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[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I really can't fathom out what's going to happen.  JR hasn't come out really and said he's 100 percent behind Saunders, equally he hasn't cast doubt on his position.  One thing is for sure, is that if he is to terminate Saunders then he should do so within the next month to give the new man a full summer at it.  In reality if he's made his mind up he'd have to do it now and give a new man a look at his squad.

Something doesn't sit right though in all this.  The appearance of numerous managers at the last 2 home games could suggest that there are feelers out there to potential new managers (IE Robins) who clearly would be interested.

[Wild Rover]

Why the interest from Robins now, he wasn't interested Pre Dean and after Sean, he was sounded out, along with Laws. Stick with what we have.

[Jonathan]

Hard to say Robins wasn't interested post Sean given that Dean was effectively appointed before Sean was sacked meaning there was no window.

Perhaps Robins simply didn't have the connections that Saunders has.

Anyway it's hard to read anything into present rumblings as a guide to the future. Lest we forget that Sean was backed (not just in print but in the signing of Jon Parkin) in the week he was sacked.

As it stands I tend to think we'll stick with Saunders. I don't think we should, but I think we will.

[Wild Rover]

Ok. I could have phrased that differently. it probably should have read more like "had no interest when approached pre Sean dismissal", because Jon i am sure you are as equally aware as some, that an approach was made. in effect making Dean 3rd choice. Whether it was Ryan who did the approaching is open to conjecture, and quite possibly if not Ryan, why no interest was shown.

[donnyroversfc]

The stats need to be discarded at the minute i reckon. Even I wouldn't be able to do a very good job under the circumstances DS has had to face.

[Pinter777]

shocking fans, if i dare call you fans.all mouth and no action."donny bob" get off your high horse.poor john ryan, what a brilliant man and hes getting criticism regardless of the effort both mentally and financially he has put into this club. theres allways someone that thinks they could have done a a better job.

[Capmeister]

What I fail to grasp was why after our 1st season in the Championship when SOD managed to turn things round so spectacularly 2nd half of the season, he wasn't given the opportunity to do it a second time. That, to me, made no sense.
The model for me would be Barnsley. Academy in place. Develop youngsters like Butterfield. Bring in players like Vaz Te but accept you're likely to lose them at some point in the season to other clubs. Make steady progress and wait for the conditions to be right for at tilt at promotion if poss. Oh, er, and turn a profit an all.

JR's decision to take the path he did just doesnt add up. I hope he doesnt call it a day cos no other bloke in Donny, or elsewhere for that matter, I dont believe, can achieve what he has. It was interesting to watch Late Kick Off last night and see that no fan slagged off what was attempted, certainly not from the bit I saw.

As for Deano, I get angry at the guy mostly through frustration. Frustration at seeing the footballing ethics we adopted disappear almost over night. Frustration that, in fairness to him, the squad that got us to the Championship and sustained us was getting on and becoming more injury prone. We also lost players who felt they could achieve more away from Donny, mainly for financial reasons. If only the likes of Wellens, Mills, Green, Roberts, Shackell and Sharp could have played under SOD. What a team I think we would have had. Never mind, the dreams over for the time being. If anyone can get us back on track it's JR.

[steve@dcfd]

Consistency of decision making.John said he should have sacked Sean in the summer. He had won 2 games from game 23 to game 46. Now with three games left Dean has won two games from game 23 to game 43. No one surely can argue he has had better players in that period yet we still are no better. So John if you feel you made the wrong decision last summer then you have the same dilemma this year. Even you feel we have brought in excellent players under the scheme yet your manager has failed to keep your team in the championship, if that was your goal?

[Chris]

The remaining two years on Dean Saunders' contract will be a damn sight cheaper to pay off than people are making out too. Saunders was, in my opinion, the cheap option following O'Driscoll.

