The rumours are that Jose will take over the Academy and Karel Fraeye will be the new manager. I don't know what he'd be like, but having Roland's man as manager probably means we're going to be reliant on the fantastic European scouting network. My choice would be Nathan Jones, or if not him someone who knows the English game, and has a good idea of which players he'd bring in. A huge number of players will be released soon, which hopefully means we can concentrate on quality rather than quantity, and quality hasn't been the fantastic scouting network's strong point.
I'm not sure on the opinion of him now, but around the time of our home win against them I visited a Brighton forum and there was a post up about Jones and they didn't have a great opinion on him as a first team coach. There were a lot of negative comments about post match interviews and some of his training methods with the players at their disposal. In an ideal world, RD would go out and get an established Championship manager. Wait and see who departs their clubs at the end of the season. If worse comes to worse, we might be able to get Pardew back..
Anybody who saw JR's post match interview on Sky will be left in no doubt that he want's to be our Manager next season...... the guy just couldn't stop grinning.
I had my doubt, but as long as he plays attacking football and doesn't use square pegs in round holes he'll be good I think, Glad he proved me wrong and not a puppet
Wouldn't mind so long as he leaves running the team to Dyer and Mathew and just acts as the amiable facade, like a Walmart greeter.
I really can't believe some of the rubbish posted on here today. The man,Jose Riga, has just saved us from relegation by winning six games out of fifteen and some of you Powell lovers can't bring yourselves to say well done. This post Eddie is both disingenuous and just plain wrong. Matthew and Dyer were part of Powell's failed regime this season six wins from thirty matches. Riga had a weaker squad with Kermy and Stephens being sold, yet he did twice as well as Powell. It really is time to get over Powell. I would like to say thank you Jose Riga for saving us from relegation. I hope you stay as Manager next season
Would that be the same Dyer & Matthew who, along with Powell, left the club on its arse after Sheff Utd ? Riga outclassed Powell in so many ways. Also proved again last night that it is possible to be both statesmanlike and classy without slipping into cloying, self aggrandising pulp sentimentality, as Powell so often did. I didn't hear Riga talking about "my fans" and "my club"....just spoke well and with dignity. Powell would have been doing press ups on the cross bar , surrounded by photographers of course!
Riga bought fresh ideas when the team was stale. Personally, I still would like an established Championship manager, but if that's not to be the case then I'd keep Riga.
Agreed on the Riga love in. Had Powell stayed then I highly doubt we would have won the vital away games at Wednesday, Leeds or Forest. As others have said he's done a fantastic job in rejuvenating a decrepit squad by blending the verve and ambition of the youngsters with some actual decent tactics. I don't buy into the whole 'square pegs' thing; half of the squad players are essentially square pegs so what else could be done? I was very worried that Jackson was going to mention Chris Powell in his speech; perhaps politics meant he didn't but more likely its because this season there was absolutely nothing to thank him for. For me the fact Diego Poyet is now out of contract is unforgivable and I assume a lot of the blame if not all can be laid at Chris Powell's feet (although I expect there are still plenty of CAFC fans laid at his feet worshipping him still to so perhaps he'll dodge this accusation!) I would however prefer to see a young coach build a team in the same manner as say Nigel Pearson has at Leicester; but if Riga want's the job then I would still be very happy - if he wants it then it should be his. Perhaps give Hughesy a role too. The big advantage of him taking on the job full time is that it should leave Hart/Avory alone and safe.
The blame for Poyet falls directly at RD's feet (and to be fair, the past regime for not getting him tied down a year ago). I know U21 regulars like FHB were calling for him, but the truth is at that time Stephens was the best player we had, and our most in form. Hindsight tells us Poyet was ready, but at the time the central midfield partnership was probably the only thing we had going for us.
All I'm getting at is Diego surely hasn't become a good player over night (and we know he hasn't because of FHB/AHLL's previous comments) And at the same time, though I may be wrong, I'm pretty sure some of his fellow U21s were being given fairly longish contracts over the past 24 months without first team exposure? Although I hadn't considered the Stephens point.
I don't quite agree that RD is to blame, because only those who truly know the youth players will have had an idea of how good Poyet was/is. Surely the kid could have been signed up well over a year ago, or were the overlords waiting to see how good he would be in competitive games? Did the previous regime not trust Paul Hart's judgement? In my opinion, heads need to roll if Diego leaves for next to nothing, and FHB needs to be installed as 'Head of Long-Term Contracts for Promising Youth Players'. Trust in those who know, and the future will be bright - and profitable.
RD was slow off the mark when he arrived on several issues - One being Poyet. I mentioned before that he's now due to join a sports agency and with that I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if he were to sign a new deal.
Just before Stephens was sold Poyet revealed that he'd travelled with the first-team squad a couple of times but hadn't been given a place on the bench. He also said he was desperate to get noticed by the gaffer. It's all in the Valley review.
