New Manager Debate

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

There is obviously an issue with the "senior players". Still did himself no favours with his lack of tactics, 5 at the back, lack of direction but it does look like these players have not helped and did not stand up to fight for the team in any way.

I wonder if there is any truth in the rumour that these same senior players want Lego Head back. If its true, it doesn't surprise me as they will be getting off the hook with love ins and easy times at training.

It also makes the decision to extend captain Jack's contract even more bizarre imo

[SaintN14]

For my two cents’ worth, I think we’d be shopping in the available managers market rather than poaching from another club.

Russell Martin would probably be the preferred choice of the ‘leaders’ (lol) in the squad — Stephens, Downes, Manning, Armstrong, THB, etc. He’s clearly got his mates within the dressing room. However, I think he’d divide the fans and be on the back foot from day one.

Ralph is available and was spotted at the Bristol City game, so I’m not surprised he’s being linked. I think he’d improve performances, but I doubt he’d want to drop into this league. I’d be interested in seeing a poll on how popular this would be. 

As Steve mentioned on TSP last night, I don’t think Gary O’Neil can even be considered given his Pompey connections. 

Tony Mowbray would be a pretty uninspiring option after his stint at West Brom last season, but he knows the division and would at least get us organised.

Given Spors’ links to the German market, Marco Rose being available is interesting. Ex-Leipzig, Gladbach and Dortmund, he’s got a strong pedigree. It’s very doubtful he’d come down to the Championship, but he was linked with Rangers recently, so maybe he would?

That said, Michael Carrick feels like a really good fit for where we are right now. He did an impressive job at Middlesbrough given the budget there, playing possession-based football that was affective for us last time in this division, but hopefully with a bit more balance and pragmatism. He’s shown he can develop young players (Archer and Azaz) and is a name that’s played at the top level and would hopefully be respected by the squad.

[Saint Neil]

Patrick Vieira is available.

[influx]

I think Gerhard Struber would be a good fit. 

[beatlesaint]

7 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

There is obviously an issue with the "senior players". Still did himself no favours with his lack of tactics, 5 at the back, lack of direction but it does look like these players have not helped and did not stand up to fight for the team in any way.

I wonder if there is any truth in the rumour that these same senior players want Lego Head back. If its true, it doesn't surprise me as they will be getting off the hook with love ins and easy times at training.

It also makes the decision to extend captain Jack's contract even more bizarre imo

Oh I’m sure Stephens and co would love him back. Guaranteed start for all his mates, extra day off training etc. 

If they bring him back cos some entitled prima donnas want him then we are finished. 
Get someone in who puts the fear of god up some of these pampered twats.

[E_H_Saints]

For me, I think Ralph as out of all the managers, there was never a fall out with the board or players.  He kept his dignity throughout the whole process and even when he did leave it wasn't a sense of happiness by all fans as he was highly respected. 

It would confuse the players to bring back Martin.  Senior players may want him back but it's because he was their friend.  He admitted that he was to soft on players and thought he owed players something when actually he didn't.  If you aren't good enough that should be it.  Our keepers have been told to show freedom and not play these little passes in dangerous areas (he comes back and that will happen again).

In all  honestly, I can't see a different manager who has any sense wanting to come to Saints as the club is currently a sinking ship.  The players are divided, the fans are divided and the board have no clue of what they are doing.  

We simply need a manager to come in and steady the ship so that fans can get behind the team but still put pressure on the powers above as they haven't done well for years.  Even with money which is depressing.

[CSA96]

Gary O'Neil is going back in at Wolves so can scrub his name off the list if there was anyone who thought he might be a viable or desirable option

[danjosaint]

I think Marco Rose could be one to watch if Spors remains in the building, despite being Championship we would pay more than most german teams bar top 6ish 

[Mr X]

SR can not be trusted with any managerial appointment ..... I would rather have someone on the street interview a prospective manager than them.... That's how bad they are! 

[CSA96]

13 minutes ago, SaintN14 said:

For my two cents’ worth, I think we’d be shopping in the available managers market rather than poaching from another club.

Russell Martin would probably be the preferred choice of the ‘leaders’ (lol) in the squad — Stephens, Downes, Manning, Armstrong, THB, etc. He’s clearly got his mates within the dressing room. However, I think he’d divide the fans and be on the back foot from day one.

Ralph is available and was spotted at the Bristol City game, so I’m not surprised he’s being linked. I think he’d improve performances, but I doubt he’d want to drop into this league. I’d be interested in seeing a poll on how popular this would be. 

As Steve mentioned on TSP last night, I don’t think Gary O’Neil can even be considered given his Pompey connections. 

Tony Mowbray would be a pretty uninspiring option after his stint at West Brom last season, but he knows the division and would at least get us organised.

