Yorkie

I dunno about that but it was evidently a bad appointment and one not made via any sensible process. Minor miracle Howe stuck it out, I can think of one previous manager who wouldn't have done.

what an absolute farce that article paints. If it's true then I'm basically just entirely against having a SD at all, if I was ever in favour. Howe has made a mockery of the idea that we need one, much less someone with those apparent character traits. Canny that, for once, we've fallen on the right side of a sliding doors moment, mind you.

This is the root of my skepticism, like. The DoF is still one man, just a different one.

Agree with this. Just get another body in to help with the job of signing players but reduce their scope to set the tone. The big wigs obviously had a vision to implement a DoF/Head Coach structure but the coach they appointed in haste turned out unexpectedly to be the GOAT. For that reason it just doesn't seem necessary and we should ride the wave of the traditional boss performing incredibly well, until it's no longer working. When that time comes, if there needs to be a stopgap managerial appointment to hold the fort until they appoint their corporate visionary, who then picks his man, so be it. We couldn't afford that back in 2021, we needed the maximum amount of competence we could possibly find.

55:18

Was just gonna say, have any of the hacks actually provided any clue as to why he's gone? The assumptions everyone is making seem sound, given the duties of his role, but it could be any reason at this point.

Hopefully you've learned your lesson now.

We can appoint transfer get-them-over-the-liners without them being a TD, surely?

Yeah, it's a bit cake and eat it for me and a symptom of us doing things backwards; i.e. appointing the manager first. Which is why, as @Big River says, we're still in an era where these issues are partially accountable to the Ashley administration. That said, I'm becoming increasingly doubtful about the concept at all. Do the top clubs operate like this? Or do the top clubs have their visionaries (whether you rate them or not) at the coal face, i.e. Pep, Klopp, Howe, Arteta? The DoF 'culture-setter' role seems more applicable to (and more successful at) medium-sized clubs at best, to me. If we're gonna have a Howe then I'd argue we just go all in on the traditional 'manager is the most influential person at the club' structure. It's worked fine so far. Appoint a TD and a head coach together, whenever the time comes.

In the Ashley days I was envious as fuck of teams with Technical Directors and what-have-you because it inferred those clubs had proper strategic direction. It's all a bit of a lie if our experience is anything to go by. Long live the manager.

Basically everyone in the top half bar Liverpool could probably say that. Won as many times as Arsenal and lost more times than Palace. I don't think much sums it up better than that TBH!

It's been an amazing effort. We've had two particularly excellent runs of form - six wins in a row post-Brentford and six wins from seven in March/April - which has given us enough grace to prevent our stumbling finish from derailing us. We basically earned the right to have a sloppy end to the season. Every single point and goal is of maximum importance given the photo finish, but I'd argue that the results of particular significance were, given things like timing and opponent: Southampton (h): always crucial to get off to a good start and particularly to do so in adversity Forest (a): inspiring win at a European rival and key to getting the away day monkey off our backs Forest (h): as above, but the key element here was winning from behind and also clinging on. 'Gonna be our year' vibes Brentford (h): lose this and the season easily fizzles out Chelsea (h): absolutely enormous three points on a day where we really stepped up, preventing our shaky finish from being a disastrous one

Aye maybe. Since he left Leicester I haven't seen Perez at all (but for a few minutes for Spain at the Euros) but it'd hilarious if he came back; all wisened and streetwise with shit-ton of La Liga goals to his name. He's my shout of not Anderson. Bollocks to that weirdo Minteh.

In the last ten years? There's arguments for Wood, Perez, Mitrovic and Merino at least. ASM is finished.

I should've said I meant it would be the current version of the player, so Cabaye would be no use, for instance. If you said Hatem I assume you understood the assignment.

come on

Osula is the one who tends to come top of everyone's 'who couldn't you bear to spend more than five minutes with'-type questions.

Random thought for the day, if not Anderson, which player who's left us in the recent past - say up to ten years - would you have back?

Well the deal in isolation meant we avoided a points deduction and qualified for the CL, so it was a means to an end. However it's definitely absolutely fucking shit that we were forced to sell an academy product that we'd honed into exactly the type of player we needed. For basically no good reason.

Also, where do you reckon Ornstein gets his info? It's obviously agents. Agents who want to drum up interest in their player. This is nowt but smoking-out clubs who'll offer him a more certain and lucrative deal. I'll eat my hat if he's a Newcastle player next season.

Seems pretty obvious to me. Don't see why we'd wait until after the last whistle to say "oh btw Callum we're offering you this." He'll have known and that's why he said his goodbyes yesterday.

Nah, Bruce's first, pre the 'vid. It looked a bit daft cos the stripes went up to the top of the shoulders then stopped abruptly. Also truly has the worst association I can possibly think of. Worse than the Owen kit for me in terms of vibes.

Seeing this name a lot. Does it get mentioned cos he's on a free or is he actually a good fit for us? Genuine q. Based on what Howe is saying it doesn't sound like we need to go to the bargain bin this summer.

We have to, do we? There's no alternative - we have to call the team bottlers. Just seems unnecessary, they deserve plaudits and nothing else imo.