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They haven't - I've just checked it, there's nothing about him going on their official X page, just a fake announcement on an unofficial X account with 16 followers!
It's a good copy of an account mind, even using a season tickets advert as a header and linking to their womens/academy teams.
"There is currently a Dutch reporter on Radio Manchester who isn't speaking very highly of WSH at all."
Can't see how you draw that conclusion at all.
I've paraphrased from the BBC Radio Manchester interview, that's available to listen back to via BBC Sounds. (Any notes added by myself are in brackets.)
The interview is with Danique Eijkenboom - @EijkenboomD on X/Twitter.
Manchester Total Sport, 12/03/2023.
He talks about how World Soccer Holdings (Dutch Soccer Holdings in the case of MVV - same people, different entity name) are working on a long term goal at MVV, professionalising and developing the club.
He makes reference to WSH holding a meeting with MVV Maastricht supporters in Dec 2023 (one presumes like our style fans forum), and that WSH have a good level of communication with MVV supporters.
He talks about how WSH have invested in "organisational stuff" as the journalist puts it, as well as into their youth academy, ahead of transfers.
The club finished in the playoffs last season, finishing 5th (but lost to NAC Breda in the first round of them) whilst operating on one of the lowest overall budgets in the league. (Looking at the table from 22/23, they finished above some much larger sides than folk would expect them to.) This season they're currently 13th.
It's also mentioned by the journalist that he feels that WSH are realistic in their ownership, and whilst they have the ambition to get promoted back into the Eredivisie, there is an acknowledgement that they have to take things step by step and that WSH are finding a balance between ambition and realism.
WSH want to increase their stake in MVV to 95%, with the other 5% going to the MVV supporters association, and that the supporters would "always have the golden share". The process it seems is being worked towards, but needs the Dutch FA to finalise things.
When listening to the interview, it all sounded pretty positive to me! Especially the part regarding WSH being happy to include a Golden Share to the supporters trust. I'd imagine that's something that could be negotiated into any deal with WSH for us too.
Hope this comes through, as I can't help but feel that an ownership with experience of running and investing in football clubs is hugely preferable in our situation, to the second party that haven't prior experience.
Louisville City FC finished 5th in the USL (2nd tier) last season (the 2024 USL season starts this coming weekend), and MVV Maastricht are currently 13th in the Eerste Divisie, so whilst neither club are title challenging, they're both stable enough on the pitch.
I think right now, I'd settle for being stable on and off the pitch with a vision set out for building in the right direction.
After all the speculation prior to Jim McNulty getting the job, I see Nathan Rooney today has announced he's left his job at Brunos Magpies in Gibraltar. Think he was down to 6/1 at one point for the Dale job! (Yeah, I know bookies odds don't mean much and are easily influenced!)
Wouldn't be surprised to see him end up at either a National League or League Two side before too long.
Regards South Shields, it will be interesting to see how they get on. They've had a lot of investment both on and off the pitch over the last 5 years or so, coupled with absolutely making the most of Sunderland's slide from the Premier League to League One, which saw a large number of fans head for Mariners Park instead of the Stadium of Light. Even considering Sunderland's good season last year, South Shields have done really well to capture, and maintain good crowds.
However, from what I've heard from friends in the North East, the owner won't be giving Julio Arca a war-chest for players and player wages. This is apparently the reason Kevin Phillips left so soon after they'd sewn up the Northern Premier League title - because Phillips expected more investment and a good budget for next year, and the owner wants to tighten the expenditure somewhat, and to try using their own youth system and academy to bolster the squad, which Phillips wasn't keen to do, so left whilst his own personal stock was high.
Whist talking of National League North sides, Scunthorpe United have been very active in the market already, announcing 4 or 5 signings in the last couple of days, most notably centre back Will Evans which seems a very solid signing for the level, and goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons who featured 35 times for Chesterfield in the National League this season.
I've been to 14 of the 24, mostly in my time covering Bradford (Park Avenue) or Guiseley.
I need to do: Barnet, Bromley, Dagenham, Dorking, Eastleigh, Ebbsfleet, Southend, Wealdstone, Woking and York (ticked off Bootham Crescent, haven't been to the new ground).
With all the playoffs now done and dusted outside of the EFL, the sides making up the National League for 2023/24 are confirmed as:
AFC Fylde Aldershot Town Altrincham FC Barnet FC Boreham Wood Bromley FC Chesterfield FC Dagenham & Redbridge Dorking Wanderers Eastleigh FC Ebbsfleet United FC Halifax Town Gateshead FC Hartlepool United Kidderminster Harriers Maidenhead United Oldham Athletic Oxford City Rochdale AFC Solihull Moors Southend United Wealdstone FC Woking FC York City
Onwards to new adventures, new grounds, and a number of friendly welcoming clubs.
Not surprised by the appointment, but I am surprised it's a 2 year deal. Given that both Stockdale and Bentley both had to be paid off with large parts of their respective 2-year contracts remaining, I'd have thought they'd have given Jim McNulty a 1 year deal, perhaps with an option in the clubs favour.
The main things for me going forward are having a squad of players, and a playing style that can change and be adaptable to the different styles and physicality's we'll come up against in the National League. And that we have a core of experienced heads to lead and guide the younger players in the side. We've already heard bits about Jim wanting to bring in and develop younger players, which is fine, but in the National League we'll need a good mix, with a number of 'been there and done it' players who know the level we're facing.
