The old Chris Hughton discussion thread

[jdckelly]

There isn't a single manager who we could realistically attract who I know would definitely do a great job next season so stability seems like the one advantage CH has over anyone else.

this, we've been chopping and changing managers since sir bob its about time we had the same man leading training at the start of preseason this summer as we had the previous summer (ok not exactly fully in charge then but still imparting the players with his ideals on football) he's done a good job this season of taking the wreckage and group of individuals and one way or another has forged a team and that can't be underestimated, a strong team ethic can make up for a lot of defeciancies in a side and a lack of team ethic can make a group which had talent in it like our relegation side utterly useless

[oldtype]

Kind of ironic how we've gotten to the point where those who don't like hughton can claim to be the "enlightened minority"

[Guest malandro]

Kind of ironic how we've gotten to the point where those who don't like hughton can claim to be the "enlightened minority"

Your words not mine.

[Cajun]

To be fair YOU have been "putting words into others mouths" more than anyone in this thread.

 

From your comment at 1am you are even putting words into your own mouth, you say you prefer to give him credit for this season and wait to see what happens next season but in reality you have gone out of your way to not give him any credit for this season. Another who will claim everything but Hughton has got us to the top of the league.

[Nordstrom]

Hughton plans Toon talks

 

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton is hoping to hold talks over a new deal at St James' Park this summer.

 

Hughton, who took over at Newcastle following Alan Shearer's departure in the wake of their relegation, has just over a year to run on his current deal.

 

The former Republic of Ireland international has done an impressive job this season, leading the Magpies to the verge of promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

 

Hughton, who was initially reluctant to take up the manager's role, is enjoying the job and is ready to pledge his long-term future to the club by signing an extended deal.

 

Settled

 

"I've enjoyed the association I've had with this club and so far it's been a good season for us," Hughton told the Daily Mail.

 

"This is a club I would like to stay at. For the two years I've been here, irrespective of the fact that the end of last season was a difficult time with getting relegated, I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

"At the moment we've got the season to complete and surprisingly it's not a big issue for me.

 

"But I've got a year left on my contract and I'm sure that I'll be speaking with the owners and [managing director] Derek [Llambias] in the summer and we'll see then. It's certainly not a big concern for me."

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6070015,00.html

[macca888]

Wouldn't that mean he was assuming supporters who have doubts about Hughton will be the ones booing if things go wrong? In my experience the boo boys are the ones with unrealistic expectations, the ones whose opinions get blown about by short term events. On that basis it will be the people who are convinced one season proves hes top notch who will be most disappointed if we arent whipping Wigan at home.

 

Thats knee jurk if ever isaw it, and who ever said he was top notch.

Just enjoy it instead of getting your knickers in a twist

The only people getting their knickers in a twist are those who cant accept any opinion that diverges from the partyline. If you choose to swallow all the gumpf thats been written about Hughton this season thats your prerogative. I prefer to give him credit for what hes done this season and wait until hes proven himself in more testing circumstances before getting a stiffy.

You are playng both sides of the fence here, bonny lad. You are prepared to give him credit (wow, this is big of you) but you would actually rather someone else as manager (hopefully Ashley isnt rading your opinions).

 

Facts are this:

 

He took over a depleted squad bewildered by the events of last season,

Had no money to spend last summer.

Worked on a week by week contract, as did Calderwood.

Lost most of his star names, fortunately.

Lost his most influential striker early

Forced to play a kid on his own up front but still got results.

Spent limited funds in January wisely

continued to gain results and top of the league.

gelled his squad together despite difficult periods of losing further influential players, Taylor, Barton, Colo, Enrique, Smith etc

Improved the standard of football especially at hoime as season has gone on.

ONLY LOST FOUR LEAGUE GAMES ALL SEASON

Only lost once in thne last 26 league games.

Despite losing quality defenders, has best defensive record in the division

Has the only unbeaten home record in all divisions

will be promoted with at least 5 games of the season left to play.

