I agree with @TheatreOfChairs that we shouldn’t be quite so dismissive of Preston as a possible home. If (and it is a big if) GA does harbour serious ambitions at managing at a really high level there aren’t that many clubs with the potential to challenge at the top of the Championship who are likely to look at him as a suitable replacement.
At the end of the season he will have taken us to our highest ever league position and with our immediate financial security intact. That is some legacy if he does decide to go.
Given that he was reportedly seriously considered for the Barnsley job a year or two ago I wonder whether he is looking at where they are and thinking whether he could have taken them there.
But of course, none of us have a clue about how GA (and Dobbo - as it would almost be a decision for both of them) would internally balance loyalty, job security, home life with financial reward and ambition.
Not sure why it has to be a Championship side. A "sleeping giant" in League 1 with good prospects of promotion might be a better bet. For example Ipswich, good facilities, reasonable crowds, much bigger budget, plus I'm sure Bloomfield would jump at the chance of being in Gareth's coaching set up.
@mooneyman said:
Not sure why it has to be a Championship side. A "sleeping giant" in League 1 with good prospects of promotion might be a better bet. For example Ipswich, good facilities, reasonable crowds, much bigger budget, plus I'm sure Bloomfield would jump at the chance of being in Gareth's coaching set up.
Ipswich only appointed Paul Cook on a 2 year contract a couple of weeks ago, so might be a while before that jobs an option haha.
The Preston job is an attractive opportunity for Ainsworth. Established Championship side. Ainsworth has always said he wants to manage in that division. Average crowds ( when fans were allowed) more than double ours. A billionaire owner. Up north , Ainsworth is a northern lad and I think some of his family still live up there. Will he think he has taken Wycombe as far as he can and there may not be many other opportunities in the future. I am worried this could be the one.
@davecz do you think they will want a manager who only knows one way to play and buys all the wrong players...if he buys any at all? A manager who doesn't even want to 'give it a proper go' in the Championship? A manager who needs the Chairman to tell him what to do and relies on his assistant to win games? Believe it or not that's what some Gasroomers and Facebookers think! So I would not worry if I was you....with that record no-one will want him.
A couple of years ago i was convinced GA would take the QPR job. The similarities to today are striking, former club, premier league potential, higher level, and he may feel that he's taken us as far as he can. I just don't get the impression he'd want to move to Lancashire though, he always comes across as someone who understands his biggest priorities are outside his career.
If he is not offered the Preston job, @floyd (which probably remains the most likely scenario) , all of this is moot.
If he is offered the Preston job, I am sure the relocation is not attractive to either GA or RD but the reality is that there are a limited number of Championship (and championship potential) clubs within their commutable area and those jobs may not be offered to GA for a long time or ever.
So it may come down to a choice between taking the Preston job and relocating or refusing it and choosing instead to stay in Reading/New forest and have a secure job but arguably probably always no higher than Lg1.
Then complicate that choice by
1) the doubts Couhig may have put in his mind with that daft email about how secure his job really is and
2) the possibility that GA may genuinely see a real possibility of taking WWFC back up to the Championship and staying there in which case he could be a Champ Manager without moving house.
A real dilemma for GA and RD and their families to talk through together if the offer comes along.(which it probably will not!)
I wouldn't blame Gaz if he left on the basis of some of the ridiculous social media posts slagging him off for failing to get better results this season. Who do they seriously think would have done better? And then out of these, who would realistically want to manage Wycombe Wanderers?
Field Music probably were channeling Gaz's mind in situations like this in the past in this song:
If you're discounting GA going to Preston because he'd only have Gregg's as a coffee option I have to report that the area north of Preston (Garstang, Cottam, Broughton, Woodplumpton) is remarkably well catered for with numerous independent, good quality coffee shops.
The selection of places to visit, within a 15 minute drive, on a weekend is quite remarkable.
It's where my daughter has lived the past 2 years.
@Twizz yes, If the quality of coffee shops (and perhaps sausage rolls or other snacks) is not a major factor in Gareth's decision to take a job and uproot his family...I don't know what would be.
