Valerien Ismael - Manager

You got me singing Last Christmas now!

 

Ince:
“It’s exciting, there are some massive teams in the Championship this season and hopefully we’ll be one of them in the mix.”

Of course, the aim will be promotion. As it will be for 75% of the league. But there's a big difference between aiming for promotion, and expecting promotion, which I think the hierarchy did last year.

 

If we’re still averaging a point a game by the time of the October international break and Gino sticks with VI then that would represent a change of expectation.

But I wouldn’t be surprised to see him return to type and sack the coach, which would tell me he expects a playoff push. Let’s see how it pans out.

 

Nobody cares about your bum league m8

 

That’s a lot of effort and words for a troll post from a fake account . I wish I could be bothered to read more than a few lines .

 

Leventhal reporting we’re in talks about a new and improved deal.

Really?

 

If AL is right and he's on a three year deal then this seems an odd move given our fetish for sacking head coaches. Just leave his contract as it is and review it at the end of the season.

 

Good move, even as just a statement to the players and the watching world that we're prepared to back a HC, and allow him time to build a project.

Imagine this was in the works before today, so again a good sign that the ownership recognise the changes on and off the field under VI, and aren't just focusing on results, or the league table, like some were theorising.

 

That would be bizarre. Unless it’s something to give him more control.

Ismael has really grown on me, I like the passion and work ethic he has instilled and the football is entertaining to watch for the most part.

 

Seems like they’re trying a bit too hard to prove they’ve changed.

 

Bit odd - is this Gino/Scott trying a little too hard to swing the pendulum the other way?

 

Wonder if another club has been tentatively sniffing around (Southampton?)

 

Ismael has had the most limited squad, in terms of numbers and technical quality, under the Pozzo ownership.

He’s doing a brilliant job considering the squad limitations. He’s getting the maximum from the group he’s working with, so it’s no wonder they are impressed with him.

 

It's definitely one of the weakest squads we've had. Think only the 13/14 Season squad was weaker with players like Fabbrini, Faraoni, McGugan and Rangie stinking out the place while Almunia, Cassetti and Hall were on a major decline leaving the core of the team in a greater state of disrepair than this current one which has a fairly thin but reasonably good spine to work with.

VI clearly has the respect of the squad and owners which hasn't happened since 2018/19 Gracia and his previous understanding / respect of this league is paying dividends with how he's managing the squad and its large rotation during games to help maintain energy levels and prevent muscular injuries and the injury doom cycle of last Season mixed with what has been regarded as a well prepared pre-season.

This squad isn't doldrums in the league, quality wise, but it does have a glaring decision making problem which is down to the players available / relative inexperience with a good chunk of our senior squad being less than 24 (Andrews, Ngakia, Morris, Asprilla, Martins, Dele-Bashiru, Koné, Chakvetadze, Louza, Rajovic which is a majority of our starting XI as well as the flair type players) than a systemic problem related to the head coach's setup. I think it's something we need to see improve over the course of this Season and hopefully VI is capable of training that into them than just point it out each time it happens but currently it's an acceptable flaw of what is a raw squad in many regards.

I was very skeptical of his appointment but he's done everything that fans wanted and could reasonably expect with the squad available and how we are playing / trying to play. He accepts and owns the inherent risk of playing the way we are, but also doesn't accept repeated mistakes or a lack of care on and off the ball. The substitutions made most games are what would make sense for the context they're used and generally have a positive impact. He's not Jovanovic level with that but he's not afraid to change personnel if they're not performing.

 

Bizarre move if the reports that he's already on a 3 year contract are true. Not against it but think its a bit early for that.

 

If it’s true it just shows they really are totally clueless. I mean just pick a lane, Gino.

 

We've asked him to change and he is. I’m not sure anyone can be unhappy with this news.

 

I always felt Pozzo sacked Gracia in a fit of pique because he steadfastly refused to pick Gino’s new toy…and then QSF2 used to bring him as a sub to play striker…

 

If GP had reservations about Gracia, why extend his contract. Pozzo had spent all summer trying to sign Sarr, finally signed him for a ludicrous amount, and then watched Gracia not picking him.
I fully agree the lack of investment in defence was the main reason we went down, but I can think of no more logical reason than pique for sacking him after only 4 games.

 

McGugan scored 11 goals in 37 games that season, would bite your hand off for a return like that from any of our central midfielders. Ranegie only played 10 games but had a very respectable return of four goals. Feel it harsh to say either of them stunk the place out.

Main issues that season were not replacing Vydra, Chalobah not coming back on loan and Abdi being injured for pretty much the whole season. I reckon the squad was pretty much on a par with this one overall though.

 

Playing McGugan was playing with 10 men on the pitch. He was excellent at free kicks but was otherwise anonymous and had a bad attitude as well. The goals he scored masked the awful effort he put in otherwise and is no coincidence he was frozen out and moved on after that Season.

Ranegie I accept is harsh. Just makes me laugh I remember him saying basically to pick between him and Deeney if memory serves near the end of that Season.

 

You're forgetting Merkel that season too. Legend.

I'll always remember Ranegie for the stupid red card at Doncaster.

 

It’s no surprise that Mc’s career went into terminal decline after leaving us or rather when he was with us. Had a great shot on him which he utilised about 25 times a match, and nothing else. A great highlights reel and the reason we were all excited at picking him up on a freebie.

 

Do we know for certain that a new contract isn’t just giving him a higher wage as he could have been on a low (let’s see how it goes) deal, and not necessarily a longer time contract!

 

Yeah sounds like a pay rise , possibly to keep him here if a bigger club sack their manager early and approached Val.

 

Could be a bigger wage, could be inserting a bigger release clause. But it's 'clueless', apparently.

 

Jeez, forgot about him. Remember the panic signing at midnight from Arsenal as well? The Asian striker, can't remember his name? Played about 12 minutes or something stupid.

 

Personally I'm happy if VI signs a new 3 year deal.

We need to change our ways and this is a strong signal of intent BUT only if it's being done for the right reasons and it's not a PR move from the club.

If it's to give Val a bit more control with regards to player movement then great.

We are pleasing to watch at the moment, trying to get the ball down and play through the lines and utilise our more creative players.

Who knows, if we can stay on the coat tails of the top 6 going into January and we add a few more players in the right areas (ST, CB and DM) we could well have a good season.