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[Alty TV]

LOOKING AT THE DEBATE,THE OPINION IS THAT GH SHOULD GO.
IF GH DOES GO,DO YOU THINK THE BOARD WOULD GIVE A NEW MANAGER A BIGGER BUDGET?
I THINK NOT.
IF THAT IS THE CASE, I FEEL WE WOULD STRUGGLE TO GET ANOTHER QUALITY MANAGER.
REMEMBER,THE CROWDS IN THE BSN WILL BE A LOT LESS THAN THE BSP.

But surely its not all about size of budget, 4D. I thought the squad we had this season was superior than our final position suggested. Perhaps a different manager could do better with the same budget/players.
Or are you suggeting that "better" managers would be put off by our staff budget?

[Alty Dave]

The managers wage and the budget would put most off?

What more can we get from part time players?

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

No matter what anyone's opinion of GH - he is undeniably an Alty legend

His status as an Alty legend is not in question and never will be.

However, to my mind, he would actually enhance his reputation now by standing down honourably and simply allowing someone else the opportunity to manage Alty in whatever league we eventually find ourselves in.

He doesn't look to me like a man who has actually enjoyed his job for a while now and I have to say that watching Alty for the majority of this season could certainly not be described as an enjoyable experience.

As Flagger M says, it is indeed time for him to fall on his own sword.

Whilst I may have lost faith in his managerial ability, I still believe that he is a man of integrity who will make a decision to benefit the club rather than for any self-interest.

[Jenga]

The comment has been made that GH has excellent knowledge of Non League Football - that I do not dispute.

Historically Non League meant part time.

Since the automatic promotion from the league came into existence the league has become more and ore complete with ex league sides.

More and more teams are now Full Time.

can the BSP be classed as Non League football? technically it is I know but in reality it is not non league as we traditionally know it.

If we stay up I think a new face may be needed.

If we go down we will be in a true Non League League and I think we hold on to GH, if he wants to do the job, after we, including myself at times, have attacked his management credentials.

[blackpoolalty]

My opinion is he will offer his resignation... what happens next is a different story...

[flaggerN]

Let's go the whole hog and spend money we have not got and get another manager and a new squad of players that we can't afford and end up like other clubs in admin offering to pay pennies in the pound for our debts. I would have thought that G H has learnt a few things from the last three seasons and would probably improve things next season when we get a reprieve again when Fax get demoted. Only a matter of time till the so called big wigs in non league end up on the slippery financial slope down to the mire. The conference will then return to it's proper status of part time

[Narcissist]

Let's go the whole hog and spend money we have not got and get another manager and a new squad of players that we can't afford and end up like other clubs in admin offering to pay pennies in the pound for our debts. I would have thought that G H has learnt a few things from the last three seasons and would probably improve things next season when we get a reprieve again when Fax get demoted. Only a matter of time till the so called big wigs in non league end up on the slippery financial slope down to the mire. The conference will then return to it's proper status of part time

I would have thought that things would have been learned in the 1st two seasons? There's no denying GH is a good manager but things have to progress, and sometimes for progression you have to look nostalgia in the eye and kick it in the balls.

Nobody is suggesting that we should cut the purse strings and go mad, but there are other risks to take. There's not been much youth brought into the squad in the past few seasons, i'd like to see alty bringing 18-23yr olds from the lower leagues and giving them a go. A smaller scale of what Aldershot have achieved if you like.

My thought is that we didnt go down fighting this season until the weymouth game when it was too late. The emphasis was always that we would be near the bottom come what may, this really had an impact. Maybe a new young manager could change this. Who knows? Thats why we need to try.

We could always bring back GH if it all went wrong and tell him we're all sorry and he was right all along, there's not much pride left to swallow anyway after 3 consecutive relegations.

[Jenga]

We could always bring back GH if it all went wrong and tell him we're all sorry and he was right all along, there's not much pride left to swallow anyway after 3 consecutive relegations.

If i was GH I would tell the club where to go if that happened and would not return.

As far as whether he should go or not I am really undecided i really am. On minute I think a change is needed the next I think more about the circumstances and think he should stay.

[gazwarrington]

Promised I would not read \ post until Tuesday but I DO NOT believe the arguement that the wage\budget would put managers off.. Utter rubbish.

Altrincham is still a big North West Non League club and there would be plenty of managers who would reslish the chance, in my humble opinion.

also anything negative about the manager is not being negative about the board. To run a club properly and run a team are two different aspects.

[altrincham]

Its pretty simple in my eyes Graham is an Alty legend who does allot more than just manage the team and is greatly appreciated by the board and most fans. However after the relegations and what has happened on and off the pitch this season, the time surely has come for a change. We are all aware of the financial constraints Graham has to operate under and no one can deny he has given it 100% but these last 3 seasons have sapped the life out of everyone at the club and a new regime to bring life and hope back to Altrincham is whats needed. In a perfect world Graham would step back into a scouting/secretarial role and Ken Mackenna’s would join Mr Barrow for a new era.

