Thoughts On Schteve...?

We aren't playing half bad football. In fact, if we were playing like this and winning games, we'd be pretty chuffed... However, this is possibly the worst ever start to a season for NUFC.

Personally, Schteve is proving to be a horrendous appointment. Not because he's a bad coach (although defensively he's never really had a clue by the way), but because his style of play is not getting the best out of what we have. That's called bad management, ladies and gents. Sure, if we were the kind of club that signed players to suit his system, and he somehow miraculously signed the perfect defence who need no coaching, he'd be a great long-term option. Sound like our kind of club?!?!?!

We needed a pragmatic, result first, ask questions later type boss. You can't play pretty with this lot, it's being proven every week, and will be again against a Bournemouth side that play efficient, and quite often route one stuff. Thankfully, Wilson is injured, because his pace would have wrecked Dummett and Colo.

Now, I'm not calling him the wally with the brolly. At the right club, heck at ours under the right circumstances, he'd probably be great... But ladies and gents, the poor lad has come to us at the wrong time.

If he is here to build a legacy, fair enough, but I cannot follow the reasoning behind Mike Ashley of all people appointing him. This year is massive for anybody staying up, which at present doesn't look likely. So if we are building a legacy, is this going to be out of Mike's pockets if the tv money go bye bye? He was free, sure, but it's a stupid gamble to pray he keeps you up playing his way, and Mike ain't silly.

Being a cynic, I don't really care about the tv money if we get relegated, because I know Mike would pocket it... But it just seems illogical that if that's all Mike does care about, we've got a manager picking up nowt each weekend.

I questioned his signing at the start, and to be honest despite results being ****ing awful, he's pleasantly surprised me in terms of style. My opinion is, if we as fans and Mike Ashley care about premier league footy, Mclaren is obviously the wrong man. If the focus is instead on building something around his framework, it could be special, but relies almost entirely on Mike's attitude.

Thoughts?

 

We can't expect much better than Schteve with the current owners, so I voted "yes".

Well, I would have, but my finger slipped and I accidentally voted for "JPF sucks balls". Sorry.

 

I think that the players that have been brought in since he was appointed do suit his system (Mitro, Wij, Mbemba - even Thauvin if he was playing to his potential). The problem is that not enough have come in yet. I have been pleasantly surprised, like you said, at the style of football we have been playing. We can't afford to keep going on playing pretty football and not getting results, but I do feel like we're going in the right direction. I at least feel like we're doing something constructive at last. The target this season has to be survival while the platform gets built for building a better team. I still think we will be ok simply because I believe there are at least 3 worse teams than us, and that it will show over a full season.

He has said it will take 3 transfer windows to get close to the sort of team he wants to have. I'm taking him at his word and assuming we're only 1 window into that. I might be mad but I believe Mike learned a lesson last season and that is why the club forked out £50 million this summer. We need to keep spending though, and targeting players in the same bracket as Wij, rather than hoping bargain basement players turn into players like Cabaye. Not saying we should never grab the opportunity for a bargain if it comes along, but you can't build a whole team like that - which is what Pardew was forced to try and do.

I am encouraged with what I have seen so far. Where we're failing in the last few games is that our young forwards are still learning the league (mitro) and getting to know how each other plays (Mitro + Perez). They are young and will get more consistent. We know they can both score goals and I do believe they will come good in time to see us safe.

It's far too early to be throwing the baby (Steve) out with the bathwater (the squad he inherited).

 

Make ya mind up man! We are playing good football yet Steve is a horrendous appointment yet if we build around his framework it could be something special. Which is it!?

Having said that I kind of get your point but it's a decision one way or the other that was made at the time. IF there is a longer term plan I personally would rather take that view. I would hate us to become Sunderland.

In theory if you keep playing good football you should be ok. Need some signings in Jan though. Concerned that if we don't put points on the board quick though we don't look a particularly good prospect.

 

I'm basically saying he's proving a horrendous bet in terms of Mike's aims and objectives as evidenced thus far. This is not a 40 Pts is a trophy manager. It seems an oxymoron to have Steve juxtaposed this regime. If we are making a major departure from the existing business plan, then fair enough, but there has been no communication that we are putting legacy over premier league wonga.

I think if we had an owner who wanted to build something, Steve is proving himself a decent punt, but he's also conclusively shown he is not a results first pragmatic manager who will get the best out of what he has, like a Pardew, so unless Mike has had a personality shift, I can't see it working long-term.

Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing what Mike is thinking, as he's also unlikely to sack a man who is not achieving his goals until after they haven't been achieved.

 

I went for the sucks balls option.

I think a win at bournemouth will help towards a change of opinion.
He will come good.

 

He needs to pick up more than a point a game to get us safe... We've already thrown away points against bad teams...

Playing devil's advocate, how would people have talked about Carver if he'd started the season like this?

