New manager

[Holmes_and_Watson]

5 minutes ago, Nolan said:

Ivan Juric’s Torino: The Fun Side of Serie A - Breaking The Lines

Thanks for that.

[Hatch]

If it helps Serb Croat relations I’m on board. 

[trousers]

 

 

[Saint_clark]

Honestly, I'd be quite happy with this appointment. Did really well with Torino and Hellas Verona, plays an aggressive style of football instead of the passive style we've seen. 

[qwertyell]

Our track record with Croatians isn't great...

But good luck to Ivan the hopefully not terrible. 

[Nolan]

Juric’s death metal approach has made Torino a devilish team to face | Serie A | The Guardian

[santolijador]

Happy enough with that. I wonder if things go well, but we get relegated, he might want a shot in the Championship? Intrigued to see if he is in place for Fulham and the team he picks...

He will sure things up defensively and he certainly won't be trying to be mates with the players. 

Welcome Ivan, best of luck. 

[danjosaint]

Never heard of the guy but on quick reading of above analysis seems he could do ok, wonder as its a short term deal he'll bring his staff, we really need a clearout,nothings saving us this season but give us a bit lift towards next year, anything is better than the last prick in charge 

Edited 18 hours ago by danjosaint

[Lighthouse]

I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. You may consider me moderately whelmed.

[kitch]

This fucking board, I swear!

Man has only one club he's acheived better than a 40% win ratio at, and that was a Serie C club. He lasted no time at Roma - in fact, this is the Wiki entry:

"Jurić failed to turn the team's fortunes and was regularly criticized for his management style and poor results; he was eventually dismissed on 10 November 2024, after a 2–3 home loss to Bologna that left Roma 20th in the Europa League table and only four points ahead of the relegation zone in Serie A."

He was at Roma for less than TWO months. His record at previous clubs is better, admittedly, but still doesn't scream "Leave this to me guys, I've got this!"

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but it doesn't inspire confidence (probably because I've got no confidence in the board to get the appointment right). The thing we need is experience, and knowledge of the league. This guy has never managed outside Italy, let alone the UK. They're too 'hip' to go for someone like Moyes, clearly.

If it comes off then I hope he proves me completely wrong.

[Pamplemousse]

2 minutes ago, kitch said:

This fucking board, I swear!

Man has only one club he's acheived better than a 40% win ratio at, and that was a Serie C club. He lasted no time at Roma - in fact, this is the Wiki entry:

"Jurić failed to turn the team's fortunes and was regularly criticized for his management style and poor results; he was eventually dismissed on 10 November 2024, after a 2–3 home loss to Bologna that left Roma 20th in the Europa League table and only four points ahead of the relegation zone in Serie A."

He was at Roma for less than TWO months. His record at previous clubs is better, admittedly, but still doesn't scream "Leave this to me guys, I've got this!"

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but it doesn't inspire confidence (probably because I've got no confidence in the board to get the appointment right). The thing we need is experience, and knowledge of the league. This guy has never managed outside Italy, let alone the UK. They're too 'hip' to go for someone like Moyes, clearly.

If it comes off then I hope he proves me completely wrong.

Russell Martin knew the league, how did that go?

 

This "knowing the league" is bollocks. If he's a good manager, he's a good manager. If he isn't, he isn't. It's as simple as that.

[Chris cooper]

Goals for & against are shocking .. sacked at Roma … oh dear ! New manager for the championship in the summer then cos saints didn’t wana pay compo for other shite options ! This club 😂

[FarehamSaintJames]

The one thing I thought Sport Republic might do is go for Premier League experience. Nope apparently not.

Seriously underwhelmed at this appointment. Overrated manager. Hasn’t done prolifically anywhere.

Are they also really going to back a six month manager in the transfer window as well? I highly doubt it. Anywhere to penny pinch from doing another transfer window fuck up.

I’m guessing the agreement is work with the players you have.

 

[Dman]

4 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. You may consider me moderately whelmed.

