POLL - Bruno Lage: Stick or Twist

[MasWolf]

It’s not a strange argument at all. He hasn’t got the players to play his preferred way, well boo boo!!! He’s got what he’s got and should be able to work with it. He did okay to get us up to 8th not playing his preferred way and then things went tits-up.
…and Hwang, just wtf??!?!??

That's an even worse argument. It's like giving a top chef the worst ingredients. Sure they can make the meal edible, but it won't be their best effort. It's the same principle here. We're nowhere near relgation and in fact closer to Europe. It would be madness to get rid of him.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

He hasn't had a chance to make his own team yet, the majority are from Nuno's time. Give him a good summer window and let's see where we are just before January next season.

You want to trust a guy that's been **** half the time he's been here to build a team, that in his other job ruined, to then mostly relegate us if it all back fires?

 

[Bugsy911]

That's an even worse argument. It's like giving a top chef the worst ingredients. Sure they can make the meal edible, but it won't be their best effort. It's the same principle here. We're nowhere near relgation and in fact closer to Europe. It would be madness to get rid of him.

I'd go the total opposite and say it's madness keeping him , I've seen some of the worst starting 11 and subs by any manager in my time watching us , bizarre to the point they make us worse and look like the games lost before we even kick a ball.

 

[Bossworld]

I’m not usually one for sacking a manager (other than Solbakken) but I don’t see how next season will be any better under Lage.

The team needs a refresh, I don’t know whether he (or A N Other) would be backed in the market to let that happen.

Next season’s PL will be tougher, with better sides coming up to replace those that have gone down. I think we’ll be looking over our shoulders

 

[Writer Wolf]

I don't have faith in his abilities here at Wolves. I could be wrong of course, and with different players, he could do well, but I'd rather we found someone else before spending a lot of money. We need a big change this summer, from top to bottom, and I think he and the board structure above him need to be changed for the better.

 

[Contrarian]

Klopp finished 8th with Liverpool in his first season there. Didn't even qualify for Europe. . With infinite more resources than a club ours has. Exactly the same performance would have mamny here wanting him out as "the worst manager ever".

Many are always pointing out that Fabio "will come good" because Kane/Lewandoski/Ronaldo etc didn't have any better record at his age. So you have to give him time. Why couldn't the same apply to managers?

This and last season, the evidence is staring us in the face, with these same players, you will get the same results.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

There's no doubting he wasn't fully backed, but we have no money, so nobody will be backed.

Whilst that's a valid excuse for Bruno, the reality is that over an 18-game period we have shown relegation form. Just because he hasn't been backed, this team should not be near the relegation zone and as the past few months have shown, if Jose Sa isn't exceptional for the first 20-25 games, we could've gone down.

Neves, Moutinho, Podence, Neto, Jimenez, Semedo, Jonny, Kilman, Sa, Dendoncker, Ait-Nouri - those lot should not be showing relegation form over half a season.

When you take out Neves, when you see Moutinho is a year older, then you have to have real worries that this group won't improve under Lage. Why would they? All the trends are negative, so it's not like it's bad luck either.

On the basis we could actually go down under him next season I think you have to make a change.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

A poll where all three answers are true!

 

[Oldskooldayz]

Something has gone wrong since February, our form has been awful and if we take that into next season then I fear the worst. If there's someone available willing to come in AND the club have faith in him and are prepared to back him then I'd say its for the best

 

[Nivada]

I think I know your opinion.

 

[MasWolf]

You want to trust a guy that's been **** half the time he's been here to build a team, that in his other job ruined, to then mostly relegate us if it all back fires?

No, I don't trust the players. Let's be honest, in Nuno's final season they were ****, so why did we expect them to be any better under another manager. It's the players, not Bruno who need to change.

 

[MasWolf]

I'd go the total opposite and say it's madness keeping him , I've seen some of the worst starting 11 and subs by any manager in my time watching us , bizarre to the point they make us worse and look like the games lost before we even kick a ball.

