New Head Coach

[Wardley Makem]

I reckon we've got 1 or 2 who we'd take and are willing to come, but we're giving still a couple of days. That French TV deal crack will cause massive problems for all the teams over there. Mbappe leaving certainly won't help

 

[Smug in Boots]

Yeah, true mate. It probably comes across as focusing on anything bad and ignoring the considerable good that is going on.

I suppose not everyone gets as excited / impressed about the SOL upgrades or the redevelopment of the city. Number one priority might be the 11 we put out for a match, the squad, the coaches and the other (good) stuff is there in the background.

I was talking more about the Wembley trophy, the Wembley play-off victory, the promotion, the Championship play-offs and some of the most exciting football I've seen in over fifty years ...

... hopefully more to come I'm sure you'll agree.

 

[Mackem 10.1]

I would be happier with Jansen. Rosenior wouldn't be terrible but I feel we need to be a bit more ambitious.

Keep hearing this we need to be more ambitious, why are Still or Jansen more ambitious Rosenior? Any manager is a gamble

 

[Prehab26]

Keep hearing this we need to be more ambitious, why are Still or Jansen more ambitious Rosenior? Any manager is a gamble

They have both managed at a higher level.

 

[SAFC Wilks]

Bringing in Jansen is a very good coup imo, big relief after the previous links to others like that St Mirren manager - even though nothing came of it.

Rosenior is a solid back up should Jansen have a Will Still U turn.

 

[Smug in Boots]

They have both managed at a higher level.

No offence to Rosenior but he's more likely to become the next Chris Wilder than a top manager ...

... I'd like someone using us as a stepping stone rather than a meal ticket.

 

[CR17]

No offence to Rosenior but he's more likely to become the next Chris Wilder than a top manager ...

... I'd like someone using us as a stepping stone rather than a meal ticket.

See I think just missing playoffs in his first season shows he has plenty of potential to improve imo after looking into him a lot I’d be happy to see him here but I’d be just as happy with Jansen too

 

[COYCS]

Because it reminds me of the people in disaster movies where that one person denies anything is happening. I mean, usually they're the first ones killed by the thing that they're denying is happening, so it's less annoying in the movies.....

Still, close to a resolution now. We'll probably get the full story once the new man is in place, but that probably won't do anything but confirm what a ****show it's been.

Sorry, and not taking sides, but unless you have any insight into what's happening within the club, l suspect that Smug is right, we as supporter have no idea what has taken place behind the scenes of SAFC.
I'm grateful to those who supply and share info, they shouldn't take any **** that some posters say.
Lastly, l supported this club for a long long time, l not learnt much in that time, other than patients is rewarded.

 

[Wackyjacky]

Aye. Standard really like. I mean, I could share the private messages but I won't stoop to such levels.

I may have seen one of them, and if it's to who you know I'm thinking about, then I can verify you do state a certain person was here for a second interview this week.

 

[Smug in Boots]

See I think just missing playoffs in his first season shows he has plenty of potential to improve imo after looking into him a lot I’d be happy to see him here but I’d be just as happy with Jansen too

My preference for Jansen is based on his style and experience but there's something less rational ...

... I'm just tired of the stream of Brit managers trotting out the same 'manager speak'.

If they're so predictable perhaps they're the same in training, with the players and in their attitudes.

There's so little, on the surface, to choose between the likes Bruce/Mowbray/Rosenior it makes me hopefull for something different.

Daft I know, I'd just find it more exciting and positive ... hopefully the players would feel the same, every little helps.

 

[Smug in Boots]

Sorry, and not taking sides, but unless you have any insight into what's happening within the club, then l suspect Smug is right, we as supporter have no idea what has taken place behind the scenes of SAFC.
I'm grateful to those who supply and share info, they shouldn't take any **** that some posters say.
Lastly, l supported this club for a long long time, l not learnt much in that time, other than patients is rewarded.

I just feel that forums sometimes create a 'reality' all of their own mate.

If someone can honestly state they're annoyed with fellow supporters, because they're hoping for the best ...

... I think they've totally lost what it means to be a football supporter.

For every club hope is pretty much all you have, unless you're Man City ...

... take that away and you'll become bitter and automatically contradict anyone being positive.

P.S. we'll never become as good as Man City are now, so perhaps we should just all give up.

