Was / Is NP a 'Bootboy' and can we get real about what we need to do?

[Sheff Saint]

There seems to be some debate on these pages in recent weeks about whether Nigel Pearson or JP would have been the better choice as manager.

 

I happen to think NP did a great job turning around the car crash that was our season. Results don’t do justice for what he inherited.

 

One of the criticisms laid at his door seems to be that if NP was still in charge we’d have team full of journeymen playing hoof ball. As there's not much brewing on international week I thought I’d have a quick look at the team they put out to beat Huddersfield 3-2 on Saturday. Here is the team that started, ages and nationalities (sorry couldn’t find the keepers details)

 

Martin, Gilbert (21 GB), Tunchev (26 Bulgarian), Hobbs (20 GB), Powell (39 GB), Dyer (26 GB), Oakley (31 GB), Andy King (20 GB), Adams (22 GB), Fryatt (22 GB) , Howard (32 GB)

 

Now i know that this a League 1 team, but for me the balance is perfect in this team and (balance wise) what a successful team in the CCC should look like. It’s full of British players, just like Rupert likes, and it’s a pretty youthful side, complimented with a couple of experienced pros in Powell, Howard and a certain Matthew Oakley (that scares me, that he now an older head!)

 

A lot of people seemed to think that NP wouldn’t be able to cut cloth accordingly and JP was the only option. But it doesn’t seem that this team is full of stars, just good youngsters with a bit of experience BUT with a couple of decent older players.

 

And he’s got them playing. A shame we let him go and an even bigger shame that we continue to cut our noses to spite our faces and play a stupidly young team, some of whom clearly aren’t good enough when the right players at the right prices can be found, even at this level. Even with little money, our way isn’t the only way.

[TopGun]

There seems to be some debate on these pages in recent weeks about whether Nigel Pearson or JP would have been the better choice as manager.

 

I happen to think NP did a great job turning around the car crash that was our season. Results don’t do justice for what he inherited.

 

One of the criticisms laid at his door seems to be that if NP was still in charge we’d have team full of journeymen playing hoof ball. As there's not much brewing on international week I thought I’d have a quick look at the team they put out to beat Huddersfield 3-2 on Saturday. Here is the team that started, ages and nationalities (sorry couldn’t find the keepers details)

 

Martin, Gilbert (21 GB), Tunchev (26 Bulgarian), Hobbs (20 GB), Powell (39 GB), Dyer (26 GB), Oakley (31 GB), Andy King (20 GB), Adams (22 GB), Fryatt (22 GB) , Howard (32 GB)

 

Now i know that this a League 1 team, but for me the balance is perfect in this team and (balance wise) what a successful team in the CCC should look like. It’s full of British players, just like Rupert likes, and it’s a pretty youthful side, complimented with a couple of experienced pros in Powell, Howard and a certain Matthew Oakley (that scares me, that he now an older head!)

 

A lot of people seemed to think that NP wouldn’t be able to cut cloth accordingly and JP was the only option. But it doesn’t seem that this team is full of stars, just good youngsters with a bit of experience BUT with a couple of decent older players.

 

And he’s got them playing. A shame we let him go and an even bigger shame that we continue to cut our noses to spite our faces and play a stupidly young team, some of whom clearly aren’t good enough when the right players at the right prices can be found, even at this level. Even with little money, our way isn’t the only way.

 

Ultimately it appears NP wanted more cash than Lowe was prepared to pay. That's understandable as what does a relatively unproven manager offer on his CV? Lots of guesswork involved. JP is the cheaper risk. Plus might be more productive by invention. We'll see.

[alpine_saint]

Pearson only lost 3 games. He also only won 3 games, but they were against Bristol City (fighting for promotion), Sheff Utd (fighting for promotion) and Leicester (fighting against relegation). We only got hammered once, against a Hull team flying and about to be promoted (and are doing a fantastic job of staying there).

