Steve Clake - New Poll

[Lacoste]

I'm interested to see what peoples confidence in SC is now.

When he was appointed, I made my feelings clear that I was prepared to back him, however felt that it was the wrong appointment with no previous success or actual footballing ethos. He was just local and available.

He made an initial impact, like most new managers do. There is however no improvement and while the players appear to like him, I don't think he has the tactical knowledge to move RFC forward. I've been watching football long enough to realise that success doesn't happen overnight but this just looks and feels wrong.

Before people start calling this a knee jerk reaction, I have thought this from the start and the two other polls I have started on Brian or Nige have proved to be the right timing.

I really want him to succeed but I just don't think he will. The FA Cup success has massively papered over the cracks and our majority shareholder has made it clear recently that he is up to date with our current form so it's not like he's just burying is head in the sand. He is very aware and I think he'll pull the trigger if this goes on much longer but for this season I think the cup has saved him.

Worryingly, we risk wasting another season next year and I personally think we'll be worse. Whilst I'm slightly contradicting myself here, I would want Dolan in even though he hasn't the experience but I just have a feeling he would o a good job for us.

This really isn't just about today, Clarke is a decent up and at em coach but he really isn't a manager in my opinion.

I hope this gets stuffed down my throat in a few months I really do and I'm humble enough to take it if he succeeds and like I say, I hope he does.

[AthleticoSpizz]

So, you're a little worried then?

[Lacoste]

So, you're a little worried then?

yep.

[AthleticoSpizz]

We will wait and see what Ian has to say, but meantime I'm in the cliche'd "too early and give him the summer transfer window" camp.

[Extended-Phenotype]

The FA cup is distorting opinion for me. Results and performances just haven't been there in reality and while you could probably dig around for some stats or examples to suggest some minor improvements here and there - certainly a couple of players seem to have stepped up their game a bit (Pog, Mackie etc) - but I'm not really convinced by Clarke.

I know people were a bit nonplussed by Adkins modern manager, politician-esque personality but tbh I don't particularly enjoy the dycotomy that is Clarke - the sullen, unemotional, slightly disinterested demeanour is as much a turn off IMO.

Difficult to say where we'd be if we stuck with Adkins. Have a slight unsubstantiated feeling we wouldn't be looking at an FA cup semi final, perhaps a better placing in the league maybe - so on a hunch, I'd rather be as we are.

That said im not convinced Clarke was the right appointment, that his footballing ethos is the progression we need or that he's even that fussed to be here. Had Adkins stayed perhaps the future would have been brighter in seasons to come, given some time, stability and investment to achieve his vision. That in mind though, in the same vein, Clarke may need some time too and I'm happy to afford him that now he's here.

Just not altogether impressed so far and can't quite see where his quality will come from.

[Pepe the Horseman]

The FA cup is distorting opinion for me. Results and performances just haven't been there in reality and while you could probably dig around for some stats or examples to suggest some minor improvements here and there - certainly a couple of players seem to have stepped up their game a bit (Pog, Mackie etc) - but I'm not really convinced by Clarke.

I know people were a bit nonplussed by Adkins modern manager, politician-esque personality but tbh I don't particularly enjoy the dycotomy that is Clarke - the sullen, unemotional, slightly disinterested demeanour is as much a turn off IMO.

Difficult to say where we'd be if we stuck with Adkins. Have a slight unsubstantiated feeling we wouldn't be looking at an FA cup semi final, perhaps a better placing in the league maybe - so on a hunch, I'd rather be as we are.

That said im not convinced Clarke was the right appointment, that his footballing ethos is the progression we need or that he's even that fussed to be here. Had Adkins stayed perhaps the future would have been brighter in seasons to come, given some time, stability and investment to achieve his vision. That in mind though, in the same vein, Clarke may need some time too and I'm happy to afford him that now he's here.

Just not altogether impressed so far and can't quite see where his quality will come from.

Pretty much agree word for word with what I bothered reading of this.

[sandman]

Going to take a while to turn around the damage Adkins did to the team and the damage the Russian did to the club as a whole. Clarke has said that there will be big changes in the Summer so he should be given the chance to do that and see how it goes before we consider getting rid off of him.

We don't know what his "actual footballing ethos" is going to be here because this isn't his team or squad yet.

[Whatevs]

The FA cup is distorting opinion for me. Results and performances just haven't been there in reality and while you could probably dig around for some stats or examples to suggest some minor improvements here and there - certainly a couple of players seem to have stepped up their game a bit (Pog, Mackie etc) - but I'm not really convinced by Clarke.

I know people were a bit nonplussed by Adkins modern manager, politician-esque personality but tbh I don't particularly enjoy the dycotomy that is Clarke - the sullen, unemotional, slightly disinterested demeanour is as much a turn off IMO.

Difficult to say where we'd be if we stuck with Adkins. Have a slight unsubstantiated feeling we wouldn't be looking at an FA cup semi final, perhaps a better placing in the league maybe - so on a hunch, I'd rather be as we are.

That said im not convinced Clarke was the right appointment, that his footballing ethos is the progression we need or that he's even that fussed to be here. Had Adkins stayed perhaps the future would have been brighter in seasons to come, given some time, stability and investment to achieve his vision. That in mind though, in the same vein, Clarke may need some time too and I'm happy to afford him that now he's here.

Just not altogether impressed so far and can't quite see where his quality will come from.

Pretty much agree word for word with what I bothered reading of this.