@Wendoverman said: @davecz do you think they will want a manager who only knows one way to play and buys all the wrong players...if he buys any at all? A manager who doesn't even want to 'give it a proper go' in the Championship? A manager who needs the Chairman to tell him what to do and relies on his assistant to win games? Believe it or not that's what some Gasroomers and Facebookers think! So I would not worry if I was you....with that record no-one will want him.
Gaz always said that he wanted to manage in the Championship with Wycombe, which he's done.
If he was offered the job, I wouldn't be surprised to see him take it as his stock isn't as high as it was last summer, so perhaps he'd bite their hand off.
He's done amazing things for the club, and it would be extremely sad to see him go - not least as the squad is built so much with the way he plays in mind - but it would be interesting to have a change at the top.
@Twizz said:
If you're discounting GA going to Preston because he'd only have Gregg's as a coffee option I have to report that the area north of Preston (Garstang, Cottam, Broughton, Woodplumpton) is remarkably well catered for with numerous independent, good quality coffee shops.
The selection of places to visit, within a 15 minute drive, on a weekend is quite remarkable.
It's where my daughter has lived the past 2 years.
Agreed, the Trough of Bowland north of Preston is more beautiful and much quieter than the nearby Lake District. Little Town Dairy is a great farm shop and cafe, the Inn At Whitewell a wonderful gastro hotel. Gaz could have a spectacular home up there for half the money having probably doubled his salary. All this on top of the scale of club already mentioned.
It would be wrong to assume his and Dobbo’s ambition is the same as ours, that is an error that Bobby C may already have made.
He's done amazing things for the club, and it would be extremely sad to see him go - not least as the squad is built so much with the way he plays in mind - but it would be interesting to have a change at the top.
Ancient Chinese curse* against their worst enemy - "may you live in interesting times"
I'd far rather have what we know and what has produced amazing success.
*- (actually thats a common misconception. No such phrase in China. Apparently made up by Neville Chamberlain's dad!)
@Wendoverman said: @Twizz yes, If the quality of coffee shops (and perhaps sausage rolls or other snacks) is not a major factor in Gareth's decision to take a job and uproot his family...I don't know what would be.
It’s not just comestibles that will temp him. Preston has a Grade One listed Bruralist bus station that makes the one under The Octagon look like, well, a bus shelter. In of itself not unlike the contrast between Deepdale and Adams Park which arguably makes manifest the difference between PNE and us in terms of opportunity.
But I hope they stay....
I was looking forward to a small break to the non stop nature of match after match.
If this greatest hits thread of all the same old reasons Ainsworth may or may not move on them I am launching a petition for a friendly to be arranged as soon as possible.
I genuinely don't think I have anything to say on what our manager may or may not do that I haven't said or posted over the last four or five years. I'll let you know if I think of anything.
Must be odd to be forced at gunpoint to read things you don't want to read then type out a whole paragraph about how you don't want to read it and that you've got nothing to say about it
I get what people are saying about moving his family, but surely the thing is, in football it's a moving profession ? Players, managers move all the time, weve been incredibly lucky that he's been here for so long, but its certainly not the norm. If he's ambitious as he's said in the past he is, then he must have accepted that at some point he's going to have to move around.
He's done amazing things for the club, and it would be extremely sad to see him go - not least as the squad is built so much with the way he plays in mind - but it would be interesting to have a change at the top.
Ancient Chinese curse* against their worst enemy - "may you live in interesting times"
I'd far rather have what we know and what has produced amazing success.
*- (actually thats a common misconception. No such phrase in China. Apparently made up by Neville Chamberlain's dad!)
I’ll echo @floyd - thanks, not something I’d given any thought to before and passed 15 minutes looking into the history waiting for the car MOT (after 30 minutes scrolling back through today’s England cricket team collapse)
@eric_plant said:
Must be odd to be forced at gunpoint to read things you don't want to read then type out a whole paragraph about how you don't want to read it and that you've got nothing to say about it
Some of us have nothing better to do and a huge visit and post count to manage.
No inside info @Micra. Just at this stage lots of candidates (including some no doubt no one has thought or perhaps heard of). Gareth is no doubt a possible - indeed a strong candidate in my view - but with so many options more likely than not they will offer to someone else.
