STUART McCALL admits the "humbling" support of Bradford City fans could
yet play a part in persuading him to stay at Valley Parade.
The Bantams manager will
**** decide by Monday ****
whether to quit after branding
his two-year reign as "a failure" following the club's almost certain
failure to reach the play-offs.
<Full article below>
==================
Coca-Cola League Two
Bradford C (2) 3 Thorne 12, 32, Jones 73
Rotherham (0) 0
Att: 13,242
Bradford C: 1. Rhys Evans, 2. Paul Arnison, 5. Graeme Lee, 33. Zeshan Rehman
(80), 19. Luke O'Brien, 22. Kyle Nix (67), 23. Dean Furman, 8. Lee Bullock,
24. Nicky Law, 25. Steve Jones (90), 10. Peter Thorne.
Subs: 4. Paul McLaren (90), 6. Mark Bower (80), 14. Michael Boulding, 15.
Joe Colbeck (67), 35. Paul Mullin.
Rotherham: 1. Andy Warrington, 5. Ian Sharps, 6. Nick Fenton, 12. Marc
Joseph (59), 2. Dale Tonge, 28. Jason Taylor (59), 4. Danny Harrison, 25.
Pablo Mills, 19. Jamie Green, 23. Reuben Reid (82), 20. Ryan Taylor.
Subs: 9. Mark Burchill (82), 10. Mark Hudson (59), 22. Drewe Broughton (59),
24. Andrew Nicholas, 30. Steven Cann (GK).
Stats: Bradford C - Rotherham
Possession: 49 - 51%
Shots on target: 11 - 9
Shots off target: 5 - 7
Fouls: 14 - 6
Corners: 10 - 7
Ref: Andy Hall (West Midlands)
Yellow cards:
Bradford C: Bullock (72 min)
Rotherham: Fenton (44 min)
Final match:
(A) Chesterfield, May 2, 2009. K.O. 3:00PM.
CITY WIN BUT PLAYOFFS OUT OF REACH
By Simon Parker (T&A)
City turned on the style to sign off at Valley Parade with their first win
in ten games.
It was too little too late in terms of the play-offs with Dagenham's victory
at Notts County putting a top-seven finish beyond them.
But at least the Bantams regained some pride - and produced their own show
of support for boss Stuart McCall.
Peter Thorne opened the scoring after 12 minutes with the faintest of
touches from Dean Furman's volley, though Rotherham were furiously
protesting that the striker was offside.
There was no doubt about his second 20 minutes later as Thorne struck with a
sweet volley after great play from Nicky Law.
The second half was one-way traffic and City would have racked up five or
six but for the outstanding Andy Warrington.
Rotherham's keeper pulled off four superb saves before he was finally beaten
by Steve Jones, a just reward for his lively showing.
The game finished as it had started with a huge chant for McCall. Now we
wait to see what his decision will be.
===========================
===========================
McCALL TO MEET CHAIRMEN - DECISION EARLY NEXT WEEK
By Richard Sutcliffe and Richard Wheatstone (YP)
Exclusive
STUART McCALL has promised to give Bradford City an answer over his future
by early next week.
The Bantams manager is mulling over whether to stay at Valley Parade after
branding his two-year reign as "a failure" following the club's almost
certain failure to reach the play-offs.
McCall insisted last month he would walk away if City did not finish in the
top seven of League Two and his subsequent comments after last weekend's
defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge hardly suggested there had been a softening
of his stance.
Despite that, Bradford hope the former Scotland international will stay and
honour the two-year contract that he signed in February.
What joint chairmen Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn are also mindful of,
however, is the need for a quick decision from McCall to ensure the club are
not left behind in terms of finalising their squad ahead of next season.
Rhodes said last night: "We have spoken to Stuart and told him that we need
a decision to be made as soon as possible. He has promised to get back to us
by early next week.
"What we don't want to end up in is a situation where the better players
have been signed by other clubs before we have made our move. There are also
several players out of contract this summer so decisions have to be made.