 

Sorry, there is no comparison. He piiissed all over Burley and JP, whatever the Luvvies say to try to besmirch his record...

[Delmary]

Ultimately it appears NP wanted more cash than Lowe was prepared to pay. That's understandable as what does a relatively unproven manager offer on his CV? Lots of guesswork involved. JP is the cheaper risk. Plus might be more productive by invention. We'll see.

Your source? The removal of NP was purely political IMHO.

[scooby]

First point of order: it's been now well established that he is indeed a bootboy.

 

Now your second query concerned about what we need to do now. That also can be answered quite succinctly: Get behind the team, get behind the Golden Duo, get behind the chairman, and forget about the bootboy.

[Delmary]

First point of order: it's been now well established that he is indeed a bootboy.

 

Now your second query concerned about what we need to do now. That also can be answered quite succinctly: Get behind the team, get behind the Golden Duo, get behind the chairman, and forget about the bootboy.

I'm with you Scoob! Get behind the team and get your ar@se to the Watford game on the 18 Oct! I assume you're going Scoob????

[Sheff Saint]

First point of order: it's been now well established that he is indeed a bootboy.

 

Now your second query concerned about what we need to do now. That also can be answered quite succinctly: Get behind the team, get behind the Golden Duo, get behind the chairman, and forget about the bootboy.

 

Indeed, all we can do is get behind JP. NP is yesterday but he clearly is not a boot boy.

 

Getting behind the current set up doesn't mean we can't suggest ways of improving. And sitting in 20th, i reckon there are still one or two things we can improve on!

[benjii]

Pearson is showing himself again to be a very promising manager.

 

I thought that Leicester team would be shellshocked and would spend a season or two in that league, with Mandaric probably sacking Pearson reasonably quickly. In fact, it has to be said Manadaric has supported him pretty well but it still takes a good manager and motivator to turn a team round like that.

 

On a side issue, I bet Oakley is absolutely taking the **** out of that division - one of our most underrated players in my time.

[Colinjb]

First point of order: it's been now well established that he is indeed a bootboy.

 

I'm sorry, but your continual need to label people like Pearson with such degrading titles undermines your credibility to comment as far as i'm concerned. Its a shame Scooby, you do raise fair points from time to time but ruin it with these childish tendancies.

 

Pearson is proving to be a very capable manager for Leicester, and i'm sure he will be for a while longer. A mere 'bootboy' wouldn't be capable of this and would not have had the coaching background he had.

 

It was never realistically going to work though for him her especially with Lowe taking over, particulalry as Rupert wished to do things his own way. Money was almost certainly the key issue. But I must say, I don't believe Pearson would be doing as good a job as Jan is with the youngsters. And as such Poortvliet is the right man for the job right now. Pearson however, for a more 'typical' league squad would be the better choice.

 

I firmly believe that the true measure of Pearson would have been how we would perform after a full pre-season with the squad he had (That would never have happened though, the assetts would have been sold off season regardless.) He was clearing up the joint Burley/Dodd/Gorman mess and had to do it quick, he was employed to keep us in the league, the fact of the matter is it was mission accomplished. I firmly believe we didn't truly see what he was capable of as a manager in his short tenure here.

Edited 7 October, 2008 by Colinjb

[Saint Martini]

Pearson only lost 3 games. He also only won 3 games, but they were against Bristol City (fighting for promotion), Sheff Utd (fighting for promotion) and Leicester (fighting against relegation). We only got hammered once, against a Hull team flying and about to be promoted (and are doing a fantastic job of staying there).

 

Sorry, there is no comparison. He piiissed all over Burley and JP, whatever the Luvvies say to try to besmirch his record...

 

He ****ed all over JP? 2 points more (after 10 games) then JP with a team that had a lot more experience and with the loans he brought in also a lot of quality. JP has to work on a shoestring and is doing a decent job. To compare the team he has to last seasons team (however demotivated they were) or against a Leicester team backed by a sugardaddy is ridiculous. There is not really any proof either way but to say Pearson ****es over JP is just plain silly.

