Would we be in the same situation had Allardyce still been here?

[Mick]

 

It was a lot easier to do that last time though. After the first 2 years, it wasn't really hard to pursuade people to come here surely? Liverpool & Arsenal were going through periods of transition, Chelsea were sh*t, and apart from Man Utd & Blackburn, no-one had more money than us. Now though, there's an elite 3 or 4, and also 4 or 5 clubs just behind that, who have better sides, and the same financial clout as us.

 

Bobby did a good job turning the club around, Keegan can do the same again.

[Guest]

 

It was a lot easier to do that last time though. After the first 2 years, it wasn't really hard to pursuade people to come here surely? Liverpool & Arsenal were going through periods of transition, Chelsea were sh*t, and apart from Man Utd & Blackburn, no-one had more money than us. Now though, there's an elite 3 or 4, and also 4 or 5 clubs just behind that, who have better sides, and the same financial clout as us.

 

Bobby did a good job turning the club around, Keegan can do the same again.

 

Two signings was all it took to take us from mid-table to top-four though, the foundations had been laid by the previous managers' signings (Given, Dabizas, Solano, Speed, Shearer, Dyer, etc). It'll take a lot more than that this time, and personal opinion is, I don't think Keegan has it in him anymore.

[Robster]

I think we'd have been in a similar position had we kept Allardyce, yes.

 

I don't think we'd have been in a similar position had we appointed Deschamps...or for that matter, Redknapp. Not necessarily because he's a better manager, but because I think he'd have had ready made targets and signed them in January.

 

I'd probably go along with that, Keegan had a massive handicap as he'd had no plans for any club, get through to the summer and I think that will change big time.

 

Thing is though Mick, 12-15 years ago Keegan was a huge draw. Players in their early 20s (look at Martins, said he hadn't heard of him), won't be drawn to him now I fear.

 

The amount of press we have had since he arrived..... everyone who didnt already know him, certainly must know now.

 

And do you think they'll be convinced to come and play for him?

 

If they meet him yes. No one can sell this club like KK, or maybe SBR, can

 

It was a lot easier to do that last time though. After the first 2 years, it wasn't really hard to pursuade people to come here surely? Liverpool & Arsenal were going through periods of transition, Chelsea were sh*t, and apart from Man Utd & Blackburn, no-one had more money than us. Now though, there's an elite 3 or 4, and also 4 or 5 clubs just behind that, who have better sides, and the same financial clout as us.

 

Oh of course I agree but I think Kevin is capable or attracting the likes of David Bentley here (maybe not next season but that type of player who cant get a game at the top 4... maybe Walcott).

Whoever the personnel may be, I have 100% confidence that Kevin can replace the current shite with a squad of players who will at least have us challenging the UEFA Cup places again

[Lotus]

Not sure tbh. Possibly a little better. I expect KK will do better though next season.

 

Just to be contreversial, i think Redknapp would have done better than KK has upto now. Purely because he'd have bought someone, Diarra for a start.

[garth]

Nope. We would have got a couple of players in in the window and be floating round 12th.

 

We would have picked up points at Boro/Bolton and a draw against Villa and Blackburn.

 

 

Great reply Wullie, good to see you countered my post with solid debate. Jesus wept.

 

How can you offer solid debate to the idea of a point at Villa Park, given his shambolic away record up to then?

 

So what, one point difference? We still would have strengthened in the window, and be about 7 points up on where we are, putting us about 12th.

 

When he was sacked I laughed, when Keegan appointed I cried.

 

We missed the boat here lads.

 

Why would the board give money to a manager they didnt want ? Since Allardyce was sacked hes came out and said he didnt get as much money as he wanted so on so on.

 

I cant believe so many people voted no here, the man took apart an average team and made it shambolic, and if he was still here it would have continued to be shambolic. Arsenal would have put more past us, bolton at home would have been suicidal instead of mind numbingly boring. we wouldnt have even threatened blackburn

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

[Wullie]

Nope. We would have got a couple of players in in the window and be floating round 12th.