This is kinda where I've landed. 

I've accepted relegation, so I'm not all that arsed about how he does, so long as its get 10 or so more points. a 6 month deal is low risk for us. 

I'm excited for the change towards a more agressive, direct style. It sounds like he'll give the squad a boot up the backside as well - which is night and day compared to Martin. 

He has a decent enough record with 'smaller' clubs, so I'm not fussed about the Roma situ. 

I wanted Rohl and wouldn't have been against Corberhan. if either are our long term targets, I'd have rather we got them in now and gave them 6 months to build a side. 

Either way - Martin has drained the life from me, so any change would have been a good change imo. 

[goodymatt]

3 minutes ago, kitch said:

This fucking board, I swear!

Man has only one club he's acheived better than a 40% win ratio at, and that was a Serie C club. He lasted no time at Roma - in fact, this is the Wiki entry:

"Jurić failed to turn the team's fortunes and was regularly criticized for his management style and poor results; he was eventually dismissed on 10 November 2024, after a 2–3 home loss to Bologna that left Roma 20th in the Europa League table and only four points ahead of the relegation zone in Serie A."

He was at Roma for less than TWO months. His record at previous clubs is better, admittedly, but still doesn't scream "Leave this to me guys, I've got this!"

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but it doesn't inspire confidence (probably because I've got no confidence in the board to get the appointment right). The thing we need is experience, and knowledge of the league. This guy has never managed outside Italy, let alone the UK. They're too 'hip' to go for someone like Moyes, clearly.

If it comes off then I hope he proves me completely wrong.

The reality is Moyes most likely wasn’t interested. There were noises we had sounded Potter and Moyes out several weeks ago and they had said no. I was hoping Moyes could be persuaded now given the unreliable betting odds but here we are. So we are going for a manager with top flight experience over championship managers who we could take another look at in the summer. Perhaps like Martin, their release clauses will be smaller if they leave to a championship club? History suggests we are relegated already so why pay over the odds for a championship manager now and potentially have them in a position where it’s too toxic for them to recover next season. I can see the logic in the short term appointment of someone we have tracked for a while, with a view of reevaluating in the summer. 

[Wiggles31]

Sensible appointment made 6-8 weeks too late. 
 

Not quite sure what people were expecting on here tbh. It was never going to be Moyes. 

[kitch]

3 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Russell Martin knew the league, how did that go?

 

This "knowing the league" is bollocks. If he's a good manager, he's a good manager. If he isn't, he isn't. It's as simple as that.

It's not pivotal, but experience is key in most aspects of life. RM knew the league, but knowing the league isn't everything, it's just one element. He fell short of many of the others.
Like I say, I hope I'm wrong, but this screams Ankersen trying to be clever again to me.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Knew the name, but knew nothing of his approach or history. After a bit of a read up I have to say this is not a bad appointment given there were very few choices. A 6 month contract when the club is very likely facing relegation is a good move. He’s older, got gravitas and a bit of pedigree having managed in serie A. His style of football fills in the gaps missing from Russball - man marking high press, solid defence, dynamic in the final third with high paced counters.

Of course he’s got to get the players on-board with his system, but I reckon if he does that we’ll be seeing a quite different Saints side that gives us a bit more pride and hope. Icing on the cake is that, relegation or not, if he fits well he may prove to be the man to take us back up. He’s brave coming to us so certainly deserves every fans support for the next 6 months. Welcome Ivan.

Edited 17 hours ago by Saint Fan CaM

[Dman]

10 minutes ago, santolijador said:

Happy enough with that. I wonder if things go well, but we get relegated, he might want a shot in the Championship? Intrigued to see if he is in place for Fulham and the team he picks...

He will sure things up defensively and he certainly won't be trying to be mates with the players. 

Welcome Ivan, best of luck. 

All jokes aside, his assistant will be key. It has to be someone the players can relate to otherwise the jump from Russell 'best mate' Martin, to the big angry croat will be too drastic. 