With that in mind, I wonder if there's any former Dale players who've been along side Jim that may fancy a return to the club to work under him.
It's an absolutely common sense point about sorting the ownership before appointing a manager.
New owners of football clubs often want to bring their own man in, or to make changes of management not long after taking over.
In this case, any potential new owners may want a manager or head coach with experience of the national league, or even just experience of football management in general (more than 10 games in 2 interim spells anyway!).
It's also possible they'd want to bring in their own recruitment staff/methods and in turn, that would have an impact on who they'd want as manager.
For me, a knowledge of the wider non-league scene across the north of England would be a huge bonus for whoever were to get the job, as well as someone with actual experience of managing in non league. I'll admit I've minimal knowledge of the job Steve Wilkes has done, aside for steadying the ship at the Vics over the last few years.
There are options out there currently out of work, who've top end non league and EFL experience such as Micky Mellon, Darrell Clarke, Darryl McMahon or Jamie Vermiglio.
I've said on another thread my first choice would be a long shot, but Phil Parkinson at Altrincham has done a fantastic job there over the last few years - two promotions and a steady job at turning Alty into a stable mid-table National League club.
Jamie Milligan at Bamber Bridge has also done a good job there over the last 3 years or so, taking them from lower mid-table to playoff challengers. They're on course to finish 3rd and head into the Northern Premier League playoffs this coming week.
I'd also mention young (28/29 years old) Callum McIntyre at Chester who's done a cracking job with them this season, having previously been a youth coach at Chester, and manager at Runcorn Linnets. Nicky Spooner at Hyde is also worth a mention too for the job he's done there this season - again plenty of experience in youth coaching at Bolton and Halifax before joining Hyde.
All in all, whether it's someone that's an ex EFL manager out of work, or giving a manager from the leagues below an opportunity to take us forward, I'd just like to see us use this relegation as a chance to hit the reset button and a fresh start.
Now he's available, he'd be right towards the top of my wishlist, but as others have said, he's likely going to be able to pick up a more appealing job in the EFL.
But... surely it'd have to be worth asking, just in case!
As they all are - another huge game for us today! Let's hope for a great atmosphere in the stands, and a solid performance from the lads on the pitch, hopefully producing the right result.
Elsewhere: Crawley V Bradford City Grimsby V Hartlepool Harrogate V AFC Wimbledon Stevenage V Colchester
Hopefully all, or at least most of them will go in our favour so we just need to focus on doing our bit today.
Can't imagine Jim will go for mass changes to the side after the Wimbledon result, possibly one or two at most. Hopefully Mullarkey may return following the concussion protocol.
Phil Parkinson at Alty would likely be my first choice I think.
He took over at Altrincham on the eve of their final game of the 16/17 season, after they'd already been confirmed relegated to the Northern Premier League. He took them straight back up to the National North in 17/18, finished in the play offs but missed out on promotion in 18/19, and then got Altrincham promoted back into the National League via the play offs in the 2019/20 season.
2020/21 saw them finish 17th, last season 14th, and they currently sit 13th in the table, in what is their first season as a full-time professional club.
He's done a fantastic job there, and would be a good solid appointment for us I think. He's got the vast experience of managing in non-league football, and the knowledge of the Manchester and beyond non-league scene in terms of scouting and recruitment.
He did however, sign a contract extension, but I believe that only takes him to the end of the 2023/24 season. If we're in a position (uncertain I know) to be able to afford to pay compensation for a new gaffer, he'd be the top of my list. Whether he'd want to move on from the solid job he's done at Altrincham as they continue to progress on the pitch, and as a club off the pitch, I'm not sure.
Another manager that comes to mind for me who's currently in a job would be Jamie Milligan at Bamber Bridge. He's done a solid job of improving their fortunes since he took over in 2019, taking them from a lower mid table side, to near play off contenders in the NPL, finishing 6th last season, and currently 3rd this season in a competitive league.
There aren't too many inspiring AND realistic out of work managers really. Can't see a David Artell/Graham Alexander/Karl Robinson wanting to take us on unless we somehow stayed up. Wouldn't be overly enamoured with Beech/Hill etc.
Micky Mellon did a good job at Tranmere - got them back to back promotions from the VNL and League 2, and in his more recent stint their, won more games than he lost - how we'd love to just see that I guess! He seems a more realistic option to me for some reason.
Just seen that Gary Jones has shot to 3/1 with Bet Victor, so presumably, some folk have a few quid to throw about!
Mundane answer as this is, but my understanding is that it's a requirement for all PL/EFL clubs to conduct post-match interviews with either the manager, or assistant, shortly after the full time whistle.
Not sure for certain if there are league rules that make it a necessity any lower, but in my experience post match interviews are conducted at National League/NLN, Northern Prem clubs etc, and have been for years.
Pre match interviews I don't think are within the league requirements, but are commonplace in the game, which is why they can be done by either management or any of the players.
Massive result though, first league win chalked up, 3 points in the bag to take back home.
Don't think anybody gave less than a solid 7/10. Sam Graham was fantastic, his best performance of the season without a doubt.
Genuine pleasure to commentate on that! Here's hoping we can back it up with a good result at home next Saturday although Doncaster could be tough opposition.
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