I actually quite like Frank. I’ve found him to be tactically flexible and I always think that’s a decent quality in a manager. He approaches each game differently based on the quality and style of the opposition. Brentford’s shown they can play a counter game and also possession/ attacking one.
The fundamental problem remains. We need a coach who can make the squad outperform their actual abilities. The number of coaches who have done that in my lifetime at the very top of the game is very few. Ange is more likely to be that coach than anyone else mentioned because he is at least trying to do something innovative and different.
Surely if that were the case he wouldn't behind those listed managers in the table? All of whom who have lesser resources. Aren't they essentially doing what you say we need in that they're making their squads outperform their abilities?
They may be but it's too early to tell. Most likely they won't in the long run because so few do. A few good results with a mid-table side isn't an indicator of anything. Neither is a bad run.
I'm honestly surprised Oliver Glasner isn't included in any conversation about Ange's potential successor.
His name did come up as a potential Conte successor, with Bild claiming we met with him around the time Stellini was preparing to shuffle up the bench
I’d take him and 3 (Eze, Wharton & Guehi) of their players all day long. Would be an instant improvement on Ange, Werner, Bissouma & Romero) I only say Guehi is an improvement over Romero because of availability
I'm not convinced about Eze. Good player but a bit inconsistent and pretty injury prone. He'll be 27 at the end of the season so worth wondering will he improve much beyond his current level? Olise was the one I wanted for a while and he's showing at Bayern that his ceiling is higher.
Eze better than Richarlison and Werner on the left for me. To have him, Son and Mikey Moore would be a decent trio of options for me. If I could take any Palace player, it would be Wharton.
I really like Eze but I think his best role is playing behind the striker like Maddison, though considering we barely let Maddison do that it’d feel a little silly bringing in Eze if Ange is still manager and we persist with 433. Some good players in and around the bottom half of the table though, we’re obviously **** this season but in general there could be a few looking to play at a higher level soon. Along with those listed by King from Palace I’d take any of Mbuemo, Wissa, Branthwaite, Cunha, Ait-Nouri, Delap, Dibling and obviously Winks.
This really plays into my view of his naivety and amateurish management. He’s not a young manager, this is a near 60 year old bloke openly admitting he failed to plan accordingly and underestimated the challenges ahead. He has to go, as good of a guy he is, he’s not right for this level of football management. At best maybe Ligue 1 would be decent for him, other than that, back to SPL/ Australia in my opinion.
The guy has been like a deer in the headlights since the new manager bounce was over. Makes a mockery of PS's theory that it doesn't really matter who sits in the dugout. It really, really does.
And I'll add: what's even more worrying is that this wasn't his first season at PL level. He went through a whole year of it, saw the effect of his approach in terms of injuries and fatigue, went into a season with another competition to cope with, and just went 'It's who we are mate'. Amateur beyond belief.
I said when he was appointed that I feared he wasn’t up to PL standards. Even with Celtic I saw enough red flags. Time has proven me right.
Ange is more likely to be that coach? What in the nearly two years of his tenure draws you to that conclusion?
The fundamental problem is that we are currently underperforming and by quite a distance. I don't think we have the quality to challenge for the top 4, even at full strength, but we are much, much better than 14th. I've rarely seen a manager make such a pig's ear of squad management and team set up. Both FBs and the entire midfield is dysfunctional before we've even kicked off.
Only because I had seen him up close in Scotland. He was brilliant with Celtic but they always win the league, even Neil Lennon won multiple trebles up there. The footballing challenges of managing Celtic are tiny compared to Spurs because of the league quality. In Levy’s defence I can see why he was prepared to take a risk on Ange but it just hasn’t paid off at all. Iraola would probably be my pick as next manager even if there are big questions of injuries in his squad too. He’s only early 40s and has PL experience so wouldn’t need to learn the league like Ange had to.