 

We would have picked up points at Boro/Bolton and a draw against Villa and Blackburn.

 

 

Great reply Wullie, good to see you countered my post with solid debate. Jesus wept.

 

How can you offer solid debate to the idea of a point at Villa Park, given his shambolic away record up to then?

 

So what, one point difference? We still would have strengthened in the window, and be about 7 points up on where we are, putting us about 12th.

 

When he was sacked I laughed, when Keegan appointed I cried.

 

We missed the boat here lads.

 

Why would the board give money to a manager they didnt want ? Since Allardyce was sacked hes came out and said he didnt get as much money as he wanted so on so on.

 

I cant believe so many people voted no here, the man took apart an average team and made it shambolic, and if he was still here it would have continued to be shambolic. Arsenal would have put more past us, bolton at home would have been suicidal instead of mind numbingly boring. we wouldnt have even threatened blackburn

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

 

They did back him.

[Karjala]

Yes.

[Mick]

 

Two signings was all it took to take us from mid-table to top-four though, the foundations had been laid by the previous managers' signings (Given, Dabizas, Solano, Speed, Shearer, Dyer, etc). It'll take a lot more than that this time, and personal opinion is, I don't think Keegan has it in him anymore.

 

We're not within two signings changing us to that extent, four and we could be in business.  Two central midfielders, a right winger and a goal scoring replacement for Owen.

[garth]

Nope. We would have got a couple of players in in the window and be floating round 12th.

 

We would have picked up points at Boro/Bolton and a draw against Villa and Blackburn.

 

 

Great reply Wullie, good to see you countered my post with solid debate. Jesus wept.

 

How can you offer solid debate to the idea of a point at Villa Park, given his shambolic away record up to then?

 

So what, one point difference? We still would have strengthened in the window, and be about 7 points up on where we are, putting us about 12th.

 

When he was sacked I laughed, when Keegan appointed I cried.

 

We missed the boat here lads.

 

Why would the board give money to a manager they didnt want ? Since Allardyce was sacked hes came out and said he didnt get as much money as he wanted so on so on.

 

I cant believe so many people voted no here, the man took apart an average team and made it shambolic, and if he was still here it would have continued to be shambolic. Arsenal would have put more past us, bolton at home would have been suicidal instead of mind numbingly boring. we wouldnt have even threatened blackburn

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

 

They did back him.

 

Not as much as they should have done.

[Wullie]

Nope. We would have got a couple of players in in the window and be floating round 12th.

 

We would have picked up points at Boro/Bolton and a draw against Villa and Blackburn.

 

 

Great reply Wullie, good to see you countered my post with solid debate. Jesus wept.

 

How can you offer solid debate to the idea of a point at Villa Park, given his shambolic away record up to then?

 

So what, one point difference? We still would have strengthened in the window, and be about 7 points up on where we are, putting us about 12th.

 

When he was sacked I laughed, when Keegan appointed I cried.

 

We missed the boat here lads.

 

Why would the board give money to a manager they didnt want ? Since Allardyce was sacked hes came out and said he didnt get as much money as he wanted so on so on.

 

I cant believe so many people voted no here, the man took apart an average team and made it shambolic, and if he was still here it would have continued to be shambolic. Arsenal would have put more past us, bolton at home would have been suicidal instead of mind numbingly boring. we wouldnt have even threatened blackburn

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

 

They did back him.

 

Not as much as they should have done.

 

Aye, I wish we'd had another couple of Alan Smiths for £6m apiece.

[jimmymag]

I'm convinced Allardyce would have got us relegated. The players had lost faith in him and the owner wasn't going to give him any money to buy in January.

 

Keegan has got his work cut out to motivate the group of players he's inherited to keep us up though, but if anyone can do it I believe Keegan's the man.

 

We've got 3 cup finals at St James' against the other relegation candidates and I'm convinced that, with the crowd playing a major role, we can get at least 7 points from those 3 games, and I think we'll nick a couple of points away from home which will be enough to avoid relegation.

