Our New Manager

[Darthblade]

There have been wide and varied suggestions at to why and how we came to have Mr Wilson as our new manager. Personally, like many other people, I wouldn't even have considered him for the job, however, we have him now and for how long we do not know.
I have it on good authority that he is a personal friend of Kevin McCabe and that they are neighbours with regard to Villas in Spain. This may go some way towards clearing the confusion surrounding his appointment, if it is indeed true.
I can only speak for myself but, as a long suffering, lifelong Blade, I will give him a chance to prove himself (in the same way I gave Bromby, Quinn, Geary a chance before) and if he can take the team forward, play decent entertaining football and get us back into the 2nd Division then I will hold up my hands and be big enough to say "I was wrong to doubt".
In one respect I do have a great deal of respect for Wilson; he certainly has bottle to take the job. If he DOESNT "hit the ground running" for whatever reason, he WILL be absolutely crucified by the supporters, as will (quite rightly) Kevin McCabe. I just hope Wilson realises just what a BIG job he has on his hands. Not that I am saying we are a MASSIVE Club (there can only be one of those can't there ) more how much crap and baggage there is to sort out from the last 5 years!!
Furthermore, the biggest job of all is to rebuild bridges with supporters who are generally fed up with the shoddy running of the Club and the team affairs. That's the hard bit.
Hope we can have a bit of luck on our side for a change and have a season to put a smile back on our faces. But I'm not holding my breath ......................
UTB

 

[davidpinder]

I heard the same darth friends with the family etc, he was also a cheap option no compo to pay and looking for a job near home. He has my backing as a blade i just want whats best for the club and an instant return to the championship which should be achievable. I don't want to give it the "i told you so" come xmas if we are 15th in the table and the fans calling for his and McCabes head. As daft as this sounds i won't be at all surprised if we went up strong like Norwich did and all of a sudden McCabe fell back in love with the club but i also won't be equally surprised if we failed and finished in the bottom half. With the right players out (which seems to be starting slowing but surely) and the right players in (which as yet is not happening) this league is there for us and i hope we can put up a good challenged.

 

[Kenilworth]

The league is not "there for us" by any streach of the imagination. It will be tough and a hard slog. We have no leaders (main problem last season) and no bottle in the team. We cannot score goals and we cannot defend either. Those factors need to be addressed before we can even contemplate competing survivial in this league never mind making a challenge to get out of it into the Champ.
Anything other than this type of assessment is dillusional and relfects the traditional mind set of the porcine side of the city.

 

[madeinsheffield]

I was also led to believe Kenny Dalglish was also a neighbour in Spain, that would have been interesting had he have chosen to help KMc rather than the scousers, somehow think he would have struggled with our budgets though

 

[travellingblade]

.... As daft as this sounds i won't be at all surprised if we went up strong like Norwich did ......

Remember Norwich lost 1-7 at home to Colchester on 8th August 2009, before going on to gain promotion twice in a row.

 

[Bladesway]

Its going to be very tough. To say we don't have the bottle and can't score goals at this level is very premature. Once we are 10 games in we will have an idea of what is going to happen. Problem is, its too late to do much about it by then.

McCabe has been the manufacturer of the majority of this situation with his appointments and decisions made over the past few years. Wilson is just the name on the Managers door for now. He has little to no control over what he spends and will have to wheel and deal. This, not his on pitch decisions will probably be the deciding factor in how long he holds onto the job. On that alone I do actually feel he has a clue what he is doing. He has operated at this level for some time so should know the right players etc to make us competitive.

DW is just a pawn in the game but to his credit he has gone about business in an understated way. Just what is required. No big promises and no massive statements on what he is going to do. Just getting on with the job.

 

[judge]

First time ever in my blades supporting life that I can't muster up any enthusiasm for the coming season except to say the away kits nice

 

[Darthblade]

Its going to be very tough. To say we don't have the bottle and can't score goals at this level is very premature. Once we are 10 games in we will have an idea of what is going to happen. Problem is, its too late to do much about it by then.

