Is Clough the right "type" of manager we need?

[kop_blade9]

By this I mean is he the sort of manager who can produce promotion winning teams on a tight budget? Is he the next generation manger from the Bassett / Warnock school, able to identify and get the best out of players of limited ability?

There have been managers who work well in the lower divisions when they are given exhorbatant budgets, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane spring to mind, but when constrained by Finances struggle, Bruce walked out on us but did well with money at Hull, Keane did well with money at Sunderland but struggled on a tight budget at Ipswich, I just wonder if Clough was attracted to us by the thought of the Prince's millions but has since is comimg to realise that this is not that forthcoming for player recruitment?

He turned things around for us last season with a couple of astute loan signings but it looks like he is having to operate on a tighter leash this season since the Prince's increasing commitments back home.

The rest of the transfer window and loan window is going to be very illuminating to see which way this will go.

Was he not a tight budget at Derby and had to sell players and reduce the wage bill. Then when he starts to build his own promotion chasing team he gets the chop....
He's trying to bring his own players in and unfortunately it appears that he is dismantling a winning side from last year to do this.
To me it seems too much too soon but we all know that the pressure is on to achieve promotion this year.
I think he deserves at least the ten games that Mr. Wier had last year to get us back on track.
But I agree it does appear very disappointing at the moment.

 

[Bladesman]

Was he not a tight budget at Derby and had to sell players and reduce the wage bill. Then when he starts to build his own promotion chasing team he gets the chop....
He's trying to bring his own players in and unfortunately it appears that he is dismantling a winning side from last year to do this.
To me it seems too much too soon but we all know that the pressure is on to achieve promotion this year.
I think he deserves at least the ten games that Mr. Wier had last year to get us back on track.
But I agree it does appear very disappointing at the moment.

Although we did well last year not sure he is keen on some of players he had at his disposal. It's clear he is not too keen on the likes of Collins and Doyle that is for sure.

 

[Grecian2000]

My fear is IF (big if) we are promoted this season how many of our players are good enough for the championship? Will we have to have another over haul of players? The Championship is a much better league than this one.

You know what, fear of the Championship (fuck that, fear of Division Two) is not in my top ten fears right now.

 

[Rodley]

Is harrys game the right ''type'' of supporter we need ?

Times are changing Sitwell. I thought he was outted as a pig three months ago, now half of the people on here are agreeing with him.

All I can see is Clough going, more moaning about new manager X who will be worse (Robert Page?), current board losing interest / chased out of town, more moaning about the next lot (probably a Pet Shop magnate from Gleadless Valley or a similar Captain of Industry) who spend sweet FA and we're back to loans replacing perms, ever decreasing circles with diminishing support increasingly embittered / impatient with a persecution complex with no decent players, managers, owners wanting to touch us with a bargepole.

Or we'll win tomorrow.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

There are a lot of similarities between the beginning of last season and the beginning of this. The main one being the out with the old and in with the new policy, it didn't work then and it's not working now.
The first thing Nigel did when he came in was return to the old guard and add just the odd bit of class and it worked a treat.
This season he's blitzed the team and we're now back to stage one..
Too many new faces to soon.....

 

[Bladesman]

There are a lot of similarities between the beginning of last season and the beginning of this. The main one being the out with the old and in with the new policy, it didn't work then and it's not working now.
The first thing Nigel did when he came in was return to the old guard and add just the odd bit of class and it worked a treat.
This season he's blitzed the team and we're now back to stage one..
Too many new faces to soon.....

Exactly.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Too many new faces to soon.....

Agree but at least Nige will be sorting it out and not Weirdo

 

[Grecian2000]

Times are changing Sitwell. I thought he was outted as a pig three months ago, now half of the people on here are agreeing with him.

Or, back in the real world, no-one is calling for his head but would like us to be doing better than we are with the players at our disposal.
We've had a bad start, even those who can't ever admit we've mis-placed a pass or two can't be uber happy with it, and Clough has to share in the responsibility with the players.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Sorry but I don't have the time to read through the whole thread, but in my answer to the OP -- Yes he is the type of manager we need and yes for now and to take us a couple of levels.

Why? Because he lives eats and breathes football and he talks well about it to us fans. I for one understand him and I have not understood too many of our ex-managers.

For months with us he walked on water but football is not like that at this level. For the first time since he arrived he is doing things which we do not understand - playing rookies, others out of position etc.

