Burgess departs

[fentiger79]

Maxwell, are you serious.

[Phil-the-Diamond]

I don't like anyone losing their job, but the situation here was such that a mutual agreement would surely be in the best interests of everyone.

How we have fallen though, great chance of play-offs to NLN, now staring relegation in the face with a -19 GD. Makes dismal reading.

We need a manager now with experience at this level.

[The pressman]

Completely agree with you SD. We don't want anyone currently connected with the club being caretaker manager. I also agree that 3/4 of the current squad are not up to the required standard. indeed, in my opinion only 4 should stay and one of them is rumoured to be leaving soon.

This is a really important moment for a club that I am passionate about and they must get the next appointment right or we could be in step 5 in 2 years time.

i know that I am going to be very unpopular now but I desperately want the club to succeed and I do listen to what other managers and players say about us.

Firstly, can we please get rid of the arrogant notion that we are still a big club and our name will attract players. It wont and it doesn't anymore!

Secondly we need to get one or two people onto the board who understand football - really understand it from top to bottom. Football is not all about a coaching badge its more than that and i don't see anybody on our board who meets that requirement in any way. The board are just as responsible as Burge for the shambolic league position we find ourselves in.

Next, believe it or not players and managers talk. Word gets round. I was talking to an ex player today who said that certain managers wont apply for the vacant job because word had got round about how difficult it is to deal with certain directors. That is worrying.

Finally, is it just Burge that has left or has his assistant and backroom team gone as well? If Chris has gone as well then where does that leave us with the Academy?

[davealbon]

...Sadly Kev wont be coming here - and he knows my feelings about our board anyway - but he'll definitely be in demand.

...I desperately want the club to succeed and I do listen to what other managers and players say about us...

...I was talking to an ex player today who said that certain managers wont apply for the vacant job because word had got round about how difficult it is to deal with certain directors. That is worrying.

Hmm.

[Rushdenjim]

I don't think I'm incorrect in saying that Burge spent large parts of the weeks away from his family up north whilst in the role. Can't overlook his commitment and desire to succeed when he took the role and I'm grateful for his efforts in trying to make a success of it.

It's a shame that it didn't work out for whatever reason and wish him and his family all the best for the future.

[NN10-Nige]

There is something that doesn't sit right with me regarding Matt Wards comments to the ET.

We recognise the leap forward in professionalism that Burge brought to the club

Leap? that's like saying a big step, right? so he is saying that as a club we are more professional off the pitch now than we were when Andy Peaks was in charge? is that a dig at Peaksy?

No player sponsorship, very little communication from the board to the fans and a manager who publicly criticised his own players, I genuinely can't see the leap forward, we have gone backwards.


I think one thing that will always hamper us going forward is the emotion of the Rushden & Diamonds connection, it's like a shadow over us, take Matt Wards comment for example...

To have someone we all watched from the terraces come and manage the club

He didn't play for our club, he played for the old club, there is a big difference, the old club had money, that's what brought it so much success, without money from outside it was never sustainable, I loved the old club but the pain of how it all went badly wrong is haunting, when I heard talks about AFC being formed I couldn't see myself getting behind a club again just for the same thing to happen, so the fact there was a vision about it being a community club and being sustainable was a big pull, in my opinion all towns should have a football club, it's important for kids, it's important for adults, it's important for the elderly, they can all experience and make memories which they will pass down through the generations of their families and get to take their grand children to their first game etc - when the old club folded and the ground was demolished the opportunity to do that was taken away which is why it is so important for this club to be sustainable to ensure it will still be here for our great grand children and theirs.

Appointing a manager because we used to enjoy watching him play for the old club in the football league is not going to enable us to progress and grow, nostalgia like that should be left for Rushden & Diamonds Memory nights, a night with Andrew Sambrook, a night with Billy Turley etc, the old club has been gone for 10 years so appointing cult heroes won't increase attendances, it's just living in the past and probably costing us more money for the privilege, if nostalgia for the old club pays a part in managerial appointments then the board are not doing things with the best interests of the football club in mind, they are moving away from the fact the new club was never supposed to be a replacement of the old club, which is a worry going forward.

Time for everyone to cast their minds back to the formation of this club and the vision of where it wanted to be and what goals it wanted to achieve, lets get it back on track with the future in mind and not lust after the pre 2008 days.

[BartonRaz]

...Sadly Kev wont be coming here - and he knows my feelings about our board anyway - but he'll definitely be in demand.

...I desperately want the club to succeed and I do listen to what other managers and players say about us...

...I was talking to an ex player today who said that certain managers wont apply for the vacant job because word had got round about how difficult it is to deal with certain directors. That is worrying.

Hmm.

As much as Pressman's comments have frustrated me at times, these comments in particular strike me as being believable i'm afraid. I have heard so many times now gripes that supporters have had with individuals on the board and those that have served on the board previously. I have also heard concerns about the collective on the board from people who have been involved at the club in an official capacity in the past. It's not just Pressman peddling this.

I can think of numerous examples of people on this forum, dedicated fans who have stopped going to games, stopped volunteering, stopped renewing memberships because of issues they've had with board members, much to the detriment of the club.

There are some cracking guys around that table right now who I'm sure are trying to restore our reputation but the appointment of Burge and everything that's happened since isn't going to reflect well from the outside looking in.

[diamondsteve]

There is something that doesn't sit right with me regarding Matt Wards comments to the ET.

Nige Matt is just being respectful. Your taking it to far in what he’s saying. We all know the things Burg brought in for a more professional approach like the gprs heat maps and videos which come with that.

It wouldn’t be right to him or a new manager if he told some truths on the official statement

[AFCRD_Dan]

The club made the decision that needed to be made.

I felt so positive during that first interview with Burge, he seemingly said all the right things, and I really wanted him to succeed but all it seemed to be was words. The simple fact was his tenure wasn’t good enough. Yes he won his first game in charge, but I believe that was because the squad was still on a high from the great run we were on at that time.

Then we had the whole shambles with the player recruitment, which I vehemently defended Burge for perhaps in hindsight down to blind faith.
You could probably count on hand the number of good signings Burge made, the rest aren’t up to this level.

Now the club need to make the right decision, don’t go down the easy route and promote from within, we need someone who knows the level, and has genuine contacts. I see Paul White (ex ploppy) tweeted to Jon Dunham that Mitch Austin would be in the frame, I’d definitely consider him to be honest, there have been some say he’s an asshole, but he gets results that’s clear to see, whether or not we could convince him to come over I don’t know.

I’d imagine we’ll have the under 23’s manager in charge of training on Tuesday and Thursday, I can’t think who else it could be.

I think it said it all when Joseph on commentary (Who was great as once again, I’ll add) was speechless at the end.

[sussexdiamond]

So the list is, Mitch Austin, Chris Nunn, both currently enjoying success elsewhere. Kevin Wilkins would be my choice. . Guy Hadland, responsible for win over Barwell. Hicks or Maxwell as caretaker. Its not a very long list is it? I would not be surprised to see some of Burgess signings leave very soon, Fossen, Black, Hines amongst them.