The 'New Manager' thread

[Miltonaggro]

12 minutes ago, The Left Back said:

For those of you pining for an experienced manager to steer us clear of relegation I have two words...Harry Redknapp

I have two words too…fuck off! 

[sadoldgit]

2 hours ago, Guided Missile said:

It doesn't really matter who shuffles the deck. What we need is a trump card up front.

Christ, you are so obsessed by Trump that you would play him up front?

[Colinjb]

42 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I don’t want Gerrard either but he did take a pretty average Rangers squad to a European final, he’s done more than Nathan fucking Jones. 

Think the brains behind that has ended up at QPR. 

Just like Hassenhuttl needed Rohl, Gerrard needed Beale.

[beatlesaint]

4 minutes ago, Colinjb said:

Think the brains behind that has ended up at QPR. 

Just like Hassenhuttl needed Rohl, Gerrard needed Beale.

And Jones will need Mick Harford.

[tunit]

Really really don't get the negativity around it before he's even managed a game for us. He isn't the experienced football brain most of us were expecting but there have been a lot of gems who have come from the EFL. Potter, Rodgers, Howe etc. He has a hell of a lot more managerial experience than Gerrard, Lampard, Vieira, Arteta but I doubt people would've been having a meltdown if we picked up one of them. 

[OldNick]

5 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

And Jones will need Mick Harford.

Id be happy with him, hard as nails. No young multi millionaire kid would not work hard with him lol

[OldNick]

The Redmond interview on the Athletic, has it been put up on here, would love to be able to read it. Thanks in advance

[Nolan]

6 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

And Jones will need Mick Harford.

Jones' assistant is now Chris Cohen, Harford moved back to Chief Recruitment officer in close season. 

[Nolan]

1 minute ago, OldNick said:

The Redmond interview on the Athletic, has it been put up on here, would love to be able to read it. Thanks in advance

direct link: The Athletic

[OldNick]

Just now, Nolan said:

direct link: The Athletic

Thank-you but Im not a subscriber. 

[LuckyNumber7]

53 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

I don’t want Gerrard either but he did take a pretty average Rangers squad to a European final, he’s done more than Nathan fucking Jones. 

No he didn't, Gerrard was long gone when Rangers got to the final last season. Gerrard did a decent job in a two team league before flopping at Villa. Jones has done an excellent job on a shoestring budget in the Championship. He wouldn't be my choice but I'm not dead against it either, let's give the guy a chance before declaring him crap.

[Nolan]

4 minutes ago, OldNick said:

Thank-you but Im not a subscriber. 

its £2 a month, and they're really quite pursuant for websites breaching their copyright and hosting reposts.

Edited 8 November, 2022 by Nolan

[Daft Kerplunk]

I’ll wish this fella all the best but there’s more than a touch of Branfoot and Sturrock about him, in that it all feels a little like a step backward from an opportunity to move forward. Funnily enough, those two appointment moments led to continued decline. Semmens and Co are the new Guy Askham and Rupert Lowe. Arrogant, up themselves and assured of their own brilliance.
 

Buckle up, and fingers crossed it does work out. We still need an attacking player and a centre forward. 

[OldNick]

11 hours ago, Dragon_man said:

Wonder what the players feel? Hard to see JWP thinking 'here's someone who can really develop my game through his top flight experience of working with real talent'

Lavia Edozie Larios, will be full of respect and excited afterall they have only had Pep before

[OldNick]

1 minute ago, Nolan said:

its £2 a month, and they're really hot in legal for people breaching their copyright and reposting.

Ok, I understand. I already pay £20 a month to the TotalSaints podcast dont want to do that one as well. The reason I did the totalsaints one as I felt it deserved our support as they were proper fans. Giving a decent view on the club

[OldNick]

3 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

There’s nothing wrong with him being religious. But after reading this article would you be happy with a manager who consults God on footballing matters?

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/christianity-football-faith-nathan-jones-luton-town-137163

It will probably get us more American fans from the Mid-west. 

[Mr X]

I'm still in shock... They've had months and months if not the last year to think about who's going to replace Ralph... And we get an unproven championship manager.... Really wanted the feel good factor back at the club.... Literally noone is excited about this appointment except sports Republic it seems 

[DT]

Athletic interviews Redmond. A few days later it starts publishing a bunch of stuff slagging off Ralph over the years from a 'source'. Hmmm. Nathan, let it go. Bitter player power strikes again. Personally warming to the sound of Jones. A proper Nathan.

