New Manager Debate

[Wade Garrett]

5 hours ago, vectraman said:

I sincerely hope all of this rumour is nonsense and a smokescreen for getting a decent experienced no nonsense manager in.

Saints despite being a basket case to us fans is an attractive job, will pay well, and has great facilities.  Any sub premier league level manager would want to be considered for this vacancy - to say there are no suitable candidates for a highly paid, excellent opportunity, in the whole world except (allegedly) Tonda who has no actual management experience of a professional league men’s team is mind meltingly complete bullshit.

We absolutely MUST get a respected manager in, who isn’t mates with the team, isn’t being “heavily guided” by Sports Republic to tactics/formations/individual players who should be in the side. TE would be no more than a Sports Republic puppet. My own opinion, but until we bin off Jack Stephens, THB, Flynn Downes who I believe are poisonous to the team harmony, we will get nowhere. Sell them, erase Russel Martin from the team fabric and I believe the team will be all the better for it.

If we end up with TE as manager, and suffer 5 at the back, safety first boring football, with Bazunu in goal, then for me I’m done with it. I’d rather have had Gary o’Neil as manager, despite his blue associations, all day long rather than a nobody who has managed nobody, and will have the respect of nobody in the dressing room.

SR - get this appointment wrong, and you’ll have blown all of the fans patience and goodwill. Even on the Sainsweb site next manager vote TE got 5%. Says it all.

The issue is the underlying player power that certain players clearly have. If you pander to these pussies you are basically selling out on any hope of progressing this season. They need a giant kick up the ass, not an easy life.

Sort it, or ship out. You waste £7 million on a German unknown striker who is of no use whatsoever, that will get you pretty much any manager out there. I believe the issue is your leadership SR, your lack of understanding of the English game, and your pig headed ‘cleverness’ which most fans see as unbelievable smugness.

Ball is in your court….don’t fuck this up please…

Brilliant post.

[Maggie May]

5 hours ago, vectraman said:

I sincerely hope all of this rumour is nonsense and a smokescreen for getting a decent experienced no nonsense manager in.

Saints despite being a basket case to us fans is an attractive job, will pay well, and has great facilities.  Any sub premier league level manager would want to be considered for this vacancy - to say there are no suitable candidates for a highly paid, excellent opportunity, in the whole world except (allegedly) Tonda who has no actual management experience of a professional league men’s team is mind meltingly complete bullshit.

We absolutely MUST get a respected manager in, who isn’t mates with the team, isn’t being “heavily guided” by Sports Republic to tactics/formations/individual players who should be in the side. TE would be no more than a Sports Republic puppet. My own opinion, but until we bin off Jack Stephens, THB, Flynn Downes who I believe are poisonous to the team harmony, we will get nowhere. Sell them, erase Russel Martin from the team fabric and I believe the team will be all the better for it.

If we end up with TE as manager, and suffer 5 at the back, safety first boring football, with Bazunu in goal, then for me I’m done with it. I’d rather have had Gary o’Neil as manager, despite his blue associations, all day long rather than a nobody who has managed nobody, and will have the respect of nobody in the dressing room.

SR - get this appointment wrong, and you’ll have blown all of the fans patience and goodwill. Even on the Sainsweb site next manager vote TE got 5%. Says it all.

The issue is the underlying player power that certain players clearly have. If you pander to these pussies you are basically selling out on any hope of progressing this season. They need a giant kick up the ass, not an easy life.

Sort it, or ship out. You waste £7 million on a German unknown striker who is of no use whatsoever, that will get you pretty much any manager out there. I believe the issue is your leadership SR, your lack of understanding of the English game, and your pig headed ‘cleverness’ which most fans see as unbelievable smugness.

Ball is in your court….don’t fuck this up please…

This needs to be printed out and put on Dragan’s desk.

[Sheaf Saint]

1 hour ago, Maggie May said:

This needs to be printed out and put on Dragan’s desk.

Or, just to be certain, we should get the guys from Lead By Donkeys to project it onto the front of SMS. 

