| Should he stay or should he go? 13:07 - May 16 with 12683 views | ProudDale |
Surely this is the question on every fans' mind after last night, and hopefully on the Ogdens.
In the credit column, BJ is a decent guy and has steered the Dale ship through very choppy waters. The players seem to like him, and you would probably argue that a semi final place in the FA Trophy, and a quarter final exit in the Playoffs is above par based on expectations at the start of the season. He knows the squad, and should know its strengths better than anyone, and SHOULD know where it needs improving. Are we just a few pieces away from a winning jigsaw?
The counter arguments are plentiful - if one definition of insanity is repeating the same thing and expecting different results, we all have collectively experienced deja vous too many times to count. Game management has been woeful at the crunch points - Spennymore, and the 70 minute mark yesterday being the most damning. The style of football is boring to watch, and his tactical inflexibility seems to be known to every opposition manager, particularly the ones with lesser resources whose cunning plan of the "low block" seem to have us totally stumped. Does anyone remember having a winger like Mendez-Laing galloping down the wing, taking men on, and delivering juicy crosses? Combative strikers in the mould of Grant Holt and CoG actually jumping for headers and taking shots whenever the opportunity arises? Keepers who can command their box, and save shots rather than aiming to be a Pirlo. Those are the things which will deliver bums on seats, and gives us a chance of Project 5000.
Should we go again with a few tweaks in the right places, or do we roll the dice and get an experienced, progressive manager for the National League who understands when to mix it, when to go for it, and when to circle the wagons? If the latter, surely now's the time to do it with a full Summer ahead of us rather than loading the bullet in November after the squad is full of another man's players and behind the chasing pack.
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:15 - May 16 with 4818 views | James1980 |
If you achieved the target you had been set and you got the sack would you be aggrieved? Also if you were a successful manager for another company and a company that sacked their's who had achieved the target set him for that year. Would you not be dubious about joining that company? | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:20 - May 16 with 4789 views | Sandyman |
If you repeated the same mistakes time and time again, showed no capability to rectify them, causing a loss of confidence in your business and its customers, should you be kept on in your job? |  | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:26 - May 16 with 4763 views | James1980 |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:20 - May 16 by Sandyman |
If you repeated the same mistakes time and time again, showed no capability to rectify them, causing a loss of confidence in your business and its customers, should you be kept on in your job? |
Fair point but he achieved the target set him. | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:37 - May 16 with 4708 views | Dale_4_Life |
I would say Stay.. but only if when he has his review he can explain how he is going to take us forward in 25/26.
Young Coach, progressive but showing a trait that needs ironing out (below)
Throwing away 3 big games all at home from winning positions all in quite a similar fashion.
Bromley FA CUP - Winning in Extra Time - LOST
Spennymoor FA Trophy - Winning in the 95th minute LOST
Southend Play Off - Winning with a 2 goal cushion less than 20 mins remaining. LOST
Failing to kill off Oldham and Ebbsfleet away.
Boston & Ebbsfleet at Home were a terrible watch as was the 2 games v relegated Dagenham home and away.
Looking at the benchmark sides at season end 2025 in Barnet and York four games zero points and two heavy defeats at home.
There is a lot to unpick the biggest of which has Big Jim the hunger to go again and put all the negatives of last season to one side and quickly develop a fast placed team that is hungry to win week in week out?.
Hope Big Jim comes out firing.. My first choice.
If he is any more morose then with regret it is time to pass the mantle. [Post edited 16 May 13:37]
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:38 - May 16 with 4699 views | Trev |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:26 - May 16 by James1980 |
Fair point but he achieved the target set him. |
The only known target is promotion within 3 years. Everything else is conjecture. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 13:56 - May 16 with 4611 views | Trev |
Unless Jim walks away I would be amazed if he isn't here at the start of next season. He got a bit of abuse from the main stand after the game last night and I would hope that, in due course, some open and honest conversations are had between him and the board.
The cracks will only deepen after last night and the fan base does seem to be getting more divided.
Next season will be tough, improvement would be a top 3 finish, securing the home semi final and getting over the line in that. I have serious reservations as to whether he can achieve that and I fear the 3 year plan will become a noose around his neck.
I believe we are mentally weak, we can impact this through good signings in the summer, but ultimately it comes from Jim. We finished fourth in the league yet shat our pants when we took the lead last night and, let's be honest, it's happened throughout the season.
Jim needs to cut the BS, give the players the belief that they can manage games effectively and stop banging on about finances. Relative to our position Jim has been more than adequately backed so it doesn't wash, and, perhaps more importantly, alienates the fan base. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 14:40 - May 16 with 4487 views | sxdale |
On the face of it a 3rd place finish and a cup semi final equates to a successful season and you would assume that any manager achieving this should be safe in their job, however I'm just not convinced.
