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Kenny Jackett: Are Wolves his Titanic?

Wolf Hunting

Wolf Hunting

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Ok, I'm swayed by the arguments enough to open this.
So is the iceberg creeping up on Kenny faster than he can see?
It seems that half the passengers are pointing over the starboard bow and yelling for a change of direction whilst Captain Kenny is unaware that most of his windows are obscured...
Is Kenny here for the season, or to use Mr Penk's phrase, what do we think is his 'sell by date'?

Let's discuss the scary possibilty that Kenny can't turn the ship away from disaster and who should replace him if this comes to pass?
 
I'm fearful of the future for KJ at the moment. He doesn't normally let bad form last too long, but he's really struggling to get us back on track. A job made a lot harder with the lack of game-changers (Sako & Dicko) on the pitch. KMac is no longer conducting things in the middle of the park and Afobe has seemingly lost all interest. Last season's reserve centre backs are now first choice and we're only now seemingly settled on a first choice GK.

This is a big test for KJ. He is deserving of two things:
1. The chance to turn this around
2. His decisions to be scrutinised and brought into question.

I think he's lost the right to blind faith for the time being.
 
The Iceburg struck on the maiden voyage and this is Kennys third trip into the ocean with Wolves.
In his first two seasons he identified a way to and style of play that suited us and we still have all the players needed to continue with this 4-2-3-1 that has served so well. The fact that he suddenly decided to change the formation as we went into the season was, to me, bizarre. Why change something that is working? Why sign players and then not play them? Kenny said that he would only make signings that improve the starting XI yet these new players are sitting on the bench while others appear to be untouchable/undropable.
I don't want Jackett to be sacked, I want him to play our best XI in the formation that suits the style of play and get us out of this position before it turns into a complete mess.
 
If managers dont reach certain targets and fail because of their own poor judgement they know within the cut throat industry that is professional football they will be replaced. We cant get sentimental about this, targets should be met or Kenny Jackett has to go, but when do you make that call.
 
Lord Knows said:
If managers dont reach certain targets and fail because of their own poor judgement they know within the cut throat industry that is professional football they will be replaced. We cant get sentimental about this, targets should be met or Kenny Jackett has to go, but when do you make that call.
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11 or 12 games into a season would be fair. That's a quarter of the season gone and will often mean the difference between competing for promotion and mid-table mediocrity. Another 10 games and we're in Solbakken territory.
 
darlowolf64 said:
The Iceburg struck on the maiden voyage and this is Kennys third trip into the ocean with Wolves.
In his first two seasons he identified a way to and style of play that suited us and we still have all the players needed to continue with this 4-2-3-1 that has served so well. The fact that he suddenly decided to change the formation as we went into the season was, to me, bizarre. Why change something that is working? Why sign players and then not play them? Kenny said that he would only make signings that improve the starting XI yet these new players are sitting on the bench while others appear to be untouchable/undropable.
I don't want Jackett to be sacked, I want him to play our best XI in the formation that suits the style of play and get us out of this position before it turns into a complete mess.
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That's one of the most frustrating things. We seemed to have abandoned that possesion based style and are playing so much hoofball it's stinking of desperation already.

Was KMac really that integral to that style of play, or is it that Dave Edwards is the absoute antithesis of it? Either way it's on KJ that we seem so far away from what served us so well in the last two seasons.
 
Johnny75 said:
11 or 12 games into a season would be fair. That's a quarter of the season gone and will often mean the difference between competing for promotion and mid-table mediocrity. Another 10 games and we're in Solbakken territory.
Click to expand...

Would other things come into consideration apart from points totals such as quality of performance and consistency of player selection?
 
He still has my 100% support and 100% backing. He deserves plenty more time to sort this out - I shan't be calling for his head anytime soon. Personally, I find it just as worrying just how quickly fans start to 'turn'. But I guess that's just me and my continued disillusionment with modern day football and the lack of patience.

