Manager of the Decade

[Ludo*1]

So, we're well underway for selecting the goalkeeper for the prior decade, but before that's even decided, surely we need a manager in place?

Barry Smith would win this at a canter for the Deefiant season, but the criteria as mentioned in the goalkeeper thread cuts off that season which is a considerable blow to Smith's chances since for the rest of his managerial career, he never really cut the mustard overall.

Some dreadful choices but Hartley absolutely strolls to victory here.

I know where the debate is going to go on this one as I don't think the fractures in the fanbase have healed since then!

[gblue]

Paul Hartley for me

[J_Kitamirike]

Got to be Hartley,  got us over the line to win the championship and then we finished 6th in the Premiership.

There was a real feel good factor during his time with us initially and it was exciting to have him as a Manager.

Few awful derby defeats aside....

3rd season a write off but I still genuinely like him and have a soft spot. 

[Frank Grimes]

John Brown. 

[Cobra]

Deefiant was the achievement of the century so has to be Barry for me.

[Frank Grimes]

5 minutes ago, Cobra said:

Deefiant was the achievement of the century so has to be Barry for me.

Read the OP bud.

[Cobra]

19 minutes ago, Frank Grimes said:

Read the OP bud.

Ahh yes.

Difficult question then. Bomber miraculously took a hopeless team averaging 0.5 pts a game and got them averaging 2 points a game, but he's not really a manager. More a guy who can get a reaction in the dressing room.

Hartley had a really good run but after that summer when he lost Stewart, Hemmings and Harkins has looked completely inept.

Hopefully McPake will one day prove to be the obvious answer.

[HK Blues]

14 hours ago, Frank Grimes said:

John Brown. 

Not such a crazy choice based on what he did with what he had and the fact he knew when to quit.  I'm not sure he'd have avoided a total meltdown though!

[Sebastiano Nela]

Barry and the deefiant teams achievement should never be forgotten. 

But Hartley brought some professionalism back to the club both on and off the field and we actually had a decent team. Some would argue that we are still no better off since he left. The appointments after him have been sketchy let's say

[Frank Grimes]

3 hours ago, HK Blues said:

Not such a crazy choice based on what he did with what he had and the fact he knew when to quit.  I'm not sure he'd have avoided a total meltdown though!

I don't for a second believe he was a long term answer for the club.

But these stats speak for themselves and is the reason his time at the club needs to be considered successful.

Form before he arrived - 13 games 0 wins 3 draws 10 defeats

Form after he arrived - 9 games 4 wins 4 draws 1 defeat.

We were essentially down when he arrived but thanks to him, we went down as favourites to come back up which we did.

Again, we were right to sack him at the time as our form dipped and we needed to come 1st with Hearts and Rangers about to join the championship the following season. But I couldn't help but think during the celebrations on Helicopter Saturday as Hartley milked the credit that John Brown was unfairly forgotten. He played a huge part in us coming back up. We were a basketcase when he arrived.

 

 

[HK Blues]

56 minutes ago, Frank Grimes said:

I don't for a second believe we was a long term answer for the club.

But these stats speak for themselves and is the reason he his time at the club needs to be considered successful.

Form before he arrived - 13 games 0 wins 3 draws 10 defeats

Form after he arrived - 9 games 4 wins 4 draws 1 defeat.

We were essentially down when he arrived but thanks to him, we went down as favourites to come back up which we did.

Again, we were right to sack him at the time as our form dipped and we needed to come 1st with Hearts and Rangers about to join the championship the following season. But I couldn't help but think during the celebrations on Helicopter Saturday as Hartley milked the credit that John Brown was unfairly forgotten. He played a huge part in us coming back up. We were a basketcase when he arrived.

 

 

Was he a long-term solution - no but he definitely deserves maybe a bit more credit than he got for his time with us as manager.  

I met him in Hong Kong about 9 years ago - he spoke fondly of the club and it came across clearly how much we meant to him.  

 

[thepole]

I'd say Harley

However with John Brown i've never seen a manager get so much abuse off our support all because his pal apparently handed him the job and loads of daft noise coming from sections of our support with little foundation. Absolutely not a long term option but you can't argue with the stats. A lot of the stuff aimed at John Brown was personal and nothing to do with football