BfB

In Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity the protagonist Rob explains how – after being dumped by sophisticated and seemingly smart girl Charlie – he surmises that he was playing of his league.

When dating Charlie Rob was out of his league – he decides – and he could never settle with the idea that she was with him which is why he spent the last few years with the gut wrenching feeling that Charlie was about to leave him for one of the guys who seemed to fit her better which she does. Read the book, its great.

Perhaps Mark Lawn will be feeling something like this as for a second weekend he reads that his manager Peter Taylor is being linked with a move away from Valley Parade and while last week it was the FA of Bahrain this week Meadow Lane and Notts County are reported to be interested in the City boss.

Rumours peculated that Taylor has a get out clause which will allow him to jump ship to a club in a higher division should they ask – we could probably dub this “The Hull City clause” – but it seems highly unlikely that having started to call in favours to bring friendplayers Tom Doherty and Luke Oliver to Valley Parade that the boss will move onto a club which has had to free all of the squad it could do and only has twelve men in the squad. County are as nailed on for relegation this year as they were for promotion last.

Nevertheless Taylor’s talent is well known – indeed that is the reason he was recruited to replace Stuart McCall – as is the fact that he is a hired hand rather than someone who is invested in the club long term as he predecessor was.

These factors makes him vulnerable to being taken from the club if not by Bahrain or Notts County then certainly by someone with more to offer. Imagine if The Tigers are in need of a manager in five months time and wonder how hard would be for Taylor to turn that job down if offered. Imagine too how hard it would be if Hull put an eighteen month contract on the table. It is hard to see anyone offering him a deal for less than the one year that Lawn had Taylor sign at City.

As advances about Taylor are talked how much of a long term commitment have the Bantams given their manager? Discussions about Taylor’s one year contract on this site talk about how if he does not perform then the manager will be out calling this a shrewd deal for Lawn but should Taylor get an offer he can’t turn down – or should he take one of the ones rumoured – then were does that leave City?

Rotherham United – in League Two again next season after being defeated by Dag & Red in yesterday’s play off final – were hammered on for promotion before their manager Mark Robins left for pastures higher and was replaced by Ronnie Moore and a slow decline.

Naturally some offers that come to a manager would be too good to turn down but should we not have given Peter Taylor some assurance that we are prepared to give him some security that might at least rival any other offer? If we are not going to offer managers long term security then do we have an idea of what to do on the day they exit that continues any good work they were doing?

One can only hope that Taylor – the attractive manager for any job – is not going to dump us like Charlie does Rob but it seems certain that Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes are – because of the decision to give out three month, then twelve month deals at Valley Parade – going to spend much of the time while City are with Taylor worrying that they are waiting for someone to steal him away.

Friendplayer: Noun coined at 11:18 today by Me.
1 . A footballer who is recruited by a manager on the basis of a presumed good previous relationship working at another club.