This. Also some interesting points being made about Giraldi. It's funny how someone who has arguably underperformed for (at least) 2 years, keeps his job. Must be a family friend or something.
This may be against the trend, but I think Giraldi is doing a good job. By and large, the players we're signing are good or very good. Ok, we've made a few duds long the way, but all clubs do that. Where we've failed as a club is signing any quality AT ALL for the defensive areas. I'm at a loss for the reason as to why that is. It can only be down to funding. It's not Giraldi's money. He has to work to a plan set out by the man who holds the purse strings. We've all been crying out about the defence, and I think most feared we could come unstuck this season, as we've been getting away with it for so long. Maybe, because of just that, we've been getting away with it, is why we've not acted. We did try to sign Danny Rose, and he was even at our training ground on the final day. He'd have been a good signing for sure. Then we seem to have that Min-Jae coming in in January...…..although only Leventhal has mentioned that. None of us know the remit he's working under. If Gino tells him to get Sarr, Welbeck and Dawson, then he's done his job. It's not just one person. He doesn't go up to Gino and say I'm going to sign this player, and you better give me the money to do it or else. They all sit down together, with Javi as well I suspect and identify areas of team weakness, players to fill those areas. Giraldi then does the dirty work of signing the player, with contract negotiations etc. That's a bloody tough job in itself. Now I'd say we've messed up as a club, the hirachy if you like, as to where we needed strengthening. Ok, it's nice to sign a player like Sarr, and he may go on to be a great player who we sell for £100m......but it's a big outlay for a club with such need in defensive areas. Getting Welbeck was superb and needed. I'd say getting Sarr was an expensive luxury which was not a priority over the defence. However, from a business POV, may have been seen as a real prospect of big money further down the line. But, if we go down this season, and even at this stage, we've got to be talking like this, everything we've done in building a squad, will be undone at a stroke. All our good players, and we do have some real quality in our squad, will go. It would be a massive hit. Unthinkable really. It's clear we've invested in the U23's as well. Look at our results this season. Win after win, unprecedented. There seems to be some real talent in the youth set up now. Again, this will be interrupted if we go down. January is a long way off, and if we're entrenched, who of real quality, will sign for us? You see, if bad decisions are made, it all unravels very quickly.
Thank you for such an excellent, analytical post with which I can find absolutely no fault whatsoever!
Gino had Garcia lined up for Sanninho. Garcia's heart murmur was entirely unpredictable. Unless you want us to insist on a medical for prospective head-coaches that includes an ECG. Then we had the Billy McKinlay eight day debacle. Someone who Garcia had personally requested as his assistant. Gino panicked and lost the plot on the only occasion he's done so during his tenure of our club I believe. Then we came out of the other side of that with the excellent appointment of the Joker. So, in a period of about six? weeks we moved from Beppe to the Joker via a medical scare and a 'bit of a wobbler'. Not bad really when you consider who much angst the Toffeenoses had to go through with Koeman, hippo-dish and King Cobra. We're prepared. They're not. Apart from attempted bullying.
It was more the fact he was just hired AND that they refused to take "sod off" for an answer. Factor in that it was a same division competitor who they could derail and you have a trifecta of unpleasantry. Like HB1 said, the moment a club feels the need to send a cease and desist there should be no doubt that it has gone too far.
I agree. But that wasn't the point I was making. Everton's behaviour was shameful and unwarranted. We all know that. But regardless, there were fans on here at the time who said it was disrespectful for a club to try and approach someone who is currently employed. If you want to sack your manager, you do so knowing you have to take your next pick from the currently unattached names available - that was the suggestion from some about how it should be. I'm not saying I agree with that. But it would be interesting to see the reaction of those same fans should we do it...
Which fans were those then? Will you make an unsubstantiated, antagonistic generalisation, or do a quick search for some evidence to support your claim?
You're a fine one to talk about being 'antagonistic'!!! Which incidentally wasn't what I was attempting anyway! They were comments that were made - but I certainly am not going to single out forum members as you seem to desire. If you want to see that the suggestion was made, go back and look yourself. I'm comfortable stating that it was said without having to prove it to you. Look elsewhere for an argument...
That's kinda the point - maybe I would go and look to see if anyone had actually said what you claimed, but then rather than any appreciation you might just call me "petty" again. Instead, as it is you're just appearing to create a discussion point which is pitting yourself against effectively non-existent people (which isn't really a discussion). PS - where was it implied that I use the term "antagonistic" as a form of criticism? It can be fine to start a point of discussion, when there's actually a case to be discussed.
There were literally as many threads about sacking Silva as there is now about Gracia. I'm not going to filter through every single page and post to find the ones that support what I've said! If people want to think I'm making it up that's fine, I'm comfortable with the fact that I'm not. I'm not really interested in proving myself right or wrong as both happen regularly!
Perhaps it happened like you said; I remember there obviously being lots of posts criticising Everton's conduct, but just not the nuances of which particular tack they tended to take.
Big Sam or Pardew . We need some proper English managers rather than all these Ex Carlos Kickaballs stuttering their way through post match interviews .
I’m not sure you can have more than one manager with the same name we have already had a Walter so it’s a no from me, That’s an interesting question same names for managers! Steve Harrison/Perryman Any more?
We've never done it under the Pozzos, every manager appointed has been out of work. And I'm not sure that a couple of kids making up a rumour that we were already in talks with Getafe's manager is any indication we're likely to do it now.
Well with the upcoming international break coming after the Newcastle game. Its **** or bust for Javi i fear. Maybe something is already in the pipeline for him to be moved on. No doubt if there is the rumours will start escalating this week. Newcastle showed a desire yesterday that I've not really witnessed since the semi final. It's alarming how easily we get opened up. This is not just down to the players, it's tactics and formation and that's the manager and coaches job. A massive game tomorrow where he needs to get our best 11 starting to hopefully not only win but crush Coventry, then a very organised Newcastle. The only good thing is about playing them away is that they will be expected to be on the front foot. Leaving gaps hopefully. So what I expect is the strongest 11 tomorrow going for Coventrys throat. Then a change of formation for Newcastle. Dropping both FB'S. I believe Dawson looks poor because of Kiko. His weakness and positioning is atrocious. 3-5-2 Kabs in a three. Masina and DJ wing backs. Cautious ones though. Quina or NC making the midfield 3. With GD and Welbeck up top. Gray who i thought was good and took his goal beautifully unfortunately still has that back to goal problem where he struggles with his first touch. I think going this formation allows change in play without substitutions. Simple by moving Dawson to RB and moving DJ forward.
Not at all m8. You covered the humour bit by suggesting we play Janmatt as a right winger and dropping Gray, the only bloke who has looked like scoring in the first three games, for a mysterious 'back to goal problem'.
I said wingback. But DJ is more than capable of playing right-side midfield if we went to a 4-4-2. We need to stop shipping goals. By playing a more defensively minded midfield. I also explained my reasoning for dropping Gray. It's an opinion. Doesn't mean it's right. By the sound of it you know far more, so I bow to your superior knowledge.
On a serous note , what about Rafa . Still a decent manager , a bit boring but that’s what we need right now .