 

[Nig]

Really gets me that there are a load of good posters on here who may have different opinions or viewpoints and at times it can get a bit angry or bitchy but in general it stays reasonably civilised.
Then you get the odd cock womble who to be fair are normally the most negative of posters and only really post when things are a bit troubled or are not going well, they then start with the digs and jibes at the club then move on to any poster they think will rise up to the bait. Wish they would just piss off with there ill informed or thought out comments and take their crusty old **** splattered stiff sports sock with them and concentrate on getting both feet into their school shoes.
Rant owa !!

Some of them are mags.

 

[OldNewtown]

Lastly, l supported this club for a long long time, l not learnt much in that time, other than patients is rewarded.

Nurse, nurse he's escaped again
Or
What prize did the patient win

Sorry, I couldn't resist
I don't have much patience when someone presents me with an open goal.

 

[Blond Bombshell]

That's all fair enough mate, I'd agree with most of that.

What's also fair is that some posters, only a few, state as fact that our current managerial recruitment is a 'disaster' and a 'shyte show'. Surely we won't know that until the new manager is announced.

And, when we win games or do the right thing, such as the SOL upgrades, etc, there's never a single post.

If they're so anti-Sunderland I really don't see the point of them posting on a Sunderland forum.

Nailed it. Thanks marra

 

[Brainy Dose]

My preference for Jansen is based on his style and experience but there's something less rational ...

... I'm just tired of the stream of Brit managers trotting out the same 'manager speak'.

If they're so predictable perhaps they're the same in training, with the players and in their attitudes.

There's so little, on the surface, to choose between the likes Bruce/Mowbray/Rosenior it makes me hopeless for something different.

Daft I know, I'd just find it more exciting and positive ... hopefully the players would feel the same, every little helps.

Yep, it’s how I feel too. We’ve tried the Moyes, Ross, Johnson, Neil, Mowbray, Beale, Dodds options and I feel a change would be a good fit. We’ve signed lots of young, foreign players… why not a similar coaching team.

 

[Millfield Maestro 1879]

My preference for Jansen is based on his style and experience but there's something less rational ...

... I'm just tired of the stream of Brit managers trotting out the same 'manager speak'.

If they're so predictable perhaps they're the same in training, with the players and in their attitudes.

There's so little, on the surface, to choose between the likes Bruce/Mowbray/Rosenior it makes me hopeless for something different.

Daft I know, I'd just find it more exciting and positive ... hopefully the players would feel the same, every little helps.

Smug I think you have nailed how alot of people feel and maybe don't even realise it. We generally know what we are getting looking around this country but there is something exciting about looking at someone different from abroad. It could fail miserably like any other but at the same time it feels the ceiling could be anything. With the likes of Rosenior, the ceiling just doesn't seem too high

 

[AzAlkmaar]

Thanks very much for your insightful posts. I’ve a few questions if that’s alright?

Beyond the obvious ones like Reijnders and Kerkez, what is Jansen like at developing and improving players?

Did he have a good track record for bringing through academy players into the first team?

What was the tempo of the play like under him? Was it very slow and ponderous? You say you think English football suits him well, how so?

Finally, how integral to the positive things he did were his back room staff? Martens is obviously staying on with you so I was wondering if Jansen would have an obvious choice of assistant head coach if he did come here?

Sorry for the bombardment!

I find those first 2 questions hard to answer. As it has ofcourse everything do to with quality. Kerkez came in, and shown his talent from day 1, such guys would excel under any circumstances. Under his period we have had some amazing players. (Karlsson, Kerkez, Reijnders, Pavlidis, Sugawara). And you have to give Jansen credit for the development guys like them have made. One thing i would say is that we have been "carried" a lot by individual quality during his time, apart from a few great team perfomances like the Lazio games. Its often that we struggled to break a (lowtable) team down and that a Karlsson or Pavlidis had to do some magic to end with a narrow win. Jansen wasnt really able to let the team rise as a collective above the individual qualitys of some star players, which is Arne Slots big strength. Like i said earlier i think, Jansen rarely rotated between his starting XI. So it was always hard for players on the bench to play themself in the team. Also when certain players really didnt perform for a significant period. Often a random thing like injury/transfers/suspensions was needed for a player to get a chance. Reijnders was nearly off to Twente. And a guy like Gudmunddson (now shining in serie A) demanded a transfer out of frustrating on playtime. Can't really blame him for not bringing through academy guys, as there werent that many talents ready to make that step. If a young player is ready. He is willing to give him that chance, and not take him out after a few bad performances (refering back to the value Jansen gives to personal relations)

