Union City Blue

In a move that should have surprised no one and may have answered the fervent prayers of some Union fans, the team announced today that Peter Nowak has stepped down as manager. Coach John Hackworth will take over as interim team manager.

After a leading the Union to the playoffs in their second season in 2011, everything seemed to unravel quickly for Nowak in 2012. With poor results and a series of unpopular player transfers, many fans were hoping that Nowak would go.  The failings of the Nowak era have been well documented here. The Union suffer from a lack of offensive production and neither personnel changes, coaching, nor line up changes seem to have made much difference. After a relatively successful season in 2011, the Union went on again to make major personnel changes prior to the start of the season, rather then leave the core of last year’s playoff team alone.  Coupled with constant lineup and formation changes, it has been very difficult for players to adapt and play together as a cohesive unit. Although Nowak talked a lot about developing young players, these players got very few minutes of actual playing time.

Nowak has been linked in the Scottish media with the manger’s job at Hearts. Although he may not be the front runner, he was rumored to have applied. Speculation will now run rampant as to who the new manager might be. I would not rule Hackworth out of the permanent job, if he can produce improved results in the second half of the season.

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