County Sack Campbell

[RiG]

Top of league, but Campbell sacked 'to save the soul of Ross County'

ALASDAIR FRASER

**** Campbell was yesterday sacked by Ross County after only 20 weeks in charge - with the Highlanders sitting top of the Second Division. The Dingwall club's board took the shock decision after growing unhappy with the team's style of play.

Campbell, appointed on 17 May, was charged with winning promotion at the first time of asking, and vowed to walk away if he failed. However, his departure came much sooner than anyone could have anticipated.

County, who have battled clear of administration danger, are now seeking their sixth manager in a little over two years, and chairman Roy MacGregor admitted yesterday the move would be greeted by disbelief in some quarters. But he said the decision to terminate Campbell's tenure was for the good of the club.

MacGregor said: "We thank **** for his services, but there was a difference in styles between the club and him that was not to the good of Ross County long-term. We had to make the judgment as to whether we could win the league with that style and, if so, whether it was worth losing something of the soul of Ross County.

"We want to win the league and do it with a bit of panache and style. We are a full-time team who, in my opinion, have the best players in the league and we've always been a club who've tried to entertain.

"Some people will say it is a strange decision when we are top of the league. But I can assure the supporters and everyone connected to the club that this was done for the good of Ross County. People may not understand the decision immediately, but I hope they will come to."

County, who suffered a setback in a 2-2 draw at home to Alloa on Saturday, escaped administration a couple of years ago only by MacGregor's intervention.

Along with director of football George Adams, he effectively acted as administrator and secured agreement with County's bankers on a new business plan.

But upheaval has been almost constant since Alex Smith was dismissed just as he picked up an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list back on June 2005.

Previous to Smith's departure, County had enjoyed much greater stability. Bobby Wilson was controversially axed two years after guiding the team into the Scottish leagues, with Neale Cooper replacing him for seven years up to November 2002. Smith lasted two-and-a-half years but paid the penalty for failing to guide County into the SPL.

John Robertson then took over but lasted just four months as he stormed out in October 2005 after a bust-up over plans to slash ?100,000 from the playing budget.

Gardner Speirs then acted as caretaker for five months, losing only four of 23 games in charge, but was then overlooked for the permanent post.

At the start of last season, George Adams joined forces with rookie Scott Leitch, but the young team lurched to relegation despite winning the Challenge Cup and Leitch was sacked.

Campbell seemed to have been given a win-at-any-cost remit when he arrived in late May, but County sources say there were a number of contentious issues behind the scenes.

Campbell, given the urgency of his task, had paid little attention to youth development, it is claimed, while spending little additional time at the club outside of training hours. It is claimed he had also faced internal criticism for the deployment of certain players, including the omission of skipper Stuart Golabek in recent games. But the biggest factor was that a body of supporters, corporate backers and the board were unhappy with County's style of play.

Campbell was trying to win his seventh title with County. His biggest successes before ill-fated spells at Partick and now County included reaching four Scottish Cup semi-finals with Dunfermline, winning promotion to the SPL in 1996.

Campbell, a staff coach with the SFA and current chairman of the SFA's technical coaching staff, could not be contacted yesterday.

Whata joke County are

[Guest]

You seem to have a rather unhealthy affection for RCFC RiG. You've more posts on OTB than I do FFS. Bit of the stalker about you. :015:

[RiG]

From what I can see you have 1483 posts over 3 years. I have 936 over 5 years. To me anyway 1483 > 936

And it's worth it to laugh at County when your Chairman comes out with hysterical lines like the one above

[The Mantis]

We had to make the judgment as to whether we could win the league with that style and, if so, whether it was worth losing something of the soul of Ross County.

Aye right! Never stopped them in the past. What a load of pish!

[ictchris]

I just posted this on P&B in reply to an Ayr Utd fan.

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QUOTE(Monster @ Oct 3 2007, 09:50)

I would be outraged if we sacked a manager when top of the league, even after 8 games.

Why do some County fans think they have a divine right to be top WITH superb football? This is not a division you can play silky football in and win games - trust me on that, we've been here four years.

Campbell had you top, that was his stated job and that should be enough to get the full backing from fans AND board.

