short term or long term? Hoof or slick? What's it to be Blades?

[Ollessendro]

Well with Gary Speed off we are left looking for a new manager again. But do we go for the short term option or long term investment? Shall we get a clogger in to save us, or risk relegation with a young manager that plays some real football? Tough call I say.

Warnock weas never popular because of his kick and rush stuff. Blackwell got slammed for it and although we had many good years under Harry, many Blades never like our long ball reputation. So why is it that all of a sudden that some of the names being banded around (Allerdyce, Adams) are big hoof merchants?

So what's your option and why?

Short term hoof mesiter

Micky Adams. A passionate Blade would no doubt sort us out. He'd fill them with confidence, work their bollocks off and give em a rollockign for not pulling their weight. Our deadwood (Monty, Cressy and Ertl) would fare well under his kick and rush tactics. I've every confidence he would keep us up. But then what? He won't accept a short term contract and iof he does well (i.e. keeps us up he'd get a longer one - Blackwell style). Is he the man to play exciting, attacking, (passing,) football and get us back to the top flight? Hmmm, i'm not sure.

The above is not just about Micky Adams and could be applied to several other nam,es that have been banded about the forum.

Long term idealist/football purist

Many think that a hoof merchant is not the answer. Some Blades are sick of seeing us only win games when we score from set pieces, out bully teams and play unnattractive football. Hence what about getting a Roberto Martinez style manager? There's a few to choose from: Sousa and Poyet spring to mind. What about O'Driscoll? (my choice). But these type of managers doin't like it rough and their pretty football might not get us out of this hole. Is it worth risking getting relegated to look for a long term option. Would you risk relegation for a greater shot at the Premier League.

Ollessendro you're talking bollocks (no doubt the most popular option!?)

Why can't we have a manger that is passionate, physical, will keep us and plays exciting, attractive, attacking football? Though if you choose this option I'd be interested to hear of any available and realistic options. You may think that it is not as clear cut as above or you may think that we could get a manager that has it all. Could Hughton pull us out of this mess and take us back to the big time? Or is Phil Brow our saviour that will take us to the promised land?

Seriously interested in what people think on this ......

 

[travellingblade]

Anybody that can keep us up and then builds a WINNING team

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Fuck it, football ideals are out of the window for me now.......survival at all costs Olle!

The idea that we can take relegation in exhange for long term "progress" is silly to put it politely. We HAVE to stay up or we will start sliding further and further backwards. The manager can be a 'sky-ball, ram it down the opposition's throat' merchant for all I care. I want to watch an exciting United side that creates chances and wins games (particularly at home). Losing football is crap football, no matter how it is played!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I really don't mind hump it / lump it football if it's played with passion and generates excitement. I hate it when it's played negatively - get it to the other end of the field and then hassle and crowd to keep it there in the hope of getting a set piece.

I never had any complaints when Basset's teams were launching it - even when we were struggling in the top division we were still exciting. I also like to see a United team go out onto the pitch and take it to the other side. I wasn't Warnock's biggest fan when he arrived, but he soon won me over when we started going out there and intimidating sides. I'll admit that I was stood there whistling innocently at the back after the West Brom debacle, but rather that than a powder-puff game of pretty triangles.

I really wanted us to become a fashionable club just to rub the pigs' noses in it. Since that isn't going to happen anytime soon I'd be more than happy if kicked, bollocked and bit our way out of trouble and started to win some games. I think the Lane is better suited to physical and passionate games - I'd much rather hear the roar as pressure builds up rather than spontaneous applause after an exquisite pass.

If I could have my cake and eat it we'd be world beaters. If I can't then winners who kick arse will do me just fine. If it's a team of local lads who'd bleed for the club then all the better - the media can hate us all they like but we're happy.

 

[S5Blade]

Anybody that can keep us up and then builds a WINNING team

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Blade58]

survival is the only criteria that's important. Good, bad, or indifferent football doesn't matter so long as we stay up

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

"I'd risk getting relegated for the right manager."

The right manager is the important thing in all this. Relegation with the right manager will bring us back stronger and what's more, with the right manager then that's 6 points from the oinkers next season!

 

[bartman]

I agree with options 1 and 3...we need to survive at all costs....I'd love us to do it be playing attackng,attractive football but I feel staying up is the priority. Relegation could see us in the doldrums for longer than last time

 

[DP8789]

survival is key - that doesnt mean to say it has too be hoofball though. theres always the loan market!!!

 

[shorehamview]

Win. Fuck the principles, three points please.

 

[SwissBlade]

Win. Fuck the principles, three points please.

