| Mark Ashton 07:52 - Feb 14 with 3544 views | EC2_Blue |
Last season, and at the start of this one, I took a great deal of comfort from Mark Ashton's frequent interviews and press releases.
In many ways he acted as a shield against too much media pressure on some players and KMcK.
Unless I have missed it, though, he seems to have gone very quiet this year, other than in the programme- which not everyone buys nowadays and is quite expensive for what it is.
Without wanting to impose on his very busy community/ ground development/ squad evolution schedule, it would be reassuring to hear from him re: the developing speculation over KMcK.
He can't respond to everything which whoever is behind Football League World or other unaccountable gossip pages put out there, however it does seem that the wider media pick up on their stuff and run with it, thereby creating the risk of stories becoming self-fulfilling.
On the current one perhaps the club could give some reassurance (if any is to be had). This would at least counter what I felt was a pretty lukewarm response from the boss when asked about the position. |  | | |  |
| Mark Ashton on 10:37 - Feb 14 with 471 views | Guthrum |
It's not necessarily Ashton's place to comment on approaches to McKenna from other clubs (which the latter has turned down).
He can't say "it's all rubbish" when it isn't. Promises of another new contract at this stage look a bit desperate and would be unlikely to make any difference - we can't match a full-fat Prem offer. I'm not convinced that McKenna is the kind of man who demands his bosses say nice things about him in public. Or who feels undermined and insecure if they don't.
At a time when the team has been struggling a bit, bullish comments ring hollow, anyway. It's more a rolled-up sleeves, head down time.
Another factor is that interviewers are interested in "the Mark Ashton story", the personal angle of where he came from and his attitudes, rather than technical details of ITFC's financial planning or training ground building programme. That story has been told now. They don't want to just be repeating old content. |  |
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| Mark Ashton on 11:01 - Feb 14 with 434 views | RegencyBlue |
| Mark Ashton on 10:28 - Feb 14 by PhilTWTD |
Indeed, so managers have to make their moves when their opportunities come. If Town don't go up, then I suspect he'll be gone to Palace or a similar-sized Premier League club in the summer, as much as it obviously pains to say it. |
Almost inevitable unfortunately.
I’m sure Ashton and co have plans in place if/when it happens but I do wonder what effect all the speculation will have on the squad now for the run in.
Personally I used to like a bit of certainty at work and always found uncertainty unsettling. I know football is different to most jobs but makes me wonder if it could upset the togetherness which has been such a feature of the club recently. |  | | |
| Mark Ashton on 11:14 - Feb 14 with 400 views | itfcsuth |
| Mark Ashton on 10:18 - Feb 14 by blueasfook |
True. Fortunes can change very quickly on the managerial stock market! |
Liam Manning a recent example of that.
Hottest property in EFL to being sacked within 12 months.
He didn't make that mistake twice at Oxford.
Football is a ruthless business. |  | | |
| Mark Ashton on 11:17 - Feb 14 with 395 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Mark Ashton on 11:01 - Feb 14 by RegencyBlue |
Almost inevitable unfortunately.
I’m sure Ashton and co have plans in place if/when it happens but I do wonder what effect all the speculation will have on the squad now for the run in.
Personally I used to like a bit of certainty at work and always found uncertainty unsettling. I know football is different to most jobs but makes me wonder if it could upset the togetherness which has been such a feature of the club recently. |
It could also galvanise them to work even harder, knowing if they don't get us up they'd likely lose him and the whole gang they've created together, which has had so much success and must be so fun to work in, could start falling apart.
In a way, the players are the only ones who can stop him leaving. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Mark Ashton on 11:28 - Feb 14 with 382 views | blueasfook |
| Mark Ashton on 11:17 - Feb 14 by The_Flashing_Smile |
It could also galvanise them to work even harder, knowing if they don't get us up they'd likely lose him and the whole gang they've created together, which has had so much success and must be so fun to work in, could start falling apart.
In a way, the players are the only ones who can stop him leaving. |
"The fans want premiership football, do the players?"
Always remember seeing some woman in the crowd at some relegation threatened Yo Yo club (might have been Brom or someone like that), holding up a banner saying that. Made me chuckle at the idiocy of fans. |  |
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