Manager Poll: 2011/2012 [POLL]

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Pinky

If you think that supporting this lot since I was about 6 or 7 (so add it up I'm 62) is a plus....

Well................................................

I wish I had liked rugby or cricket. Or my school had never played over at the Memorial Grounds. Or when I played much later on with a bunch of blokes that were Spuds fans, maybe I should have gone over to the dark side. Couldn't imagine having kids and subjecting them to a life time of torture.

I work with a couple of English lads a Villa supporter, a Bin Dipper and one lad who doesn't even like football. Maybe he's the fortunate one. No one 'ammer in sight. At least in 'ouston there were a few of us. Had a mate in Austin who was an 'ammer too. Enjoyed going over to see him.

Just bloody me here. The jugglers who perform at the traffic lights for 25 cents (at least they give you entertainment for your money instead of panhandling for it like in the States) saw one the other day wearing a ManYoo shirt. Had a bit of banter with him. Chel$ki shirts. The occasion old O2 Gooner ones. Nowt from us. No one to talk to and share my angst. Not even a Samaritans Suicide Prevention centre.

It is bloody hard here suffering on your own, it really is............

[QuintonNimoy]

Zola was lambasted on here... But those who slated Zola are the ones giving a free pass to Grant.

To be honest I think Zola got a slightly excessively hard time last season, not that he didn't deserve much of the stick he got. This season adds context to that, particularly the early part with a lot of the same players.

To be honest I think the worst move Grant's made is taking the job, although from his time at Portsmouth it's clear he'll stick it out and take the club down to get his paycheque.

[mattjp]

With Norwich going up, Lambert is going nowhere, so I think its now going to be Hughton

Would that be such a bad thing? If you want a track record, then hire the man who took Newcastle straight back up when they were a laughing stock and everyone was reckoning they'd struggle to stay up.

As for the poll options, Lambert and O'Neill are never coming here if we go down. Simple as that.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

What with us being in a dogfight for a relegation spot
The Sullies not backing the manager
Gollies telling the squad that "everyone is for sale" (this time including Parker)
Employing an ex Chel$ki manager
Us playing a 4-3-3
Not having a decent squad of Premier players
The manager being undermined
Playing players out of position
Not showing up for the big games
Not showing up for the small games
Not showing any fight against fellow relegation strugglers

This springs to mind, it really does:




:lol:

[JonG86]

f*** stability and sensibility. I want us to go for Marcelo Bielsa and play batshit mental attacking superfast football.

Would be very interested seeing what he would do with a pot of cash to buy players to fit his system.

That's if we stay up of course.

If not, then Chris Houghton.

[westlondonhammer]

Would that be such a bad thing? If you want a track record, then hire the man who took Newcastle straight back up when they were a laughing stock and everyone was reckoning they'd struggle to stay up.

As for the poll options, Lambert and O'Neill are never coming here if we go down. Simple as that.

His squad would be no way comparable to the Newcastle squad he had and he wouldn't have the pre-existing relationship he had with those same players

Houghton would be a big risk with any team in my opinion, despite how he did at Newcastle

[durham city hammer]

Exactly!

I'm amazed that so many people would happily take someone who has had only one full season in management, who got promoted with arguably the best squad ever to be in the championship, i mentioned in another thread the other day not one geordie i know wanted him at the club longterm, he would be an absolutely huge gamble imho!

[jacko]

If we go down the only manager on that list we have a chance of getting is Avram Grant. Seems bizarre to have those two on the poll.

[bubbles1966]

Who exactly did Zola sign who was still here and taking part in Grant's first XI ? Diamante might be about the only left over. No one else that I can see.

You seem to be saying that as a defence of the bloke, Oust. It's actually the case against him.

[bubbles1966]

The press actually mentioned Marcello Lippi as a potential manager. Got to be cobblers, surely?

[the pink palermo]

The press actually mentioned Marcello Lippi as a potential manager. Got to be cobblers, surely?

I'd ****ing shoot myself .Really I would .

I'm sure he's good .Bet he's won loads .

But for goodness sake , isn't there someone down the road who would fancy a crack ?

I don't understand why we go to Italy for fullbacks for the academy or timbuktu for run around midfielders .There's 3 divisions below us with the odd decent player , and plenty of decent Managers .

Marcello Lippi .I despair .

[durham city hammer]

Obviously things can change but I saw an interview with lippi a while
Back where he said it was highly unlikely he would ever come to England, mainly cos he had no
Desire to learn the lingo! He would probably have better options than us anyway and tbh he's not really what
We need at this moment in time, like you say almost certainly cobblers!

[Cuenca 'ammer]

You seem to be saying that as a defence of the bloke, Oust. It's actually the case against him.

No defence of either. Just tired of the blame being shifted from Teflon Grant to Zola.

Sauce for the goose etc. etc........

Both shackled by the board/owners. Both shocking managers. Neither their fault as people. Just clueless as managers.

Trouble is the pro camp keep pointing at the ***** squad that Zola left. Whereas I ask which of Zola's signing were left for Grant ? He inherited only Pardew and Curbishley's squads. But that Curbs had us playing such great football we'd welcome him back.

