Great article from Hoden

[Dare to dream!]

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/how-the-story-behind-doncaster-rovers-collapse-from-promotion-chasers-to-mid-table-mediocrity-3234035

Provides some interesting insights as to what was happening behind the scenes following Moore's departure

[dknward2]

Very good article some of the things happening behind the scenes I guess most of us could guess at but didn’t want to believe were there.

Wonder if some players will be more willing to leave or cancel their contract if they think they a better than they are hopefully the few that remain will show commitment to drfc and the new manager

[drfchound]

Interesting that Hoden has written “Rarely had they (Rovers) blown teams away or thoroughly dominated games”.
It makes you wonder what some posters had seen that most other supporters (and Hoden apparently) hadn’t.
Selective memory perhaps.

The article is a very good insight into what was going on during our collapse.

[BobG]

I noticed this comment too Hound:

"...should Moore depart - as they expected he eventually would given his standing and reputation in the game, plus the work of his eager representatives."

Some very telling observations in there aren't there?

BobG

[RoversAlias]

That is a very insightful article about the whole mess. And frankly, it seems as though Liam is largely laying the blame at the feet of Darren Moore, if I'm reading it all right.

Butler naive, the ownership perhaps too ready to let the manager do as he pleases (with both Moore and Butler) but Moore responsible for building a weak/inexperienced squad and for leaving us in the lurch.

The line about Moore's "eager representatives" speaks volumes in my opinion.

[colincramb]

The club philosophy of heavily relying on loan players doesn’t help either, as many of us have said.

[StocksArmy]

Its a good insight into how many poor decisions DM made. Loved to bang home about how busy the fixture list was and we need to manage the players and look after them in interviews yet brought in young lads (Smith, Richards, JJ, Robertson) who had only played a hat full of games between em, guys coming back from injury who were injury prone prior to signing the 1st time (Sims) a guy who couldnt get a kick for Barnsley (Simoes) 1 who hadnt featured much at all for Charlton (Bogle) and a guy who didnt have a club for how long was it? (Bostock). After reading that you can dress it up as much as you like but that is absolutely p!ss poor recruitment across the whole season knowing full well you are going to play Saturday/ Tuesday most weeks. Did the guy just use the club to give youths of other clubs game time or did he actually want to achieve something because im baffled with what ive read there. You look at a footballer and a young lad and just assume they should be able to put up with the demands of the fixture list but clearly wasnt the case.

[drfchound]

I noticed this comment too Hound:

"...should Moore depart - as they expected he eventually would given his standing and reputation in the game, plus the work of his eager representatives."

Some very telling observations in there aren't there?

BobG

Indeed Bob.

[BobG]

What's lying beneath that comment about issues with time keeping?? Is it Moore not turning up on time? Or him letting players waltz in when they felt like it? Or something else?

BobG

[mushRTID]

Its a good insight into how many poor decisions DM made. Loved to bang home about how busy the fixture list was and we need to manage the players and look after them in interviews yet brought in young lads (Smith, Richards, JJ, Robertson) who had only played a hat full of games between em, guys coming back from injury who were injury prone prior to signing the 1st time (Sims) a guy who couldnt get a kick for Barnsley (Simoes) 1 who hadnt featured much at all for Charlton (Bogle) and a guy who didnt have a club for how long was it? (Bostock). After reading that you can dress it up as much as you like but that is absolutely p!ss poor recruitment across the whole season knowing full well you are going to play Saturday/ Tuesday most weeks. Did the guy just use the club to give youths of other clubs game time or did he actually want to achieve something because im baffled with what ive read there. You look at a footballer and a young lad and just assume they should be able to put up with the demands of the fixture list but clearly wasnt the case.

I think it’s very clear now Moore didn’t give a shit about Doncaster Rovers, only enhancing his own reputation of developing young players.

It will be very interesting to see his Wednesday signings.

[drfchound]

Its a good insight into how many poor decisions DM made. Loved to bang home about how busy the fixture list was and we need to manage the players and look after them in interviews yet brought in young lads (Smith, Richards, JJ, Robertson) who had only played a hat full of games between em, guys coming back from injury who were injury prone prior to signing the 1st time (Sims) a guy who couldnt get a kick for Barnsley (Simoes) 1 who hadnt featured much at all for Charlton (Bogle) and a guy who didnt have a club for how long was it? (Bostock). After reading that you can dress it up as much as you like but that is absolutely p!ss poor recruitment across the whole season knowing full well you are going to play Saturday/ Tuesday most weeks. Did the guy just use the club to give youths of other clubs game time or did he actually want to achieve something because im baffled with what ive read there. You look at a footballer and a young lad and just assume they should be able to put up with the demands of the fixture list but clearly wasnt the case.

Taylor Richards being a classic case in point Stocks.
He played more than three times as much in our season as he had ever done in a season before.

[Filo]

Well when Moore left a lot of us were saying he was far from an honourable man, that articles proves it beyond doubt, all that bullshit about buying into Club Doncaster!