We all can see where the team needs strengthening it's been said often enough, a couple of strikers, combative midfielder and our own keeper but does Jim see it this way? I want to keep Jim and for him to prove me wrong can he go out and sign those players over the summer, I hope so but he seems so wedded to his coaching manual principals that I don't really trust him to do this, he didn't replace Henry he got more wide players in instead.
It's been a season ot frustration for me, whenever I think we've turned a corner and the penny has finally dropped we revert to type it's soul destroying.
When we are bad it's really bad, it's boring non entertainment- and I don't care if someone wants to point out the stats for goals scored, lack of goals conceded etc, etc and tell me it's been a successful season. This is my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Jim has succeeded in one thing that no other manager has done (not even Barrow or Buckley although it was close) and that is stop me going to watch the mighty Dale. I haven't been since Ebbsfleet at home. I knew what was going to happen against Spennymoor and I knew what was going to happen last night. I hoped with all my heart that I would be wrong. I wasn't.
Do I want Jim to go? I think overall yes I do, do I think it will happen, no.
Oh and will I turn up for the beginning of next season, probably but my patience will wear thinner, quicker. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:01 - May 16 with 4407 views | James1980 |
When Stockdale was sacked one of the reasons cited by Simon Gauge was the atmosphere getting toxic. | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:15 - May 16 with 4344 views | James1980 |
The fans forum will be interesting. It will be good if a follow question can be asked. | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:28 - May 16 with 4281 views | samueloneils |
Only 11 weeks till the new season gets under way. Over in a flash in football terms.
If anything were to happen, it would have to happen very soon. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:39 - May 16 with 4233 views | MoonyDale |
He should go......Now. |  |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:55 - May 16 with 4174 views | James1980 |
Who replaces him? [Post edited 16 May 15:56]
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 17:59 - May 16 with 3825 views | blackdogblue |
Give Keith Hill a decent summer budget & a year… keep BJ as his assistant
What I saw last night was not good… |  |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 18:05 - May 16 with 3788 views | James1980 |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 17:59 - May 16 by blackdogblue |
Give Keith Hill a decent summer budget & a year… keep BJ as his assistant
What I saw last night was not good… |
Hill said he doesn't want a head coach/manager role | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 18:21 - May 16 with 3731 views | Sandyman |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 15:55 - May 16 by James1980 |
Who replaces him? [Post edited 16 May 15:56]
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The question always asked when a manager's job is in the balance.
There will be a multitude of applicants should the manager's job become available. The directors will make a decision accordingly.
Happens all the time in football.
The Ogden Trust has done a magnificent job keeping RAFC afloat and forward looking. They deserve our support for that. Season ticket already purchased. At key moments in games, can this manager be relied upon to bring the success their commitment deserves? No. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 19:20 - May 16 with 3559 views | James1980 |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 18:21 - May 16 by Sandyman |
The question always asked when a manager's job is in the balance.
There will be a multitude of applicants should the manager's job become available. The directors will make a decision accordingly.
Happens all the time in football.
The Ogden Trust has done a magnificent job keeping RAFC afloat and forward looking. They deserve our support for that. Season ticket already purchased. At key moments in games, can this manager be relied upon to bring the success their commitment deserves? No. |
Is there a manager a substantial majority of the fanbase would get behind? Gary Jones maybe, does he have his coaching badges? [Post edited 16 May 19:21]
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 19:30 - May 16 with 3514 views | Shun |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 19:20 - May 16 by James1980 |
Is there a manager a substantial majority of the fanbase would get behind? Gary Jones maybe, does he have his coaching badges? [Post edited 16 May 19:21]
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Absolutely not Gary Jones, unless I’ve missed him managing somewhere. Of the last 7 managers, the majority have been rookies with no experience and only Hill of those exceeded beyond expectations. There are plenty of managers around who’ve achieved promotion from this division, and as much as we like to play ourselves down in this town, we’re a very attractive proposition. |  | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 19:42 - May 16 with 3448 views | James1980 |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 19:30 - May 16 by Shun |
Absolutely not Gary Jones, unless I’ve missed him managing somewhere. Of the last 7 managers, the majority have been rookies with no experience and only Hill of those exceeded beyond expectations. There are plenty of managers around who’ve achieved promotion from this division, and as much as we like to play ourselves down in this town, we’re a very attractive proposition. |
Just trying to think of a name everyone well most would get behind. | |
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 20:02 - May 16 with 3363 views | wozzrafc |
Out of interest how would you rate Mcnulty’s season?
Top line finishing fourth and reaching the playoffs, semi final of the FA vase, but so much more to that. Narrative.
