The future

[Guest Knightrider]

With Wenger and Arsenal not too far from parting, Fergie on his final furlong and the future of Rafa and Mourinho far from certain regardless of how well they do, with Rafa always likely to head back home at some stage and Jose being Jose a manager who could get just about any job in the world, and Chelsea likewise regarding a new manager, there is an opening for a club to gatecrash that pile and maybe end out on top. Could that be us under Ashley and Big Sam, a manager who I believe to be the 5th best in the country and good enough (if not yet experienced) to challenge the top top managers as one himself?

 

Your thoughts please.

 

PS I'm hoping to get some good material for an uber article I'm planning on this very issue so delve deep into the debate and give me some inspiration

 

Ta

[Dokko]

My thoughts is that's a horrific 1st sentence to read!

 

 

[Northern Monkey]

My thoughts is that's a horrific 1st sentence to read!

 

 

 

Less of a sentence, more of a particularly painful type of linguistic torture. tbh.

[Northern Monkey]

With Wenger and Arsenal not too far from parting, Fergie on his final furlong and the future of Rafa and Mourinho far from certain regardless of how well they do, with Rafa always likely to head back home at some stage and Jose being Jose a manager who could get just about any job in the world, and Chelsea likewise regarding a new manager, there is an opening for a club to gatecrash that pile and maybe end out on top. Could that be us under Ashley and Big Sam, a manager who I believe to be the 5th best in the country and good enough (if not yet experienced) to challenge the top top managers as one himself?

 

Your thoughts please.

 

PS I'm hoping to get some good material for an uber article I'm planning on this very issue so delve deep into the debate and give me some inspiration

 

Ta

 

Firstly, the 5th best thing is very arguable.

 

Secondly, if he's THAT good, more likely FHSA will be snapped up by one of them, rather than lead us to the promised land. 

[Sparks]

I still have question marks about Sam being Ashley's choice to manager us, a bad or even average first season and I am pretty sure Ashley will get rid.

[Guest Knightrider]

Play along people, howay, indulge me. Cunts.

[Northern Monkey]

I still have question marks about Sam being Ashley's choice to manager us, a bad or even average first season and I am pretty sure Ashley will get rid.

 

It is what it is - if thats what happens, we have to trust the owner to bring the right person in.

 

Personally, i agree about FHSA not being first choice - he's done nowt to suggest that he'd be an obvious choice, were he not already in post.

[Mick]

I felt that Allardyce was a good decision by Shepherd, I'm not sure he would be the right choice now that our situation has changed but I'm still more than happy to support him as he's the best we've had since Sir Bobby, my reservations are about his ability to spend money, nobody can really question his ability to get the best out of free transfers or cheap players and I'm slightly concerned about the Quest stuff still being dragged up.

 

I’m still more than happy to see him given a chance as long as he takes us forwards and tries to build the club from top to bottom.

 

I'd like to see 3 more first team players signed before the season kicks off, I want two defenders and somebody to link with the forwards, somebody who can change a game with one pass, a Tevez who I don't expect to get but would love to see here.  We don't have Eorope to offer big players but we should be able to offer Europe the season after.

[Northern Monkey]

I felt that Allardyce was a good decision by Shepherd, I'm not sure he would be the right choice now that our situation has changed but I'm still more than happy to support him as he's the best we've had since Sir Bobby, my reservations are about his ability to spend money, nobody can really question his ability to get the best out of free transfers or cheap players and I'm slightly concerned about the Quest stuff still being dragged up.

 

Im still more than happy to see him given a chance as long as he takes us forwards and tries to build the club from top to bottom.

 

I'd like to see 3 more first team players signed before the season kicks off, I want two defenders and somebody to link with the forwards, somebody who can change a game with one pass, a Tevez who I don't expect to get but would love to see here.  We don't have Eorope to offer big players but we should be able to offer Europe the season after.

 

Not hard, in fairness.

 

Not sure we'll be offering much Euopean football the season after - we need some serious players to even get 7th, if you look at our "squad".

[Mick]

 

 

Not hard, in fairness.

 

Not sure we'll be offering much Euopean football the season after - we need some serious players to even get 7th, if you look at our "squad".

 

I want 3 first team players as well as squad players, I don't want to see Babayaro as first choice and I don't want Ramage as first choice, I think if we get a new left back, centre half and creative midfielder/forward then we're laughing all the way to top 6.  I really think that if we get the three sorted that I've mentioned and squad players in as cover then we'll do well.

 

Given

Nobby (get younger player in to learn and replace Nobby)

Another (quality left back)

Taylor

Another (quality centre half with a good head and a big mouth)

Barton

Milner

Another (creative player)

Viduka

Owen

Nzogbia (new manager/new start, he clearly wasn't playing for Roeder)

[Northern Monkey]

 

 

Not hard, in fairness.

 

Not sure we'll be offering much Euopean football the season after - we need some serious players to even get 7th, if you look at our "squad".

 

I want 3 first team players as well as squad players, I don't want to see Babayaro as first choice and I don't want Ramage as first choice, I think if we get a new left back, centre half and creative midfielder/forward then we're laughing all the way to top 6.  I really think that if we get the three sorted that I've mentioned and squad players in as cover then we'll do well.

 

Given

Nobby (get younger player in to learn and replace Nobby)

Another (quality left back)

Taylor

Another (quality centre half with a good head and a big mouth)

Barton

Milner

Another (creative player)

Viduka

Owen

Nzogbia (new manager/new start, he clearly wasn't playing for Roeder)

 

Is that midfield not going to get us a raping on a regular basis? Not much support for the back four.