I think Preston will go the Portuguese Third Division route as a reaction to Alex Neil's perceived failings. I think there is a real danger if the job is offered, but would be shocked if it is.
Bookie's odds don't mean much in these manager hirings, especially at the beginning when no one has even been interviewed.
I may be very wide of the mark here but I think Gareth sees most things as a learning curve...no money, some money, better money, get promoted, survive, get promoted, get relegated...get promoted again! Unless, Rob C gets shot of him, he will have experienced most things by the time he's done a decade in the hot seat...and he will still be young in managerial terms. Then again if the bookies say it, the money men make an offer and the delights of Lancashire as listed above turn his head (has anyone mentioned the Ribble Valley?) what can we do?
Comments
I agree with @TheatreOfChairs that we shouldn’t be quite so dismissive of Preston as a possible home. If (and it is a big if) GA does harbour serious ambitions at managing at a really high level there aren’t that many clubs with the potential to challenge at the top of the Championship who are likely to look at him as a suitable replacement.
At the end of the season he will have taken us to our highest ever league position and with our immediate financial security intact. That is some legacy if he does decide to go.
Given that he was reportedly seriously considered for the Barnsley job a year or two ago I wonder whether he is looking at where they are and thinking whether he could have taken them there.
But of course, none of us have a clue about how GA (and Dobbo - as it would almost be a decision for both of them) would internally balance loyalty, job security, home life with financial reward and ambition.
Not sure why it has to be a Championship side. A "sleeping giant" in League 1 with good prospects of promotion might be a better bet. For example Ipswich, good facilities, reasonable crowds, much bigger budget, plus I'm sure Bloomfield would jump at the chance of being in Gareth's coaching set up.
But would he want to move so far?
Ipswich only appointed Paul Cook on a 2 year contract a couple of weeks ago, so might be a while before that jobs an option haha.
The Preston job is an attractive opportunity for Ainsworth. Established Championship side. Ainsworth has always said he wants to manage in that division. Average crowds ( when fans were allowed) more than double ours. A billionaire owner. Up north , Ainsworth is a northern lad and I think some of his family still live up there. Will he think he has taken Wycombe as far as he can and there may not be many other opportunities in the future. I am worried this could be the one.
@davecz do you think they will want a manager who only knows one way to play and buys all the wrong players...if he buys any at all? A manager who doesn't even want to 'give it a proper go' in the Championship? A manager who needs the Chairman to tell him what to do and relies on his assistant to win games? Believe it or not that's what some Gasroomers and Facebookers think! So I would not worry if I was you....with that record no-one will want him.
A couple of years ago i was convinced GA would take the QPR job. The similarities to today are striking, former club, premier league potential, higher level, and he may feel that he's taken us as far as he can. I just don't get the impression he'd want to move to Lancashire though, he always comes across as someone who understands his biggest priorities are outside his career.
If he is not offered the Preston job, @floyd (which probably remains the most likely scenario) , all of this is moot.
If he is offered the Preston job, I am sure the relocation is not attractive to either GA or RD but the reality is that there are a limited number of Championship (and championship potential) clubs within their commutable area and those jobs may not be offered to GA for a long time or ever.
So it may come down to a choice between taking the Preston job and relocating or refusing it and choosing instead to stay in Reading/New forest and have a secure job but arguably probably always no higher than Lg1.
Then complicate that choice by
1) the doubts Couhig may have put in his mind with that daft email about how secure his job really is and
2) the possibility that GA may genuinely see a real possibility of taking WWFC back up to the Championship and staying there in which case he could be a Champ Manager without moving house.
A real dilemma for GA and RD and their families to talk through together if the offer comes along.(which it probably will not!)
Sky bet has Gaz at evens to be the next PNE manager now. I really hope he’s not actually going.
Be interesting to know how much compo we will get if he goes.
I wouldn't blame Gaz if he left on the basis of some of the ridiculous social media posts slagging him off for failing to get better results this season. Who do they seriously think would have done better? And then out of these, who would realistically want to manage Wycombe Wanderers?
