Sacked our former coach Ian Foster as manager after three months in charge. Looked an absolutely bizarre appointment from the get go. They were 7 points clear of relegation when Foster took over and are now 1 clear with 5 consecutive home defeats without even scoring. I'm sure 'brave' appointments like that have worked out in the past but in that position in the championship, to give the job to someone who hasn't been the head coach before (except in Ireland years ago) and who had no experience of Championship football seemed daft at the time.
I suppose though that success is the only real barometer how good a gamble is and Mousinho was even more of a gamble in a lot of ways, although I would at least say that he had a lot of knowledge of the league he was coming into whereas Foster had not been involved in English club football at all in about 8 years. Am I right in thinking he was interviewed for our job too?
It was really only the loan players that got them promoted ( Finn Azez etc), other than that they were very average. They also suffer geographically in that I think it’d be hard for them to attract decent ‘ named’ players. I think they could go down
Won the league a year ago with an incredible 100+ points but could be going down as the runners-up go the other way. A warning for however this season turns out for us, no-one gets carried away.
As with Oxford, a successful side who changes manager are often derailed.
And of course a manager who builds a side on loans can easily be left hanging.As Eisner pointed out; if they are good, they go at Christmas, if they are bad, you are stuck with them.
And finally, no matter how good a U20/U21/U23 is, there is little connection between today's first team football and the younger set ups playing five a side.
D'Aless, you suggested (quote) :
" I'm sure 'brave' appointments like that have worked out."
They certainly have Sir, they certainly have - and all down Frogmore Road !!
Foster's pedigree made him less of a gamble than Schumacher to be fair. But great coaches dont always make great managers and taking over from such a successful predecessor is difficult, especially when they were already showing signs of having peaked.
(03-04-2024, 11:07 AM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]Foster's pedigree made him less of a gamble than Schumacher to be fair. But great coaches dont always make great managers and taking over from such a successful predecessor is difficult, especially when they were already showing signs of having peaked.
Good point.
Taking over from Fergie, or Harry at our level was always going to be an impossible job.
Actually the only team that ever did it well was Liverpool with their promotion from the boot room.
I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
(03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Very much hope we could have all 3 but if Norwich don’t go up we won’t keep Abu. Still, it’s a win for us, as he’s got a decent goal return and tops the assists table.
(03-04-2024, 11:53 AM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Thomas only played three games for us, but he did indeed look good.
The best debut I ever saw from a loan player was Connor Ronan from Wolves. He went downhill after that and I wonder what ever happened to him.
Would/will many Champ clubs come in for Kamara ?
Certainly the young man has done very, very well for us but being totally honest there are still a few bits needed to CONSISTENTLY up his game to Championship level week in- week out.
A lot will depend on how Norwich view him, ( And I have a sneaking suspicion that they may the Prem in the play-off) that said, I still have a view that Mr Eisner may provide a very serious offer.
Also a chance if they went up they might want to loan him out to the Champ for a year...
Brentford and Freiburg are apparently watching him ... if Norwich go up and decide to sell it will be to someone like that for more money & wages that we could offer. Our only hope would be that they go up but decide to keep him for the future and send him out on loan again.
If Norwich don't go up then they will keep him.
Why is this massive? How do I change it back?
(03-04-2024, 11:53 AM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Lane is far better on the right hand side.
(03-04-2024, 12:31 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:53 AM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Thomas only played three games for us, but he did indeed look good.
The best debut I ever saw from a loan player was Connor Ronan from Wolves. He went downhill after that and I wonder what ever happened to him.
Plays for the colorado rapids in the US pub team league.
(03-04-2024, 03:11 PM)Cunninglinguist Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:53 AM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Lane is far better on the right hand side.
Talking of loan players pretty sure we signed Yakubu on loan His home debut was sensational against grimsby and the following game against Derby which we won 6 - 2. I thought we had signed a serious player then. Dont think i saw anyone before or since with his quality.
The Kamara 'replacement' actually probably needs to be a left sided midfielder rather than a right sided midfielder. Lane is a perfectly good replacement on the right unless someone of enormous quality becomes available. There's Whyte as well.
A fit and firing Scully would have been really handy as an option off the bench or rotation lately. We need to nail that position next year. It's only Paddy Lane stepping up and adapting that has stopped that being a problem area.
If Whyte has got over his home sickness and Scully is fit, then one or both should be champ level.
(03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
No one targeted Mckenna last summer and still hasnt up too now. The higher championship clubs tend to go for foreign appointments nowadays!
(03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
I think JM will want to stay.
McKenna had a good pedigree before he joined Plymouth and now with possibly 2 promotions in 2 seasons he’ll be a target for some prem/ foreign clubs. If JM does well next season we could expect the same.
(04-04-2024, 09:02 AM)foxleyblue Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
I think JM will want to stay.
Doubt that he will get Championship offers at present as he has no experience of managing at that level. I hope the Eisners are impressed with him and reward him accordingly. If we are in the top half of the Championship at this point next season then there will surely be interest.
(03-04-2024, 12:31 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:53 AM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ] (03-04-2024, 11:49 AM)Gerry Hatrick Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder who's going to target Mousinho in the summer? I hope Eisner sits down with him in June and makes him an offer he can't refuse (not necessarily involving a horse's head on his pillow).
Next season will be a big step up for him, clearly will get off to a good start like most promoted sides and we do have a big squad to avoid a big dip as tiredness kicks in.
But replacing Kamara will be a huge job.
I know he did not convince everyone early on but has developed faster than just about any young player that I can recall playing for us. The last who stood out as much was a very young M Thomas but he was outstanding from day one.
I would imagine we have every chance of getting Roberson and Anjorin back if we want them for a season at a higher level.
Thomas only played three games for us, but he did indeed look good.
The best debut I ever saw from a loan player was Connor Ronan from Wolves. He went downhill after that and I wonder what ever happened to him.
I remember watching Michael Thomas in Div 2 days on his debut he was outstanding & a cut above every other player on the pitch. George Graham did us a favour due our FB injury problem. He then went on to score the infamous goal to beat Liverpool at Anfield & became a Gunners hero.