goodymatt

Would you rather have Ruben Selles or Javi Gracia as your manager for these next 15 games? Interesting question ahead of this weekend. On one hand Ruben knows our teams well and the players clearly love him. On the other hand Javi Gracia has more experience as a manager and has kept Watford up and reached a cup final before. Personally it feels right to let Ruben have a go given his relationship with the players but I can’t help but think we are taking the bigger risk.

It was 100% this.

An Everton season ticket holder was saying to me yesterday at work that he’s very confident they stay up now with Dyche and that Saints spent a fair amount on ‘bargain basement signings’ and that’s why Everton chose not to buy them. He was obviously referring to Tall Paul and Kamal. Fitting the stereotype.

So what are we thinking about Javi Gracia looking likely to be Leeds manager for this game? I think I read that we beat his Watford team 1-0 when he managed them for the first time? I would have preferred to be facing a managerless Leeds, Gracia’s record is mid table (and a cup final), but seems to average 1 year at a club and has a mixed bag elsewhere.

Marsch was the logical appointment, this is the cheap one. I was impressed with how he spoke too but we need to see positive on field changes before we can suggest this is an acceptable option for 16 PL games, IMO. I’ll get behind him and the team as that’s what we need to do but I remain pretty skeptical that this is the right decision, especially as I think we could have got Marsch with the right offer.

I hope it is just for now and we are actually planning on replacing him ASAP.

Ankerson isn’t going anywhere. He is part of Sports Republic and although the investment is from Solak, he’s investing in Ankerson and Kraft’s idea/model. Selles, a well travelled coach but with no managerial experience is going to oversee 42% of our premier league season? Please tell me this is some sort of sick joke. Rushing to get Jesse Marsch in one minute, then realising Selles is the answer the next. How as fans are we supposed to get behind this?

I know we all thought Jones was a bad appointment from the off, but I don’t think anyone expected it to go as badly as it did. He made us into a laughing stock and relegated us in 94 days (including a World Cup break!). it sounds like we are still on ‘respectful’ terms with Jesse Marsch after it was mutually agreed to not proceed. I wonder if after a couple more games we might go back with a different offer, like Wolves did with Lopetegui? Or is this dead as a dodo, much like our season and PL status?

I’m actually pretty disappointed. I was looking forward to the return of attacking football and giving it a good go. If Sheffield Wednesday is anything to go by Selles is not the one. He also likes a 5 at the back doesn’t he? Sigh.

Thoughts on the contract to the ends of the season? Suits both parties or is Jesse not fancying the championship if we go down? Hopefully he has the motivation to prove himself and we pull off the unthinkable. I’m thinking we will still drop unfortunately but support the appointment.

Good listen on Jesse Marsch and if he will be a good fit, as well as why Jones was sacked. 35 mins long but well worth a listen.

Honestly, how on earth did we end up with this bloke? It never has and never will make any logical sense. It has all but relegated us, all just feels so unnecessary. we had to change the manager but we didn’t need to take such a crazy risk, when all things pointed to it being a disaster from day 1. We are a laughing stock in English football at the moment because of this guy.

I find the nickname ‘Yank Lampard’ ridiculous. Leeds were a decent watch, attacking football end to end. Lampard is a manager that did well at derby with cheat code loan signings from Chelsea links and then failed everywhere else. The only manager to suffer a premier league defeat to Nathan Jones as well!

I don’t think we can attract a manager better than Marsch in our situation. His style suits us (I mustn’t be the only one that has watched Leeds this season and thought they were a decent watch?), he’s positive (we are crying out for that), he’s used to the multi club model we are building. I would support this appointment and actually in some way would be a little disappointed if we ended up with a Gerrard/Lampard instead.

“I believe that we will win, I believe that we will win!”

Insight into his tactics at Leeds, very similar to Ralph so not a huge surprise. Our squad should be well suited to his style, if we bring him in. I’m in agreement with posters that say it’s not an exciting appointment but a good fit considering our position and not many favourable alternatives available, certainly none that would seriously consider the role. Provided he’s in for the promotion push should the expected happen, it does seem a logical appointment, if not an inspiring one. It would be nice to see some proper attacking and pressing football too, considering Ralph threw that out the window a while back after some big defeats, we didn’t see it in the league under Jones either.

For those struggling to watch it back, I find the Twitter replay easier than the Saints website.

I really wouldn’t be surprised if we are trying to find a replacement in the background. There is no logic to continuing to back this guy. So unprofessional and appears unable to clearly express a vision, style of play or anything with any substance, it seems. His comments back to ‘being the best in Europe on certain stats’ is apparently ‘everything, everything positive’. I’m pretty sure he also said in response to the fans not being sure if he’s the right man that he wasn’t sure himself?! This is not the calibre of person I want representing my club and I’m sure the new owners can’t disagree. They simply must be waiting to pull the trigger when they’ve sorted an adequate replacement. Don’t take too long Rasmus, the tiny window of hope is closing fast!

So Blackmore isn’t on holiday then? Might be right to assume his real opinions are coming out due to him not having the same access to the club as previously? Does seem a bit of a coincidence…