Dark Munster

Maybe that's because the front man (Pelle) and Mane were sold?

Pure speculation, but I'm guessing a number of players pushed for Puel to go, but also insisted their buddy Black stayed. Hopefully Reed has learnt from this mistake, and when he does sack MoPe he clears out the deadwood coaching staff too (Black and Watson in particular).

Maybe. But it wasn't bad, either.

Me too. I think his team suffered playing at that God-awful soulless stadium. If West Ham want to swap managers I wouldn't say no.

He inherited a mess and did very well to keep us up. His points record during his brief stay was very respectable, more so considering the weak squad he had. But he was Crouch's hire, so when the ruddy cheeked bastard returned he wasn't going to let Nige stay on. Add that to the list of sackings of decent managers followed by disastrous replacements. Nicholl -> Br*nf**t Luggy -> Wigley Pearson -> Poortvliet Puel -> MoPe

Sacking a decent manager and replacing him with someone worse is always a bad idea. We did it with Nicholl -> Br*nf**t and Luggy -> Wigley. It was a disaster those two times, and it is looking like history is repeating itself.

We could do worse. Good shout. Always liked Nasty Nige, and I think he could be the perfect bastard for us. Plus he did superbly setting up Leicester for that incredible season (especially in the sports science department).

He is nowhere near a Puel mark 2, which is an insult to a decent manager. He is a Br*nf**t, Wigley, Gray, mark 2 (take your pick).

I thought from the thread title that this was going to be your farewell post.

It does appear that player power is now a major problem. I think it was the main reason Claude was forced out. Maybe the players want a nice pal like Eric Black in charge (competence be damned). We need a seasoned manager who wont take any shit from them. And Black and Watson out.

It's stronger than the one last year that finished 8th and outplayed Utd in a cup final. Anyway, we need an experienced manager who commands the players' respect and wont take shit from any of them (loathe him or hate him, Koeman had that). And also someone who will immediately bring in his own replacements for Black and Watson.

I think you'll find it would be Spurs and their scouts who are mainly responsible for that. I can think of many ways to describe someone who walks out on us a year or so into his contract to take up a job with Spurs, but "top bloke" is certainly not one of them. Anyone who wins La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona (at their Messi peak) is a world class manager. If the tosspot MP does that I'll call him world class.

You mean in response to the same verbatim crud about Puel.

Steady on. Not if they're the manager of Spurs (or P*mp*y).

Indeed. I'll never forgive him for selling Mane, Pelle, and Big Vic. And for getting Austin and VVD injured. And turning Fonte's head and selling him in January when we were already short at the back.

I don't know about 90%, but yes a significant number wanted him gone. I think word on the street it was a number of unhappy players who were the main reason he was sacked (with maybe the fans being the straw on the camel's back).

Apparently that wasn't good enough last season.

Yes indeed. Plus VVD and Austin injured. Plus the extra Thursday games every other week. Plus (as someone has just reminded me) having to deal with a toxic Fonte for half a season.

0 games in and it was clear we needed some attacking talent. Well, to everyone except Les "One Transfer Window Too Late" Reed.

Indeed. Mane, Pelle and Big Vic became invisible when Claude took over, as were Austin and VVD for half the season. And he didn't get the best out Gabbi until half the season had already passed.

Yeah, that's the silver lining. We're crap at home.

Let us know what you think a couple of months from now.

His crime was he didn't get the best out of the players he didn't have.