Our enigma of a manager

[philevs]

Sometimes a little perspective is required after a deflating (to put it mildly) defeat. For all the understandable criticism and angst Ryan Lowe remains Argyle's second most successful manager (in terms of games won) for the last seventy years. His record is only bettered by Paul Sturrock (Mark 1) and just surpasses Derek Adams. With all the constraints of COVID that has shackled him for over 12 months of his tenure that achievement perhaps deserves more respect than he is perhaps given.

Furthermore, any planned recruitment for this season was scuppered by the club's understandable adherence the the imposed £2.5m salary cap (now reversed) which meant the imposition of a lower wage budget than the season before and below Adams' budget during the previous tenure in League 1. That meant a reliance, over reliance perhaps, on Premiership u-23's or gambles on injury prone players such as Reeves and Macleod. The winter transfer window meant the departure of some (albeit experienced) off the wages bill and many reflected that Lowe had achieved a 'good window' as the business secured the permanent deals of Hardie and Ennis and the recruitment of Woods who some believe may be a good acquisition for next season.

The aim for this season was survival. Many predicted a mid to lower table finish. The other promoted teams have struggled too and two of them may go straight back down. There ae a number of long established and resourced League 1 teams and the overall impression is that it is a tough division where anyone can beat anyone on any given day. It may be no coincidence that the likes of Sunderland and Portsmouth have struggled to get out of it.

The real test of Ryan Lowe and his management team with all their data analytics will be this close season. The salary cap shackles are lifted and more aligned to turnover and the recruitment can be properly based on players seen in League 1 match conditions. A number will be out of contract this summer and with our relatively stable financial position we should be best placed to make the sort of experienced tried and tested recruits that many are clamouring for. We can then make a proper and informed judgement on Ryan Lowe and his backroom team. Then there will be no excuses.

Beautifully put, a very good overview and thanks for this excellent contribution.

 

[philevs]

Sometimes a little perspective is required after a deflating (to put it mildly) defeat. For all the understandable criticism and angst Ryan Lowe remains Argyle's second most successful manager (in terms of games won) for the last seventy years. His record is only bettered by Paul Sturrock (Mark 1) and just surpasses Derek Adams. With all the constraints of COVID that has shackled him for over 12 months of his tenure that achievement perhaps deserves more respect than he is perhaps given.

Furthermore, any planned recruitment for this season was scuppered by the club's understandable adherence the the imposed £2.5m salary cap (now reversed) which meant the imposition of a lower wage budget than the season before and below Adams' budget during the previous tenure in League 1. That meant a reliance, over reliance perhaps, on Premiership u-23's or gambles on injury prone players such as Reeves and Macleod. The winter transfer window meant the departure of some (albeit experienced) off the wages bill and many reflected that Lowe had achieved a 'good window' as the business secured the permanent deals of Hardie and Ennis and the recruitment of Woods who some believe may be a good acquisition for next season.

The aim for this season was survival. Many predicted a mid to lower table finish. The other promoted teams have struggled too and two of them may go straight back down. There ae a number of long established and resourced League 1 teams and the overall impression is that it is a tough division where anyone can beat anyone on any given day. It may be no coincidence that the likes of Sunderland and Portsmouth have struggled to get out of it.

The real test of Ryan Lowe and his management team with all their data analytics will be this close season. The salary cap shackles are lifted and more aligned to turnover and the recruitment can be properly based on players seen in League 1 match conditions. A number will be out of contract this summer and with our relatively stable financial position we should be best placed to make the sort of experienced tried and tested recruits that many are clamouring for. We can then make a proper and informed judgement on Ryan Lowe and his backroom team. Then there will be no excuses.