13 years ago County had a craphole of a ground and weren't even in the league set-up. When did the likes of Hansa decide he supported the Real Madrid of the Highlands? Bizarre.

The funny thing about it is, you'd think that County had torn the leagues a new one with their brand of scinillating attacking verve up until now. From what I remember they limped about in the First Division for a couple of years, never finishing higher than fourth, never sustaining a title challange and eventually surrendering their status after being pushed to the verge of bankruptcy by Alex '0-1' Smith.

As for this amazing football, well under Cooper they had a few moments I suppose, including a storming finish to one season before reverting to hilariuosly awful type the next. Then they had years of Alex Smith's non-football, passing the ball about in their own half before another 'undeserved' defeat sustained 'playing the game the right way'. The one season they had real success they binned both managers who achieved it.

The pish that is spouted from County fans about their amazing silky football is, well, er, pish. It really took hold under Smith, a man who's utter baloonery still makes me smile - exactly the kind of manager we all wish for our local rivals. He was an utter failure - he failed to even look like challanging for the title, he made no inroads in cup competitions, he nearly got them relegated and splurged hundreds of thousands of pounds on terrible players on massive wages. His constant excuse of playing football the right way, passing football, I don't like big strikers only wee ones, we're more of a footballing team than Caley etc perhaps massaged the footballing egos of the County support who put up with it longer than many teams. If Smith had done that to Falkirk, St Mirren or even Ayr he'd have been run off the road quicker than you could say 'poofy new rules'.

If I were a County fan I'd be looking to get rid of the board. They have done well in the past but the litany of ludicriousness grows ever longer. The sanctioning of Smith's waste, the constant turnover, the recruitment of a Director of Football - a luxury position in the English Premiership, let alone the SFL - the failure to properly treat injured players which lead to several expensive players leaving then being cured in a 'pick up thy bed and walk stylee' at their new clubs and now sacking a manager who had them top the league after only losing one game in eight.

It's time for Ross County fans to get serious.

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Farce County are an absolute joke  :015: Peterhead will hopefully be striding past them soon.

[Mee]

I predict Robbie Williamson will be manager of County, maybe not this time but one day soon  :001: :001: :001:

[dead_ball_specialist]

"We want to win the league and do it with a bit of panache and style"

 

You just have to laugh. Like ICTchris said, the litany of ludicriousness grows ever longer. If it means so much to them to 'play the right way', why did they appoint **** Campbell in the first place? The word is he just got a ?50,000 pay off. How can they afford to waste so much money? It's criminal.

Perhaps Counties tuchtor fanbase simply couldn't bare having a Campbell in charge?

[RiG]

The word is he just got a ?50,000 pay off. How can they afford to waste so much money? It's criminal.

You might want to ask Save Our Staggies where their hard earned cash has gone....

[TomCaleyJag]

Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor says **** Campbell paid for leading the Division Two table without playing the club's traditional stylish football

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WTF? County, stylish football? Who are they kidding?  :rotflmao:

So I suppose this is the same stylish football played by Scott Leitch, Alex Smith and Neale Cooper? Absolute joke.

ICT can lay claim to playing some great football, especially under Brewster, but also the Wilson-Ritchie-Bingham front 3 must have been terrifying for Div. 1 defenders in 03/04.

Adams is right about one thing though- If he wanted County's pre-Campbell football to continue, they'd be in Division 3 next season! And I don't think thats where Campbell was taking them.  :016:

[Pele_Is_God]

Derek Adams player / manager or the return of Neale Cooper.

[KingBeastie]

"Neale Cooper???"

They'd be better off with Alice Cooper!

All together now - lets all laugh at c*nty...  :015: :015: :015: :015: :015: :015: :015: :015: :015:

[Yngwie]

Was talking to Campbell, and it's no surprise that there were difficulties with a key working relationship that made his position untenable and his departure inevitable.

Those are my words - his were slightly less diplomatic and included the term "f*cking pr1ck"  :015:

[Pele_Is_God]

**** is a great character. It won't be long until he is back in management.

[kencar]

I see County have appointed a new manager, err.........sort of... :023:

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