Possibly smash 100 points record and 90 goals for season

 

AND YOU GRUDGINGLY DEEM SOME CREDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Mate, you know jackshit about football and would be more suited to ready steady go or whatever those philistines 12 miles down the road are called.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Whatever happens, the man should go down as a legend for what he's done for NUFC, particularly the way he's done it, and the situation that he's done it in. I'll hold my hands up and say I don't think he can cut it in the Premier League, but I sincerely hope that I'm wrong, because he's pulled off something none of us thought was possible at the start of the season.

[9]

Whatever happens, the man should go down as a legend for what he's done for NUFC, particularly the way he's done it, and the situation that he's done it in. I'll hold my hands up and say I don't think he can cut it in the Premier League, but I sincerely hope that I'm wrong, because he's pulled off something none of us thought was possible at the start of the season.

 

Agree with this, hes also got the players giving a shit about the club, seeing the players celebrating at FT on monday was a great sight, compare that to the sight of the players at villa last season ,!! these are players who mostly could get another premiership club without to much hassle that have put in hard work and stuck at it all season, players that could easy have fell apart in the 2 small blips we had but Hughton has clearly kept them motivated to the end.

 

find it funny that people are saying the other teams shitness is the reason for our success, do we really think someone like Hughton could walk into Old Trafford and win the premier league just because he had the best squad?

[Cronky]

Hughton was content to be a coach, so there's always going to be question marks about someone who ends up as a manager due to force of circumstances rather than ambition. But there you are, it's happened, he's made a success of it, and his confidence will only be increased by the experience.

 

I think the players like and respect Hughton, but I'm not sure whether they're sufficiently afraid of him. We'll find out. At the very least, the bloke has earned his chance.

 

 

[Chris_R]

Hughton has done a tremendous job given what he started with, but we did still have a strong squad and I would have been devastated to see us outside the playoffs given the player he inherited.

 

However what's promising for me is how he did in the January window. We all bemoaned the football we played early on in the season, but what choice did Hughton have? He had a terribly unbalanced squad with only one winger and little creativity in the middle. He attempted to address this by signing Pancrate who was about the best available at the time given the window was shut, then when the January window came round he bought Routledge and we've looked far better since then.

 

His other signings have also looked astute, Williamson is looking like a great buy, Simpson is good enough for this division (Though admittedly I don't think he'll cut it next year) and cost next to nothing and Hall has provided good cover when called upon. Best has the biggest question mark over him, but no manager gets it right 100% of the time and also his career is still in its infancy with us so maybe he'll up his game and provide value.

 

If he can continue to identify the weak areas of our team so well and get adequate replacements in, then all's well. He seems switched on, and wants us to play good football, something that his signings and tactics since January seem to be geared towards.

[David28]

Hughton has done a tremendous job given what he started with, but we did still have a strong squad and I would have been devastated to see us outside the playoffs given the player he inherited.

 

However what's promising for me is how he did in the January window. We all bemoaned the football we played early on in the season, but what choice did Hughton have? He had a terribly unbalanced squad with only one winger and little creativity in the middle. He attempted to address this by signing Pancrate who was about the best available at the time given the window was shut, then when the January window came round he bought Routledge and we've looked far better since then.

 

His other signings have also looked astute, Williamson is looking like a great buy, Simpson is good enough for this division (Though admittedly I don't think he'll cut it next year) and cost next to nothing and Hall has provided good cover when called upon. Best has the biggest question mark over him, but no manager gets it right 100% of the time and also his career is still in its infancy with us so maybe he'll up his game and provide value.

 

If he can continue to identify the weak areas of our team so well and get adequate replacements in, then all's well. He seems switched on, and wants us to play good football, something that his signings and tactics since January seem to be geared towards.

 

Agree with that 100%.

And yes, not any manager can get things 100% right. Even the great Sir Alex bought an useless Michael Owen and even "the special one" bought Quaresma who doesn't get many games now.

So I think one bad buy in Leon Best is surely not too bad, considering how many good buys Hughton has done in January.

[midds]

He's made mistakes this season - quite a few of them actually - but at least he appears to be learning from them. I've got no problem with anyone dropping a bollock as long as they don't drop the same one again. Bar Derby away he's got the team more or less spot on. He f***ed up badly at Leicester but he's done well this season on the whole. If he continues to improve then we might be ok. We'll see.  