[OldNick]

Just now, DT said:

Athletic interviews Redmond. A few days later it starts publishing a bunch of stuff slagging off Ralph over the years from a 'source'. Hmmm. Nathan, let it go. Bitter player power strikes again. Personally warming to the sound of Jones. A proper Nathan.

Practice what you preach DT 😀

[warsash saint]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

Gone are the days when a panel of people would get together and choose a manager.

This is a decision in bringing Jones to the club from one person and nobody else.
It’s almost like we are a toy to him and he can do what he wants.

Expect some major changes within as some are NOT happy and I pray personal this appointment don’t go ahead as it will be a disaster.

PS such a shame we never got Eddie Howe in only for Ralph to win 2 and draw one of the games as the board changed its mind as Semmens demanded they had the right man already (FACT - Saints36 and don’t doubt me)

& magine the outcry from the usual people on here about Howe's time at Burnley!!!!

[saintwbu]

Think this underpinned the concern of those who weren’t desperate for Ralph to go. A lot of our fan base still seem to be somewhat in denial of the way we are run, and thought we might get a ‘top’ manager. This appointment is very reflective of our recent level of ambition. Ralph, at the time of his appointment, was a coup and completely against the way we’ve been run in the last 5 or 6 seasons. This is obviously a gamble, but also a complete missed opportunity to give the whole club and fanbase a shot in the arm. If, in a dream world, Poch had returned (obviously was never going to happen), he could afford a few defeats whilst retaining faith. If we go a couple of goals down to Brighton on boxing day with Nathan Jones in charge, I dread to think what that atmosphere will be like. But good luck to him, I hope the gamble pays off and he’ll have my full support. 

[S-Clarke]

3 minutes ago, Mr X said:

I'm still in shock... They've had months and months if not the last year to think about who's going to replace Ralph... And we get an unproven championship manager.... Really wanted the feel good factor back at the club.... Literally noone is excited about this appointment except sports Republic it seems 

I don't understand the view that they've just plucked Jones out of thin air as a last min idea.

If anything this potential appointment has shown that they've been looking at someone for a signfificant period of time in the event we need to make a change. The one thing you cannot label this potential appointment as being is 'unplanned' or 'last min'.

We may not agree with the 'name' and let's be honest we don't really know much about him at all to come to any strong opinions, but it's fair to say that those at the club know him far better than we think we do.

[saints-cris]

Can't say I'm particularly enthused by this. Felt like a chance for SR to make a statement, and it hasn't happened. Maybe he will be a good fit, but when you see Villa go for Emery, and Wolves get Lopategui... and then we do this. It feels like we're always going to go for the cheaper less glamorous option regardless of who's in ownership. 

Happy to be proved wrong, and I hope I'm made to eat my own words, but its hard to get excited by this.

Oh, and buy a bloody striker in January, otherwise it won't matter who's in charge.

[Nordic Saint]

I don't think the Club will appoint Nathan Jones if it becomes very obvious to them that the fans are dead against it and, right now, through social media and all Saints-related sites it is. They may have put his name out there just to test fans' reaction to  or he may just be a decoy so we will be pleasantly surprised when the new manager is announced and it isn't him.

[Bad Wolf]

2 minutes ago, Nordic Saint said:

I don't think the Club will appoint Nathan Jones if it becomes very obvious to them that the fans are dead against it and, right now, through social media and all Saints-related sites it is. They may have put his name out there just to test fans' reaction to  or he may just be a decoy so we will be pleasantly surprised when the new manager is announced and it isn't him.

Contacting a club for consent to speak to a manager is taking it a bit far if that's the case.

Do we really want a board that just does what fans want??

[Nordic Saint]

6 minutes ago, warsash saint said:

& magine the outcry from the usual people on here about Howe's time at Burnley!!!!

Eddie Howe's record at Burnley: W34 D19 L34 Win% 39%

Nathan Jones' record at Stoke: W6 D15 L17 Win% 15.8%

[Lee On Solent Saint]

2 minutes ago, Nordic Saint said:

I don't think the Club will appoint Nathan Jones if it becomes very obvious to them that the fans are dead against it and, right now, through social media and all Saints-related sites it is. They may have put his name out there just to test fans' reaction to  or he may just be a decoy so we will be pleasantly surprised when the new manager is announced and it isn't him.

I don't think those that run the club give a shit about what the fans think. We have already seen that with the closure in Itchen.

