Willie Wastle wrote:1. He's meeting his annual target of keeping us up. Four years in a row, and counting. On the evidence so far, we're on course to stay up for a sixth consecutive season in the top flight - something we haven't done for 80 years. Too many people must take this for granted now, because they're very quick to shrug it off, but our history shows it's not an easy accomplishment. He could be doing better, as almost any manager at any club could, so let's consider that after the second point.
2. There is no credible alternative. Anyone who thinks we're going to make an appointment like say, Steve Clarke, Neil McCann, Kenny Miller or any foreign coach, hasn't been paying attention to how this club operates. The internal candidates are Imrie, Beuzelin, Scotland, and perhaps now (at a stretch) Kilgallon - anyone confident any of them would do better? And at the moment there aren't many obvious external candidates: Alex Neil could probably do better with this squad, but he isn't available, and even if he was I doubt we could afford him; and who would welcome the return of Billy Reid? We've just overhauled the squad, bringing in (by my count) 14 new signings and 2 loans - that leaves little scope for new acquisitions, and what prospective new manager would accept that?
3. So now is not the right time. However, every manager is on borrowed time. Even if, like the Accies board, you believe in giving managers a fair crack of the whip, and maintaining continuity, there comes a time when you need to part company. That time is nothing to do with win ratios, and everything to do with the criterion of staying up, while continuing to develop talent and move some on at a profit. So how do we take that step forward? If we could improve our win ratio just a bit, we'd be rising to the next level - just 5 or 6 more wins would put us in contention for top six. If we can identify a manager who could deliver that, without compromising the way the club works, we should appoint him - but no earlier than the end of this season.
Finally, I've posted this in good faith, as an Accies fan who wants the best for the club. I recognise some will disagree, and I'm happy to debate with anyone who can be respectful to my point of view, and equally respectful to the subject of this, Martin Canning.
Okay I'd like to respond to this.
Yes Canning has kept Accies up 4 seasons going on 5.
Let's have a look at those seasons...
2014/2015:-
I do not credit Canning keeping us up this season.
I am not saying this jokingly when I say I believe we could have qualified for the Europa League for the first time in our history had Alex Neil not left.
When Alex Neil left he had gained 39 points and left us in 3rd. (After 20 Games)
11th - Motherwell 36 points
12th - St Mirren 30 points.
We could have literally lost every single game after Alex Neil left and still stayed up.
Therefore Alex Neil kept us up in 2014/2015 not Martin Canning.
2015/2016:-
For every season after 2014/2015 Canning has been lucky enough to witness other Premiership clubs have absolute meltdown seasons.
This season Dundee United's banter era had begun with them being so horrendously bad. (12th with 28 points)
Kilmarnock at this time also had their old owner who wasn't as keen as their current one to invest in their first team. (11th with 36 points)
Canning survived through a team who was in meltdown and a team in a very transitional stage.
2016/2017:-
This season was the season Accies have came closest to Relegation in our current term.
Canning survived this season because of Inverness CT hiring a manager equally as bad as Canning with less experience.
We finished 11th so were in a play off (2 games away from Relegation)
Were we going to die by the sword that promoted us in the first place?
Short answer no.
Dundee United were still undergoing their banter years so hero Greg Docherty put them back where they belong.
Sidenote:- Must admit the first leg of that game has to have been the best 0-0 I have ever experienced.
Canning barely survived this season.
2017/2018
This season we were kept up by.... David Templeton.
David Templeton has been Martin Canning's best signing since he took over.
David Templeton was undergoing trials with Partick Thistle at the tail end of 2016/2017 looking for a new club.
Partick never signed him because of his injury history.
If Partick took the chance on David Templeton before Canning did I would be very confident that Partick Thistle will still be a Premiership club today and not us.
This season he was helped by Ross County who had a moment of madness sacking Jim McIntyre for Owen Coyle.
Penultimate game of the season VS St Johnstone we had a must win game and we bottled it.
Motherwell aided us in avoiding the drop by beating Partick Thistle that same day.
Basically Canning has gotten very lucky so far.
We need a new manager who will progress us up the League.
If we could nab Stephen Craigen from Motherwell I would have my faith back in the management.