With regards to the salary cap, it didn’t come into force until August 2020, any player signed before that date full salary didn’t count towards the cap if it was over the assumed average of £1,700 per week. The figure of £1,700 would have been used.
So are you suggesting Argyle mis read the rules on calculating the cap.
Also transfer fees don’t count towards the Cap, substantial sums have been paid this season for the first time in years.
Neither does the cost of the enlarged back room staff count towards the salary cap.
Surely your alleged impact of the salary cap on Argyle’s recruitment would have the same impact on all clubs if your reasoning was correct and for the first time in years a Club’s league position would be based on the skill and expertise of the manager and not skewed by a Club’s finances, perhaps that is the reason Morecambe are doing quite well this season.
How do you know what the salary budget for players was under Adams as it isn’t publicly available, would you like me to ask him what it was.

Yes please, it would be very interesting to know that.

 

[Graham Clark]

For HC Green

From the Report on Argyle's finances in February 2020

Costs
Wages and salaries remain the major cost for Argyle, in particular those of the first-team management and playing squad, as is the case for all elite-level football clubs. These costs decreased from £3.3m in the 2018/19 season to £2.9m in the 2019/20 season. (Note that this understates the costs involved for the first team squad, as it does not include unavoidable travel, accommodation and medical costs).

https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2021/februa ... al-report/

Given that it is alleged that the first team management costs are now larger than the equivalent cost of team management employed under Derek Adams (in 2018-2019) then the difference in playing budget may be even greater than the 12% difference between 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Given that we have apparently adhered to the constraints of the originally imposed salary cap this season the actual difference between the two comparative seasons between Adams and Lowe in League 1 may be even greater.

As for paying for Hardie and Ennis both fees would have come from the fortune income of the sale of Canavan and the sell on clause of Sam Gallagher. Good business reinvesting in young players for the future.

 

[Willis88]

For HC Green

From the Report on Argyle's finances in February 2020

Costs
Wages and salaries remain the major cost for Argyle, in particular those of the first-team management and playing squad, as is the case for all elite-level football clubs. These costs decreased from £3.3m in the 2018/19 season to £2.9m in the 2019/20 season. (Note that this understates the costs involved for the first team squad, as it does not include unavoidable travel, accommodation and medical costs).

https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2021/februa ... al-report/

Given that it is alleged that the first team management costs are now larger than the equivalent cost of team management employed under Derek Adams (in 2018-2019) then the difference in playing budget may be even greater than the 12% difference between 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Given that we have apparently adhered to the constraints of the originally imposed salary cap this season the actual difference between the two comparative seasons between Adams and Lowe in League 1 may be even greater.

As for paying for Hardie and Ennis both fees would have come from the fortune income of the sale of Canavan and the sell on clause of Sam Gallagher. Good business reinvesting in young players for the future.

Graham your posts are always a pleasure, please keep them coming.

Got to love when well completed research proves a point, but HC won't see it, he's had his little dig and run away looking for another chance to mope about Adams being sacked.

 

[up the line]

For HC Green

From the Report on Argyle's finances in February 2020

Costs
Wages and salaries remain the major cost for Argyle, in particular those of the first-team management and playing squad, as is the case for all elite-level football clubs. These costs decreased from £3.3m in the 2018/19 season to £2.9m in the 2019/20 season. (Note that this understates the costs involved for the first team squad, as it does not include unavoidable travel, accommodation and medical costs).

https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2021/februa ... al-report/

Given that it is alleged that the first team management costs are now larger than the equivalent cost of team management employed under Derek Adams (in 2018-2019) then the difference in playing budget may be even greater than the 12% difference between 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. Given that we have apparently adhered to the constraints of the originally imposed salary cap this season the actual difference between the two comparative seasons between Adams and Lowe in League 1 may be even greater.

As for paying for Hardie and Ennis both fees would have come from the fortune income of the sale of Canavan and the sell on clause of Sam Gallagher. Good business reinvesting in young players for the future.

Graham your posts are always a pleasure, please keep them coming.

Got to love when well completed research proves a point, but HC won't see it, he's had his little dig and run away looking for another chance to mope about Adams being sacked.

Awww, I'm hoping he comes back with his so cool inside information and tells us who V Neck, Algae, Armchair Managers, Yobs was spending all the money on?!
Was it Tafari Moore, Calum Dyson, Lionel Ainsworth?!