[Mick]

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

 

They would have been rightly slaughtered if they'd sacked Allardyce before a ball was kicked.

[Mick]

I'm convinced Allardyce would have got us relegated. The players had lost faith in him and the owner wasn't going to give him any money to buy in January.

 

Keegan has got his work cut out to motivate the group of players he's inherited to keep us up though, but if anyone can do it I believe Keegan's the man.

 

We've got 3 cup finals at St James' against the other relegation candidates and I'm convinced that, with the crowd playing a major role, we can get at least 7 points from those 3 games, and I think we'll nick a couple of points away from home which will be enough to avoid relegation.

 

If we get a win in our next two games we should see a different team, they need confidence and they need it soon.

[jimmymag]

I'm convinced Allardyce would have got us relegated. The players had lost faith in him and the owner wasn't going to give him any money to buy in January.

 

Keegan has got his work cut out to motivate the group of players he's inherited to keep us up though, but if anyone can do it I believe Keegan's the man.

 

We've got 3 cup finals at St James' against the other relegation candidates and I'm convinced that, with the crowd playing a major role, we can get at least 7 points from those 3 games, and I think we'll nick a couple of points away from home which will be enough to avoid relegation.

 

If we get a win in our next two games we should see a different team, they need confidence and they need it soon.

 

I agree, the Fulham game is huge. We should know our fate after the Reading game. If we haven't secured at least 4 points from those 2 games it'll be looking very bleak indeed.

[Mick]

 

I agree, the Fulham game is huge. We should know our fate after the Reading game. If we haven't secured at least 4 points from those 2 games it'll be looking very bleak indeed.

 

If Keegan drops certain players I think we could get something at Birmingham, I'd like to see him drop 3 players from today and leave Barton out.

[The College Dropout]

 

It was a lot easier to do that last time though. After the first 2 years, it wasn't really hard to pursuade people to come here surely? Liverpool & Arsenal were going through periods of transition, Chelsea were sh*t, and apart from Man Utd & Blackburn, no-one had more money than us. Now though, there's an elite 3 or 4, and also 4 or 5 clubs just behind that, who have better sides, and the same financial clout as us.

 

Bobby did a good job turning the club around, Keegan can do the same again.

 

Two signings was all it took to take us from mid-table to top-four though, the foundations had been laid by the previous managers' signings (Given, Dabizas, Solano, Speed, Shearer, Dyer, etc). It'll take a lot more than that this time, and personal opinion is, I don't think Keegan has it in him anymore.

 

Totally agree. You had a solid goalkeeper,a lethal finisher and 3 good midfielders with different attributes.

 

Nobby, Speed, Dyer & Shearer are far better players than Charles, Barton, Milner & Owen/Oba.

 

We do not have a decent team.

 

 

[Mick]

 

Totally agree. You had a solid goalkeeper,a lethal finisher and 3 good midfielders with different attributes.

 

Nobby, Speed, Dyer & Shearer are far better players than Charles, Barton, Milner & Owen/Oba.

 

We do not have a decent team.

 

 

 

The team Bobby took over finished 13th, 13th, 11th and 11th before the two players came in, we weren't a good team.

[Guest]

 

Totally agree. You had a solid goalkeeper,a lethal finisher and 3 good midfielders with different attributes.

 

Nobby, Speed, Dyer & Shearer are far better players than Charles, Barton, Milner & Owen/Oba.

 

We do not have a decent team.

 

 

 

The team Bobby took over finished 13th, 13th, 11th and 11th before the two players came in, we weren't a good team.

 

Robson was a good tactical manager though, and signing Robert & Bellamy allowed him to get the best out of what he had. I don't think Keegan is good enough to find two players, and then get the rest performing the way Robson did those two seasons.

[Mick]

 

Robson was a good tactical manager though, and signing Robert & Bellamy allowed him to get the best out of what he had. I don't think Keegan is good enough to find two players, and then get the rest performing the way Robson did those two seasons.