[coalman]

15 minutes ago, Nolan said:

Juric’s death metal approach has made Torino a devilish team to face | Serie A | The Guardian

He took a side with a very limited budget to 9th and 10th in Serie A which shows he can work with what he's got against bigger and better resourced teams. Which is a huge plus point. Any manager coming in needs to have a record of over performing their means. That being said he didn't work out at Roma so 🤷‍♂️

Defensively his team conceded 3rd least amount of goals however struggled to deal with teams hitting them at pace (which will happen in the Premier League) so mixed there but at least there's some hope he can coach a team to defend.

His teams were known for hitting teams quickly on the counter attack. Which will be a breath of fresh air.

[Saint Matty 76]

I'm honestly not too disheartened about not bringing in a long-term manager to immediately have the bad experience of this season and start to break their relationship with the fans being put into an impossible situation.

This guy for 6 months whilst we work on our preference of Rohl/Corberan in the background for the Summer to come in at the start of June, ideal.

[Butthole_Surfer]

New manager bounce incoming. It‘s time that it happens to us for once.

I hope he blasts some Carcass tunes in the cabin instead of whatever tunes they listen to that results in walking football to have the players grow some hair on their balls for once.

I believe we‘re in for a hell of a ride.

🤟🍻

 

[Lighthouse]

We’ve got an awful squad, which will almost certainly get us relegated whoever is in charge, especially given where we now are in the table. Proven PL managers, even ones who aren’t really that inspiring like Moyes and Potter, were never really likely to want to come here. The only thing that would have tempted them would have been an absolute wheelbarrow full of cash, which would have been a massive waste on our part.

[Dman]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

We’ve got an awful squad, which will almost certainly get us relegated whoever is in charge, especially given where we now are in the table. Proven PL managers, even ones who aren’t really that inspiring like Moyes and Potter, were never really likely to want to come here. The only thing that would have tempted them would have been an absolute wheelbarrow full of cash, which would have been a massive waste on our part.

We had an awful squad under Ralph for many years. However, we were (in the main) well drilled, agressive and got results here and there. 

If, as reported, his style is simlar to that, he'll get us a few results over the next 20 games. 

Its the way sides like us need to play, we'll never have enough money and therefore talent, to play the way Martin wanted us to. 

[suewhistle]

1 hour ago, coalman said:

That's the first test. You can tell a lot about a manager by seeing what they do with Jack Stephens when they arrive.

A quick Glasgow kiss and then a knee to the groin? Or would it be better the other way round?

[trousers]

7 minutes ago, kitch said:

Like I say, I hope I'm wrong, but this screams Ankersen trying to be clever again to me.

It's the opposite IMO. The 'clever Ankersen' option would've been to give the Danish fella a long term contract. But giving someone a 6 month contract and reassessing the situation in the summer is the most logical and pragmatic approach, which is most unlike Ankersen in my view!

[John B]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

We’ve got an awful squad, which will almost certainly get us relegated whoever is in charge, especially given where we now are in the table. Proven PL managers, even ones who aren’t really that inspiring like Moyes and Potter, were never really likely to want to come here. The only thing that would have tempted them would have been an absolute wheelbarrow full of cash, which would have been a massive waste on our part.

Very true managers do not stay very long with us these days I wonder how long he will last

[Saint Scott]

Interesting choice, lets hope Sports Republic have done their homework this time

[Saint Fan CaM]

2 minutes ago, John B said:

Very true managers do not stay very long with us these days I wonder how long he will last

Very likely 6 months would be my guess! 😂😏

[Patrick Bateman]

26 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. You may consider me moderately whelmed.

This. Never heard of the guy, so no opinion. 

[kitch]

6 minutes ago, trousers said:

It's the opposite IMO. The 'clever Ankersen' option would've been to give the Danish fella a long term contract. But giving someone a 6 month contract and reassessing the situation in the summer is the most logical and pragmatic approach, which is most unlike Ankersen in my view!

Fair point, I hadn't seen the 6 month contract bit. 

