You are the board

[Uganda Blade]

Right. Let's play a hypothetical game called... You are the board!

You are seriously considering parting ways with Chris Wilder, but before you do that, you want to define the characteristics of the ideal replacement so that you can feed that into some new-fangled AI/data system to identify potential candidates.

What attributes should any new manager possess?

If we can come up with a (vaguely) consensual person spec, perhaps some boffin on here can run it through such a system to tell us who the candidates might be. And then the Rumour Mill can run amok.

Here's a starter for ten: the candidate should have a track record of playing progressive, pacey, attacking football.

If the thread doesn't get out of control (fat chance!), I'll have a go at summarising the attributes.

NB I'm probably pissing in the wind, but remember it's hypothetical, so please leave debate on whether Wilder should stay/go to other threads.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I'd turn the ai machine of and off after the two ai recruits don't look likely to get anywhere near the side anytime soon

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Sack Wilder immediately and appoint some Chinese kid who's good at computers

There's no way it could possibly fail

 

[Frank the tank]

I want no part of this

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

The AI model would have to build practicalities into the attributes. Affordability. Likelihood of being able to recruit. Work Permit qualification. Otherwise it'd produce some ludicrous suggestion we can't afford, who wouldn't come anyway, and wouldn't be allowed to come anyway.

I wrote my first AI model for my MSc in 1986. (Distinction....)

 

[tyneblade]

I’m sure that they will not be looking at the candidates only in terms of playing style. They will also be looking at the team of people behind them and what they offer.

For as long as I can remember United teams that get promoted have had one of the fittest squads in their league. I don’t know what has happened to Matt Prestridge and his team but we seem to be failing there.

 

[Old Programme seller]

The problem I see with playing sexy progressional fast football is that the players needed tend to be expensive and if developed well get targeted by bigger more cash rich clubs.

 

[BalticBlade]

Right. Let's play a hypothetical game called... You are the board!

You are seriously considering parting ways with Chris Wilder, but before you do that, you want to define the characteristics of the ideal replacement so that you can feed that into some new-fangled AI/data system to identify potential candidates.

What attributes should any new manager possess?

If we can come up with a (vaguely) consensual person spec, perhaps some boffin on here can run it through such a system to tell us who the candidates might be. And then the Rumour Mill can run amok.

Here's a starter for ten: the candidate should have a track record of playing progressive, pacey, attacking football.

If the thread doesn't get out of control (fat chance!), I'll have a go at summarising the attributes.

NB I'm probably pissing in the wind, but remember it's hypothetical, so please leave debate on whether Wilder should stay/go to other threads.

Is this just a bit of fun?

 

[Uganda Blade]

OK. So far I think we have the following:

• track record of progressive, pacey, attacking football
• is willing to manage/coach in the Championship
• qualifies for a work permit
• track record of high player fitness levels.

Let me know if I've not summarised your point well.

 

[Uganda Blade]

Is this just a bit of fun?

Yep

 

[Uganda Blade]

Is this just a bit of fun?

I'm curious to know:
a) if there's any sort of consensus about what type of manager we would like
b) what realistic results the Newmanagerometer might spit out.

 

[loyalblade95]

I'd turn the ai machine of and off after the two ai recruits don't look likely to get anywhere near the side anytime soon

The ai data driven recruitment is the same as every other form of recruitment, not every player recruited by it will work, same with every form of recruitment, probably more so when you are new to it like we are.

The only reason why Brentford and Brighton are seen to be so good at this form of recruitment, is down to years of trial and error, and to this day, not every player signed through this recruitment strategy will be successful (just more success than failure).

 

[jt64]

OK. So far I think we have the following:

• track record of progressive, pacey, attacking football
• is willing to manage/coach in the Championship
• qualifies for a work permit
• track record of high player fitness levels.

Let me know if I've not summarised your point well.

That last one would be more on the medical team than the first team coach for me.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I'd turn the ai machine of and off after the two ai recruits don't look likely to get anywhere near the side anytime soon

Yep, that’s a great reason to completely dismiss any use of AI for the rest of time.

 

[Nick Jansky]

The problem I see with playing sexy progressional fast football is that the players needed tend to be expensive and if developed well get targeted by bigger more cash rich clubs.

So are you saying we shouldn’t aspire to it, then? Accept that it isn’t for us?

The point is to recruit relatively inexpensive players that can play that style then, like Brighton, sell them on knowing you have the next batch coming through.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

So are you saying we shouldn’t aspire to it, then? Accept that it isn’t for us?

