The point about man-management is definitely true. However, I'm not so sure about Harry's man-management. If he is such a man-management specialist, why does he have to spend so much money to achieve anything? QPR should have been a chance to show those skills (a supposedly decent squad that is underachieving), yet at the first chance he's gone and spent £8m on a player and wants to spend £8-13 million more. Harry is a chequebook manager, always has been. Not necessarily a bad thing if you can afford it, but I think the man-management thing is overstated.
Interesting, Roscafre. Is this the one you mean?http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3941...se-to-exit?source=breakingnews&ICID=HP_BN_15# The bit that caught my eye was the following: 'Fulham are aware of Schalkeâs interest in Jol and believe it is being used as leverage by the 57-year-old to get his own way on both his contract issue and potential transfer targets.' Jol has previous on this. Throughout his managerial career he has had uneasy relationships with Chairmen, boards, etc and has consistently used events - particularly interest from other clubs - as leverage to get what he wants. Depending on whether you trust the British or the Dutch press, he arguably used us in that way when we first tried to get him away from Ajax. It's interesting that in this case, according to the article, the board seem to be saying that what we need isn't a(nother) creative midfielder, when most of us on this board (and, it seems, Jol) disagree. Perhaps this is why our interest in M'Vila hasn't turned into a firm bid yet. What happens on that potential deal might be very informative in how this whole boardroom dispute gets played out.
Agree with all of that, Captain. The other phrase I noted was, "Martin has a scattergun approach" (made by the 'club source', allegedly). I made the very same observation way back in Jol's very first transfer window. Another point I'd make is the distinct possibility that the Board is wary/cautious of the link between Jol's agent and players being scouted, although touted may be the better description.
Here, you'll like this one C58: http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896...laims-bjorn-?source=breakingnews&ICID=HP_BN_1
What I took from the "Loggerheads" article was mixed messages. On one hand, they say Jol has signed too many attacking midfielders, then go on to say the clubs' "senior officials" want full backs and centre mids. I thought thats what Jol was saying we need in every interview? Then they list all our targets - not one attacking player amongst them. Very strange.
While not necessarily saying that Riise the Younger is wrong, this article could also be described as 'player who was passed over and then released by a manager lashes out at the same manager for dropping his brother'. He's not exactly a neutral witness.
I can understand why some people might find Jol arrogant or looks arrogant. His style and body language even during interviews is almost the opposite of Roy.
Nah, this is Goal.com nonsense. I believe the manager implicitly when he told the press in his lunch time conference - The speculation regarding Riise’s contentment at the Club intensified following alleged quotes made by his brother Bjorn Helge. However, Jol explained that the former Fulham winger had since been in touch to assure the Club that he had made no such comments. “I haven’t seen what Bjorn said but he came back to us and he was almost crying because it was not true,” Jol said. “I had a fantastic relationship with him even though he was not playing [last season] so he said that he didn’t say anything and I will take his word for it.” Talking to fulhamfc.com, Bjorn Helge Riise said: “I am so angry with quotes that have been attributed to me, because I did not speak badly about Martin Jol or about the Club’s players. “I enjoyed every minute of being at Fulham and, even though I didn’t play much under Martin, I had a great relationship with him and have been back to visit. Quotes trying to cause trouble for me are just to get headlines in Norway. I have been in touch with Martin and apologised for this happening.” PS JAR's agent is Einar Baarsden
For me, that's the most interesting point. It's easy to forget that some of our players are superstars in their own country and just as our media are obsessed with players like Rooney and making the most out of the tiniest spat, foreign media can be just as obsessed over their players. Also, Bjorn Helge was pretty classy while he was here and I'm inclined to believe this whole thing was made up.
Usually is with Goal.com - remember all the wind ups from them during 'Dempseygate'? They push out this sort of stuff hoping it will get picked up by the bigger Agencies because that's where their revenue comes from.
Cottager,yes indeed you quoted the right article I was refering to. As I have said on a previous thread after the first match in February has been played a clearer picture should emerge, on not only our league position, but JOLs management tenure.
Just a little bit of info about Riise that made me laugh sometime ago. A Norwegian friend of my son's said that the JAR is not very liked in Norway by the public after a bit of cock up on his behalf. Apparently the story goes that he sent a text out to some Norway's finest looking women suggesting that if they got together, they could become Norway's version of the Beckham's. Unbeknown to him though, he sent it to everyone in his contacts list, hence making a bit of a kn#b of himself. Not sure if it is true but how the other live.
Oh that's true. However, the original story in The Times wasn't picked up by the 'populars' so Goal.com ran it (with a few embelishments - the "a source close to" reference tends to be a giveaway) to attract the Agencies. If you scour the net you'll find their story was then put out (more or less word for word) by loads of foreign papers. They have a little vendetta going with Jol which may or may not have something to do with Dempsey's brother working for them.
My point is rather a question of why have the board wiated to get the extension sorted and tie him down for a few more years. The board want stability for the club, this has to extend to managerial contracts. Happy coach, happy footballers. I dont think its a coincidence that form has dipped at the same time people don't know where they stand with the company that employs them.
