Rochdale announce significant managerial decision | OneFootball

League Two outfit Rochdale have announced the departure of head coach Robbie Stockdale and his assistant Jimmy Shan.

The decision comes after the Greater Manchester side have lost all four of their opening matches in the fourth tier of English football this season, the latest being a 1-0 defeat on the road to Stevenage.

It leaves the Dale at the foot of the League Two table, and the decision has been made to part company with Stockdale after one year in charge.

Quiz: Can you name which club Rochdale signed these 28 midfielders from?

1 of 28

Liam Kelly

Oxford United West Ham United Feyenoord Coventry City

The 42-year-old was appointed back in July 2021, replacing Brian Barry-Murphy following his departure for Manchester City’s under-23’s in what was his first job as a leading man for a senior side.

Stockdale had been caretaker manager of Sunderland on three different occasions whilst a first-team coach at the Black Cats, and since his departure from Wearside he had also taken up roles at Hibernian and West Bromwich Albion.

His debut season at Spotland was a disappointing one, finishing 18th in the fourth tier following the prior campaign’s relegation from League One under Barry-Murphy’s management.

Stockdale departs having won just 16 of his 59 matches in charge of the club in all competitions.

This is clearly a decision that has potentially been coming for a while considering it has come so quickly into the season.

Despite being a rookie manager, Stockdale wouldn’t have won many fans with a low bottom-half finish in League Two last season, and now he’s paid the price.

In fairness, Stockdale has lost two key players in 2022, with both Aaron Morley and Eoghan O’Connell moving on to League One, and that has potentially hamstrung him somewhat.

What Rochdale now need though is some more experience in the dugout to lead them out of the relegation zone at this early stage of the season.