[Sheff Saint]

I suppose it's easy to make this a hypathetical discussion into who is better NP or JP but i was hoping to aviod that. I just thought the team that NP played on Saturday showed he can fashion a good team and are there any things we can do based on what NP is doing to improve our chances of a) staying up this season and b) pushing on. Even with our hands tied behind our back financially.

[TopGun]

He ****ed all over JP? 2 points more (after 10 games) then JP with a team that had a lot more experience and with the loans he brought in also a lot of quality. JP has to work on a shoestring and is doing a decent job. To compare the team he has to last seasons team (however demotivated they were) or against a Leicester team backed by a sugardaddy is ridiculous. There is not really any proof either way but to say Pearson ****es over JP is just plain silly.

 

Agreed. Alps is wrong as it is too early to tell.

[Arizona]

I would have kept Pearson TBH.

 

He did very well with very limited time and resources available. He took over a team which had lost something like 5 out of 6 and made them hard to beat in about a week. This despite having a much tougher set of fixtures than JP has had thus far. He brought in 3 excellent shrewd loans in Perry, Lucketti and Wright. He also got the best out of players like Vignal and Licka, not to mention players who had previously been very poor, such as Wright and Euell.

 

Basically I was very impressed after being initially sceptical and the decision not to retain him (Purely egotistical and not financial) was a poor one.

 

That said, I will give JP every opportunity and hope he brings us success.

[Totton Red]

I would have kept Pearson TBH.

 

He did very well with very limited time and resources available. He took over a team which had lost something like 5 out of 6 and made them hard to beat in about a week. This despite having a much tougher set of fixtures than JP has had thus far. He brought in 3 excellent shrewd loans in Perry, Lucketti and Wright. He also got the best out of players like Vignal and Licka, not to mention players who had previously been very poor, such as Wright and Euell.

 

Basically I was very impressed after being initially sceptical and the decision not to retain him (Purely egotistical and not financial) was a poor one.

 

That said, I will give JP every opportunity and hope he brings us success.

 

Couldn't agree more. NP has all those basics attributes you need for a team to progress in the Cola

[TopGun]

Couldn't agree more. NP has all those basics attributes you need for a team to progress in the Cola

 

Kick a ball up the middle and hope that SFC gets lucky amongst the others all doing the same and robbing us of supporter cash for a play off place?

 

Reading made good CCC football and a 100 plus points a couple of years back under Coppell. That shoud be the aspiration.

[VectisSaint]

I don't think there is any debate about NP being a bootboy, the only one that ever makes such dispariging remarks is Scooby and we all know what he is.

 

But to come back to the hypothetical argument, I suspect NP would be doing rather better than JP. NP was a coach with a strong reputation for working with youth,as witnessed by his involvement with the England set up at every level up to and including u21. I think even with a similar squad of players NP would probably have got us a couple or so more points, can't be proven but that would be my thoughts. The difference between NP and JP is that NP had so many contacts in the game in this country, that he would probably have wheeled and dealed the transfer/loan market a little more effectively than JP, and would have perhaps brought in one or two players with experience to give the team a better balance (after all he was instrumental in bringing in Perry and was almost certainly involved with Holmes as well). He would still have played a large number of the youngsters though. The other thing I am certain NP would have done was upped the fitness levels, in much the same way that WGS did, pre-season. We may not have been playing quite such pretty football, but anyone who thinks NP is a hoofball merchant clearly does not know much about football.

 

All in all its hypothetical, we are where we are, and JP has proved to be much better than I hoped, but he has still shown a certain amount of naiveity. The nonsense about NP being more expensive that JP and Wotte is just that, nonsense, spin from Lowe via the OS. Maybe marginally he was more expensive, but nothing thats worth changing manager for. The real reason as most people know is that Lowe wanted his own man, and depsite what I think of Lowe I don't blame him for that, just wish he would be more honest and not treat his customers as idiots.

