I just can't see a side just relegated from the Premier League, who'll be desperate to go straight back up, will take a gamble on a manager with no managerial experience above the 3rd tier. Had he not played for them for 300+ games, you'd not even put the two together.
Yeah, he's got one league 1 season under his belt. They'll have aspirations of going back up, as well as parachute money. They'll go for someone with experience at that level who's out of work. Someone in the ilk of Tony Mowbray.
Not a chance Burnley will go for Duff. They want to try and get back to the Premier League as quickly as possible before parachute payments run out. They won't see a guy so far down the leagues as one to go for. It's people thinking they will want him because he played for them. Just like our own fanbase who keep bringing up Warnock and McCarthy for us.
Int that exactly what Watford just did? I agree Burnley will probably be after someone with more pedigree, but it isn't that far fetched.
Nothing has changed my opinion that Michael Duff is our best bet for first team coach - successful league one experience; clear preferred formation, but adaptable to counter opposition; good at bringing on younger players; recruited well by permanent and loan system; trusted by higher level clubs with their loanees; relates well to players and gets the best out of them; fits our salary scale, even if we have to pay some compensation, which is unlikely to be much. Ainsworth might now be willing to consider, but he is also being linked with the likes of QPR, so that will probably need to be settled first. Duff every time for me. Not likely to change this opinion, but I wish they'd get a wiggle on. Maybe Duff wants just to weigh up other options, such as Burnley. If he is waiting for an interview there, I can understand the delay, but I don't think that, even if they interview him, he would get the job in any case, so let's hope this one tumbles our way and let's hope we do the honourable thing and offer attractive money, rather than lose out and have to option our seventh choice, or something, and then say, 'he was always our top choice!' Hmmm! I hope that those days are over because the worker is worth the wage.
Burnley will hit freefall in my opinion. Loss of revenue to start with. £65million loan to be repaid. An abundance of players in their squad aged 30+ with no re-sale value. Apart from Nike Pope and Maxwell Cornet they have no other saleable assets.
Unfortunately for them, I think you're right. Wouldn't be surprised if they're in League One in 3 or 4 years. Pope and Cornet might cover most of the loan, dependent on who's interested. Can see Tottenham moving for Pope as Lloris is past his best.
Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil will probably recoup a bit as well. Transfermarkt reckons those four are worth £65.7m all together.
I reckon they'll stick with Michael Jackson. This season has been bad, but he's confident they're starting something and if they all have an honest conversation with the man in the mirror they can beat it next year.
Mark Hughes anyone? Talking to some City mates yesterday, they respect him for openly admitting that he took the job only to get himself back in the shop window. They respect him more though for getting them playing attractive, on-the-floor football. Results might not have been superb, but they weren't before, and they had failed appointments and dross football to get out of their system. Sound familiar?