[Miltonaggro]

10 hours ago, Dr Who? said:

If he manages to win the next 3, he really should resign and manage Barca! 

Or Middlesbrough...

[Farmer Saint]

9 hours ago, CB Fry said:

But it's not that common for managers to be sacked and then step into another job within a couple of weeks. Far more common for them to take months / a year off.

I'm not sure who you have your eye on who is going to get sacked and then immediately jump to the Championship.

So sorry, this is bullshit. Bimbling about waiting without committing to anyone to revive our season (we can get in the play offs) is woeful stewardship of this club.

Spors is just stubbornly hoping his pet project gets the job and trying to wear down the rest of the decision makers.

 

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I have seen literally no-one mentioned who I would be happy with, so if this this buys us more time then great.

[Katalinic]

4 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I have seen literally no-one mentioned who I would be happy with, so if this this buys us more time then great.

"Johannes, before we rubber stamp the appointment and make the offer, can you check that Farmer Saint has signed off on it and is happy?".

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

9 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I have seen literally no-one mentioned who I would be happy with, so if this this buys us more time then great.

Just out of interest, what does your football agent mate have to say, he seemed to be somewhat in-the-know previously?

[Hopper]

The reality is there’s not a lot of concrete information out there either way about what’s going on behind the scenes. When we’re to the point that we’ve got talk sport walking back about stories about TE being made permanent it’s pretty clear that no one is even getting a sniff at the current hiring process.

Just an observation but this probably speaks to Spors team and how they operate as little was known about a good few of our summer signings until just before signing, same with Ori’s return actually.

At the moment the only thing for sure, is that nothing is for sure.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

7 hours ago, vectraman said:

I sincerely hope all of this rumour is nonsense and a smokescreen for getting a decent experienced no nonsense manager in.

Saints despite being a basket case to us fans is an attractive job, will pay well, and has great facilities.  Any sub premier league level manager would want to be considered for this vacancy - to say there are no suitable candidates for a highly paid, excellent opportunity, in the whole world except (allegedly) Tonda who has no actual management experience of a professional league men’s team is mind meltingly complete bullshit.

We absolutely MUST get a respected manager in, who isn’t mates with the team, isn’t being “heavily guided” by Sports Republic to tactics/formations/individual players who should be in the side. TE would be no more than a Sports Republic puppet. My own opinion, but until we bin off Jack Stephens, THB, Flynn Downes who I believe are poisonous to the team harmony, we will get nowhere. Sell them, erase Russel Martin from the team fabric and I believe the team will be all the better for it.

If we end up with TE as manager, and suffer 5 at the back, safety first boring football, with Bazunu in goal, then for me I’m done with it. I’d rather have had Gary o’Neil as manager, despite his blue associations, all day long rather than a nobody who has managed nobody, and will have the respect of nobody in the dressing room.

SR - get this appointment wrong, and you’ll have blown all of the fans patience and goodwill. Even on the Sainsweb site next manager vote TE got 5%. Says it all.

The issue is the underlying player power that certain players clearly have. If you pander to these pussies you are basically selling out on any hope of progressing this season. They need a giant kick up the ass, not an easy life.

Sort it, or ship out. You waste £7 million on a German unknown striker who is of no use whatsoever, that will get you pretty much any manager out there. I believe the issue is your leadership SR, your lack of understanding of the English game, and your pig headed ‘cleverness’ which most fans see as unbelievable smugness.

Ball is in your court….don’t fuck this up please…

This is a good post apart from alleging Jack Stephens "is poisonous to team harmony". The bloke absolutely bleeds red and white these days (see his reaction to the goals v QPR).

Eckert has won two games vs very average opponents, but you only have to look at Sheffield's goal last Saturday to see how muddled the thinking still is. Baz played it short, there were a couple more short passes until we passed ourselves into a tight situation which resulted in Manning (I think it was) hoofing it diagonally upfield where it went straight to the guy who then ran on and scored. it was utter suicidal Russell Martin type moronic garbage. (By the way I see there are two saddoes voting for Martin on here - WTF).