McCabe has been the manufacturer of the majority of this situation with his appointments and decisions made over the past few years. Wilson is just the name on the Managers door for now. He has little to no control over what he spends and will have to wheel and deal. This, not his on pitch decisions will probably be the deciding factor in how long he holds onto the job. On that alone I do actually feel he has a clue what he is doing. He has operated at this level for some time so should know the right players etc to make us competitive.

DW is just a pawn in the game but to his credit he has gone about business in an understated way. Just what is required. No big promises and no massive statements on what he is going to do. Just getting on with the job.

Fair point ....... but equally I think he has to be very careful not to get cought out, because everything he says is being examined in fine detail. He must have the balls to tell the fans the TRUTH, not what McCabe and the puppet Board want to feed to us mushrooms!
It will, ultimately, be the fans not McCabe that decide his fate, because if the fans turn on him (like they did with Robson & Hoofy), his life will be made a misery for sure. Lets be reallistic here, the Supporters pay the money, the supporters ARE the Club, because without them the Club is nothing. McCabe & his crew would do well to remember that. Any Club that can shed 10,000 Season Ticket holders in 2 years, should be reflecting on the leadership at the very top!! Somebody somewhere is telling them something.
UTB
UTB

 

[DeepcarBlade]

I was also led to believe Kenny Dalglish was also a neighbour in Spain, that would have been interesting had he have chosen to help KMc rather than the scousers, somehow think he would have struggled with our budgets though

I understand that when Robson was appointed, Dalglish was also in serious contention. Why did they have to go for Robson?!!!

 

[syd]

Remember Norwich lost 1-7 at home to Colchester on 8th August 2009, before going on to gain promotion twice in a row.

And what happend to the manager?

 

[iggle-theblade]

And what happend to the manager?

He got the sack and Norwich got the manager from the team that beat them
so on that logic Paul Dickov will be our new manager ? ?

 

[Bladesway]

It will, ultimately, be the fans not McCabe that decide his fate, because if the fans turn on him (like they did with Robson & Hoofy), his life will be made a misery for sure. Lets be reallistic here, the Supporters pay the money, the supporters ARE the Club, because without them the Club is nothing. McCabe & his crew would do well to remember that. Any Club that can shed 10,000 Season Ticket holders in 2 years, should be reflecting on the leadership at the very top!! Somebody somewhere is telling them something.

Ideally your right. Realistically what we pay through the gate barely covers the wage bill. Sponsorship, TV and the other corporate knobs own the club and are the club. we are just consumers now.

 

[Grecian2000]

Realistically the higher up you go the less important the fans are as income streams from elsewhere become greater.

The problem appears to be that United have taken the "fuck 'em" approach just as we are on the slide and needing the fans back again. We have Premiership ideals but a piss poor club, at the moment, to go with it.

 

[super_pig]

darth.. i have it on good authority that you are correct mate.. don't be seduced by the dark side of the force

 

[Darthblade]

darth.. i have it on good authority that you are correct mate.. don't be seduced by the dark side of the force

I'm too old and tired to be seduced by the dark side, I would give up football altogether rather than be a Pig!!
Now Kelly Brook, she could seduce me in an instant ................
Thank god I've got a brilliant and vivid imagination.
Right, back to the real world ..... Sheffield United have announced a new sponsorship deal today, at the same time as beating Manchester United to the signature of Wesley Sneijder.....
UTB

 

[madeinsheffield]

Whilst I agree the fans don't cover a large percentage of the income, they make the place more appealling to sponsors and corporate money coming in, that it often overlooked in my opinion.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I heard the same darth friends with the family etc, he was also a cheap option no compo to pay and looking for a job near home. He has my backing as a blade i just want whats best for the club and an instant return to the championship which should be achievable. I don't want to give it the "i told you so" come xmas if we are 15th in the table and the fans calling for his and McCabes head. As daft as this sounds i won't be at all surprised if we went up strong like Norwich did and all of a sudden McCabe fell back in love with the club but i also won't be equally surprised if we failed and finished in the bottom half. With the right players out (which seems to be starting slowing but surely) and the right players in (which as yet is not happening) this league is there for us and i hope we can put up a good challenged.

