Managers in England

[rocket_scientist]

There's just something very odd about him that I can't quite put my finger on.

 

There is but trying to put a finger on it would be an instructive exercise.

 

His pigeon-fancying, normally the preserve of old mannies, was unusual. As was that marvellous gesture with the handicapped at the weekend, spreading joy on a gargantuan scale. His hug with the ballboy was another we don't normally see. The man obviously has a heart of gold, the yin to his headbutting yang, as I reckon he could be a dark force if you crossed him. Not the brightest but street smart, a complex character.

 

Yes very odd indeed. To understand him would need to know his background. I like him though and always have done. Interesting and raw passion are always to be found on the positive side of the spectrum.

[Ten Caat]

He made clear in his playing days that he wasn't interested in our national team. I don't think he's manager material at all. At any level. There's just something very odd about him that I can't quite put my finger on.

 

Agree re the Scotland job....he wasn't interested in playing for us so shouldn't be the manager ever. However at a club level? I think he might be a worthwhile punt. Yogi Hughes comes across as being barely literate but has made a decent fist of managing in Scotland. Same applies to the likes of John Robertson and Paul Hartley.

 

Ferguson has all his coaching badges. He certainly got something out of an Everton team that was looking like relegation material against sides that their previous manager would certainly have gotten nothing from. He could well be worth taking a punt on as manager....up here the caravan dwellers would be an obvious destination should Neilson find himself a better job (or get punted  a season or 2 down the line having found life in the top division a tad more difficult than it is in the Championship). But then again there's no doubting Ferguson's affinity for Everton and maybe he is happy to live his life as a coach on Merseyside with a club that he's probably got a job for life at if he chooses to stay as just a coach.

[rocket_scientist]

Three games in and I predict success.

 

Five games later and I'm not so sure. There was a definite new manager bounce effect for Mourinho but there's a reason why Poch got binned. Maybe this squad is gutless and not that brilliant at football, the making of the CL final being an overachievement way beyond their usual capabilities.

 

I've always considered Kane and Delle Ali to be overrated. Not that anyone could ever be as good as the jingoistic English press hoped they could be in their desperation to win the World Cup one day, hopefully not in my lifetime but Delle Ali was awesome in his first few games. Playing Moura all the time is strange. Yes he was lucky and was a big part of them getting to the CL final but there will have been reasons why Poch used him sparingly and he's really been conspicuous by his lack of contribution under Jose, or at least lack of consistent contributions as he's been absent for most of the time he's been on the pitch. Christian Eriksson has yet to start and whilst there's no denying his great talent, fuck knows what his agent is saying and what he's doing in training is obviously not impressing his new boss.

 

Defensively they are still conceding too much but the Chelsea game was revealing. Spurs were sluggish from the off and Lampard's men were very sharp and hungry. Mourinho has a massive challenge ahead of him. There were sparks and suggestions that the special one was back. The squad is worse than we thought so he will need to buy cleverly in January. If Levi doesn't give him that luxury, it can't possibly work. There's a cancerous curse over this lot.

 

[rocket_scientist]

I also saw that Spurs were sticking rigidly to two banks of four v. Chelsea, the same 4-4-2 formula that Mourinho, and Rafa, swear by and which has given them both major success. I would've imagined that Jose approached this job with caution. He said he was determined "not to make the same mistakes" and he may have said to them to go out, express yourselves and play with freedom in his first couple of games, being careful not to impose his massive ego. But leopards don't change their stripes and he couldn't help but revert to the formula which he's tried and tested many times before. If that's the sequence of events, the effect it's had on a not-worldbeating squad hasn't worked, or at least it led to a shockingly poor performance on Sunday, after getting very lucky v. Wolves.

 

How boring and uninspiring might it be for the attacking-minded footballers - and their fans erroneously think they're better than they are and should play "the Spurs way" - if the whole tactical focus is on rigid defensive formations? It will all come out in the wash but surprisingly abject performances recently should be a worry for them. Not that I give a fuck. Never liked Spurs but it's been very interesting on Mourinho-watch this first month. 3-0 v. Brighton on Boxing Day would be getting back on track but I wouldn't be putting money on them any time soon, especially after they cost me badly a couple of days ago. Fucking cunts.