Field Music probably were channeling Gaz's mind in situations like this in the past in this song:
If you're discounting GA going to Preston because he'd only have Gregg's as a coffee option I have to report that the area north of Preston (Garstang, Cottam, Broughton, Woodplumpton) is remarkably well catered for with numerous independent, good quality coffee shops.
The selection of places to visit, within a 15 minute drive, on a weekend is quite remarkable.
It's where my daughter has lived the past 2 years.
@Twizz yes, If the quality of coffee shops (and perhaps sausage rolls or other snacks) is not a major factor in Gareth's decision to take a job and uproot his family...I don't know what would be.
Great post. Ha,ha.
Gaz always said that he wanted to manage in the Championship with Wycombe, which he's done.
If he was offered the job, I wouldn't be surprised to see him take it as his stock isn't as high as it was last summer, so perhaps he'd bite their hand off.
He's done amazing things for the club, and it would be extremely sad to see him go - not least as the squad is built so much with the way he plays in mind - but it would be interesting to have a change at the top.
Agreed, the Trough of Bowland north of Preston is more beautiful and much quieter than the nearby Lake District. Little Town Dairy is a great farm shop and cafe, the Inn At Whitewell a wonderful gastro hotel. Gaz could have a spectacular home up there for half the money having probably doubled his salary. All this on top of the scale of club already mentioned.
It would be wrong to assume his and Dobbo’s ambition is the same as ours, that is an error that Bobby C may already have made.
Ancient Chinese curse* against their worst enemy - "may you live in interesting times"
I'd far rather have what we know and what has produced amazing success.
*- (actually thats a common misconception. No such phrase in China. Apparently made up by Neville Chamberlain's dad!)
well i've learnt something today.
It’s not just comestibles that will temp him. Preston has a Grade One listed Bruralist bus station that makes the one under The Octagon look like, well, a bus shelter. In of itself not unlike the contrast between Deepdale and Adams Park which arguably makes manifest the difference between PNE and us in terms of opportunity.
But I hope they stay....
I was looking forward to a small break to the non stop nature of match after match.
If this greatest hits thread of all the same old reasons Ainsworth may or may not move on them I am launching a petition for a friendly to be arranged as soon as possible.
I genuinely don't think I have anything to say on what our manager may or may not do that I haven't said or posted over the last four or five years. I'll let you know if I think of anything.
Must be odd to be forced at gunpoint to read things you don't want to read then type out a whole paragraph about how you don't want to read it and that you've got nothing to say about it
Everyone needs a hobby,Eric
I get what people are saying about moving his family, but surely the thing is, in football it's a moving profession ? Players, managers move all the time, weve been incredibly lucky that he's been here for so long, but its certainly not the norm. If he's ambitious as he's said in the past he is, then he must have accepted that at some point he's going to have to move around.
I’ll echo @floyd - thanks, not something I’d given any thought to before and passed 15 minutes looking into the history waiting for the car MOT (after 30 minutes scrolling back through today’s England cricket team collapse)
What makes you think @DevC that an offer to GA from PNE will probably not be forthcoming?
Some of us have nothing better to do and a huge visit and post count to manage.
No inside info @Micra. Just at this stage lots of candidates (including some no doubt no one has thought or perhaps heard of). Gareth is no doubt a possible - indeed a strong candidate in my view - but with so many options more likely than not they will offer to someone else.
I think Preston will go the Portuguese Third Division route as a reaction to Alex Neil's perceived failings. I think there is a real danger if the job is offered, but would be shocked if it is.
Bookie's odds don't mean much in these manager hirings, especially at the beginning when no one has even been interviewed.
Bookies odds at this stage is probably more a reflection of punters' inclinations as much as the bookies having any sort of inside track.
I may be very wide of the mark here but I think Gareth sees most things as a learning curve...no money, some money, better money, get promoted, survive, get promoted, get relegated...get promoted again! Unless, Rob C gets shot of him, he will have experienced most things by the time he's done a decade in the hot seat...and he will still be young in managerial terms. Then again if the bookies say it, the money men make an offer and the delights of Lancashire as listed above turn his head (has anyone mentioned the Ribble Valley?) what can we do?