Eddie Howe

[elbee909]

Next up - Keegan was too nice, and Dalglish wasn't nice enough.

[OverThere]

Sourness definitely wasn't nice and he was shite

[elbee909]

Observation, i.e. noticing 'something', doesn't equal insight. But we see it all the time after things don't go swimmingly and it's really just guesswork.

 

'Oh, Howe seems nice, maybe that's the problem'.

 

No. Next?

[Infatuation Junkie]

Too nice.

 

No manager is too nice when forcing the players to train 5/6 days a week and be at the training ground before 6am. 
 

Rough was the 80s approach. It doesn’t work any more

[TheBrownBottle]

4 hours ago, OverThere said:

Sourness definitely wasn't nice and he was shite

Yep.  The reason given for Souness’s appointment was literally that he wasn’t ‘too nice’.  That he’d ‘put a rocket up them’.  He was a ‘winner’.

 

It’s boring middle-aged dad patter.  It can fuck off. 

[TheBrownBottle]

I can’t remember which football book I read it in, but there was a quote in it which asked ‘how do you discipline a bunch of millionaires?’   I think it’s a perfect question for the modern game - and I doubt that hairdryers work unless there is complete buy-in for a manager who has a long and proven track record (and even then I doubt it’s efficacy). 

[Guest]

In the long run, the last two months will probably turn out to be a good thing. It's highlighted a few weaknesses, shown who the players are who are top level and which ones were performing above themselves. 

 

I'd be very surprised if we don't sign 4-5 quality first-team players over the next 2 windows to add to the likes of Pope, Botman, Trippier, Bruno and Isak. The likes of Burn, Almiron, Schar, Willock, Longstaff etc will all be important to the squad but shouldn't really be starting 30 plus league games each from next season. Might still be 1-2 of those if certain positions aren't available in the summer but we're going to get there eventually.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Optimistic Nut

[r0cafella]

20 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

In the long run, the last two months will probably turn out to be a good thing. It's highlighted a few weaknesses, shown who the players are who are top level and which ones were performing above themselves. 

 

I'd be very surprised if we don't sign 4-5 quality first-team players over the next 2 windows to add to the likes of Pope, Botman, Trippier, Bruno and Isak. The likes of Burn, Almiron, Schar, Willock, Longstaff etc will all be important to the squad but shouldn't really be starting 30 plus league games each from next season. Might still be 1-2 of those if certain positions aren't available in the summer but we're going to get there eventually.

 

 

 

This is what I anticipate as well. This summer should be really interesting as we are building grim a better base than last summer with hopefully more commercial revenue to help us Invest with even more ambition. 

[STM]

The only thing I will say on the "too nice" debate, is that I don't think Dubravka should have walked back in as second choice. Sometimes managers should lay down the law, even if Dubravka is genuinely our second best keeper. Its a out setting a precedent.

 

Apart from that Howe looks tough enough to me. Binned off Fraser quick enough.

[ExiledGeordie]

29 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

In the long run, the last two months will probably turn out to be a good thing. It's highlighted a few weaknesses, shown who the players are who are top level and which ones were performing above themselves. 

 

I'd be very surprised if we don't sign 4-5 quality first-team players over the next 2 windows to add to the likes of Pope, Botman, Trippier, Bruno and Isak. The likes of Burn, Almiron, Schar, Willock, Longstaff etc will all be important to the squad but shouldn't really be starting 30 plus league games each from next season. Might still be 1-2 of those if certain positions aren't available in the summer but we're going to get there eventually.

 

 

 

Totally agree, recent months and the cup final show how much we’re still lacking quality and depth. Summer will be a big squad change imo, loads of dead wood out clearing the wage bill and genuine quality brought in. There could and probably should be at least 3 new potential starters at the start of next season imo (LB, number 6 type player, new winger off the top of my head as a starter). I wonder if there’s further change in the striking department too.
 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by ExiledGeordie

[The Prophet]

Aye, he's ruthless without being a cunt about it. Clark, Lascelles and Ritchie were eased out of the first team at the earliest opportunity, while the latter two who are apparently big voices in the dressing room were still made to feel they were playing their part. 

[Guest]

We've probably needed a spell like this just to manage our expectations a bit. 2022 was literally up and up. From 19th to 3rd and the brink of Wembley. A little spell like this (where we're still in a really strong position to rally for 4th) isn't the worst thing. We're still not playing particularly badly, just lacking in a few areas. 

[The College Dropout]

Aye we've had a year of straight progress. I was hoping we could ride that wave to a top 4 position then put together a team that could maintain it.

 

It looks like now we'll probably miss out on top 4, maybe Europe all together. But have a better understanding of this squad's level and areas for improvement. Also gives Howe an opportunity to show other sides of his management and coaching. 

[Yorkie]

59 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

We've probably needed a spell like this just to manage our expectations a bit. 2022 was literally up and up. From 19th to 3rd and the brink of Wembley. A little spell like this (where we're still in a really strong position to rally for 4th) isn't the worst thing. We're still not playing particularly badly, just lacking in a few areas. 

 

Agree with that. Plus every negative result only drives the desire for a positive one. I require this visceral reaction to sustain my nearly dead soul.

[Interpolic]

"Too nice" is a meaningless cliche uttered by men with very red faces who are obsessed with Jeremy Clarkson.