There must be reasons. Perhaps he has decided to gel a team together which can take us two levels. Certainly Collins and Doyle would not be equipped to take us two levels even if we got promoted this season.

I, for one, am all in favour of preparing for two promotions not just one.

Alcock has got S24SU man of the match in two games already and yet his selection is one of the surprises. We have to trust the manager, he has more to lose than you and I.

This is the only interpretation I can think of. I too am bewildered.

 

[metalblade]

Alcock has got S24SU man of the match in two games already and yet his selection is one of the surprises. We have to trust the manager, he has more to lose than you and I.

This is the only interpretation I can think of. I too am bewildered.

What has Clough got to lose if god forbid we sacked him tomorrow he would pick up a couple of years pay and be in another job in a matter of weeks if not days.

 

[Woodwardfan]

What has Clough got to lose if god forbid we sacked him tomorrow he would pick up a couple of years pay and be in another job in a matter of weeks if not days.

Hey mate, your comment is so far removed from the truth it is nonsensical,sorry. A man's reputation is his single biggest value.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Sorry but I don't have the time to read through the whole thread, but in my answer to the OP -- Yes he is the type of manager we need and yes for now and to take us a couple of levels.

Why? Because he lives eats and breathes football and he talks well about it to us fans. I for one understand him and I have not understood too many of our ex-managers.

For months with us he walked on water but football is not like that at this level. For the first time since he arrived he is doing things which we do not understand - playing rookies, others out of position etc.

There must be reasons. Perhaps he has decided to gel a team together which can take us two levels. Certainly Collins and Doyle would not be equipped to take us two levels even if we got promoted this season.

I, for one, am all in favour of preparing for two promotions not just one.

Alcock has got S24SU man of the match in two games already and yet his selection is one of the surprises. We have to trust the manager, he has more to lose than you and I.

This is the only interpretation I can think of. I too am bewildered.

Eh? Are you saying the players NC has brought in are intended to take us up 2 divisions? Most of them don't look capable of taking us up one division. We look a poorer team than last season - not a better one.

NC could do little wrong last season but his summer signings, team selections and negative tactics are baffling. Hopefully he can sort things out and soon.

 

[metalblade]

Hey mate, your comment is so far removed from the truth it is nonsensical,sorry. A man's reputation is his single biggest value.

Don't talk daft, he would be remembered for taking a bunch of no hoper's to a cup semi and within a whisker of the play off's not for losing a few games. The sacking at Derby didn't harm his reputation.

 

[SelbyBlade]

FFS why is this even a conversation?
Clough has proven beyond any possible doubt that he can do the job, the conversation has to be is he being supported?
He can't force Brayford to come, he couldn't force Harry to stay, he can't force Wallace to recover (Coady's replacement) but also it's upto the board to back him to find suitable replacements. We will have to see what happens upto the end of the window and in the loan window when upper Championship and lower Prem teams look to loan out players that can't get in the team. If the board don't back him then, he could well do a Harry and just go. That's my worry.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Let's discuss what's working and not without obsessing about Clough. I would like us to make a few changes at the minute, but I'm delighted that we have Clough.

 

[Maidenhead]

Let's discuss what's working and not without obsessing about Clough. I would like us to make a few changes at the minute, but I'm delighted that we have Clough.

and I'm delighted to read a sensible well balanced post

 

[Bladesman]

Let's discuss what's working and not without obsessing about Clough. I would like us to make a few changes at the minute, but I'm delighted that we have Clough.

Thankfully he said changes would be made in his interview with RS.

 

[wizadry]

Sorry but I don't have the time to read through the whole thread, but in my answer to the OP -- Yes he is the type of manager we need and yes for now and to take us a couple of levels.

Why? Because he lives eats and breathes football and he talks well about it to us fans. I for one understand him and I have not understood too many of our ex-managers.

For months with us he walked on water but football is not like that at this level. For the first time since he arrived he is doing things which we do not understand - playing rookies, others out of position etc.

There must be reasons. Perhaps he has decided to gel a team together which can take us two levels. Certainly Collins and Doyle would not be equipped to take us two levels even if we got promoted this season.

I, for one, am all in favour of preparing for two promotions not just one.

Alcock has got S24SU man of the match in two games already and yet his selection is one of the surprises. We have to trust the manager, he has more to lose than you and I.

