So either 1. hughes is not our number one choice or 2.we are making a hash of this Or 3. everything is fine. Given our track record in the last couple of years 2. seems the most likely. 1. Is possible. Not sure 3. Is very likely now.
I actually disagree on that. You tend to remember the better ones rather than the flops, but if you factor in Gardos, Juanmi, Boufal, Osvaldo, Ramirez, Carillo, Martina and Clasie plus other failures, we haven’t been so good. I think we have had more misses especially with our record signings Can of worms open I know
Yes, we’ve had a few stellar signings but there’s certainly a lot of dross there. All in all, we’re doing ok but nothing spectacular.
There is a superb article by Matthew Syed in today's Times about the appointment of football managers in which he demonstrates that football clubs haven't a clue how their appointment will work out and that managers they think will succeed fail and vice versa. Think Conte at Chelsea and Ranieri at Leicester.
On the subject of new players. I think we got a bit of luck with the amount of players that came into the club and were a success.for the most part the players that we have got on over the last couple of seasons are good players that were hammpered by the last two managers
I think this is a good point. There was an element of luck in Koeman’s first season with the transfers. We signed around 7 or so players and I think all of them did fairly well and settled quickly after a summer of sales. Had we not had this luck it could have been a different story. Of course you could say that his wasn’t luck and it was strategic planning, but then why don’t we seem to have that now?
Sounds like you agree. Some hits and misses The point at the start was the comment that we won’t unearth a good one for a long time... that’s the bit I think is defeatist.
I have always said recruitment is 50/50. Others will protest about planning, assessment, etc, however I always think it is 50/50.
It is the inability to recognise areas that need strengthening. That has been an issue i have been moaning about for 2 years. Even i am now bored moaning about it. However if you continue to do the same things with the same people nothing will change.
Yeah i understand that, VVD was probably our last great signing which was 3 years ago? Thats a massive amount of time in football terms. We have made some ok signings since but none that i would say have gone on to become better players than what they were before we signed them.
Bednarek definitely, already. Lemina and Hoedt probably imo - both will improve after performing okay in a poor side.
Bit early to say any of those players have improved. Lemina was playing champions league football at one of the biggest clubs in the world so to say he has improved with us is stretching it. ( I agree he's a good player but he was that already) Hoedt was an international defender before joining us again i'm yet to be convinced he is in international class player. Bednerak has done well when he has come in and looks like he could be our long term first choice centre back, however if we strengthen in that position in the summer he might not feature at all next season.