[Uncle Globnasty]

It is very hard to discuss this issue without sentiment coming into play and particularly for those of us of a particular vintage who remember Heathcote as an integral part of our 'glory years' in his playing days.

He has been a fantastic servant to the club, a great player and it must be remembered that he did a fantastic job in getting us out of the Conference North in the first place (way before anyone realistically expected us to). He is a club-man through and through and whatever you may think of his tactics or some of his 'outbursts', his commitment to the Alty cause can surely not be questioned. He has only ever had the best interests of the club at heart.

The problem is that we have reached a stagnation point and I'm sure GH feels this as much as the rest of us. He does, as others have said, not seem to be enjoying it as much as he used to (and who can blame him?). I'm sure all the neagtive talk on here and elsewhere about his ability and his temperament hurt. He is a proud man and he has already offered to resign. The difference is that this time I do not think that he will be talked around and I feel that would be the right decision for everyone involved (including GH). I do not want to continue to see (and take part in) this sort of discussion over his future ad-infinitum. That can only be detrimental to GH, to the club, to the players and to the fans. I feel that if he were to continue, the voices of dissent would grow ever louder and we would all be left with a sour taste in our mouths. I do not want GH to be remembered for negative reasons when he has achieved so much in the past for the club. Some people seem to be suggesting some sort of half-way house whereby GH stays if we go down, but leaves if we stay in the BSP. That is plainly not going to happen. How would you feel if you were GH and that offer was put to you? "You're not good enough for the BSP, but we'll take you as consolation prize if we go down" That is not, nor should it EVER, going to happen.

It has to be realised that all of the talk on here and elsewhere not only gets to the board and the manager, but also the players. When a negative feeling starts to pervade the support, it affects EVERYONE. We all know that the BSP has absolutely no resemblance to the APL that Alty distinguished themselves in so long ago. We all know that as a part-time team with limited resources we are never going to compete for promotion or play-off places, but I do believe that we can survive in this league with a shift in mind-set. If you start off the season with the premise that we are going to be battling to avoid the drop, that is sure to have an effect on morale. I think we need to be looking at REALISTICALLY (and I do feel it's realistic) aiming for a mid table finish. If that takes a new man at the helm, and I think it does, then so be it.

To use the business anology that some like to use:

If your business is struggling, sales are plummeting and you are only barely managing to keep your head above water year after year, do you stick with the same management team or do you try and employ new people with fresh ideas in an attempt to turn things around? It may well be that the changes do not alter the state of play and then you just have to hold your hands up and say "we gave it a go, perhaps we need to consider downsizing and competing at a lower level", BUT (and this is the important bit) it may just mean the difference between going under and stabilising and building a sound foundation for further growth. If you are to be successful in any walk of life, you do not make judgements based on the assumption that they may not work out (or on sentimentality), you strive to move forward and that sometimes involves taking risks. Nobody is asking for the future of the club to be put in jeopardy or money to be thrown around in a haphazard manner. We are just asking for some serious consideration to take place and perhaps for some brave decisions to be made.

I, and I'm sure the vast majority of our supporters, will be TRULY sad to see GH leave, but I do feel the time is probably right (for him and everyone concerned). I do not want him to be remembered for the wrong reasons. If he can be kept on in some capacity that is acceptable to both him and the club then all the better, but if not he will and should be remembered as a TRUE Alty legend (in the proper sense of the word and not the devalued way that it gets bandied about these days).

It's even hard just writing this because you almost feel like a traitor for suggesting such things, but what is the flip-side?

[AltyTunnelSteward]

Seldom have I ever seen a nail hit quite so squarely on the head...have a Goodwin

[gazwarrington]

as I have said and others have said to me I don't want GH to be remembered in a negative aspect, thats if he stays and things maybe don't work out. He got us promoted from the Conference North when NO ONE expected it and has been a great servant to the club as manager and player but I have not enjoyed watching Altrincham FC this season as much as I used to. This is not only to do with results but also the manner of some of the defeats. I can take the rough with the smooth if I fee llike I am just watching a team that is maybe not good enough but I believe the players we have\had over the season could have stayed up on merit and not had to wait until an AGM

It reminds me of Alty players who have done wondefully for the club but maybe stayed a season too long and then get remembered for being all the wrong reasons...

[VofD]

It is very hard to discuss this issue without sentiment coming into play and particularly for those of us of a particular vintage who remember Heathcote as an integral part of our 'glory years' in his playing days.