 

Ironically, Derby away being the one match where he picked a starting XI away from home that 95% of the fans would have went with.

 

Sorry, I meant the result at Derby. I backed him to keep the same side that had just twatted Cardiff. Just worked out to be our only loss since October. Sods law.

[Guest malandro]

Wouldn't that mean he was assuming supporters who have doubts about Hughton will be the ones booing if things go wrong? In my experience the boo boys are the ones with unrealistic expectations, the ones whose opinions get blown about by short term events. On that basis it will be the people who are convinced one season proves he’s top notch who will be most disappointed if we aren’t whipping Wigan at home.

 

Thats knee jurk if ever isaw it, and who ever said he was top notch.

Just enjoy it instead of getting your knickers in a twist

 

The only people getting their knickers in a twist are those who can’t accept any opinion that diverges from the partyline. If you choose to swallow all the gumpf that’s been written about Hughton this season that’s your prerogative. I prefer to give him credit for what he’s done this season and wait until he’s proven himself in more testing circumstances before getting a stiffy.

You are playng both sides of the fence here, bonny lad. You are prepared to give him credit (wow, this is big of you) but you would actually rather someone else as manager (hopefully Ashley isnt rading your opinions).

 

Facts are this:

 

He took over a depleted squad bewildered by the events of last season,

Had no money to spend last summer.

Worked on a week by week contract, as did Calderwood.

Lost most of his star names, fortunately.

Lost his most influential striker early

Forced to play a kid on his own up front but still got results.

Spent limited funds in January wisely

continued to gain results and top of the league.

gelled his squad together despite difficult periods of losing further influential players, Taylor, Barton, Colo, Enrique, Smith etc

Improved the standard of football especially at hoime as season has gone on.

ONLY LOST FOUR LEAGUE GAMES ALL SEASON

Only lost once in thne last 26 league games.

Despite losing quality defenders, has best defensive record in the division

Has the only unbeaten home record in all divisions

will be promoted with at least 5 games of the season left to play.

Possibly smash 100 points record and 90 goals for season

 

AND YOU GRUDGINGLY DEEM SOME CREDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Mate, you know jackshit about football and would be more suited to ready steady go or whatever those philistines 12 miles down the road are called.

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary ‘you’re with us or not’ players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as it’s been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didn’t waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows it’s a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. It’s worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthrie’s best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt they’ll set a new target but when they lose a game it won’t be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling won’t restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. There’s also the issue of bringing in new players – would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this season’s togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we don’t know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, he’s done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

 

[Mick]

Hughton plans Toon talks

 

Newcastle manager Chris Hughton is hoping to hold talks over a new deal at St James' Park this summer.

 

Hughton, who took over at Newcastle following Alan Shearer's departure in the wake of their relegation, has just over a year to run on his current deal.

 

The former Republic of Ireland international has done an impressive job this season, leading the Magpies to the verge of promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

 

Hughton, who was initially reluctant to take up the manager's role, is enjoying the job and is ready to pledge his long-term future to the club by signing an extended deal.

 

Settled

 

"I've enjoyed the association I've had with this club and so far it's been a good season for us," Hughton told the Daily Mail.

 

"This is a club I would like to stay at. For the two years I've been here, irrespective of the fact that the end of last season was a difficult time with getting relegated, I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

"At the moment we've got the season to complete and surprisingly it's not a big issue for me.

 

"But I've got a year left on my contract and I'm sure that I'll be speaking with the owners and [managing director] Derek [Llambias] in the summer and we'll see then. It's certainly not a big concern for me."

 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11678_6070015,00.html

 

I'm not sure that we should extend his contract yet but he should be given the going rate for a Premiership manager if we do go up.

[junkhead]

There isn't a single manager who we could realistically attract who I know would definitely do a great job next season so stability seems like the one advantage CH has over anyone else.

Exactly.

 

And fwiw I have faith in Hughton. He seems to learn from his mistakes (starting 11s/subs). He comes across as a good honest man (unlike that fraud Roeder) and in general I agree with most of his decisions and I'm impressed with his dealings in the market.

