The arrivals of Jim Gannon and Brian McDermott has Peter Beagrie asking how managers are chosen.
Beags surprised by Gannon, but likes McDermott apppintment
I would love to be a fly on the wall in the boardrooms of football clubs when the powers-that-be are choosing their new manager.
I'd love to know which criteria they use. Which attributes and strengths do they regard as the most important? How important is experience? How important are motivational skills? How important is success in the transfer market?
Furthermore, how well educated on football matters are the decision makers? How much are they dictated by financial constraints when making their choice?
Sometimes it's easier to employ a lesser-known manager because you can control them from a financial and a media perspective. Experienced managers use the media well and make them aware when they are working under financial constraints.
So I look at Peterborough, a club 11 points adrift of safety in the Championship, and I wonder what would have made you an attractive candidate following the sacking of Mark Cooper.
I'm sure a club faced with relegation wouldn't want to tie someone into a long-term deal. So if somebody went in there and said "give me the job until the end of the season and don't give me extravagant wages" it may have appealed to Darragh MacAnthony and Barry Fry.
This is all conjecture and all guesswork, but I wonder if that's how Jim Gannon got the job. I'm sure the former Stockport and Motherwell boss was desperate to get back into management and offering his services on a short-term deal loads everything in favour of the football club.
When you look at his record, I can't think of any other reason why they would give him the job. Perhaps they are looking at the worst-case scenario and relegation to League One because Gannon has knowledge of the lower leagues from his time at Stockport?
It's an obscure appointment, almost as obscure as the previous appointment of Mark Cooper, and I would love to know the criteria Peterborough used to make their decisions.
The chairman and the director of football obviously want an element of control and want to have a say. Perhaps a bigger name or a bigger character wouldn't have fit the bill.
After riding the crest of a wave following two successive promotions, it is a huge ask for Gannon to turn them around. I think the gap is too wide for them to make up, but you never know.
More sense
The appointment of Brian McDermott at Reading makes much more sense.
Sometimes appointing a caretaker manager stinks of a lack of ambition and becomes the easy option from a financial point of view.
But in this instance, Brian McDermott will provide continuity and will not destabilise the club by making too many changes. He has an affinity with the young players, as Brendan Rodgers had, but Brian has been getting the results that Brendan couldn't.
You only have to look at the calibre of opposition Brian has faced in his first nine games. He has faced Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest in the league, plus Liverpool twice and Burnley in the FA Cup - and yet he has yielded three wins, three draws and three losses.
It's refreshing to see how Brian has given the players latitude to express themselves and they dominated for long periods in both games against Liverpool. If he can get this young, vibrant side playing in a relaxed manner with no pressure on their shoulders, then that augurs well for the future.
However, the heavy loss to Plymouth will have hurt and Brian has a chance to get revenge on Argyle in a stereotypical six pointer next Tuesday.
But first they must face Doncaster in Saturday's live game. The last time Reading were live on Sky Sports they were unlucky to be narrowly defeated by Leicester, but if they can pick up six points from the next two games they will climb the table.
The good news for Reading fans is they haven't been cut adrift and teams as high as Bristol City in 10th place could still get dragged into the scrap.
If Reading can start converting their chances into goals, I can see them pulling clear of the bottom three.
Peter answers your questions...
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In June last year we had the two best left-sided midfielders in the country, now we have neither. Downing was understandable, but Johnson is a disgrace, badly managed by Southgate when we struggled from October in the Premier League. The lad wouldn't sign a new contract and who could blame him? Why should he? We had no confidence in him and quite clearly he has none in us. We'll have to wait and see what happens but I am concerned that the three best players we started the season with have all been sold (Huth, Tuncay & now Johnson). Bye bye play-offs. I suppose the only good thing is he didn't sign for Sunderland. Mike (Boro fan)
PETER SAYS: I understand both Newcastle and Sunderland were interested... that really would have added insult to injury for Middlesbrough fans!
I understand your point about him only getting a bit-part role in the Premier League and he maybe should have played a bit more. He's a very talented player, but I think £7million is a good fee and I think he will get a bit of game time at Man City. However, I am surprised Middlesbrough didn't get him back on loan for the rest of the season to help their promotion push.
Middlesbrough were looking the genuine article at the start of the season, but the squad did look light following the departures of Tuncay and Huth. A new manager and an influx of loan signings and players from Scotland has damaged continuity and I can understand why Boro fans are sceptical. I still think they have a chance to get in the play-offs if the new players settle in, but they would have had an outstanding chance with Johnson in the side.
Strachan has only won three of his 15 games and only one of his eight home games. That's not good enough for a team of Middlesbrough's stature. I think Gareth Southgate would have won more than that and maybe the lack of continuity has hit their form, but if Gordon's signings scramble into the play-offs then the chairman will feel justified in appointing him.
To send Peter a question on the Football League, send an email to skysportsclub@bskyb.com or use the feedback form below...
