OK now that we've pretty much accepted Malky will return to the Vic with Cardiff, who are the names and what do people think. A couple of Wycombe fans came on this board last night to say Watford may have permission to talk to their manager Gary Waddock. A player with QPR and L**** he has managed QPR, Aldershot and Wycombe for 237 games with a winning ratio of 41%. He improved Aldershot big time. And has 1 promotion with Wycombe. Not a bad CV. Other names seriously linked include Graham Westley at Stevenage. The bookies quote the likes of Billy Davies at 6/1 LOL, and Joseph Stalin can be had at 50/1 but I can't remember his good points (mass murder etc). What do peeps think?
Listening to Tommy Mooney on 3CR this morning, he doesn't think Nigel Gibbs would be a good choice. Great coach, not a Manager, to roughly quote what he said. He also said that with Graham Taylor in charge, he will have the clubs best interests at heart and will make sure that we have the right man for the job. And..that losing Malky will be hard at first, but he's not irreplaceable. I have to say, i felt a lot better after he'd spoken . I wonder if he'd be interested in the job! lol
Where does it say he's desperate to leave? He hasn't come out with a statement yet, he's just talking to them. He's an ambitious young manager, so why not talk to them? Until he signs for them he is our manager. We should be grateful for what MM has done for our club and hope that he stays. If he doesn't I wish him all the best, we will get a decent amount of compensation and sign a new manager. What everyone seems to forget is that our team/squad are developing well, the 'Fire Sale' that's foolishy been mentioned on here is nothing of the sort. A couple of extra players (that we can now afford to sign, like a left back and a young striker/winger) and we are looking strong, even if a new manager comes in he won't have the money to change things too much. When Graham and Buckley signed I remember people on here saying that signing League 1 players will end up with us getting relegated, and we got £4.5M for them... Being overly pessimistic with no proof is pointless
OK if Malky turned Cardiff down, how long would it be before we had this pantomime again? The worst aspect of this for me is Watford now seem to be 3rd level, feeding clubs for the 2nd level. When you look at the loss of John Stephenson to Brighton and the strides they've made, we seem to be in danger of being "left behind". So I'm not sure if this "he hasn't gone yet" attitude is good. Some might think it was denial?
No, it's called reality, I prefer it I can't see any clubs coming in for Malky this summer if he doesn't go to Cardiff, most of the sackings would have been done by now. Speculation is fine, but you seem to have made assumptions and wound yourself up with very little evidence.
MM has not shown he is "desperate to leave" - but I think he is wrong to have signed a contract only a couple of months ago and then to be "approachable". If he is offered but turns down the Cardiff job our Board should make it very clear to him that they will not allow him to talk to any other club for a year - then if he wants to go he goes now. We cannot have continuing speculation and to possibly lose him at the last minute before the season starts - it is already too disruptive
Personally I think it would be quite hard for Malky to come back after asking to speak to them. We can speculate all we can whether there was contact before Cardiff's approach, but with all the rumours (and yes, I know that's all they are), it does kind of imply that he knew he was very much wanted and maybe what was on offer to him. If the board had accepted the initial approach, then fair enough, but him coming back would feel like we are his back-up and 2nd best to a team that really isn't any bigger and maybe only slightly better! As for who next... well, the bookies did have Neal Ardley as front runner so maybe with an experienced head as number 2 (Terry Burton come with him?) then might be a good shout, as he seems highly thought of up there. You will also get pretty much every manager out of a job linked also - so Billy Davies (No thanks), Dave Jones (maybe), Di Matteo (think he'd want a bigger budget) You will also get the ex-players, as well as Ardley; Dyche (too early), Gibbs (as said, good coach, but manager?), Blisset/Barnes (Not sure they'd work). I guess it is just a wait and see - there might be a complete unknown come in - like Boothroyd and Rodgers were... but no doubt they will go for a young, hungry manager who is trying to prove themselves, using us as a spring board to a 'bigger' job!
Leo + Kev, some very good points. As for next candidate, who remembers how Neal Ardley left in 2005? Cardiff turned his head so much that Ray Lewington showed him the door. And when did Terry Burton leave, from memory I think he went first and it was probably him who "tapped up" Ardley and then Cox, so I'm not so sure. Dave Jones and Billy Davies - there is more chance of Joseph Stalin, and his odds are only 50/1.
I saw somewhere that MM had recieved an apology from the Cardiff board for delaying his appointment due to the Alan Shearer thing. To me that indicates very strongly that something was going on earlier and obviously before his holidays. Maybe we can blame the agent, as an easy scapegoat, but something is starting to smell like a tapped-up rat.
Not sure the ins and outs of Burton or Ardley's moves but think they were the same as most leaving our club for the last 10 years... we were struggling financially and had good offers come in so they went! Ardley was probably looking for that last one big payday, and got it! With regards to Davies and Jones - I don't expect them to come at all, but they will be linked just because they are recently unemployed! Wouldn't want either, especially as they will be too expensive plus would want a decent kitty!
Heard Gianfranco Zola mentioned as a possible! Got to be better than the last Italian manager we had!!!!
http://www.skybet.com/betting/football/manager-specials/t10002896.html They have Dave Jones as favourite now at 6/4, Dyche at 9/2, Boothroyd at 5/1 then Ardely at 6/1 Wycombe's Waddock isn't even ont he list!!
I think "it was pretty much done" as soon as they waved the bundle of cash under MM's nose? Certainly leaving a nasty taste in the mouth. Now we will left to trawl the lower leagues and other club's cast-offs for our new manager whilst "big" clubs like Cardiff can poach other Championship Club's managers!
To be honest, I've stopped caring about Malky and the whole saga now, and looking forward! We will do as we always do... hire and young, hungry manager trying to prove himself. We had Boothroyd who did very well, Ridgers who was improving until he left, and then Malky who had a good 2 years. Let's hope the next manager tries to continue what Malky was trying to do - and the board back him with a reasonable kitty!
