Yep. Think it was something on those lines mesell. Certainly Speakman said that finding a manager was not a problem for him on deadline day. In other words, he was in charge of signings. Going well mind with him deciding all things, and, thank God for that surge you always get when a manager is sacked.....Erm..
I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. The Defoe signing didn't make much sense other than as a PR move. If he knew that they wouldn't be filling the obvious gaps, that must have been frustrating for him. While I remain a fan of the 'model', its hard not to believe that something odd has gone on.
If Speakman is in charge of transfers in and out then he needs to be sacked. As someone else said he is living off "finding" Jude Bellingham. Did the bloke who signed Rooney for Man. Utd as a schoolboy go on to be in charge of 1st team transfers at another club? I very much doubt it. There is much more at stake being a "director of football" than an academy boss. Chalk and cheese jobs.
Add to Defoe Flannagan and Gooch being sold, guessing he knew that the club were willing to do it. I cant believe he would have supported those deals. Johnson was a scrappy bugger as well, can imagine him giving a couple of people a gobful and over stepping the mark. Again just guesswork.
I haven't, won't and can't even bring myself to look at the league table and haven't done for a while. I'm guessing that even Ipswich and Sheff Wed are right up with us now and to think Ipswich were bottom 3 at one point. When we beat SW 5-0 we were top. Only Sundland could fold like this. Wish I could be more upbeat like some on here.
Have come to the conclusion that we have to revert to three at the back as four at the back is disastrous, prior to new year we experienced a lot of success with three at the back . I think by recalling Hoffman to goal , play Xhemajli as the centre of a three flanked by Wright and Doyle . Matete and Neil to protect the defence with Dadjuka and Gooch on the flanks with Embleton and Pritchard playing behind Stewart . This is quite close to how we were lining up prior to new year and looks so much more balanced to recent line ups and would afford us a number of options off the bench if things aren’t going to plan . Cirkin , Evans, Winchester, Clarke , Defoe , Hume ,and a few others vying for places on the bench has to be healthy . Realise Xhemajli has not played for quite a while but has been playing for the U23s and let’s be honest our defence is so susceptible to the ball over the top we have to try something to stop the conceding these type of goals and he seems to be quick enough to play this sweeper type of role .
Everton but point is still valid. I think we need to be getting people in who have had success in those roles at other clubs but problem with that if they have had succes they are unlikely to be up for coming here. So looks like we gambled on Speakman. I'll hold my hands up and say I was liking the transfer policy and thought it was going to work. Others pointed out the young lads wouldn't last and hats off to them they were spot on. What is shocking is the business that occurred in January. Why weren't players brought in to help the young lads through? And again like has been said many times letting players go before having a replacement, cause its the right thing for the player! Joke!
I wouldn't be surprised if something along those lines went down. I assume the club thought they'd have no problem getting replacments in for Flanagan and Hume. From the outside, the transfer policy does seem to have changed from the last window. I wonder how much different it looked from the inside. If it was different, that might well have caused tension.
I am sure they will do their own internal review at the end of the season. Speakmans claim we have 4 centre backs like we did at the start of the window takes us for mugs. We sold Flannagan and Younger, and sent Alves back. Brought Baath in. In an era where the club are admitting some poor comms these bare faced lies seem to be allowed to ride. I also think they have to look at their courting of Defoe and Keane. They have been seduced by romanticism in my opinion. There was nothing whatsoever, in footballing terms, to recommend Defoe as being able to help us. So far the evidence suggests Neil doesnt think he can help us. I hope I am wrong and he helps us turn it round. They also need to review how they have got us into a summer position with 1 centre forward, 1 cente back, 1 keeper. Whatever we need to do next season I think we have snookered ourselves going into the summer again. Far too much work to do again. I am all for giving KLD time, he has only had a year. I am starting to think he needs am experienced man on the footballing side to guide him.
I said in a post a few days ago that continental clubs that have for years operated the kind of set up that we're trying to implement, like Bayern Munich, Dortmund, Ajax, pack the backroom positions with former players. I still think there's a role for Speakman but some advice from someone like Niall Quinn wouldn't go amiss.
Don't panic mate, all I said was he is better as a RB than a CB. I have no faith in him as a CB at all, so it's RB or the bench for me. It's such a shame that Huggins is out. He can play full back on both sides, which would have allowed Cirkin to have a break, while Hume filled in at RB.
Official Highlights: https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2022/february/mk-dons/highlights-vs-mk-dons Full 90: https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2022/february/mk-dons/full-90-vs-mk-dons Post match analysis:
