Bruno Lage

[JOSWolf]

In fairness, how would you know this unless you followed every player, for everys team, personal social media no?

Could be right, Golden but we do seem to give our players a heck of a lot of time off in recent times and based on what I am seeing on the pitch, in recent months, they could do with working on things more on the training ground.

 

[JOSWolf]

Do you think there's any chance at all that you just pay more attention to Wolves?

Could be but I do feel we seem to be giving our players a lot of time off in recent months. Maybe I am wrong and most other clubs are the same but unless I am wrong I dont think we have given players this much time off in the past and based on our performances or lack of them in the last couple of months maybe they need more time on the training ground working on set pieces, style of play etc.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I can be 100% certain that It’ll rain in Devon for the last 2 weeks of July, as I’m on holiday.

as for football, not a scooby… other than the mix going into meltdown with every signing by other clubs and apoplexy at our signings (or not signings)*

*delete as appropriate

Re your first sentence can you, if that's true, let me know where you are going and when so that l can avoid the location like the plague lol....

Seriously, l hope that you are badly wrong.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

I know an agent who is very close to wolves and he looks after a lot of wolves players plus a scout who recruits on behalf of wolves and other clubs. The football world is very small, by its nature of people moving around a lot and player recruitment everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business.

I’ve said on here before but it doesn’t fit peoples opinions but Sellars is very well respected in football.

'The football world is very small', 'everybody knows everyone and everyone's business', you say. How did Barry Bennell get away with it for so long then?

 

[Bill McCai]

The next few weeks (week) will tell us we need to know. I would be quite surprised if Bruno is in charge by the end of the month.

 

[VancouverWolf]

The next few weeks (week) will tell us we need to know. I would be quite surprised if Bruno is in charge by the end of the month.

Guess we’ll see. I kinda think that 70% - 30% he’ll still be here.

Why? Because Jeff might see the season as just about acceptable and unless really necessary, he wouldn’t want to make Wolves look unsteady by firing Bruno after only a year.

 

[Bugsy911]

I'd expect we will know by about Tue next week,the way we've imploded the last couple of months I can't see how he stays regardless of league position it's truly been a dreadful slide he hasnt been able to address.

 

[The Wolf In The North]

To me it feels like this year is mirroring last year. Jeff and Fosun get unsettled two-thirds into the season, sound out a potential next manager, players' output falls by a margin, current manager gets demoralised and can't find the "solutions". The cycle will be complete if we hear something over the next couple of days.

I don't blame Jeff, it's professional to have a plan of succession, and no one can say everything is humper-di-doo on the playing side right now, but you do wonder if the struggles of the last couple of months have been because manager and players have known the hook is coming no matter what.

 

[lobodelsur]

Anyway wil leave it there as seriously doubt anyone on here has any idea what's going to happen over the summer.

The summer, no. The next week, here's a timetable;

Sunday - usual drubbing at Anfield
Monday-Wednesday - Shi speaks to senIor players - Coady, Moutinho, Jimenez to guage their opinions about how the season has gone and what the problems have been.
May 26-30 - Shi speaks to Mendes.Decision on whether to stick with Lage or not.
June 1st - Transfer window opens with a manager in place who knows what he wants to do. (Lage or Lopetegui or the guy from Rennes).

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

'The football world is very small', 'everybody knows everyone and everyone's business', you say. How did Barry Bennell get away with it for so long then?

Jesus are you comparing what a sex offender does behind closed doors and agents/football staff talking to each other.

Get help.

 

[Flump]

Contradicted your opinion there because the players have had plenty of holidays allegedly and their performances have been garbage!?

No, I said all along that rest is important for athletes - it's satisfying to get them into training the next day, scream at them (which won't help improve confidence either) and get them doing some hard running - but that's just what idiot managers did in the old days to make themselves feel better.

An example from trainee pilots:

“With respect Sir, what you’re saying is literally for the birds… I’ve screamed at people for badly executed manoeuvres, and by and large the next time they improve. I’ve often praised people warmly for beautifully executed manoeuvres, and the next time they almost always do worse. Don’t tell me that reward works and punishment doesn’t. My experience contradicts it.”

If you land your plane badly (or lose to a crap team) and your flight instructor screams at you, chances are next time your performance will get better. If you land beautifully (or beat a top 6 side) and he praises you, chances are next time your performance will be distinctly average. It will “regress to the mean”. Of course that has nothing to do with the behaviour of your manager / coach / flight instructor. All he has managed to do is **** you off.

Source

 

[DanishWolf]

I know an agent who is very close to wolves and he looks after a lot of wolves players plus a scout who recruits on behalf of wolves and other clubs. The football world is very small, by its nature of people moving around a lot and player recruitment everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business.

I’ve said on here before but it doesn’t fit peoples opinions but Sellars is very well respected in football.

Looking forward to see him working his magic this summer then.....
Seriously though, I dont like the scapegoating on here, and few of us really know how good or bad he is. But I do understand people questioning our recruitment team (including Sellars), based on the unbalance of the squad, and the last few windows.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

To me it feels like this year is mirroring last year. Jeff and Fosun get unsettled two-thirds into the season, sound out a potential next manager, players' output falls by a margin, current manager gets demoralised and can't find the "solutions". The cycle will be complete if we hear something over the next couple of days.

I don't blame Jeff, it's professional to have a plan of succession, and no one can say everything is humper-di-doo on the playing side right now, but you do wonder if the struggles of the last couple of months have been because manager and players have known the hook is coming no matter what.

Fosun and Jeff have a track record of acting in the face of underperformance and have little thought for sentimentality. If you look at their track record, apart from Zenga you could make a case for the manager continuing:
Jackett - had got us up from Division 1, just missed out on playoffs the following year. Very average previous season with disinterested owner. Given a chance, no.
Lambert - came in with team struggling. Ensured survival and even had a sniff of the playoffs before poor end of season form. Bedded in new signings from the summer. Good FA Cup run beating 2 premier sides, including Liverpool at Anfield. Only had one transfer window so was working with what he’d been given.
Nuno - Average 3rd season in Prem with poor footbal. Extenuating circumstances and a track record of promotion, FA Cup semi final, Europa League last 16 and 2 consecutive 7th places finishes, the highest in 40+ years and even the final season was 3rd best for 40 years. Left.

You could make an argument for keeping all of the above managers. A lot of clubs and our previous owners would probably have given them at least one more season.

So for Bruno to remain they will have to do something they’ve not done in 6 years. I simply cannot see anything that justifies keeping him when compared to the other appointments they’ve made. The football hasn’t improved, the results haven’t and we’ve dropped off a cliff performance wise in the last 3 months.

 

[Zico]

The summer, no. The next week, here's a timetable;

Sunday - usual drubbing at Anfield
Monday-Wednesday - Shi speaks to senIor players - Coady, Moutinho, Jimenez to guage their opinions about how the season has gone and what the problems have been.
May 26-30 - Shi speaks to Mendes.Decision on whether to stick with Lage or not.
June 1st - Transfer window opens with a manager in place who knows what he wants to do. (Lage or Lopetegui or the guy from Rennes).

I really don't think Shi will be speaking to the players. And I think any decision about Lage will already have been made. If he's going then he'll be gone by this time next week.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Jesus are you comparing what a sex offender does behind closed doors and agents/football staff talking to each other.

Get help.

Idiotic response. You are deflecting, as usual, when you don't have an answer.

I am challenging your statement that the football world is a very small world in which everyone knows everyone's business. In Bennell's case, this was obviously not true. He was a high profile person abusing junior players for 30 years before it finally came to light. Or do you think everyone in football was ITK about Bennell but decided not to say anything?

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I know an agent who is very close to wolves and he looks after a lot of wolves players plus a scout who recruits on behalf of wolves and other clubs. The football world is very small, by its nature of people moving around a lot and player recruitment everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business.

I’ve said on here before but it doesn’t fit peoples opinions but Sellars is very well respected in football.

