[madsteve]

You're probably right there, MS. I found it difficult to chew that they still made the comments after he left.

If in my profession, the average career span was about 10-15 years. And a shit manager stifled my game/progress for 3  of those years, I wouldn't be thanking him whether he picked me or not.
Unless, I simply didn't care.. which I don't think most of the released group did.

I'm not in any way saying openly dissenting against management is appropriate. I feel a manager that isn't open to change or listening to his players is just as bad as having a squad of journeymen. Forcing square pegs in round holes for example, yet none of the pegs got bent out of shape pointing out they would be more effective in their natural hole...

Lotsa holes!

If you are an average SBC player (Maguire, Zayatte, Mattock, Nuhiu, etc) and are getting around half a million pounds per year for 10-15 years then you will love the guy that agrees to pay you that money & picks you for the team. A shit manager isn't stifling their progress. By keeping the team as an average SBC team, he is keeping them in a job & giving them first team football.

If we take off & get promoted, all those players will be left behind & be looking for a new club. Hence why Buxton & Mattock are happy to go to Rotherham, Madine to Bolton and Maguire to any bottom half SBC team.