Looking for the positives, at least he's very different to RM.

[kitch]

19 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

The reality is Moyes most likely wasn’t interested. There were noises we had sounded Potter and Moyes out several weeks ago and they had said no. I was hoping Moyes could be persuaded now given the unreliable betting odds but here we are. So we are going for a manager with top flight experience over championship managers who we could take another look at in the summer. Perhaps like Martin, their release clauses will be smaller if they leave to a championship club? History suggests we are relegated already so why pay over the odds for a championship manager now and potentially have them in a position where it’s too toxic for them to recover next season. I can see the logic in the short term appointment of someone we have tracked for a while, with a view of reevaluating in the summer. 

Fair points.

[CSA96]

25 minutes ago, kitch said:

This fucking board, I swear!

Man has only one club he's acheived better than a 40% win ratio at, and that was a Serie C club. He lasted no time at Roma - in fact, this is the Wiki entry:

"Jurić failed to turn the team's fortunes and was regularly criticized for his management style and poor results; he was eventually dismissed on 10 November 2024, after a 2–3 home loss to Bologna that left Roma 20th in the Europa League table and only four points ahead of the relegation zone in Serie A."

He was at Roma for less than TWO months. His record at previous clubs is better, admittedly, but still doesn't scream "Leave this to me guys, I've got this!"

Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but it doesn't inspire confidence (probably because I've got no confidence in the board to get the appointment right). The thing we need is experience, and knowledge of the league. This guy has never managed outside Italy, let alone the UK. They're too 'hip' to go for someone like Moyes, clearly.

If it comes off then I hope he proves me completely wrong.

He went into Roma after the unpopular American ownership had sacked club icon Daniele De Rossi, for context... the fans were bang against it all from day one

Knowledge of English football is nonsense. What about the Premier League's identity is particularly English? It's a global league, the teams are just based here. Jones and Martin had spent almost their entire careers over here and it helped neither of them when push came to shove

Nobody with PL experience, and good PL experience, is coming anywhere near this job. You're just deluding yourself to think otherwise

[Miltonaggro]

4 minutes ago, trousers said:

It's the opposite IMO. The 'clever Ankersen' option would've been to give the Danish fella a long term contract. But giving someone a 6 month contract and reassessing the situation in the summer is the most logical and pragmatic approach, which is most unlike Ankersen in my view!

Exactly. As far as I know several ‘targets’ turned Saints down this week including two championship managers and Moyes.  Maybe we go back in the summer.  Left with Hobson’s choice of juric or Kasper, and with that in mind I think 6 months of juric best medicine for this unfit squad with associated scar tissue. He may surprise a few people - in a good way for once. 

[macca155]

This screams a 'it's all we could get' appointment.

I know pretty much zero about him but I suspect Saints are too far gone to interest anybody else. He's an experienced reasonably safe pair of hands. More Mark Hughes than Ralph.

He'll be here to guide us through to relegation, whilst the board get their ducks in a row.

I suspect a third of the squad will be sold or loaned out. He might be allowed to loan in a couple, but prepare for them to be athletic machines rather than cultured footballers. However that may not be a bad thing as fitness is a real issue atm.

Not sure how I feel about it really. Hopefully the 2nd half of the season will be better than the first.

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, kitch said:

Fair point, I hadn't seen the 6 month contract bit. 

Looking for the positives, at least he's very different to RM.

Indeed. If this appointment is to achieve one thing, it's to flush the Martin tactical mentality out of the players' minds. This fella sounds like he'll achieve that, and some...

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, LGTL said:

Reserving judgement as I couldn’t tell you a thing about him. 

Very sensible and a MO I’ll adopt 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

14 minutes ago, trousers said:

It's the opposite IMO. The 'clever Ankersen' option would've been to give the Danish fella a long term contract. But giving someone a 6 month contract and reassessing the situation in the summer is the most logical and pragmatic approach, which is most unlike Ankersen in my view!