 

I have my reservations about how well he handles the squad discipline and the back-room setup seems a bit incomplete to me. Of course I don't know much about our coaches but I feel we could do with a couple more experienced lads in the training ground. Especially somebody who can improve our possessional/attacking play. Despite the great form lately, imo we're not very good on the ball when it comes to retaining possession and general attack build up.

 

[Guest Phil K]

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary ‘you’re with us or not’ players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as it’s been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didn’t waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows it’s a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. It’s worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthrie’s best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt they’ll set a new target but when they lose a game it won’t be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling won’t restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. There’s also the issue of bringing in new players – would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this season’s togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we don’t know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, he’s done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

Interesting post.

Agree with lots and disagree with little.

[johnnypd]

Wouldn't that mean he was assuming supporters who have doubts about Hughton will be the ones booing if things go wrong? In my experience the boo boys are the ones with unrealistic expectations, the ones whose opinions get blown about by short term events. On that basis it will be the people who are convinced one season proves he’s top notch who will be most disappointed if we aren’t whipping Wigan at home.

 

Thats knee jurk if ever isaw it, and who ever said he was top notch.

Just enjoy it instead of getting your knickers in a twist

 

The only people getting their knickers in a twist are those who can’t accept any opinion that diverges from the partyline. If you choose to swallow all the gumpf that’s been written about Hughton this season that’s your prerogative. I prefer to give him credit for what he’s done this season and wait until he’s proven himself in more testing circumstances before getting a stiffy.

You are playng both sides of the fence here, bonny lad. You are prepared to give him credit (wow, this is big of you) but you would actually rather someone else as manager (hopefully Ashley isnt rading your opinions).

 

Facts are this:

 

He took over a depleted squad bewildered by the events of last season,

Had no money to spend last summer.

Worked on a week by week contract, as did Calderwood.

Lost most of his star names, fortunately.

Lost his most influential striker early

Forced to play a kid on his own up front but still got results.

Spent limited funds in January wisely

continued to gain results and top of the league.

gelled his squad together despite difficult periods of losing further influential players, Taylor, Barton, Colo, Enrique, Smith etc

Improved the standard of football especially at hoime as season has gone on.

ONLY LOST FOUR LEAGUE GAMES ALL SEASON

Only lost once in thne last 26 league games.

Despite losing quality defenders, has best defensive record in the division

Has the only unbeaten home record in all divisions

will be promoted with at least 5 games of the season left to play.

Possibly smash 100 points record and 90 goals for season

 

AND YOU GRUDGINGLY DEEM SOME CREDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Mate, you know jackshit about football and would be more suited to ready steady go or whatever those philistines 12 miles down the road are called.

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary ‘you’re with us or not’ players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as it’s been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didn’t waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows it’s a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. It’s worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthrie’s best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt they’ll set a new target but when they lose a game it won’t be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling won’t restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. There’s also the issue of bringing in new players – would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this season’s togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we don’t know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, he’s done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

 

 

good post. i have been fairly impressed with how we've played since the transfer window, though even then it's not completely convincing. against forest we looked second best, possession-wise, for long periods, and had forest been a mid-table premiership side we wouldve found ourselves one, or maybe two, goals down before we'd even scored. of course once we went ahead the superior quality of our side showed through (i can think of one, maybe two forest players who better ours in the same position). but it took that galvanising strike, and their heads dropping, for us to dominate. next season there'll be at least a dozen sides comfortably better than forest, and us, so it'll be interesting to see how we fare.

 

fantastic achievement to get promoted, but the real work starts at the end of the season.

[David28]

Don't think we really lookes 2nd best against Forest tbh. Think we played well in the first half as well as in the second and just the goal was missing. But I think we were better than them.

[Keefaz]

Weren't second best at all, tbh.

[David Icke - Son of God]

Don't think we really lookes 2nd best against Forest tbh. Think we played well in the first half as well as in the second and just the goal was missing. But I think we were better than them.