"If Stuart decides to stay, those decisions will be made by him. But if
Stuart decides to leave, then we will have to find a new manager who will
then make the decisions about next season's squad.
"Stuart is aware that time is pressing and that we need a decision as early
as possible."
McCall, who has confirmed to the Yorkshire Post he plans to sit down with
the two joint chairmen on Monday, took charge at Valley Parade in the summer
of 2007 and, after a difficult start, led the club to a 10th-place finish in
his first season.
Hopes were high of City winning promotion this season but a shocking run of
results since mid-March has condemned the club to another year in the
basement division. A section of the Valley Parade faithful have turned on
McCall but many remain loyal.
Alan Carling, chair of the Supporters' Trust, said: "Stuart is definitely
the best man for the job. People forget it is only his second season as a
manager, which is a very different discipline to being someone's assistant.
"What the club needs to do, and what Stuart needs to do, is to sit down and
see how things can be improved for next season."
Carling feels the blame for the run of just three points from the last nine
games cannot all be laid at McCall's door with poor refereeing decisions and
injuries playing a part. He added: "Stuart needs to be given more time to
learn from his mistakes and do things a bit differently next time around.
"We have suffered horrendously from injuries, which in League Two where
managers don't have the biggest squads, has a big impact on performances.
There have also been some catastrophic refereeing decisions given against
us, and bad luck has been a big contributing factor."
===========================
PENNEY NOT RUSHING INTO DECISION
Darlington manager Dave Penney has revealed he will not consider his future
until the Quakers have completed their campaign this season.
Penney has already been reportedly linked with the job at Bradford City,
should current manager Stuart McCall stick to his word and leave if the
Bantams fail to reach the play-offs.
But Penney told PA Sport: "When we went into administration I said I would
continue until the end of the season, go on holiday and get back and see
where we are as a club before making any decisions."
Former vice-chairman Raj Singh has tabled a bid to buy the troubled Quakers.
And when asked if a successful takeover of the club would increase his
chances of staying, Penney added: "It depends who comes in, there are a lot
of parameters, a lot of players may leave and there is a lot to look into."
===========================
From the T&A
Rueful Stuart McCall reckons that a nasty approach to referees gets
you further than being nice.
The City boss still feels aggrieved at the 'goals' his side have been
denied in the last three games.
McCall believes Peter Thorne could have had another three on his tally
and Michael Boulding was also denied a legitimate strike against Lincoln.
If the key calls had gone the other way, City could be sitting in a
play-off place now instead of praying for an absolute miracle.
McCall admits his policy of going easy on officials has ultimately done
him no favours.
He said: "I worked under Neil Warnock for a few years and learned good
and bad things off him. He would constantly blame officials for results
and I've never been into that.
"People say things like it can cost them a job and I've not followed
that. But you look at the last three games and there have been decisions
against us which have cost us maybe seven points.
"We should have been 2-0 up at Morecambe and I'm sure would have seen it
out. Then right on half-time against Lincoln, Boulders scores a goal
when he's a clear yard onside.
"And last week Thorney has a perfectly good header ruled out when the
referee has seen a foul from somewhere, not to mention another which was
wrongly given offside.
"The referee has not only got a decision wrong that's cost us the game –
he's cost me my dream and the club's dream of going to Wembley.
"Being nice to officials hasn't worked for me. I should have taken
Neil's approach instead."
McCall has already received three apologies this season from refereeing
boss David Allison about mistakes made by men in the middle.
The City chief said: "I've sent him the DVDs from certain matches and he
can't believe how the decisions have been so wrong.
"I never have been one of these managers who always blame refs. You see
Sir Alex (Ferguson) going mental over the penalty incident in the FA Cup
last week but you can watch it ten times and still not be sure.
"I'm always honest with the assessments on match officials and try to
give them good marks. So because I try to go the other way, it sounds
like I'm making excuses – but I'm not.