He has been a fantastic servant to the club, a great player and it must be remembered that he did a fantastic job in getting us out of the Conference North in the first place (way before anyone realistically expected us to). He is a club-man through and through and whatever you may think of his tactics or some of his 'outbursts', his commitment to the Alty cause can surely not be questioned. He has only ever had the best interests of the club at heart.

The problem is that we have reached a stagnation point and I'm sure GH feels this as much as the rest of us. He does, as others have said, not seem to be enjoying it as much as he used to (and who can blame him?). I'm sure all the neagtive talk on here and elsewhere about his ability and his temperament hurt. He is a proud man and he has already offered to resign. The difference is that this time I do not think that he will be talked around and I feel that would be the right decision for everyone involved (including GH). I do not want to continue to see (and take part in) this sort of discussion over his future ad-infinitum. That can only be detrimental to GH, to the club, to the players and to the fans. I feel that if he were to continue, the voices of dissent would grow ever louder and we would all be left with a sour taste in our mouths. I do not want GH to be remembered for negative reasons when he has achieved so much in the past for the club. Some people seem to be suggesting some sort of half-way house whereby GH stays if we go down, but leaves if we stay in the BSP. That is plainly not going to happen. How would you feel if you were GH and that offer was put to you? "You're not good enough for the BSP, but we'll take you as consolation prize if we go down" That is not, nor should it EVER, going to happen.

It has to be realised that all of the talk on here and elsewhere not only gets to the board and the manager, but also the players. When a negative feeling starts to pervade the support, it affects EVERYONE. We all know that the BSP has absolutely no resemblance to the APL that Alty distinguished themselves in so long ago. We all know that as a part-time team with limited resources we are never going to compete for promotion or play-off places, but I do believe that we can survive in this league with a shift in mind-set. If you start off the season with the premise that we are going to be battling to avoid the drop, that is sure to have an effect on morale. I think we need to be looking at REALISTICALLY (and I do feel it's realistic) aiming for a mid table finish. If that takes a new man at the helm, and I think it does, then so be it.

To use the business anology that some like to use:

If your business is struggling, sales are plummeting and you are only barely managing to keep your head above water year after year, do you stick with the same management team or do you try and employ new people with fresh ideas in an attempt to turn things around? It may well be that the changes do not alter the state of play and then you just have to hold your hands up and say "we gave it a go, perhaps we need to consider downsizing and competing at a lower level", BUT (and this is the important bit) it may just mean the difference between going under and stabilising and building a sound foundation for further growth. If you are to be successful in any walk of life, you do not make judgements based on the assumption that they may not work out (or on sentimentality), you strive to move forward and that sometimes involves taking risks. Nobody is asking for the future of the club to be put in jeopardy or money to be thrown around in a haphazard manner. We are just asking for some serious consideration to take place and perhaps for some brave decisions to be made.

I, and I'm sure the vast majority of our supporters, will be TRULY sad to see GH leave, but I do feel the time is probably right (for him and everyone concerned). I do not want him to be remembered for the wrong reasons. If he can be kept on in some capacity that is acceptable to both him and the club then all the better, but if not he will and should be remembered as a TRUE Alty legend (in the proper sense of the word and not the devalued way that it gets bandied about these days).

It's even hard just writing this because you almost feel like a traitor for suggesting such things, but what is the flip-side?

Are there more than one?
I have said for a long time that GH should go, as much for his tactical ineptitude as for his embarrassing outbursts. I firmly believe that most of the players who started last season ( remember GH claiming last August that this was a better squad than the previous season) would have done a better job if they had been allowed to play properly instead of his negative tactics and continuous " containment" policy.However, I still think we will survive at the expense of Halifax. I have no sympathy whatsoever for them.

[Narcissist]

as I have said and others have said to me I don't want GH to be remembered in a negative aspect, thats if he stays and things maybe don't work out. He got us promoted from the Conference North when NO ONE expected it and has been a great servant to the club as manager and player but I have not enjoyed watching Altrincham FC this season as much as I used to. This is not only to do with results but also the manner of some of the defeats. I can take the rough with the smooth if I fee llike I am just watching a team that is maybe not good enough but I believe the players we have\had over the season could have stayed up on merit and not had to wait until an AGM

It reminds me of Alty players who have done wondefully for the club but maybe stayed a season too long and then get remembered for being all the wrong reasons...

Too true.

This is also the 1st season where I have known we could get a result because we have a better or equal squad to teams we were playing but have known from before a ball was kicked that it wouldn't go our way. Its not been an enjoyable season, even if we'd stayed up it would have been awful in many ways.

Boxing day was a prime example. We were played off the park by a team who weren't particularly good but wanted it 10 times more. Thats something I never expected from a GH alty team, but something told us all that it would happen. It should never have taken that to put a rocket up peoples arses. That was a major turning point for me in terms of my opinion.