Whilst I agree about the subs being strange, Nuno was exactly the same with them. Also, this team was rubbish last year. It's the players that need changing.

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

Get rid. He’ll relegate us next season IMO.

 

[Rednal Wolf]

Get rid. He’ll relegate us next season IMO.

Along with Shi Sellars and signings like Hwang. Decisions like Traore and Trincoa must be looked at.
Talk now of a 10 million keeper fronm America ?
Things need to change massively in many departments .

 

[Mustafa_WWFC]

look what happened at Benfica. he started well and then form completly fell of a cliff. the last 3 months have been relegation form with no sign of anything changing.

 

[old wittonian]

Lage is on circa 2 to 3m a year, one of the lowest paid in the premier league. Think he was 17th worst paid manager. The club have a seriously difficult decision to make. Get rid and pay circa 4 mil in compensation and get in a higher qualified manager to oversee the refresh or, stick and entrust him in moulding a new team with most likely 100m to 120m spent this summer. I dont for one second think he has a choice who he is given, but he has to make it work. The first half of the season uplift i suspect was down to having a different voice, but, that impact has now gone. The squad needs overhauling, and i just dont think he has the influence needed to take this team on to the next level.

On the flipside, getting in someone like lopetegui is also unlikely as shi et al will want to bring in their own players, and lopetegui will want his own players so there would be an immediate conflict.

That's an even worse argument. It's like giving a top chef the worst ingredients. Sure they can make the meal edible, but it won't be their best effort. It's the same principle here. We're nowhere near relgation and in fact closer to Europe. It would be madness to get rid of him.

They won't like that on here. Wash your mouth out.

 

[MasWolf]

They won't like that on here. Wash your mouth out.

I'm starting to find that out, mate!

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

While i have some sympathy with Bruno as far as backing is concerned i voted to get rid
The last few months results,performances and general demeanour of some of the players,plus some weird subs have lead me to this conclusion
We have the players to be much better than how we finished the season,especially games like Newcastle, Burnley, Norwich,Palace etc
The players have to take their criticism also,some very poor body language and attitude in certain games,we can accept drop in form it happens, but not lack of effort,which we saw in many games toward the end
The buck stops at the top unfortunately and if someone like Lopetegui is available, and wants to come here i say do it and do it now

 

[top fox wolf]

Something has gone wrong since February, our form has been awful and if we take that into next season then I fear the worst. If there's someone available willing to come in AND the club have faith in him and are prepared to back him then I'd say its for the best

What's gone wrong that he lost the dressing room and the respect of senior players the training pitch bust up was the final straw when you lose the respect of your players your toast and I'm still hearing he will be .guys Bruno is no more than a average coach we do need better who ever that is big pre season coming up with a new manager new players and please god a manager with a attacking policy .

Whilst I agree about the subs being strange, Nuno was exactly the same with them. Also, this team was rubbish last year. It's the players that need changing.

 

[Fenrir_]

That's an even worse argument. It's like giving a top chef the worst ingredients. Sure they can make the meal edible, but it won't be their best effort. It's the same principle here. We're nowhere near relgation and in fact closer to Europe. It would be madness to get rid of him.

Problem is our ingredients are decent, we've just got Baldrick as the chef

 

[Roffeywolf]

He needs a season with his players not Nuno's. He'd like to play 442 but realised the current squad is probably better at 343. No surprise he's found the same problem as Nuno, Lack of goals from Midfield and the forwards.

 

[Ned]

The fact that he's been given next to no backing is what is making me lean towards keeping him although I wouldn't be hugely gutted if we did get rid. I would say he just about deserves to have a real go at it next season.

 

[Sketchead]

Uninspiring, poor body language, players not giving their all and clearly not as united as a 'pack' as they once were. And we've been awful at playing football for at least three months.

