New Head Coach

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Ozzymac said:
My issue with some of the comments regarding replacing him are similar to what you've just said FellTop.

We don't know what pool they looked at and what the outcomes were. The only thiong we know for certain is that we didn't sign a championship ready player.

Now, whether that was wage demands, availability, transfer fee or they didn't want to come we'll never know. But for anyone to say we didn't cst the net is purely speculation
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Very fair mate. I am speculating. I do wonder though why we didnt try to rectify it in the January window? We knew then we had a big problem up front. We spent money on Mundle. We were active in the market. I am guessing, based on the age profile of players we have signed recently, we werent looking at players in the 24-28 bracket. Could be wide of the mark and they tried for 10 players who didnt come off, but somewhere I think either we are fishing only in certain ponds, or we arent great at getting players we target to come.

I am fed up today, in case nobody has noticed <laugh>. Just been asked to pop out and watch a bunch of mini games for 6 year olds going on in my area too. Will do it, might cheer me up. If I see a goal machine I will drop KS a line, right in our age bracket <laugh><laugh>:emoticon-0130-devil
 
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Magnus said:
what if speakman isn't here in the summer to make that decision
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I know absolutely nothing of what goes on behind the scenes Magnus, but I do know about strategic planning and boardroom politics of big business. I said yesterday that Speakman will be gone in the summer. No owner/chair will accept a backward step in year three of a five year plan. Year three is the tipping point, everything should be in place for achievement in years four and/or five.
I hasten to add that's my opinion only based on my experience in business planning.
 
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Magnus said:
what if speakman isn't here in the summer to make that decision
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Probably for the best.

Get's a big thank you and good luck for the future from me. Done some great things which will benefit the club for a long time.

Next person in the role has to be more assertive in their decision making though. For instance, if Speakman wanted a new head coach last summer he should've just done it. That for me was the starting point for this season being poor. Left TM in a role he knew he wouldn't have for long no matter the results and it lead to constant snide digs from TM in press conferences and just a weird atmosphere in general around the club. Also, sacking TM in the summer would've lead us to have a larger pool of candidates for the job instead of having to conduct a search in December.

Next man has to use the free agent and loan market better. They are the base of many good championship sides and allows you to spend money on these young lads we want to develop for the future. This summers free agent market looks really good, absolutely must use it.
 
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Montysoptician said:
I know absolutely nothing of what goes on behind the scenes Magnus, but I do know about strategic planning and boardroom politics of big business. I said yesterday that Speakman will be gone in the summer. No owner/chair will accept a backward step in year three of a five year plan. Year three is the tipping point, everything should be in place for achievement in years four and/or five.
I hasten to add that's my opinion only based on my experience in business planning.
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It now looks like he just rinsed and repeated year two because it had gone well.

That's the difference - the best in his role are always adapting, even when it works. You never go into a close season needing a complete rethink.

Would he be trusted to reinvest the money from sales properly and not just go and buy a load of french kids who are vaguely attacking players.
 
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Magnus said:
what if speakman isn't here in the summer to make that decision
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The guy i know that was at the game yesterday wasnt there to discuss any role at the club (i mentioned on match day thread that i wondered if he was there as a potential DoF option)

He was in fact scouting Rigg for one of Europe's biggest clubs (he is pretty confident that Rigg js signing a pro contract with us)

I asked if he had heard anything about our new manager and he hasnt but he did say hes a huge huge fan of Will Still and reckons he would be a great fit

He will keep me posted if he hears anything but he has recently joined a massive club in a senior scouting role so wont be coming to us

Sorry for giving any false hope on that front lads
 
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FellTop said:
I dont think we should be buying the likes of what AA will be in 2 years time. I think, like Alonso did at Leverkusen, we should be adding to the AA of now with a Xhaka type (championhip level of course). These young players are great, but wont be able to do it without help on ths pitch. There is no leader on there to drive them forward, to set standards, to gee them up when it is tough. Nobody who has both the quality and experience. I sometimes think people assume experience means a reduction in quality. It doesnt have to at all. And it doesnt have to mean 30+ year olds. There are any amount of players in this division, who have 3 or 4 years experience and have real quality too. We just need to be prepared to invest in them. We should be seeing investing in more experienced lads as an investment in the development of the younger players. The amount of times players credit the older players they learned from should tell anyone trying to construct a team how important it is. Maybe the fact we have nobody with any real football experience, being part of a squad, is why we dont seem to understand it.
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I do agree with the experience bit, which to me has been the major mistake in the summer. In 2-3 years time these players we've singed will then be the experience that brings the younger players on.
We started with nothing, sign young prospects to develop but had to throw them all in together. Jobe and Ekwah have had to play nearly every game
In 5 years we will have the revolving door of talent, its not there yet which is why we should have had 3 or 4 experienced players on a 2 year deal to help them develop
 
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Scout73 said:
The guy i know that was at the game yesterday wasnt there to discuss any role at the club (i mentioned on match day thread that i wondered if he was there as a potential DoF option)

He was in fact scouting Rigg for one of Europe's biggest clubs (he is pretty confident that Rigg js signing a pro contract with us)

I asked if he had heard anything about our new manager and he hasnt but he did say hes a huge huge fan of Will Still and reckons he would be a great fit

He will keep me posted if he hears anything but he has recently joined a massive club in a senior scouting role so wont be coming to us

Sorry for giving any false hope on that front lads
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not that, another club are interested in KS
 
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Sure if it is Still we want and he comes with a bit more reputation, I’d imagine he wouldn’t come if he was assured/promised of having things his way. Ie some of his own team/influence on incomings. He’s got more to lose if he comes in like Beale arrived
 
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Magnus said:
not that, another club are interested in KS
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Look at Congerton, he's been anything but a failure since leaving us and we thought he was pretty poor with us.

I think Speakman will end up having a career far bigger than Sunderland. Just a feeling I have.

Not even sure why.
 
Disco down under said:
Look at Congerton, he's been anything but a failure since leaving us and we thought he was pretty poor with us.

I think Speakman will end up having a career far bigger than Sunderland. Just a feeling I have.

Not even sure why.
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Not really difficult for him to go onto better things to be fair. We’re a mid table championship club there’s hundreds in Europe alone that would be classed as better things.
 
Last season we over performed. This season the managerial wheels fell off and the attempt to fix didn’t work so it’s been disappointing. In planning terms, first year was survival and it’s been about bringing in and developing young talent while we wait for the commercial side of the club to sort itself out as contracts expire and maybe sell a player or two if they’ve out grown us. I think next two seasons were the big ones in the five year plan. They still are big seasons. With the right coach and more financial clout I expect this summer to be a little different. Still younger players with potential to grow but maybe picked up with more experience or more proven potential. This season was consolidation and player development, that’s why Dodds has ended up with half a season. That’s why Jobe was near undroppable. We took a few punts in a cheap solution to the striker issue and none have paid off yet. But that was ok to try if promotion wasn’t in the plan and this season was all about development.
Just my thoughts and possibly a crock of sh-t. Ultimately I think KS survival depends on his getting the right coach in. If he can’t get that recruitment sorted he’s not who we need despite all of the structural stuff put in place.
 
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