[Farmer Saint]

5 minutes ago, TheAlehouseBrawlers said:

Just out of interest, what does your football agent mate have to say, he seemed to be somewhat in-the-know previously?

Don't speak to him anymore - our wives fell out.

[Farmer Saint]

26 minutes ago, Katalinic said:

"Johannes, before we rubber stamp the appointment and make the offer, can you check that Farmer Saint has signed off on it and is happy?".

Sorry, I didn't realise we weren't allowed to have opinions on here.

Who do you like then?

[coalman]

10 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

This is a good post apart from alleging Jack Stephens "is poisonous to team harmony". The bloke absolutely bleeds red and white these days (see his reaction to the goals v QPR).

Eckert has won two games vs very average opponents, but you only have to look at Sheffield's goal last Saturday to see how muddled the thinking still is. Baz played it short, there were a couple more short passes until we passed ourselves into a tight situation which resulted in Manning (I think it was) hoofing it diagonally upfield where it went straight to the guy who then ran on and scored. it was utter suicidal Russell Martin type moronic garbage. (By the way I see there are two saddoes voting for Martin on here - WTF).

I'd rather see action before the goal than reaction after it. Tired of watching our defence throw their hands in the air blaming each other. I would expect my captain to be telling someone to get rid of it before we committed footballing suicide.

Nice bloke who cares only gets you so far.

[Toussaint]

15 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Don't speak to him anymore - our wives fell out.

Is Charlie still in touch ?

[Farmer Saint]

7 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Is Charlie still in touch ?

Charlie?

[pingpong]

Lots of people with problems, not seeing many (realistic) solutions.

Look at who is out there right now.  If we we are waiting for a corberan or a farke, I think that's ok.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials

 

[East Kent Saint]

27 minutes ago, coalman said:

I'd rather see action before the goal than reaction after it. Tired of watching our defence throw their hands in the air blaming each other. I would expect my captain to be telling someone to get rid of it before we committed footballing suicide.

Nice bloke who cares only gets you so far.

We need defenders who step in take the ball  and move it on , the sort that occasionally get featured on Motd as quietly going about their business without fuss !!

[Give it to Ron]

MLT apparently said last Saturday there were 150 applicants- none better than a 32year old who has managed 2 games then?

With the international break we had the perfect time to bring someone in or did we just keep with the first choice?

SR should stick to running a games room useless and clueless doesn’t do this lot justice. Football is beyond them.

Jones will eat Tonda alive on the touch line!

[Chris cooper]

7 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

MLT apparently said last Saturday there were 150 applicants- none better than a 32year old who has managed 2 games then?

With the international break we had the perfect time to bring someone in or did we just keep with the first choice?

SR should stick to running a games room useless and clueless doesn’t do this lot justice. Football is beyond them.

Jones will eat Tonda alive on the touch line!

Nathan jones will be relishing this one ! Probably practicing infront of mirror as we speak !

[macca155]

10 hours ago, Wade Garrett said:

There are plenty of viable alternatives.

Solskjaer has just been on a podcast virtually whoring himself for the job.  There are plenty of others as well.

Oh stop giving me hope, he's be way better than some of the other names suggested. I can't see him dropping to the Championship though.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I have seen literally no-one mentioned who I would be happy with, so if this this buys us more time then great.

I'm not particularly clear on what he is buying time for, except that if he scrapes a couple of draws all of a sudden he's unbeaten in four and miraculously becomes the only candidate and Spors gets his way. 

For someone who on this thread said he doesn't particularly want him you are very much supporting the route that pretty much guarantees he will get the job permanently.

[Fabrice29]

1 hour ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

This is a good post apart from alleging Jack Stephens "is poisonous to team harmony". The bloke absolutely bleeds red and white these days (see his reaction to the goals v QPR).

