With Big Sam about to be named has West Hams new manager how do you think this and other managerial moves could impact our chances of a top 6 finish? I think West Ham were always going to be a top 6 side, now I think this move puts them in 3, possibly a dead cert automatic spot. Cardiff Vacancy = a place up or down ? Forest, I expect Billy Davies to be shown the door, he's reached his pinnacle. Tony Mobrey at Boro puts these lads on course for top 6. Burnley, I think the honeymoon will be over and declining performances will see us above them. Other in post managers who I think will have a positive impact on thier teams performance; Gus Poyet Ian Hollaway Alex Mcliesh ( if Birmingham can keep him !)
I've never understood the hype about Tony Mowbray, he seems to fail wherever he's been. The only job he's done relatively well is getting WBA promoted, which was hardly the most difficult job with their squad. But yet whenever there is a vacancy fans always seem to want him, I don't get it. It's too hard to predict what will happen in this league, there's so many teams that could be competitive.
There's Pompey's new owners to take into account too. Boro played quite well under Mowbray in the second half of the season, they'll definitely be expecting to be up there.
Unless we have our own managerial change we can forget about the play-offs. I think Cardiff will decline this season though, aside from that I think the teams around us are all gonna improve, because let's be honest, most teams are looking to improve their squad and our main transfer priorities this season will still be getting people out the door, rather than in.
I expect Brighton to have a good season, i like Gus Poyet as a manager and if they can keep him (which they will) they'll do well. Think Davies' days are numbered at Forest, a lot of fans down there have grown disenchanted with him (so i've heard) and it all depends who Cardiff bring in, with the right manager they could be up there but maybe 2 failed play off campaigns will take their toll on them. Mowbray will have Boro geared up for a better season, Jewell will improve Ipswich and if Birmingham keep Mcleish they could be up there, but as with the Hammers, it all depends on who they keep and in their case there's the distraction of European football to contend with. NP was building a team from November onwards, and aside from the home form a considerable improvement was there for all to see. We might not have been playing like Barcelona, but we were pushing for the play offs, and had we had the form from Christmas onwards all season we'd have finished top 6. I'm sure we have the right manager to help get us into the play offs, where he also has experience from his time at Leicester. I'm not 100% expecting promotion, the league is going to be tight with maybe 15 teams going for those top 6 places, but we have as good a chance as anyone and we'll know more when the season starts. We have the makings of a good team and have progressed from the mess we were in 12 months ago, we have a manager shaping the squad he wants to take us up to the PL, and us changing manager will undo all this work and take us back to square one again. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