I would remove and replace tbh.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

The fact that he's been given next to no backing is what is making me lean towards keeping him although I wouldn't be hugely gutted if we did get rid. I would say he just about deserves to have a real go at it next season.

Whether he got backing or not he didn’t make the most of the ingredients he had. Things seemed to go pear shaped the more players he got back from injury. When we had a limited squad we had our best points return. When he had choices he invariably chose the wrong one, even when it’s obvious to others. By the way if Hwang is the answer the question is irrelevant and wrong.

He didn’t seem to learn from either his success of failures. We played abysmally vs Norwich 3 times. We lose to Norwich badly in the cup but then repeat the performance vs Palace, Brighton and Norwich again! That’s not a coach on top of their game. We put in a fantastic display vs Man City at the Etihad and lose by a dodgy penalty, he then decides to play an open game at Molineux playing a young wide forward at Wing Back who’s never played there, then drops him for next game even though he was MOM. A decent coach would have recognised the slide we were on and put a pragmatic approach in place to at least secure points in games but when the likes of Pukki is exposing Boly and Coady by doing exactly the same runs as Danny Welbeck had done two weeks before questions have to be asked.

I am also tired of it being everyone else’s fault. From the players not listening, to the board not buying players, to the referee being wrong or not making the most of ‘our moments’ it’s always someone else’s fault. He never takes responsibility, even when he seems to you actually find he’s blaming someone else for being rubbish.

 

[The Weasel]

Am genuinely surprised there hasn't already been an announcement. Body language from Lage and a few of the players suggest they know the game's up for them...time to move on. Have to get the next appointment right, make it early, and back them in the market early doors so they have a full pre-season. Otherwise we are very much in the relegation mix up and he'll be gone by November and whoever comes in will have an uphill task just to survive the drop. Way too much at stake to just hope for the best here.

 

[Fenrir_]

Am genuinely surprised there hasn't already been an announcement. Body language from Lage and a few of the players suggest they know the game's up for them...time to move on. Have to get the next appointment right, make it early, and back them in the market early doors so they have a full pre-season. Otherwise we are very much in the relegation mix up and he'll be gone by November and whoever comes in will have an uphill task just to survive the drop. Way too much at stake to just hope for the best here.

I think that if they're making the move to replace him (and I bloody well hope they are) it'll be done like it was with Lambert and we'll have the replacement ready to drop in before we say Lage has gone. It was about three weeks between the last game of the season and Lambert officially leaving

 

[The Weasel]

Good point. That gives me some hope...

 

[Brockmoorwolf]

Cannot vote on this as its a mixture of a and c.

 

[flatpintofbanks]

He is a Portuguese Glen Hoddle. He does nothing to inspire me on any level from his media interviews. When the Squad is fit it pretty much picks itself given its limitations. He's even messed that up.
I have zero faith in his ability to deliver a good season from August onwards. Glad I'm not having to cough up for a season ticket, its an £800 lottery. Thank heavens for membership. Its been largely dross to watch at home this season

 

[Contrarian]

I'd go the total opposite and say it's madness keeping him , I've seen some of the worst starting 11 and subs by any manager in my time watching us , bizarre to the point they make us worse and look like the games lost before we even kick a ball.

Fair enough if you've only been watching us for 5 years. But for anybody whose watched us longer than that, whose memory isn't utterly decrepit, this was far from the worse "anything". Did you miss the 1990's? The McCarthy relegation where we made Albion look like Man City? McCarthy first season when we scored even fewer than this season? Solbakken? Saunders? Mr McGoo motivating the opposition, playing useless Corica and Sedgely, and for a finale, his FA cup semi-final team?

Can assure you we fielded a better 11 now than we did for virtually every match from 1990 - Nuno's appointment. 4th best league finish in 40 years. Yes, the starting 11 has been questionable, but often dictated by injuries. Odd team selections is nothing new and we have just had our second highest wins ever in the Premier League. Not bad for an awful team selection. And I don't believe our squad is significantly better than Brighton, Leicester, Palace, the other teams around us. They all had abysmal runs at times too, this season.

