Where Do We Go From Here, Rohl?

There was genuine credit to be given when Rohl dragged us back into a title race, but two bad nights against our oldest foes have changed the mood. One league game we should have won, plus a Cup exit that felt there for the taking — that swings opinion faster than any tactical tweak.

Context matters — history, expectation and the younger fan

Look, our history is a messy mix of glory and drought. Up until 2011 we had long-serving managers and an awful lot of silverware. Those facts sit in the background of everything. Since then it’s been stop-start — nine full-time managers and only three trophies in 14 seasons, as you’d pointed out. That breeds impatience, especially among fans who’ve never known long runs of success.

Older supporters remember different eras. Angus and others who’ve seen the highs can afford a longer view. Most of the rest? They’ve been starved of sustained winning and they aren’t shy about showing it when the team slips.

So what has Rohl actually done and where has he fallen short?

Credit where it’s due: he galvanised a squad many had written off. That’s not nothing. The problem is the drop-off once we were back in the hunt — missed chances, the Cup exit and a poor European run. Those are the things that stick in fans’ throats. You can’t separate league form from beastly nights on the continental stage or getting dumped from domestic Cups by your rivals; they compound each other.

Asking whether he belongs alongside the likes of Martin, Beale, Pedro or Warburton, or whether he should be afforded time like Gerrard, isn’t a neat, obvious call. It’s subjective. Some will point to progress and squad buy-in. Others will cite the momentum we threw away.

Choices for the club and the board

If the owners back him through another window, that tells you the club wants continuity. If they don’t, the search will start again — and we all know how disruptive that becomes. Either way, there are broader questions about recruitment, structure and whether we learn from the false dawns since 2012.

We’re used to being impatient these days. That reality is part of the problem. Fans want answers now. Managers generally need time. The balancing act is brutal — and until results swing back in our favour, the knives will stay sharp.

At the very least, Rohl has shown he can rally a group. Whether that’s enough to buy the patience needed to rebuild properly is the real question. And if not him, where do we look next? Either route will require clarity from the board and a plan that convinces supporters they’re heading somewhere better, not just spinning their wheels.

Written by MrPotatoHead: 7 April 2026