Just reading about Tan's interview with TalkSport. Not a lot in it really, but got me thinking as we havent heard much from him in a while. A couple seasons back he was talking about Welsh qualified players in the squad and youngsters breaking through. It seemed to be part of that thinking that got Trollope appointed. Mick has inherited a squad with a number of Welsh players and a number of youngsters 'on the cusp'. Credit to Harris for that, if not for how he used them. Under Mick, Vaulks has stepped up, Wilson has found his mojo with Moore benefiting from the new shape and as importantly, those arounding him getting better results from what he does giving defences more to think about. It was also nice to see Mark Harris making an impact off the bench. I'm hoping Tan is seeing some of his hopes (demands?) fulfilled and sticks in there. All positives. The Welsh contingent and a bit of homegrown tallent will also lift the crowd when it comes back and could make the 12th man the 13th as well. I'm assuming we won't go up this year as we gave ourselves too much to do (I somerimes wonder where we'd be if Mick arrived a month sooner) so have started thinking about what next season will bring. Big Mick still at the helm? Cash from Tan for a key signing or two? But what of longer term? We've had a couple rehashes of the accademy in the last 5 years with Colin doing a root and branches review. Can we settle this down and bring through a few more home grown players? Can it become a conveyer into the future? This season will be what it will be. Promotion is unlikely but would be grabbed with both hands by me. Gives us a different set of problems though. However, we need some stability and a strategy whatever happens this season. We're still lacking that football acumen on the board. Can we resolve the 'short-termism' and start building for the long term?
A suitable Director of Football springs to mind (I have no suggestions as to who) but would MM see that as interference? Or look to bring in a Non Exec Director with a greater all round knowledge of the game?
Good post remote. I think the "change in direction" message has got home to the powers that be, but it takes one of two things - time and/or money. The problem with the "time" approach is that many if not most supporters tend to be impatient in the interim. The only way to shorten the process tends towards the second option, "money". The past on pitch management decisions have lurched between the "bright young things" (Malky, OGS and Trollope) through to the "dinosaurs" (Slade, Warnock and now McCarthy). Nothing wrong with the dinosaur approach. It worked with Colin, though I wouldn't necessarily level that description at Mick - he's much more than that. The question to answer over this next two months given the virtual certainty that we will stay up and the outside chance that we make the playoffs let alone get promoted, will Mick be given a vote of confidence to take us to the next level? He seems to have a decent gut feeling for the players of all ages at his disposal and is prepared to back it. Right now, a new contract and be allowed the time to bring through the very promising youngsters available to him would seem obvious. Above all it needs the right structure in place (on the pitch and off it) supported by a patient and understanding owner prepared to fund the transition. It needn't take that long with the right combo in place, but there's no guarantees and equally no recipe for instant success. Just what does VT see as the way forward and is he getting the right advice?
I needn't have bothered trying to compose my thoughts sparkey. You conveyed them exactly. Excellent thread remote
VT's press comments this week were encouraging and after his dodgy beginnings I think he has learned when to speak and when not to. Possibly it needs Dalman and Choo to be convinced about getting a football man on the board or close to it. If they can be swayed then VT could well follow. Although they will all need some guidance on getting the right person.
I think that DoF or Non-Exec is crucial Blue. We've said it several times over a period of time that we need an identity. Vaulks may have said it an interview in the last few days. Horrible to play against. Not needing to play out from the back. Doesnt mean we dont play football. DJ had a philosophy of solid at the back then anything goes. Get that instilled into the fabric of the club. Sign the right players, develop the right youngsters. The change of direction needs to be a roadmap with a few meandering bends sparkey. Been a bit like spaghetti junction with all the twists and turns of the past few years. Evolution not revolution. Mick might be the man to do it. He's shown an eye for a player, that he can vary his style and he's not afraid to drop a youngster in. I've only seen highlights, so I'll take you're council as the style being played and whether its easier on the eye than Colin. We seem solid in defence, play the ball on the deck when we can, but havent lost the set piece when needed. And boy can we sign keepers. Probably our most successful position for recruitment of the last 20 years. Is Mick the begining of a resurgence or another false dawn? Sign Mick up and get a director with football experience if not a Director of Football. It seems there are a few youngsters showing promise with a few premier league teams sniffing around. Just going to enjoy the rest of the season and hope this is a first step on an exciting new journey.