My daughter’s work as a football physio so far definitely supports your statement. Having gotten a foot in the door at Aldershot one summer early in her Uni studies, the contacts she made there opened up further opportunities later when doing her Masters, and through them and attending a few conferences, she’s now built up a network covering backroom staff at a good number of PL and EFL clubs, including Wolves, all our Midlands rivals, and many of our PL competitors. It’s not a big industry in terms of numbers of people, and they move around a lot, so it makes sense that networks are dense and pretty healthy.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

My daughter’s work as a football physio so far definitely supports your statement. Having gotten a foot in the door at Aldershot one summer early in her Uni studies, the contacts she made there opened up further opportunities later when doing her Masters, and through them and attending a few conferences, she’s now built up a network covering backroom staff at a good number of PL and EFL clubs, including Wolves, all our Midlands rivals, and many of our PL competitors. It’s not a big industry in terms of numbers of people, and they move around a lot, so it makes sense that networks are dense and pretty healthy.

but are 'dense networks' necessarily always 'healthy'? They can be highly protectionist. In my own line of work I've seen the old boys' (and girls') network be very effective in defending its members from outside criticism. Rewarding incompetence is, as a result, rife. My example of Bennell (deliberately misinterpreted by SBK) is a case in point. It's inconceivable to me that his activities weren't known to or at least strongly suspected by many people within the game. But nobody rocked the boat and he kept on getting high-profile jobs for decades, until some of those he abused got the courage finally to speak up.

 

[WKFWolf]

but are 'dense networks' necessarily always 'healthy'? They can be highly protectionist. In my own line of work I've seen the old boys' (and girls') network be very effective in defending its members from outside criticism. Rewarding incompetence is, as a result, rife. My example of Bennell (deliberately misinterpreted by SBK) is a case in point. It's inconceivable to me that his activities weren't known or at least strongly suspected by many people within the game. But nobody rocked the boat and he kept on getting high-profile jobs for decades, until some of those he abused got the courage finally to speak up.

sorry but incompetence and severe sexual misconduct are not comparable. his name shouldnt even be in the conversation discussing whether Scott Sellars is any good at his job or not.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

sorry but incompetence and severe sexual misconduct are not comparable. his name shouldnt even be in the conversation discussing whether Scott Sellars is any good at his job or not.

I am talking about the tendency of groups with strong internal networks to protect their own, that is all.

 

[Zico]

but are 'dense networks' necessarily always 'healthy'? They can be highly protectionist. In my own line of work I've seen the old boys' (and girls') network be very effective in defending its members from outside criticism. Rewarding incompetence is, as a result, rife. My example of Bennell (deliberately misinterpreted by SBK) is a case in point. It's inconceivable to me that his activities weren't known to or at least strongly suspected by many people within the game. But nobody rocked the boat and he kept on getting high-profile jobs for decades, until some of those he abused got the courage finally to speak up.

Actually, your original mention of Bennell appeared to be refuting the notion that it was a small world, that's how it reads anyway. I don't think that bringing him into this conversation has helped the debate at all.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Actually, your original mention of Bennell appeared to be refuting the notion that it was a small world, that's how it reads anyway. I don't think that bringing him into this conversation has helped the debate at all.

All that the mention of Bennell was intended to do was to refute the claim that everyone in football knows everyone's business. If they do know everyone's business, how did Bennell get away with it? It follows that they don't know everyone's business. But there is a natural tendency to protect your mates, with the result that people who are not up to the job continue to be backed. Forget Bennell, all I am basically saying is that just because X is said to be doing a briliant job, doesn't necessarily mean it is true. It depends on who is saying it (and why).

 

[Flump]

All that the mention of Bennell was intended to do was to refute the claim that everyone in football knows everyone's business. If they do know everyone's business, how did Bennell get away with it? It follows that they don't know everyone's business.

It's perfectly possible that people have an idea about how competent their peers are at work, while not knowing about something like the Bennell crimes, which presumably he tried at least to some extent to keep quiet.

