Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on June 02, 2022, 04:54:30 PM
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Appointed as assistant head coach.
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"Aston Villa is pleased to announce the appointment of Neil Critchley as Assistant Head Coach.
Critchley leaves his post as manager of Championship club Blackpool with immediate effect to become part of Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff.
The 43-year-old led Blackpool to promotion from League One during his first full season at the helm via the play-offs and managed them successfully to a mid-table position last term.
Critchley joined the Liverpool Academy in 2013, coaching the Under-18s and Under-23s, and took charge of the senior Liverpool side twice during the 2019/20 season. One of those occasions was against Villa for a Carabao Cup tie with the Reds’ first team away at the Club World Cup."
Well, that didn't take long!
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I've just text my mate whose a home & away Blackpool fan for his view. I'll let you know when I get a response.
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Fuck me we are becoming Villapool.
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Great appointment in my opinion. Also good sign that he's been willing to go from a number 1 to 2. Was well regarded at the Liverpool Academy. Another sign that our leadership don't sit around reacting after the event.
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I've just text my mate whose a home & away Blackpool fan for his view. I'll let you know when I get a response.
His reply is:
Definitely our loss. Not sure how much influence he will have at Villa. Gerrard recommended him for the Blackpool job in the first place. Very disappointed.
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Any chance we can get Mané in for a year?
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Do you reckon klopp would be good on the turnstiles?
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I'm glad it was done rather quickly, but also surprised to pip a manager of a championship club to sit alongside Gerrard.
Fuck me we are becoming Villapool.
Replaced one former Liverpool U-23s coach with another.
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He is one of sixteen coaches worldwide to have obtained UEFA's elite badge.
according to Wiki.
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He is one of sixteen coaches worldwide to have obtained UEFA's elite badge.
according to Wiki.
When Neil Critchley was appointed as Blackpool’s new manager on Monday, the club proudly described him as “one of only 16 coaches in the country to have gained the highest possible qualification in the game”.
It turns out that Critchley is one of only 16 coaches to hold the Football Association’s Elite Coaches Award. And there are unlikely to be any more, because the course was disbanded after its first cohort had graduated in June 2013.
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Wasn't he a goalkeeper or am I thinking of someone else?
Welcome Neil.
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Cutler?
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Never heard of him, but i hadn't heard of beale either. Decent pedigree, and has been done in good time before pre-season, which is good.
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Fair play to this regime, pissing about doesn't appear to be in their nature.
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Welcome mate, please, please, please be very good.
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Welcome, if "low-key" appointment, worked under Klopp (took charge against us in the Cup) and has done well with Blackpool. Gerrard has already worked with him and he's been brought in with no delay so obviously contingency plans were in place.
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Welcome, if "low-key" appointment, worked under Klopp (took charge against us in the Cup) and has done well with Blackpool. Gerrard has already worked with him and he's been brought in with no delay so obviously contingency plans were in place.
Is that the team we rounded 5-0 ?
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Apparently we've quadrupled his wages.
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Good to see we’ve moved quickly.
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Maybe Beale leaving wasn't the end of the world as we know it, after all.
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Can't we nip in and get Salah now?
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From one of the Villa groups on Facebook:
Blackpool fan view upon signing Critchley:
‘Many of us (myself included) looked no further than Ian Evatt. Everything seemed to fit. A Blackpool legend, Barrowcelona and an impressive coaching potential. We couldn't choose a better candidate, right? Wrong.
The club pulled off an absolute worldie of an appointment in Neil Critchley. And before you tell me otherwise, hear me out.
1. Training Ground
The club has appointed a coach who has seen Liverpool's training set up for the past 7 years. Critchley can give advice on how to maximise the functionality of our new training ground and prioritise what we need to develop players to a high standard, his input will be vital. The new training ground will incorporate first team, reserves and youth team at one facility. This will allow his coaching will benefit all of our players and prospects.
2. The Academy
For years the academy has produced talent that has either been let go or mistreated (Osayi-Samuel, Barkhuizen etc.) We all knew under the previous regime that a good young player could never progress at BFC due to the owners using the club as a cash machine. With Critchley's ability to coach youth to an extremely high standard (as shown with Trent Alexander-Arnold) he can use his knowledge and experience to integrate our youth players in to key players for our squad.
3. Philosophy and Identity
The fact that the club held true to this requirement when appointing a new coach is one of the most pleasing aspects. Whatever manager we've had in the past (Grayson, Bowyer) has had control over our footballing style and choice of signings. We have lacked an identity for so long. Critchley can build an identity and philosophy and it will be based on what he has seen at the current best club in the country. Expansive, high-tempo attacking football. The players will buy into it, the fans will buy into and it will give us a sustainable model moving forward. Solid foundations are being laid.
