It's exciting, innit?

This is why, in the end, I felt like he had to go and why I don't think Sormaz should go (yet).

 

I hope you are right but suspect you are wrong. How many of those would get in Stendel’s team or Hecky’s?

 

There are no parallels with Wilson.

Disagree on earl and MDG. Played half a season together last year and kept one clean sheet
Disagree on O'Keeffe, he's babba
Disagree on Humphreys, he even admits he's having to learn how to be a striker
Dkd I agree is a good player but he's not a striker and the club gave Clarke him as a striker.
Connell, massively overrated. Can be good can be bad.
Russell has never been consistently good under any manager

 

Think this has been Russell's most consistent time with us. Not exactly set the world on fire, but he's looked a decent L1 midfielder. Still think there is more to come, if he could believe in himself a little more.

 

First job after playing.
Promoted when team struggling.
Young.
Midfielder.
Known for being tough and a good captain.

There's f.cking loads.

 

They've both got eyes too and arms. I didn't realise the parallels stretched to "they're both young" when every manager we have is young

 

You can disagree that it means anything - because you're probably right - but you can't say there's not a sniff of similarity between their careers and style. its nice to dream, innit?

 

I agree. I think he's improved considerably under Clarke but that goes against the narrative .

I'd actually argue that O'Keeffe has also improved under him and gone from ***** to babba. Same goes for earl and MDG, atrocious to awful

 

But if you go through that list there’s no formation you can fit the majority of them into without playing players out of position & that’s a massive problem for whoever’s in charge.

 

Russell played well last season.

We were a better side with Russell, Kane & Phillips as the midfield 3 than we were later in the season when Connell came back & replaced him.

The big issue with Russell last season was that he mainly seemed to play well away from home.

 

Mccarthy O'Keefe and Humphrys.is stretching it.

 

But that's happening already because we haven't scored direct from a free kick all season or sumat. So expectation is already at its lowest.

 

I'd disagree it's at it's lowest. And its going to vary from person to person anyway.

We're just going to have to see how it pans out. He might get more structure into them, a bit more drive, a bit more clarity. Or he might not. He'll still be bound by parameters Clarke had, but they shouldn't bite til summer. And you never know, maybe behind the scenes we're learning from the multitude of mistakes. It's yet to be displayed, but you never know.

 

Still same shíte Sporting Director running the show though....

 

I understand the negativity towards Sormaz, and a good deal of it I concur with, but his remit must come directly from the owners/Parekh.

Surely even we can't appoint someone with no experience of a sporting director role, throw them in at the deep end and with no guidance, ask them to create our playing style, formations, player and coach profiles.

As I've said multiple times, he's done a very poor job creating a style, hiring coaches and recruiting players, but... He should be operating under the guidance from above.

 

I get that Andy. We are on the same page mostly. I just think any manager that values his career needs to take stock of the criteria laid down by the club. Which is governed by the high press etc. The players chosen on analytics. And not up to that type of role.
I cannot understand how an ex player like Hourianne would want to risk his further development at our club. I'd have thought he'd want to instil most of his ideas, and have the players chosen via recommendations. Not a spreadsheet.

 

Yes.

The best position for CH should be that HIS ideas align with the clubs, or the club are willing to let him loose with a coach-led philosophy.

 

It is, I'll give you that. I think it's because I don't really see the link between good player and good manager in general and I dont trust the owners a lot so think it's been a bit of a stitch up so it means that I've got no sense of excitement or anything. Really happy for people who are such as yourself but I just don't really get it myself. Obviously hope he wins every game

 

I think a lot of the enthusiasm for Hourihane left with the episode around him coming back as a player but not playing & then retiring.

I’m sure I’ll get giddy if he starts winning games but not excited yet.