Gareth Taylor

[mattcity5]

I was just having some fun but I appreciate the detailed response.

I was going to say you just prompted me to have a rant, but then I saw the length of the next post and don't feel so bad.....

 

[nmc]

Totally agree.

While I think it is difficult to do better and win the league with Chelsea around, I would also say it's equally difficult to do worse than Taylors doing currently. I think a change (almost any change now), would only be likely to improve things.

You aint gonna overhaul Chelsea if you cant beat Everton.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Has he gone yet, or his he still sat there all cosy, like numerous rag managers have.

 

[Mon Autre]

Starting to move on from Gareth has done, "well enough "? :)

My personal view was that even though he wouldn't have been my choice, I could see how last season we did enough for it to be understandable that the club might offer him an extension with a view to us building on last season's progress.

However he isn't building on it and we've regressed in every single department despite bringing in some great players. Plus relationships with players seem to be disintegrating again and we have a new DoF in now. All of his faults are laid bare at the moment and he isn't showing any capacity to adapt or evolve.

 

[petrusha]

Living abroad, I never see the games. I just follow progress online and watch highlights after the event, so I don't have very strong views on this. I read views on here and am grateful for the high quality contributions that this forum features. And, of course, while I simply post occasionally to comment on how I see things from afar, I always defer to those better placed to follow events by watching the team.

That said, it never sat right with me that Taylor took this role as a reward for performance in the men's youth set-up. IMO the women's team needs someone who's experienced specifically in and is dedicated to the women's game. Our female players deserve better than to be a stepping stone for male coaches. I'm not sure whether Gareth is now committed to working in the women's game, or will his next role be back coaching male players?

I can see logic in the club keeping faith with him after last season, when the team missed out on the title on goal difference, even if the way they blew it in the Arsenal game was terrible (though the decision to extend his contract had been taken by then). But it seemed odd that he got a new deal in March, then three coaches were let go in the summer and three new ones brought in. If the coaching team as a whole is regarded as performing poorly, then surely shouldn't the senior person be held responsible, too, rather than escaping the cull?

Looking from my distant perspective at Gareth's five years in the job (and it's almost exactly that long since he was appointed), the first full season under him was successful in that we finished second and won the COVID-delayed FA Cup in the autumn. The second season, we had horrific injuries at the start, but came back to finish third, winning the League Cup. That seems successful on the face of it, but he'd obviously fallen out with a large number of players and that would have resulted in the axe at some clubs.

The powers that be backed Taylor and let a lot of big names go to build him a new squad. IMO he was rather fortunate, after receiving that support, to survive a fourth-placed finish, Cup disappointment and a qualifying-round exit in Europe (albeit to Real Madrid). IIRC, wasn't it after this that Khaldoon bafflingly praised Gareth in his end-of-season City website interview? The club evidently wanted to communicate confidence in him at that stage.

The better league finish a year later might have been seen to justify Khaldoon's confidence but was followed by those major coaching changes, suggesting that not all was entirely well. And given the history over the summer of 2022 and in the following campaign, another failure of a season surely will see Taylor under serious pressure. There are excuses, perhaps, in the injury list, but whether that provides sufficient mitigation is open to question.

TL, DR - He seems in trouble to me and I certainly think he can't complain about the level of backing he's had over is five-year stint, but if, by living abroad, I'm missing something here, feel free to correct me.

 

[freshie]

Yes listen to the women's CEO O'Neil and the new director of women's football a widely respective figure, Therese Sjogran talking how ambitious they are to make City one of europes top teams coupled with a multi million new state of art academy and training facilities solely for the development of the women's side. Recruited some youngsters with tremendous potential and put together a good quality set players many genuine world class. And then they pitch up at the Joie stadium and watch this clueless manager serve up this shite. I suspect common sense will prevail.
On a side note watching Chelsea women on sky they have put together a fantastic squad of players and could possibly do the quadruple this season but look at their manager, the ex Lyon lady, on the touchline delivering instructions to the players. She was available end of last season when Taylor should he gone after the last minute debacle against Arsenal.

Yeh we really messed up not recruiting Bompastor last summer

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Yeh we really messed up not recruiting Bompastor last summer

Would City have been as attractive an option to her when compared to the established Chelsea set-up, finances, players etc ?

Who knows, although I can safely speculate that she would have been an upgrade on Taylor :)

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Taylor very poorly managed Rose Lavelle. Unlike Kelly who shined for a short period of her career, Rose has been consistently an outstanding player. A player of her caliber started only one game and played a relatively few minutes during her tenure at city. I don’t remember Rose badmouthing the club when she went back home. She did acknowledge that her time at City was challenging, but also added that this experience made her a better player. That what truly professional players should say when they go through a bad experience. I wonder what Kelly will say when she formally leaves the club a few months from now. On a different note, I have a sneaky feeling we are witnessing the last season of this coach. The club will ultimately wake up, and he will be gone in summer. Granted, it is all baseless prediction.

Rose Lavelle says difficult Man City stint made her a better player - Just Women's Sports

Rose Lavelle opens up to Sam Mewis and Lynn Williams about her limited minutes at Manchester City on the latest episode of Snacks.

justwomenssports.com

How he treated her was what made me realise the guy is a total idiot. She was head and shoulders the best player in the American Women's team when we signed her.

 

[Mr HJ]

Beginning of the end for me when he starts making excuses that we don't have any depth in the squad. Throwing the younger players under the bus - wasn't it only a week ago when he was glowing about the quality of Lily Murphy and others. The reason for the dip is his selection and tactics. Example being Keating who had a nightmare against Utd - then had a head injury, Yama came in against Villa and I thought she did well especially with a calmer approach to distribution - so of course he changes it again. Keating needs to clear her mind then be brought back - surely that was why we signed an experienced keeper? The guy is making excuses now so as I say beginning of the end - probably in the summer.

Also:
Didn't like being reminded how we have lost 2 WSL games badly, correcting the journalist about it being 2 weeks rather than one, which seemed petty.

 

[krak]

Just listened to his press conference

The sooner he is gone, the better