I keep seeing this, give Speakman the blame for all that's wrong and others the credit for anything that's right.
He was lucky Neil was passing and just started manning the ship! I reckon he had Neil lined up then Keane chucked his hat in the ring and one of them saw the publicity side of Keane and a coming back/unfinished business story and went for him. Still believe it's more likely to have been from the top than Speakman!
There were external forces pushing massively for Keane. I personally always got the impression Speakman wasn't keen (doing interviews saying that we're early in a process when Keane was winking on TV and people were saying his appointment was imminent etc). I think the media and as a result the fans got far too carried away with it all whilst Speakman was just plodding along with his process.
The proof of the pudding, as they say, is in the eating. If Mowbray gets us in the play-offs or promoted, I will have to apologise and say I was wrong about him. If by the end of the window we have the players we need... then Speakman and KLD will have delivered. Let's see..
Yep, it’s ingrained now and they will not give him an inch. It’s unreasonable really considering. This is a young growing leadership and we have to show a little patience.
There are so many cogs in the wheel that very very few people will know exactly what went wrong, who decided what etc. For this reason I’m not blaming anyone other than Neil for leaving on the day he did, just before a massive game…there was absolutely no need for that. I’ve moved on now anyway and will get behind whoever is appointed.
I don''t. You were comparing Mowbray finishing outside the (Championship) play offs with Blackburn to losing in the League One play offs under Ross/Johnson. I was illustrating that it's not a reasonable comparison
Can't really believe the criticism that Speakman is getting. Mistakes have certainly been made on his watch (to err is human) but the club is certainly moving in the right direction now and he is part of that. Even the stuff with the u23s and AOL managers will have a sensible explanation, even if we don't all agree with explanation. We have to expect ups and downs along the way but the club is a different to beast to Donald and Methven's time or to when glaringly obvious mistake after glaringly obvious mistake was being made by Byrne and the club was in a downward spiral. I just don't see losing Neil as the disaster that some are making it out to be. And that's all because the club is being run in a sensible way by people that (seem, at least, to) care.
There is one possible upside to the the timing of Neil's departure - most incoming managers are at their strongest bargaining position before/at the moment they are appointed. Any experienced Manager/Head coach will know we are light on bodies and will be able to bargain with Speakman for assurances on bringing in the players he wants (within reason) rather than Neil who was banging on and on about the need for new signings. It's a bit like asking for more money when you are offered a job - the chances of that are far more likely that if you ask for a pay rise 1 year into the job I can but hope
I am back thinking of possible coaches to look at. I doubt it is a closed shop just yet. What about Ryan Mason from Spurs. Obviously had a short spell as caretaker, where he looked the part in some ways. Conte a fan of him as a coach and not a bad year of experience working under him. Loads of experience of developing young players, including a couple of our own. Tottenham like doing business with us.
have said basically the same before, only those involved in all this know the full and exact reasons why it played out as it did, so much blame without facts. IF AN wanted to change how the club run then he deserved to go (the current model/project/vision or whatever you want to call it) IF speakman is simply trying to be 'mister big' with a what he says, goes attitude regardless of the wants of the club then he deserves to go (no one is bigger or can afford to be self important at the club) IF it was down to money then any manager would be aware of any wage cap or limit they have set and would sign up knowing he was unlikely to get a major increase (i would presume there would be bonus' for wins/cup runs/promotion) my own view is that due to the way the club has gone over the last 6 months i would expect an improved contract for AN, apparently one was offered and signed and then a further improved offer was made once stoke came sniffing...from that we can only guess that stoke offered far more wages and more say in the recruitment process as in our minds it would be stupid to disrupt a season before it has really begun, mess up with a clubs recruitment time by leaving near the end of the 'main' window and thus giving himself a reputation as a 'man not to be trusted' in a business where trust counts for a lot unless there was major improvement. so, AN is the one who walked so has to take blame...if speakman acted off his own back simply to be 'the man in charge' then he has to share blame, if it was all down to club policy and speakman was only doing as much as his remit allows then we cannot really blame him...either way what has happened is not going to change so (once again) i am ready to back any manager that comes in as i have done with all the rest, just wish we could keep ahad of one for a while.
well, no. I’m not saying Speakman gets no credit for that. I’m saying Harvey is the one doing the player identification, so if Speakman was to take less of a role in first team recruitment, the impact wouldn’t be as big as if Harvey left for example.
