goldeneyed
Just doesn't shut up
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2005
- Messages
- 17,624
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I wish Gary O'Neill the best of luck but let's face it he is not qualified for the job despite his very good 9 month stint at Bournemouth. Its a desperate panicky decision based on his cheap cost (perhaps being paid a quarter or less compared to Loptegui). Above all, unlike Loptegui he won't create waves as he will know he is so lucky to get the job. Otherwise he has been an Assistant Manager of Liverpool's Under 21s and not much else. He can't have many real contacts abroad based on his uninspiring managerial career trajectory and will hardly be a 'draw' in the way Loptegui was. The coaching team coming with him seem bang average as so far announced....Mark Robson of West Ham U.21s and his former assistant manager at Bournemouth. Fine for a mid table Championship team but this is the Premier League.
Yes like many I am really angry right now and the temptation is to tear this appointment to pieces. But objectively he does not have the track record and experience a club like Wolves should be demanding. He has had one bout of relative success over 9 months last season...that's it. Bournemouth rated him so highly after that that they sacked him. Hardly encouraging.
I don't know how bright he is but British managers are so rarely chosen by top clubs because quite frankly many of them are not that bright or innovative. Enthusiastic, energetic yes but that alone is not enough. O'Neill in my view could do with another three years learning his trade at Championship level. The truth is that no other Premier League club, given the choice would have signed him up as manager bar perhaps Luton. Of course I am sure he will have definite positive qualities as a person and had a long career in the leagues as a player. But this a huge step up for him and I am not convinced that he and his coaches will have the kind of credibility needed amongst a group of mainly international players who have been drilled by an absolute top coach up to this point. Is he suddenly going to impose his 'style' whatever that is, on a group of players who have been finely tuned up to this point to meet the exacting standards of Loptegui just ahead of a new season. A sudden change of direction and emphasis at this late stage will be confusing and counter-productive. And yet of course he will want to impose his imprint on the team in double quick time.
All in all I of course want him to succeed but I predict a very hard road ahead and perhaps some very poor results over the first six games or so which will set the alarm bells going all over the shop. The fact is we are now on the back foot as a club and many pundits are predicting relegation. This despite the fact we have a very decent squad if everyone is healthy and firing. The club have played things so badly its incredible. Such a negative start to the season and an uphill struggle for the players has been made so much harder already. A complete ban on signings this summer or is that not the case...everything is so confused.
I have to be honest, I would like to see Shi and co exposed for their amateurishness and ineptitude and that can only be through the failure of this appointment. But on the other hand of course I want the team to do well and make the most of the talent that is there. O'Neill is an opportunist and has been very lucky to get such a job at this stage of his career as supposedly the 'best candidate'. The other main candidate presumably being Doris the tea lady.
Presuming that no serious signings will come in before Sept 1 O'Neill better pray that injuries are few and far between. If they are then Loptegui's work will come to his aid and he can make the most of that initially. But longer term he has to sustain decent performances in such a tough league. By Christmas we will have some idea how good/bad the situation is. However, whatever happens, I can't forgive Shi/the board for the mess they have left us in at this crucial stage of the season. Putting aside the ego of Loptegui the fact is they have handled everything terribly and let us the supporters down dreadfully. If Fosun do not see themselves taking us into the top 10 bracket anymore they really should consider selling and walking away with a very nice profit and give some other entity a chance. Fosun's huge debt burden means that investment is going to be very limited from now on and the danger is we will 'do a Leicester' this season or next.
For now we already are hanging on to the hope we can make 17th and be better than three other teams. The top management have created an atmosphere of defeat before a ball has been kicked. Quite an achievement.
Yes like many I am really angry right now and the temptation is to tear this appointment to pieces. But objectively he does not have the track record and experience a club like Wolves should be demanding. He has had one bout of relative success over 9 months last season...that's it. Bournemouth rated him so highly after that that they sacked him. Hardly encouraging.
I don't know how bright he is but British managers are so rarely chosen by top clubs because quite frankly many of them are not that bright or innovative. Enthusiastic, energetic yes but that alone is not enough. O'Neill in my view could do with another three years learning his trade at Championship level. The truth is that no other Premier League club, given the choice would have signed him up as manager bar perhaps Luton. Of course I am sure he will have definite positive qualities as a person and had a long career in the leagues as a player. But this a huge step up for him and I am not convinced that he and his coaches will have the kind of credibility needed amongst a group of mainly international players who have been drilled by an absolute top coach up to this point. Is he suddenly going to impose his 'style' whatever that is, on a group of players who have been finely tuned up to this point to meet the exacting standards of Loptegui just ahead of a new season. A sudden change of direction and emphasis at this late stage will be confusing and counter-productive. And yet of course he will want to impose his imprint on the team in double quick time.
All in all I of course want him to succeed but I predict a very hard road ahead and perhaps some very poor results over the first six games or so which will set the alarm bells going all over the shop. The fact is we are now on the back foot as a club and many pundits are predicting relegation. This despite the fact we have a very decent squad if everyone is healthy and firing. The club have played things so badly its incredible. Such a negative start to the season and an uphill struggle for the players has been made so much harder already. A complete ban on signings this summer or is that not the case...everything is so confused.
I have to be honest, I would like to see Shi and co exposed for their amateurishness and ineptitude and that can only be through the failure of this appointment. But on the other hand of course I want the team to do well and make the most of the talent that is there. O'Neill is an opportunist and has been very lucky to get such a job at this stage of his career as supposedly the 'best candidate'. The other main candidate presumably being Doris the tea lady.
Presuming that no serious signings will come in before Sept 1 O'Neill better pray that injuries are few and far between. If they are then Loptegui's work will come to his aid and he can make the most of that initially. But longer term he has to sustain decent performances in such a tough league. By Christmas we will have some idea how good/bad the situation is. However, whatever happens, I can't forgive Shi/the board for the mess they have left us in at this crucial stage of the season. Putting aside the ego of Loptegui the fact is they have handled everything terribly and let us the supporters down dreadfully. If Fosun do not see themselves taking us into the top 10 bracket anymore they really should consider selling and walking away with a very nice profit and give some other entity a chance. Fosun's huge debt burden means that investment is going to be very limited from now on and the danger is we will 'do a Leicester' this season or next.
For now we already are hanging on to the hope we can make 17th and be better than three other teams. The top management have created an atmosphere of defeat before a ball has been kicked. Quite an achievement.
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