[Jonathan]

What's lying beneath that comment about issues with time keeping?? Is it Moore not turning up on time? Or him letting players waltz when they felt like it? Or something else?

BobG

I wondered that too. A loaded comment but unclear which way.

[Dare to dream!]

Is that point even relevant?

Moore had a relaxed culture which clearly worked to some degree.

[Bristol Red Rover]

What's lying beneath that comment about issues with time keeping?? Is it Moore not turning up on time? Or him letting players waltz when they felt like it? Or something else?

BobG

I wondered about that too. It's either over zealous timekeeping or slackness. My sense is with DM it's the latter, but it would be good to have this clarified.

[PDX_Rover]

If you read the article, I think the timekeeping is slackness rather than overzealous.

Moore certainly seemed to cause more problems that he solved.

Turns out he was a grade A kitson.

Anyway, f**k him.

[BobG]

I wonder if anyone has any insight around the accusation that some players were more "focussed on outside activties". That might indicate some of those who might not be offered a new contract....!

BobG

[dickos1]

When he left I heard stories from within the club regarding his timekeeping,
For example he arranged a team meeting for 8am and then didn’t turn up until 9.30am.
Also that the training was very repetitive and boring,

[BobG]

Sounds like he'll go down a storm at the Wendies then

BobG

[Janso]

Is that point even relevant?

Moore had a relaxed culture which clearly worked to some degree.

Yes, if your manager doesn't care if you turn up late - or indeed turns up late himself - then it is relevant. It's relevant to all industries. It's shite for morale if some people can do as they like.

[PDX_Rover]

Lead by example.

[scawsby steve]

Interesting that Hoden has written “Rarely had they (Rovers) blown teams away or thoroughly dominated games”.
It makes you wonder what some posters had seen that most other supporters (and Hoden apparently) hadn’t.
Selective memory perhaps.

The article is a very good insight into what was going on during our collapse.

Dead right, mate. I got poo-pooed on here by some posters for suggesting that Rovers had overachieved in the first half of the season, and had been hanging on in some games.

It seems Hoden thought the same.

[PDX_Rover]

Interesting that Hoden has written “Rarely had they (Rovers) blown teams away or thoroughly dominated games”.
It makes you wonder what some posters had seen that most other supporters (and Hoden apparently) hadn’t.
Selective memory perhaps.

The article is a very good insight into what was going on during our collapse.

Dead right, mate. I got poo-pooed on here by some posters for suggesting that Rovers had overachieved in the first half of the season, and had been hanging on in some games.

It seems Hoden thought the same.

I agree, in hindsight. Although at the time I put it down to is grinding out a result when not playong well, particularly because there had been tomes when we won well, e.g. Ipswich at home, Charlton away...

[Filo]

I wonder if anyone has any insight around the accusation that some players were more "focussed on outside activties". That might indicate some of those who might not be offered a new contract....!

BobG

Youtube channels?

[roversdude]

I’ve never mentioned this before as I guess I was swept along with the whole DM can do no wrong.
Went to the open day with my young un pre covid - part of it was to meet the manager. There was a group of eager young kids waiting to meet the manager with Kelly, and they waited and waited only to be eventually told he was too busy, it did smack of he couldn’t be bothered but gave him the benefit.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Other than the specifics about time keeping we all knew this already I think or at least we’d had a good idea what the issues were. How many threads on too many loan players and players just been Moores mates have we had. Not to mention threads debating how good we actually were in the 1st half of the season.

Shows that fans, when largely in agreement, know what they are talking about!

[Avsuptem]

Maybe the reason DM brought in youngsters was because he genuinely thought that was the best use of the available budget ?

[SydneyRover]

I suppose if TR didn't play a full 90 minutes he wouldn't have gotten overworked, just sayin'

''Why Taylor Richards rarely plays 90 minutes for Doncaster Rovers
He has developed into one of the most influential players at Doncaster Rovers this season but Taylor Richards rarely remains on the pitch until the final whistle''

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/why-taylor-richards-rarely-plays-90-minutes-doncaster-rovers-3135887

[sedwardsdrfc]

Maybe the reason DM brought in youngsters was because he genuinely thought that was the best use of the available budget ?

It was the reason. It turned out to be a bad decision over the course of the season. That’s what managers live and die by. Hopefully the next one has better instincts

[Arsenal Of The North]

I’ve never mentioned this before as I guess I was swept along with the whole DM can do no wrong.
Went to the open day with my young un pre covid - part of it was to meet the manager. There was a group of eager young kids waiting to meet the manager with Kelly, and they waited and waited only to be eventually told he was too busy, it did smack of he couldn’t be bothered but gave him the benefit.

See I have a slightly different story, my late grandad who passed away, Chaz walker, we held his funeral wake at the keepmoat, surprisingly Moore turned up to offer his condolences, a fitting way as my grandad I believe had the task of offering Moore his first ever MOTM award. He was willing to spend all the time he could to talk to the family.