[Jute]

Pellegrini sacked by West Ham tonight.

[Madbadteacher]

Not a huge surprise

[manc_don]

shame, but not a surprise. Writings been on the wall for a while

[rocket_scientist]

Pellegrini, and Ancelotti's predecessor at Everton, had the unfortunate disposition of looking stressed under pressure. They weren't fit for purpose because they looked, and were, stressed under pressure. We only find out how effective people are when the going gets tough. This is when we find out how confident they are in their own abilities. Both had been given long enough to do their jobs without excuses. Both were binned later than they should have and it's questionable whether either should have been employed at all. That Villa manager could be next. He's a fucking idiot. I like Farke and Norwich have been unlucky this season but Watford and Brighton are great examples how good management can turn things around with the existing players. I just don't think Norwich have a strong enough squad. I'm also starting to wonder if Jose can do anything with Spurs. At least he dropped Moura yesterday and gave Eriksson his first EPL start but there's something missing there. Hope Southampton can thrive. Like their manager. Steve Bruce is a poor specimen. I can't see him lasting too long at Newcastle. Would be surprised if Arteta makes a success of Arsenal. Love the Sheffield Utd. and Wolves managers.

 

Two shit managers go head to head at Tynecastle today.

[tlg1903]

Utd lose 2-0 at home to Burnley.  Surely jotters for ole soon.

[rocket_scientist]

Utd lose 2-0 at home to Burnley.  Surely jotters for ole soon.

 

OGS has no experience and zero management ability, a rigidly boring uninspiring Norwegian. He got lucky that the players hated Mourinho so much that they decided to perform immediately after he got binned. That he employs Carrick as his right hand man is unsurprising, himself a boring bastard of even less dynamic and inspirational characteristics.

 

There's a curse over that club. Until Old Whisky Nose fucks off, it won't change.

[rocket_scientist]

Not in England the noo but a regular in this thread, an English manager in Holland is being found out already.

 

I can't understand what the people at Den Haag were thinking giving Pardew the gig. Relegation definites now I'd wager.

[manc_don]

Not in England the noo but a regular in this thread, an English manager in Holland is being found out already.

 

I can't understand what the people at Den Haag were thinking giving Pardew the gig. Relegation definites now I'd wager.

 

Pissed me off that they went for him. Absolute charlatan.  Ado deserve better than that, but he's certainly not going to solve their problems.

[rocket_scientist]

The squad is worse than we thought so he will need to buy cleverly in January. If Levi doesn't give him that luxury, it can't possibly work. There's a cancerous curse over this lot.

 

What was obvious before came to a head this week. When the manager laments Lamela and admits that he's playing injured players because he has no option, this is a terrible indictment of the club's management. In his interview Jose revealed that Lamela had zero training sessions and came from injury to the last 20 minutes of a Champions League game. He cleverly praises his players for their efforts but he's also letting everyone know that they have no chance with a squad this thin and with Kane and Son out, they're totally fucked. Levi didn't release any funds last month.

 

Another fascinating aspect was Delle Ali. He was subbed off because he was shite and whilst his reaction to getting pulled off revealed his deep frustration, Mourinho's interpretation of the reaction might not reveal the whole picture. There's a curse over that club and it's just as healthy today as it's been for years.

[rocket_scientist]

Very good analysis from Martin Keown last night. He said that Spurs were gutless yesterday mostly down to the manager and Jose's continuous moaning about them not being good enough and deep enough in squad. Great point. The manager looking after himself and his massive ego primarily is unsurprising but it's a dangerous game he's playing, the veiled pointing of the finger at Levi. I think he's right in that the chairman/owner is holding the club back by not providing a transfer kitty but where injuries have killed this season, he obviously has big debts to service over the new stadium and may correctly assume that the squad could have competed this season, having got to the CL final in May.

