New Manager ?

[DeanLearner'sCat]

We lost a lot of players and had to sell before we could buy. It wasn't pessimistic to think it could be a real mess if we weren't careful.

 

[Cheesebored]

take your medication now

Prick

 

[Booker4]

I’m laughing at the people who actually think we’ll only sign AI players and for the first team. Wilder should go. The football bar a few games was awful. His petulance won’t go down well with the owners as he’s damaging the brand like the fines. People mention him getting a new contract, like this won’t contain clauses. These are business men.. not the muppet at Hillsborough.

I agree with some of what you say there in fairness but not all. The fines were unnecessary and after it went to the 4th time or whatever it was it was embarrassing. On the other hand I would accept the fines because overall he's a very good manager in my opinion.

I disagree the football was awful. I know it wasn't champagne stuff at times but overall it got results and you have to remember the scale of the rebuild plus the season ending injuries to Souttar and Arblaster, both of which were crucial players.

As for the signings, it's impossible to know going forward whether it will be all AI or not and whether they'll be for the first team or not but I'm not overly impressed so far, especially given two are from the same club which strikes me as a little narrow minded, something that Wilder has been accused of for different reasons obviously.

We need a manager who wins football matches, whether it's exciting or not is more for the fans, but we're all happy as long as we win.

If the board now remove Wilder, presumably on the basis of differences on recruitment then I think it does look poor to offer a new contract of such length to then remove him from his duties just months later. They should have discussed recruitment at length when they first came in but I suspect it wasn't discussed in detail because they'll have known if they'd done their homework on Wilder that he isn't a manager to sign players via AI.

 

[dc_blade]

He did according to 5 out of 6 people who voted in the poll above though.

Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, more than 50% thought we'd finish top six. What am I missing?

 

[Balham]

I agree with all that. But it would be unfair to start judgment from 10 games in. It was a remarkable turn around given the rebuild. The second half of the season was a real disappointment, and boring. I think he did more than enough to be given another chance this season. Albeit with a number of caveats about things that needed to change.

This, to me, brings us to Wilder's strength and main weakness. He showed real character and resilience in the first three months of the season, spinning the plates of relegation and squad upheaval into a genuinely cohesive team with some clever additions. We brought in Burrows, Cooper, Souttar, Campbell, Rak-Sakyi, O'Hare, Gilchrist and Moore, all of whom had a case to be in our best XI for the first half of the season. We played well without being exceptional and were deservedly top at Christmas. We beat Yesterday FC with a workmanlike performance but Wilder celebrated by denegrating the opposition manager, showing a real lack of class.

I was hoping we'd kick on from there. However, Souttar got injured on Boxing Day and despite chucking a load of money at the squad in January we ended up with an increasing number of square pegs in round holes as the season went on: three right backs on the books but a central midfielder (and probably the highest paid player in the squad, for what it's worth) filling in. An ex-Arsenal, Premier League central defender sat on the bench while Jack Robinson played on to the best of his limited ability. Little attacking structure and an absolute devotion to the inverted wingers, rotating Brooks and Rak-Sakyi by bringing them in from the cold then dropping them unceremoniously. Playing Hamer out of position all season. Reverting to 4-4-2 long ball, effective though it was. Losing three on the bounce at the crunch point of the season was bad but it was a whole lot worse for two reasons: firstly, the teams we were playing were 19th (Oxford), 9th (Millwall) and bottom (Plymouth) when we played them and secondly that the level of performance in those three games was absolutely unacceptable.

The less said about the play off final, the better. However, I don't think it's unreasonable for a proper leader to have been able to rally the team at half time after the blow of the VAR decision. Instead, we came out as if we'd had valium. Wilder insisted on leading the team out at Wembley but then disappeared off down the tunnel at full time.

The final point I'll make is that we have had over £450,000 in fines for failure to control our players this season. Some of that is possibly reactionary but there's a pattern emerging and the final fine - of £180,000 - was caused directly by Wilder getting involved with two of Plymouth's players after they deservedly beat us to give themselves a chance of survival. Each of the last few written verdicts from the FA has referenced United "reminding the players of their responsibilities". One can only assume that those meetings happened on the tables in the Banner Cross.

Every time the pressure was really on (Leeds/Boro at the start of the season), Easter, the play off final; we fell short.

