Hands on

It would be interesting if he took the job but he has no need to do so.

I suspect it is not a case of AL having to make up his mind but rather PS needing to see the whites of his eyes when getting the confirmation that there will be no interference from above.  If that isn't given then Scholes should walk away as his reputation can only be damaged.

Seeing the team play at Macclesfield might also have given him pause for thought.

That was a good day out spoiled by a lacklustre performance from the boys in tangerine.  It was also a lacklustre performance by our away support - no energy on or off the pitch.  Best forgotten.  

What a well reasoned thread of late.  Thanks OAFCBilly.

Interesting that we could start with 11 overseas players if we have seven homegrown on the bench.

I don't expect our players to identify with Oldham, I don't as a Kentish Man, but I do expect them to identify with the team as I do and that is where Bunn and now Wild seem to have had some success.  No doubt Fulham will help and I'm sure Vera is looking forward to playing in the FA Cup and I hope he starts today to get a feel for the English game.

George can do a lot better than that.

We will fill the stand with the allocation of 2998 - it holds 3315.  I suspect they are allowing for a bit of movement.

They can fill the rest of the stadium with c.12,000 but they will not make more noise than our away following.

No doubt they are favourites but I fancy we have a better chance away with our support.

Could be waiting to appoint someone after the transfer window closes to avoid any awkward questions about budgets/player recruitment.

It is a mistake to delay in appointing a new manager.  Hanging our current staff out to dry by overloading them with work is the cheapest but not the best way forward.  Either appoint Wild or Another and fill the any other vacancies.

Somewhat different to taking the family for a day out or weekend to London.  Would hope we go over the 2,000.

No doubt COGS as our only striker is being rested for the FA Cup!

The 2998 looks like the unreserved seating capacity of the away stand but they can accommodate more in the East stand.

Two things:

1.  Might I suggest that we would be better off with a smaller squad of players who are paid on time rather than a bigger one that goes missing when it is paid late.

2.  Recent signings of players who have French as their first language have shown improvements to the kind of player we need i.e. Sylla looks a good replacement for Lydon.

I do still think we need a striker (return of Surridge in time for Doncaster my preference) and a CB who can compete with Clarke and George for a start.

It seemed to me we started slowly with a 4 4 2 and I suspect that was because Wild didn't know what he would get from Sylla.  When we did make it into their half and the Nepo cross nearly went in the game changed.  We appeared to go to 4 2 3 1 but unfortunately the 1 couldn't cut it for whatever reason.  Sylla settled in and looks a good replacement for Lydon - it is possible that Abdallah now knows what sort of player is required for this league.

Yes could have won the game but a draw seemed OK on the balance of play.

The referee was another one who lacked consistency and worse than that thought he was the most important person on the pitch.  If you shout abuse at the referee it won't make him perform better and it is likely to work against our team.

I rather like the idea that any job at Oldham Athletic is secure given the way our owner has been 'moving people on'.

If I were Wild and he offered me the job I would ask for a contract to the end of next season and if the answer is no say no thank you but then AL might just sack him anyway.

Although automatic promotion is unlikely getting into the top seven from where we are is not.  This is why I fancy Wild for the job because he undoubtedly has done very well both tactically and with his substitutions.  He seems to know what he wants and is remaining true to himself.  A win today and how could you argue against making him the permanent coach.

Nah not now he is fit to play.

Well for me it is a must but by car and therefore less lubrication for the singing.

A game we can win but I suspect in the back of our minds one where we will hope for a draw.  I fancy we will be on Sunday again at 2 but no hope of the tv as you need to be either Barnet or at home against prem team.  Lets hope Sylla is a good replacement for Lydon and that we sign another SS and keep everyone else.

What a hard question!  Do you take the man that has produced our best result for twenty years, I rank away to Fulham as better than the win at home against a much poorer than now Liverpool side, or do you take Scholes with all his experience as a player?   What relevant experience as a coach or manager does Scholes have or is he just a name that makes Abdallah happy with the possibility that a few more will turn up to watch.

Teams win when they are confident, know what they are doing and have sufficient players of the appropriate standard (and it could be said have nutrition by Antoine).  We have spent the season under Bunn questioning what he was doing.  Didn't hear anyone question the 4 2 3 1 or the substitutions Wild made.

When you are on the crest of a wave why jump off?

Ah twas Nepomuceno who put in the telling cross. COG was the obvious substitute - I’m sure he did as he was told but little impact and that scuff. Interestingly spoke to a Fulham fan who thought Maouche was our star player!  It was a fantastic team performance but Wild has made a difference with the 4 2 3 1 formation and desire and working for each other truly the sum is much better than its parts. Shame we appear to has lost Surridge and Lydon 

Not a single song from home fans. Fulham boredom personified. There goal soft. Our pen result of previous near miss. SS!  Then our pressure with Engone working wonders on left. Fantastic cross get in Lang. So much noise. So much joy. Wild fantastic. 

So we get the referee that didn't red card Vincent Kompany for his reckless and dangerous tackle on Mo Salah.  I suspect he will be looking to make amends and get a good "report" after our game.

Surprised he didn't take Christmas off.  Football is the only job, apart from company directors, that rewards you for both success and failure.

Won't work now the gendarmes have got trial bikes and a torch.

There is nothing wrong with the owner of a business deciding how it is going to operate unless he recruits employees on a false premise.

It is clear to everyone that recruitment is not going to be in the hands of the coach (have to call the new recruit that) and I fully support Abdallah if he is going to insist on an attacking style of play - draws as we saw at the end of last season just get you relegated.

The times they have changed.  If managers/coaches are just ephemeral things then a sporting director makes sense however I would be more comfortable if I thought the sporting director had to perform well to keep his job.

Experience is a wonderful thing but we can only get an experienced coach if he has already failed elsewhere.

Age does not qualify you to be a coach it is your experience and character - if Wild has it now is his time.

This will be an interesting transfer window as it becomes increasingly clear that we are heading for a no deal WTO based relationship with the EU.  All the misinformation you hear is purely and simply the remoaners trying to undo the referendum result.  The deal foisted upon the Maybot is worse than both staying in or a WTO based relationship.  Staying in would no doubt suit our sporting director, so what will he do as the no deal WTO approaches at the end of January.  Will he sign as many players as he can to give them some residency pre independence day?  Will he in the period from end of January bring in a flood of unattached overseas players to get round the post independence day rules on immigration as we are hardly short of football players and the world wide rules will no doubt then apply to all the 27 remaining EU countries?  He has a lot to think about.

He kept his away shirt.

Great to keep Lang.

4 2 3 1 worked well but unspectacular however a professional win. Surridge and Lang both gave up shirts at the end. Wild one step nearer. 

It's a New Year and I believe in Fairy Tales.  His age is no bar and if he wants the job he is in the best place to get it.

It always irks me when there is a call for this or that experienced manager.  They are only available because they have already failed somewhere else.  Lee Johnson was younger when he took charge but it was all about him.  Wouldn't it be nice to have one of our own.

I have no idea which team will turn up today but I am looking forward to it.

Be interesting to see who is on the bench as I would have thought the Fulham game would have persuaded one or two to stay and Abdallah to make sure they were available Sunday.