[Arizona]

Kick a ball up the middle and hope that SFC gets lucky amongst the others all doing the same and robbing us of supporter cash for a play off place?

 

Reading made good CCC football and a 100 plus points a couple of years back under Coppell. That shoud be the aspiration.

 

All we need is a chairman worth £400m and we'll be sorted.

[Whitey Grandad]

I don't think there is any debate about NP being a bootboy, the only one that ever makes such dispariging remarks is Scooby and we all know what he is.

 

But to come back to the hypothetical argument, I suspect NP would be doing rather better than JP. NP was a coach with a strong reputation for working with youth,as witnessed by his involvement with the England set up at every level up to and including u21. I think even with a similar squad of players NP would probably have got us a couple or so more points, can't be proven but that would be my thoughts. The difference between NP and JP is that NP had so many contacts in the game in this country, that he would probably have wheeled and dealed the transfer/loan market a little more effectively than JP, and would have perhaps brought in one or two players with experience to give the team a better balance (after all he was instrumental in bringing in Perry and was almost certainly involved with Holmes as well). He would still have played a large number of the youngsters though. The other thing I am certain NP would have done was upped the fitness levels, in much the same way that WGS did, pre-season. We may not have been playing quite such pretty football, but anyone who thinks NP is a hoofball merchant clearly does not know much about football.

 

All in all its hypothetical, we are where we are, and JP has proved to be much better than I hoped, but he has still shown a certain amount of naiveity. The nonsense about NP being more expensive that JP and Wotte is just that, nonsense, spin from Lowe via the OS. Maybe marginally he was more expensive, but nothing thats worth changing manager for. The real reason as most people know is that Lowe wanted his own man, and depsite what I think of Lowe I don't blame him for that, just wish he would be more honest and not treat his customers as idiots.

Well said that man! This has been my view too. We shall never know what might have happened had Pearson stayed, but we certainly would not have thrown away several vital months of familiarisation with the club and players, both young and old.

[Alanh]

Obviously it's all hypothetical as we can never compare what NP achieved with an unmotivated team and some shrewd use of the loan system versus what JP has achieved so far with a full transfer windoiw and pre season.

 

You make the point that NP has blended youth and experience but fail to acknowledge that JP has done the same, regularly fielding between 2 and 4 experienced pros (I include Surman as an experienced pro in this context).

[TopGun]

Reading had cash but didn't go mad buying players. In fact many of their players got sold.

 

Coppell is a clever and considered man. Not the usual run of the mill and maybe (maybe) JP is similar.

[Totton Red]

Reading had cash but didn't go mad buying players. In fact many of their players got sold.

 

Coppell is a clever and considered man. Not the usual run of the mill and maybe (maybe) JP is similar.

 

Both bourne with an understanding of British football? Pretty poor and unconnected understanding!

[Arizona]

Reading had cash but didn't go mad buying players. In fact many of their players got sold.

 

Coppell is a clever and considered man. Not the usual run of the mill and maybe (maybe) JP is similar.

 

Maybe not, but they had the one thing we have been lacking for ages. Stability.

 

That is never going to happen in our current situation, which is why I think we will struggle. Whenever we find a tallented player, he is likely to be sold to balance the books. It is also impossible to deny Lowe has a history of replacing managers.

 

Reading had players like Lita, Kitson, Sidwell and Doyle scoring goals, whereas we do not have a player (that is being played ) who can find the net at the mo.

 

I have seen nothing to suggest JP is anything special so far. Lowe's PR team spent the summer talking the talk and JP has done alright, but Norwich, Donny and Derby were all very poor teams and I don't think we look anything like a playoff unit.

[TopGun]

Both bourne with an understanding of British football? Pretty poor and unconnected understanding!

 

Not sure I understand the point.

 

Coppell was born English though and also has caps as a player.

[St Marco]

Ultimately it appears NP wanted more cash than Lowe was prepared to pay. That's understandable as what does a relatively unproven manager offer on his CV? Lots of guesswork involved. JP is the cheaper risk. Plus might be more productive by invention. We'll see.