"I know David Moyes sent a load of DVDs to the FA last season with a
list of penalties Everton should have had. I could do the same sort of
thing but I know it won't get us anywhere.
"No beating round the bush, I've under-achieved and so have the team.
But if the correct decisions had been given in the last three games, we
would still be right in there and that's hard to take."
===========================
STUART McCALL admits the "humbling" support of Bradford City fans could
yet play a part in persuading him to stay at Valley Parade.
The Bantams manager will decide by Monday whether to quit after branding
his two-year reign as "a failure" following the club's almost certain
failure to reach the play-offs.
McCall insisted last month he would walk away if City did not finish in
the top seven of League Two and his comments after last weekend's defeat
at Dagenham hardly suggested there had been a softening of that stance.
Since then, however, support has come pouring in from fans and former
colleagues and McCall last night told the Yorkshire Post: "It has been
very difficult, though it has also been a very humbling week for me
personally. The e-mails and letters of support I have received since we
lost at Dagenham have really touched me.
"The vast majority have said I must not leave, while a couple said I
should give it one last go next season. There was only one that was
critical of me.
"He criticised my substitutions and accused me of being too negative
away from home. But then, at the end, even he wrote that he wanted me to
stay.
"To get support like that has really lifted me and it left me feeling
quite emotional.
"It has also been a nice surprise to get so many calls and texts from
ex-managers and ex-players that I know. They have made me look at
certain things in a different light.
"The important thing now, though, is that I do what is best for Bradford
City. If that means leaving, then so be it. I will decide over the weekend."
Joint chairmen Julian Rhodes and Mark Lawn are keen for a quick decision
in case they have to find a new manager.
McCall, who only signed a two-year contract extension in February,
added: "It is a time to reflect and maybe I have put myself under too
much pressure. This season has been a major disappointment and there is
no getting away from that.
"I will have a long hard think about the situation over the weekend and
then speak to Mark and Julian on Monday. By then, I will have made my
decision."
If McCall does depart, he will become the seventh manager to leave
Valley Parade since 2000.
===========================
Here's a link to the Macca interview straight after the Rotherham game.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8018758.stm
===========================
Sir Alex Ferguson has told Stuart McCall "don't be stupid" by jacking
in the City helm.
McCall's future will be finalised in the next 24 hours after talks with
joint chairmen Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes.
McCall is expected to stay and work with a reduced wage budget next
term, though Lawn said it would still be among the top third in the
division.
Fans made their backing clear for the boss during Saturday's 3-0 home
win over Rotherham – City's first victory for ten games.
And McCall revealed that even Old Trafford supremo Fergie had been in
contact, telling him to finish the job.
He said: "Sir Alex sent an e-mail reminding me I've only been in the
game two minutes and get a bloomin' grip.
"I've had so many other managers telling me similar and saying not to do
anything stupid. (Rotherham boss) Mark Robins gave me a hug in the
tunnel afterwards and called me a nugget for talking about leaving.
"Last Monday morning I was 99.9 per cent certain I was going because I'd
failed. I've not given the fans what they hoped.
"No other club at this level has 12,000 following them. No other club
takes 1,500 to 2,000 away and there's a sense of letting those people down.
"But things have been put in perspective and I've had a proper
reflection. People say I wasn't a quitter as a player so why start now?
"Management is 24/7 and I take it home with me. I do need a break to
refresh the batteries but in two weeks' time when the season's over I'll
be desperate to do something again."
Lawn revealed the budget will be cut "quite substantially" from its
current £1.9m – a figure which is thought to include the coaching staff
and insurance fees as well as the squad wages.
He said: "We'll go right into the details with Stuart. It's only fair he
gets to see what the budget means and how much he can spend.
"Dagenham were on a third of our budget more or less, people like Barnet
lower than that.
"But it's still going to be in the top eight. Depending on the credit
crunch, some people will lose big sponsors so we might even be in the
top five or six.
"The last week has been hell and I'm feeling it like every fan. But give
me a few days to come round again."
===========================
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