 

Mike thinks he wants a successful football club with an identity, long term coaching set up that does not spend beyond its means and develops young players. I genuinely think he has the best intentions (while also keeping half an eye on his bank balance!) and has tried to deliver the above. The problem is he has proved to be absolutely clueless! The only way he knows how to operate is as he would his business. A football club and probably even more so NUFC takes something different. He's got to remember that he has basically franchised the club from the fans so needs to ensure first and formost that we are happy he is protecting our brand.

 

How many times under Pardew did you hear our fans saying they would be able to stomach the defeats if we were at least playing attractive football? That's the situation we're in now and I honestly prefer it to what we had (and by that I'm criticising the club's approach more than what Pardew got out of the players at his diposal).

 

I honestly think that if Carver had got the team playing the style of football we've been playing this season he would have had a hell of a lot of support from the fans. They would probably have thought that he'd tried his best but probably isn't quite good enough to make that system work as well as it could - but by God he gave it a go!

Instead we just decided he was **** and wanted him to **** off - regardless of how long he worked for the club and how much he cares about it. That's the cost of failure though.

 

I still hate him for offering out the fans for merely voicing discontent away to Saints. Plus he was delusional.
Him and his bum chum Pards were as bad as each Other off the pitch.

 

Oh under Carver we were definitely fully sh*t. We at least look like we have coaching sessions during the week now

 

I think that over the years Ashley has proved beyond all reasonable doubt that, where decisions regarding this football club are concerned then 'silly' is exactly what he is. Wise , JFK, Wonga, ****e Direct Arena, JFK again, Carver................ dare I say it, Keegan!! The man is consistently clueless when it comes to NUFC.

Was Schteeve a cheapo option, or was he one of the only options? Not many managers with pedigree will want to work with cock knockers like Penfold and Commandant Carr. Sure there will be plenty of journeymen who would give it a go and come to us after the Mackems have finished with them, but a proven manager with a reasonable track record will go elsewhere I suspect.

Remi Garde for example, stalled us, but has jumped straight in at Villa. Even McClaren himself was happy to stick at Derby.................. until they ditched him!!

I suspect that the real issue is that Penfold is a complete idiot who is so far out of his depth that the fat little **** cant even see the bottom , let alone reach it. Then we have Carr who appears to wield remarkable power for someone who is effectively chief scout. Any 'football man' will see straight through them both.

Schteeve was probably considered to be the best of a very average bunch.............. oh, and free...........

I do believe that if we can stagger through this season, then he will come good. As long as mid table mediocrity is considered 'coming good'. Realistically we should have been relegated last term. We really do have some complete dross at the club and need pretty much a top to bottom rethink. We just have to hope that there are three teams ****ter than us this season. So far the unwashed and Villa look a good bet to drop................. and possibly Chelski

 

Agree 100%.
Would rather go down playing this type of footy than stop up playing that horrible brand we saw a bit back.

 

Totally agree, it's fun watching the toon again (and I don't think we are too far off turning our improving performance into points)

I will take how we are playing plus how close we are to getting the squad and style of football firing on all cylinders ...compared to the absolutely turgid dross we have been forced to watch this past couple seasons ...AND ..losing. It was then I ..just stopped caring and just going through the motions watching us
...It's kind of pleasent to enjoy and care again ..even if we haven't got the points.

 

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You see that's the beauty of fans! There's always an area lacking and they'd always sacrifice what they have for it, but will moan nonetheless when they get it

I think McLaren gets some space from criticism because he's a break from the typical "mafia" promotions.

Defensively Boro were pretty poor in the premier league under him... FC Twente, well the Dutch league don't bother too much with defending with their average game being like 3-2 or 4-3... Derby started well but nosedived (which seems the case occasionally with McLaren, another worrying trend because if that happens we'll get about 11pts all year )... while I think it's possible to get more out of stinky Colo, we might need heavy investment for Steve to keep them up.

 

The football has improved tenfold, I like his demeanour when it comes to the press and we've improved massively since the first 6 games,

Our points return will make us nervous, but in the long run good performances will yield a good points return. I think he's doing a more than decent job, we were a mess come the end of last season. We just need to ensure we're up around 12th - 14th come Christmas.

If we can get through this season unscathed and still in the league I'm confident he'll prove a success, especially as I think he'll be backed in the next two windows. It's frustrating given where we are in the league but we definitely need to be patient, we're improving at a quick rate IMO.

 

I was bottm left just out of shot of that photo. Leicester away. Baz nearly got arrested (thr chap with over 200 loyalty points you met) for being a bit vocal about AJ and refusing to sit down..

 

I used to work just down the road from that ground. Used to come across quite a few coppers through my work. If they were anything to go by then Leicestershire isn't somewhere I'd like to be arrested (not that anywhere else is come to think about it )