No, but if you want to take an outside view... We have given a manager ONE full season to get us promoted. He hasn't. And you want him sacked?
Side note, just casually reading Alex Fergusons Wikipedia page... A nine match winless run at the start of the season, then up to 3rd, then another poor run and all the way back down to midtable? That's sackable material, isn't it?
I go out highly motivated to play golf well every weekend but no matter how I try, sometimes I just don't. There is no one better than Pearson so let him carry on building this team. I think I read somewhere it was the youngest squad in the championship so given that and his (in my opinion) good record of bringing in players I am confident in progressing well next season.
Sousa, Sven, Holloway ... all had less time - To be honest, I hate to see anybody lose their job but football managers tend to get their very generous contracts paid up so it's not really comparable to 'the guy in the street' getting the push ... But I do want success for my football club - and haven't seen anything yet from NP to convince me it's on the near horizon.
I'm sure United fans felt the same after that poor season with Ferguson... Patience is a virtue. Let's be honest, we were hardly setting the world alight before he joined. We were no way near the playoffs, with an expensively assembled squad. In my opinion, we are still recovering from the mess that Sven made. We are improving, on and off the field, and I'm happy to see that continue. (By the way, I know it's obvious to me and you Fosse, but just for the sake of other visitors, I am in no way comparing Pearson to SAF, or saying that he could achieve anywhere near the same level of success lol!)
Beautifully spun but as Gangsta would say ... "you can't possibly compare ..." But you conveniently overlook the obvious differences: 1) He was attempting to restore what was, for many, England's (if not the world's) biggest club to its' former glory - something not achieved (in terms of the League title) since 1967 under Sir Matt Busby - something a bit different in scale than promotion to the Premier League from the Championship - and something that was obviously not going to be a quick fix given Liverpool's dominance at the time. 2) His history with Aberdeen, when Scottish football was of a decent standard - winning the league and triumphing in europe - was more than enough reason for thinking that he would eventually get it right. NPs comparative was to bring us up from League 1 but to fail in the play-offs the next season (see Norwich and Southampton re continuing momentum comparative). Also, let me ask you this - if we had not sacked Ian Holloway do you think he would have brought us back up the next season? - I know I do. I accept different viewpoints absolutely - what it comes down to is whether Nigel Pearson is the right man to take us forward and make us a success in the Premier League - I can't see that on everything I've witnessed to date - others can - fair play.
I take the point on self-motivation (I've always been able to do that myself) but not everyone's the same - yes the squad is very young - given that, do you not think it would have made better sense to bring in some older heads on loan rather than Kean and Kane? Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course. But Pearson seems far more comfortable with managing youngsters than seasoned pros, and that will never work at the next level. Just my opinion.
Good point FF, but do we not have those players in Wellens, St Ledger and Gallagher? Kane I agree was not a good fit but Keane was superb. Indeed he does seem to prefer young players but maybe that has something to do with budget constraints. Assuming you are talking good older pros, they would have to come from Premier League teams and few seem keen to drop down a division and they tend to be expensive.
Fact is NZFF we'll never know for sure about budget constraints etc - one thing that I did find rather baffling was Liam Moore's fall from grace - he did well for us in the opening spell of the season, heralding rumours of not just Premiership interest, but top six premiership interest. He then finds himself virtually out of the picture and finally loaned out - because we've brought in an experienced centre half? ... no... because we've brought in an equally youthful centre-half on loan from Man Utd. Now I rate Michael Keane. don't mistake me - but was he THAT much better than LM - the results don't back that up. Also, people have been making excuses for our last third capitulation based on our squad depth - yet Liam Moore was also the only real alternative (back-up) to De Laet for the right back slot - all very confusing to me, I'll admit.
They would also have their own opinions and may be vocal in the dressing room - Square Head can't handle that so goes for the former type of player in your post rather than the latter - not really to do with budget constraints.
Nigel recruits players superbly, not many managers in this league can spot players like Walshy. Other then the 16 game bad run we have been consistent with performances all season. The results may not always have come but thats the same for any team. People wanting Nigel gone seem very short sighted in my book Changing managers offers no guarantees other then it will cost alot of ££££ Keeping Nigel keeps stabilty, saves ££££ but again offers no guarantees
I stand firmly in the Pearson out camp. Didn't want him back in the first place but thought I would have to eat my words. Sadly from February onwards we reverted to type - form & tactics shocking. Very ordinary teams were beating us easily, the first half at Barnsley was simply appalling and nothing the manager, staff and players did could address the slump. If we had started the season as we finished it, the manager would surely have been sacked? If again we had started as we finished, stuck with the manager and finished 6th then there would be an argument that things had improved. In reality though we have gone backwards badly when we should have pushed on. Areas of the team that were identified as being weak were not addressed - with Pearson it's my way or the highway. I have nothing personal against the guy but Dyer was not good enough for a starting place 3 years ago but here we are and he is still first choice! I do not think Pearson recruits players superbly. Morgan was a very good signing, Knockeart will get better with experience, Vardy was worth a punt and still might be okay, Futacs was a waste of space, Whitbread, De Laet, Marshall and Drinkwater are average championship players. Will reserve judgement on Wood. Kane was brought in and played out of position. Keane has great potential but we conceded a lot of goals with him in the team. His handling of strong characters is not good either. Stability is great but I don't think Pearson is the right starting point.
Agree with a lot of what you say - not everything - but the sentiment expressed in your last sentence echoes both my thoughts and my biggest concern.
I reckon you could probably get Mancini but any of Mancini, O'Neil, Warnock, Allardyce, Steckelnberg, Wotthington, Brown or Coppell could do a capable job for you.
heretrekstell - what precisely did you faind racist in Jack's post ... plus, you and nimrod appear to share an IP address - does that have any bearing on your apparent anger perhaps?
You got so dam close to the play off final with NP. I am sure he will do better next season. Also changing managers is a big risk, someone could come in, take time to build his squad and NOT even make a play off place. I would stay with NP.....for now.
Whatever way you choose to look at this season. A failure for not getting promoted No one can argue that we have made progress for the first time since Nigel left first time
