Graham Clark":3mgcxhuq said: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.