[RedArmy]

21 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

No he didn't, Gerrard was long gone when Rangers got to the final last season. Gerrard did a decent job in a two team league before flopping at Villa. Jones has done an excellent job on a shoestring budget in the Championship. He wouldn't be my choice but I'm not dead against it either, let's give the guy a chance before declaring him crap.

You’re right, I thought he left later in the season than he did. 
 

Still achieved more than Jones though. 

[ally_uk]

Nathan Jones 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Is this the level of ambition we are showing....

I'd rather we had kept Ralph and backed him with funds for a striker and creative player... 

 

Are we planning for the Championship? It certainly seems so 

[Baird of the land]

9 minutes ago, Nordic Saint said:

I don't think the Club will appoint Nathan Jones if it becomes very obvious to them that the fans are dead against it and, right now, through social media and all Saints-related sites it is. They may have put his name out there just to test fans' reaction to  or he may just be a decoy so we will be pleasantly surprised when the new manager is announced and it isn't him.

Because it worked out so well last time fans protested a Saints board's first choice. Let SR install the person they think is best for the job.

[Verwood Saint]

 

Morning all - regularly reader but infrequent contributor here.  More that 50 years a Saint and season ticket holder for many of them so have seen a bit!  I have a couple of thoughts to share.

Firstly, however well SR have done their homework, there is no denying this potential appointment represents a major risk given our current situation / form.  Yes, he will have the benefit of a 'pre-season' type opportunity during the WC break but still a huge challenge in my view.  That said I will do my best to support him if is given the chance to lead our team.

It was time for Ralph to go (a bit overdue TBH) but he did bring us some exciting times didn't he.  Whilst he was also not well known to most of us, his appointment did demonstrate some ambition on the part of the club's owners / management which I think we all welcomed.  Thank you and best of luck for the future Ralph.

The second aspect of this proposed appointment that concerns me is where is our ambition?  There are many names that have been mentioned, some of whom are almost certainly out of our reach but surely not all of them.  We are an established Premier League outfit after all and offer much potential ourselves.  Maybe not a sleeping giant but we definitely have a higher ceiling than our current position.

Whether we like it or not SFC is a business and must be run well.  Our 'model' is clearly based on giving young players with potential early opportunities to thrive and build a value which we cash in on down the track.  Although it is frustrating to have let the best of them go, we can enjoy periods of success along the way can't we.  The current crop looks really promising once they are all fit again.  Frankly I think they have the quality as a group to genuinely have a chance to win a cup which realistically is the best we can honestly hope isn't it.  

Young players need to be nurtured and ideally work alongside experienced people to develop most effectively.  In my opinion that can be with the right manager and / or with the right teammates.  It seems that acquiring 'experienced' players is not something we embrace, therefore it is more important that we seek those attributes in our manager.  I don't think I am alone in questioning the wisdom of not having a few experienced heads in our squad.  Yes, they can be challenging to manage but that's usually because they expect high standards.  They also offer leadership and know how don't they - things which we often seem to be missing from our team when the going gets tough.

If Nathan is to join us then making the right purchases in the January window will also be vital.  Landing an experienced striker would obviously be ideal but we all know how hard that will be.  Adding some 'steel' and 'nous' around the team as a whole may well be much more achievable though and, hopefully enough to keep us in the league where we belong.

 

 

 

 

 

[disconnect]

Saw a few posts about Jones utilising youth. Just looked through the Luton stats and the youngest player to start more than 5 games this season for them is 24  and they havent played anyone under 21 all season. This could be just as they're not very good, but I dont think promoting youth is one of his selling points, so seems a bit of a way away from our high risk transfer policy of the summer. 

Now watch his first match be played with the record youngest team we've ever fielded! 🤣

[Saint Billy]

1 hour ago, gordonToo said:

From the Telegraph today.

In his spells with Luton and Stoke City, Jones has proved box office at the side of the pitch, constantly in motion and so emotionally attached that he wears plasters over his fingers to prevent him from chewing his nails during matches

Should be amusing as Adams misses yet another sitter.

He's going to have no hands pretty soon then. 

[S-Clarke]

I thought this was a good write up on Luton, it's from a few years ago but it does line-up with our strategy to a degree - so we're looking for potential managers who have worked within similar setups. I'm not sure if it was under Jones tenure or not, but a couple of young players who have made somewhat of the step up are Aarons, Lewis and Justin in recent years (Justin playing for England too)

Training Ground Guru | Luton Town's Premier League production line

[saintwbu]

9 minutes ago, disconnect said:

Saw a few posts about Jones utilising youth. Just looked through the Luton stats and the youngest player to start more than 5 games this season for them is 24  and they havent played anyone under 21 all season. This could be just as they're not very good, but I dont think promoting youth is one of his selling points, so seems a bit of a way away from our high risk transfer policy of the summer. 