It's not 'blind faith' as I'm concerned about results and performances - but that doesn't mean I don't think he's capable of turning it around. I hope that over the next few weeks, at least some of the following will happen;

1. Martinez has a good run of games in goal - he looked very assured on Saturday. It won't have helped the back 4 to have so much uncertainty as to who is playing behind them.
2. Batth returns - we badly need his leadership.
3. Some of the new players - who have hardly kicked a ball for us yet, another reason why KJ should be given more time - start to gel with the side. i.e. Wallace, Byrne, Ojo
4. We have a bit of competition upfront - maybe an experienced forward would be a good thing for us, both on and off the pitch? Afobe looking 'uninterested' isn't 100% accurate IMO - what's he supposed to do when he's all on his own feeding of nonsense hoofs towards him?
5. McDonald either signs a new deal or we fuck him off on loan - Doherty's new deal shows that we're starting to get players' futures sorted. If KM doesn't want a future here, well off you go and sulk somewhere else. It won't be helping matters.

I accept it's KJ's job to get his players playing, not to mention picking the correct personnel and tactics. And it's not working. But I'm not going to be calling for his head anytime soon - I'm hoping some of the players who are hugely under performing give him a bit of a hand and stop the rot.
 
Lord Knows said:
Would other things come into consideration apart from points totals such as quality of performance and consistency of player selection?
Click to expand...

I would hope so, they are indicators of improvement/ deterioration. You can clearly see the mental state of play, style of play and interaction between players. A manager admitting he doesn't know his best XI is not going to bode well for the team or his job. Ultimately it's a results game.

I don't think we have coped with losing Sako at all and the move to a new* style of play has not worked, but Jackett's resources suggest he cannot revert back to a style that did work. I hope I'm wrong.


*new = Arsenal under George Graham without the clean sheets or Saundersball.
 
I agree 11 or 12 games before any action but to me he looks bereft of ideas and his selections and his substitutions are mystifying. I don't blame him for the players bought in as I believe he has little say in the matter. When I hear his interviews I think he plays to the E &S audience as people who pay the money to go don't recognise which game he was at. The playing staff is about future but not now. Last year was the opportunity this year looks like it could be going south. In short not yet but I want 9pts in next 6 min so come on KJ bring it
 
Johnny75 said:
I would hope so, they are indicators of improvement/ deterioration. You can clearly see the mental state of play, style of play and interaction between players. A manager admitting he doesn't know his best XI is not going to bode well for the team or his job. Ultimately it's a results game.

I don't think we have coped with losing Sako at all and the move to a new* style of play has not worked, but Jackett's resources suggest he cannot revert back to a style that did work. I hope I'm wrong.


*new = Arsenal under George Graham without the clean sheets or Saundersball.
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Kenny Jackett keeps me onside if he finds a pattern of play that enables chance creation while remaining solid at the back, allied to consistent team selection.
 
I've no doubt Kenny will turn the season around soon but I have my doubts the higher we aim. We're looking more like his Millwall team as things go on in this league. He is obsessed with power and physicality over technique and we are drifting further away from a modern system that is surely required to succeed in the top flight, and I know we have to get near getting there first. We set-up very deep and against better teams just find ourselves pinned to the edge of the box. How is his style ever going to work in the top flight? I think Swansea recognised this early on and replaced him with bright young coaches who implement modern tactics and play the game on the front foot. Without Sako we are struggling to get hold of a game and dominate.
I hope Kenny can change his ways but I can't see it and I don't think the board will either for a while yet.
 
Langers said:
I accept it's KJ's job to get his players playing, not to mention picking the correct personnel and tactics. And it's not working. But I'm not going to be calling for his head anytime soon - I'm hoping some of the players who are hugely under performing give him a bit of a hand and stop the rot.
Click to expand...

It's never failed to confound me, that when this whole industry is based on teamwork, the managers never seem to be able to pull all of the cohesive elements together.
there are thousands of games cumulatively in this team and many thousand hours of training within the group.
If it's all turning to shit, we're underperforming all over the place, I accept it's the Coach's job to point things out and motivate the guys to follow that lead, identify why it's not working and get THEM to collectively sort it out on the pitch.
It really shouldn't be him TELLING them what to do and if it fails, then it's his fault and those clueless idiots without a constructive thought between them play blindly on.
I just don't get it. Never have done. It just isn't how Teamwork and Leadership happens.

Well.... it shouldn't be.

I remember in Mick's time, when we had lots of full internationals in the team, but we still frequently played like we'd just met in the pub and turned out to see how it went.
 