 

I was actually informed that he was not even offered a contract nor was one discussed with him. As far as i was told he was informed he would not be getting the job then went on holiday. The person who told me that no longer works at the club as they were removed due to the cost cutting procedure with so many others. Now i was told that before he was fired so i believe it. If it was after then obviously you would expect some bitterness.

Pearson himself has been asked that directly to his face and someone said he was also asked on radio? But both times he said "It is not important, what is important is they have appointed a new man and i must move on"

Now from that i see the personality of Pearson as we had when he was in charge. Someone who hates whining and complaining or looking to shift blame etc.. Someone who just gets on with it.

 

The whole he was demanding lots of money is just pure spin, no truth to it at all. There is no way on earth we could be paying Burley xyz then be paying Pearson more then that. As nice a guy as he is, he is a new manager and has only taken on caretaker style roles at that point. If he was saying he was worth 20p then Lowe would say he was worth 10p. So i strongley believe from what i have been told he was not offered the job nor was it planned to. Lowe already had in mind to bring in JP as he had tried before to do that.

[Arizona]

IMO it is complete bullsh*t that we couldn't afford to keep Pearson, but IF it were true, then it is only because we chose not to afford him.

 

Forking out £1.2m for Schneiderlin and claiming we can't afford Pearson is like spending 2 weeks in the mother of all Caribbean beach houses, then claiming you can't afford to pay your council tax.

[TopGun]

I was actually informed that he was not even offered a contract nor was one discussed with him. As far as i was told he was informed he would not be getting the job then went on holiday. The person who told me that no longer works at the club as they were removed due to the cost cutting procedure with so many others. Now i was told that before he was fired so i believe it. If it was after then obviously you would expect some bitterness.

Pearson himself has been asked that directly to his face and someone said he was also asked on radio? But both times he said "It is not important, what is important is they have appointed a new man and i must move on"

Now from that i see the personality of Pearson as we had when he was in charge. Someone who hates whining and complaining or looking to shift blame etc.. Someone who just gets on with it.

 

The whole he was demanding lots of money is just pure spin, no truth to it at all. There is no way on earth we could be paying Burley xyz then be paying Pearson more then that. As nice a guy as he is, he is a new manager and has only taken on caretaker style roles at that point. If he was saying he was worth 20p then Lowe would say he was worth 10p. So i strongley believe from what i have been told he was not offered the job nor was it planned to. Lowe already had in mind to bring in JP as he had tried before to do that.

 

I think much of what you say is probably correct about NP. And I think NP is a potentially good manager of any side as he seems to have good basic ethics. I was sad to see him go. But we are where we are.

[Wade Garrett]

Not sure I understand the point.

 

Coppell was born English though and also has caps as a player.

 

And a degree in Economics.

[Totton Red]

IMO it is complete bullsh*t that we couldn't afford to keep Pearson, but IF it were true, then it is only because we chose not to afford him.

 

Forking out £1.2m for Schneiderlin and claiming we can't afford Pearson is like spending 2 weeks in the mother of all Caribbean beach houses, then claiming you can't afford to pay your council tax.

 

Strange how those in power view 5.5k per week over the top for a manager whilst paying more for many players?

[TopGun]

And a degree in Economics.

 

Indeed. From Liverpool Uni though. Oh, I went there!

[TopGun]

Strange how those in power view 5.5k per week over the top for a manager whilst paying more for many players?

 

That's a point that has been addressed unsuccessfully by appointing directors of football. Just seems to add to the wage bill and cause disharmony at English clubs.

[jam]

There seems to be some debate on these pages in recent weeks about whether Nigel Pearson or JP would have been the better choice as manager.

 

I happen to think NP did a great job turning around the car crash that was our season. Results don’t do justice for what he inherited.

