Mick McCarthy would take you straight back up. The poor bloke has only ever had a shoestring budget where ever he's gone but always does a fantastic job with what he has to work with. If you went down you'll have a very strong championship squad with a limited budget. Perfect for Mick.
I'd ****ing hate Martinez. The defending is horrific. Very much an overrated manager. I could see Benitez at Everton despite the Liverpool connection. His family living down there may just tip the balance.
Lee Charnley should be sacked, now. I know it doesnt send out the right message but he really needs to be held accountable! Rafa should have some involvement in his replacement and Mike should be doing everything in his power to keep him here, even if the contract needs renegotiating. Should Rafa go, then Moyes, also should work well with Cathro, not entirely sure Moyes would be willing to take the role, but he usually knows how to get results and would give us a good chance of returning to the PL.
With relegation looking 90%+ likely now, and the chances of keeping Rafa seemingly non-existant if we go down, this is massively galling - he's clearly the best manager we've had since Robson, and could firmly get us back on track again and could build something good here....yet because he was brought on board far too late, we're basically just being prick-teased with this excellent manager before he leaves. Yeah Villa was crap, but the way he's getting the results now shows he would have comfortably kept us up if he'd been brought in a month sooner....but no, let's stick with Tufty cos he'll turn it around, really. God, Charnley is ****ing clueless, he must go. Pearson, Moyes, Martinez, McCarthy, Rodgers....all would "do a job" I guess, but are a big step down from Benitez. I'd still take Chris Hughton over those 5 anyway.
I don't think I could physically or emotionally go from Rafa to someone like Nigel Pearson of Mick McCarthy. Martinez is also a definite no, I don't ever want another manager who goes to his post match press conferences after s*** performances saying how good or unlucky we were. It's a shame too because I once followed his career with interest. He looked like the natural successor to Wenger at Arsenal but his refusal to work on any kind of defensive training is his downfall. Moyes or Rodgers look like the obvious leading candidates.
I think the correct decisions need to be made in respect of the senior management, If Carr, Charnley and alike were replaced with competent or even above average candidates, then it would make the decision on the next manager less pivital. If we can keep the necleus of a good squad, any manager should be able to get us back in the prem. I'd love to see Chris Houghton back at the toon, but if Brighton go up then he wouldnt want to come, also I wouldnt begrudge him he well earned time in the spotlight. With the Summer European championships and the season starting earlier than ever, plus the fact nothing is done in the 3-6 weeks after a season, I think we will see alot of quick movement and sudden change. Any chance of getting Obertan back for the championship?
If we have to lose Rafa (as I am fairly sure we will) I wouldn't mind Cathro being given a shot at it.
I suspect 'the board'/Ashley already have that in mind since they insisted that he remain on the staff here when Rafa came in. As for how up to the task he is I just have no idea.
To be honest, neither do I. But the list of usual suspects is so uninspiring that I am hoping he may turn out to be one of those young progressive managers that could take us in a new direction. He has certainly done a decent apprenticeship (as long as he forgets anything McClaren taught him). I think it was Rafa's choice to keep him on after speaking to Valencia. He is favourite for the Dundee United job though and they are the team he supports. Even in the championship, you would hope we were a bigger draw than a second tier Scottish team, but when home club support comes into it you never know.
If he wants managerial experience then Dundee could be the preference if we don't offer him the job. If you look at Pearson's track record with Leicester it's not bad at all. Two promotions and the great escape keeping them up last season. He signed a lot of that championship winning squad. I think we'd have an organised and motivated team under him. I'm not convinced by Rodgers although his teams play decent football, and Moyes may not fit in here due to his dour brand of footy. I think Cathro is one hell of a risk though.
Out of the names mentioned of established managers then Pearson would be my top choice. I just don't see it happening on either side as I am fairly sure he had a big bust up with Ashley when he was sacked.
Rodgers or Moyes would be my guesses if they don't get offered anything better. Rodgers would be my preference as he plays good attacking football and seems to start well just seems to tail off eventually when he gets past "his level". Give him the opportunity to build his own squad (Sack Charlney and Carr) like he did at Swansea and he could leave after a dew seasons . Moyes may be better for working to a budget and I wouldn't mind him but could see him going back to finish what he started at Everton if Martinez goes, who I wouldn't want.
Didn't know he had a bust up with Ashley. He left when Keegan came in so I would have thought his departure was down to KK?
Someone like Rafa? He's done nowt for you. He's failed to get a squad more than capable of comfortable safety anywhere near safe before the final game and could take you down. He's an over rated manager who's walked into many a capable squad and left them worse than he found them and his record when he isn't handed a ready made squad to work with is disastrous to say the least. If anything this should be a lesson of not to fall in love with a big name and actually analyse what you want from a manager. If you had given Pearson a contract to keep you up he would have done a much better job. Experienced, hardened and knows the task in hand like the back of his own hand. I think Pearson could even have had you safe by now and you could have been in position to offer Rafa a contract which entailed a full season, preseason and two windows to get you sorted. Terms more to Rafa's capability. Hired the wrong manager and if you hire Pearson next, you'll have got your appointments back to front.
