spanishfly

There'll be quite a few surprises before the start of the season. The whole spine of the team needs solidifying and I`ll be very surprised (and bemused) if Conlon gets the captaincy, as someone has intimated on here. Norwood won't be in the plans for next season. Midfield needs a complete overhaul and defence coming under scrutiny too. Enjoy the summer everyone, I`m dipping out now and just going to observe how it all pans out.

I`ll agree with that nz. When I first joined here, you almost had me convinced we were like Brazil away from home, whilst I was witnessing Breeze Hill at home games. The Breeze Hill side of us eventually won through

Interesting that you put Big Joe relatively high at number 6. It has been intimated to me that Joe has far more influence within the club than people might realise.

Isn't the consensus though that MM doesn't like/trust younger players BP? People have often said he goes for older, experienced heads first and foremost. I`m in your camp, though. We definitely need some energy, pace and excitement adding to the squad. Oh, and some quality wouldn't go amiss.

Hi Mark, my "I heard similar..." comment was in regard to having been told a couple of weeks back that the board were going to back MM and a clearout had been sanctioned in the summer "by hook or by crook". I`ve heard nothing in particular regarding Norwood and Conlon but I think it's quite clear neither wants to be here in any event.

Probably not BP but if you wanted a change of manager, an absolute proven leader with the heart of a lion, you'd be as well gambling on someone like Peter Clarke. Chris Lucketti said of him "I know all about him, he's a real man, he's a leader" Wouldn't be a player/manager at his age I know but what a leader.

The plan has effectively gone out of the window as we had planned to be promoted by now is what I am told. You'd have to say that something has to change internally, though because recruitment has been dire. I don't know who does what but perhaps the "4 eyes" rule will be brought in before sanctioning any more silly wages for this level. Like I said, Latics appear to have been well shafted here.

Personally I think wasted. Better players available throughout non-league than what we have. Probably for far less money too. It sounds like "spend spend Viv" had a stint at BP for a few months previously!

Don't think either want to be here, so no bad thing if that's correct.

Yes I heard similar a few weeks back and posted same on here. It can only be back him or sack him after what's come out of the woodwork.

He's spot on. Midfield needs at least 2 quality additions. Our weakest area. A winger or two, a right back and left footed central defender and we wouldn't actually be too far away.

From what I can glean Frank should be viewed more as a philanthropist for the Latics and the town of Oldham rather than someone out to make money. We have an awful lot to thank him for and he should be the last person to come under scrutiny in my view. It may be however that he has to take a long, hard look at who he is entrusting the football decisions to. If the wages being paid to some of the players are anywhere near as rumoured, that's almost criminal. That's where the focus should be. Who has sanctioned the wasting of Frank's money?

Having listened to MM's post match there are only 2 possible conclusions I think 1) The board back him and sanction a clearout a) all those out of contract gone and b) some bad apples who are contracted paid off and gone too. Then, in the summer, recruit some specialists as MM calls them for the required positions. This option is expensive 2) There is a mutually agreed parting of the ways. This option is cheaper, certainly short term. I say the above because he's clearly stated that the group of players is not good enough. Once you've said that, you can't keep operating with that same group next season because they simply won't play for you when the going gets tough. I agree with his "I don't understand why people don't understand" comment. Since I started watching us again against Woking at home, all I have seen is an average non-league team. I couldn't believe some of the rumoured wages we were paying. The club has been shafted good and proper on that score and that would indicate considerable naivety at board level surely? It could be argued good management could have got more out of the group. He probably has squeezed them for all they had, though, because weren't we absolutely shocking under DU? Therefore, we have done better under MM, only not what we expected for what we had spent. It looks like we threw a huge wad of cash at the DU experiment and it's failed. MM shouldn't carry the can for that. One player I have seen who definitely exhibits the required attitude, fight and passion is Fondop (and I said it almost from day one of watching us again). If anyone had watched Norwood, for example, just since end of January (as I have) you'd be hard pressed to identify him as a star striker. I don't think he wants to be here at all personally. It's a mess ok and MM mentions "other stuff going on" or words to that effect. Trust him to do his job in the summer, for me.

It's quite surreal. In any normal circumstances, with this being an absolute must win game and us still in with a chance of promotion with just one game left after this, we'd take thousands wouldn't we? (even though it's at Chesterfield). It just shows how little faith is actually left. If we do win, will it be a sell out on Saturday I wonder?

