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Stuart Kettlewell discussion thread


sailor_h
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This seasons win record is 30%, if this continues we will be concerned but it's only 10 games. Had we won an additional game it would be 40%, more than respectable for any Well manager. 

From the 29 games SK has managed we have  a win record of 52%.   Awesome, that's up there with the best of them. 

Assuming we can improve from 30% to +35% for the season we'll be fine. 

The key for now is breaking the run of form and finding a way to win. 

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There's no way that Kettlewell's job should be under threat already. This is the first bad run under him, and it's a bad one, but it's up to him (and many of the players) to sort it out. However, I don't think he has the personnel to do so, which is partly his fault and that of previous managers. But he should be given the chance to fix it because it's his job. 

And where have we heard this before?! He's inherited some crap, signed a lot of crap, and his usually reliable/good players have turned into ghosts of their former selves, and we should ask why the latter has happened? I would suggest it's a bit of mental fatigue coupled with frustration from being asked (by Kettlewell) to do the same things every week without reward due to the limitations of the players he continues to select, which is also the result of him having to cut the squad size down. The manager looks out of ideas already, other than being able to deploy Biereth to batter holes through teams every so often, which will see us continue to drop down the league.

As many great thinkers have said, you can only pish with the cock you've got, and he's signed a lot of floppy cocks, which, as I said above, I think is having an impact on our generally decent other players' ability to continue to make things happen against the odds. Imagine being one of those midfielders busting your pan in every week only to discover that your out ball takes the form of our current crop of 'strikers'. It has to be having an impact. That doesn't excuse our leaky defence, however. And I don't have an answer to that, except maybe try a back four with a holding defensive midfielder sitting in front.

In short, some of our players are sometimes lazy and blow hot and cold, but that is our level (e.g. Slattery & Spittal). Others are just not good enough (you know who). And the defence is currently a mess, although some players are generally decent (e.g. McGinn, Butcher, Casey). Kettlewell needs to find a way to get the best out of the busted flush he has in part created, which he's shown before that he can do, albeit with KVV being the main factor in our turnaround in form last time. Can he do it again?

Whether I agree with this assessment, I think he'll be given until at least January to put things right. I include a January transfer window budget as I can only assume the Board will be reluctant to punt another manager again so soon.

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11 hours ago, wellfan said:

Whether I agree with this assessment, I think he'll be given until at least January to put things right. I include a January transfer window budget as I can only assume the Board will be reluctant to punt another manager again so soon.

I don't know. If, and it is a big if, this run continues we'll be well adrift at the bottom by Hogmanay. That would test the resolve of the Directors. Fans would vote with their feet. Now stability and continuity are important but these days, clubs don't have patience; fans even less so. 

We've all seen the shocking events at St Johnstone who have sacked 2 managers in a short space of time. Both fans favourites. That club was renowned in recent years for patience, stability and continuity. A sign of the times.

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16 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

We've all seen the shocking events at St Johnstone who have sacked 2 managers in a short space of time. Both fans favourites. That club was renowned in recent years for patience, stability and continuity. A sign of the times.

I assumed that Davidson would have had like god level status after winning a double in his first season but no the pressure ramped up after he went on a bad run from Christmas eve until February where we generously gave them their first win in 7 or 8 games before they went on another poor run. 

Anyway it'll be interesting to see where we are come the final whistle vs Hearts next week. We have a trio of decent games in a week, it would be nice to get a morale boosting win today.

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Here we go again.

Theres no way SK gets emptied unless we are adrift by Xmas. That is possible. But by no means certain.

He has, under the instruction of the current Chairman/CEO had to strip the budget right back to a manageable and sustainable level, whilst at the same tome trying to keep a competitive side on the pitch.

Initial signs and performances were very good and we got a decent points haul before some injuries and suspensions hurt us big time.

What I do think is fair comment is some of the signings were undoubted risks.

Offering Obika a new deal was dubious given his injury record. But he has far more ability than Mandron whom he cut lose. The problem for me is he then goes and signs Bair on a 2 year deal. Whilst Ive defended Bair on here, that still felt a bit mad. No doubt Theo will be on way less money than Mandron, but 12 months would have been plenty.

Pape Souare also seemed like a proper gamble, but at least that was only a 6 month deal, so you could kinda live with that.

Wilkinson for me is the biggest disappointment though. I know he has been injured as well, and is clearly not fully match fit, but I still havent seen anything form him to suggest he is gonna be any good at our level. His body language also isnt the best. Maybe he can do a KVV and make me eat my words? Heres hoping!

I still think we have enough in the squad to turn this around. But SK needs to be ruthless and start playing players he can trust and play them in their best positions.

A fit Butcher needs to replace Mugabi, who was fine as a stop gap but nothing more. 

Spencer simply has to start at RB.

That leaves us with an issue at left back as Souare is crocked. Gent looks suspect defensively and SoD is a RWB. Could Blaney play there?

The other question is should it be 5 at the back or 4?

Up front, Id be playing Biereth on his own as he is the only one with the pace and power to manage the job and still have the ability to score goals. (But I wouldnt be risking him today).

We have shown already that in the right set up, the midfield have enough about them to create chances for the right striker.

It is a big few weeks for SK, no doubt.

Turn it around and all this chat will become white noise.

We start going 8,9,10 without a win and getting sucked to the bottom of the table and the board may start getting twitchy.

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On 11/3/2023 at 8:10 AM, wellsince75 said:

From the 29 games SK has managed we have  a win record of 52%.   Awesome, that's up there with the best of them. 

Yeah, but 19 of those games were last season so they don't really matter. It's what we've done this season that matters.

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3 minutes ago, David said:

Yeah, but 19 of those games were last season so they don't really matter. It's what we've done this season that matters.

David - agree that the present is now what matters. 

Had we lost the 19 games last season it would matter as we'd be calling for SKs head. 

Key point for me is not to judge any manager on a run of 10 games or 5 games.

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Just now, wellsince75 said:

David - agree that the present is now what matters. 

Had we lost the 19 games last season it would matter as we'd be calling for SKs head. 

Key point for me is not to judge any manager on a run of 10 games or 5 games.

I agree on the five game comment, but ten? We're creeping towards Christmas which is when all managers will be judged. Including Kettlwell.

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Felt like I was proved wrong when we assigned him. Wasn't for it in the slightest but he seemed to make me eat my words.

However, given a summer transfer window and a fresh start I might be starting to see the signs of vindication. Sub par signings that don't allow for a plan B and a run of form deserving of it. 

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1 minute ago, mfc said:

It's crazy how things have went bad so quickly and we're now in a really similar position to when kettlewell took over

And the thing is you never see a downswing like this turn around but despite this we will still see him in charge at the end of December. 

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I agree things are looking like they are almost at the point of no return for Kettlewell but I really don’t see us bringing anyone in that would improve us as that would mean us parting with money, so we can forget about Neil Lennon for that reason, he wouldn’t entertain it.

When SK goes it will be Frail or Clarkson or somebody already working at the club who gets the job, nothing surer.

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