 

One of the criticisms laid at his door seems to be that if NP was still in charge we’d have team full of journeymen playing hoof ball. As there's not much brewing on international week I thought I’d have a quick look at the team they put out to beat Huddersfield 3-2 on Saturday. Here is the team that started, ages and nationalities (sorry couldn’t find the keepers details)

 

Martin, Gilbert (21 GB), Tunchev (26 Bulgarian), Hobbs (20 GB), Powell (39 GB), Dyer (26 GB), Oakley (31 GB), Andy King (20 GB), Adams (22 GB), Fryatt (22 GB) , Howard (32 GB)

 

Now i know that this a League 1 team, but for me the balance is perfect in this team and (balance wise) what a successful team in the CCC should look like. It’s full of British players, just like Rupert likes, and it’s a pretty youthful side, complimented with a couple of experienced pros in Powell, Howard and a certain Matthew Oakley (that scares me, that he now an older head!)

 

A lot of people seemed to think that NP wouldn’t be able to cut cloth accordingly and JP was the only option. But it doesn’t seem that this team is full of stars, just good youngsters with a bit of experience BUT with a couple of decent older players.

 

And he’s got them playing. A shame we let him go and an even bigger shame that we continue to cut our noses to spite our faces and play a stupidly young team, some of whom clearly aren’t good enough when the right players at the right prices can be found, even at this level. Even with little money, our way isn’t the only way.

 

Leicester are not a league one team. They should never have been relegated and the fact that they were should be a sign for some of our fans about what inept management really is.

 

Pearson is in no way a boot boy (are you really letting a certain wind up poster pull your chain like that?), he may turn out to be a very good manager and good for him if he does, but he didn't show anything amazing here. He didn't turn our season around - if he did we would have ended the season in a hgher position than when he took over. At best he put the brakes on. Slowly.

[Arizona]

Leicester are not a league one team. They should never have been relegated and the fact that they were should be a sign for some of our fans about what inept management really is.

 

Pearson is in no way a boot boy (are you really letting a certain wind up poster pull your chain like that?), he may turn out to be a very good manager and good for him if he does, but he didn't show anything amazing here. He didn't turn our season around - if he did we would have ended the season in a hgher position than when he took over. At best he put the brakes on. Slowly.

 

I don't think you are giving him anywhere near enough credit there. Compare te team that beat Bristol City and Sheff Utd to the one that lost to Bristol Rovers shortly before he took over and there is an astonishing improvement IMO.

 

To go from that and the Plymouth game to getting points away to Blackpool, Wolves and Scunny in the next few weeks, not to mention the vital win against Leicester, deserves huge credit IMO.

[eelpie]

First point of order: it's been now well established that he is indeed a bootboy.

 

Now your second query concerned about what we need to do now. That also can be answered quite succinctly: Get behind the team, get behind the Golden Duo, get behind the chairman, and forget about the bootboy.

 

Twit

[TopGun]

I don't think you are giving him anywhere near enough credit there. Compare te team that beat Bristol City and Sheff Utd to the one that lost to Bristol Rovers shortly before he took over and there is an astonishing improvement IMO.

 

To go from that and the Plymouth game to getting points away to Blackpool, Wolves and Scunny in the next few weeks, not to mention the vital win against Leicester, deserves huge credit IMO.

 

A true nadir.

[saintcrris]

Thought NP deserved a chance and to be honest I don't believe the crap about not being able to afford him. Plus all this tripe about he can't work with youth (when he was with the England u21 setup)

 

Its history now and whats done is done.

[um pahars]

The real reason as most people know is that Lowe wanted his own man, and depsite what I think of Lowe I don't blame him for that, just wish he would be more honest and not treat his customers as idiots.

 

I too didn't agree with sacking Pearson, but I also appreciate that as the man in charge it is his right to do what he sees fit with regards the managerial position.

 

However, like you I would rather he had been more honest with this appointment, rather than treating us as fools and trotting out the "we couldn't afford him" excuse (then again some fools still seem to believe we got rid of Pearson because of his salary, but fortunately it would appear that only a minority take in the OS & Lowe spin).