 

[Stourwolf]

I think that if they're making the move to replace him (and I bloody well hope they are) it'll be done like it was with Lambert and we'll have the replacement ready to drop in before we say Lage has gone. It was about three weeks between the last game of the season and Lambert officially leaving

Let’s hope so.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Not sure I can categorise my view precisely into the poll options... Twist can only be an option for me if we know who we're twisting for... twist for Pep, yes, twist for Lopetigui, maybe, twist for Steve Bruce... erm, No

I'm not convinced all this 'lost the dressing room' chat is true, doesn't seem concrete to me and falls very much in the rumour category still... I've not agreed with all he's done with team sections and during games, but he's not been backed yet either and has been trying to pregress with Nuno's team who are set up to play a different way... and still got top half as bad as we have been of late

For that reason, it's a stick for me and we back him properly or we twist if have a better option lined up and ready to hit the ground running in what's a key pre season

But if these rumours turn out to be true it has to be a Twist and get what we can get

 

[Munro Munro]

Keep him and back him, let him build his team . We have a unique set up with our connections to Portugal he knows more than most about the young talent coming through.

 

[Ned]

Whether he got backing or not he didn’t make the most of the ingredients he had. Things seemed to go pear shaped the more players he got back from injury. When we had a limited squad we had our best points return. When he had choices he invariably chose the wrong one, even when it’s obvious to others. By the way if Hwang is the answer the question is irrelevant and wrong.

He didn’t seem to learn from either his success of failures. We played abysmally vs Norwich 3 times. We lose to Norwich badly in the cup but then repeat the performance vs Palace, Brighton and Norwich again! That’s not a coach on top of their game. We put in a fantastic display vs Man City at the Etihad and lose by a dodgy penalty, he then decides to play an open game at Molineux playing a young wide forward at Wing Back who’s never played there, then drops him for next game even though he was MOM. A decent coach would have recognised the slide we were on and put a pragmatic approach in place to at least secure points in games but when the likes of Pukki is exposing Boly and Coady by doing exactly the same runs as Danny Welbeck had done two weeks before questions have to be asked.

I am also tired of it being everyone else’s fault. From the players not listening, to the board not buying players, to the referee being wrong or not making the most of ‘our moments’ it’s always someone else’s fault. He never takes responsibility, even when he seems to you actually find he’s blaming someone else for being rubbish.

Can’t disagree with any of this. Like I said I’m completely torn but leaning towards keeping him. As you say in the last paragraph, he does blame others… even in his latest interview there was an element of throwing the players under the bus when talking about challenging for 4th, then 6-7th and finishing 10th. I agree with what he said about the fans and how we shouldn’t be happy like he isn’t… difference being that we can’t do anything about it.

 

[sc91]

They are not his tools though they are Nuno’s
harsh to sack him when he hasn’t been backed

What justification has he given that he deserves backing?

 

[sc91]

You want to trust a guy that's been **** half the time he's been here to build a team, that in his other job ruined, to then mostly relegate us if it all back fires?

Not to mention, give him till January? We would be on the farewell tour by that point.

 

[Wolvescol]

I’m in the camp where I feel he hasn’t been backed as well as he would’ve liked and has suffered the false promises from shi and sellars that we all know they are capable of , he also hasn’t done himself any favours with some of the weird decisions like donk on the wing and his obsession with hwang , in game management is really poor and the guy looks like he draws his tactics from a lucky bag when we go behind in games , he’s looked lost on the touch line in the last 3,,4 months and doesn’t seem to fill the players with confidence, that said some of these players have let him and us down , if we are to change him then this needs doing fast so the new man can get straight to work ,, question is will he get better tools than Bruno ,

 

[freezin]

He's just completed his first full season as a manager and the second half was near relegation form, mirroring his end at Benfica.

