As someone who was going regularly to Fratton Park before the Dell, maybe I’m sympathetic to O’Neil’s past, haha. Just seems like there’s not much else around. Carrick gets a lot of negativity from the Boro fans. Villa fans hate Gerrard, Leicester hate Rodgers. We’re not going to find anyone who is universally popular and with an incredible track record in management. I just want someone with experience in English football. And if it’s Prem experience, all the better.
A counter attacking style is not what we need in this league and i'd prefer a mixed approach to attacking not just width, we've seen enough of that this season already not compatible with our forwards.
I have it on authority that if appointed, Gary has said he will get a Saints tattoo on his cheek to appease the fans.
I agree. But maybe GON had to play that way because he was at relegation-threatened teams. Fact is he has beaten some big teams; Liverpool, City, Spurs and Chelsea a couple times each, so he is no mug tactically. I expect there are things not ideal about him, but everyone we are linked with will have flaws.
Our best performance of the season by a mile was against Liverpool. I think Still would do a good job with an underdog side as that’s how he knows how to set up. No idea if that’s O’Neil as well but think it means little to our current situation if O Neil has got some results against the big teams. As Libby said we should be looking for someone who has guided a “favourite” team (respective to the league) to its goals. Still potentially would’ve been a good appointment if we were preparing for a PL season, not a Championship one
Think what most people on here are saying is not that they have a problem personally but they worry that plenty will. It's all well and good some of us saying it's not an issue for us but the fact is it will be for lots so he'll never get a proper chance. The situation we're in after the last season inabit do we really want a manager that large chunks of the fanbase will turn on at the first sign of trouble? I wonder if there'll be any reaction in the crowd tomorrow.
It's amusing that they'd rather have the odds for a club that aren't looking than one that is. I'd have thought it would be pretty easy for them to just take bets on it regardless - I can't imagine there's much effort in the background for it to happen.
I can understand the mob sentiment and agree it's a extra dimension that we could avoid as a lot of the fans will be old enough to remember Redknapp but this is a different situation to that one. I don't think he's the right character to stop the dross personally.
I have voted no, think he's not really what we need at the moment, plus there's the Pompey link which doesn't bother me personally but will bother plenty of others. For me I think I would like someone who is a bigger name, a Carrick, Gerrard, Viera etc. Our best manager of the modern football era is one Ronald Koeman, massive respect from everyone in the game. I just think players would be so in awe of someone who has played in World cups, won leagues and trophies, that they would raise their game, compared to a Still, an O'Neill etc. Just go all out for the best candidate that matches the above.
Yeah fair enough. The Liverpool game is an awkward one to judge, because let's face it, it's a glorified friendly for them, and a free hit for us. I'm no expert on O'Neil, by all means, but it wasn't only big teams Bompey/Wolves played well against, I'm sure. I just happened to pick those out, because those wins are each a pretty impressive achievement. I'd like to think that someone who can out-think the top managers in the game, can find a way of out-thinking your bog standard Championship managers.
I voted no for O'Neill - he seems likeable enough but the previous club link will be massively divisive (like Steve Cooper at Leicester) and we don't need any more of that. I genuinely don't know who I want. Haven't felt this defeated about it in a while. I could just pull a name out of a hat, but I don't work for SR.
This has Rupert Lowe appointing Harry Redknapp written all over it. I’m almost up for it if it gets the clueless board sacked once O’Neil infiltrates us!