Should he be sacked?

Surely the manager is in charge and an assistant assists. You talk like the assistant should be calling the shots.

I have to say I thought Burr's biggest fault was that he wasn't actually managing the playing side of the Club (John Mc was). A good manager does delegate and he was developing his long time assistant whilst doing the scouting and club managerial duties. The big issue with Burr's tenure was Ian Sharps in my view. He quite obviously caused 'issues' in the dressing room. I think this was a clever way for Sharps to further his own coaching prospects as his footballing career was quite clearly ending. He caused the dressing room issues to get rid of Burr, knowing he would be in a good position to get the assistant managers job. I fear he always knew he wouldn't be here for long and I don't think he felt any love for this club or its fans after we were vocal about his appalling performances as a player with us so was ecstatic to drop us at the first opportunity.

In my controversial view, Sharps shafted us in many ways and we were left with Macca who simply hasn't get the management temperament or contacts (for signing decent players) to get us anywhere. The thought of Sharps coming back here as Manager is ridiculous, isn't going to happen, (why would he want to anyway?) and I for one wouldn't want him back. In fairness to Jon, he likes to work with what he's got and probably has very little in the way of budget to sign anyone decent but I think this close season will be a critical point in the journey of CFC so far. He has to sign some quality players otherwise we will almost certainly get relegated next season and fan apathy is starting to become quite apparent. Crowds are falling dramatically and something needs to be done. The thought of paying £15/£18 to watch a whole season of this crap doesn't fill me with excitement and many are now voting with their feet (and wallets).

Great post and one I agree with. As I've said before I think both clubs are going through a very interesting learning curve at the moment with regard to players and management.

I believe we should get an assistant in who has good National League experience.

Regardless of whether Iwolumo is there on a match day, is he the right profile? The attacking movement hasn't got any better under him. The choice of pass hasn't improved.

By all accounts it's JM that does the defensive shape and coaching. So who does the work with the ball in the final third? Surely that wasn't Sharps? 

Quite interesting that the McCarthy stays vote is quite a long way ahead on the poll . . . . personally a bit surprised. Ah well, roll on next Monday . . . let's hope we've nicked a point from one of the two daunting looking away games this week.

I don't believe we're losing through lack of effort either. They look gutted and frustrated at the end of games. It's almost as if they are trying too hard and achieving very little.

The next CFU meeting might be quite interesting. Its on the 20th, I think.

Sooner this season is over the better.

McCarthy should stay; it'd be completely reckless to pay off a contract with over 2 years left, even more so when you consider that he's delivered a league position that we'd all have taken at the start of the season.

I agree that he's found himself in a bit of a rut, where he seems to be chasing his own tail but he is a first year manager and it's all part of learning the trade. I think a lot of his tinkering has been due to the poor form of Kane Richards. I think JM wants to play 4-4-2, but has with not one alternative striker to KR, his hands have been tied a little bit. There is no doubting that at times we've played good football this year and that shows this team is capable, take our fixtures with Aldershot as examples of this. A really strong 0-0 draw at theirs and a comfortable 2-0 win at ours. Aldershot are charging towards the play-offs, so it just shows that this team isn't as far off as people make out.

I agree there are things that need to change. I agree with the calls for a a new assistant. Iwelumo cannot commit and the negativity around his appointment isn't good for anybody. Re-advertise the position and get somebody in who JM can forge a strong relationship in. I also think JM doesn't help himself, some of his soundbites are bizarre and overly-defensive, it's the sort of stuff that invites pressure. He and Neil Turner seem to have a quirkly relationship and Macca seems to prickle to anything said that's not entirely positive. Again, he'll learn as he goes on that front. Thirdly, I like that he's supportive of the squad and think players react positively to it, but he also needs to see what is so abundantly clear in front of his eyes. Loads of these players have improved, some are not providing value for money. Chappell, George, Hudson, Joyce, Richards, Killock, Marsh etc. These are all players that should have question marks and long discussions over yet the manager seems to suggest it's a no brainer to keep them all here. I'd like to see him judge each individual case on its merit.

But overall, support the manager and let him learn. It's an awful run, but we need to give him the chance to regroup and go again next season.

Double the number saying no and 7 others who are pretty much saying same thing.