The point is to recruit relatively inexpensive players that can play that style then, like Brighton, sell them on knowing you have the next batch coming through.

We've actually been doing that regardless. Peck is one such example. David Brooks another. Lots of others who don't quite make it too. AI obviously has its plus points but so does traditional means that we have used with some success.

 

[Nick Jansky]

OK. So far I think we have the following:

• track record of progressive, pacey, attacking football
• is willing to manage/coach in the Championship
• qualifies for a work permit
• track record of high player fitness levels.

Let me know if I've not summarised your point well.

How about someone who has worked under a head coach who has won a trophy/qualified for Europe in one of the top leagues and has done so before the age of 35.

 

[Uganda Blade]

How about someone who has worked under a head coach who has won a trophy/qualified for Europe in one of the top leagues and has done so before the age of 35.

You got anyone particular in mind?

 

[Nick Jansky]

We've actually been doing that regardless. Peck is one such example. David Brooks another. Lots of others who don't quite make it too. AI obviously has its plus points but so does traditional means that we have used with some success.

I agree, we have. So wouldn’t it make sense to be substantially widening that pool?

 

[ChezVegasBlade]

Someone prepared to work under a DoF

 

[Nick Jansky]

You got anyone particular in mind?

Cheeky fucker! The PL is actually full of them. Maresca being the most obvious in just the last week. Sorting out the absolute shitshow he inherited at Chelsea makes him the manager of the year for me.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I agree, we have. So wouldn’t it make sense to be substantially widening that pool?

My comment of turning the AI machine on and off may not have been a fully serious one

 

[Blade58]

I have no problem with Wilders on field management. Every manager gets things wrong, admittedly some more than others.

My issue is with his professionalism off field, in particular he seems to have lost all sense of humility something he showed in his first stint.

He’s fine before games doing his usual bigging up of the opposition and manager,
but seems to have developed the art of faux pas after games when we don’t get a result, often coming across as a bad loser and mardy arse. Humility is a quality he’s lost these days.

I think he deserves another crack at it but needs to cut out the mardy arse behaviour.

 

[itsinyerblood]

It's always a gamble when you appoint a manager or player.

Presumably a would-be appointee's history would already be known and I
assume the Board would have done due diligence before any interview.
I assume the Board's ambitions would be to secure a Prem place and remain there.
So it would be a pre-requisite for these two ambitions to go hand in hand, and if I were
an interviewee I'd expect some sort of assurance that the club would compete in the
transfer market as well as discovering when the new training facilities would be ready.....
where AI features in all of this will require more informed minds than mine.

As for CW, well my disappointment is based on the piss-poor tactical choices applied,
especially in the most crucial game of the season. Hamer played on the left (since when was
that ever going to get the best out of Gus?), BBD played out of position (he's not a winger
so little wonder he seemed less than enthusiastic), and as crucial, sticking by JLT when we had
a far better choice available in Holding. Surely it's at times like this that we should expect
a level of nous that was glaringly missing for the most important game of the season?

 

[Menage a petit pois]

Computer says no.

 

[Old Programme seller]

So are you saying we shouldn’t aspire to it, then? Accept that it isn’t for us?

The point is to recruit relatively inexpensive players that can play that style then, like Brighton, sell them on knowing you have the next batch coming through.

Well I suppose I am our most successful periods have been Wilderball first time around and Bassett ball, Slav ball needed time and money, Weir ball although nice on the eye failed, DannyWilson ball first season was nice again but failed as did Bryan Robson ball and Howard Kendal ball all great passing teams but to get the special players it costs more than we can afford or are prepared to spend.

 

[Chris the Blade]

Watching PSG. Different world. 78 minutes and all their players still sprinting to track back. And people still think Wilder and his fitness team are up to the job. Take a hard look at yourselves if you want to move our club forward.

 

[Old Programme seller]

With any luck our new training facility at Dore when built will put us up to that level

 

[TJ blade]

Watching PSG. Different world. 78 minutes and all their players still sprinting to track back. And people still think Wilder and his fitness team are up to the job. Take a hard look at yourselves if you want to move our club forward.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Watching PSG. Different world. 78 minutes and all their players still sprinting to track back. And people still think Wilder and his fitness team are up to the job. Take a hard look at yourselves if you want to move our club forward.

I’ve just watched that and fallen in love with football all over again. A really young team putting that sort of effort in and playing constantly forwards with obvious joy and freedom. It was beautiful to watch, I’ve enjoyed watching them all season, but based on that game I’m now a PSG fan for the foreseeable future. It surely cements Luis Enrique as a true legend too.