StrandedleonStranded
How does giving him 12 extra months cause any real difference. It'll cost us next to nothing to remove him in the summer if we decide to do so.
We are struggling to find a way to play at the moment because of the lopsided nature of the squad he inherited, we don't have a lot of like for like replacements for injured players so we are having to try and find a way forward - to a degree I can understand why we are being defensive at the moment but it puts massive pressure on us to score from the very few chances we do actually create. Doesn't help that our set pieces are awfully taken usually - though they improved once Obita took over yesterday.
We have been looking over our shoulder year after year for 5 of the last 6 seasons now and changed managers what 4 times in that spell - it is the years of staleness that are causing fans to stay away plus the fact all home midweek games can be watched at home or in the pub now as well - changing the manager again won't change that - Bowen is doing a decent job but we have just completed a run of games including fixtures against the sides currently in 1st, 3rd, 5th (twice),6th, 7th and 8th - in isolation none of the poor results we picked up were that unexpected really but coming in a run makes it feel worse.
My point is we didn’t need to do anything.
Bowen has made a difference however we are slipping back into bad old habits - the lack of midfield movement is shocking contributing to the defensive overplaying.
This squad needs trimming down and some actual pace added. Agreed the summer is going to be important.
Yep we didn't need to do anything but my point is the extra year doesn't really change anything except we have a manager in place who, barring a terrible run in, will likely be able to plan for next season.
If Bowen didn't have the contract, we would enter the summer either trying to negotiate the extension or trying to find another manager when we need to be focusing on the squad - esp. as this summer we can free up a shed load of wages and have more FFP wiggle room - wasting a month or two not knowing who the manager is would hamper us.
Yeah it was a throw away comment let’s not get too worked up about it. Personally I’d have let him earn it the extension but the real issue is changing the mindset and the footballing approach of the squad.
Bowen had made a difference we just appear to have hit the buffers.