 

[Zico]

All that the mention of Bennell was intended to do was to refute the claim that everyone in football knows everyone's business. If they do know everyone's business, how did Bennell get away with it? It follows that they don't know everyone's business. But there is a natural tendency to protect your mates, with the result that people who are not up to the job continue to be backed. Forget Bennell, all I am basically saying is that just because X is said to be doing a briliant job, doesn't necessarily mean it is true. It depends on who is saying it (and why).

But then you said that it was inconceivable to you that Bennell's actions weren't known or at least suspected by many within the game, so you seem to be contradicting yourself a bit there.

Apart from that, yes of course you have to look at why people are saying things. But at the same time, if it's true that he's well respected amongst his peers then that does count for something.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

It's perfectly possible that people have an idea about how competent their peers are at work, while not knowing about something like the Bennell crimes, which presumably he tried at least to some extent to keep quiet.

That is true, but, speaking from personal experience, there are also often issues of people turning a blind eye. I don't want to side-track this thread any further so I won't elaborate.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Fosun will ultimately decide whether Sellars is doing a good job or not. He’s obviously impressed them so far to get into his current role. If you look at the work he started with the academy that appears to be coming to fruition. Whether he’s doing a good job or not is somewhat dependent on your perspective but ultimately it’s Fosun’s perspective that counts.

We may criticise as fans but we actually don’t know what is going on in the club in terms of discussions and individual decisions that not only shape today but also will be looking into the long term. The role of Director of Football is still evolving in the UK as is the role of coach/manager. The role has existed a lot longer in Europe than in the UK. When it was first mooted in the UK it was dismissed as the manager should have the final say (or in Clough’s case the only say). Our first Director of Football was Thelwell I think and even he took some time to get the role from joining the club. It took the double relegation debacle for Morgan and Moxey to realise they didn’t know what they were doing. From my perspective as a club that is trying to develop young players and bring players from the academy through to the 1st team or into the professional game at a profit then having a DoF who has academy experience makes sense. As a former player he also understands the football intricacies of first team purchases.

Whilst people criticise Sellars for being bad at his job no one says what he should be doing that he isn’t or can’t because of other restrictions/decisions at the club. Also who is the alternative. Just because a DoF works at one club doesn’t mean he works well at another. I believe the fabled DoF at Sevilla went somewhere else, it didn’t work out and he came back.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Idiotic response. You are deflecting, as usual, when you don't have an answer.

I am challenging your statement that the football world is a very small world in which everyone knows everyone's business. In Bennell's case, this was obviously not true. He was a high profile person abusing junior players for 30 years before it finally came to light. Or do you think everyone in football was ITK about Bennell but decided not to say anything?

I imagine Bennell didn’t discuss what he was doing behind closed doors. Not difficult to understand is it? As opposed to a couple of agents or scouts having a chat about what they are involved in.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

I imagine Bennell didn’t discuss what he was doing behind closed doors. Not difficult to understand is it? As opposed to a couple of agents or scouts having a chat about what they are involved in.

Perhaps you should choose your words more carefully then. You jumped in and demanded 'evidence' for my personal opinions, which is clearly impossible for the average fan who is not an insider. Yet, based on your experience/ opinion, you then come out with 'everyone knows everyone's business' in football. But 'everyone' actually turns out not to mean 'everyone'. So don't moan at people if they apply the same standards of truth to what you say as you apply to what they say.

 

[lobodelsur]

I really don't think Shi will be speaking to the players. And I think any decision about Lage will already have been made. If he's going then he'll be gone by this time next week.

IMO its a strange organisation that doesn't seek the opinions of its senior employees from time to time.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

IMO its a strange organisation that doesn't seek the opinions of its senior employees from time to time.

That's how top down authoritarianism works

 

[old wittonian]

My daughter’s work as a football physio so far definitely supports your statement. Having gotten a foot in the door at Aldershot one summer early in her Uni studies, the contacts she made there opened up further opportunities later when doing her Masters, and through them and attending a few conferences, she’s now built up a network covering backroom staff at a good number of PL and EFL clubs, including Wolves, all our Midlands rivals, and many of our PL competitors. It’s not a big industry in terms of numbers of people, and they move around a lot, so it makes sense that networks are dense and pretty healthy.