Definitely trying to play it out of defence rather than lumping it. The long ball from open play, long throw in, long dead ball set piece are all legitimate options, but the pace that Wilson and Murphy possess now playing on the floor through the middle where they can do damage rather than out wide is a major improvement. Keiffer is a great foil up front but we also possess the pace of Mark Harris and Max Watters (when will he get on the pitch?) as great options. I've said it before but Mick's switch to a back 3 with NG and Bennett pushing up out wide has transformed our game. It gives us a solidity at the back and allows Vaulks and Pack (at the moment) to police the midfield. The opposition can have the ball as much as they like but it doesn't seem to do them much good such is our compact shape. There may be a right time to all drop back behind the ball but I've had to admire the high press that Mick keeps shouting out at the lads when their keeper/defenders get the ball. Hassle them and they'll make mistakes. When that happens, Vaulks and Pack have been quick to recognise it and step up in support. Massive change from Warnock and a much improved tactical awareness over Harris. Very encouraged in what I've seen so far.
Thanks sparkey. Sounds a reasonable compromise. Doesn't have to be free flowing footy all the time. Win games with periods of play that get people off their virtual seats. Dont want to get carried away, but heading the right way. Just shows how unfair fans can be towards players. I was one who would happily have seen Pack and Flint go. Now key parts of an effective machine. Assuming we're in the Championship, we shouldnt be far off a squad for a push next year. Obviously Wilson and Ojo would need replacing and we need another right back. Outside that, not much needed. Someone to compete with Tomlin for the Wilson role would be the biggie. Vaulks, ralls, pack and Williams vying for the midfield 2.
All good points on here and some optimism about the future, for sure. I have a question........how much does the manager influence what happens in the development squad and academy? Colin did a 'root and branch' review....but I honestly cannot see how he had the time to do such a thing let alone get involved in scouting and finding new talent to bring in. I think thee are some small shoots beginning to sprout from this source and maybe Colin should have had more faith in the product. Harris seemed to be starting to take note and bring in a couple. Our cousins down west seem to have had significant success in finding little gems, (notably Ben Davies and the boy who went to MU) which is, I believe, one of the reasons they are still alive financially. They've also brought quite a few into their match squads too.
I think its why we keep talking about a DoF or equivalent Furter. One thing the swans have had over the last 10 years is a vision of how they play and what they want from their youngsters. We change style so often, it'll only be by fluke we get a match. Not sure MM, or Colin for that matter, should drive the youth policy but youth policy and long term playing style need to align.
Agreed this is a massive improvement on what was been served up previously but we already know from our previous two promotions, that whilst this style of football may be good enough to win the slog of the Championship, it's streets off what is required to play in the Premier League. We have so little of the ball that we struggle to hurt proper defenses, as demonstrated by both MM & Warnock; I beleive that Mick is cut from the same cloth and would struggle to adapt given the changes to the Premier League over the last decade since he departed there. (However, worth mentioning that you underestimate Mick at your folly). As with the above posts, a long term direction with an overseeing DoF is a requirement for sustainability but I also think we need to find a manager who's able to implement and develop a squad that is capable of playing the style required to stay up.
Great posts lads I’d love to see a root and branch change within the club so it’s an actual football business run by businessman taking advice from people with football know how. The non football people like Choo and Dalman shouldn’t be making the major decisions on football matters; the commerce side obviously is their expertise but the board needs to become more switched on in actual football matters and listen to people with experience in that field.
It is massively encouraging to see youngsters coming through slowly. One thing I did read yesterday though which alarmed me was the impact of Brexit on youth player recruitment. It seems that the "elite" no longer have an easy route to cherry pick the best young continental talents and are now turning attentions to UK clubs youth set ups instead. Unless the rules have changed I can see clubs like us losing their brightest youngsters for peanuts in the same way we lost Matondo to Man City. Very little if any compensation coming our way due to the Academy grading system.
Already a few premier league clubs sniffing around our youngsters looking at that article. Would be nice to think that in 3 or 4 years we'd regularly have a few home grown players in the squad.