I saw an interesting set of stats on Sky on Saturday, last season we had a 68% win rate at home, but it wasn't good enough, we needed a manager who made us entertaining, now we just need points and fuck how we get em.... Not that I wanted him, but wasn't that Blackies point?

 

[Jostein Flo]

My first thoughts were "Get the right guy in, take the hit of relegation and come back stronger for it" Being realistic I couldn't hand on heart say that we would come back stronger from relegation, it's not nailed on that we would come back at all with any speed.

We need someone, anyone who will come in and instil confidence in this team and get them playing to their potential. If we can find someone who can do that we won't have any issues staying up.

Every penny counts at the moment and financially speaking it's only going to get worse, we need to be in this division.

 

[SteelCity Blade]

I saw an interesting set of stats on Sky on Saturday, last season we had a 68% win rate at home, but it wasn't good enough, we needed a manager who made us entertaining, now we just need points and fuck how we get em.... Not that I wanted him, but wasn't that Blackies point?

Yep.....oh the irony

 

[Ollessendro]

Fuck it, football ideals are out of the window for me now.......survival at all costs Olle!

The idea that we can take relegation in exhange for long term "progress" is silly to put it politely. We HAVE to stay up or we will start sliding further and further backwards. The manager can be a 'sky-ball, ram it down the opposition's throat' merchant for all I care. I want to watch an exciting United side that creates chances and wins games (particularly at home). Losing football is crap football, no matter how it is played!

survival is the only criteria that's important. Good, bad, or indifferent football doesn't matter so long as we stay up

SC and Blade 58, would you have Blackwell back?

I saw an interesting set of stats on Sky on Saturday, last season we had a 68% win rate at home, but it wasn't good enough, we needed a manager who made us entertaining, now we just need points and fuck how we get em.... Not that I wanted him, but wasn't that Blackies point?

Bunch of hypocritical United fans Swiss. Everyone was calling for Blackie's head a few months ago and now it is 'get someone in who can win, no matter how it happens'.

25 people think that option 3 is their option, but not a single person has told me (or the forum) as to why, how or whom will deliver that. Can anyone suggest a manager (who is realistically obtainable) that can save us playing attacking, attractive and exciting football?

 

[alcoblade]

It's not remotely as simple to boil football down to either hoof or slick. Warnock's teams and Blackwell's teams would be both categorised as hoof. I'd watch Warnock's teams, not Blackwell's. Why do 3,000 turn up to watch Crewe's slick football, and 30,000 to watch out and out hoof at Stoke?

It's about excitement, first and foremost. I want to see United move away from blood and guts. That doesn't make O'Driscoll a panacea - much as though I'd love to see him come.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

SC and Blade 58, would you have Blackwell back?



Bunch of hypocritical United fans Swiss. Everyone was calling for Blackie's head a few months ago and now it is 'get someone in who can win, no matter how it happens'.

25 people think that option 3 is their option, but not a single person has told me (or the forum) as to why, how or whom will deliver that. Can anyone suggest a manager (who is realistically obtainable) that can save us playing attacking, attractive and exciting football?

I don't think anyone would want Blackwell back, perhaps thats why there are no odds for him but there are for the ex Iranian Foreign minister.

The perception has also changed and people are getting scared of relegation, so we revert back to what we think works.

The most puzzling thing on sat was that we played much more long ball than any of the other games under Speed. Yet we had more on the deck players on show than say against Scunny at home when we reportedly played some wonderful attacking football.

Personally, I'd like to see SoD but right not we need a man that gets the results now and I don't think that we could do that with SoD and the players we have. Hence, getting a man to see this season out and then change the lot in the summer

 

[SteelCity Blade]

SC and Blade 58, would you have Blackwell back?

No I wouldn't. I don't think being open to more direct football again necessarily means a willingness to have Blackwell back. Some managers play direct football in a different style....I felt Blackwell's way of doing things was very simplistic and against better sides somewhat predictable. Under Blackwell every ball forward was a percentage ball (i.e. hopeful loft towards the centre forward). With Micky Adams' Leicester side or to be more current, Tony Pulis' Stoke (just examples) they do it with some method and it is well drilled. Not all of those type of managers do things in the same way.....in fact they are all very different.

I also dont think Micky Adams is quite as direct as some make out. His sides tend to mix it up quite well, but he does like the in your face approach (what we need IMO). I've touched on the issue of playing style in the other thread and as I said there.....its a case of needs must for those who want to stay up/win games. We clearly dont have the personnel to play the Robson/Speed way. We've tried it and it doesnt look any closer to working than it did when KB left.