 

I'd agree with that save for the first 10 minutes in the second half when they came out of the blocks a bit quicker. It took the goal for us to start dominating them in the way we have a lot of teams at home this season but that's not to say we still weren't the better side.

[Mick]

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary youre with us or not players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as its been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didnt waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows its a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. Its worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthries best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt theyll set a new target but when they lose a game it wont be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling wont restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. Theres also the issue of bringing in new players would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this seasons togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we dont know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, hes done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

 

 

I agree with every word in that post.

[johnnypd]

Don't think we really lookes 2nd best against Forest tbh. Think we played well in the first half as well as in the second and just the goal was missing. But I think we were better than them.

 

you're right, second best is probably overstating it. however, i'd say it was equal up until we scored. we both had chances to score and we both fluffed those chances. my point is that had they had better strikers, as pretty much all premiership teams will have, they would've scored before us. play like that against a side next year and we'll find ourselves a goal or two down before shola strikes. and this was, by our standards, a good performance, which emphasises bluntly the degree to which we'll need to improve. i also feel that at times they kept the ball better than us, particularly the opening 15 of the 2nd half. with rose tinted glasses i might say that's because they couldnt break us down effectively and had to pass it around more. of course once we scored we looked like a side a division above them with superior quality in almost every area, overwhelmingly dominant and not giving them a sniff of the ball.

[pedro111]

Im kinda  Hughton lately. Particularly his post match interviews.

 

Lets see if that continues next season...

[macca888]

Wouldn't that mean he was assuming supporters who have doubts about Hughton will be the ones booing if things go wrong? In my experience the boo boys are the ones with unrealistic expectations, the ones whose opinions get blown about by short term events. On that basis it will be the people who are convinced one season proves hes top notch who will be most disappointed if we arent whipping Wigan at home.

 

Thats knee jurk if ever isaw it, and who ever said he was top notch.

Just enjoy it instead of getting your knickers in a twist

 

The only people getting their knickers in a twist are those who cant accept any opinion that diverges from the partyline. If you choose to swallow all the gumpf thats been written about Hughton this season thats your prerogative. I prefer to give him credit for what hes done this season and wait until hes proven himself in more testing circumstances before getting a stiffy.

You are playng both sides of the fence here, bonny lad. You are prepared to give him credit (wow, this is big of you) but you would actually rather someone else as manager (hopefully Ashley isnt rading your opinions).

 

Facts are this:

 

He took over a depleted squad bewildered by the events of last season,

Had no money to spend last summer.

Worked on a week by week contract, as did Calderwood.

Lost most of his star names, fortunately.

Lost his most influential striker early

Forced to play a kid on his own up front but still got results.

Spent limited funds in January wisely

continued to gain results and top of the league.

gelled his squad together despite difficult periods of losing further influential players, Taylor, Barton, Colo, Enrique, Smith etc

Improved the standard of football especially at hoime as season has gone on.

ONLY LOST FOUR LEAGUE GAMES ALL SEASON

Only lost once in thne last 26 league games.

Despite losing quality defenders, has best defensive record in the division

Has the only unbeaten home record in all divisions

will be promoted with at least 5 games of the season left to play.

Possibly smash 100 points record and 90 goals for season

 

AND YOU GRUDGINGLY DEEM SOME CREDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Mate, you know jackshit about football and would be more suited to ready steady go or whatever those philistines 12 miles down the road are called.

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary youre with us or not players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as its been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didnt waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows its a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. Its worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthries best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt theyll set a new target but when they lose a game it wont be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling wont restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. Theres also the issue of bringing in new players would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this seasons togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we dont know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, hes done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

 

[/quote) Much of what you say about so called player power is absolute nonsense and heresay. Yes, you are probably right that there is a group of players who form a committee in motivation as well as many other facets of playing for the club, including tickets on matchdays, organiosing social turns etc etc etc. If you read Roy Keanes biography, you will see it happens at Manchester United as well as most other clubs.

 

This is not to say that the players pick the team. What is happening at NUFC now is no different to what was happening several years ago under SBR with the likes of Shearer, Given, Speed etc dealing with certain matters as detailed above.

