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Dowie is fans’ choice
Reporter: MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date online: 05 February 2013
ALL EYES will be focused on the main stand at Boundary Park tonight as the race for the manager’s role heats up.
Tony Philliskirk is set to take charge of the team for the Yeovil clash on a vital night of action in npower League One, with interested parties for the permanent job likely to be in attendance to cast an eye over Athletic.
Iain Dowie, the club’s first choice, currently heads the betting market at even money and appears to be the man of choice of the fans too. Chairman Simon Corney has vowed to take the fans’ views into account.
Dowie, who led Athletic into the play-offs in 2002-03 before quitting for Crystal Palace, leads a poll on the OWTB supporters’ internet forum with almost 50 per cent of the vote.
Former Leeds and Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson is next at just under 20 per cent.
If Athletic can offer Dowie the right deal, he would appear to be a perfect fit for the club.
Corney has received over 75 applications for the job so far — at least one of whom has international experience.
There are two other games of major importance to Athletic in League One tonight. Colchester - one place above Athletic in 19th, two points clear - play host to Swindon; while third-bottom Scunthorpe are at home to second-bottom Portsmouth.
If the Iron claim their expected three points against Pompey, only a victory for Athletic will keep the club out of the bottom-four.
Comments
If we listened to the OWTB fans' forum, Dickov would have had a lifetime contract. It's not the intellectual centre of the universe.
Although a big fan of Dowie, BEWARE of a manager who returns to a club where he has had success in the past. This inevitably ends in failure the second time around. Two readily spring to mind at Boundary Park, Jack Rowley in the 60's and Joe Royle.
As I said Dowie with Scholes maybe eventually depending upon himself at O.T. and yes another nearly retiring player, would be a great set up.
Iain Dowie did a great job at B.P. under difficult conditions, made worse by what happened when Chris Moore got found out !..Iain has no axe to grind with S.C. and without any doubt whatsoever I.D. will make the shirkers either work or leave, simple as that.
Simon Corney will do the right thing, hopefully for him and everyone who loves OAFC this time.KTF
not all fans want dowie simon if your taking our choices into consideration.lets not upset things anymore let TP have a crack at it till the everton game. then if your still unhappy.. billy davies for me if you could get him
hey chaddyender , I am coming to the game tonight in these terrible driving conditions. Over 100 miles round trip.
Loyal supporter who doesn't have a season ticket but that doesn't qualify in your book...
sign him up oafc board remember how close he took this club up he fresh and willing to take the job i been told.
I would love to see Scholes and Dowie as joint Managers with the bonus that Scholes could still put on his boots for a season or so.....But I know its a dream
For your information pure elvis 1977 my username says it all (chaddyender) i have a season ticket and have had one for many many years and will renew mine for next season whoever comes in to manage the side, unlike you who states if a certain manager comes in you will again join the season ticket club, practise what you preach, and by the way i hope you have set off because it will be a wasted journey.
Dont sweat on chaddyender Elvis - I cant get up BP until the Pompey game but thats a 500 mile round trip, a night in a travel lodge and around £125 BEFORE I pay for 2 adults, 2 kids and the costs of food, drink and a trip to the latics shop. It costs me between £45 and £60 ferry before I even think of fuel and I have only managed 10 games this season so far.I have been doing that since 1980. I think the glory years cost me between £2 and 4k a season - Trust me Elvis OUR opinion is valid.
He's not this fans choice - we need some fresh blood, look forwards not backwards...lets hope that SC evaluates all candidates and makes the right decision to take us forward!
He wouldn’t be my choice! He has been in charge of 7 clubs at sometime or other, but not yet clocked up 300 games! Despite having some success; his win percentage is 38% - Dickovs managed 30%!! He’s been out of management for over 2 ½ years – Why if he’s that good?? He’s too egotistic and constantly puts himself in the limelight and touts for other jobs. No loyalty and usually leaves under a cloud!!
Rod hull and emu if not fergie
chaddyender, Loyalty seems your only goal. Check out IOW Pete. Would you go to the theatre if every performance was worse than the last? No,hence why I gave it up and decided to put the £1000 towards a family holiday to Florida rather than to travel and watch that bilge that Penney, Dickov etc serve up. a new manager might inspire me to gain a 4th job to pay for decent footy. No I didnt set off sorry disapoint you.
Dowie did a great job under difficult conditions ? Do me a favour. He inherited a good squad assembled by Ritchie and Wadsworth and was given cash which he wasted on sickbed divas like Killen. He ought to have achieved automatic promotion with resources that far exceeded those of Crewe who did go up.Instead we just scraped into the playoffs because of lousy home form. Dowie is a coach not a manager.
Ian Dowie in his only full season as our manager,got us in to playoffs. In that season we only lost 2 away games and conceded the lowest goals against ever.(Hall and Hill in defence). After losing most of his players he secured the teams 1st div status on a shoestring.Hes a strong character and would get the best out of the current squad.If Scholes came as well I would walk from my home in Rochdale to his in Greenfield and thank him.(especially if he played a season).It may be a dream.
i,,d be surprised if any of the above would be interested.Would Dowie give up a safe job with sky to manage us ?Scholesy? More chance of Rod Hull and emu
Alf. When Moores pulled out with his cash,we were in a similar posistion as Portsmouth now. Dowie kept us up even with the loss of most of the team ie.Hill,Hall,Armstrong,Murray,Wynard,Lowe and others. PS.Wish we had Hill and Hall now!
I dont think Scholes would come right now either BUT this would be a good time for him to come in as an assistant to an experienced Manager and should give the team a massive lift. Really not sure either way about Dowie but I would even have Lisa from Junior latics manage the team if she could put a rocket under their backsides and get them playing with 25% of the effort and grit they showed against Forest and Liverpool.
One thing niggles me about Dowie, unlike some said his operating conditions were not especially difficult by the standards of this level until Moore pulled the plug. He got Palace up but when they struggled couldn't keep them up. And the immediate need is a short term keep em up fix above everything else.
75 applicants, have they all been out of work for 22 years and not read the recent press about the club. NO to ID as far as I am concerned. Surely with so much interest we can get someone in with fresh ideas and give us a lift. Not a bad idea to let TP have a crack until the end of the season. Maybe he could get his son back for us?
Have Your Say
dowie would be a good appointment! but a cant agree scholes most be the favourite! he can still play and we need that quailty in midfield to keep us up. Not only that more people would come to watch scholesy over any other appointment. he's not a manager but worth a risk if he has a good assistant one that doesnt prat about then i see good things for the club
By Wilde17 @ 05/02/2013 12:53:46