Given his age should we be grooming ( not like that you pervs) someone for an eventual succession? If so, do we have anyone on the staff currently who might make the grade in management? What about former players of ours- no sentiment here mind, they have to be outstanding candidates. Is there someone in the wider game that would be interested in understudying Marty for the next few years? I remember that was the concept with Cotterell a few years back and even though that never really had legs should we as a Club be looking to the future? It has been done at a number of Clubs with varying degrees of success.
I would like Kevin Ball to be promoted to the first team personally and 3 or 4 years under Martys wing would be excellent planning imo. He has already been promoted from youths to reserves and has some first team involvement too. Bally would be a brilliant manager imo and I'd want to run through brick walls for the bloke.
Tell you what mate think that is one of the best suggestions for a safc manager I've seen , knows the lads and the club inside an out
IMO this us what's been planned for Bally would love it for him to become manager when he has more experience he's done well at every level he's managed us at.
He's good craic to talk to as wel. Down to earth and straight-talking. Seems to get on with the lads really well too
I keep hearing all the foreigners mentioned and all the fad like theories about footy they have and I piss myself. Football is still the same as it was 50 years ago; 100 years ago, in that its about 11 lads moulded together and man managed to get the best out of them on a match-day. Forget all the formations and the tactics ****e you hear, its about gelling a team together and there is no finer exponent of old fashioned football management that Sir Alex Ferguson. 90% of his management style is about old fashioned values of team first, team second and team third. Individual comes about 77th down the list and players worship him for his discipline and resolution. Yes there is a bit of fear in there of course but also a lot of love and genuine affection. When I look at Bally I see the same values and the same single minded bloody determination to succeed and win. He should without a doubt be groomed for the managers role in another 3 or 4 years and he would be superb. Players would die for this bloke as he is a proper blokes bloke and harder than granite but he has a genuine care for player in his charge as witnessed when you listen to him talk about the youth team players who didnt make it. He is a unique personality to have a club and for me its a no brainer. Keep your Martinez, Laudrup or any other foreigner and give me Kevin Ball any day of the week and like the old Liverpool days, promotion from the boot room is fine by me.
KB legend, but I am sure he has said he doesnt want the job. If he was the manager now the players would not dare come off the pitch the way they are performing/not performing at the minute. Would love him to be the manager but what would happen if it went tits up. He's loved here by the fans, I would hate us to turn on him if he lost a few games. Mind you he'd probably give us all a good hiding and at the same time. Hard b*stard
Maybe kept as horses for courses assistant as being a manager means overseeing just the team. Good motivator who has SAFC imprinted on his heart; bringing on youngsters who would die for the club could be his best role. Managers need a strong right hand and he could be it, given the chance.
Kevin Ball, Really? Think people are letting sentiment get in the way here. Don't know why but I just cant see him being a tactical genius or bringing in relatively unknown quality players from abroad. I imagine his teams would be grafters and maybe a little short on real quality. Of course I love Bally as much as the next man but think we should leave him where he is and go for managers with experience. We would run through bricks wall for him, but players that come here with no real feelings for the club, might not. People thought players wouldn't dare go into matches and not give 100% for Keano, it happened though and players didn't seem to be overly bothered about him.
I hate the thought of Kevin Ball as manager. If he had any intention of managing us he'd be proving himself in a lower league. I think he knows he's not cut out for management and is more than happy working for the club he loves. If Nigel Adkins is as good at his next club as he was at Southampton he'd be very high on the list. I imagine alot of chairman will be keeping one eye on how Gus Poyet is getting on at Brighton too.
This is a complete non starter. MON has released almost half of the acadamy, we might as well do away with it & make all the coaches redundant. What's the point if the gaffer has absolutely no interest whatsoever in the youth system? I love Bally but why employ him if you are preventing him doing his job?
Billy, i think we are having a complete overhaul mate. He has noticed it hasn't really been working in bringing through players with enough quality, so he has got rid of everything and started again. Like the young Poland keeper we have just brought over.
I love this idea - also think he'd get more leniency as a manager! BUT - if/when Martin stands aside, I'd like to see another experienced manager in place with a proven track record - in my lifetime O'Neill is the only one we have had like this - Bruce had to a point but not the extent of O'Neill's experience!. I think Bally would be great for the fans but think he needs more coaching personally - although he would demand 100% from everyone without a doubt!
He's had to do away with the youth as part of a new thing coming in this year were u can only have a couple over 21 in the reserve team