 

The Orient event was well documented in the papers but do you believe everything you read? Are you saying the players themselves sorted the problems out? Absoluite rubbish. You seem to be basiing much of your opinion on the fact the Hughton is a mild mannered man, not subject to rants and ravings like many of his predessors in the job. It has been stated on several occasions by many players at the club this season, and in particular by Nolan, Smith and Harper, even young Ranger, that Hughton has a temper on him and uses it when it matters.

 

As for the squad at the beginning of the season, just a reminder that the club lost Owen, Viduka, Martins, Beye, Edgar and several others without replacing them. Many people, including yourself, have been happy to slate the likes of Butt, Nolan, Smith and Ameobi on here, but this is what we were left with and on;y the likes of Lovenkrands coming in without a pre season behind him. The squad was thin, so thin that for the majority of the first few games, Ranger led the line and we had the likes of Lua Lua, Donaldson, Tozer and Vukic on the bench. Several of these kids actually played. So, yes, we had the strongest squad in the division, didnt we? Stronger than WBA for example!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

 

You might want to cast your mind back also to the injuries suffered by the likes of Colo, Taylor, Barton etc, further reducing the strength of the squad. Admittedly, we got Harewood and Khiz in but do you really believe they enhanced the quality?

 

Furthermore, credit should be given to Hughton and Ashley for spending money on the 6 players they brought in when money was clearly tight. This has been the undoing of Forest. If they had done something similar, they might well be closer to us.

 

Furthermore, do you honestly think a group of 4 would select the team and at the same time, keep total harmony throughout the club? It would be total anarchy and I cannot see Ashley or Hughton standing for it.

 

I am a coach myself and have run many teams. There is nothing wrong with having trusted lieutenants out on the park, motivating and ensuring players perform to their best. Part of our problem last year was that we had an inept captain in Michael Owen and very few others stepped up to the plate. This year, we seem to have a hell of a lot of leaders out there, all answering the call to alms and leading by example. If we had this last year, we might not have got relegated.

 

Oh, and getting back to my original point of squad strength, didnt we also lose Duff on transfer deadline day after he scored the equaliser at WBA and failed to replace him too.

 

 

[TheGuv]

If you accept we probably started season with the best squad in the division then the key task at hand was to motivate them. Now as an unremarkable pre-season programme drew to an end the highly motivated and well organised team that Hughton was managing went to Leyton Orient, and got thrashed 6-1. This prompted the now legendary ‘you’re with us or not’ players meeting, where it would seem a group of senior players (Nolan, Butt and Smith?) decided to take matters into their own hands. We know this to be true as it’s been put forward as the catalyst for the superb team spirit by the players themselves on numerous occasions.

 

Hughton can take credit for going with the flow, perhaps even spotting when he was onto a good thing and creating an environment where the players resolve didn’t waiver when we hit a long losing streak. However, anyone who knows jackshit about football knows it’s a very thin line between the players having a healthy input and the losing control. It’s worked this season and Hughton can take credit for this. He can also take credit for buying a right winger and moving Guthrie inside, as we all thought Guthrie’s best position was wide right and having two plodders in central midfield was the best thing since sliced bread did we not?

 

Next season will be a totally different proposition. The players will think that wrongs have been righted, that they are back where they belong. The motivational spur they had this season will be gone. No doubt they’ll set a new target but when they lose a game it won’t be as easy to bounce back. Confidence will be eroded and taking the lads ten pin bowling won’t restore it. Hughton will have to motivate players who motivated themselves this season, he might be up to the job or he might not. There’s also the issue of bringing in new players – would he, for example, have the balls to replace Nolan and Smith, and will this season’s togetherness remain if two of its main protagonists find themselves out of the team for long stretches.

 

Hughton has succeeded this season by being a pragmatist, which is obviously his natural way of doing things. What we don’t know is to what extent he shaped events and to what extent he was led by them. As I keep saying, he’s done enough to lead us into next season but question marks remain.  

 

 

I agree with every word in that post.

 

Aye. He has done a great job this season and he deserves everything that comes his way, but if things start to go wrong how will people inevitably deal with it...