Eckert has won two games vs very average opponents, but you only have to look at Sheffield's goal last Saturday to see how muddled the thinking still is. Baz played it short, there were a couple more short passes until we passed ourselves into a tight situation which resulted in Manning (I think it was) hoofing it diagonally upfield where it went straight to the guy who then ran on and scored. it was utter suicidal Russell Martin type moronic garbage. (By the way I see there are two saddoes voting for Martin on here - WTF).

Reminder that declaring suicide football about the only managers who seem to be delivering regular wins for us in this league does make you look pretty silly. 

[CB Fry]

6 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

Which bit of your own words do you need explaining, clever clogs?

This is a thread about our managerial / first team head coach role so "job" pretty much obviously has a singular meaning.

If you can name the EFL club Tonda was first team manager for, we're all fucking ears.

[S-Clarke]

I see the usual small cohort of ''It will be fine, why is everyone up in arms, he's won 2 out of 2'' have come out in their droves this morning.

It's the same cohort who said ''Bazunu is fine for the Championship' and that 'Stephens is fine for us'.

Head in sand and fingers in ears spring to mind.

Edited 3 hours ago by S-Clarke

[Dman]

My heart says I hope they're waiting for Corberan. My head says they're doing all they can to give TE the job. 

The real worrying thing is that, despite it being obvious for at least a month that Still was out of his depth and would need replacing, they have absolutley no contingency planning or candidates lined up. 

Incompetance. 

[Fabrice29]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

I see the usual small cohort of ''It will be fine, why is everyone up in arms, he's won 2 out of 2'' have come out in their droves this morning.

It's the same cohort who said ''Bazunu is fine for the Championship' and that 'Stephens is fine for us'.

Maybe it’s the wait until it actually goes tits up before wetting the bed cohort. Maybe it’ll all be terrible. Maybe it’ll be the easy league to get promoted in for any half decent manager that everyone insisted it will be. Maybe it’s just a mindset choice be hopeful?
 

Let’s find out first shall we? 

[Convict Colony]

10 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

- What is it that they see in Tonda Eckhart that the fans aren’t aware of or don’t see? he is cheap

- Do they plan on giving him sufficient backing? he gets the job thats backing enough

- Will they give him a strong backroom team to support him and manage the players over-inflated egos? Lallana, player coach stephens how much more do you want

- What is the thinking behind giving a man with no first team managerial experience his first shot at management in one of the toughest leagues in the world, when the fan base is divided, the fans and owners are distant, and the team are an absolute shambles? so you agree Tonda is getting the job, good, a united club is a strong club

- Have they taken into consideration that Saints aren’t all that far away from the play offs, a quarter of the way through the season with ninety-three points left to play for, why pick someone with no experience? define experience, if Zidane could go from reserves manager to real madrid manager then its good enough for us

If any reputable journo could ask these questions that would be wonderful. (All TE dependant).

Got the answers for u

Edited 3 hours ago by Convict Colony

[Farmer Saint]

16 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

I'm not particularly clear on what he is buying time for, except that if he scrapes a couple of draws all of a sudden he's unbeaten in four and miraculously becomes the only candidate and Spors gets his way. 

For someone who on this thread said he doesn't particularly want him you are very much supporting the route that pretty much guarantees he will get the job permanently.

I don't see that there are any other even average options around at the moment, and he will only get the job if he performs well - that's how I see it.

[S-Clarke]

Just now, Fabrice29 said:

Maybe it’s the wait until it actually goes tits up before wetting the bed cohort. Maybe it’ll all be terrible. Maybe it’ll be the easy league to get promoted in for any half decent manager that everyone insisted it will be. Maybe it’s just a mindset choice be hopeful?
 

Let’s find out first shall we? 

We've all seen this script before, it's been 3/4 years of this same script. We all know exactly how it will end, so there is no point in waiting. We knew Bazunu would be shit, there was no point in waiting. We knew Stephens would be shit, there was no point in waiting. We know that Eckert is Selles Mark II so there's no point in waiting.

It will end with him maybe stuttering to a couple more wins as we sniff to the edges of the Top 6 and everyone wets their pants, they'll announce him as manager until the end of the season.