 

Jose has been given a big chance at Spurs and it's going tits up. He should've worked with what he's got and whilst we all know what he's got isn't good enough, we don't need him telling everybody the obvious. It's a surefire way to lose the dressing room and get the sack.

[Jute]

Middlesbrough sack Jonathan Woodgate and replace him with the dinosaur that is Neil Warnock. Will probably keep them up though.

[rocket_scientist]

Mourinho had a bounce effect in his first month but he can't deny the facts. His team are shit and he is spent. Damaged goods. Get him to fuck away from the game. Was brilliant for a decade and a bit but his ego tripped him up, as it was always going to do. Unlike Clough, he was an impostor, full of his own shit.

[rocket_scientist]

A premature writing off of Jose I feel. He's a difficult motherfucker to predict. I want to love him. I want to hate him. He doesn't just polarise opinion. He polarises me!

 

Can't understand the sacking of Nigel Pearson. Hope they get relegated now and if Howe can eke out a win at Goodison, I think they will be.

[dons8321]

A premature writing off of Jose I feel. He's a difficult motherfucker to predict. I want to love him. I want to hate him. He doesn't just polarise opinion. He polarises me!

 

Can't understand the sacking of Nigel Pearson. Hope they get relegated now and if Howe can eke out a win at Goodison, I think they will be.

 

Any reason given for Pearson's sacking?  Seems a weird piece of timing, as you say, they're not clear of relegation yet.

[rocket_scientist]

Any reason given for Pearson's sacking?  Seems a weird piece of timing, as you say, they're not clear of relegation yet.

 

Not read any coherent reason yet. FIVE managers this season it will be apparently. That's madness in the boardroom.

[Jute]

Cannot be for football reasons as they were adrift at the bottom when he took over. Very strange.

[wee toon red]

Apparently the Watford owners were so appalled at the West Ham result they don't think Pearson is the man to get a result in either of the last two games. Strange approach but if they stay up they won't give a toss.

[Jute]

Bournemouth part company with Eddie Howe. 

[Ten Caat]

3 hours ago, Jute said:

Bournemouth part company with Eddie Howe. 

There was newspaper talk 12-24 months ago of him getting a top 6 EPL gig on the strength of what he had done with Bournemouth. Unquestionably he had them vastly over-achieving but I could never have envisaged him at Arsenal or Man U etc. Leicester at an absolute push maybe. He probably did deserve a shot at somewhere like Everton or West Ham but will even that level of club be interested now? I'm not so sure. Wouldn't be surprised to see him land the Watford job though.

[rocket_scientist]

One thing I've observed from Lampard's first season is the randomness of his team selections. You never know who he's going to play and the only consistency is the inconsistency of his starting line-ups.

Yes he's spoilt for choice in most areas but I reckon he must be deliberately chopping and changing in some sort of delusion that this will benefit the team rather than understanding the value of settled partnerships. I know he's popular at "the bridge" but I reckon 6/10 max for his first year. They dropped too many points needlessly which I wasn't sad about. Having visited there for the first (and last) time in Feb 2019, I wish the club ill which doesn't feel right because I love most of their young and extremely talented players, just like I rated Willian. 

[Jute]

2 hours ago, rocket_scientist said:

One thing I've observed from Lampard's first season is the randomness of his team selections. You never know who he's going to play and the only consistency is the inconsistency of his starting line-ups.

Yes he's spoilt for choice in most areas but I reckon he must be deliberately chopping and changing in some sort of delusion that this will benefit the team rather than understanding the value of settled partnerships. I know he's popular at "the bridge" but I reckon 6/10 max for his first year. They dropped too many points needlessly which I wasn't sad about. Having visited there for the first (and last) time in Feb 2019, I wish the club ill which doesn't feel right because I love most of their young and extremely talented players, just like I rated Willian. 

Only his second year in management and given the transfer embargo that was in place I think Lampard has done a reasonable job. Be interesting to see how Lampard does now he can spend.