Genuinely interested what people think marks out of 10. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 20:52 - May 16 with 3229 views | NorthernDale |
I agree with many of the comments about McNulty making the same mistakes, not only in key games, but in many league games as well and the fact he as not learnt from the mistakes is worrying. Yes he is quite inexperienced in that, he is only into his second year of football management and it is the same with Kevin Gibbons, and that may be a factor in the management teams decisions. But as also highlighted,they should be learning from their mistakes by now, so I would Keith Hill back in a form of Director of Football role to run all aspects of football at Rochdale and act as a mentor to McNulty at the same time.
I would also like McNulty to take responsibilities for his decision making, last night he repeated the same tired excuses. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:06 - May 16 with 3014 views | Clivert |
There was no remit given last summer as far as I can remember.
It was said that a playoff budget would be given to the manager, we made the playoffs ✅.
The manager said at the Fans Forum on the eve of the season that we would take the FA Trophy seriously this time because he felt that he had the squad to do so, we reached the Semi-Finals ✅.
If that is the bare minimum that was expected of the manager then fair play.
I feel that we've missed a real trick this season having now seen how the season has panned out.
The FA Trophy, we reached the Semi-Final and lost to a part time team who then were comfortably despatched in the final by a team who we did the league double over.
The League, we finished 4th in a terrible division. Barnet and York were nothing special, I know we had two heavy defeats at home against them both but a lot of what went on in those two games were down to our own undoing. The two away fixtures against both sides I feel that we should have got something from those games. We then come to the numerous terrible performances against part time teams and the teams that were relegated, they have been the games that have cost us.
We've missed an opportunity this season, it's been such a poor league.
I get stick from people for saying that he 'is the worst manager that we have ever had' but there was a collective groan in The Pearl Street last night when that first sub was made because we knew what was coming, it was so predictable.
If we are to progress the way that The Ogdens wants us to do then we need to be back in The EFL asap, I don't watch the manager's pre/post match interviews because of the same robotic crap that he comes out with but if he did actually say that we weren't ready to move back up to The EFL on the eve of a playoff game then that tells you everything about the blokes ambition.
Finally next season will mark the manager's 10th season with us as a player and manager, he'll be due a testimonial. [Post edited 16 May 22:23]
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:10 - May 16 with 2998 views | Cedar_Room |
I think there’s a strong comparison between McNulty and Gareth Southgate with England.
He was a nice guy manager, well liked by the players.
But he was often too negative and defensive in the games that mattered, making bizarre substitutions which lost us the momentum. When the pressure was on, he just didn’t seem capable of pulling us over the line.
But - because he had got near to success, which was an improvement over what had come before - it was ignored that actually he had failed to do the really hard bit and actually win something. So he was given more chances, but his shortcomings weren’t going anywhere and the inevitable happened time after time.
I see in all honesty the same happening with McNulty. He won’t go now and next season we’ll probably finish somewhere in the play off zone again. It will be another frustrating season with points lost from winning positions, interminably dull football on far too many occasions, and when it really matters he won’t be able to get the team battling their way to success.
But because a play off finish SEEMS successful for little old Rochdale, he’ll be given a chance again the season after. I fear one or even two seasons of falling at the final hurdle will be necessary before the Ogdens hand is forced and (like the FA) they bow to the pressure to relieve Mr Nice Guy from duty.
However - what is obvious NOW is that McNulty won’t get us out of this division. We will waste one, two or however many more seasons with him in charge but that fundamental truth won’t change.
If you actually think about it - whilst finishing 4th SOUNDS decent, it’s only decent in League Two where 4th is just outside the automatic slots. In this league it’s a million miles away. We finished 28 points behind Barnet. In League Two terms - 28 points off an automatic spot places you 21st. So he’s either got to turn us into a winning machine next term in order to go up automatically or learn how to turn it on when it matters and through force of will get a team to win in some really important games. I honestly don’t know what anyone has seen of McNulty in the last two seasons to suggest he is capable of either. |  | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:17 - May 16 with 2964 views | somdale |
Only 3 managers is the National league had a better record than Jim, and they never reached a semi final.
Behave yourselves. | | | |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:26 - May 16 with 2931 views | Clivert |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:17 - May 16 by somdale |
Only 3 managers is the National league had a better record than Jim, and they never reached a semi final.
Behave yourselves. |
Five have if you're down that route, Barnet, York, Forest Green, Oldham and Southend.
Edit Aldershot and the part time manager of Spennymoor went one better than a Semi Final too. [Post edited 16 May 22:35]
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| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:43 - May 16 with 2854 views | Cedar_Room |
| Should he stay or should he go? on 22:17 - May 16 by somdale |
Only 3 managers is the National league had a better record than Jim, and they never reached a semi final.
Behave yourselves. |
Oh wow a semi final?? Do you get a medal for that? | | | |
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