With promotion being unlikely should we keep the Cowley's??

[Blue Walter]

In my opinion even if we make the Playoffs I don't think we will be good enough to win them. That then begs the question what next. It is rather obvious that the playing staff needs a total overhaul, especially when you see small clubs with far less resources out performing our club regularly. Coming back to the question of whether or not the Cowley's should remain at the club is a conundrum. We could see that the failure of this season being down to the players brought in and methods used by the previous manager as the reason why. Conversely it could be argued that the Cowley's were not up to the job. I think the sign of a good manager is that he makes a success with the players he has at his disposal. Perhaps they changed the style of play too radically and the players just did not have the fitness required and that the players were too drilled in the way Mr Jackett preferred to play. Most of the players here were bought in by the previous manager because he considered that they fitted in to his preferred style, whereas the next manager will bring in players to suit their preferred style. I disliked Kenny Jackett's dour style of play and look forward to seeing Pompey play a fast brand of attacking football. So, for me, anyone who approaches games intent on attack will do. If it is not the Cowley's I would like to see a manager coming in from one of these successful small clubs, like Accrington's John Coleman for instance.

Next season is going to be far more difficult to get out of this league. League 1 is going to resemble a meeting place for the big boys with the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and, possibly, Derby County coming down. Add that to a resurgent Ipswich Town, Bolton & Sunderland now having new owners willing to dig deep to fund their clubs return to the big time. Then there are the small 'go getting' clubs that always seem around and clubs on a roll having been promoted. Unlike this season only the genuinely good sides are going to be near the top of the league. Will we be one of the?

[jam tomorrow]

Good post there is no doubting we have a dilemma firstly we should look at the clubs that have done well that are not as big as us the likes of Blackpool, Lincoln, Peterborough, Oxford and even Accrington who although not pressing have as the Cowley’s admitted the best players. They have done well despite their size and apart from the Posh haven’t splashed the cash, unlike us.So it does show get the right team on board we can do well.

In terms of our performance we either haven’t bought the right players or not utilised them correctly. As far as the Cowley’s are concerned they chanced their hand taking on the challenge. They knew we had some good players, they saw we had some easy teams in the run in, they were desperate to get into management again, they recognised Pompey as a sleeping giant. Whatever we do is a risk either keep the Cowley bros or get in someone like John Coleman who is a very promising prospect.

My gut feeling is we should run with the Cowley team give them a 2 year deal on the proviso they get get us up in that period or go.They have shown they have the right attitude know how to utilise players and do not abandon players the likes of Downing and Bolton for example. They are happy to work with Marquis,Curtis, Williams etc, and know what system to use dependant on who they play. They also can spot talented players who they can add to the team.

[Sam_Brown]

To answer the original question. Yes.

[Weybridge]

All good points.

I think John Coleman is an unlikely prospect however. He's knocking on the door of 60, and has spent his entire professional life in the North West (Sligo and Rhyl notwithstanding), and all with parochial clubs a tenth the size of Pompey. I can't see why he'd uproot to the other end of the country for us - or why we'd look to someone with that history. But he's got teams playing, I'll give him that!

I think the Cowleys have got enough about them to earn a two-year deal. I agree that we're not in any form to win the playoffs, should we make them, but playoffs always throw up surprises - who knows?

[Pompey Penguin]

I think so, yes.

I don't see anyone else who is likely to come to Pompey who would give a better chance of success. Maybe they did try and do too much immediately with the Pompey players, but I like the fact that they are willing to try a different route. Give them a squad overhaul and a full pre-season and I think we will see a good outcome. Given our wage bill, we are a 5th/6th team in L1, so just making the play-offs is about par, but we need someone who will help us out perform our resources, and I think the Cowleys are the best chance of that.

[Locky_McLockface]

It is rather obvious that the playing staff needs a total overhaul,

I completely disagree.

This squad was top of the division at Christmas, and had a run of 6 or 7 games without conceding a goal.

They showed that they are a decent squad when we won 4 on the bounce when the Cowleys came in.

With injuries and suspensions, we're playing below par at the moment, granted, and I think even some of those currently playing are doing so whilst carrying injuries (John Marquis being the most obvious, but it wouldn't surprise me if Tom Naylor is another). However, this squad does not need an overhaul, just a tweak here and there.

[GreenBlue]

It's a yes from me.