 

I don't think Robson could turn this team around with two new players, I think it will take 4 quality players to make a difference.

[Guest]

Robson also took over Newcastle in a situation far worse than what Keegan came back to second time around, and yet for 2/3s of a season, made Pistone look a player, turned a journeyman Gallacher into a key player for us, and got us churning out results (I remember a 0-0 at Arsenal where we had Karelse in goal, Marcelino, Dumas & Pistone as part of a back five). Can you see Keegan doing that?

[garth]

Nope. We would have got a couple of players in in the window and be floating round 12th.

 

We would have picked up points at Boro/Bolton and a draw against Villa and Blackburn.

 

 

Great reply Wullie, good to see you countered my post with solid debate. Jesus wept.

 

How can you offer solid debate to the idea of a point at Villa Park, given his shambolic away record up to then?

 

So what, one point difference? We still would have strengthened in the window, and be about 7 points up on where we are, putting us about 12th.

 

When he was sacked I laughed, when Keegan appointed I cried.

 

We missed the boat here lads.

 

Why would the board give money to a manager they didnt want ? Since Allardyce was sacked hes came out and said he didnt get as much money as he wanted so on so on.

 

I cant believe so many people voted no here, the man took apart an average team and made it shambolic, and if he was still here it would have continued to be shambolic. Arsenal would have put more past us, bolton at home would have been suicidal instead of mind numbingly boring. we wouldnt have even threatened blackburn

 

For the simple fact he wasn't their appointment, which was bit stupid, either they should have backed him in the beginning or sacked him there and then.

 

They did back him.

 

Not as much as they should have done.

 

Aye, I wish we'd had another couple of Alan Smiths for £6m apiece.

 

True! but not every Manager gets his signings right, not even the the great Wenger and Ferguson, they all buy some duds from time to time and personally think that Smith wasn't his first choice. 

[Mick]

Robson also took over Newcastle in a situation far worse than what Keegan came back to second time around, and yet for 2/3s of a season, made Pistone look a player, turned a journeyman Gallacher into a key player for us, and got us churning out results (I remember a 0-0 at Arsenal where we had Karelse in goal, Marcelino, Dumas & Pistone as part of a back five). Can you see Keegan doing that?

 

I didn't think Marcelino, Dumas and Pistone were that bad when they wanted to play, I hated Marcelino with a passion but only because of the way he went on, not because of the way he played, when he could be bothered.  I'm not sure I can really try and compare the two sets of players after so long but I do know we've got some dross in our team now, as we did back them.  It could be argued that Robson took over a better team when you look at who he had up front when fit.

[Ericz]

Everybody has so many what-ifs?

 

What if Allardyce is still around?

 

What if Keegan is given 2 players, can he turn the side into a top 4 side?

 

What if this? What if that?....

 

~Period.. things that never happen, we will never know what will eventually happen if it goes the other way or not. What's the point of going through all these?

 

 

Can Keegan mould the side into a top 4 side? Is Keegan like Bobby?

 

Oh please, only time will tell... If he's not, do you have the ability to sack him? No. Who will believe your words in the first place? + If your analysis is so accurate, there's no longer the need for you to work.

 

The point is just get behind the team and support them... only time will tell really.

 

 

 

Regards,

Ericz

 

[Wullie]

True! but not every Manager gets his signings right, not even the the great Wenger and Ferguson, they all buy some duds from time to time and personally think that Smith wasn't his first choice. 

 

Speculation based on nowt. Please don't compare Allardyce to Fergie and Wenger, it doesn't help your point. His signings as a whole have been a disaster.

[garth]

True! but not every Manager gets his signings right, not even the the great Wenger and Ferguson, they all buy some duds from time to time and personally think that Smith wasn't his first choice. 

 

Speculation based on nowt. Please don't compare Allardyce to Fergie and Wenger, it doesn't help your point. His signings as a whole have been a disaster.

 

Point I'm making is that, every Manager gets some of his signings wrong and I certainly wouldn't be presumptuous saying Sam is better than those two.