Think the Guardian hit the nail on the head. "When Jol left we were awful and abysmal but since Rene joined we went even below... Defeats against Hull, Sunderland, Soton, Swansea, the exit against Sheffield Utd..." Too much to take? Probably. These games only took our goal difference higher by 14! Good performances against Utd and Liverpool? Yes, but other teams have done better. Has fitness and all that improved? Not really. Still about 60-70 mins, same as Kara who is waiting for his bus pass. Maybe that's why he is not playing, not to embarrass the rest! I don't think the club took the decision easily. Don't like it either but we have to wait and see...
The timing is still terrible. Rene clearly brought his own players in, now we have players who've been here a matter of weeks and a manager who didn't sign them. I daresay I hope Butch and Curbishley stay to form some kind of continuity(!). The biggest joke is that Rene hasn't even been sacked!
Timing is not perfect but have to face reality. I think transfers are done based on a list rather than single targets and Wilkins and Curbishley have had they say. I was positive and this surprise got me worried but not as much as I was expecting. Maybe because we are already in deep sh@t so this can either have a positive effect or get us even worse!
The new manager can't do any worse to be honest. 3 wins from 13. If we win 3 from twelve he's already done better. Glass half full but its been an unmitigated pr disaster. It could be worse, not sure how but I'm sure it could. I think you'll find that our beloved Roy had a similar authoritarian approach (without the medicine balls, which could all be players exaggerating). Discipline on the training ground =discipline on match days, doesn't it?
More intrigue. Although I think the club could have handled it better RM was head coach, he took over first team control when Jol left but it appears the club didn't formally say you have the helm. They are now saying that RM's role hasnt changed, he's still head coach. Did RM mistakenly think he was manager, what's the difference? There must have been a conversation when Jol left bewtween him and the CEO about the role and duties and expectations etc. Did Fulham have a moral obligation to stand by RM? This is business though, it would be a costly mistake if we did go down. At the end of the season how many people would have said that Fulham should have looked for a different person sooner, the writing was on the wall after Sheff U etc. I did originally believe that the club should have stood by the courage of their convictions but they left the door open for a change by saying RM was head coach and not manager, maybe he should have sought assurances about the role etc? I think he would still be great at Fulham as the manager role isn't for him I don't think.
Can anyone tell me where Fulham have stated categorically that they have sacked RM? From what I can gather he was the one who went to the media when he found out that Magath was brought in. The media then bananas about our head coach now having a manager brought in above him in a role just like Jol had when RM came on board.
As far as I know, the club have said nothing except that Magath has been drafted in. Which is what makes this whole debacle a giant mess. Have we got four managers or just the one now?
Bidley's question just about sums up how the Club is not handling the PR (or its fans) - Shows Fulham in a poor light. Alternatively - Maybe it's ONLY about staying up and everything else is irrelevant? COYW !
Where is everyone getting 5 managers from? All this has happened because RM went to the press. He was and is head coach, a position that clearly is his best role. I admit from the outside it hasnt been handled well but his job description hasnt changed, he wasnt manager, he took over 1st team affairs and he thought he was manager, he brought in RW to help him out, ? Clearly that didn't work out, there eveidently seems to be underlying player unrest prior to Magath arriving. Just like he did in the transfer window, he went blabbing. Not knocking his coaching credentials at all but he clearly can't manage players. He's the type to put an arm round your shoulders and say keep going it will happen but not the type who can justify big decisions when needed. The jigsaw is becoming more complete for me. Too many cooks, I think it was mentioned by a few of us which has meant his authority has been diluted. I'm not absolving the club in any way for dragging our club through a pr disaster but with the results, friction in the dressing room and odd behaviour by the coaching staff I don't think AM had any choice but to bring someone in who will bring discipline to the club in a playing sense and also there is now no room for misunderstandings. FM is the gaffer end of. Perhaps this is what the players needed all along not hugs when we lose. COYW
No, it's because there has been no clarification of anyone's role or status at the club. When RM was head coach, he picked the team. tactics, transfer targets along with "assistant head coach" Butch and "technical director" Curbs. Now Magath is "manager" that puts an entirely different slant on things. Is RW assistant to RM who is assistant to FM who is overseen by AC? Are RW, RM, and AC even still at the club? The fact the press have been reporting that the previous three have been sacked, but the club hasn't confirmed or denied this, is what makes it a gangfuck. The appointment of Magath is neither here nor there.
I disagree. If he'd kept quiet and had a bit of nouse he would still be head coach or first team coach. It's all in a word really, manager or coach. He can coach players but not manage them. The club could have announced Magath appointment and that they asked RW and AC to leave, probably because Magath doesn't want to work with them. Job done. I did say it wasn't handled properly. Back in December AM recognised that he needed a hand from an experienced old hand, so got in AC. RM appointed Wilkins for whatever reason as well. I'm not convinced that RM was in charge of the transfers, tactics yes but these tactics and style of play were clearly being diluted by Wilkins and Curbishly. It looked like it was a democracy with coaches where they all had a say in things. The club have confirmed that Wilkins and Curbs have left the club. This should have been done at the weekend. Muelensteen is still on the books, he's still first team coach. The press report they've been sacked but it's all in the headlines to make it more dramatic than it really is. The club do need to clarify what is happening to Rene but for all we know he's been in talks with the manager to see if it will work. It can't be because of the payoff as I think he was on contract until 2015 as in the grand scheme of things the payoff is nothing. The lack of communication is not great but if RM hadn't of bleeted to the press...........
Nothing on the website yet, source? Then what? We'd still be in the dark about what is going on and who is actually on the staff.
Bidders, I might have jumped the gun a bit on the Wilkins and Curbishley asked to leave bit. it would be funny to see the article on the web site - we'd like to thank Ray and Alan for their time with Fulham FC and wish them well in future endeavours! Quote Originally Posted by Cravingawin View Post The lack of communication is not great but if RM hadn't of bleeted to the press........... Then what? We'd still be in the dark about what is going on and who is actually on the staff. He's be first team coach like he was. I realise this is simplifying things a little.
Thats my point, he still is. By going to the media he's almost making the decision for the club. Although they are probably saying F**k you for going to the media, we'll make you sweat! Funny how he's gone all quiet now. If he was up in arms he'd have gone on TV, radio and granted interviews with the Sun! I don't honestly think, now, that all was as rosy as we believed!
It's been confirmed, Rene, Curbs and Ray have all left, along with Mick Priest and Jonathan Hill. Thomas Oral has been appointed first team coach and Werner Leuthard has become conditioning coach. Link: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/february/18/first-team-staff-update Who'll be first to make an awful pun on 'Oral'?
Leuthard has been working with Magath since 2002, so that's unsurprising. I'm a little surprised that Bernd Hollerbach didn't come in as assistant coach (he's been working with Magath since 2007). Don't know anything about Oral though, sadly. Might have to ask the Missus. (And the award for first bad pun goes to me. And I hope the Missus doesn't see this. )