 

[Greenblades]

Right decision for me. Look at this forum. Totally split. Fans fighting amongst themselves over a manager ? Not sure I agree with the rebuild stuff. We’ve had Cooper etc all targeted before Wilder. (Plenty on here know that) I loved him first time and if he got us up then I would have to say fair play. He didn’t. ! Too many woeful performances and we win 1-0 etc. The play off final summed it up. We were miles better but he went defensive and lost. Saw us get beat easily at Leeds and Sunderland because of negativity. Look at the squad. We should have got promoted. He also has signed Brewster , McBurrnie and Cannon and many seem to have totally forgotten he would not play Ndiaye and that’s why he wouldn’t sign a deal. ( Hecky to thank there). I don’t need him bouncing around after beating Wednesday for him to be great. We should have done that after Sunderland. Good luck Chris. You’ve been great and also you’re now a multi millionaire thanks to us all. UTB

 

[Youngand70]

May 2024 was under the previous ownership.

You don’t say. It was still a statement by our CEO Steve Bettis. Wether it was a policy decision by Prince Abdullah we will probably never know. But Bettis's statement was very anti Director of Football and very much in favour of carrying on down the same old out dated route. I make no apology for saying that I, and several other posters, have pointed out the facts/statistics regarding the numbers of Director of Football/Sporting Directors there are in modern WORLD of football. But when ever the subject comes up "denial" rears it's dinosaur head again.

 

[luffenhamblade]

Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, more than 50% thought we'd finish top six. What am I missing?

The well known quotation “lies, damn lies and statistics” I fear.

 

[alcoblade]

Right decision for me. Look at this forum. Totally split. Fans fighting amongst themselves over a manager ?

The fans will be split as soon as we lose three on the bounce, if not as soon as he's appointed.

 

[alcoblade]

Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, more than 50% thought we'd finish top six. What am I missing?

You're right, I should have said only 1 in 6 expected us to do better than we did. And I suspect almost none thought we'd get 92 points.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Poll from this very website right before the season started
View attachment 213315
And looking at a pre-season predictions thread from 5th August
"9th"
"3 or 4 places higher IF we get 3 or 4 starters in"
"could see us making the playoffs"
Another poster from that thread did think we could do automatic in fairness

Think i voted Champions https://www.s24su.com/forum/threads/so-before-a-ball-is-kicked-how-will-the-2024-25-season-end.100214/page-3

 

[luffenhamblade]

The fans will be split as soon as we lose three on the bounce, if not as soon as he's appointed.

Absolutely, it is how so many people get their excitement in this 24hr social media world. People need, and crave excitement so, after finishing third we need a new manager. Come November they won’t be good enough and the adrenaline rush can start all over again.

 

[Nick Jansky]

You're right, I should have said only 1 in 6 expected us to do better than we did. And I suspect almost none thought we'd get 92 points.

I predicted 92.5 points. With a half point deduction for failing to control our players.

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

Monty has just left Spurs. Conincidence?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Monty has just left Spurs. Conincidence?

Yes

 

[Nah den]

Personally I think it's time for a change. However the issue with any new manager coming in is the impatient nature of football fans. They'll be under pressure to deliver from the outset, which is pretty hard to do, particularly if a new style/ethos/culture is being implemented

 

[HammerInPeace]

HammerInPeace would know more than me, but this is sounds alot like when west ham got rid of moyes despite winning a trophy. just have to look how lopertegui beautiful football worked out

I wasn't particularly against Moyes staying, he's obviously very good at rescuing a sinking ship. And his man-management skills are very good. He got a tune out of the moody Arnautovic when no one else could. A lot though accused him of dour tactics and making subs too late in games.
Having to sell Rice (he wanted to go) did kind of fuck us up. You can't replace players like that even with £100m & so it proved. Loppy came in, spent more than that on new players, most of who flopped.
In our case, imo it's less the manager's fault than the recruitment of new players. I guess that's the same for most teams, including yourselves. Any fool can spend money (if you've got it) but it's spending it wisely. Perhaps good players just don't want to come to us & for the fans, that shitebowl of a stadium does us no favours whatsoever, however cheap it was/is. Us quite often playing better away is very telling.
I bet if you gave Wilder good players to work with, he'd do a good job. You've seen it in the past with him.

 

[chesblade]

So it turns out the pig fan at their forum was right?

In all honesty, it’s probably the correct and smart decision. The club needs to move forward with modern practices, e.g a director of football model. Wilder is old school and I can’t see him changing from that.

Like the post further up said, all 20 PL clubs use a director of football. We need to modernise and unfortunately, as much as I love Wilder, it’s without him.