 

[Zico]

IMO its a strange organisation that doesn't seek the opinions of its senior employees from time to time.

Not convinced that analogy holds really. Football clubs aren't normal organisations. I really can't see the players having any formal input into whether to sack the manager - you think that happens elsewhere?? And going by their previous actions, Fosun will have decided one way or the other by now, and if it's to sack him then they'll know who they have lined up.

 

[lobodelsur]

Not convinced that analogy holds really. Football clubs aren't normal organisations. I really can't see the players having any formal input into whether to sack the manager - you think that happens elsewhere?? And going by their previous actions, Fosun will have decided one way or the other by now, and if it's to sack him then they'll know who they have lined up.

I'm not saying they'll have 'input into whether to sack the manager', merely that any organisation would want to get feedback from 'the coalface' as it were. (I tend to agree tho' that Fosun have probably already decided their position and would only be seeking affirmation that its the right one).

 

[wwbug]

IMO its a strange organisation that doesn't seek the opinions of its senior employees from time to time.

A good organisation will listen, observe and analyse.
I am sure they listen to senior players and then filter.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

All that the mention of Bennell was intended to do was to refute the claim that everyone in football knows everyone's business. If they do know everyone's business, how did Bennell get away with it? It follows that they don't know everyone's business. But there is a natural tendency to protect your mates, with the result that people who are not up to the job continue to be backed. Forget Bennell, all I am basically saying is that just because X is said to be doing a briliant job, doesn't necessarily mean it is true. It depends on who is saying it (and why

Perhaps you should choose your words more carefully then. You jumped in and demanded 'evidence' for my personal opinions, which is clearly impossible for the average fan who is not an insider. Yet, based on your experience/ opinion, you then come out with 'everyone knows everyone's business' in football. But 'everyone' actually turns out not to mean 'everyone'. So don't moan at people if they apply the same standards of truth to what you say as you apply to what they say.

4 bricklayers sat round a table having a beer after work will talk about the job, the money etc. The child molester in the group probably doesn’t chat about what he’s up to. It’s really not hard to understand.

You said Jeff surrounds himself with yes men, That’s a bold opinion I just thought there’d be some kind of evidence to back a bit of that. Or even some theory

 

[Big Saft Kid]

4 bricklayers sat round a table having a beer after work will talk about the job, the money etc. The child molester in the group probably doesn’t chat about what he’s up to. It’s really not hard to understand.

You said Jeff surrounds himself with yes men, That’s a bold opinion I just thought there’d be some kind of evidence to back a bit of that. Or even some theory

He got rid of Dalrymple, he got rid of Nuno, both independent thinkers with their own way of doing things. Don't know enough about Thelwell to judge. Lage strikes me as a weak character who would not stand up to him, so does Sellars. That do ya? Just opinions, the same as yours are just opinions.

 

[S G Wolves]

He got rid of Dalrymple, he got rid of Nuno, both independent thinkers with their own way of doing things. Don't know enough about Thelwell to judge. Lage strikes me as a weak character who would not stand up to him, so does Sellars. That do ya? Just opinions, the same as yours are just opinions.

Dalrymple was an absolute ****.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

4 bricklayers sat round a table having a beer after work will talk about the job, the money etc. The child molester in the group probably doesn’t chat about what he’s up to. It’s really not hard to understand.

You said Jeff surrounds himself with yes men, That’s a bold opinion I just thought there’d be some kind of evidence to back a bit of that. Or even some theory

That joke started well, but you need to work on the punchline.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Dalrymple was an absolute ****.

Evidence?????? To quote SBK

 

[S G Wolves]

Evidence?????? To quote SBK

Really not a nice person. Will leave it at that. Just my opinion

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Really not a nice person. Will leave it at that. Just my opinion

Being 'nice' or not is beside the point. My impression is he was not a 'yes' man.