So here's our new head coach. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Buckle I'm initially underwhelmed by his accomplishments. The bulk of his career is with "Conference Premier side Torquay United", where he had a 46% win record. Conference Premier is apparently the 5th tier in England, not even fully professional. But maybe 5th tier semi-professional in England is comparable to 3rd tier professional in the USA? I guess I'm hopeful, but skeptical. Thoughts?
That "46% win record" is actually pretty good: that's the percentage of games that were wins. In US sports, his record with Torquay would be .588. The positive I see is leading two different clubs into the promotion playoffs; but I also see he has a tendency to clean house as soon as he joins a club. (Then again, this may be due to the fact that he always seems to be hired to take over clubs in poor form at midseason.)
I feel sorry for you guys having Paul Buckle as manager. He was an absolute disaster here at Cheltenham, his most recent job in football. He lasted just 3 months, winning 1 game out of 13. He created a bad atmosphere at the club due to his massive ego and the players and staff hated him. He really is poisonous. It shows the little class that man has when he was texting our players after matches when we had lost after he had left the club. I am very surprised he has another job as a manager. I wish you guys the very best of luck, you're going to need it him in charge.
Feeling somewhat better about the guy after his first victory. And over an (admittedly pre-season) EPL team too! Very happy to see him shake up the forward situation. Hopefully a sign of more good things to come.
Paul and Rebecca, a fluff piece on the happy couple: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/lowe-hosts-premier-league-husband-coaches-us-3rd-32944416
Transcript from his Q&A on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/SacRepublicFC/comments/3ghyrj/ama_announcement_head_coach_paul_buckle_on/
Q&A Announcement: Fan Q&A w/ Head Coach & Tech. Dir. Paul Buckle on Wed! Details: https://t.co/E79jtysoC9 #AskUrbs pic.twitter.com/mwGStNChVS— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) January 25, 2016
Posting what I think are the more interesting of Buckle's Twitter interview from yesterday: Add to it. The best form of defense is attack. We will be set up to attack this year https://t.co/mK4S5ATIeM— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) January 27, 2016 Edit: The question was sit on a lead or attack?
Dear Coach Buckle, With all due respect, that was a throw-away answer. We may be supporters of a US third tier, small-market team, but we know organizational gobbledygook when we hear it. And that was it. I sincerely hope that your answer was the result of you being caught offguard to a difficult question, and not about you believing we are unsophisticated soccer-rubes that wouldn't know $#''t from shinola about soccer. I am with you in hoping that you have found an adequate replacement for Vukovic, and I can't wait to see the successful "evolution" of the team toward your vision. Sincerely, Me.
I agree about the coach-speak, but reading between the lines, I thought the comment on Gabeljic was revealing.
I believe that since Preki left, SRFC has been slipping and this year, with more of Buckle's imprint on the team, the downward slope is dramatic. One goal from run-of-play in 6 league matches just does not cut it. Hate to say it, but maybe they chose the wrong guy.