[Wellred]

What I fail to grasp was why after our 1st season in the Championship when SOD managed to turn things round so spectacularly 2nd half of the season, he wasn't given the opportunity to do it a second time. That, to me, made no sense.
The model for me would be Barnsley. Academy in place. Develop youngsters like Butterfield. Bring in players like Vaz Te but accept you're likely to lose them at some point in the season to other clubs. Make steady progress and wait for the conditions to be right for at tilt at promotion if poss. Oh, er, and turn a profit an all.

JR's decision to take the path he did just doesnt add up. I hope he doesnt call it a day cos no other bloke in Donny, or elsewhere for that matter, I dont believe, can achieve what he has. It was interesting to watch Late Kick Off last night and see that no fan slagged off what was attempted, certainly not from the bit I saw.

As for Deano, I get angry at the guy mostly through frustration. Frustration at seeing the footballing ethics we adopted disappear almost over night. Frustration that, in fairness to him, the squad that got us to the Championship and sustained us was getting on and becoming more injury prone. We also lost players who felt they could achieve more away from Donny, mainly for financial reasons. If only the likes of Wellens, Mills, Green, Roberts, Shackell and Sharp could have played under SOD. What a team I think we would have had. Never mind, the dreams over for the time being. If anyone can get us back on track it's JR.

So basically you are calling John Ryan a liar?

He has said why SOD left the club but for whatever reasons you choose not to believe him.

[pubteam]

After watching McKay's full interview with the BBC, it seems to me more obvious than it did before that DS was brought to the club solely because of McKay, not in spite of him.

Which leads me to think that JR might not have the same sort of loyalty to him as he would for any manager HE appointed.

[steve@dcfd]

Still 2 wins from game 23 to game 44

[Donnybob]

Dear Mr Saunders,

L D L D L L D D W D D L L L D L L L L D

I have updated your stats and refer you to your quote back in September:

I hadn’t gone 19 games without a win so my mind was quite clear and I was positive about winning. That’s why sometimes a new manager has an effect on players

Well by my reckoning you've now won one in 20, which is exactly what your predecessor achieved and the consensus of opinion was that he had to go. Would you mind awfully if we asked you to respect message in your own soundbite - sometimes a new manager has an effect on players.

By all means, hang around for the next couple of games if you must but do us a favour after that and make way for someone else. You've failed mate. No hard feelings, you did your best. Sadly it wasn't good enough.

Surely Wrexham would have you back? Or maybe not...

[Wellred]

Isn't it a bit like buying an old car when you are young, tidying it up here and there, putting some go faster stripes down the side and a new exhaust byt basically having to make do with it until you can buy a beter one?

Isn't that what Dean Saunders has had to do this season.

[Chris]

Isn't it a bit like buying an old car when you are young, tidying it up here and there, putting some go faster stripes down the side and a new exhaust byt basically having to make do with it until you can buy a beter one?

Isn't that what Dean Saunders has had to do this season.

No. Cool story though.

[steve@dcfd]

No, he has better players at his disposal from game 23 to now than Sean had last year. So you didn't make excuses for Sean please do not be a hypocrit and make excuses for Dean. Consistency please.

[Wellred]

No, he has better players at his disposal from game 23 to now than Sean had last year. So you didn't make excuses for Sean please do not be a hypocrit and make excuses for Dean. Consistency please.

Judge him on next season when he can start from scratch with his own team. Then if we are doing badly I will criticise him.
That is being consistent.

[RoversAlias]

I do wonder if in December you'll say "we can't judge him yet, he's not had the full season!". When does it become acceptable to judge him? He's been here for getting on half a century of games now.

[Wellred]

hmmmm I always thought half a century was 50?

[The Loan Arranger]

L D L D L L D D W D D L L L D L L L L . . . D!  Got to keep up to date!     

[donnyroversfc]

It is a shocking run of results tbf. I don't want him to be sacked though, same as i didn't want SO'D to be sacked either.

[Donnybob]

hmmmm I always thought half a century was 50?

Keep up - I posted the update in post 43!

With two meaningless (for us), games coming up - surely there's a chance it won't continue much longer?