Now watch his first match be played with the record youngest team we've ever fielded! 🤣

I think James Justin came through under him, who’s now at Leicester, so don’t know what his track record is like in previous seasons. He also gave Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall his breakthrough during a loan spell from Leicester. 

[Miltonaggro]

1 hour ago, sadoldgit said:

Christ, you are so obsessed by Trump that you would play him up front?

To be honest I would hope that Ankersen has asked permission to talk to the Donald about our vacancy, would be a massive upgrade on the provisional Nathan Fucking Jones and can organise an attack, bigly...

[Nordic Saint]

26 minutes ago, disconnect said:

Saw a few posts about Jones utilising youth. Just looked through the Luton stats and the youngest player to start more than 5 games this season for them is 24  and they havent played anyone under 21 all season. This could be just as they're not very good, but I dont think promoting youth is one of his selling points, so seems a bit of a way away from our high risk transfer policy of the summer. 

Now watch his first match be played with the record youngest team we've ever fielded! 🤣

Yes, it's been said that he doesn't like to pick young players.  if you look at his transfer record at both Luton and Stoke, he tends to bring in a lot of older players in their early 30s either on loan or on free transfers. The only time he ever spent a biggish fee in his managerial career was the £8mil he paid Burnley to take the 31-year-old  Sam Vokes to Stoke, where he was such a flop that Stoke let him go to Wycombe on a one-year contract for a minimal fee. He doesn't appear to be very good at finding strikers as his teams don't score many goals. His Luton team this season have only scored 22 in 19 games which isn't much better than Saints' 12 in 14.

Edited 8 November, 2022 by Nordic Saint

[FarehamSaintJames]

1 hour ago, DT said:

Um. He has gone before the World Cup period. Which you said he wouldn't, pretending to be In the Know. Which you clearly aren't.

Again, I’ve never said I’m in the know, and I’ve said the entire time it is my opinion 😂

Blimey what a pleb. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Literally all I’ve said the entire time is I don’t see him leaving before the World Cup period.
I think what made him get sacked sooner was the drubbing at the weekend, the lack of urgency and energy in that team too, and how the goals were walked into our net with no resistance.

I have never claimed to be in the know. I’m just not one of the nut jobs who demanded he be sacked after the Everton and Wolves games, which at the time were a disappointment but not an “oh shit” moment in terms of a bad run of form or whatever 🤦🏻‍♂️

Edited 8 November, 2022 by FarehamSaintJames

[Kermitzasaint]

49 minutes ago, DT said:

Athletic interviews Redmond. A few days later it starts publishing a bunch of stuff slagging off Ralph over the years from a 'source'. Hmmm. Nathan, let it go. Bitter player power strikes again. Personally warming to the sound of Jones. A proper Nathan.

There has been leaks about Ralph for a while even ignoring his utter ineptitude at coaching etc. Why slag off Redmond over it? 

[Christophenburg]

54 minutes ago, Mr X said:

I'm still in shock... They've had months and months if not the last year to think about who's going to replace Ralph... And we get an unproven championship manager.... Really wanted the feel good factor back at the club.... Literally noone is excited about this appointment except sports Republic it seems 

It's precisely because they have had months to think about who's going to replace Ralph that this overreaction needs tempering a little. SR aren't doing this on a whim, they wouldn't be paying compensation to Luton if they were, so they have to see something

[Greedyfly]

14 hours ago, woodsaint1 said:

You do realise that Villa have a much, much bigger appeal than us. Also pretty sure that Che's goals in previous seasons, while not big numbers, have helped keep us in the PL. Apart from that you may have a point

They have a bigger budget than us, that's where it starts and ends.  So sure, I can forgive Saints for not getting Emery (Wolves just got Julen Lopetegui if we are looking for additional ammunition on the manager front) but that doesn't mean we should therefore be looking in the bargain basement for a man who's managerial career in the last few years is patchy at best.  His achievements with Luton are very good, his performance at Stoke was dogshit.  We can and should aim higher especially for a team who have at least enough money to  splash out c.25million on a striker.  

