No way we will have to pay compo. He's no longer employed. All depends who else is after him and how much he wants
KS even said at the start of coming here we have 4 buckets of players as you've just described and wanted equal amounts in each Jan 23 onwards that got ditched and we've got worse as a result
Harsh! He's made mistakes,but we're in a much more positive position now than when he arrived...lots of exciting young players on long term contracts,and as much as this season has been disappointing,last season was excellent. From what we hear,it seems to be his disdainful personality, rather than his ability,which has contributed to the way he's regarded by some. If he is away, it's how we replace him which is key....not easy.
I’m quite apprehensive if he goes. For me the DOF role has to be done by someone strong and arrogant enough to push their view down. There will be loads of dissenting voices underneath him but he’s got to push it down anyway. It’s been said a million times before but we just need a bit of balance, if KS realises this I’ve no problems with him staying.
Agree. I've no problem with him staying anyway. The problem with TM appears to have been a personality difference and he definately dropped a brick with Beale. Apart from that,our inability to sign a decent striker is the only other criticism I could level at him,but that may have been down to scouting recommendation and/or the financial parameters he was working with.....it may have been possible for him to go for a Grigg, but I'm glad he didn't.
I think this is a good point. His role does require him to be very assertive. Without the weight of years of experience, or even a top level playing career, behind him, that probably does spill over into what comes across as arrogance. Arrogance is the trait in humans that I hate the most (which is why I react- or don't react- to some posters on here the way I do) but sometimes generally undesirable human traits can be useful in certain roles. Isn't it something like 98% of CEOs are clinical psychopaths? Very few of us , if any, have to be friends with Speakman, so what he's like as a person isn't at all relevant.
It isn't relevant to us fans,but he's operating in a business full of people who have their own egos and who are,in the main,financially independent. It isn't really arrogance,it's narcissism. They don't need him and,like TM,won't put up with his personality traits if he's one of the 98%.
It's his stubbornness in not addressing the glaring issue of failing to bring in a DM and experienced striker and instead overloading us with no.10s who can also play wide. Oh and bringing in Hjelde for a fee. He had a few good windows in getting us out of league one, the rest has been more miss than hit, seems like he tries to be too clever for his own good at times, imo of course.
https://x.com/reimsvdt/status/1786259932305608976?s=46&t=XIg9Hh834PQk5XsiYvDETw A glowing reference for Still here from Reim’s main fanzine: “THANK YOU Will Still Players come and go, coaches come and go, managers change, but we, the supporters, remain faithful, unshakeable at the Stade de Reims. And you will definitely have a special place in our hearts. You knew how to carve your name into the history of the club with a passion and dedication that few have been able to match. You infused this game with a soul that touched us all: by your thirst for spectacle, by the way in which you knew how to give us emotions, and above all, by your incredible ability to make us dream together, to aspire to summits. always higher, to the point of dreaming of Europe. Delaune, once so silent, now resonates with the echoes of your greatness and your philosophy. Your absence will leave a huge void, but your legacy is immortal. You knew how to make us evolve and appreciate the matches to win them and not to not lose them. We will always carry you in our hearts... we will miss you... and the rhubarb yogurt section will feel like an orphan!”
As I've said earlier,he will be reacting to scouting and coaching reports. I don't think there's any way KS is evaluating potential signings on his own. He'll have been considering the financial and contract committment,within his remit.
I think you have to question how much of that stubbornness is real, and how much is perception. Nick Barnes was claiming yesterday that deals to bring in a proven 9 were a long way to be completed in Jan, but we fell at the last. Just because those players haven't materialised, I'm not sure we can say that the club, or Speakman, don't recognise where the holes in the squad are.
Pretty sure they knew the weaknesses whatever spin they put on it because they use data and it’s obvious. Has to be said though for a club not cash rich not recruiting well, wasting resource and not having playing success change will happen. I’d have kept him for the good work he’s done elsewhere just altered the recruitment but that’s effectively a demotion and he won’t accept that I wouldn’t imagine
If Barnes is right about those centre forwards, and they chose somewhere else at the last minute, how much of that is Speakman's fault? There are clearly factors beyond what Speakman is doing that has caused them to choose somewhere else. I'm not claiming he's wonderful, and you may be right that some adjustment to things would be the right thing to do, I just think a lot of the criticism of him lacks critical thought.
The players will have materialised,no doubt,but the financial and contractual parameters will have been outside the remit.
But,surely, his recruitment work will have been done under the instructions from the Board under which he was operating?
He could have identified any number of players to fill those roles, but factors beyond anyone's control could have prevented them from coming.