If this new manager is only given a 6 month contract it says to me neither side is particularly confident in the other and we will therefore probably be in for another summer of upheaval and looking for a new manager.

[Dman]

8 minutes ago, macca155 said:

This screams a 'it's all we could get' appointment.

 

It doesn't though - We were said to be keen on him before we appointed Jones. Imo, that screams long term target more than anything else. 

[trousers]

19 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

If this new manager is only given a 6 month contract it says to me neither side is particularly confident in the other and we will therefore probably be in for another summer of upheaval and looking for a new manager.

Fair point, although I guess it's a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" situation. If they gave the next manager a 3 year deal (say), there would be as much criticism on the other side of the coin, and could lead to even more upheaval in the summer. Getting someone in effectively on trial seems sensible to me, and gives SR 6 months to hatch a transition plan for the summer, should they need one, in order to minimise any upheaval. (Yeah, I know... SR and "planning"... Hmm... )

Edited 17 hours ago by trousers

[hypochondriac]

6 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

If this new manager is only given a 6 month contract it says to me neither side is particularly confident in the other and we will therefore probably be in for another summer of upheaval and looking for a new manager.

Sounds like six months with an option to extend at end of the season. 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Miltonaggro said:

Unable to agree terms with Rohl / SW could be a blessing in disguise if we end up with Juric, a coach I’ve always liked but didn’t think SR would be talking to. Could be just what we need for remainder of this season but the players better get used to more intense training and less love ins. Will make us a lot harder to beat. 

That'll be a good start.

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, macca155 said:

This screams a 'it's all we could get' appointment.

I know pretty much zero about him but I suspect Saints are too far gone to interest anybody else. He's an experienced reasonably safe pair of hands. More Mark Hughes than Ralph.

He'll be here to guide us through to relegation, whilst the board get their ducks in a row.

I suspect a third of the squad will be sold or loaned out. He might be allowed to loan in a couple, but prepare for them to be athletic machines rather than cultured footballers. However that may not be a bad thing as fitness is a real issue atm.

Not sure how I feel about it really. Hopefully the 2nd half of the season will be better than the first.

I think if that were true we wouldn't have appointed him so quickly. I am not thrilled by this appointment but he clearly wasn't our only option. 

[Dman]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Sounds like six months with an option to extend at end of the season. 

Seriously don't understand how anyone could be against that either. Incredibly sensible from SR - if they believe he is the man. 

[Convict Colony]

First I am loving my fellow posters who also know its utter bollocks about knowing the league or having league experience as a qualification because if that was the case we would be recyling managers over and over again.  Why do you thing foreign managers appointed always have a UK experienced ex-player or coach as one of their assistants, we have plenty of uk experience in the assistant layer, good coaches can coach.

Roma has been a basket case club for quite a long while now as pointed out above following Di rossi was a nightmare so i dont hold that against him his work at Torina and Hellas is good.

Also he is a "disciple" of Gasperini at Atalanta so in my book this is a big positive, I fucking hope some of the players are ready to run more and I expect us to be agressive further up the pitch.

Will be interesting to watch this develop but i expect he is cheap to remove at seasons end, doesnt bring a lot of staff and is up for the challenge.

We will at least see us make more effort on the pitch and hopefully cause teams problems rather than making our own.

 

[Fitzhugh Fella]

5 minutes ago, trousers said:

Fair point, although I guess it's a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" situation. If they gave the next manage a 3 year deal there would be as much criticism on the other side of the coin, and could lead to even more upheaval in the summer. Getting someone in effectively on trial seems sensible to me, and gives them 6 months to hatch a transition plan for the summer in order to minimise any upheaval. (Yeah, I know... SR and "planning"... Hmm... )

18 months would have been a good option. How are we going to judge him? If we get relegated will he be a failure? This is the board deferring the problem until the summer imo. I would have preferred something a little more long sighted but we all know what happens when we go down that road. As it is we will have a manager who almost certainly wont be here next Christmas.

