Eddie Howe

[Gallowgate Toon]

Howe has evidently made mistakes this season, some big & very irritating, but the drop in general standards points to something deeper imo.

 

The club has stated its #1 aim but it feels to me that we have very little idea about how to get there, and the man we brought in to help shape/evolve that has gotten off to about as bad a start as you can get. Whether he was right or wrong, Mitchell talking to the press about players being overpaid for was fucking stupid. Even worse, I'm not sure the hierarchy have any further answers other than Mitchell + maybe a new stadium?

 

There are legitimate complaints about tactics & selections, but we aren't doing the basics consistently well which to me suggests we are currently driven more by individual motivation rather than team motivation - we used to be exceptional at the gritty stuff, a cause worth sacrificing yourself for. We look tired, we have players who look like they know they have a public price and/or that their time with us will soon be up. We have the feel of a squad that knows its reward for doing well is likely going to mean losing a key player(s) anyway without confidence in the man in charge of replacing them.

 

It basically feels like we're not really working towards anything right now, proper rudderless, going-through-the-motions stuff. Another chance at cup glory (ha!) may offer something different...

 

Changing manager could see an upturn in results short-term, but we'd still be left with the some big problems that'd soon rear their head again imo, and we'd have lost a fantastic ambassador for the club along the way.

 

The club's leadership over the last 18 months has been very poor and, worryingly, has gotten worse over that period. They're lucky fans haven't started kicking up more of a fuss, and they're even luckier that Howe has largely spearheaded the public-facing stuff admirably in the face of plenty of adversity.

[The College Dropout]

Eloquently summed up my thoughts @Gallowgate Toon

 

 

[Terrymac1966]

Why is Mitchell getting shit?

[nufcjmc]

1 minute ago, Terrymac1966 said:

Why is Mitchell getting shit?

Lack of action from Mitchell in the summer in either backing the old plan or not coming up with a good alternative and stamping his authority to enforce a new way/direction. 

 

The comments brought up by him privately speaking to the journos after the summer that recruitment so far has not been fit for purpose. Something brought back to the attention of howe recently who just said he didn't know what he meant by that as he likes who we signed. 

[TRon]

4 minutes ago, Terrymac1966 said:

Why is Mitchell getting shit?

 

People are arguing that Eddie wasn't backed enough/was backed too readily.

[Ronaldo]

39 minutes ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Howe has evidently made mistakes this season, some big & very irritating, but the drop in general standards points to something deeper imo.

 

The club has stated its #1 aim but it feels to me that we have very little idea about how to get there, and the man we brought in to help shape/evolve that has gotten off to about as bad a start as you can get. Whether he was right or wrong, Mitchell talking to the press about players being overpaid for was fucking stupid. Even worse, I'm not sure the hierarchy have any further answers other than Mitchell + maybe a new stadium?

 

There are legitimate complaints about tactics & selections, but we aren't doing the basics consistently well which to me suggests we are currently driven more by individual motivation rather than team motivation - we used to be exceptional at the gritty stuff, a cause worth sacrificing yourself for. We look tired, we have players who look like they know they have a public price and/or that their time with us will soon be up. We have the feel of a squad that knows its reward for doing well is likely going to mean losing a key player(s) anyway without confidence in the man in charge of replacing them.

 

It basically feels like we're not really working towards anything right now, proper rudderless, going-through-the-motions stuff. Another chance at cup glory (ha!) may offer something different...

 

Changing manager could see an upturn in results short-term, but we'd still be left with the some big problems that'd soon rear their head again imo, and we'd have lost a fantastic ambassador for the club along the way.

 

The club's leadership over the last 18 months has been very poor and, worryingly, has gotten worse over that period. They're lucky fans haven't started kicking up more of a fuss, and they're even luckier that Howe has largely spearheaded the public-facing stuff admirably in the face of plenty of adversity.

Good post. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 minutes ago, nufcjmc said:

Lack of action from Mitchell in the summer in either backing the old plan or not coming up with a good alternative and stamping his authority to enforce a new way/direction. 

 

The comments brought up by him privately speaking to the journos after the summer that recruitment so far has not been fit for purpose. Something brought back to the attention of howe recently who just said he didn't know what he meant by that as he likes who we signed. 

It’s too early in Michell’s work with us to say anything about how he’s done IMO. The timing of his arrival was unfortunate but he still had the chance to make us a much better club. 

[nufcjmc]

I still want to have hope it somehow clicks 

 

Upturn in performances 

 

Mitchell shrewd business  in the winter window getting a new spark/freshness

 

Stadium plans

 

Maybe God forbid some new sponsors announced 

 

Cup run 

 

However most of it is on Howes first two seasons which due to a whole host of reasons he may never get back to. 