Come the end of the season, we'd have fallen off and finished bottom half of the Championship. We are then going to sack him or do whatever with him, and be in the market for a new manager once again. 

At that stage we are a much less attractive proposition. Less money, less competitive as stronger teams will be in the league, and the usual 'no pre-season to plan, as we're looking for a new manager' nonsense.

Now is the time to appoint the manager who can raise the standards and instal the experience this squad needs. Not next year, not in the summer. Now.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

I'd rather see action before the goal than reaction after it. Tired of watching our defence throw their hands in the air blaming each other. I would expect my captain to be telling someone to get rid of it before we committed footballing suicide.

Nice bloke who cares only gets you so far.

I wasn't sticking up for him ability wise just took issue with the word "poisonous" which is just wrong.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

4 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Now is the time to appoint the manager who can raise the standards and instal the experience this squad needs. Not next year, not in the summer. Now.

S-Clarke, your thoughts and analysis of the SR wrecking ball are always spot on...so who would you appoint right now?

There doesn't seem to be a stand out manager available with a) the gravitas and b) the smooth talk to convince SR that they'll be the manager to turn our fortunes around.

[Mr X]

It's Eckhart for rest of the season... Still a gamble in my opinion.... Not convinced they have learnt anything

[Fabrice29]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

We've all seen this script before, it's been 3/4 years of this same script. We all know exactly how it will end, so there is no point in waiting. We knew Bazunu would be shit, there was no point in waiting. We knew Stephens would be shit, there was no point in waiting. We know that Eckert is Selles Mark II so there's no point in waiting.

It will end with him maybe stuttering to a couple more wins as we sniff to the edges of the Top 6 and everyone wets their pants, they'll announce him as manager until the end of the season.

Come the end of the season, we'd have fallen off and finished bottom half of the Championship. We are then going to sack him or do whatever with him, and be in the market for a new manager once again. 

At that stage we are a much less attractive proposition. Less money, less competitive as stronger teams will be in the league, and the usual 'no pre-season to plan, as we're looking for a new manager' nonsense.

Now is the time to appoint the manager who can raise the standards and instal the experience this squad needs. Not next year, not in the summer. Now.

It’s hard to argue with someone who is so clear about what is going to happen. Obviously this is all possible but you’re just getting worked up at a situation that is still only in your head right now 🤣 

6 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Correct mate, but explaining this to the stooge is like trying to have a conversation with plankton 

You definitely can’t go around giving predictions based on your last efforts in this league fella. Humble yourself and pipe down. 

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, pingpong said:

Lots of people with problems, not seeing many (realistic) solutions.

Look at who is out there right now.  If we we are waiting for a corberan or a farke, I think that's ok.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials

 

I'd take Solskjaer over both of those as a 'fit' for Saints, and he is available and apparently interested. 

 

[Wade Garrett]

35 minutes ago, macca155 said:

Oh stop giving me hope, he's be way better than some of the other names suggested. I can't see him dropping to the Championship though.

He explicitly stated that he would drop to the Championship.

[Willo of Whiteley]

If Eckhart is kept on until the end of the season and we don’t get promotion, I’d fully expect the club to sack him. Not ship him back to the U21’s.

Like Selles he’d have got a taste of management and will want to leave anyway.

[Farmer Saint]

20 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I see the usual small cohort of ''It will be fine, why is everyone up in arms, he's won 2 out of 2'' have come out in their droves this morning.

It's the same cohort who said ''Bazunu is fine for the Championship' and that 'Stephens is fine for us'.

Head in sand and fingers in ears spring to mind.

I'm not sure anyone is actually saying TE should have the job permanently - my thoughts are if we haven't had anyone that we think is suitable apply, and we can't find anyone we think will be good, why just appoint any Tom, Dick and Harry when the interim option has won two on the bounce. Keep him on in the interim until we find someone to bring in. If he really starts failing then fine, we'll have to appoint someone who may not be suitable.