 

It isn't even remotely accurate or relevant with Howe:

 

- There are no disciplinary issues in our squad

- He has us playing smartly re game management etc

- He's refusing to back down when challenged on our "antics"

 

Yes he seems a nice bloke and is respectful towards other managers etc but I see no evidence whatsoever of his demeanour affecting us adversely.  It's a pathetic and ungrateful comment to make actually, given what Howe's already done for us.  Hopefully it's not one of those things that gets picked up by more and more thick fucks, and becomes accepted as fact.

[Andymc1]

Just a quick one RE: Mr Nice Guy. It's a load of tripe. Heard from the horses mouth recently that he is a lot different away from the cameras, and this "PE teacher" thing couldn't be further away from reality.

[80]

People said similar things about Bobby Robson. Getting rid of him worked brilliantly. People making supposed niceness their key criticism deserve Souness.

[TRon]

1 hour ago, The Prophet said:

Aye, he's ruthless without being a cunt about it. Clark, Lascelles and Ritchie were eased out of the first team at the earliest opportunity, while the latter two who are apparently big voices in the dressing room were still made to feel they were playing their part. 

 

Also came probably as close to criticising the players publicly as he has done after the final when he said we made good opportunities but weren't clinical enough to take them. It's more or less an admission that we aren't good enough, something he emphasised again afterwards when he said it will be a long process to get us to where we want to be as a club.

 

He's never going to slag anyone off individually, it's just not what he's about, but there's a burning desire to win in there. Some fans are just too thick to see past the surface.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

I do feel our toe-to-toe approach with Liverpool and Man United wasn't the best way to go about things. Hindsight is 20/20 but we don't have the players to compete as equals. We've lost those games 4-0.  

It's fine to have a manager who is committed to having the team play in a certain way but until our players match up we're likely to be exposed. I don't know, certainly in terms of the final feel like a more pragmatic approach might have been the way to go. 

[Lush Vlad]

8 minutes ago, Shays Given Tim Flowers said:

I do feel our toe-to-toe approach with Liverpool and Man United wasn't the best way to go about things. Hindsight is 20/20 but we don't have the players to compete as equals. We've lost those games 4-0.  

It's fine to have a manager who is committed to having the team play in a certain way but until our players match up we're likely to be exposed. I don't know, certainly in terms of the final feel like a more pragmatic approach might have been the way to go. 

 

Liverpool we were perhaps a bit gung ho and loose at the back.  Which resulted in them scoring and also contributed to the red card for Pope.  But I don't think we played like we played this game anything like we did against Man U in the league, or say City earlier in the season.  They were much more games where it felt like we tried to go 'toe to toe' with big teams.  

 

The high press and really ballsy call of leaving 4-5 players pushed up in the opposition half doesn't seem to be as consistent now.  It feels if anything, like we are having a mini identity crisis and are stuck between two different styles.  We're certainly not pressing or at least doing it effectively as we were earlier in the season.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Lush Vlad

[OverThere]

2 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

 

Liverpool we were perhaps a bit gung ho and loose at the back.  Which resulted in them scoring and also contributed to the red card for Pope.  But I don't think we played like we played this game anything like we did against Man U in the league, or say City earlier in the season.  They were much more games where it felt like we tried to go 'toe to toe' with big teams.  

 

The high press and really ballsy call of leaving 4-5 players pushed up in the opposition half doesn't seem to be as consistent now.  It feels if anything, like we are having a mini identity crisis and are stuck between two different styles.  We're certainly not pressing or at least doing it effectively as we were earlier in the season.

 

 

 

I don't think we can play that tactic with ASM in the team so a decision has to be made one way or another 

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

3 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

 

Liverpool we were perhaps a bit gung ho and loose at the back.  Which resulted in them scoring and also contributed to the red card for Pope.  But I don't think we played like we played this game anything like we did against Man U in the league, or say City earlier in the season.  They were much more games where it felt like we tried to go 'toe to toe' with big teams.  

 

The high press and really ballsy call of leaving 4-5 players pushed up in the opposition half doesn't seem to be as consistent now.  It feels if anything, like we are having a mini identity crisis and are stuck between two different styles.  We're certainly not pressing or at least doing it effectively as we were earlier in the season.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps it's an issue with my use of 'toe to toe'. The games you refer to were certainly more open but we still felt very much front foot first on Sunday but with perhaps less potency both in terms of our press and also our play in the final third. I would have liked to have kept the game tighter for the first half and a lot more awkward for the first 20. I feel like we had the run of the game but without the quality to hurt, in a one off game we'd have been better off trying to counter. 

[Groundhog63]

We've got some ungrateful, entitled cunts in our ranks and make no mistake. 

From the 1st week of the takeover and sad sacks wanting the whole squad replaced with galacticos by Xmas to clueless fucks questioning Howe this week. 

Hope most people enjoyed the cup final and, hopefully, a return of trips to Europe next season because when it becomes the norm the novelty will soon wear off. 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Groundhog63

[Lush Vlad]

3 hours ago, OverThere said:

I don't think we can play that tactic with ASM in the team so a decision has to be made one way or another 

Yet we did earlier in the season when he started and to a lesser degree, a bit last season. 

[KaKa]

What I find so funny about this 'nice guy' bollocks is that most of the angry shouty managers are the worst managers! It's such a stupid, dumb trope man. Really annoys me.