Adios

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44364353
Just seen. A shame.

Welcome to MK

Please not my worse nightmare player manager

I said a few weeks ago he's had his head turned by MK.

Could SoD return to teach his young Jedi Copps the ropes. Stranger things have happened.

My personal one is, Fergie didn't deliver, he had most of the fans wanting him to leave and the board new this. His rolling contract was up for renewal on 1st of June. The board offered him peanuts knowing full well he'd leave. They would of had something in the pipeline since the last kick of the season. Would be interesting to see who they get in and how much they are given to bring in new players.
I don't think we need that many, just play football across the park instead of down the middle. We have some great players, who in my opinion, have been held back.

McCall favourite

Not a huge surprise. Expected him to go to a bigger club rather than leave because he didn't like what the board offered, but he was clearly disenchanted. I'm not sure that changing the manager will make much difference so I don't have strong feelings about who the next one is. Strachan, McCall, Would be happy to see SOD back mind.

Being miles away I don't know what local fans think. I do suggest that wherever DF goes, players like Rowe may follow. And they will not do so simply out of loyalty. He is a good manager and will not be replaced adequately easily.

I'd be very excited if we did manage to get McCall. He did an amazing job with Bradford, only to be cast aside when a few injuries and results went against them. His track record at Motherwell was outstanding, if we did get him at the helm, with a couple of new signings we good be looking forward to a rather exciting season.

I think people seem to forget it was this same board which pushed JR into sacking Sod and things ended quite sourly. Not to mention he too did have a poor last few months in charge of us. No thanks! Give the job to McCall and see what he can do. I don't believe we are anyway going to challenge for the play offs like many dilusioned rovers fans we just don't have decent strength in depth.

Also, I think SoD has moved on since then. Much as I loved the footbalI his Rovers teams played, I can't really see him being interested and motivated to return to Rovers. As Azza said, it all ended quite sourly.

McCall would be a positive move if he gets the right backing from the board.

Are we all reasonably happy IF we get McCall?

I would be lanza, I think he wants to prove he can get into the championship but, do it in style. Plus what he did at Motherwell and Bradford, with his attacking football, should bring back some of the missing fans.


Then again I was well pleased when we unveiled Fergie 😀

The formal recruitment process is admirable yet rare. DF had a background in similar sized clubs. Bradford City is a much bigger club financially and given their resources was McCall all that successful?

Our two most recent successful managers have come from League 2 (Bournemouth) and the Conference (Wrexham).

Anyone who is not in work (as I acknowledge was indeed the case with DF) has to have a very compelling CV.

So Hi all,
I do not post very often, although I do enjoy reading all your comments,
But I thought I would Share what I have heard Today,from a ex Rovers player , He said he knew Fergie was going before it went public, and at the same time he was told that Chris Coleman is being lined up as a replacement.
as we know the rumours are plentyfull at the moment, but i was advised it would be worth putting money on .
and for what its worth, the odds have come down from 33-1 to 10-1 at the moment.
has anyone else heard anything, or know if chris coleman has any connections to Doncaster?

1cf thanks 4 that

Coleman's record with Wales is obviously quite notable and we know that motivation at international level is elusive for most, but choosing a team from the very best talent a country can offer is very different from league management. You could say that his two most recent league jobs, Coventry and Sunderland, clubs with considerably more financial resources than here, showed that he was not really successful.

Managers have relatively short careers and looking to someone who is successful at a lower level is probably the most sensible option. The ex-Barnsley manager seemed to be doing OK, but they did seem to get a bit wobbly before he went to Leeds and of course no one lasts long there - and one questions the wisdom of anyone taking that job.

Is young Strachan a candidate?

I've kept quiet because I do not know what I want for the Rovers! When the news came out I was 50% shocked and 50% not surprised. Here in Portland at the end of last season we had a relatively successful manager of the Timbers suddenly quit. It is not official why it happened, but there are plenty of rumours. The main thought is that he did not think he had enough say in who was brought into the team and who left. A couple of players left who fans liked who went on to do well with other teams, and an expensive Argentinian player was brought in and now is out on loan (however we have two very good Argentinian players that we would be desperate without!).
As far as potential managers, I agree with Donaldo on many of his comments - Coleman has been a disaster as a EFL manager, and McCall had a lot of money at Bradford. However, talking to my family in Doncaster (season ticket holders), they all seem to want McCall. This is mainly on the style of photocell he plays - thinking DF's was too boring.
Anyway, I sit on the Left Coast with an open mind, intrigued about what will happen. But whatever happens, no-one can take the Rovers out of me!

I really hope Coleman is not the one to take the managerial hot seat. It wouldn't fill me with much excitement. I think the successful Welsh stint went hand in hand with him being able to play one of the best players in the world who single handedly has carried them in numerous games.

Whoever we get will evidently please some supporters and others will be unhappy.

I think there could be some who could upset practically all supporters, but I have a lot of faith in having a formal recruitment process. The speed of typical manager appointment mid season and the subsequent failure rate suggests that a rational formal assessment usually does not take place. Interviewing several candidates forces comparison too which is invaluable in making selections.

The bookmakers' odds and the names quoted makes for amusing reading, but given the process, the odds are probably based on popular sentiment and money staked rather than any kind of informed judgement.

Spell check gone mad - how did football become "photocell"? Must be these USA devices that do not know what real football is!

Those of us with misgivings about RL combined with football will be interested in the following resolution at the recent EFL Conference:
" 2. GROUND CRITERIA – SHARED GROUNDS
It was agreed that, from May 5 2019 onwards, the EFL will ordinarily limit the number of sports in a ground share application to football, plus one other.

Clubs who ground share with another sport must have a hybrid or similar pitch installed. For existing ground shares, this requirement will come into effect from 1 July 2019."

On the McCall theme, what he did at Motherwell was nothing short of a miracle. 3 seasons on the trot they lowered his budget, yet still got then to a cup final and 2nd in the league, plus a little foray into Europe.
Then he has a bit of experience with Scotland as Gordon's assistant.

Not bad for a player from Yorkshire

Don’t forget though that Donny is still allegedly, part of Scotland.