What does Alan Irvine bring to the party?

[Lewis DW 11]

Last season NCFC played the one-up top, two defensive-midfielders formation - it almost worked in the Premier League, the formation in my opinion made sense against superior opposition. Since last year Gary Holt has moved on, and in has come Alan Irvine. We are now one of the superior teams in this league yet we are playing the same defensive formation/tactics. Holt has gone, Irvine has come in - but what has actually changed? Our playing style or approach doesn''t seem to have. A lot of NCFC fans are on AN''s back, but he has got a team of staff with him that are also not helping us get results.

[Indy_Bones 441]

It doesn''t matter how much Irvine may or may not be able to improve things if Alex Neil isn''t willing to listen, and subsequently make those changes.Regardless of what Irvine may be thinking the buck stops with AN, and if he doesn''t want change, then there damn well won''t be one...

[Lewis DW 11]

I disagree. Just because you''re the top man, the big-wig, chief, manager in charge... doesn''t make you solely responsible, coaching/managing like playing is a team game. Granted Alex Neil should be orchestrating his team but I think they all need to stand up and be counted for. This is still off topic - the question was or is... What has Alan Irvine brought to the party? Other than taking a salary and a seat on the touchline i''d say NOTHING! And judging by Moxey''s history, he''ll be our next manager! which is why i''m still backing AN

[Paul Spector 0]

Given Irvine''s credentials I can certainly see that he does bring something to the party.

For me, i struggle to see what Frankie ''BBC (Balls, Bibs & Cones)'' McAvoy brings.

Has anyone actually ever witnessed him doing anything other than carrying a bag of balls, giving out bibs or laying out cones!?

[Crafty Canary 495]

What do any of the coaching staff bring? The same mistakes game after game suggests another interpretation of FA badges.

[TCCANARY 263]

[quote user="Paul Spector"]Given Irvine''s credentials I can certainly see that he does bring something to the party.

For me, i struggle to see what Frankie ''BBC (Balls, Bibs & Cones)'' McAvoy brings.

Has anyone actually ever witnessed him doing anything other than carrying a bag of balls, giving out bibs or laying out cones!?[/quote]So how do the balls, bibs and cones get organised otherwise? It has to be somebody''s job.

[Lewis DW 11]

Frankie McAvoy was doing alright when NCFC got promoted and were battling in the PL... Is he the new Whittaker or Martin style scapegoat? Someone else selected other than AN to try lay the blame on? My original post is about Irvine and what if anything has changed since he came in???!

[Rustyboy 2]

I felt we needed an older guy alongside AN last season who has experience with the higher paid players and their egos. Shoot me down, I thought Neil Warnock was the ideal guy. When we got Irvine I thought that was the answer but have been unimpressed with what I have seen so far.

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="Lewis DW"]I disagree.[/quote]That''s fine, disagree all you like but answer me the following:Who''s ultimately responsible for the team selection each week?Who''s ultimately responsible for the tactics and style of play employed?Who''s ultimately responsible for tactical changes and substitutions during the match?Who''s ultimately responsible for the over-riding vision of how our side will set up and apporach the opposition?Who''s ultimately responsible for saying which players they''d like the board to sign if possible?Who''s ultimately responsible for ensuring that players understand what is expected?Who''s ultimately responsible for making necessary personnel changes if things are not right?NONE of those sections is down to Irvine, they are ALL AN''s department, and whilst the likes of Irvine and McAvoy can be expected to have had input into these, the final decision is down to AN and nobody else.Irvine could spend 30 minutes a day on a soapbox in AN''s office, whilst banging a drum and shouting out tactical suggestions and player changes, but if AN doesn''t want to make those changes, there is jack all Irvine (or anyone else bar the board) can do about it...

[Woodman 92]

Now that the results aren''t going our way), people are starting to question everything and everyone. When he arrived, AN came with a ''do it my way'' approach, which we needed at the time, and of course it came off with promotion. However, he doesn''t seem to have learned and now comes across as aggressive (not assertive), and stubborn (unwilling to listen) and ''doing it his way'' isn''t working.

So, as Indy and many others are saying, it doesn''t matter what Alan Irvine, Russell Martin or any of the other senior players in the squad think, if its not the way AN thinks, it won''t happen.

Not sure how it will pan out either, especially with Delia and Moxey publicly backing him as well.

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

I suppose you''ll have to ask John Ruddy.

[Chip20 69]

Was Irvine supposed to ''bring something to the party''? Surely a vacancy arose and he filled it? Was he heralded as signalling a bold new direction for the Club or something? Did I miss that? 

[Buh 0]

A 6 pack of un-alcoholic kopperberg

It''s a f£&@ing disgrace

[AJ 1,218]

I swear that bloke has always been grey