Yeah the tempo often was slow and ponderous. His stubborn choice to always play a working number 10 (who litteraly cant dribble, assist or do longshots) made us often quite predictable and unable to do quick counters or have linkup play through the middle. It would often result in passing the ball around in a questionable tempo. For then to trust on Karlsson or Pavlidis to do their magic. But at the same time it also makes you less vulnerable to concede counters and be run over. And have a solid foundation with players who are in 'sync' with eachother. Which is especially important for the overlapping fullbacks, which are basically the DNA of AZ. But thats where i sometimes missed a more dynamic coach. Who could read to game and adjust his gameplan. Maybe he didnt always have te players to make those changes.

I do think his tactics and ideas are partly based on English football (as thats his origin ofcourse). I think it fits better to a bit more physical football. The longballs and crosses we saw at AZ didnt always fit our team (lacking height and body). We are more a dominant possesion based team. But i cant say a lot about Sunderland.

AZ has a good internal structure. We like to train staff internally to make them used to our club philosophy.
And you have to conform yourself to that. No i wouldnt say any backroom staff has had a big influence. Overall at AZ you are more dependent on the transferwindows. One season you have a star team and beat Lazio, the season after you lose a ton of your best players. That is difficult for any coach. I dont see any obvious assistents Jansen would bring on the top of my mind.

 

[Dunder Mifflin]

Jansen’s odds have shortened again to 11/10

LR still at 3/1, one to keep an eye on

 

[Blond Bombshell]

I would prefer us to pick someone who’s British, unfortunately for me, I'm sure I've read that KLD is looking for someone who is bilingual due to the different nationalities of our squad?

 

[Culinary]

I find those first 2 questions hard to answer. As it has ofcourse everything do to with quality. Kerkez came in, and shown his talent from day 1, such guys would excel under any circumstances. Under his period we have had some amazing players. (Karlsson, Kerkez, Reijnders, Pavlidis, Sugawara). And you have to give Jansen credit for the development guys like them have made. One thing i would say is that we have been "carried" a lot by individual quality during his time, apart from a few great team perfomances like the Lazio games. Its often that we struggled to break a (lowtable) team down and that a Karlsson or Pavlidis had to do some magic to end with a narrow win. Jansen wasnt really able to let the team rise as a collective above the individual qualitys of some star players, which is Arne Slots big strength. Like i said earlier i think, Jansen rarely rotated between his starting XI. So it was always hard for players on the bench to play themself in the team. Also when certain players really didnt perform for a significant period. Often a random thing like injury/transfers/suspensions was needed for a player to get a chance. Reijnders was nearly off to Twente. And a guy like Gudmunddson (now shining in serie A) demanded a transfer out of frustrating on playtime. Can't really blame him for not bringing through academy guys, as there werent that many talents ready to make that step. If a young player is ready. He is willing to give him that chance, and not take him out after a few bad performances (refering back to the value Jansen gives to personal relations)

Yeah the tempo often was slow and ponderous. His stubborn choice to always play a working number 10 (who litteraly cant dribble, assist or do longshots) made us often quite predictable and unable to do quick counters or have linkup play through the middle. It would often result in passing the ball around in a questionable tempo. For then to trust on Karlsson or Pavlidis to do their magic. But at the same time it also makes you less vulnerable to concede counters and be run over. And have a solid foundation with players who are in 'sync' with eachother. Which is especially important for the overlapping fullbacks, which are basically the DNA of AZ. But thats where i sometimes missed a more dynamic coach. Who could read to game and adjust his gameplan. Maybe he didnt always have te players to make those changes.

I do think his tactics and ideas are partly based on English football (as thats his origin ofcourse). I think it fits better to a bit more physical football. The longballs and crosses we saw at AZ didnt always fit our team (lacking height and body). We are more a dominant possesion based team. But i cant say a lot about Sunderland.

AZ has a good internal structure. We like to train staff internally to make them used to our club philosophy.
And you have to conform yourself to that. No i wouldnt say any backroom staff has had a big influence. Overall at AZ you are more dependent on the transferwindows. One season you have a star team and beat Lazio, the season after you lose a ton of your best players. That is difficult for any coach. I dont see any obvious assistents Jansen would bring on the top of my mind.

That's brilliant, thank you very much for taking the time to provide such thorough answers.

How is Martens doing? Are you optimistic for next season?