Edited 17 hours ago by Fitzhugh Fella

[Convict Colony]

A.I's summary of his coaching philosphy:

Ivan Jurić, known for his tactical acumen, has a distinctive style of management that has been demonstrated across his tenures at various clubs like Hellas Verona, Torino, and briefly at Roma. Here's a breakdown of his tactics based on available information:

Formation and Setup:

3-4-2-1 Formation: This is the most commonly associated formation with Jurić, although he has been known to adapt to a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 depending on the team's needs and the opposition. The 3-4-2-1 allows for a strong defensive base with three central defenders, wing-backs who provide width, and two attacking midfielders supporting a lone striker.

Defensive Tactics:

High Pressing: Jurić's teams are known for applying intense pressure high up the pitch, aiming to win back the ball in the opponent's half. This high press is not just about chasing the ball but involves a coordinated effort to close down opponents and force errors.

Man-Marking: Instead of zonal marking, Jurić often opts for man-marking, where each player is responsible for marking an opponent player rather than a specific area. This approach can lead to a very aggressive and personal duel-oriented defense.

Compact Defensive Block: When not pressing, his teams tend to form a compact defensive shape that limits space in central areas, pushing opponents wide where they are less likely to create high-quality chances.

Attacking Tactics:

Vertical Transitions: Jurić's teams aim for quick transitions from defense to attack, utilizing the flanks with wing-backs pushing forward to deliver crosses into the box. This was particularly noted with Torino where full-backs averaged around five crosses per game.

Crosses and Set Pieces: The use of wing-backs for crosses is a significant part of his attacking strategy, especially to target tall strikers or players good in the air.

Aggressive and Vertical Play: The style is characterized by direct, vertical attacks rather than prolonged possession play, aiming to catch the opposition off guard with rapid movements from defense to attack.

Player Roles and Adaptability:

Wing-Backs: They are crucial in his system, often expected to contribute both defensively and offensively, providing width and delivering crosses.

Midfielders: Typically, Jurić uses a double pivot in midfield to offer balance, allowing the attacking midfielders to focus on creativity and support for the striker.

Striker: Often a tall, physical presence who can hold up play and be a target for crosses.

Challenges and Implementation:

Tactical Complexity: Jurić's style requires players to be tactically astute and disciplined, which can be challenging to implement without a pre-season to drill the system into the team.

Player Fit: The success of his tactics heavily depends on having the right players who fit his system, particularly those who can adapt to the high intensity and specific roles within his formations.

Jurić's tactics reflect a blend of his experiences, notably influenced by his mentor Gian Piero Gasperini, but with his unique twists, especially in how he uses wing-backs and emphasizes man-marking. However, his short stint at Roma highlighted potential challenges in adapting his highly tactical style to a new squad mid-season.

[Fabrice29]

I did try and explain on here that no sane manager is going to kick off a long term job with the likelihood of having to go through 6 months of defeats first. Anyone thinking otherwise was deluded. Club needed to find someone insane enough to think they could stay up or offer a way out at the end if/when the fans have had enough.

10 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

If this new manager is only given a 6 month contract it says to me neither side is particularly confident in the other and we will therefore probably be in for another summer of upheaval and looking for a new manager.

 

[CSA96]

3 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

18 months would have been a good option. How are we going to judge him? If we get relegated will he be a failure? This is the board deferring the problem until the summer imo. I would have preferred something a little more long sighted but we all know what happens when we go down that road. As it is we will have a manager who almost certainly wont be here next Christmas.

He kind of has signed an 18 month contract. It's 6 months with a further 12 optional on survival. So a get-out clause for both parties upon relegation. SR have made a lot of braindead decisions on the football front but I really don't believe this is one. This is sensible

[a1ex2001]

25 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Very likely 6 months would be my guess! 😂😏

Unless he really impressed over the remainder of the season which I’m sure will be the hope on both sides. What ever happens it sounds like he will give the team a kick up the backside and get them fitter and playing more aggressively all of which is a good thing ahead of a season in the championship.