Xmas if we are 15th?

The most optimistic post ever.

15th won't see him to the end of September - fact.

 

[Newbury Blade]

Whatever we thought of the appointment at the time, and accepting that it is still very early days, the fact is that our new manager has so far played a blinder.

 

[Kenilworth]

Whatever we thought of the appointment at the time, and accepting that it is still very early days, the fact is that our new manager has so far played a blinder.

Is that the blind leading the blind?
If so I agree.

He has conducted himslef in a professional manner, granted, but to say this is anything exceptional is way too premature.
There is still loads of work to do and if the season started tomorrow I, for one, would be very, very worried with the squad we have now - never mind after a few more departures.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Thought it was a strange appointment at the time and obviously the jury us out until we see how we go on.

Cant knock him so far though, hes done as much as he can given the circumstances and the signings look reasonable.

Dont think he has a lot of room to manouvre until Ched and Monty are moved on. So far cant complain about the business he has done.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Sit Rep.

High earning ‘old guard’ gone:
1

Promising youngsters kept:
All of em.

Signings made:
Philiskirk - Pro: Forward/Attacking Midfielder with impressive predigree. Con: Unknown at pro level.
Flynn - Pro: Highly rated and pacey. Con: Untested at a decent level
Lescinel - Pro: Athletic left footer who can cover a couple of defensive positions, worked with Wilson before. Con: Never a regular in a relegatedSwindon team

Misc
Premier League bid for Slew rejected who has subsequently signed a 2 year deal.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I'm starting to look forward to this season. Although I think anyone who believes that we will walk the division is deluded.


Presty, Fulham never made a £3 Million bid for Slew. If they did he would be gone.
The bid was closer to £500K I believe, and his contract is only a one year extension, this time next year we are back in the same position.

Otherwise I agree with your points.

 

[FleaPitBlade]

Cheers Bob, edited.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Cheers Bob, edited.

And the squad rebuilding really hasn't started yet.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

High earning ‘old guard’ gone:
1

If Yeates doesn't classify in this category can we have another for "High earning 'crap & couldn't cross even though he's a winger' gone:"

 

[Newbury Blade]

Thanks for the support. In addition to the professional businesslike way DW is going about the job, looking back to a year ago you could say we have in effect replaced Jordan/Taylor with Jean-Francois, Yeates with Flynn, and Henderson with Slew. An excellent start.

---------- Post added at 02:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:55 PM ----------

Oh and signed Philliskirk. All four of these players are young with lots to prove but hopefully lots of potential. Exactly the kind of signings we called for, and the kind of people we want to see in our team. Such a contrast to the overpaid underachieving old guard.

 

[Beighton_Blade]

Thanks for the support. In addition to the professional businesslike way DW is going about the job, looking back to a year ago you could say we have in effect replaced Jordan/Taylor with Jean-Francois, Yeates with Flynn, and Henderson with Slew. An excellent start.

---------- Post added at 02:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:55 PM ----------

Oh and signed Philliskirk. All four of these players are young with lots to prove but hopefully lots of potential. Exactly the kind of signings we called for, and the kind of people we want to see in our team. Such a contrast to the overpaid underachieving old guard.

Which has to be the one and only silver lining to relegation - an ideal and logical excuse to shed the overpaid average joes who have been earning a salary disproportionate to their actual value to the team...

Hendo - not his fault, and quite effective at times, but was ALWAYS from day one, so overpaid and the fee overly exaggerated it was untrue....
Yeates - worst "winger" i've had to endure watching in all my time spent at BDTBL, not the worst techincal player we've ever had, which makes the fact he was the least effective only more enfuriating...

Next on the list Monty (love him for what he is and for the man he's been for SUFC, but his worth as a player has definitely become dwarfed by his cost), Ched (£20k a week - need i say more!?) and possibly Quinn and Willo (both of whom i like and would idally keep, but with wages of approx. £10k each, and other options available (McAllistar) they are probably both next on the "out" list)

UTB!!