He's not gone yet

 

[Danetheblade]

I wasn't particularly against Moyes staying, he's obviously very good at rescuing a sinking ship. And his man-management skills are very good. He got a tune out of the moody Arnautovic when no one else could. A lot though accused him of dour tactics and making subs too late in games.
Having to sell Rice (he wanted to go) did kind of fuck us up. You can't replace players like that even with £100m & so it proved. Loppy came in, spent more than that on new players, most of who flopped.
In our case, imo it's less the manager's fault than the recruitment of new players. I guess that's the same for most teams, including yourselves. Any fool can spend money (if you've got it) but it's spending it wisely. Perhaps good players just don't want to come to us & for the fans, that shitebowl of a stadium does us no favours whatsoever, however cheap it was/is. Us quite often playing better away is very telling.
I bet if you gave Wilder good players to work with, he'd do a good job. You've seen it in the past with him.

In all fairness though Hammer, he’s had and has good players, he’s signed players in January which arguably made no difference at all. Hes incapable of spending big money on signings. Brewster and Cannon as prime examples.

 

[b1ade4life]

Any sign of any colored smoke coming from the BL chimney??

 

[alcoblade]

In all fairness though Hammer, he’s had and has good players, he’s signed players in January which arguably made no difference at all. Hes incapable of spending big money on signings. Brewster and Cannon as prime examples.

I think most would agree (if he stays) he should have much less influence on future signings.

 

[NerdyBlade]

Well as two of them are young and come from Bulgaria, the other from Peru, what do you expect me to think? If the signings were for experienced internationals then fair enough. We need 3/4 quality additions ready to go straight into the team. So far the signings from AI are not convincing me that these are ready now to go in. Maybe the fact Wilder never played Cecares has gone against him also. He's 23 in September but never played for Peru who are not a good side I might add.

So under the new owners we haven't signed anyone other than them 3?

 

[Danetheblade]

I think most would agree (if he stays) he should have much less influence on future signings.

Which therein lies the problem. Wilder won’t and can’t operate under that premise.

 

[HammerInPeace]

In all fairness though Hammer, he’s had and has good players, he’s signed players in January which arguably made no difference at all. Hes incapable of spending big money on signings. Brewster and Cannon as prime examples.

We're they definitely his choices? If they were, then yeah, it's on him. I just think it's not that easy buying the right player's who'll be a roaring success.
If it was we'd all be football managers!

 

[Danetheblade]

We're they definitely his choices? If they were, then yeah, it's on him. I just think it's not that easy buying the right player's who'll be a roaring success.
If it was we'd all be football managers!

Brewster a million percent were. Cannon allegedly were. He’s incapable of spending brass on decent players.

 

[Nah den]

Brewster a million percent were. Cannon allegedly were. He’s incapable of spending brass on decent players.

Obviously forgot his crystal ball when signing Brewster. Should've known about all those future injuries.

 

[Danetheblade]

Obviously forgot his crystal ball when signing Brewster. Should've known about all those future injuries.

Aye. Should probably have realised 23M for a striker who’s scored a decent amount for 6 months isn’t the best idea. Then again, opted to do it again on Cannon who scored 9 goals, four in one game.

 

[Nah den]

Aye. Should probably have realised 23M for a striker who’s scored a decent amount for 6 months isn’t the best idea. Then again, opted to do it again on Cannon who scored 9 goals, four in one game.

This isn't a Brewster thread, there's already been plenty said on that, but just to counter...he'd been with Chelsea, then Liverpool, was in their first team squad, represented England at age group level, scoring goals, played for Swansea, scored goals. It wasn't a stupid signing, he just had terrible luck with injuries.

 

[Danetheblade]

This isn't a Brewster thread, there's already been plenty said on that, but just to counter...he'd been with Chelsea, then Liverpool, was in their first team squad, represented England at age group level, scoring goals, played for Swansea, scored goals. It wasn't a stupid signing, he just had terrible luck with injuries.

Your right. I were responding to Hammers comment regards Wilder signing players. He scored a shedload in Liverpools U21s team. Sure he scored once or twice for the first team. Scored goals at Swansea, came to us and looked like he’d won a raffle to play. Enough about Brewdog though.

 

[Sean Thornton]

You don’t say. It was still a statement by our CEO Steve Bettis. Whether it was a policy decision by Prince Abdullah we will probably never know. But Bettis's statement was very anti Director of Football and very much in favour of carrying on down the same old out dated route. I make no apology for saying that I, and several other posters, have pointed out the facts/statistics regarding the numbers of Director of Football/Sporting Directors there are in modern WORLD of football. But when ever the subject comes up "denial" rears its dinosaur head again.

I do say as it’s highly likely SB was following the owners lead rather than an anti DOF rant. Now he’s on the new board and the reasoning has changed do you really expect him to stick with a policy that was that of a man enamoured again with CW?

I don’t understand your denial point, assuming it’s referring to something l’ve posted.