The weird timing of sacking Slav - a Theory

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bongleblade

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So the timing for sacking Slav was very weird... anyone else agree? It seemed like everything was starting to piece together (ish) and we were getting into the groove of a stable formation, and players beginning to perform. Slav's teams are known for slow starts, so it seemed like it could have been our time to get moving, finally.

Well I have read a lot about Contract clauses, and my theory goes that maybe the board had a cheaper get out clause if we were lower half of the league. So when things started to look like we were turning a corner, maybe the board shit it, as they couldn't afford Slav's wages until the year end, or his compensation, should he be sacked when we were top half (plus the headache of explaining this decision).

It seems all the more suspicious as the Reading game put us within 1 result of being in the top half of the league (if other results went our way).

Why does it all matter? Because I think this, along with the new 'strategy' which is in place (aka austerity), demonstrates the real picture of the dire financial position our club is in right now, and that the board are hunkering down for the oncoming financial shitstorm, rather than trying to get promoted.
 

Slav was here for a good time not a long time. He probably had little interest in stuff outside the first time or long term prospects.

Whilst we stereotype that his teams have a slow start, can go on decent runs in the second half of the season and he's taken a couple of teams up, there are a few home truths as well.

1. Even those clubs he had success with, he didn't stay there a long time. He had an instant impact at Watford and then didn't stay. He was just 6 months in Tel Aviv. At Fulham he was there 2.5 seasons but was gone in no time after promotion. He wasn't long at All Gharafa either.

2. Despite being supposed all singing all dancing in terms of reputation, he didn't piss the league wherever he went. His seasons at Fulham were - avoided relegation, failed in the play offs, succeeded in the playoffs. It's not as if his team won the league, he just came out top in the end of season lottery. At Al Gharafa they were 4th then finished lower if I'm not mistaken. They weren't winning stuff in a relatively poor league.

3. Slow starts. These aren't the Rocky movies. If previously you've had a crap start and turned it around, it doesn't translate that a. You should always expect to have a crap start but that's ok because b. You are always guaranteed to come storming back in the second half of the season.

He was my pick so am I sad it didn't work out? Yes. I thought he was a great candidate. But so was Adkins in that sense. Did I expect us to be so low after 19 games? Not at all. Did it work out? Sadly no.

Everyone is at fault to some degree.

The Board should have got him his winger. Though Slav was also happy to wait and he must also accept the risk you run with waiting as well. They probably expected Berge to get snapped up and it didn't happen. That was the major blow.

Slav for someone who has played different systems, I'm surprised he couldn't fashion something more effective than QPR, Millwall, Coventry, etc. He didn't seem to take a look at the squad this time and say right, this is the best for these players. His initial efforts involved marginalizing Basham, one of our most consistent performers. It involved playing one up front when we have 7 striking options. It involved a back four when clearly none of the defenders are comfortable with it. He might be a good manager. But that wasn't good management.

The players themselves. How bad can they be? There really is no point harping on about finishing 9th. We lost O'Connell. Hard to believe that was worth dropping 11 places when 50m was still spent that summer. Yes they lost 29/38 which was a poor run. But most of the teams who we play now, if we had got them in the FA Cup we'd be making 8 changes and knocking them out. So if they couldn't adapt to Slav's methods then they sure as hell better adapt to Hecky giving them back some of what they were missing.
 
A lot of what is said in these press conferences is waffle. What you can't say though is that "We thought Slav would be quality but wasn't doing much. Our choice was to give him the chance to smash through the squad and make it his own, or rebuild with someone we can trust. We didn't see it going well with him in charge so we pulled the plug before it was too late"
 
He’s had the audacity to publicly question (without actually saying anything as such) why the club “spunked” so much money on 2 forwards that he simply can not justify using to any great extent. 1 of whom in particular will leave the club as the biggest waste of money in the clubs history.

UTB
 
I agree that this is all to do financial issues, no way can I see them sacking Slav if they have to pay him up, it just wouldn’t make sense. It’s all bollocks about strategy etc etc
Agree mate . Surely he does not think the most of us swallowed all that dross . The biggest mistake Slav did was to ask for the money he was expecting was available when he came here.
 
Agree mate . Surely he does not think the most of us swallowed all that dross . The biggest mistake Slav did was to ask for the money he was expecting was available when he came here.

tim-mcgraw-i-like-it-i-love-it.gif
 
It seemed like everything was starting to piece together (ish) and we were getting into the groove of a stable formation, and players beginning to perform.

Eh? Which Sheffield United team have you been watching? It certainly wasn't the one that played Coventry and Reading in the last 2 games....if it was then that was a fucking big groove they were in...
 
He was sacked, two days before he had been here six months, I do not doubt that by doing so it saved us money
My company employs people on 6 months probation.
If they're wank they get sacked off for nowt.
Maybe it's that?🤣
 
We'll still have to pay Blackpool compo for McCall though. Ok, won't be much I suppose.
 
So the timing for sacking Slav was very weird... anyone else agree? It seemed like everything was starting to piece together (ish) and we were getting into the groove of a stable formation, and players beginning to perform. Slav's teams are known for slow starts, so it seemed like it could have been our time to get moving, finally.

Well I have read a lot about Contract clauses, and my theory goes that maybe the board had a cheaper get out clause if we were lower half of the league. So when things started to look like we were turning a corner, maybe the board shit it, as they couldn't afford Slav's wages until the year end, or his compensation, should he be sacked when we were top half (plus the headache of explaining this decision).

It seems all the more suspicious as the Reading game put us within 1 result of being in the top half of the league (if other results went our way).

Why does it all matter? Because I think this, along with the new 'strategy' which is in place (aka austerity), demonstrates the real picture of the dire financial position our club is in right now, and that the board are hunkering down for the oncoming financial shitstorm, rather than trying to get promoted.
I've been saying this since the summer. It was always a marriage of convenience. On the opposing side of him getting sacked with minimal pay off I imagine if he'd had the opportunity to go elsewhere compensation would also have been minimal. It just makes sense for both parties
 
I think our relative success with 3 at the back in the last couple of games made everybody realise...What the fuck has Slav been pissing about at in the first 17.
 
With a glass half full attitude I see this whole scenario as a "I'm hoping to sell/get someone to invest" within the next 12 months. I think hecky (he'll be sound I think) is a manager who'll put up with minimal investment until a buyer/investor has been found. That's what I'm hoping.
 

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