FL2: Rochdale v Torquay United - 14 September 2013

Theres no "allegedly" about it.
The board viewed the deteriorating performances (and slide down the table to 16th from a play off spot) as concerning, particularly with the defeat by a BSS side when we should really have progressed, and hadnt really expected to progress against Leicester or Yeovil.

I wouldnt say it was any worse either. The previous management team had thirty odd league games before it was decided to make changes. You seem happy to castigate this one after a whole 7 league games?

By coincidence, 19th is where we were when Knill came into the picture last season.

Not a great record by any stretch of the imagination super and only serves to emphasis how difficult a job it is for a club to recover from poor form, management and selling on our best players.
Witnessed it in the late sixties and early seventies and never really forgave the club for selling all of my heroes to Bournmouth. These days I'm much more of a realist and totally aware of the reasons why this has to happen at a club like ours, its a continuing cycle that I have seen so many times over the years.
When we were all experiencing the good times as we were a season or two ago I can remember telling my self as I stood watching us beat Argyle I think that we should all be making the most of this as it never ever lasts and we would soon once again be struggling at the other end.
Knill for sure has a difficult task and on paper it looked to the vast majority of supporters that they were good quality signings and would improve the quality in the squad. I'm sure he is as surprised and as disappointed as all of us that we have looked so poor in so many areas. In all honesty he could only ever sign the players available and willing to come here within the clubs budget. You pays your money and takes your chance. Sometimes the only way to convince a target is to offer them some security, at least two years of security to get them to sign on the dotted. Its a gamble - Cameron Tonge Harding etc are all two year gambles, and not looking very good ones at that at this moment in time any way.
No I do not envy his task and he deserves many more games to try and get it right he certainly has a stubborn belief that the players he picks and the way he sets up the side will pay off. Whether that's a good trait or not remains to be seen mind you and he must be saying few prayers hoping that "his" investments/ gambles eventually come good. What I fail to understand is that we appear to have left little if any leeway in the budget to cover for another season of possibly desperate struggle. Or is this just a smoke screen? Mozika is supposedly at the club but nowhere near fit to start would he make difference within the current tactics and team set up? Or do we need to change from playing four out and out forwards who have produced very little in the way of threat and goals. My opinion is we are playing the wrong tactics and not playing to the strength of the squad. Lathrope we know can do a good job in front of the back four with him there it would would help release the full backs to support the wide forwards and take the pressure off of our toiling and ineffective midfield pairing. Strange as it may seem removing a forward for a defensive midfielder would make us more solid defensively and more of a threat offensively.
For what it's worth hat's my theory anyway.