Well, there are a few obvious reasons that Fagan has more credentials for the role, which you’ve both missed out.
Let’s start with the fact that he knows the squad. He’s worked with the youngsters who now make up our first team. He understands their limitations, knows how and where to play these kids, how to get the best out of them, and how they need to be mentored moving forward.
He also knows where we need to strengthen this summer, which as far as transfer windows go, is as important as any window we’ve ever had before.
And you can’t forget the fact that he knows the club. He knows the situation with the training ground. More importantly, he knows Ron. How many potential targets have been put off in the past, due to our club’s reputation with finances? It’s common knowledge that we have a points deduction lingering over our head, and Fagan knows full well the hiccups that could occur in the coming season.
And yet, he still wants the job. That means he’s either committed to the club, or he himself needs to be committed.
But above all of that, the absolute main thing that you’ve overlooked, is the fact that these youngsters genuinely want to play for Fagan. They like him. They respect him. They enjoy his tutelage. And they will run through brick walls for him. The same (for now at least) cannot be said about Reid.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Reid, and if he did end up taking the hot seat, he’d get my support without doubt. But as it stands, he is just any other manager coming into the fold, having to start from scratch. He’d be jumping in head first and learning on the job, which could take months for him to get up to Fagan’s level of familiarity & understanding.
I agree that with regards to management levels, they’re probably on par with each other. They’ve both had decent playing careers, both learnt from good managers, and have built decent reputations for themselves in their respective coaching positions.
But Fagan, as it stands, does have a significant edge over Reid, and probably AB too for that matter.
His main rival for the job right now, IMO, is Maher. And the fact remains, that appointing Maher would mean Ron parting with some dosh, which makes it seem unlikely.
What we know for fact is, the players should be returning to pre-season next week, and they still haven’t had any fitness plans laid out for them yet. They are in danger of falling behind already.
Ron needs to stop dithering, and crack on with this appointment - whoever it may be - in order to give us the necessary time to get the preparation & pre-season work, right.
The consensus amoung us fans over the last 18-months is that we held on to Powell for too long, then we held on to Bond for too long, and then we didn’t appoint Sol quick enough. Dither, dither, dither, at every turn.
We cannot afford to hang around for this upcoming season. That’s just a fact.
