That is not really true. Yes we have made mistakes in personnel but without learning from that we would have continued making them until the funds were withdrawn and we ended up like Blackburn under Venky's or Sunderland or Newcastle, Villa etc.
He managed to stop the freefall and put in place something which is probably the most significant in our history bar from the club's formation. BMD is going to keep us at the forefront of English football for the next 60 years, without that our steady decline would have continued until we were as relevant as Preston NE. You don't have to like him to show some respect for not just settling for a cow shed somewhere out by the motorway but giving something which will live on far after he has shuffled off.