Fabrice29

A google search of this guy and nothing comes up. Spelled wrong I'm guessing?

Interesting he talks of Redmond possibly being used as a striker.

Interview and new contract will be signed and up tomorrow or Thursday.

Guarantee Berahino is punched by someone at Stoke by the time the season is out.

I would also like to point out you cant keep improving every season either. In a league of 20 sometimes you will finish lower than you did the season before. However, if and when we do finish lower than we did in the previous season it might not be because we've sold our best players every year and losing successful management teams. It might be (and I expect next season it will be) because teams around us have the power to improve. We've done very well over the last seven years in recruiting, I dont see why any reason why that doesn't continue if we keep implementing the same processes that have been successful. The club have done more than enough over the last few years to earn our trust and have proven themselves time and time again. Whatever happens, I trust that we will go into September with a squad that people who have got us to 6th will be happy with and will believe is in a good position. League places at the end of the season might not show that but there are so many variables to that. We need to forget sixth this year and just focus on ourselves. Finishing ahead of the likes of West Ham, Everton and maybe Liverpool should be our aim. Taking advantage of any failings like Chelsea last season is possible if we stay ahead of the rest but ultimately the likes of Reed and any manager/recruitment team he chooses have earn't our trust by now and have our best interests at heart. As for the squad...as you say the defence is fine, although a right back would be nice, luckily it seems they have that in mind. Midfield looks average at best? It's the same midfield as last season minus Wanyama but he's been replaced by Hoijberg who comes highly rated. I dont really see how you can complain with that and where you think it needs strengthening unless you know something about Hoijberg that the people who have scouted and recruited him dont? The strikers...the injury records concern us all but again I'm willing to trust the medical team who have clearly given Austin and Rodriguez the OK. Mane is a huge loss of course but we have signed Redmond who has potential. He's only 21. I think Mane was similar when we signed him? That's the gamble teams like us have to take. We also look like we are changing tactics slightly and there was a good post on this forum somewhere showing how we maybe slightly over stocked if we are playing a diamond. Things are OK and I really dont get the yearly meltdowns. Do people not think the recruitment team have proven themselves to be quite good at the job so far?

Has it been confirmed if we are in or out of this yet?

John Ruddy is pish.

Well that simply isn't true.

Only player to have won Euro's and the JPT?

This deal is now off.

He's been more consistent for us than any of those players. Including Dost.

Would he improve us? Yes. Would he improve us significantly? No. Would he improve us enough to fork out the money we would have to? Absolutely not.

Or the other way round of course...much in the same way as Liverpool were used to get us to ramp up offers for Ramirez.

Hence Eric Black per chance? Do you remember Pochettino by the way?

He certainly isn't a joke of a footballer. That said he really isn't what we need. We have enough Joe Allens in the squad.

A bunch being two? Both who have got the club into a position where it's in the betr possible place to replace them. One of them had a year left on their contract by the way.

The FA and Charlton of course have prospered since the guy holding them back has left. Look he's got his critics but he's been nothing but near perfect for us so how anyone can start blaming him for something that hasn't happened yet is beyond me.

So one is motivated when things get tough and the other isn't so much? Puel all the way for me on that basis. Completed Monday by the way.

Nice little leak by MP's people to hurry up the process for the Saints job.

Does Pellegrini have the hunger for it though or is it just a pay day? That's what I would be weeding out during the interview. The others will have a point to prove. If Pellegrini does have it then his work for Malaga in particular is impressive and relevant.

Longevity is not a recipe for success any more. Fergie/Wenger and all that one man runs a club crap is gone. It's a lovely thought but this is the Jose/Pep era now. Managers dont want to stay for longer than 3 years or so because they can get pay rises elsewhere if they are doing well and know full well they could stagnate and ruin their reputation. Clubs dont want them to stagnate and if they are doing well then a better calibre of manager becomes available. Short term managers and long term people overseeing them is most logical and successful formula. I imagine this 5 year plan realistically involves 2 different managers.

Emery didn't win away from home in the league all season. Something to think about. What are his coaching credentials like? As that will be a big part of what we are looking for. I think AVB and Howe suit us nicely. Howe's lack of experience of where we want to be is something to think about as well though. Not sure how much AVB will fancy taking on the media here again though. Maybe it will suit him at a less intense club. FDB is fascinating. You have to wonder why he left Ajax with nothing lined up. Is he going to be that guy everyone looks at and leaves alone until he ends up somewhere and failing? Moyes seems meh but it would be foolish to write him off. He has to be on any shortlist really and a lot of what we are doing matches up with what he acheived at Everton so I can see the appeal. Pellegrini has the experience but will he have the hunger for it?

Not one of them even looks like De Boer or Reed ffs

You realise AVB has done more than just manage those PL teams dont you? He's had quite a bit of success too. Pellegrini has also been sacked by a PL team.

1 - It hasn't happened yet. No real proof it is happening either. Quite a lot of chatter though and we've had that many times before 2 - Did we actually write that article? 3 - We are in the best position we have ever been. So calm down. If it happens we are in quite a good position to rectify it. It was happening next year anyway, we just put that plan into place a little earlier