 

How much of this season do you write off to find out is anyone's guess if there was a good standout available candidate maybe it would be an easier choice. 

[TRon]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

It’s too early in Michell’s work with us to say anything about how he’s done IMO. The timing of his arrival was unfortunate but he still had the chance to make us a much better club. 

 

He still HAS the chance tbf. Assuming his reputation wasn't built on Ashworth levels of smoke and mirrors.

[nufcjmc]

2 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

It’s too early in Michell’s work with us to say anything about how he’s done IMO. The timing of his arrival was unfortunate but he still had the chance to make us a much better club. 

I assume it was either an ultimatum from Howe about being backed or a lack of will to make the changes needed as it was bad timing appointment wise with the transfer window. 

 

As you said hard to judge too much at this point but as I say he can't be blameless for the summer he chose to go along with plan "A"

[AyeDubbleYoo]

2 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

He still HAS the chance tbf. Assuming his reputation wasn't built on Ashworth levels of smoke and mirrors.

That’s what I meant, typo. 

[Matt1892]

22 minutes ago, Terrymac1966 said:

Why is Mitchell getting shit?

Because people don’t want to hold Howe responsible for our poor season so far.

[nufcjmc]

When you look at the individual players in the squad and how "good" they can perform how long before we start saying he's lost them? 

I dunno if it's arrogance they feel they have "made it". Did they believe the now seemly lie that with a fully fit squad they now top 7 already? 

 

How he exactly changes the mindset or stops the rot i have no idea. I know some of his favourites may end up finding their starts massively reduced with a new manager coach arriving. It's frustrating when you hear the likes of Gordan and big joe say how well they regard the manager that they are playing their way to his downfall. Although I fear for big joe he's masking a bad shoulder problem all that strapping and him going down and holding it can't be a good thing. 

[DiddyLevine]

Food for thought

 

 

[OverThere]

Yup, looks like we have to start trading to refresh the squad 

[Tonalis Bookie]

the guy who spent 15m on Ibe in 2016 and 13m on lloyd kelly in 2019 and wanted to spend over 30m on calvert lewin in the summer shouldnt be anywhere near the transfer room

[Kid Icarus]

2 minutes ago, Tonalis Bookie said:

the guy who spent 15m on Ibe in 2016 and 13m on lloyd kelly in 2019 and wanted to spend over 30m on calvert lewin in the summer shouldnt be anywhere near the transfer room

 

What about literally every single other signing he's made?  

[Tonalis Bookie]

1 minute ago, Kid Icarus said:

 

What about literally every single other signing he's made?  

 

it fits a narrative to discredit his influence on many 

[wyn davies]

I believe if we stay with Howe , January comes and goes and remain in roughly same situation, minus European competition, was does that tell you about the owners, they take the gamble he can still do it, or they're saving wedge on a compensation package bearing in mind I'm  not sure when his contract is up.

[J7]

We’re not going to do anything in January, let’s be honest. We’d probably need to sell someone from a position of weakness, then overspend. 

[DiddyLevine]

29 minutes ago, wyn davies said:

I believe if we stay with Howe , January comes and goes and remain in roughly same situation, minus European competition, was does that tell you about the owners, they take the gamble he can still do it, or they're saving wedge on a compensation package bearing in mind I'm  not sure when his contract is up.

Tbf Botmans back by then which may solve any defensive issues . Doubt hes getting the push until end of this season . With Eales out whos effectively in charge to make that call anyway ? 

 

[Superior Acuña]

Having hardly spent the last two windows surely we have room to sign players without selling? I don’t understand 

[PauloGeordio]

[Keegans Export]

22 minutes ago, Superior Acuña said:

Having hardly spent the last two windows surely we have room to sign players without selling? I don’t understand 

It's the double-edged sword of amortisation. 

 

We sign Isak for £65m, but only £13m of that goes on the books for that season (assuming a 5 year deal). That's where the whole "sell £20m worth of players and you could spend £100m replacing them because of amortisation!"

 

The downside is that £13m is going to be on the next years books too. And the one after that. And so on.

 

The amortisation of every player we've signed since the takeover is still being taken into account, so even though we haven't spent much, the money we did spend is still affecting our PSR position. 

 

Just Botman, Bruno, Tonali, Isak, Gordon and Barnes is roughly (very roughly) £55m/year plus wages

[Fak]

27 minutes ago, Superior Acuña said:

Having hardly spent the last two windows surely we have room to sign players without selling? I don’t understand 

I think so. But then again did we not buy in the last two windows + desperately flog Anderson & Minted so we could just about break even? I’ve no idea.