What I love is that there has not been one decent, realistic Manager mentioned on this thread, amongst how many posters? SR are utter shite, so if we're struggling, they must be struggling even more.

[Farmer Saint]

23 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

The poster who was shown to be the most stupid over and over with his support of the Martin debarcle calling someone silly.

 

Prefer to have RM over Still or Eckert though...

[DT]

Tick fucking tock.

Think going for the cheap option this time might be the last straw for a lot of fans.

Not sure I can be bothered anymore after over 40 years following the Saints.

There is so much baked in incompetence in the way the club is run, and a toxic atmosphere that looks hard to shift. The fact that appointing the right manager now could help do precisely that, and appears to be ignored by people who think they know how to rewrite football (and come on, we all know Rasmus is one of the key proponents/criminals here) is even more galling. It also reflects the lack of respect the club has for its fan base. They are in the last chance saloon.

[tdmickey3]

1 minute ago, Farmer Saint said:

Prefer to have RM over Still or Eckert though...

All of them were poor SR appointments, so none should have been given the job 

[Farmer Saint]

7 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

I'd take Solskjaer over both of those as a 'fit' for Saints, and he is available and apparently interested. 

 

He's only managed once in the Championship, for Cardiff, and was fucking appalling. He has only managed one side in the last 4 or 5 years, and that ended after 6 months. What makes you think he's a good Manager? The football his sides play is absolutely dire as well.

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, tdmickey3 said:

All of them were poor SR appointments, so none should have been given the job 

RM got us promoted, but was not suitable for the Prem, I'd agree. Far better appointment than Still (with the benefit of hindsight).

[S-Clarke]

13 minutes ago, OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint said:

S-Clarke, your thoughts and analysis of the SR wrecking ball are always spot on...so who would you appoint right now?

There doesn't seem to be a stand out manager available with a) the gravitas and b) the smooth talk to convince SR that they'll be the manager to turn our fortunes around.

I think there are a few options out there.

Vieira is one I've mentioned a few times,  I'd make a big play for him. A former elite-level player who'd bring instant respect, the sort of gravatas that Koeman carried when he came in. I'd have even made a play for him before we got Martin in 2023. 

Not at the same extreme, but Ole is another one who'd gain respect from those around him.

But Viera is the one I'd push for. There are interesting parallels because Eckert was his assistant at Geona and Spors appointed Viera AND Eckert at Genoa.

Edited 2 hours ago by S-Clarke

[BARCELONASAINT]

I've tried to apply a balanced view on our current sad state of affairs and tried to apply some logic to what is going on.

The project that was WS totally backfired for several reasons. He was not what our club badly needed after a horrendous relegation season. It was woefully obvious very quickly he was totally out of his depth and was not a strong enough personality to command the total respect from our bunch of misfits. He was also horribly let down in 3 vital areas of the pitch for me. Not getting in an upgrade on OUR CURRENT KEEPERS, not getting in a commanding frontman and vitally not getting in a seasoned pro to lead the team (only now been addressed with the return of Rom.

Why did they then sack him when they did? Well to be frank it should have been weeks earlier but with 2 very winnable games coming i think the board believed the players irrespective of who was leading them would react and although they were not great games there did appear to be more effort from the players. Personally i don't think this had anything to do with TONDA leading the team. He is doing a fine job with the kids but he like WS is not a big enough character for the 1st team dressing room! As a caretaker manager fine but not in the long term.

Ok so that leaves us with who next and for me that is very much where the problem lies. So MLT states there were well over 100 applications for the job....i bet there were and 99% of them totally unacceptable for running a club aspiring to be a contender for promotion back to the Premiership! If we look at the names most of us have put out there of who WE think could do the job then that list becomes quite small and probably becomes even smaller with some of those managers we would like not being the slightest bit interested in Saints. Do i think they had a replacement in their minds lined up....well yes i think GON was the replacement until our inept board realised the fan outrage by a percentage of the fanbase.