I`m still hoping my recent £50 wager on Latics being promoted at 100/1 comes to fruition

Ok ok I give in, I`ll admit....................... I am Spartacus. Guess you children must be bored. Mind you, watching Latics I`m not surprised.

Did he/she/they? Wow! 2 people express similar views. A miracle. I bet there's no other 2 people on this board who express similar views are there? P.S. i`ve just looked at wiseowls profile. Saw many posts regarding season tickets in connection with his/her protests under the ownership of Lemsagam. None exactly like mine at all regarding season tickets. Wiseowl also went to a lot of away games apparently. I can't easily get to away games without help because of a disability. I haven't drunk alcohol for over 10 years and I think the wise bird was partial to a beer. Can we please let this silly conspiracy theory go now once and for all?

I`ve no desire whatsoever to contribute to paying the wages, over the summer, of a large proportion of this current squad. I`ll await what I hope will be a clearout of the dross and then make my mind up. If there is no clear out (including quite a few of the contracted players that MM alludes to) I`ll be a POTD. FWIW I don't think the season ticket money is actually that big a deal. It's relative peanuts in the grander scheme of things. We shall have to wait and see whether the people with the money are still willing to pump it in the way they have over the past couple of years (and by that I don't mean on signing/paying average to mediocre players on inflated wages). Fingers firmly crossed.

This gets mentioned a lot but not so sure it's as big a factor as it's made out to be. I would assume Chesterfield face the same problem yet have lost only one game at home all season, with an apparently dodgy centre back pairing. Simple fact is that had MM's home form been anywhere near the away form this board would be buzzing with excitement about play-off permutations already. It's made me step back and think a little bit. Is the terrible home showing under MM primarily down to him? Has he been playing into teams' hands by his set up or is it simply we have a woeful midfield that often gets overrun by even poor teams?

ooops lol - sorry to NZ then. I have no "up" thingys left.

It's the mystery of football, I suppose. Nothing I`ve seen comes anywhere near my definition of "doing really well". We must have been a completely different side to watch prior to the end of January, when I started watching, because all I`ve seen is an average to poor non-league side. Several maintain the likes of Conlon, Lundstram and Hogan are okay for next season. Opinions again but I think we can expect a lengthy non-league stay if players like that are still around. I think Mellon would have rid in a heartbeat if he could (and I think he signed Conlon too didn't he?).

Have I missed something or is there any reason it could not have been switched to BP with agreement? Much closer for Halifax etc. - and they know our home form isn't exactly great don't they?

It goes without saying, I think, that all the out of contract players you mentioned have to be let go, although Fondop has impressed me a couple of times. The list of contracted players is frightening in terms of its lack of quality and that is what MM is clearly referring to in his interview. I`ve not seem them all but those I haven't seen must be really poor because they haven't even caught the side. Of the others I`m struggling to opt for any I`d keep. I keep hearing about Norwood but, only based on what I`ve seen since Woking at home, he's looked nothing special and I don't think he wants to be here either. As MM said, there's a lot of hard talking to be done and, thereafter, a lot of work to be done.

It's a sentiment I've seen and heard many times and we are all grateful to Frank for saving the Latics. Is there also an element though of "astute business man; naive football club owner"? I say that because I suspect that as Frank developed his own business he built a team around him that embraced his own philosophy and vision. He strikes me as a trusting type who almost treats people who work for him as family. He's often referred to as "nice" or "lovely" when people refer to him (as per MM in his latest interview). I`ve caught up with a lot of stuff on here by reading past threads and chatted to people who've witnessed Latics journey over the last couple of years. I`m often told that Frank does not involve himself in the football side of things but trusts others to run that. Who is he trusting exactly? Do they embrace his vision and philosophy? It's becoming the most crucial point of all because people state that the rest of the club infrastructure is sound but the football side clearly isn't. With the amount of money invested, it is failure on the pitch after nearly 2 years. There seems to be a disconnect between the "football side" and "the rest of the operation". It's bonkers that we can still make the play-offs but, if we don't, that's a poor reflection on the "football" side of things because this season is a golden opportunity to get out of this relatively poor league. And it is one, despite what some say. Think of it like this, we should not be casting envious eyes towards Altrincham at this stage of our journey should we?

Absolutely. Almost top of the list for getting rid for me. In times of adversity, your leader on the pitch stands up to be counted and grasps the players by the scruff of the neck and gets them fighting for every tackle and point etc. He's failed to do that at all and instead would rather argue with fans.