 

Problem is, we don't have cover for any of those, and they aren;t going to stay fit all season.

[Mick]

 

Is that midfield not going to get us a raping on a regular basis? Not much support for the back four.

 

Problem is, we don't have cover for any of those, and they aren;t going to stay fit all season.

 

That midfield would be more than good enough against 80% of the teams we'll play against next season.  We really need to get the middle of the defence sorted so that when we are put under pressure we have the confidence to live with it.

 

The squad needs numbers who are capable of doing a job and we also need players who can come in when we're playing teams who are not in the 80% mentioned earlier, when we need to add grit and battle it out.

 

If we are going to invest £250 million over 5 years then we should spend more now then reduce it as time goes on, we shouldn't need to spend as much during year 5 as we do during year 1.

[Shak]

To be fair Mick, the team you've outlined does lack balance in midfield. Barton is not a ball-winner by any means, he's more of a Gerrard style box-to-box player who'll flourish with someone sitting behind him.

[Northern Monkey]

 

Is that midfield not going to get us a raping on a regular basis? Not much support for the back four.

 

Problem is, we don't have cover for any of those, and they aren;t going to stay fit all season.

 

That midfield would be more than good enough against 80% of the teams we'll play against next season.  We really need to get the middle of the defence sorted so that when we are put under pressure we have the confidence to live with it.

 

The squad needs numbers who are capable of doing a job and we also need players who can come in when we're playing teams who are not in the 80% mentioned earlier, when we need to add grit and battle it out.

 

If we are going to invest £250 million over 5 years then we should spend more now then reduce it as time goes on, we shouldn't need to spend as much during year 5 as we do during year 1.

 

Your midfield lacks the ability to stop the other team, in my opinion.

[Mick]

To be fair Mick, the team you've outlined does lack balance in midfield. Barton is not a ball-winner by any means, he's more of a Gerrard style box-to-box player who'll flourish with someone sitting behind him.

 

Two things, first is I've been drinking so have an excuse, second, I'd like to see them push further up so the centre halves would be closer to the midfield.

[Shak]

You still need someone to sit and protect the Back 4 though, regardless of their position on the field.

 

And I've been drinking too in all fairness so that's no excuse!

[Northern Monkey]

To be fair Mick, the team you've outlined does lack balance in midfield. Barton is not a ball-winner by any means, he's more of a Gerrard style box-to-box player who'll flourish with someone sitting behind him.

 

Two things, first is I've been drinking so have an excuse, second, I'd like to see them push further up so the centre halves would be closer to the midfield.

 

They still need protection, Kevin.

[Mick]

 

Your midfield lacks the ability to stop the other team, in my opinion.

 

I agree that the midfield doesn't have a bone cruncher but they can still tackle.  Remember that we'll be playing the mackems, Boro, Wigan, Man City etc, keep those teams under pressure and they'll buckle.

[Mick]

 

They still need protection, Kevin.

 

 

Thanks.

[Northern Monkey]

 

Your midfield lacks the ability to stop the other team, in my opinion.

 

I agree that the midfield doesn't have a bone cruncher but they can still tackle.  Remember that we'll be playing the mackems, Boro, Wigan, Man City etc, keep those teams under pressure and they'll buckle.

 

You know thats not going to work. You don't protect your defence, you get violated.

[Guest posadageordie]

 

Your midfield lacks the ability to stop the other team, in my opinion.

 

I agree that the midfield doesn't have a bone cruncher but they can still tackle.  Remember that we'll be playing the mackems, Boro, Wigan, Man City etc, keep those teams under pressure and they'll buckle.

 

When we played those teams last season (mackems apart) we were utter shite, lost three times, scored 3 goals and bottled it big style.

[buzza]

We have Nicky Butt who was our most consistent player last season and who does this job (holding midfielder/ball winner) quite well and knows how to pass a ball...

Anyway, back to the original proposition:

I think that big Sam was the ONLY viable alternative we had, the only "decent" manager who would come to this club and the only manager who might just have the credentials to take us further. If we look at any other possible candidates we/they fall short on various requisites: Erikkson - A slight upgrade on Roeder TBH, Ranieri - Tinkersville, Ancellotti - ha ha ha, any other english coaches fall short and the best of the bunch is Allardice...

He has obviously done well with very limited resources in the prem and was due to move up a level anyway and this is a good step up for him and also a good reality check for us...who ever thought we were going to pull in Capello, Wenger or Mourinho???

He should be looking to get us into sixth or seventh place this season at least, I don't think Tottenham, blackburn, everton are that far ahead of us???  We should get back into europe this season and look to breaking the top four next season.

With a supposed 40-50 million per season to spend in the first 3-5 years we should be looking to break the strangle hold on the top four.

As for the other clubs:

Man utd - strong and getting stronger. Only need another great striker to partner rooney and they have a "complete" team.

Chelsea- Still strong and important players will have gelled for next year.

Arsenal- If henry goes they are a top six side without a doubt...

Liverpool- Need new wingers and a decent forward line. I reckon Rafa will be gone soon as he is getting frustrated with the yanks.

[BlueStar]

I still have question marks about Sam being Ashley's choice to manager us

 

Well, that's more punctuation than HTT has

[EthiGeordie]

  Very nice things happened to our football club within the past two months. I am excited to be in this situation. However only time will tel if Big Sam takes us to the next level. Having said that he is a good manger and deserve his chance but to be on the par with the top four we need siginficant funds and may be a better manger et. Hiddink.