Bouncebackability

I think even the most optimistic amongst us would have to admit that our three year stay in the Premier League is rapidly drawing to a close following Sunderland’s decisive victory yesterday. I won’t give up – hopefully we will still have a chance going into the final game of the season – but I think its now very likely that we will be, though perhaps not mathematically, relegated going in to the Arsenal game due to goal difference.

So where do we go from here? The recriminations will no doubt continue and there is still a split supporter camp in that regard but the most important thing now is how we approach the next campaign and make sure we don’t see relegation as doom and gloom. Instead we can use it as a platform to rebuild, bring through some promising youngsters, win games, score goals and regain confidence. Players will leave of course, but we will have a very strong squad for the second tier and we will have the security of the parachute payments on the horizon if it doesn’t go to plan. Our best chance of promotion will be next season. If successful we’d return with more confidence and be a little street wiser.

The Championship is an absolute ****er of a league (pardon my French). However, if you get it right it can be great fun and a very pleasant experience. As was the case upon relegation to League One five years ago, sometimes you need to take one step backwards in order to go two steps forward. We have to view our position in this light and use it as a launchpad. We don’t need to be completely rebuilt but we do need a different attitude and hopefully our new manager will bring that. Being relegated scuppers our chances of securing a top manager but there are options.

Malky Mackay is the obvious candidate but I understand Neil Lennon is still the number one choice. I personally would be highly surprised if he dropped down to manage us but I think he’s probably the sort of person who would drag us straight back up, kicking and screaming. There’s definitely an element of ‘Lambert’ about him. The other option is to look for a club builder who might not get us straight back up but would create a style that the club could build upon.

I thought Hughton would be that man - he wasn’t. My guess would be taking a punt on someone like Karl Robinson, but I very much doubt the board will consider this route as financially it is imperative we get back to the top flight asap – our accounts are certainly stable for the first time in years (possibly ever!) but we can’t afford to be out of the top flight for more than two years before that landscape would alter dramatically. They’ll worry about style and substance once we get back. Whether that’s the right attitude to take is another matter.

One thing I think we need to address in terms of recriminations is that of David McNally. Whether you thought Hughton should have gone or stayed, one thing’s for sure - the timing of his dismissal was bloody dreadful and, although in the end it may not have affected the end goal by sacking Hughton with five games to go, it certainly hasn’t helped us. He should be crticised (and will be) for that decision but he has an enormous amount of credit in the bank with us (literally). I’ve heard calls for him to go... absolutely laughable. If we want to bounce straight back, McNally will be a vital factor in that. Let’s not bite our nose off to spite our face, eh?

OTBC

 

Interesting read, Supers. It worries me that we seem to have so little consensus about who the next manager should be, but I hope we can all get behind him whoever he is.

 

The main point here is that McNally, too, will have learned several harsh footballing lessons from this season - as you alluded to in your final paragraph, PJ, and will without doubt be 'older and wiser' for the (painful in the extreme) experience.

The irony of his rallying cry "relegation is worse than death", only to then wait far too long and make the much needed change way too late in proceedings to have any realistic bearing.
Good post Superman

 

I agree totally Vietnam. Throughout the year the 'outers' have never focused on any one candidate and that became a major argument for not making the managerial change earlier. Sadly, I think we will be better off going down as I cannot see any improvement in our position if we managed to stay up (sorry for being negative here). Sometimes a relegation is a blessing in disguise. As for the manager, could be Lennon or Mackay and good luck to either.

 

The squad need to grow some balls and play for the shirt.

The way we have capitulated at times this season has made me feel sick, another example given on the weekend.

I think need a manager who is going to get the dressing room together and also tell some home truths to the players as I think the players have got away with too much. Some of the performances truly shocking.

I'm not keen on Lennon but he may give us what we need to go straight back up. But then again Malky has the experience and history.

 

we certainly need more squad and Fan base unity next season, and a leader on the pitch.
be interesting the ins and outs player wise over the summer, and a lot of that will depend on the manager.
i would expect the majority of the squad will stay, like Reading and Wigan this season.

Can we have Holty back as well?

 

Ha! There's an interesting idea!

 

I would love to see Holty in a yellow shirt again.

 

I saw a post recently on the Watford board from a Cardiff fan, his view on Malky was that he always set up not to lose then try and nick a goal on a quick break, he said it was quite effective but produced dull boring football! Sound familiar?

Personally I wouldn't want him or Lennon for personal reasons, but if either one of them is appointed, they will get my full support for as long as they manage my favourite football team! Just like RBF, that is just the way I am! OTBC

 

I remember mentioning this when people were suggesting him to replace Hughton much earlier in the season. I wouldn't be totally opposed to Malky being our manager in the Championship, but I wouldn't be surprised if the way he set us up would be somewhat 'Hughton-esque'.

 

Just like Jose set up Chelsea yesterday - it can work!

 

I agree with much of that Super, although I can´t confess to be looking forward to life back in the Championship, as looks likely now. I certainly hope people aren´t going to expect us to just waltz back out of it again, because it´s never that easy, only one relegated team can possibly make it this year, and that´s only via the play-offs. Like you, if we are relegated, I hope we don´t lose McNally, but it will be seen as an error of judgement on his part, and rightly so, if it happens. In the same way as he thought the buck stopped with Hughton, he may also think that in this case the buck stops with him. I wouldn´t be altogether surprised if he decides to walk, whether prompted or not, I hope he doesn´t because he´s done far more good than evil, but it wouldn´t come as a shock.

 

Indeed it can work. Under Mike Walker (1st time), in virtually every away game, Norwich played to counter attack, and did it very effectively, mugging most teams.

 

You have to have a decent defence though to pull it off, especially in the PL.

Look at Lambert at Villa, some teams are out of sight at half time for them.

Is it true that Lamberts win ratio is worse than Mcleish?

 

Cant say ive read anywhere on here that Mcnally should be sacked, ive read plenty of posts that the board should be made accountable, and so they should be. There is no way i would want mcnally to leave he has been the back bone to the clubs rise over the recent years, without him we would be no better than league 1 club im sure. Im just hoping that we dont take the cheap option now with the next manager, after saturdays game i dont want to see NA anywhere near the position, long term or not.

 

I don't really understand the logic of appointing him in the first place, DM has done a great job in the past but he's made a serious error in judgement appointing NA with 5 games to go. 5 key matches left, oh I know I'll get someone in with no PL experience

 

ultimately he had no choice. the west brom game effectively made hughton's position untenable and there was nobody to step into the breach other than adams. there's no question the board wanted to keep hughton until the end of the season but the events during and after the west brom game made that impossible imo

 

The team shafted CH in that WBA game and I felt a little sorry for him to be honest.

The manner of the defeat was as bad as the result.

 

they did. equally he didn't really help himself with some odd decisions. i watched him quite a bit during that game (not much was going on on the pitch!) and i think he was panicking a little at that stage. he just couldn't get them going at all, despite being very animated. still, the crowd reaction was vile. not the clubs proudest moment, it has to be said.

 

i've not read this board for a while so don't know about on here but certainly on twitter there has been a substantial call for him to fall on his sword or be removed. i find it all very disappointing that some fans can't separate all the good he's done with what's happened this season. very short sighted.

i think the pressure has got to him this season - i mentioned it a while back i think. but he is human, he won't get everything right. the important thing is that he gets a lot more right than wrong and he does that. i doubt we'll find a better ceo for us in the next 25 years.