develop them - and fulfil that philosophy - He has the club's best interests at heart and will make decisions accordingly (rather than out of self-preservation)
The issue I have, as ever, is the fact that this puts even more responsibility on Ben Strang. Who I like quite a bit less than Mark. Bonner does not have the football connections that a Money, Calderwood or even Derry had. That means we will be heavily reliant on Strang to do our transfer business. And he's got a pretty 'mixed' record, if we're being fair. This strikes me as a very clear 'you coach, I'll sign the players' kind of relationship. Now, maybe that is what we need. We certainly need a clear idea of our best approach and our philosophy. Maybe this appointment gives us that, I'm not sure. What it does mean, however - is there's nowhere for Strang to hide if things go wrong.
Bonner strikes me as fairly sensible. He's not going to play silly 352's and play people out of position like Calderwood. He'll keep it to a simple 4411 or 442 and put the best players out that he can. Which in many ways, is all you need. I don't think he's going to be so good that he overachieves with what he has, I also don't think he'll drastically underachieve. What that means though, is we'll only be as good as the squad we assemble... looking at you again, Strang.
I have my doubts that a non-player can command the respect of the players in the same way as an ex-pro. But you just have to look at how much the players disliked Calderwood to see it's not an exact science.
I'll give Bonz a chance. I desperately want him to do well. He seems like a great fit in so many ways but there are obvious question marks around experience and connections. Be interested to see who his Assistant is. Almost expect it to be Tom Pell, why not commit to it?
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