So where does the blame lie ? With Grant's inability to get the squad in a better league position than Zola, despite adding to it in pre season and in January or with Zola for leaving Grant with nothing ? Don't remember Zola having a fire sale and letting all of the good players go.

Stability gets you no place if the ship is the Titanic...........................

:lol:

[bubbles1966]

He inherited only Pardew and Curbishley's squads.

He didn't though, did he?

He inherited the dregs of those two squads after Zola had allowed Pardew/Curbs players like Neill, Bellamy, Collins, Mullins etc etc to go.......and he inherited the rubbish signed by Zola/Nani which we have been desperately trying to offload...

It isn't shifting the blame...... it's recognising the scale of the inherited mess.

Grant isn't exonerated from his errors (he's made plenty) - but the sheer scale of the mess that confronted him is too frequently ignored by those who seek to complain about him, and have been doing so since early autumn.

[Northern Paulo]

How about Raymond Domenech? He's out of work isn't he?

[Cuenca 'ammer]

bubbs

What gash players did Zola sign that Grant inherited is what I am asking ??????

And why blame Zola for the same thing that Curbs walked for i.e. the "board" letting players go ? Bellamy we desperately needed the dosh I don't think that's ever been denied. Neill ?? Wanted too much dosh and wasn't in our budget. Mullins ? Fkcu me we are clutching at straws if we think letting Mullins (who I quite liked) go is why we are where we are now..Collins again we needed 5 mill quick and to be fair he was injured a lot of the time he was here. As I say Skip didn't last long at Everton so he couldn't have been the dogs bolleaux now could he ?

You have not given me one player who Zola "let go" that the board didn't do for him. Curbishley walked, and Zola stayed on. Maybe he needed the dough but I doubt it. I reckon he honestly (naively) thought he could do it with what he had.

What "dregs" did Grant have to have that remains a Zola signing ?? That wasn't down to Duckers or Nani ? Other than the FatMan and we only have the Gollies word for that, and right now as it stands I'd believe Zola.

[doctorbob]

If we go down I wouldn't mind taking a punt on Di Canio, as long as his assistant had some experience I think it could work.

[bubbles1966]

bubbs

What gash players did Zola sign that Grant inherited is what I am asking ??????

The fact that only a handful were left tells you just how bad the signings were - we couldn't wait to get shot of them.

The whole story is 11-12 departures (mainly Prem standard) replaced by 11-12 players (mainly second rate) over that 2 season period.

That's the key. The gaps created by all the inadequate, sub standard replacements over his two season reign.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

bubbs

I submitted a list of players that Grant started the season with. All but one not signed by Zola. Jimenez signed and gone way before wasn't it the January window ? Diamante still here now gone. Behrami was signed prior to Zola now gone. Ilunga I think came in about the same time. He was excellent for a while.

Who else did Zola sign that left us in such a ***** position ? Swapped Savio for Da Costa who a lot on here reckon is one of the best centre backs. And that was hardly Zola's signing was it ?

Look ain't digging you out, but give me a list of all the ***** signings that Zola left for Grant who we have now had to flog off or we can't get rid of ??

Started the season with iirc

Green
Reid
Upson
Tomkins
Ilunga
Parker
Kovac
Noble
LBM
Cole

Of those only Kovac was a Zola signing.......Ilunga maybe....

So how ***** was Zola's squad.

We know the Bellamy saga, do you think that Zola wanted him gone or the fact that we needed dosh and never spent a penny of it back in the squad ???????????

So who did Zola flog off ?? O'Neill ?? Left for monetary reasons has hardly set the premier league alight since he left. Oh wait he's in Turkey playing for more money.

Mullins wanted first team football.

Bowyer never set the world alight here for whatever reason.

The club hasn't spent any money on players I would say that Grant has spent more money than Zola, but I could wrong. The fact that Pinky keeps telling us we have spent nothing on players for 3-4 years now tells me that Zola never spent any money either. The Diamante debacle was just that. Flogged Collins (I am sure that Zola didn't want to sell his starting centre half on transfer day midnight) and then we had to "borrow" from SBoBet to cover his transfer ???????

Savio 9 million..!! That went somewhere, we know that. Never paid 9 million but the money somehow appeared in the accounts from what we are led to believe and disappeared from our coffers.

[bubbles1966]

but give me a list of all the s***e signings that Zola

We're going round in circles, mate. :lol: My last go.

Zola (or others on his behlaf) signed Kovac, Ilunga, Tristan, Mido, McCarthy, Ilan, Diamanti, Jimenez, Lopez, Daprela, Dacosta, Franco, Savio

Those that remained when grant arrived were mediocre/championship standard at best - Dacosta closest to being ok.

Those that had already gone were also mediocre/championship standard at best and left gaps in the squad - franco closest to being ok but legs gone.

You keep listing who left and why under Zola - but none of that would matter if the replacements had been decent.

The club hasn't spent any money on players I would say that Grant has spent more money than Zola, but I could wrong.

Zola: £30.4 million. Grant: £9.9 million to date according to the club statement.

Again though, it doesn't matter who spent most - it's all about the gaps it left behind.