[Long Shot]

Leicester are not a league one team. They should never have been relegated and the fact that they were should be a sign for some of our fans about what inept management really is.

 

Pearson is in no way a boot boy (are you really letting a certain wind up poster pull your chain like that?), he may turn out to be a very good manager and good for him if he does, but he didn't show anything amazing here. He didn't turn our season around - if he did we would have ended the season in a hgher position than when he took over. At best he put the brakes on. Slowly.

 

I can't believe someone sane could write this - especially the last sentence. Turn the season around? Our season was already a bad car crash when he took over - at least he managed to salvage something from the wreckage.

I know quite a lot of people at SMS and Staplewood and they are all full of praise for Pearson. Within a short period of time he galvanised all the players right down to the younger ones and lifted the whole club with his enthusiasm and honesty (which had been sadly lacking).

 

His departure was purely political. The week he was appointed I heard first hand how p*ssed off Lowe and Cowan were with his arrival and I gather they made their displeasure known at the time. So there was no way he was going to stay even if he offered to work for nothing.

[Bourno]

I wish Pearson was still here. As he is not, I support JP and when he gets the chop I will support the next guy.

[St_Tel49]

Pearson is showing himself again to be a very promising manager.

 

I thought that Leicester team would be shellshocked and would spend a season or two in that league, with Mandaric probably sacking Pearson reasonably quickly. In fact, it has to be said Manadaric has supported him pretty well but it still takes a good manager and motivator to turn a team round like that.

 

On a side issue, I bet Oakley is absolutely taking the **** out of that division - one of our most underrated players in my time.

 

I agree with pretty much everything you say - especially about Oakley - but we are where we are. There is no future in looking back. I would have been more than happy to keep Pearson but JP is doing as well as can be expected with what he has been given.

[Wes Tender]

I think that a couple of things that are misleading are beginning to be addressed and more sensible opinions are beginning to prevail.

 

Looking back on NP's short time here, it was a remarkable achievement to turn around the team that was in freefall and transform them from a team of unmotivated losers into a fitter and more difficult team to beat in such a short time.

 

It is also nice to see that the myths perpetuated by the Lowe accolytes that he was a hoofball merchant, that he didn't have the experience to work with the youngsters and was too expensive, are all being argued and overturned.

 

No use crying over spilt milk, but if we could change Pearson for Poortvliet right now, I'd certainly go for it. I believe that Pearson in a decade will be one of the top managers in British football and we will wistfully rue the time that we had him here cutting his teeth and let him go.

 

Lowe had the opportunity to keep him and if things went pear shaped, there was a ready made excuse that he was Crouch's appointment. But the problem was that if he succeeded, a lot of the credit would also go to Crouch and Lowe couldn't abide that prospect.

 

Instead, it had so rankled him and dented his ego that he had been the architect of our relegation after a proud 28 years in the top flight of English football and that the exposure of his shortcomings had been so high profile in the media, that he had to do something very spectacular and succeed with it to redress his situation. In short, the reason that Pearson had to go was purely based on the personal ego of Lowe, who if his plan succeeded, would be hailed as a revolutionary innovator having the imagination to think outside the box and produce a system of developing youth that would break the mould that Sky had produced which was ruining British football.

 

The plan might yet produce fruit. But I think that Lowe's biggest mistake was in appointing somebody who had nil experience of British football and whose background had been well below the level of even this division. There is the occasional glimmer of promise of what might be, but often we flatter to deceive and already there are also signs that our style can easily be negated by clever tactical managers as we are so one dimensional.

 

But what is clear is that if JP fails to at least get us to survive and Pearson gains promotion for Leicester, every ounce of blame will rest firmly on the shoulders of Lowe and the Quisling.

 

Naturally as a Saints fan I want the best for the team, but the long term prospects under this system do not include promotion probably ever, as any half decent players will be sold to keep us afloat, so we will never be able to build, just keep treading water until somebody comes along to replace these paupers.

