Emotic

If Jones being "promised" a senior role in the club is stopping a good manager from signing up, surely the solution is "Naw, mate, Eddie doesn't rate you soz" - rather than go looking around for a new manager?

Paulo Fonseca's agent has indicated that Fonseca has done his homework on the asteroid's trajectory and is "keen" to manage the asteroid.

Our new Director of Football?

Multiple trophy winners Fonseca and Favre are jobless. Multiple trophy winner Jardim is in charge of a Saudi Arabian club. And the club's management is really going for Eddie Howe?

Rafa faces Antonio Conte's Spurs this weekend. Will totally save everyone's blushes if he got sacked and we took him on next week.

Wonder why we've not signed a Director of Football? Cue a Rafa-Emery Spanish Dream Team for us by next week!

Good luck to him if he thinks he's gonna get that with Levy in charge.

Great post. In addition, the new owners have engaged in a bitter fight over the better part of 18 months with a cabal of PL Clubs which were determined to block their acquisition of the club at very step. They have succeeded and have given every indication that they are in it for the long haul - to build the club back up, and to do it correctly, with the right personnel, for the long-term. Otherwise, they would've just given up at the first rebuffal last year and bought Inter Milan instead. Pride means a great deal in the Middle East and now they're in it, they won't back out easily. Building for the long-term, with the right personnel from the get-go - after being caught off-guard by the eventual speed of the acquisition - is not something that will happen overnight. I'd rather they be conscientious and get the team they feel will best suit the long-term plans of the club and in so doing interview the best candidates out there and convince them that the future is bright here. It isn't easy for a club in the North East and left in a shambolic state by the previous regime. We've been patient with Mike Ashley and suffered false dawns for 14 years. I'm willing to wait for the new owners to do their business. It isn't easy, and it's only been three weeks. Be patient and everything will be all right in the end.

It's not about the loss of money for them - it's the loss of reputation, "face" and that everyone would be laughing at them. They won't allow relegation for that reason, if you ask me.

I remember the lovely quote from Bobby about how Mourinho advised him too, something like "Mister, mister, he has no knees". Edit: Was "“Mister, he plays like a 40-year-old. He can not run any more. He will not play for me in important matches again." But really cute to see Mou refer to Bobby as "Mister".

FYP

More like a re-enactment, but accurate just the same.

"Some silverware" One piece of silverware will already immediately make him a legend. I'd love to see him back, and show what he can do with proper backing. I just wonder if the values of today's football fans will afford him the patience.

It's been said before by others, but Rafa has built a small legacy here and most of us remember him fondly and his efforts to keep us competitive in the face of Ashley's dicking around. It'd be horrific if he were to return and then go on a horrific run when our expectations are now so high. Doesn't bear thinking about. In that context, a fresh start would probably be the best for all involved. I'm not even certain how his trademark, deliberate, slow buildup style will sit with the fans now. Given that the other names linked have all been managers who favour a more "entertaining" attack-and-press style, his name in fact appears to be the one that doesn't fit into that mold.

Now he just sounds like a Swiss Wenger and I don’t want him any more

Isn’t Favre the King of overperforming xGs though? Or am I mistaking him for someone else? If there’s anything this squad needs, its someone who can coach and drill an approach that gets results more than the sum of it’s parts. I appreciate that real life isn’t FM though.

The Italian press has regularly "linked" Gattuso to the Newcastle manager job since Rafa left. It all appears to have come from thin air, mind. As life they were willing it to happen just to troll us.

If the reports of interest in Fonseca/Favre/Overmars are to be believed, it's at least clear that the management hierarchy are focused on building a fast, young, attacking side; playing to a "system"; and identifying and cultivating lesser-known names to maximum potential. That alone excites me more than, say, bringing in Antonio Conte and surrounding him with current superstars. The number of relative unknown kids and South Americans that Shaktar and Dortmund have turned into worldies during Fonseca and Favre's times in charge there is unreal.

If Everton's bad run continues next weekend, this week's "suprise name" will be supplanted by the "surprise surprise name" next week when Rafa comes under intense pressure.

Paul Scholes, he sucks his daughter’s toes….

Amorim from Sporting has a 20 to 30 million euro release clause too.

Mick Mac sacked at Cardiff....Bruceball to the rescue!

If the owners are advised well, they'd be savvy to the footballing "philosophies" they'd want to pursue - and then look for the DoF and manager who'd work in synergy in accordance to these philosophies. Say, Rafa as a manager and Rangnick as a DoF may work because they are both smart, meticulous students of the game - but their styles aren't really aligned.

Are there any other strong rumours that Lampard is seriously in the running or did I actually read three pages of people freaking out because of an article by Luke Edwards FFS. The guy is just trolling now that his Daddy Bruce is gone.

So would I, but what does Mikel Arteta think?