To be honest the only ex Norwich guy I would consider is Malky. Because he actually seems like a talented up and coming manager. Don't want Culverhouse, I think we just need to move on from the Lambert era and Culverhouse was a huge part of that. Phelan and Bowen would be huge risks which I don't is worth when Hughton and Laudrup are possibly available. If we get Bruce I actually would put 100 quid on us to get relegated.
Seriously? Now don't get me wrong, Steve Bruce definitely wouldn't be my first choice or even in my top three choices, but if he did get the gig I don't think he'd be anywhere near as bad as most people seem to think. The Sunderland job was the first one where he has really struggled - and that may be to do with him being a Geordie and the fans not taking to him from the off - and I think his cv is actually pretty good. He took Birmingham to the top flight for the first time in a generation and established them as a Premiership side and he finished much higher up the table with Wigan than Martinez has ever done. Like I say, he wouldn't be my choice by any means, but I have always liked the guy and think there are far, far worse options out there
Cromer I thought someone might mention about performance of past Man Utd assistant managers. In the case of Brian Kidd he took over a struggling and poor Blackburn side with very little money to spend. Even Woy Hodgson couldn't turn Blackburn round when he went there and he was a very experienced manager. Carlos Querioz took a very high profile and difficult job at Real Madrid at a time when they were not performing well. His win percentages at other jobs has not been too bad according to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Queiroz a few over 50% and one over 60%. Archie Knox left to be assistant manager under Walter Smith at Glasgow Rangers and together they won a large number of league titles and cups!
I don't rate him at all. Your right he was good. Especially Wigan but than that Sunderland went so badly I would find it hard to give him the job. He spend an absolute bomb that season which included Man United has beens and a young scummer and didn't do well with them. I may have over reacted on that putting a bet on relegation would never do that but I don't think he is the man to motivate a young, developing squad.
Bruce would be the cheap option we're a different club now to how we were four seasons ago, I would be severely disappointed if we got him as manager.
To be fair at Sunderland he had Darren Bent sold from under him and his replacement Gyan who cost a bomb decided to go AWOL just as the transfer window closed. Admittedly he does tend to spend a lot of money which probably wouldn't suit him to us, but he talks a lot of sense whenever I hear him, comes across as a likeable bloke and wouldn't be disruptive in the way some of the other candidates would be.
That Asamoah Gyan one was strange, heard he wants to stay out here with Al Ain too. He is an odd one. To be fair Sid_Smooth you've sort of made me realise he isn't the worst candidate. I do think he was awful at Sunderland but picked up some handy players for Wigan and managed to get them to 11th. I do think Hughton has had problems with players being sold too though and has probably coped with it well, I think Hughton is more suited and can probably keep the players doing that they have been doing and not disrupt the team spirit. Wouldn't mind Hughton bringing Redmond with him either, he looks a handy player.
Chris Hughton would be my choice, and the latest news I've seen according to the EDP website is he is on a one year rolling contract and sources in the Midlands say Norwich are poised to make an official approach for him. He could cost Norwich £2m in compensation, which is why it is believed WBA decided against going for him, but I believe it would be money worth paying.
i'd rather have steve bruce than mark bowen or mike phelan!!! we are only in our second season in the premier league. this is no time for a gamble on an assistant manager who just happens to have a connection to the club. we have to be ruthless and appoint the best possible manager we can get our hands on at this time. bruce isn't high up the reckoning but he's way ahead of those two!
I always get the idea WBA have a lot in their war chest, they were a yo-yo club for years and I've rarely seen them trash money as badly as other clubs do buying expensive journeymen, they've made the odd duff buy but seem to spend quite wisely. I think they're a lot better off then we think they are.
you're right - they've been run very sensibly - i think they have been highlighted before by mcnally and bowkett as one of the examples to follow for ourselves. they have a very stingy owner - jeremy peace - notoriously tight with his money, but the club are financially sound because of it. they are probably at the stage we want to be in in 12 months time, looking to progress up a notch, top half
there is one other problem with bruce. he has a habit of quitting clubs a la lambert if another job becomes available. to my memory he has done this three times.
I for one hope you get Hughton. When you visit St James Park with him at the helm, he'll get a reception from the home fans that hasn't been heard since Keegan returned. Decent, respectful, and humble - bereft of the usual awful arrogance that goes hand in hand with so many football managers. Tactically sound & adaptable. Able to handle egos and steady the ship behind the scenes - when he took over Newcastle, it was an utter shambles, and could easily have been a tumble down the divisions, shedding players and going into administration. Uniting the squad there, making astute signings, letting go the egos & dead wood, and taking the team back up at the first attempt (with games to spare and many record breaking results). This should absolutely not be overlooked or dismissed down to "he had a better squad than everyone else" - every year, big money teams go down into the Championship with premiership squads, they don't often come back up with ease. Despite the success that Pardew has had, Hughton's sacking at Newcastle was desperately undeserved. What he's done at Birmingham is even more impressive, considering the financial restraints, chaos behind the scenes, and losing so many players without replacement - a solid European campaign & decent FA cup run, then to finish in the playoffs and lose to another big Premiership team with top flight players and wages - this is very much down to the manager (can you imagine how it would have panned out had McLeish stayed in charge?!) He's about the best appointment that Norwich could have hoped for, and I suspect he will keep you in the top flight, comfortably.
excellent post, thanks for the input. any chance you could tell our ipswich friends all this??? they don't rate him, surprise surprise!
