Burnley sacked their manager mid stream and Hull were in the poo until they were taken over and had money pumped into them! So I dont think either did that well! I`d bet both were hoping to at least make the play offs!
Well sacking the manager is standard and Hull who are a very unfashionable ex 4th tier club managed to find a backer with finance then? So West ham are not going to struggle there are they?
As of close of play last night http://www.skybet.com/betting/football/manager-specials/t10002896.html
Not sure why Alex McCleish is on the list. League cup or no League Cup, his team is going to get relegated on goal difference, after Blackpool fall to a heroic 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford. And can you imagine Billy Davies trying to negotiate a wage budget with the owners that a very well known journalist frequently describes as the "porn people"? Psycho is a decent outside bet. Don't think he can do much more with the U21s, but by his own admission he is not ready for the real England job. Cutting a big team's cloth and turning them back into a stable, bottom half Premier League club would take him a long way towards it.
They did go for O'Neill previously - whether he would be interested in rebuilding them? He would demand a lot of control
Has O'Neill's stock really fallen to the extent that the best job he can get is in the Championship? He has a tendency to leave clubs suddenly, and that would count against him in the Premier League. But look at how those clubs fared with him vs without him. I think most clubs would feel that he's worth the risk.
i can't imagine he'd go to West Ham when it's obvious the board oversee everything the Manager does...and makes decisions despite his advice. O'Neill wouldn't put up with that for a moment imho.
The Mirror is claiming that WHam want Paul lambert - if true, they must really live in a fantasy world. Do they really see themselves as such an attractive option, that a manager who has just won promotion to the Premiership would 'come back down' to join them?
I very much doubt anyone could have done better than MM this season given the bigger picture. Thrills, spills, highs, lows, drama and high comedy at times, goals goals and more goals... it has never been dull. In terms of entertainment, vfm, and the emotional rollercoaster ride this has been our best season in years and years. Okay, Aidy got us up, playing mainly pragmatic football with a hint of sparkle, but it was a horrid year or two (or three even) that followed. Assuming MM does not have to sell all the crown jewels then we can hope for more of the same next season. Yes please!
Well I didn't think Malky's crown jewels were at risk but I do agree Fez - Malky proved he is one of the best managers in the Championship when you take account of the limitations he manages under. It is a shame that the league table will not show that really we were top 8 to 10 at worst - 14th place was not justice.
I'm on Psycho for ã3 at 33/1. Fingers crossed. For any stattos out there, were we EVER lower than 14th this season? Because I can't remember it.
It is not really a question of O'Neill's stock falling - I think he is one of the most highly regarded managers still - but he has stringent personal demands that the top clubs don't give in to - West Ham were not prepared to when they were in the Prem - but now they might be prepared to give him the control he demands if that would get them back to the Prem. If he still believes in himself enough he may see that as a good challenge - West Ham can always aspire to be a top ten club - not many clubs can have realistically that ambition
West Ham are a truly great club, with a history that in my opinion is second to none. Sure, Liverpool have 18 titles, several European trophies, and a tragedy that has bonded the fans closer to the club than most others. Manchester United's history is virtually identical, save for the fact that their tragedy came earlier and their glory period came later than Liverpool's. But neither have the character of West Ham's, and due to price neither can truly claim to be the club of local working families anymore, whereas West Ham just about can. But I don't think the Hammers will be able to aspire to the top ten for several years yet. Far too many things are stacked against them for that. The right manager can give them a realistic hope of the playoffs in the short term. He will reinvigorate their academy in the medium term, which up until 20 years ago was indisputedly the best in the world, and even up until 5 or 10 years ago was probably in the top three. And finally, they need someone who would only consider walking away for his own national team's job, or due to personal health. If, and only if, they can find someone to tick all three of those boxes, their recovery will be smoother than Leeds. And while O'Neill is easily the best candidate to attempt to go straight back up, I think he is the wrong man on the other two measures.
Table doesnt lie at the end of the season, We just got found out from losing 2 good loanees and not having a big enough squad!,thus having to rely on the kids even more!
Table doesnt lie! We just got found out with not having a big enough squad! losing two good loanees didnt help,on the positive side look at all the kids that have been fast tracked due to necessity