[thelamprey]

Why is NP a 'bootboy'? He's hardly Norman hatred Tebbit is he? Why is there this class war coming from the Loweites all the time?

 

Was WGS a bootboy? He took no **** either. It seems to be if you cant find a decent arguement against NP based on reason or evidence smear him for his physical appearance...pathetic

[Roman]

Why is NP a 'bootboy'? He's hardly Norman hatred Tebbit is he? Why is there this class war coming from the Loweites all the time?

 

Was WGS a bootboy? He took no **** either. It seems to be if you cant find a decent arguement against NP based on reason or evidence smear him for his physical appearance...pathetic

 

The term comes from a piece of troll-art by our odd little friend scooby, who regards this forum as his 'installation'.

 

He doesn't actually believe it, but he's succeeded because it's seeped into the consciousness of many on here.

[solentstars]

nigel pearson did a great for saints ,but when he was appointed alot of posters slagged of the guy, examples (lack of experience,who is he, a clown ,out of his depth,clueless,players who should not be in team )i rated pearson while alot on here wanted billy davies 'hes gone and is not coming back,i am happy with jan who is going threw the same stick on these forum has pearson did.

[Deano6]

What is a boot boy? And why is Pearson one?

[once_bitterne]

Is this a Leicester City fan's forum? Are they discussing JP on the Foxes board?

[SaintRichmond]

Ultimately it appears NP wanted more cash than Lowe was prepared to pay. That's understandable as what does a relatively unproven manager offer on his CV? Lots of guesswork involved. JP is the cheaper risk. Plus might be more productive by invention. We'll see.

 

Wrong !!!

 

NP was never even offerred the job, because Lowe had already lined up The Dutch Duo

 

Besides, it would never have worked ....... Pearson would have wanted tp select the Team ........ which of course, as we all know ..... is Lowe's job

 

If anyone ever goes for a job interview at St Mary's, you need only speak one word ........... " YES "

[solentstars]

Wrong !!!

 

NP was never even offerred the job, because Lowe had already lined up The Dutch Duo

 

Besides, it would never have worked ....... Pearson would have wanted tp select the Team ........ which of course, as we all know ..... is Lowe's job

 

If anyone ever goes for a job interview at St Mary's, you need only speak one word ........... " YES "

"oh dear" i think your hatred for lowe is making you paranoid, lowe is a right **** but with lowe appointing people like strachan ,hoddle .redknapp they were not yes men.

i for one do not believe he picks the team .

[SaintRichmond]

"oh dear" i think your hatred for lowe is making you paranoid, lowe is a right **** but with lowe appointing people like strachan ,hoddle .redknapp they were not yes men.

i for one do not believe he picks the team .

 

My dislike of Lowe to one side ........... you make no comment as to whether you agreed with my comments about Pearson's non appointment, ie, Lowe's insistance on an untried Dutch duo, Team selection etc

 

In the case of GS,GH and HR ... OK, "yes men" may be a bit harsh ....... but they certainly had to obey Lowe's doctrine, whilst they were at the Club

 

Lowe is not just Chairman ....... and that is just the start of the problem(s)

[JohnnyFartPants]

My dislike of Lowe to one side ........... you make no comment as to whether you agreed with my comments about Pearson's non appointment, ie, Lowe's insistance on an untried Dutch duo, Team selection etc

 

In the case of GS,GH and HR ... OK, "yes men" may be a bit harsh ....... but they certainly had to obey Lowe's doctrine, whilst they were at the Club

 

Lowe is not just Chairman ....... and that is just the start of the problem(s)

 

You always seem to post your opinion as fact yet never back it up with any evidence. It is tiresome to the extreme.

[once_bitterne]

I believe that Pearson in a decade will be one of the top managers in British football and we will wistfully rue the time that we had him here cutting his teeth and let him go.

 

 

:smt043On my aching sides.......