[Blue Walter]

Some very good points made here to which I mostly agree. I think we should go with the Cowleys because whilst trying to get us into the Playoffs they would also will have been taking an 'inventory of the stock'. One of the problems with a new manager is that they spend time trying to find a formula, which takes time (in Kenny's case almost 4 years!). Whereas they would have done this and then be able to tweak and add what they think is needed during the summer. They say they like to play fast attacking football, which floats my boat, so that will do for me but I think the players will have to be at optimum fitness to start off with.

What I find most galling about our club is that although collectively we have a good squad for League 1 we are continually being out done by smaller clubs. I think we have a spattering of Championship class players as well as good players for League 1 and, possibly, better players man for man than say Accrington. So why are we not at the same or better standard? One reason could be a 'little club' mentality that has been developed over the years by our club, especially under Kenny Jackett. He fielded a teams that had drummed into them that opponents were better than us and that they had to concentrate on not losing. Also smaller clubs have a different outlook than us, they are full of players that want to prove they should be playing at a bigger club and will fight tooth & nail. They take pride in being 'little old whoever' and turning over the big boys like us.

What I want to see is our club accepting we are a big club and adopting an arrogance that goes with that. I want to see Fratton Park as a place that is frightening & intimidating for visiting teams. A manager that sends his team out to batter opponents with wave after wave of blue attacks whilst visitors eardrums take a bashing from crowd. I don't think there are many football grounds better than being at a rocking Fratton Park. Am I being realistic in wanting that or am I just wishing for Utopia?

[Sam_Brown]

What I want to see is our club accepting we are a big club and adopting an arrogance that goes with that. I want to see Fratton Park as a place that is frightening & intimidating for visiting teams. A manager that sends his team out to batter opponents with wave after wave of blue attacks whilst visitors eardrums take a bashing from crowd. I don't think there are many football grounds better than being at a rocking Fratton Park.

Couldn't agree more .

I also cannot wait for fans to get back. I have no doubt we'd be sitting a few places higher had we had fans this seasons!

[Blue Walter]

One worrying aspect for me is that Danny Cowley seems to be slipping into one of Kenny Jackett's traits by changing the team personnel & tactics from game to game. I would have liked to have seen him play the same way as he did for the first two opening games of his tenure. I also hope he does not mistake Harness as a player who should have defensive duties. I think you get the best out of Harness by sending him up front and telling him to cause as much havoc as possible. I think he is an extremely gifted player who could well play at a higher level. His arrival was seen as a replacement for Lowe but I think that he is potentially a better player than him.

[Pompey Penguin]

I have no doubt we'd be sitting a few places higher had we had fans this seasons!

Home L1 record.
2019-20. P18. W12. D6. L0. GD+21. Pts 42.
2020-21. P22. W9. D5. L8. GD+6. Pts 32.

Of course, this is made up by our excellent away record this year (P 21, 36 pts this year; 17 & 18 last), very unusual for Pompey. So the outcome is much the same.

This is pretty common across the leagues as the absence of home fans has been clearly felt. See Liverpool for the obvious example.

[Dinksy]

It's a no from me.
I agree there are mitigating circumstances as mentioned above and I've no doubt the Cowley's would have done better if they had a full squad at their disposal. However, I have not seen anything in their armoury to counter bad situations which will inevitably come their way. We will quickly get used to the same sound bites..... The formations, the substitutions, the rubbish they have talked about Marquis ('best number nine I've ever worked with)...it's all quite worrying. After the first four games we have seen the magic unravel and they are in danger of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Very Pompey, but I've had enough of all that. To still be languishing in League One four years after being taken over by a billionaire is not acceptable.
I would put more faith in a Daniel Stendel-type who knows the division, can get the best from modest talent and has a decent track record.
But hey, I'm open to being swayed. Exactly what are the arguments for them staying?

[Sam_Brown]

I have no doubt we'd be sitting a few places higher had we had fans this seasons!

Home L1 record.
2019-20. P18. W12. D6. L0. GD+21. Pts 42.
2020-21. P22. W9. D5. L8. GD+6. Pts 32.

Of course, this is made up by our excellent away record this year (P 21, 36 pts this year; 17 & 18 last), very unusual for Pompey. So the outcome is much the same.

This is pretty common across the leagues as the absence of home fans has been clearly felt. See Liverpool for the obvious example.

Not seen those stats before. Amazing how much difference being at home does make during normal times. Thanks for sharing.

[Berkshire Blue]

For me the answer is yes.

[Selsey Bill]

A big fat YES from me for a number of reasons that I will come back to when I have a little more time