I back Kenny 100%. He is a good manager and a decent man.The problem at Wolves, is higher up than the manager. The lack of investment in players and our wage structure, show no ambition to get promoted.
 
Well, we're absolutely entitled to have this discussion as KJ's performance this season has been poor. Some of his tactical decisions have always worried me - I didn't quite subscribe to the "competent PE teacher" theory when we were in Lg 1, but even there KJ got out-thought too many times. One problem is that once KJ appoints Gallen as his assistant they're pre-programmed to repeat Millwall in a way: I also worry that as we all get older we're less receptive to new ideas and the point above about Swansea replacing him with younger coaches is a valid one.
No doubt KJ is a thoroughly decent guy, but that doesn't get you promoted. See Neil Warnock - we all have our views but a record that's awash with promotions. Big problem for me right now is that there are several far less talented teams comfortably ahead of us.
 
Norman Deeley said:
Well, we're absolutely entitled to have this discussion as KJ's performance this season has been poor. Some of his tactical decisions have always worried me - I didn't quite subscribe to the "competent PE teacher" theory when we were in Lg 1, but even there KJ got out-thought too many times. One problem is that once KJ appoints Gallen as his assistant they're pre-programmed to repeat Millwall in a way: I also worry that as we all get older we're less receptive to new ideas and the point above about Swansea replacing him with younger coaches is a valid one.
No doubt KJ is a thoroughly decent guy, but that doesn't get you promoted. See Neil Warnock - we all have our views but a record that's awash with promotions. Big problem for me right now is that there are several far less talented teams comfortably ahead of us.
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+ 1
 
KJ will be given the whole season to prove his worth I'm pretty certain of that, the only way I can see him being pushed is if we really are struggling near the foot of the table.
Personally I don't think the squad is good enough for a top 6 finish, for me it looks very mid table.
If we just miss out on the play offs again do people think that's time for a change?
 
I wouldn't like to call for Kenny Jackett to go as I like and respect him. However - Cardiff, the first hour vs Charlton, all our general play vs Brighton - that's as bad as it gets, no football, terrible set ups, zero creativity, awful stuff. Then we have this triumvirate of giving Doherty a deal to 2019 (!) - when I think it's unlikely any League One teams would want him on a free, Edwards being made temporary captain and playing all the time in positions that Jackett himself has said he can't play, and Ameobi on trial which is Nouble levels of desperation. And we're shuffling along in the bottom six on just over a point a game. You have to question the manager after all of that.

Forget tonight as it's a bit of an irrelevance, if we don't win any of the next three league games then there will be serious rumblings about his future.
 
Ultimately the squad probably slightly over performed last season. I was bemoaning some of the quality last year but the players who were here stepped up particularly with the arrival of Afobe. It gave a sense of hope that hindsight shows now was probably a bit optimistic. Add to that the bang average recruitment this summer overall in terms of quality and we have failed to build so far at all on last years finish. It happens. Its KJ who ultimately coaches the side and picks the team so results will see him judged. He is mypoic in a Mick McCarthy way when it comes to Dave Edwards who performs well in one role and one role only yet is not played in that role. Ojo however has probably been the most disappointing so far. He had a half decent game against Bolton if I recall but thats been about it.
I would urge caution though. This is not the same situation as Solbakken. We are solvent with no big money wages. Much as we would like to have invested in more " star quality" we havent and are building around youth. Given our clubs apparent strategy is it wise to sack the coaching team integral to that? This squad is probably performing about at its right level or just below at the moment but it wont take much to pick it up. As fans we have the right to expect the best our club can do. Given the summer show of intent the message seems to be dont get relegated and build from within with a couple of young and hungry additions. Our expectations were that we were heading for promotion. My expectations were lowered the instant the window shut. The intent was clear. Now Ken has until December to show us that the strategy can keep the team up.If we are around half way at Xmas he and his team will stay. Bottom 5 and he may go- that is just too far to drop. Personally, I would hope he can and the team can turn it around to give us a respectable season and by that I would say a top half finish. Sorry but looking at the squad the system the mentality and the quality I do not see anything like a premier league challenging result from 2015-16. Cut my cloth to suit so cant get anywhere near as pissed off about it now as I was getting during the open window as we can do little about it now . Take 10 points from the next 7 games and KJ is safe. That may be a low expectation but I only expected 7 points max in August.
 
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