when we, inevitably, don't get taken over. Willems is a definite for me. I've got nothing against Rose and if it was possible to secure both then I'd be happy to say our back line is mid-table quality or above. We simply need a CM and a striker but I'm open to suggestions. I'd argue that a CM is more important as we've got a few 'good' players for those positions and one quality player could shape our midfield (going forward with a front 3 of ASM, Almiron and Joe would still frighten and provide goals with more supply). Honestly don't know what the realistic options are. Especially if no-one goes down for us to nibble from. I guess the counter argument is that no-one is coming up so we may be able to look at some players from Leeds/ Brom.
Fekir, Koubaliy (sp), and a long shot Coutinho. Don't think we will get them but that's the level we should aim for.
Fekir, Koubaliy (sp), and a long shot Coutinho. Don't think we will get them but that's the level we should aim for.
**** players, management is an absolute must. I like Bruce, but I don't want him or Rafa. I want someone new, young, fresh, looking to work on a project. I cannot look past Pochettino, I think he is literally the best manager available right now. Give that man £100M, give him time, continue to support him financially over the years and we are guaranteed top 10, top 8 and beyond imo. It's as simple as that.
It wouldn’t as good players should be able to improve us anyway but yes a class manager is essential.
Is he all that? He had half the current Liverpool team at Southampton. Look at the Spurs squad and he couldn't not finish top 4. Has he built a club ( not a squad) from scratch? That requires an experienced manager. He turned down Donny van der beek yet signed sissoko. Can only be Rafa for phase 1 of the project. I would accept Poch if he comes in as head coach and that we get an amazing DoF who will do all the major work.
You're off your absolute rocker if you think Rafa is a better more energetic and inspiring manager. Poch did accomplish top 4 and a Champions League final with that Spurs squad, with one of the lowest net spends in the league. Lol poch was consistently top 4 with Spurs, it was the clubs inability to sign players, keep things fresh and sell bad eggs that caused massive disharmony. Saints were lower table at best, infact, Saints were highly expected to be relegated. They were consistently top half after he arrived, Spurs were always aiming for Champions League, he turned them into finalists. When you're struggling to sign players at all, you have to sign people who can play straight away, not young talent. Sissoko signed for Spurs 4 years ago, he came off an amazing WC and van de beek was 19. The putting down of Poch is absolutely nuts, signing up Rafa, a man recently linked with West Ham and freaking lower table European sides in rejection for a man touted for the Man Utd job just shows a spineless lack of ambition.
No rebuilding. Poch can do it. At what point in his entire career has Raf Benitez entered a club which is a relegation threatend minnow and built a massive structure to last? I'll answer the question - never. But he has been sacked from his last 3 major jobs.
No rebuilding? OK then. Poch had people buying the players at Southampton and the players that bought were sheer quality. He then inherited an amazing squad at Spurs. At NUFC our GK is the best player by a country mile. Rest are not a top half quality collective. It won't be a walk in the park job initially. Poch comes across as if he doesn't have the balls for it. That is why Rafa is the man for the first part of the rebuilding. SAF built man Utd. Poch can not set the foundations IMHO.
This is not 1985. The average manager is at a top job for 3 years, you hire a DOF for rebuilding, the manager is the coach now. Its the only modern thing we do at NUFC, I do not like the idea at all that Rafa is personal friends with a board member and has full reign at the club. Raf is no SAF. Look at what Liverpool, City and Chelsea havr done, that's because of a top class boardroom and club strategy, that is far more important than giving some manager absolute control and being ****ed when he leaves.
I’m not sure Rafa is the man everyone is waxing about with his ability to build for long term. Someone else will have to be take control of that in some DOF capacity. Rafas record of leaving a lasting success isn’t that great. He left Liverpool with a load of dead wood at senior and junior level. The set up was good but was overhauled by Rodgers and changed to get to where they are today. Inter Milan was a disaster. Real Madrid was a disaster. Chelsea was short lived. We will excuse us as he had no investment. At Napoli he was short lived, just two seasons taking over a strong side which had finished 2nd and had cup success in recent seasons. He finished 3rd then 4th failing to qualify for CL. It’s only really Valencia where you’d say he left any lasting system. It’s part of the myth that surrounds him. I’d have no problem with Rafa initially as long as he isn’t buying the players or controlling the football direction long term.
