Phil Brown, a former manager of Hull City, expressed his opinion on Matt Taylor’s dismissal from Rotherham United.
KEYSIGHTS
The unsatisfactory season Rotherham United had and their standing near the bottom of the Championship could have played a part in Matt Taylor’s dismissal.
Taylor was handed a four-year contract and managed to keep the team afloat, so some may have been surprised by his departure given the original faith placed in him.
Phil Brown highlights a trend in which managers value style above results when making choices, implying that Taylor’s playing style and recent big defeat may have contributed to his dismissal.
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Rotherham United, who are now four points outside of safety in third place in the Championship, has had a difficult season thus far.
Even though the club would have known they would be in a relegation battle, it would have been the reason Matt Taylor was fired.
When he was appointed, the club showed him a great deal of faith and offered him a four-year contract, which he honored by keeping the team afloat. For this reason, some fans may have been surprised to see him fired.
| Rotherham United – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Sam Nombe | Exeter City | Permanent |
| Andre Green | Slo. Bratislava | Permanent |
| Cafu | Nottingham Forest | Permanent |
| Grant Hall | Middlesbrough | Permanent |
| Dillon Phillips | Cardiff City | Permanent |
| Christ Tiehi | Slovan Liberec | Permanent |
| Fred Onyedinma | Luton Town | Loan |
| Arvin Appiah | UD Almeria | Loan |
| Sebastian Revan | Aston Villa | Loan |
| Dexter Lembikisa | Wolves | Loan |
| Sam Clucas | Free Agent | Permanent |
Matt Taylor may indeed have a legitimate reason to feel aggrieved by his dismissal from Rotherham United, especially considering the length of his contract and the limited opportunity given to turn things around this season. The decision has sparked discussion, with former Hull City manager Phil Brown offering his perspective on Football Daily 72+.
Brown emphasized the interesting aspect of the situation by drawing a comparison to the previous manager, Paul Warne, who experienced both promotions and relegations in the Championship. Warne’s managerial journey included getting promoted three times from the first division to the Championship and subsequently securing the Derby County job based on that experience. Brown suggested that Taylor’s misfortune may stem from the club’s yo-yo pattern, seeking stability amid promotions and relegations.
The question arises whether Taylor’s sacking was a result of poor performance on the field or if it was influenced by his coaching style. The statement doesn’t explicitly answer this question, leaving it open to interpretation. The mention of the yo-yo club status and the desire for stability could imply that the decision might be influenced by the club’s overall trajectory and the need for consistent success, rather than solely focusing on immediate results or style of play.
In essence, while Taylor’s lengthy contract might suggest a commitment to his vision for the team, external factors such as the club’s historical performance and the pursuit of stability may have played a role in the decision to part ways.
Taylor’s last game for Rotherham was a 5-0 loss against Watford which would not have helped his chances of staying in the job but he did have some good results before that, most notably the 2-2 draw with title challengers Ipswich Town.
Brown believes that Taylor’s playing style had something to do with it and that is why he thinks there has been some strange sackings so far this season.
He said: “I think Matty’s a good coach, a good manager. He’s had a little bit of experience. It looks to me that the straw that broke the camel’s back was that five and I think the result got him this time.
“How much of the modern-day game is all about the way you play football, even in defeat you get beat five nil but are you playing the right style, are you still playing the right type?
“Are the owners seeing a way forward and if they’re not seeing a way forward sometimes you get a strange sacking and there has been one or two so far this year.
“Gillingham when they sacked Neil Harris, Chopper, when they sacked Chopper it was out of the blue and you think to yourself is it just about style now, style over substance and it seems to be moving that way.”
The Millers are still on the hunt for a new manager with the international break in its second week so their next games are just around the corner before the busy festive period.
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