Martin Jol - Did we dodge a bullet?

[Hookeysmith]

We may have dodged it but the next out the barrel hit us firmly between the eyes.

We're like that scene in Saving Private Ryan, were the soldier takes a bullet in the helmet, takes off the helmet to look at it whilst thanking his lucky stars & then gets shot right between the eyes.

very good

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Fulham are essentially the same squad of players that they've been for the past 2-3 seasons, so he can't claim much credit for the way they play.

Very true. In the same way McLeish can't take too much of the blame for the way we play.

[NeilH]

Speak to any Ajax fan about Jol and they will say in unison 'We told you so'

[Chris Smith]

Poor displays?  They looked half decent to me against Liverpool. 

Anyway, what is it with modern day footballers and "training methods" they don't appear to like? We had it last season with our lot apparently not liking GH's methods when it was clear the fitness of some of our players wasn't up to scratch. 

The fitness thing has been there for a few years now. I remember John Terry saying that Chelsea waited for the 60th minute mark against us as they knew we'd get tired.

I remember that, then I remembered that we had a good record against them and recalled him having a tantrum kicking the post after conceding at VP and thought "what a lying twat".

[Chris Smith]

Fulham are essentially the same squad of players that they've been for the past 2-3 seasons, so he can't claim much credit for the way they play.

Very true. In the same way McLeish can't take too much of the blame for the way we play.

Not the same. As I said, he inherited a squad that largely had been together for a while, it would have been different if he'd had to sell Murphy, Dempsey and Etuhu.

[pauliewalnuts]

Next up, Owen Coyle - did we dodge a bullet?

I never really got the love-in for him last season. He had Bolton around the top six - eight for a few months, then they finished 14th.

Same as the risible Sunderland fans talking about "Bent leaving a top six club", based on them being in the top six in January.

The other week I saw in one of the papers some utter pap about Alan Pardew having a good shout to be the next England manager. Ridiculous.

[Vanilla]

Poor displays this year
Senior players being vocal about training methods and coaching

He was fancied highly by a few on here

I actually think he is worse than Ginge - and thats saying something

Sounds like Houllier situation last season, a period which many are now looking back on with a certain fondness.

[Iago]

Did we dodge a bullet? No. We need to settle down and see where we both finish this season. AM still has a lot to prove here.

[Rigadon]

Next up, Owen Coyle - did we dodge a bullet?

I never really got the love-in for him last season. He had Bolton around the top six - eight for a few months, then they finished 14th.

Same as the risible Sunderland fans talking about "Bent leaving a top six club", based on them being in the top six in January.

The other week I saw in one of the papers some utter pap about Alan Pardew having a good shout to be the next England manager. Ridiculous.

Me neither.

As for Pardew, I have an irrational dislike for him.  He always seems to have a gigantic ego with not a lot to back it up with. 

[eamonn]

Poor displays?  They looked half decent to me against Liverpool. 

Anyway, what is it with modern day footballers and "training methods" they don't appear to like? We had it last season with our lot apparently not liking GH's methods when it was clear the fitness of some of our players wasn't up to scratch. 

The fitness thing has been there for a few years now. I remember John Terry saying that Chelsea waited for the 60th minute mark against us as they knew we'd get tired.

I remember that, then I remembered that we had a good record against them and recalled him having a tantrum kicking the post after conceding at VP and thought "what a lying twat".

Pretty sure you're misremembering that. He said it a year and a half ago after they hammered us 7-1 and before they beat us 3-0 in the semi-final of the FA Cup when they scored two late goals which didn't exactly disprove his point.

[john2710]

The fitness thing has been there for a few years now. I remember John Terry saying that Chelsea waited for the 60th minute mark against us as they knew we'd get tired.
[/quote]

The tempo MON had us playing at for the first hour in most games was never sustainable. If we weren't a couple of goals up we'd struggle over the last 20 & he'd rarely rest or substitute anyone. Doesn't take much to work Terry's comment out.
I remember that, then I remembered that we had a good record against them and recalled him having a tantrum kicking the post after conceding at VP and thought "what a lying twat".
[/quote]

Pretty sure you're misremembering that. He said it a year and a half ago after they hammered us 7-1 and before they beat us 3-0 in the semi-final of the FA Cup when they scored two late goals which didn't exactly disprove his point.
[/quote]

The tempo MON had us playing at for the first hour in most games was never sustainable.

[ktvillan]

It's possible Jol is suffering a bit of Dunne/Collins syndrome, trying to apply continental methods to players with a very British mentality who want to stay in the technique and fitness free comfort zone they've enjoyed under British bosses.  I rate him as a manager and I think Fulham will do okay eventually.

[Irish villain]

Poor displays this year
Senior players being vocal about training methods and coaching

He was fancied highly by a few on here

I actually think he is worse than Ginge - and thats saying something

Sounds like Houllier situation last season, a period which many are now looking back on with a certain fondness.

I don't look back on that with any fondness. Houllier had better players at his disposal than McLeish and the board backed him with cash in January. McLeish has been asked to work on a shoestring and has lost the likes of Ashley young, Luke Young and Dirty D (not saying Dirty D was a great player, but still, the fact that we lost two 'big players' and didn't replace both reduced Mcleish's prospects).On balance, Mcleish has done a better job than Houllier.

[Iago]

It's possible Jol is suffering a bit of Dunne/Collins syndrome, trying to apply continental methods to players with a very British mentality who want to stay in the technique and fitness free comfort zone they've enjoyed under British bosses.  I rate him as a manager and I think Fulham will do okay eventually.

Totally agree. In the long term they will benefit for this appointment.

[eamonn]

Poor displays this year
Senior players being vocal about training methods and coaching

He was fancied highly by a few on here

I actually think he is worse than Ginge - and thats saying something

Sounds like Houllier situation last season, a period which many are now looking back on with a certain fondness.

I don't look back on that with any fondness. Houllier had better players at his disposal than McLeish and the board backed him with cash in January. McLeish has been asked to work on a shoestring and has lost the likes of Ashley young, Luke Young and Dirty D (not saying Dirty D was a great player, but still, the fact that we lost two 'big players' and didn't replace both reduced Mcleish's prospects).On balance, Mcleish has done a better job than Houllier.

It's too early to make that call. Comparing the two home performances to ManUre, this season and last, they were worlds apart (I do acknowledge Young and Downing had great games in that match last season but we also had more inexperienced players on show that day than this season). McLeish had the easier fixtures at the start too.