I agree - when people leave or get the boot everyone makes assumptions but as supporters/fans/hangers-on we don't really know. Even if someone comes up with some information beforehand or after the fact we are never going to know for sure unless you actually know that person and how they get the information. I'm sure the club take the fans feelings into account but not much, also - let's say 2000 - Internet warriors opinions does not reflect 20,000 hard core fans. So I don't think overall the fans influence any staff employment decisions to a huge degree. But I don't know - so I maybe wrong. I have been more often than not.
In truth none of us knew too much about him before he came to lite........He was a bit of a surprise contender.
You've posted a few times since this one, yet haven't named a candidate you would have taken last summer. For discussions sake, who would you have taken?
Puel seems to me to be a decent man who has achieved some good things for us this season especially with regards to the effect his coaching has had in improving players like Redmond, JWP, Stephens and McQueen. He has also had some rotten luck with injuries and had several players that composed the backbone of the team sold. I found it offensive having to listen to the questions from the first person at the press conference. Some fans seem to think it is OK to be offensively rude about him but the slightest hint of an offensive word by reply and they complain like babies. I have high regard for what Puel has achieved and I will be really disappointed if the club sack him because of the views of a minority of fans. I have such a poor view of those who want him out that I have learned to treat their spiteful, ill informed comments with the contempt they deserve.
It would really be coming to something if a Saints manager were to be fired for achieving a top half finish and a cup final appearance, whilst having such bad luck with injuries and at the same bringing on several Academy players. Then again, it was quite something when we fired a manager who was heading for safety during their first season in the EPL after back to back promotions. Funny old game, footy.
Not a bad comparison. I was pretty annoyed about the decision to sack Nigel, because it was a hell of a risk at a time when we were playing better and had escaped the relegation zone, which seemed to represent a good return relative to expectations. As it turned out, it was the right decision...he wasn't fired for underperforming, but rather a belief that another manager was available who would perform better.
Has them doing significantly better than a year ago. They're up 11 points and eight spots in the table after selling off a number of key players in the summer, and bringing in very little save loans until January owing to their ownership situation...their marquee summer signing (and the only one for which they paid more than a token fee) was Remy Cabella.