An alternative to your option "why cant we have a manager that can keep us up whilst playing attractive/attacking football".....I say....."why cant we move forward and make long term progress with manager who can get quick results whilst playing direct/exciting football" - all speculative comments.

 

[Yossarian]

I agree with options 1 and 3...we need to survive at all costs....I'd love us to do it be playing attackng,attractive football but I feel staying up is the priority. Relegation could see us in the doldrums for longer than last time

Not if it were the right manager....

 

[86Blade]

Amazing how our most exciting times recently as Blades fans was under Warnocks hoofball tactic but most of the time it worked, sometimes it didn't and that is the risk with the tactic.

I would not be gutted if Big Sam took over, he tries to get his teams to mix it up because once you get a bit of momentum from bullying other side around you can get more of ball and create chances like we did under Warnock.

Chris Hughton would be a great coup for the club but i cant see it happening.

 

[broomhillblade]

It's always grated with me when people talk about playing football "the right way".

What is the right way exactly?

Bassett's football certainly didn't please the purists, but he gave us some of the most exciting years at Bramall Lane in recent times.

 

[super_pig]

>3,000 turn up to watch Crewe's slick football, and 30,000 to watch out and out hoof at Stoke
because crewe is a smaller catchment area??.. i don't mind going down if we get ourselves sorted out .. seen it all before..
there is one thing that i would like to say.. there is a difference between hoofball and clueless hoofball employed by bassett and blackwell respectively.. bassett played 'proper' hoofball.. a passionate style that emphasises field position and set plays.. big fast forwards and fast supporting players.. do you recognise any of those assets in a blackwell team.. slow lumbering forward (singular).. no one who could take a set piece.. scrappers in midfield?.. we couldn't even play hoofball under blackwell at the end.. it was nothing..
there is a reason people play pass and move football.. namely, because it is the most successful method, mainly because it retains posession.. you don't need to be buying the likes of nasri and messi to succeed.. it just takes managerial skill to find the right people.. (see holloway/ di matteo).. one other thing.. for all of arsenal's success, wenger doesn't spend that much.. he is simply brilliant at finding young talent
>he gave us some of the most exciting years at Bramall Lane in recent times
yes but these are different times.. teams have worked out that style now.. in the 80's they hadn't and so had problems with it.. that style relies on a fixed point of attack and teams can set up for it.. (see england) pass and move employs a continually shifting point of attack, probing for weaknesses.. you can't defend against it if it is done properly..

 

[frechyblade]

For me it has to be to want to win as many games as possible and stay in this division.

I would love to be part of the recruitment process for our new manager, unfortunately none of us are. We can look at the track records of all the names that have been thrown into the hat and whilst it can be used as a guage I don't think it is the be all and end all. I'm sure if you asked the fans at Blackpool they didn't expect the brand of football that they are enjoying now based on Ian Holloways track record.

Success and failure are based on how many points a club has at the end of the season, the difference is how teams go about getting those points. Looking at our previous managers, in my opinion, Mr Blackwell was obsessed with not losing, so set his team up to not lose, and was relatively successful at that, this meant that winning a game was secondary. Mr Speed set out his principles early in his tenure but he soon realised that principles weren't going to win him games, I think he bottled it, and more importantly the players bottled it and reverted to type by hitting the long ball. An example for me would be against Ipswich at home, Simmonsen was looking to roll the ball out to the fullbacks, Nosworthy in particular kept jogging into midfield forcing the long kick downfield. They are scared to death of making mistakes. Mr Warnock prefered a more direct style of play but set out to win games (with one obvious exception!!) you only had to look at the substitutes to evidence that, prefering an extra attacking option to a goalkeeper.
So my preference is more about the mentality and strength of conviction of the manager than there perceived style of play. Give me a manager that wants to give the players the confidence to take a risk, to believe in their ability and to set them up to give them the best possible chance of winning. Two wins and three defeats beats five draws anytime!
If I had pick someone I'd probably go for John Pemberton, but thats probably because I know a little bit more about him. He's had a good start at the academy, did really well with the Forest academy and did a decednt job as caretaker before Mr Davies took over.
All in all interesting times at BDTBL, I agree with a lot that has been said about the need to go through a proper process though not just choose the easy/cheap option.

UTB

 

[Grecian2000]

So my preference is more about the mentality and strength of conviction of the manager than there perceived style of play. Give me a manager that wants to give the players the confidence to take a risk, to believe in their ability and to set them up to give them the best possible chance of winning. Two wins and three defeats beats five draws anytime!

Quality paragraph.

The intent on winning games as opposed to not losing them is the essence.