 

As for Che, if your argument is he is a striker and has scored, well then yeah.  My counter to that would be he costs us as many points as he actually gains.  For a man that hasn't scored more than 10 goals in a league campaign more than once, and that is ANY league, it's hardly a great look.  19 goals in 3 seasons for us.  Perfectly useful backup and second striker (for those teams that still actually play an actual 2nd striker) but not a premier league player you want leading your line and pinning your hopes on to keep us up.   

14 hours ago, warsash saint said:

Ah Wiggy it's been a while.

I still remember your post the day we bought Ryan Bertrand .... let's you are as wrong again 😀

I suspect I said he was an adequate back-up who would become a decent player.  Shall we dig my comments in Carillo out for balance?

 

Also, 'ello chap, how are ya

Edited 8 November, 2022 by Greedyfly

[Miltonaggro]

30 minutes ago, Saint Billy said:

He's going to have no hands pretty soon then. 

Passion is one thing but sticking plasters on the fingers is a new one.  Hearing this types of thing makes me wonder whether we might lose him at half time at some point, if he's offered a contract there should be a specific 'no shoelaces, scarves, or sharp objects' clause.

[itchen]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

I don't understand the view that they've just plucked Jones out of thin air as a last min idea.

If anything this potential appointment has shown that they've been looking at someone for a signfificant period of time in the event we need to make a change. The one thing you cannot label this potential appointment as being is 'unplanned' or 'last min'.

We may not agree with the 'name' and let's be honest we don't really know much about him at all to come to any strong opinions, but it's fair to say that those at the club know him far better than we think we do.

Indeed, the speed with which Jones has been linked underlines that the board have been looking at him for a while. If they had sacked Ralph because of a run of poor results and then spent weeks interviewing and recruiting a replacement, I would be more concerned that they did not know what they are doing.

I'd never heard of Nathan Jones before yesterday and have no idea whether he is what we need. But I assume, for the club to have moved this quickly, that somebody in the hierarchy has done their research.

[egg]

20 minutes ago, Christophenburg said:

It's precisely because they have had months to think about who's going to replace Ralph that this overreaction needs tempering a little. SR aren't doing this on a whim, they wouldn't be paying compensation to Luton if they were, so they have to see something

Just because they may see something, it doesn't mean that it's something that'll work. Hopefully it'll prove to be an inspired move, but I can't imagine anyone thinks it's anything other than incredibly high risk. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, egg said:

 I'd stake my house on the fact that Gerrard is much more likely to get the respect of the dressing room, and quickly, than Jones who was a lower league journeyman who couldn't cut it at bloody Stoke. 

As for the rest, you're comparing an apple to an orchard. My staff respect me, but a team of premier league millionaires wouldn't if i strolled into the dressing room. 

Alan Ball was a World Cup winner, one of the best players of his generation, but the city players pretty much took the piss out of him from day 1. 
 

This respect stuff is a load of old pony. If he runs decent sessions, is a good man manager and is tactically aware players will play for him. End of.

He’s got a “pre season” coming up with most of them, time to get his ideas over and get some positivity around the club. Writing him off before he’s even met the players is ridiculous. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

5 minutes ago, egg said:

Just because they may see something, it doesn't mean that it's something that'll work. Hopefully it'll prove to be an inspired move, but I can't imagine anyone thinks it's anything other than incredibly high risk. 

Hard to argue with any of that. Feels like we're taking a massive gamble with our Premier League status. Transfer window is key to everything. If we buy from the Championship again, we are done. 

[Verbal Kint]

1 minute ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Hard to argue with any of that. Feels like we're taking a massive gamble with our Premier League status. Transfer window is key to everything. If we buy from the Championship again, we are done. 

I don't see many 30 million pound strikers wanting to sign for us in January when we're in the bottom 3 with a complete nobody as manager

[Lord Duckhunter]

1 hour ago, Nordic Saint said:

I don't think the Club will appoint Nathan Jones if it becomes very obvious to them that the fans are dead against it and, right now, through social media and all Saints-related sites it is.

If football clubs listened to supporters Claudio Ranieri wouldn’t have ended up at Leicester. 

[Ted Bates Statue]

54 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

To be honest I would hope that Ankersen has asked permission to talk to the Donald about our vacancy, would be a massive upgrade on the provisional Nathan Fucking Jones and can organise an attack, bigly...

It would be something of a coup if we did

[Lord Duckhunter]

I’m waiting for the meltdown on here when Bournemouth appoint Bielsa.