Can I refer you to the Saunders' earlier gloat - "I hadn't gone 19 games without winning..."

Seems he had no qualms over SOD being sacked and was eager to take his place - sauce, goose, gander, by any chance? Both stand at one win in 20 in their latest games in charge of the club. I don't want Saunders to be sacked - he should do the honourable thing and resign with immediate effect instead of making excuses.

[Wellred]

hmmmm I always thought half a century was 50?

Keep up - I posted the update in post 43!

With two meaningless (for us), games coming up - surely there's a chance it won't continue much longer?

Can I refer you to the Saunders' earlier gloat - "I hadn't gone 19 games without winning..."

Seems he had no qualms over SOD being sacked and was eager to take his place - sauce, goose, gander, by any chance? Both stand at one win in 20 in their latest games in charge of the club. I don't want Saunders to be sacked - he should do the honourable thing and resign with immediate effect instead of making excuses.

Strange that I cannot seem to remember your post asking for SOD to do the honourable thing and resign with immediate effect.

Did I miss that?

[WBDRFC]

What I fail to grasp was why after our 1st season in the Championship when SOD managed to turn things round so spectacularly 2nd half of the season, he wasn't given the opportunity to do it a second time. That, to me, made no sense.
The model for me would be Barnsley. Academy in place. Develop youngsters like Butterfield. Bring in players like Vaz Te but accept you're likely to lose them at some point in the season to other clubs. Make steady progress and wait for the conditions to be right for at tilt at promotion if poss. Oh, er, and turn a profit an all.

JR's decision to take the path he did just doesnt add up. I hope he doesnt call it a day cos no other bloke in Donny, or elsewhere for that matter, I dont believe, can achieve what he has. It was interesting to watch Late Kick Off last night and see that no fan slagged off what was attempted, certainly not from the bit I saw.

As for Deano, I get angry at the guy mostly through frustration. Frustration at seeing the footballing ethics we adopted disappear almost over night. Frustration that, in fairness to him, the squad that got us to the Championship and sustained us was getting on and becoming more injury prone. We also lost players who felt they could achieve more away from Donny, mainly for financial reasons. If only the likes of Wellens, Mills, Green, Roberts, Shackell and Sharp could have played under SOD. What a team I think we would have had. Never mind, the dreams over for the time being. If anyone can get us back on track it's JR.

You mean like Barnsley, who are in the same position we were in last season - challenging for promotion at Christmas then in free-fall, and still not safe with 2 games remaining. If they carry on this way, they will be relegated next season.

[RoversAlias]

hmmmm I always thought half a century was 50?

It is, well done. Saunders must have been in charge now for 39 competitive games, which as I said is getting on towards 50. It's nearly a seasons worth, so back to my original point of "how long do you want to give him before we are allowed to properly judge him?"

[mjdgreg]

Saunders must have been in charge now for 39 competitive games, which as I said is getting on towards 50. It's nearly a seasons worth, so back to my original point of "how long do you want to give him before we are allowed to properly judge him?"

39 games is enough with the best squad of players ever assembled. He must go now!!!

[donnyroversfc]

Whats all this about him having the best squad we've ever had? Our squad was better 2,3,4 and 5 years ago IMO.

Saunders has had the biggest names but thats about it.

[dickos1]

Whats all this about him having the best squad we've ever had? Our squad was better 2,3,4 and 5 years ago IMO.

Saunders has had the biggest names but thats about it.

Jesus.. We agree on something donny rovers. This squad is far far from our greatest ever squad..

[mjdgreg]

Whats all this about him having the best squad we've ever had? Our squad was better 2,3,4 and 5 years ago IMO.

This season we've had 'quality' Premiership players playing for us so it is without doubt the best squad of players we've ever had. Just because Saunders failed to get them to play well doesn't alter this fact.

How many premiership players have we had in the squad prior to this season?

[dickos1]

Behave will ya,
Gillett or wellens
Martis or mills
Oster or green
Ilunga or Roberts