The ideal candidate for our new manager for next season will actually be at the CCS for our last game - and I don't mean Slade. We need a forward thinking, arse kicking, cup throwing, boot chucking ruthless bastard to shake up the Cosy Cafe set. May not be family stuff, but we need to fill the stadium with supporters paying for tickets rather than stacking it out with freebees for the uncommitted.
Thought he was an intelligent player. No pace but knew what to do with the ball. Thought that from I saw his pre-season under ole. Also thought Guerra was a decent player who didn't get a look in. Too many players and no idea how to play them at the time. Then slade was told to have a clear out. Both looked as if they'd have enjoyed playing in the current formation.
Nah Bluey - I didn't mention golf clubs pal. Someone not much older though - with limited managerial experience and drive but not citing his 20+ years in the game as a reason for employing him. He also has more hair on his chin than Slade has on his head, but then again my wife's got more elsewhere than that..............
Would that be armpits or not been to Brazil lately then? Back to football, who do you have in mind then Sparks? We can trot out the usual suspects but what about Karl Robinson? Bit of a blot on his cv with relegation this year but sometimes good to have some hard times to create a better learning curve.
Robinson would be a bold option and I can imagine him filling the forward thinking role I mentioned - not sure about the rest though. On the other aspects of my list of requirements, the visiting manager on that last day should be taken to one side and convinced he should return next season in the home dug out. I've no doubts that despite his young age (relatively speaking) he will fulfill my job description admirably.
Ah, late night last night and a bit slow on the uptake after a pedestrian 5k run along Porthcawl seafront this morning. Nevertheless, I get your drift. That would be Gary Rowett then. Done a great job at Birmingham with little money. Looks like a good choice. However, he might see his job at Birmingham not yet fulfilled and like another pop at making the playoffs next season. And an opportunity to put one over the Villa. Like us Birmingham are a club with a lot of potential and a large fan base if the club performs well on the pitch. Also, he's a Brummie (nearly) having been born in Bromsgrove.
Slade has done a pretty good job with a club that was an utter train wreck. We all remember what a mess this squad was! Now, at least to me, we look like a harmonious squad who needs probably 2-3 creative signings. Should we move Slade on if someone better is available? Sure. Only if it can be proven they are actually better. No more Ole appointments please. New, shiny, and with a big name doesn't mean better.
I agree with a lot of what's been said here. When I heard lambert wasn't staying at Blackburn I immediately thought he be a good replacement. Rowett would be interesting. How much better than Birmingham do we think our squad is? I'd say we have more quality and depth but it's not a huge difference IMO. I understand it's a very subjective topic/question. Slade had a real chance to make a statement for next season with a performance against Wednesday. He failed, however when you look at their forward options (hooper, forrestiere sp?) it's not that surprising they're above us. Slade looks to have us finishing pretty much best of the rest. They're plenty of managers out there would wouldn't have done that with our squad. I don't mind us changing manager we just need to be very careful and get the replacement right
Considerably better Stevo. There is no question in my mind that the players Slade was handed and who are still there remain the core of the side. They are head and shoulders better than Rowett inherited. Rowett has done wonders with a club previously destined for the trap door of this division. The difference is that Slade has brought in some rubbish up front who have now thankfully departed the club (unfortunately Ameobi hasn't) and persisted with his two fullback signings who are both liabilities in different ways. Peltier is an honest but unspectacular fullback (I hesitate to use the word wing back) who offers no attacking potential. On the other side we have Malone. The least said the better except that he can get forward but is all too often hopelessly out of position defensively. Apart from Immers who he's lucked out with, the later additions like Saadi, Lawrence and Zohore have been criminally underused in this run in. Maybe the two biggest problems lie elsewhere though. Firstly and probably not all of Slade's making although he was certainly complicit with it, was the disposal of some quality players who have proved their worth elsewhere since - Guerra and Burgstaller to name just two. Secondly has been his reluctance to adopt anything other than a plan A approach with tactics and personnel on the pitch unless forced into it through absentees. Back to the "better squad" discussion though. Though there can be no way of proving it now, I would maintain that if Rowett had been here this season (or had our squad at Brum) he would have been looking forward to the playoffs right now if not even autos. Slade and Young have been an unmitigated disaster and whether Trollope has any real influence is yet to be seen. They probably all need to be replaced.
Gary Rowett is just about a non starter. Hes just signed a new deal at Birmingham so wed have to fork out on a large compensation payment even if Rowett wanted to come. Rowett may come for a large pay packet and the promise of millions to spend but that is not something we can offer. So its someone currently attached or a lower league manager looking to step up. Just give it to Bellamy. If we are looking to get an upcoming manager from the lower leagues then maybe Ardley.
Whether Rowett would want to come is another matter, but he's only on a one year rolling contract at Brum signed in January. Given the tight financial circumstances there I doubt he's on any sort of mega money and it wouldn't cost a king's ransom to buy that out - in fact it would be peanuts for Tan if he was the right man for the job. Bellamy is the emotional choice and would be a sure fire immediate lift for the club on that level - whether he could actually perform in the job in the cold light of day remains the big doubt and would be a massive gamble. Tan saw Slade as a safe pair of hands for his investment who would do as instructed with the minimum of fuss. I doubt whether he will ditch that approach for someone totally untried at this level, particularly a firework like Bellamy unless he brought an experienced "director of football" type who could mentor him as well. The problem might be could Bellamy accept that arrangement given his impulsive past history?
I'm not convinced with the Bellamy punt unless as an assistant to a more experienced manager but all I really want next season is to see some decent attacking and entertaining football. Hopefully on Saturday with nothing on the game, possibly and hopefully slades last game, he could least give us a chance to see Rhys Heakly and Declan John and maybe another youngster or two from the Academy or development squads.
