Personally, I think Kompany would be more of a risk than Nathan Jones atm. Nathan Jones has actually been a manager and achieved things as a manager. Lampard and Gerrard are two recent examples of players who had as big (bigger) a career as Kompany, and Lampard also had some semblance of Championship success. Is coming from the Championship any different than coming from, say, the Eredevisie (as Koeman did), though? And Lampard went from Derby in the Championship to Chelsea - just because he is famous, he's still just a Championship manager, with a bit of extra goodwill behind him. He'd actually achieved less than Nathan Jones as a manager, and was not recognised as the best manager over an entire Championship season, but no one seemed to think anything other than it was a good idea (barring arguments over what gives him the right to automatically go into a top managerial job). I can't say I'm massively confident of this potential appointment, but I think if, say, Brighton had appointed him, it would probably pique my interest as a bold, impressive move. But not sure I'm keen on the risk factor here, given our precarious position and his lack of top level managerial experience. It concerns me, but he did come into Luton in a similar predicament and haul them away from the relegation zone straight away. Putting some positive spin on it, I trust Rasmus Ankersen with this decision more than I trust the decision myself or other fans would make. He obviously has constraints on who he chooses, so does not have a full set of available options, but he has got the experience, the proven success with managerial decisions, and he is young enough to have a good appetite for risk, and for those three reasons, I think his ideas are probably worth pursuing. I am not sure I remember many decisions like this in the Premier League - and it is likely to be quite groundbreaking if it works. That is what excites me, and I'll of course be massively willing it to work.
Yeah I get that, it will be harder. I was underwhelmed when I heard about his potential appointment, but it’s not an obvious choice, which makes me think they have thought about it a lot. Im prepared to give the benefit of the doubt. I think we could go down this year regardless of the new appointment.
Think that's a really good point regarding a Brighton, or a Brentford making this kind of move. I certainly wouldn't be sitting there thinking "well, that's them down" at all. It would be very interesting. Likewise, if we'd taken on a manager who'd got, I dunno, Spezia or Albacete up through their respective divisions, basically from the bottom of the leagues up to near the top division, we'd strangely all be a bit more excited.
From BBC - Luton Town boss Nathan Jones says he will speak to Southampton about their managerial vacancy on Wednesday, but has insisted that a move to the Premier League club is "not a done deal". Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio after Tuesday's 2-0 Championship loss at Stoke City, the Welshman said it was a "wonderful honour" to be approached. Luton have given Southampton permission to speak with the 49-year-old after the Saints sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl on Monday. "I've got a wonderful relationship with everyone at the football club," said Jones. "These things sometimes happen. "I've had a number of enquiries during my six years at Luton [across two spells as manager] but I've always loved my relationship with everyone. "I hope the fans understand why I'm going for the chat because it's a different world in the Premier League. I want to be there one day, whether that's with Luton or with someone else. "It's just an opportunity to go and chat and to find out if it is right for me. "This is a wonderful project we have here, with great people from top to bottom who give me absolutely everything, and that's going to be tough to leave."
Or, I dunno, a guy who managed in Sweden and took his side up through the tiers but backslid a bit in his final year, then jumped ship to the Championship and took a promotion candidate to 10th (and that took a good end-of-year run).
Without listening to it, I can only imagine Ely saying “ I just didnt understand why he kept picking me. Even I know I am ****. The rest of the squad know I am **** also. Every week I go to training, and every match, and same result. If only he didnt keep picking me, maybe he’d still be here. I feel so sad.”
If he’d stuck that chance away, we might not be discussing this now. Especially if Che had as well. The fickle finger of fate or just crap at finding the net.
Put this on the Sportato thread, but will also link it here - new post looking at how Nathan Jones might not be such a mad choice, and a thank you to Ralph. https://www.sportato.net/post/mr-jones-and-me
You can always judge a man by asking yourself “Would you go for a pint with him”? I think you can safely say “Yes” in Ralph’s case, he seems like a thoroughly decent bloke who likes a beer and good company. It’s a ****ing shame that the Ralph era never worked out. Frustration was the main theme. Not sure I could go out for a pint with Nathan Jones, I had a bad experience abroad once with a Christian. I was minding my own business when I heard a voice say "Jesus loves you". Nice if you're in church, ****ing horrific if you're in a Mexican prison.
No, all I'm thinking about, is that although he is as good as appointed, no contract at that time had been signed, that's all and no doubt we've all been involved in situations which needed signatures before 'it' is a fully done deal.