Given Spors’ links to the German market, Marco Rose being available is interesting. Ex-Leipzig, Gladbach and Dortmund, he’s got a strong pedigree. It’s very doubtful he’d come down to the Championship, but he was linked with Rangers recently, so maybe he would?

That said, Michael Carrick feels like a really good fit for where we are right now. He did an impressive job at Middlesbrough given the budget there, playing possession-based football that was affective for us last time in this division, but hopefully with a bit more balance and pragmatism. He’s shown he can develop young players (Archer and Azaz) and is a name that’s played at the top level and would hopefully be respected by the squad.

Tony Mowbray is actually my clear #1 pick but I can't see it, especially given Spors came in and sacked his brother Darren as pretty much his first act as Sporting Director after taking a watching brief for a bit

Edited 7 hours ago by CSA96

[Dearky]

Mark Robins I reckon

[Scummer]

5 minutes ago, Dearky said:

Mark Robins I reckon

Are there rumours he is unhappy at Stoke? Can't see why he'd leave them for us at this moment

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Scummer said:

Are there rumours he is unhappy at Stoke? Can't see why he'd leave them for us at this moment

After spending a few years at Coventry, he must be settled in that part of the world. Hardly worlds away between the two.

[Dr Who?]

 

Not sure about Carrick he did ok with Boro but they seemed to have flatlined a bit. Now they look like they have kicked on under new management.

On saying this, I think it will be whoever does not get the Wolves job. Carrick, Gary O’Neil, Roger’s (think he will look higher) or Gerrard (but think he is looking a little higher as well). So the first 2.

[CSA96]

2 minutes ago, Dr Who? said:

 

 

Not sure about Carrick he did ok with Boro but they seemed to have flatlined a bit. Now they look like they have kicked on under new management.

On saying this, I think it will be whoever does not get the Wolves job. Carrick, Gary O’Neil, Roger’s (think he will look higher) or Gerrard (but think he is looking a little higher as well). So the first 2.

Gerrard will have a hefty tax bill to pay if he returns from the Gulf before the summer of 2026, apparently

Carrick did take over with Boro in 21st and lead them to 4th but then followed 8th and 10th placed finishes

Worth noting that during that period, Steve Gibson’s investment was being questioned somewhat by supporters as it seemed he was running out of capital to invest in the club and they look better this season after selling a handful of top players and replacing them well, plus using the additional funds to round the squad out better than it was before 

[adrian lord]

Has the world gone mad? Why is Russell Martin being suggested?

[AlexLaw76]

 

[skintsaint]

1 minute ago, adrian lord said:

Has the world gone mad? Why is Russell Martin being suggested?

Shouldn't even be in the running after his Rangers debacle. 

[Weston Saint]

On an X poll run by SaintsExtra "would you support Russell Martin returning" with 834 votes so far 83% say No.

[AlexLaw76]

For his own good, Martin needs a period of reflection surely. 

Do what others have done, disappear for a short period and go and watch training at other Champ/Prem grounds...have a bit of a reset.

[Mr X]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Good news data led recruitment has served us so well so far uncovered some real gems! 🤦‍♂️

[Fitzhugh Fella]

8 minutes ago, Weston Saint said:

On an X poll run by SaintsExtra "would you support Russell Martin returning" with 834 votes so far 83% say No.

That proves 17% of our fans are imbeciles

[Patrick Bateman]

14 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Oh yay, data ... ffs

[Brussels Saint]

I know many would disagree, but I would quite enjoy Ange being in charge.

Doubt he could be persuaded, but having someone that bat-shit mental would be entertaining and he would shake the players up. I quite like him as a character too.

[skintsaint]

4 minutes ago, Brussels Saint said:

I know many would disagree, but I would quite enjoy Ange being in charge.

Doubt he could be persuaded, but having someone that bat-shit mental would be entertaining and he would shake the players up. I quite like him as a character too.

Sitting on a nice fat payout, can't see us affording him.

[LuckyNumber7]

59 minutes ago, influx said:

I think Gerhard Struber would be a good fit. 

Agree with this, if we could tempt him away from Bristol City. Get Ralph in too in some sort of advisory role.

Struber even got Downs firing!

[Forester]

Nobody has named Vitor Pereira.  Did an incredible turnaround job last season when they looked doomed, vastly experienced and until the very end was hugely popular with the fans.  I am pretty sure he was being looked at a few years back.

Regardless of who we choose, very few have a perfect record of success unless you are appointing from lower leagues inexperienced candidate.  Prior to joining us, all of Strachan, Poch and Koeman had been sacked.  And all three have subsequently been sacked.

Would Ange take a look at us?  And no, I don’t mean Rayner…

[CamberwellSaint]

3 hours ago, sambosa75 said:

Still surprises me John Terry has never been given a crack at management.  One of the best and most decorated Premier League centre backs and captains of all time must have something to offer in management.

Lord preserve us. 

I think there's a reason he's never been a manager. The last thing we need is to be very public proof he shouldn't.

[Matthew Le God]

26 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Good news data led recruitment has served us so well so far uncovered some real gems! 🤦‍♂️

 

17 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Oh yay, data ... ffs

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

[Rebel]

Russell Martin - just no.  I don't want to try and be City Lite again.  We finished 4th in a 2 horse race with him as manager and were lucky to get promoted to the play-offs.   And then he got truly 'found out' in the premier league.  

And his failure at Rangers didn't suggest he'd learnt anything from any of it.

Wilcox has to take a lot of the blame for the failed 'City Lite' project as well though.

I liked Hassenhutl but he lacked a Plan B - and when Rohl left as a coach to go to Bayern/Germany plan A seemed to fall apart as well as we seemed to have no idea what to do with the ball when we had it.  Saying that it he'd get my support if he's the one.

Sports Republic need to stop 'thinking outside of the box' or breaking things that don't need to be broken - or trying to be clever as they are clearly not as clever as they think they are.

The obvious answer in the summer was Rohl - and he might have cost more money in the short term - but he would have saved them a lot in the long term.  Not the 'out of the box' or clever answer that was Will Still.  

And I can't help feeling they went for the cheap answer in Will Still as well. 

Michael Carrick looks like the obvious answer now - experience of the championship and with turning around a team at the wrong end of the table and an ex-player with gravitas that our 'senior players' might have some respect for.

But whoever they appoint as manager they need to support them with a proper coaching team - not Lallana and Trollope - and their own people.  

But more than that they need to give them a good goalkeeper and at least one if not two good centre forwards in January. 

They also need to get rid of the 'senior players' in the team that seem to be part of the problem and replace them with some real leaders on the pitch.

Promotion this season looks very unlikely at best - if not impossible - without a good goalkeeper and a proper striker/centre forward until January.   In fact relegation looks more likely than promotion.  So they need to focus on avoiding relegation this season and putting together a team that can make a real go at getting promotion next season.  

 

[Dr. Kucho]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

No, on common sense.

[influx]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

Of course they don’t mean that.   Proven track record  in the Championship would be nice. 

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

Because the likes of Downs and the decision not to sign another striker we're clearly due to a data led approach that has left us in this mess. You need a certain level of data obviously but what your primary driver should be is looking at personalities and setting high standards rather than just spreadsheet numbers.

[Streaky]

43 minutes ago, Scummer said:

Are there rumours he is unhappy at Stoke? Can't see why he'd leave them for us at this moment

£££££££££££

[SaintNewForest]

If its Martin again, I'm done with this club, and they will not get any more money out of me until he (and SR) have left. 

[Dr Who?]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

But we have failed with this way of recruiting. Yes you need some data. How well they have done with clubs at this level or higher. But you tend to see a theme with our mob and it just has never worked! 

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, influx said:

Of course they don’t mean that.   Proven track record  in the Championship would be nice. 

Proven by what? Data?

[AlexLaw76]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

Do I think Data should the driving factor? No.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

Proven by what? Data?

Attitude, mental resilience, willingness to win....

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Kucho said:

No, on common sense.

On what do you judge common sense? What makes  common sense appointment?

[Dr Who?]

Do you think we are just throwing money around and this is why the managers and the players have been pretty crap? They just take home over the odds in £, and do not give a shite? 

Perhaos we want to start recruiting people that actually want to play for us? Passionate about managing us? 

who knows, but something is not working! 

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Attitude, mental resilience, willingness to win....

What about results?

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Do I think Data should the driving factor? No.

You answered question I did not ask

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

What about results?

Of course, but 'data driven' is not the approach that has worked.

It is up there suggesting the SR multi-club model is a good thing for Saints.

[Saint_lambden]

1 hour ago, influx said:

I think Gerhard Struber would be a good fit. 

He would. Not sure we’d be able to tempt him away from Bristol City so early in his reign though. 

[Dr Who?]

What are the odds looking like now? Sky Bet who I bet with do not even have odds for our new shambles! 

[Wade Garrett]

9 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

Would you prefer decisions made on feelings?

Judging by the success of data-driven appointments, yes.

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, AlexLaw76 said:

Of course, but 'data driven' is not the approach that has worked.

So you agree on results... but results are data

[sockeye]

42 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Said 'data' being Stoke's points total.

[influx]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Proven by what? Data?

I don’t think you’re as annoying as the data would suggest