That has left them with a very few candidates currently available to consider (personally there is no one currently available that i think would want to come to Saints and who i think would be a good fit)

I would rather we take our time and get this next appointment spot on than rush to a new permanent manager that we all think "oh my god here we go again"

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

I think there are a few options out there.

Vieira is one I've mentioned a few times,  I'd make a big play for him. A former elite-level player who'd bring instant respect, the sort of gravatas that Koeman carried when he came in. I'd have even made a play for him before we got Martin in 2023. 

Not at the same extreme, but Ole is another one who'd gain respect from those around him.

But Viera is the one I'd push for. There are interesting parallels because Eckert was his assistant and Geona and Spors appointed Viera AND Eckert at Genoa.

What's Vieira done as a Manager to impress you? Reading through it just seems like failure after failure.

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I've tried to apply a balanced view on our current sad state of affairs and tried to apply some logic to what is going on.

The project that was WS totally backfired for several reasons. He was not what our club badly needed after a horrendous relegation season. It was woefully obvious very quickly he was totally out of his depth and was not a strong enough personality to command the total respect from our bunch of misfits. He was also horribly let down in 3 vital areas of the pitch for me. Not getting in an upgrade on OUR CURRENT KEEPERS, not getting in a commanding frontman and vitally not getting in a seasoned pro to lead the team (only now been addressed with the return of Rom.

Why did they then sack him when they did? Well to be frank it should have been weeks earlier but with 2 very winnable games coming i think the board believed the players irrespective of who was leading them would react and although they were not great games there did appear to be more effort from the players. Personally i don't think this had anything to do with TONDA leading the team. He is doing a fine job with the kids but he like WS is not a big enough character for the 1st team dressing room! As a caretaker manager fine but not in the long term.

Ok so that leaves us with who next and for me that is very much where the problem lies. So MLT states there were well over 100 applications for the job....i bet there were and 99% of them totally unacceptable for running a club aspiring to be a contender for promotion back to the Premiership! If we look at the names most of us have put out there of who WE think could do the job then that list becomes quite small and probably becomes even smaller with some of those managers we would like not being the slightest bit interested in Saints. Do i think they had a replacement in their minds lined up....well yes i think GON was the replacement until our inept board realised the fan outrage by a percentage of the fanbase.

That has left them with a very few candidates currently available to consider (personally there is no one currently available that i think would want to come to Saints and who i think would be a good fit)

I would rather we take our time and get this next appointment spot on than rush to a new permanent manager that we all think "oh my god here we go again"

Agree.

[tdmickey3]

9 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

RM got us promoted, but was not suitable for the Prem, I'd agree. Far better appointment than Still (with the benefit of hindsight).

Low bar though

[Zorba]

If SR are struggling to find the right man right now, they should release a statement from the board to the effect of “TE will take control of the first team until a suitable replacement is found, after which time TE will resume his duties with the U21s”.

At least it would show they have a plan and are not just seeing how things pan out.

[Saint NL]

A Norwich supporting acquaintance of mine reckons their ITKs are suggesting Will Still is looking likely for them. 

 

[AlexLaw76]

Will be interesting to see who the other manager-less clubs are about to appoint.

[S-Clarke]

5 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

What's Vieira done as a Manager to impress you? Reading through it just seems like failure after failure.

I thought he did alright at Nice a few years ago, and he wasn't absolutely rancid at palace by any means. He got promotion with Geona last year, but it didn't quite happen in Serie A for whatever reason.

Koeman had some stinkers too - at Valencia if I remember right - but bossed the Dutch League. Everton fans didn't like him though, but they never like anyone. 

I just feel that this squad needs a leader, it needs a focal point at the top who they can 1) respect and 2) trust. Will Still, in my opinion, isn't a bad manager. I just think he was quite weak and he lacked the experience and leadership to steer a fairly broken squad. Put Still into an environment like Coventry and he'd fly. 

Eckert is another kid, he's not even a manager as he's never managed the mens teams. It's not what we need right now. There's a time and a place for these things, but SR seem too thick to actually understand the contexts of situations.