is it just me or does anyone else think that YBR is hampered by Mick Wadsworth and that a lot of the recent problems are bacause MW is not good enoughto operate at this level?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Answers

YES!!!

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Are we just looking for someone to pick on? YBR hired him, if he's crap and holding us back then it's YBR's fault.....

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

where did MW come from? whats his background?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Various small managerial jobs with no significant success. He was part of Robson's England set up as a youth coach.

Many times he is mentioned in the press as one of the most technically astute coaches in the English game, don't ask me where but I've read that.

I have yet to see any amazing tehcnical ability in our lads and Gav is spot on when he says the blame lies with Robson.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I'm totally with Gav on this one - the simple truth is that we simply don't have a clue what Wadsworth's impact is, and it is only a reverance for BR, and his lack of PL pedigree, that is causing this injudicious criticism of the man.
For all we know he could be one factor that is holding the entire teetering edifice together.

BTW crazyhorse - he was Manager of Colchester prior to joining us. He previously had some success as Manager of Carlisle, and worked on the FA coaching staff before that. As an FA Coach, he worked with BR when he was England Manager.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

....not to mention being responsible for wor only clean sheet since September 30th ;-)

But other than that, WTF has he ever done?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Anybody know any Colchester fans ? They'll have an opinion.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

I've mailed one off an unofficial Colchester website - I'll post the reply.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

Robson has become increasingly annoyed with criticism directed at his coaching staff and took the opportunity to defend number two Mick Wadsworth - a frequent target for some of the club's most irate supporters. "Let me tell you about Mick Wadsworth," added the Newcastle boss. "He's been in football for a long time and he's had to come in every morning, pull on his training kit and actually work with players on the pitch. "He's no fly-by-night former big-name player who's come in and said 'I've had a great career so I'm going to be a great coach. "He doesn't just stand there and put the comes out. He's actually worked his way up from where it matters and I know what he's done. "Do Newcastle fans honestly think that I would employ a coach who wasn't good enough - a coach who was sub-standard for my club? "If that was the case he'd be out. As it is my coaching staff is equal to any in the country and I will continue to stand up for them."

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

1st reply from a Colchester fan backs Bobby up as far as coaching goes but criticises his management.

Wadsworth has always been acknowledged as a "good coach", by those in the know - in football. When he came here, he was touted as the club's saviour with his England involvement under Robson being pushed very, very hard.

What we found was that he may have been a good coach, but was far from being a good manager. Some Col U fans interpret his actions as being malicious - I tend to think his expertise lay purely in coaching and he relied too closely on others in all other areas. One he relied on too heavily was the agent Barry Silkman who fed him mediocre player after mediocre player, throwing the club into financial confusion which led to the departure of our chief exec and then Wadsworth.

As for Lomana - don't believe Wadsworth's line that he gave him his chance - complete bo**ocks. Lomana was discovered and nurtured by our youth set up and given his first team start by Wadsworth's predecessor, Steve Wignall.

Lomana is potentially a huge talent, but rarely played a decent 90 minute game. His strength under our current manager was as a supersub, but as any Col U fan who witnessed our 4-1 drubbing of QPR in the Worthington Cup at Loftus Road last September will testify, he potentially has a huge future. If they still have the site, check out LL's goals on the QPR web- site. He was electric.

We never presented him as the finished article and you bought him as an unfinished player - in the right environment his talents are sure to come to fruition, but don't let Wadsworth con you into believing LL was his discovery.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001

Thanks for that Josh.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

PS There's some video of Lua2 scorng a hat trick v QPR for Colchester on the QPR website :-

http://www.qpritl.co.uk/index.htm

look in the cinema bit.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001