This is the only interpretation I can think of. I too am bewildered.

A couple of things i'd like to pick up on.We have absolutely Zero chance of going up a couple of levels,with the squad of players we have atm.

Another thing is,Alcock getting MOTM and us losing both matches isn't a good thing.A defender getting MOTM all the time must mean we are been too negative and not getting the attacking part of play going what so ever.

I agree he is the man atm,but as to whether he can take us to 2 levels above,not a cat in hells chance with this squad of players,Houdini would struggle.

With how he's started this season,its going to be hard to get out of league one never mind the championship,but there's time to get us going yet,lets just hope its sooner rather than later.

 

[Woodwardfan]

It's the blooding of youngsters that is the investment

Eh? Are you saying the players NC has brought in are intended to take us up 2 divisions? Most of them don't look capable of taking us up one division. We look a poorer team than last season - not a better one.

NC could do little wrong last season but his summer signings, team selections and negative tactics are baffling. Hopefully he can sort things out and soon.

No I'm not saying that all the players can make the two steps upwards, in fact quite the opposite though I didn't make it clear.

I reckon Clough has decided to play Reed and McGahey and live with the consequences because he recognises those two will be key players in the medium term. He knows the lads will be inconsistent in their first 20 games but he also knows Collins and Doyle will not be there in the medium term. I suspect he is persevering with Scougall for that very same reason.

He has reduced the average age of the squad as a further investment in the future.

It is a bold approach and Clough knows such "investment" in young players will afffect short term results. However that's what a top manager has to do, make big decisions. Short termism and buckling under pressure from fans gets nobody anywhere.

In my post I said it was an interpretation and that I was bewidered. As one who has a sizeable bet on us going up this season I am actually very nervous too!

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

Yes. I think Superman is busy.

 

[BushBlade]

No idea because I have no idea what his brief is. The board send out mixed messages about Cloughie being given a promotion budget but we're not going to spend big until we get into the Championship.

Maybe Cloughie's been given a decent budget and he's wasted it because he's never been in this situation before, Derby was all about cost cutting.

Or maybe Cloughie's been stiffed by the board who've refused to pay for his top three choices in the positions he wanted to strengthen and we've ended up with his fourth choices because they were the cheap option.

Maybe the Prince's involvement with the Saudi government has strengthened KM's influence and we've gone back to the gamble/parsimony strategy that has been apparent for as long as he's been involved with the club.

I don't know. I have no idea. Does anyone?

 

[BushBlade]

Hey mate, your comment is so far removed from the truth it is nonsensical,sorry. A man's reputation is his single biggest value.

You'd think so but look around at the other managers in this league. How many times has Danny Wilson been sacked? How many promotions has Russell Slade achieved? Cotterill? Adams? Gary Johnson? All have previous failures on their CVs.

I'm sure when chairmen look for prospective managers and someone says to them 'he's failed at Sheffield United' the chairmen just think 'yeah, who hasn't?'

 

[SandyMcBlade]

I would have thought it's more "can he build us a good team on the cheap"

 

[Mickey Jupp]

Please can the interviewer on Blades Player go on a journalism course and then try to ask Nigel Clough some questions which will elicit meaningful responses? Instead of "That were better werent it Nigel?"

 

[Bergen Blade]

Please can the interviewer on Blades Player go on a journalism course and then try to ask Nigel Clough some questions which will elicit meaningful responses? Instead of "That were better werent it Nigel?"

The ones on Audioboo/Radio Sheffield are good though. I think Clough is the first manager we've had since Warnock who's interesting to listen to. I've seen some say he's a bit monotonous, but that doesn't bother me at all. He's a lot more sharing than most managers and so confident about his knowledge that he tackles most questions thrown at him with a thoughtful and honest response.

 

[Mickey Jupp]

I agree, his old man didnt mince words did he?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Or, back in the real world, no-one is calling for his head but would like us to be doing better than we are with the players at our disposal.
We've had a bad start, even those who can't ever admit we've mis-placed a pass or two can't be uber happy with it, and Clough has to share in the responsibility with the players.

Just posted this elsewhere but seems more appropriate here, 3 x 0-0 would have us in the same situation we are in now.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I don't know. I have no idea. Does anyone?

Clough does but do the loonies around him know?

 

[Kev Gee]

Your damn right hes the man we need!!!

Or would going back to cloggers like Mickey Adams & Blackwell be to your liking?