Duffy will just carry on being Duffy. No manager will ever change him especially as he is nearing the end of his contract.
I hear you, but equally JDT wouldn’t be without huge risks and Clement on paper has a significantly stronger record. His teams on the continent seem to have been fairly attacking reputation, so it remains to be seen - but if we are being honest about our squad we probably need a manager better suited to a less creative mindset…
Are you referring to Jonny McFarlane, from the Rangers Review, interviewed by Connor Southwell in yesterday's Pink'Un? If so, I think it needs pointing out that the reference to lack of creativity was in the specific context of playing against weaker teams intent on thwarting Rangers by setting up in a 5:4:1 low block for 90 minutes. The general point McFarlane was making was that Clement was a perfect fit for the Championship, a much more competitive league than the Scottish Premiership, with few teams being reduced to "shutting up shop" as their strategy, even against the top sides in the division. Having difficulty breaking down teams devoting all their resources to keeping you out is a problem for any manager/head coach; Farke's Norwich v Nigel Clough's Burton Albion at Carrow Road comes to mind.
Afraid I'm not sure, only briefly saw it scrolling a site. But isn't that what we've struggled to do, basically since Hoolahan and more recently Steiperman left? Many teams come to Carrow Road or lesser teams at their home and sit 10 behind the ball for vast periods of the match and we've repeatedly failed to break them down, create chances and end up knocking ball square-square-back-back; then lump it up the pitch. So how is it any different? Sure it's not going to be the whole division, but I suspect a good proportion will look at his history from Rangers and think, we'll give it a shot, we've nothing to lose. Especially against a 'big team' as Norwich. I'll give him a chance, but I just don't see his previous style and our current players working terrifically well. Which if it does occur, will go back to the player recruitment policy of the S.D. (board team) and therefore him/them needing to leave.
This is Clement on his overall approach: "In all the clubs that I have worked, it has always been based on playing attacking football with high intensity, with the team pressing, being aggressive and playing in a style to score goals. Of course, it's important to also have structure, to not concede goals and that's what I've seen here; the team is conceding too many goals, so those are also points to work on, but I want to play in an offensive way of playing." The key phrase is "attacking football with high intensity". This means attacking quickly, with two second 'one-two' exchanges to move the ball quickly to wrong foot opponents rather than passing the ball around laterally in our own half waiting for space to open up. For him the quickness is more important than trying to keep possession at all costs, which has often been the case with previous HCs. This should be music to the ears of Sargent, Kvistgaarden, Makama and other attacking players who want the ball before the opposing defence is settled. Quickness is the key to unlocking stubborn defences.
I saw a Press report claiming JDT was first choice but turned down Norwich’s offer If that’s true then I think that puts to bed the idea this process wasn’t well run: it looks like an encouragingly professional job and if JDT wasn’t prepared to accept Norwich’s terms, then they simply moved on swiftly and decisively - good. We may rue that decision in time, but right now I’m feeling more positive than at any time since about 2/3rds of the way through last season
That report would match JDT's agent saying he turned down the offer. It could be that JDT and Clement were considered equally good candidates so Knapper and the owners went for the latter at the price they considered was right. Time will tell, but I like the tactics that Clement is advocating.
It has been mentioned that given the expedite nature of the interview process, terms has been shown before a decision was made to see if they matched candidates requests. Possible JDTs agent dint want to go any further after seeing the terms but before a decision
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/clyz441eej6o "He's [Philippe Clement has] been very careful about his next destination, particularly because his time with Rangers was quite a bruising experience for him for a number of reasons, and it was important that wherever he went next, he went somewhere where he was going to be able to work perhaps with slightly less media focus and hysteria." Obviously hasn’t done his due diligence on the rapier reporting of the Pink’Un writers and the savagery of the Not606 board, the moment they smell blood.
The P word (patience) is back in play according to new assistant Van Der Heyden: "For us it's important to be clear from the beginning that everyone gets the same message. We'll create a good atmosphere, with clear instructions and a clear way of playing. In the beginning it'll be difficult for the players, they'll get a lot of new information. I think it's important for us to start to implement it step-by-step, not everything too soon, because then it will be too much. But I'm sure that after a few months we will see the results." Birmingham will only be the first step, but it may give some indication of how the players are responding.
A pointless argument to continue but I am sure that anybody who has been involved in normal appointment procedures of Senior personnel would agree that the method used in this case was irregular and chaotic and not professional and well run. Having said that, it does seem that a reasonable conclusion has been reached and for the first time since the appointment of Thorup I feel reasonably confident for the future, The new team has plenty of time to dig us out of this hole and they must succeed because the cost of failure would be horrendous particularly with an American owner who would take the easy way out. I just do not understand why Knapper is still in his job and if he stays I can only hope that Clement has been given the final say on player recruitment in the next window.