LOL, I got down to about the first comma in third paragraph. I'm also going to add +1 'greed to this (with the caveat that he didn't go mental in the final paragraph - get rid of the jews etc)

[Portsmouth Royal]

The FA cup is distorting opinion for me. Results and performances just haven't been there in reality and while you could probably dig around for some stats or examples to suggest some minor improvements here and there - certainly a couple of players seem to have stepped up their game a bit (Pog, Mackie etc) - but I'm not really convinced by Clarke.

I know people were a bit nonplussed by Adkins modern manager, politician-esque personality but tbh I don't particularly enjoy the dycotomy that is Clarke - the sullen, unemotional, slightly disinterested demeanour is as much a turn off IMO.

Difficult to say where we'd be if we stuck with Adkins. Have a slight unsubstantiated feeling we wouldn't be looking at an FA cup semi final, perhaps a better placing in the league maybe - so on a hunch, I'd rather be as we are.

That said im not convinced Clarke was the right appointment, that his footballing ethos is the progression we need or that he's even that fussed to be here. Had Adkins stayed perhaps the future would have been brighter in seasons to come, given some time, stability and investment to achieve his vision. That in mind though, in the same vein, Clarke may need some time too and I'm happy to afford him that now he's here.

Just not altogether impressed so far and can't quite see where his quality will come from.

I too agree with this

[RoyalBlue]

Going to take a while to turn around the damage Adkins did to the team and the damage the Russian did to the club as a whole. Clarke has said that there will be big changes in the Summer so he should be given the chance to do that and see how it goes before we consider getting rid off of him.

We don't know what his "actual footballing ethos" is going to be here because this isn't his team or squad yet.

What damage did Adkins do to the team? The squad isn't that much different, the players Adkins brought in (with both hands tied behind his back) have done OK and are still featuring and, the cup excepted, Clarke is showing little sign of being to do anything better with the hand that Adkins and he were dealt.

The damage was done by our past two majority owners - Madejski with his negligent sale of a controlling interest (without maintaining the ability to force the complete sale through) to a shyster, and Zingarevich for his reckless dealings, mortgaging our future and reneging on the sale deal.

And will Clarke be allowed/be able to afford to make big changes in the summer or will we still be stuffed by the sins of the recent past?

[floyd__streete]

Where is the 'meh' option for Steve Clarke?

Adkins PPG 2014/15: 1.19 (P21 25 pts)
Clarke PPG 2014/15: 1.11 (P17 19 pts)

You're not seriously telling me that a squad with players such as Pogrebnyak, McCleary, Williams, Chalobah, Pearce, Obita, Federici is a squad which should be 23 points behind Ipswich? Of course not. The players have performed poorly under Adkins management and now they are performing marginally worse under Clarke.

The cup run shouldn't mask what has been an absolutely appalling season of underperformance.

Credit to to our owners for giving us Yakubu for the second half of the season whereas in the first half of the season we had Glen Murray Thanks ever so much for - well - not a lot at all, actually.

[Ian Royal]

We're virtually safe and in an FA Cup semi. He's not doing very well in the League, but tbh we rolled the dice sacking Adkins in a similar position and now regardless we have to stick it out until at least October to make any sort of informed choice.

Even if we nose dive toward relegation.

I'm continuing to reserve Judgement on whether he was a good choice or will be a success, but he's got the job so he gets the time in my book.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I really don't understand why people are getting their knickers in a twist.

Team with nothing to play for in the league does badly in the league shocker.....

It really is as simple as that. If they get closer to the red line I'm sure they'll get a couple of league wins. Plus the nearer we get to the Wembley game, they will up the ante as they'll want to show they are worthy of a start.

Psychologically the players are not up for the league any more & taking aim at Clarke is pointless IMO.

[Cureton's Volley]

Brian > Parky > Clarke >>>>>>>>>> Adkins

[Snowball]

I said months ago that if he got us to a semi-final and 4th bottom or better
that would be a good season. I stick by that.

[theresayakonthepitch]

We need to get some new players in before Clarke can really be judged. He is working with a squad he would probably ditch most of given the choice. Adkins was in the same position. This squad just doesn't have enough quality to challenge in the league. FA cup run has flattered us. We will lose to arsenal but not by many and scrape safety in league. Then we need wholesale changes.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I really don't understand why people are getting their knickers in a twist.

Nobody is m8.

[Royal Ginger]

I think the FA cup may have hindered the league form. If the players have even half the apathy towards the league as we're displaying as a fan-base, then it could have had an effect on performances. It's obviously hard to quantify the value of having your heart in it but since it became a cup run proper (after Derby victory) we've had three games we've lost by one goal that a bit more heart could have swung, a complete reserve team fielded at Watford and two games which we were well in until the first goal after which we capitulated.

The Derby game, and the Leeds game 4 games before show a fairly dramatic turn down in form.

I'm confident in Clarke or Clake as the thread is titled, i just believe that the FA cup has caused an abandonment of league passion. However i don't really know which option this fits into.

[ILoveMoonPig]

I like the fact that we're no longer treated to senseless optimism, snide half-insults to players and the same quotes over and over In post match interviews.

I like the fact that Clarke just says whatever he likes, even if it may see him in front of a disciplinary board.

That said, the drastic change in footballing style hasn't quite happened the way it looked like it would at first. But at least now the strikers get to touch the ball, rather than the old pass-it-along-the-back-five-for-as-long-as-possible tactics of NA.

I think I have more faith in us now, than I did. I actually turn up because I want to be there now, rather than just turning up because I'd already paid for it.

[leon]

Difficult one really.

I'm still unconvinced by Clarke as I was by Adkins. This squad is far better than the results we're getting in the league. That's down to management.

We do look better defensively, I think. It's just we're at the bottom end of the table and still getting dicked by shit teams.

So that means we're actually shit. Which I'm not massively happy about.