There's nothing that we've seen during the last 9 months or in his CV to suggest he's the man to oversee a squad overhaul and be a long term success.

Expectations that things will be better and we'll turn into a swashbuckling attacking side when he's got some new players are fanciful too.

It suggests to me that he doesn't have a motivational repertoire to carry a team through a full season.

If they're bored of, or merely unresponsive to his instructions then it's a long, long road back for him.

Even if he stays and gets off to a flier next season we might see history repeating itself again.

 

[Notsoslimshady]

Klopp finished 8th with Liverpool in his first season there. Didn't even qualify for Europe. . With infinite more resources than a club ours has. Exactly the same performance would have mamny here wanting him out as "the worst manager ever".

Many are always pointing out that Fabio "will come good" because Kane/Lewandoski/Ronaldo etc didn't have any better record at his age. So you have to give him time. Why couldn't the same apply to managers?

This and last season, the evidence is staring us in the face, with these same players, you will get the same results.

To add some perspective to thaf; Klopp's CV prior to joining Liverpool was more impressive than Bruno's. Given my dislike for Liverpool, his appointment worried me as ot seemed like a good fit.

I do agree that managers need time to impose themselves, but there are usually more signs that 'their plan' is starting to be implemented.

I am tired of hearing the "Numo's team"/not his players - stuff. Every single manager takes on someone else's team to a varying degree. Maybe it is that the players we have can't play the way he wants, but people talk as if we have a championship squad, when a good percentage of tjem saw us to two 7th places, an fa cup semi final and a euro quarter. A squad which were 'one or 2 players' from being a major force according to many. Now they are suddenly all ****.

What we needed to improve on was how to play against teams that defended as we had an effective gameplan against the big boys. Apart from some signs against a very high Liverpool line, we have lost even that identity, to the point we have none.

I am not cpmpletely against him but i am not filled with confidence given tbe last 17 games. If we'd started the first 17 this way and climbed the table to 10th i'd feel more optimistic.

I just think too much has been put on the fact that it is not Bruno's squad and think he has to take responsibility for some odd team selections, tactics and subs

 

[Contrarian]

I am tired of hearing the "Numo's team"/not his players - stuff. Every single manager takes on someone else's team to a varying degree. Maybe it is that the players we have can't play the way he wants, but people talk as if we have a championship squad, when a good percentage of tjem saw us to two 7th places, an fa cup semi final and a euro quarter. A squad which were 'one or 2 players' from being a major force according to many. Now they are suddenly all ****.

Yes, and in nearly every case, when players don't change the team doesn't change. Just look at this season. Villa ,Leeds, Norwich, Everton all changed managers during the season. And the broad pattern of none of those teams changed. Newcastle brought in a manager and 5 or 6 significant signings. They improved.

That is what happens maybe 90% of the time. Key players of that finished 7th and the quarter final side have gone, or in Rauls case, been seriously injured. At that point, we had also been remarkably injury free for a couple of seasons. Once injuries hit Raul, Jonny, Neto , Boly then you are not fielding that team that finished 7th any more.

The squad has now weakened since promotion, I reckon. Though with everyone fit, there's not that much in it . We definitely haven't kicked on, that's the problem. How much say the manager has in signings, doesn't seem anybody really knows, but neither Nuno or Bruno seem to be getting the players they mention they would like. I totally agree that squad was one or 2 players from being a major force - but they needed to be top quality players, not hopefuls of other clubs cast offs. Instead we went the other way, and lost key players and simply haven't replaced them.

Bruno isn't Klopp, but you can't blame him (or Nuno) for that state of affairs we are in - he has inherited it. Would take a strong character to challenge our owners and I'm not sure they even want that.

Oh, and one of the strengths was that Nuno developed a way of playing that got the very best out of a couple of players. However, in the end, that way (well organised, stay deep and counter) got found out by opponents and was complained about a lot by fans. Nuno couldn't get them playing any other way last season, either, could he?