I keep returning to this thread, like a dog gnawing a bone.
Steve is not a Brilliant Manager, and never has been, not a magician who can switch tactics mid-game, nor read and negate, an opposition's strengths.
BUT...I wouldn't sack himSteve has achieved his promotions from this division, with 80-90% remaining Premier players. When he was at the other lot, himself or their owners - (probably Lady Karren)- had the contacts and ability to sign on loan the cream of Arsenal's up-comers.
Muamba, Larsson and Bendtner. I doubt that will happen again.
Steve has been unable to get loanees of such
relative quality since.
When he walked out of Hull after promotion, a few days after his England Manager interview, he let it be known that it was a "Transfer Budget" problem.
So will he do the same here?
He has a seemingly worse "Transfer Budget" problem now.
I think he misjudged the nods-an-winks at England, so he is here with his reputation at stake, having being overlooked like Redknnapp. From his walkout at Hull, his brief sabbatical at his estate in Portugal, he came back into the swing
Re-England - -
IF Gareth S. fails, and it'll take a while because of our easy WC Group, Steve may have another shot at England...but only if he performs. Redknapp is too old and Pullis is Welsh.
I don't mind if he walks-out-on us for England, in a depressing scenario following a
Gareth-Total-Failure...because he would walk out on us after a success.
Promotion.
He has very few quality players here - imo - and they may be the first sold, because of Mr Xia's reckless gamble with finances.
In my memory, I can't recall Steve ever getting quality loans since he left those over there.
At
all his subsequent clubs.
So it will be hard for him to begin from basics with lesser quality loanees.
But he can do it. Warnock does it, even Holloway does it, even with the rubbish players they inherited.
Don't Sack Him..... let's hope that he still has ambition and self-belief to fly, stagger or crawl us to Promotion.
Or will he settle for a Lambert/Sherwood/De Matteo /Garde type pay-off ?
The "Villa-Way" since Doug ...
I think his ego is enough to drive him, to drive us. I hope anyway. If it isn't and he keeps his obsession with comfort-food.... then that's it.