Mowbray was rightly let go, we went on a horrific run under him. I’m not convinced even he would have had us finishing the season respectably. The season we finished 6th with Mowbray we had a better squad than last season. More experience, Diallo, Simms, and Stewart. Last season, and with the squad we’ve got now is not good enough. Winning games isn’t just about being the better team, it’s about being intelligent enough to know how to win games, which we currently lack because with a squad so young, they’ve yet to develop that intelligence. I’m fully convinced we’d get relegated next season if we went into it and finished with the same squad. Fortunately, we probably won’t.
I dont think we'll be relegated next season at all, but I can see why the word is being thrown about mind. We finished 16th last season, 6 points from relegation and 3rd bottom of the form table over the last 12 games (cant find something online to go further back - would assume it wasnt much different the last 15/18 games). The last 2 windows didnt improve the starting 11, and this is the first window of real likelihood of losing key players (Clarke is extremely likely to leave). If we repeat the last 2 windows then I wouldnt be confident in saying a relegation battle isnt possible. Head coach decision is important and has to be significant improvements in this summer window. Positive note is, if we get those parts right then playoffs arent miles away either. Huge two months for the regime upcoming.
What I noticed near the end was sides were more physically stronger than us, moved in packs and quicker to the ball/tackle. Frightening really the difference.
We won't be relegated, even a coach like Beale who is widely considered here as not good had us picking up points so as long as they aren't Dodds level bad we'll be fine. But this is, for me, a very weak Championship this coming season so I feel like with a good appointment and good summer we could really be up there however we are needlessly putting ourselves behind other teams already. You look at teams like Boro, Stoke and Norwich who you'd think we need to be better than to finish in the playoffs next season and they all already have coaches in place and are conducting transfer business. The only other club in the championship without a coach is Burnley but they have a squad that is one of the best at the level. You also have the fact Rigg can sign for anyone for nothing on Tuesday I think it is. If he leaves I think you can expect uproar. We can't afford to be left behind and be chasing all season. You could argue that Leeds appointing Farke so late and them having a poor start to the season cost them promotion.
It’s possible with an extra year of experience our current squad may perform better next season, but I fully agree, when teams got on top of us and bullied us, we had a team full of shrinking violets last season. It happened way too often once other teams realised that they could beat us by bullying us rather than by being a better team.
Said on a thread a while back , we got sussed out as being easy to be outmuscled and timid probably due how young a squad we were playing and we were easy to intimidate .
Hmm. 11 points from 10 games and we were 7th in the league. Not sure i'd call that horrific. I always assumed he was let go due to tensions behind the scenes that culminated in his criticism of the club's summer recruitment.
Didier digard must have had some money lumped on him today he’s the 18484858th odds on favourite this week now
Private jet landing at Newcastle from Nice at 5:18. Again, could be absolutely nothing but Digard is a coach at Nice...
He only won 2 of us last 9 games with us, but yeah, it was likely more the tension which got him sacked. Still don’t think the football was good enough under him before he left though.
Don’t particularly want Digard, but at this point, we just need to appoint someone and get on with it.
...and he won 6 of the 9 games that preceded it. If he was sacked on results alone then it is a very, very harsh sacking. Having said that, managers don't get time anymore. You could win the league, then get sacked 10 games into the next season. Club chairmen have very short memories
I was glad the club released a statement, but now it's looking a little silly to have done so when nothing then followed. I think we need a bit more communication and by that I mean honest, no-bullshit comms - basically do not let Speakman anywhere near the statement and let someone who speaks English write it. Even laid back folk like me are starting to get concerned.