I must admit i lost my temper with Jon on Saturday. He came out saying getting something from the York game would be a scalp. I understand what he was trying to say but that little club mentality and his team selection picked to contain York stank of cowardice. I have no problem him saying they have bigger budget and it will be tough but we're safe and we're a better team than York. I have to believe that, to not believe that is to believe that we don't belong in the conference and we are punching above our weight. Whilst i accept we dont have the biggest budget, i don't think the little club mentality washes with our fans who have been watching a football league sides for the majority. This may be our new reality, but talk us up, be positive, especially now you have room to breathe.

That said i want to mention something. Certain members of the crowd we're extremely vocal in denouncing the performance of Lucas Dawson on Saturday. I've no doubt they are probably the same ones who are now bemoaning the decision to take him off. This young lad has just come back into the game and he was the only one trying to pass. The thing is when you try to pass, you take risks and sometimes they don't come off. The alternative is to hit long to the corners - i wish people would make their mind up. To say, pass but pass better just doesn't wash at this level, think someone said above about managing expectations - this isn't the tinpot leagues we had room to do what we want in, this is a tough league and we're bottom half fodder. These young lads are doing what they can and need support not criticism. Some on the bile shouted Saturday was disgraceful, and in my view bloody ill-informed.

Jon hasn't ''worked wonders'' but he's obviously done a better job than Burr. I don't buy that it was all down to Sharps. Jon has his 4-4-2 philosphy and injuries have lead him to toy around and it's been a failure. I do think he needs more confidence in his team, he talks like he does but then sets up 4-5-1 at home. I might take it vs FGR or Lincoln but not York, i'm sorry.

That said he's more than done enough over this season to keep his job. We've apparently got a lower bidget next year and risk losing Southport, Tranmere and York is terms of away support. Lowering that budget further would be a lunacy. I anticipate JM will be better next season having had this to learn from. Lets not forget up to xmas people thought a bigger club would come in for him. 1 year extention would have done to protect an asset people (albeit clearly the minority) want to throw away.

That is how long McCarthy has been with us, and in that time what the hell has he achieved; apart from managing to keep us up last year, when HE and Burr together left us in relegation fight !! Also he was with Burr as assistant manager for about 2 years or more before he came to us, so he has loads of time served experience ?? !!

I do not understand all this give him time, how much longer do we have to suffer the same crap on and off the field.
He is exactly the same as manager as he was assistant manager, blaming the budget, the officials and now the supporters for not backing his wonderfull players.
But no, you have the happy clappers saying give him time, so lets give him till Christmas; and let him continue serving up the same rubbish.
Basically what the hell do you expect to change, he is now more than 5 years in management as assistant or , poor us, manager .
Maybe he is nice guy but he is not a manager !!

Don't talk bollocks, I haven't suggested that in the slightest. What I have said is that he should have a number two who actually communicates with him and provides him with an alternative viewpoint from his own. That is clearly what we did have with Sharps alongside him, and what we most definitely did not have on Saturday with big Chris stood 10 yards away from Macca.

Macca needs help, but he needs to help himself first and foremost and that starts with telling big Chris 'thanks, but no thanks'.

since sharps has gone we have played crap football even when we won we have very rare looked comfortable in our wins

for starters after the boreham wood game he needs to tell his pal iwelumo that his contract is not up for renewal and bring someone who knows what they are doing in

been a fan of macca since he took over but after saturday's shambolic display my patience has ran out

I wish you would consider using the odd comma and full stop in your last two posts.

No he should not be sacked.

To do so now would be ridiculous. Let's see the season out and look at the recruitment.

The big problem is getting some solidity in defence and we've been really unlucky this season with that. Losing Hughes and Vassell to injury was the big problem and ever since then we've chopped and changed too much. And those injuries laid bare our lack of strength in depth.

But.....next season there will have to be a low threshold for making a change. We can't limp on until nearly Xmas like we did with Young.

It's bollocks to suggest that all Jon needs is "an alternative viewpoint". Left to himself he makes poor decisions. Therefore he needs an assistant who is making the right calls and ignoring Jon's ideas. That sounds to me like the assistant calling the shots. Oh, and by the way "bollocks".