4. Elitely Qualified
Something which always bugged me about managers like Grayson is they don't improve players. Watching Grayson is like watching someone playing Chess. He moves players around, tinkering, trying to find the right formula. He doesn't improve what he has available. Ben Mansford made it clear he wanted someone who could purely focus on what happens in training and match-days hence the 'head coach' title. Critchley can focus on what he's best at, improving players.
Conclusion
I am aware that some of you may find my comments to be quite fanciful. Perhaps I let my heart rule over my head. But I can tell you now that I have never seen such potential to sustainably progress as a club as I do right now. Critchley is pivotal to what we are going to become and I couldn't think of a better choice of appointment to take us on a very special journey.’
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Maybe Beale leaving wasn't the end of the world as we know it, after all.
Well I feel fine now.
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Maybe Beale leaving wasn't the end of the world as we know it, after all.
Yes I have just taken the noose off but will keep it handy.
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My mates a Blackpool fan he’s gutted. Reckons he’s a PL manager in the making, played some fabulous football at Blackpool a big loss to them.
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I'm pleased with us getting him in good appointment.
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Gerrard has acted quickly and decisively and this chap certainly seems very talented. Doing anything in Blackpool other than Blackpool rock, is a massive skill and I am looking forward to seeing what Neil can do.
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Gerrard is allowed to pick his backroom staff but he's labeled as the Head Coach.
Ain't that a manager?
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I wonder if he sees Doug as a DM?
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Gerrard is allowed to pick his backroom staff but he's labeled as the Head Coach.
Ain't that a manager?
It seems like the idea of him being part of a team is out of the window. I wonder how much extra say he has in transfers now?
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Gerrard is allowed to pick his backroom staff but he's labeled as the Head Coach.
Ain't that a manager?
So manager and Head coach is the same.
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Well, absolutely zero messing around, you have to give the club that.
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Isn't the title 'Head Coach' linked to the set up which includes 'Sporting Director', which is Lange's role?
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Not heard of the chap before, but sounds an impressive appointment. Think having Gerrard as the 'front man' then picking someone who maybe has the technical ability as assistant is a smart move. Takes the pressure off trying to find some unicorn manager who's high profile, got a good address book, and has however many years of hard graft learning the coaching skills.
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Gerrard is allowed to pick his backroom staff but he's labeled as the Head Coach.
Ain't that a manager?
It seems like the idea of him being part of a team is out of the window. I wonder how much extra say he has in transfers now?
A lot more than Dean Smith I would wager.
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Well if he is having more say in transfers I’d say to date he’s doing a pretty impressive job.
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We seem to be going for more 29/30 year olds now, who have won things or be in an environment where there were high expectations.
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Did we have to pay Blackpool compensation and I wonder if QPR went after Critchley? We could swap them him and get our Bealey baby back.
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I think the strategy is to address the weaknesses in the team via transfers.
We seemed to lack experience and character - and I think that’s why we have brought the players we have
I don’t think it is so much a change of direction rather than addressing some of the short comings we have
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Still not dicking around, are we?
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I think the strategy is to address the weaknesses in the team via transfers.
We seemed to lack experience and character - and I think that’s why we have brought the players we have
I don’t think it is so much a change of direction rather than addressing some of the short comings we have
I agree
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/02/neil-critchley-leaves-blackpool-to-join-aston-villa-as-steven-gerrards-assistant
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Not heard of the chap before, but sounds an impressive appointment. Think having Gerrard as the 'front man' then picking someone who maybe has the technical ability as assistant is a smart move. Takes the pressure off trying to find some unicorn manager who's high profile, got a good address book, and has however many years of hard graft learning the coaching skills.
Absolutely. His profile fits exactly with what we were looking to and needed to recruit, so I for one am a happy chappy.
Welcome, Neil. Get busy!
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Striking while the iron is hot again, absolutely no messing about with us this season. I’ve never heard of him but I hadn’t hear of Beale either. He seems to have a lot of good this said about him and Blackpool look very disappointed to lose him.
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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/02/neil-critchley-leaves-blackpool-to-join-aston-villa-as-steven-gerrards-assistant
The move will be seen as a coup for Gerrard who has enticed one of the most highly thought of coaches in the game to join his staff. Having moved from Liverpool’s academy to take control of Blackpool in March 2020, that season was curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, in his first season in charge, Critchley led his side to a third-placed League One finish before they sealed promotion via the playoff final at Wembley. Blackpool finished 16th in the Championship last season.
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Top 6/8 squad managed/coached by a guy from Blackpool.
Welcome. Please be good.
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More of this sort of thing would be welcome. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61062992
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
Sorry not comparable to today’s game.
But hope I’m wrong.
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
Sorry not comparable to today’s game.
But hope I’m wrong.
You usually are to be fair.
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Off the top of my head can’t think of many managers who have left job to become an assistant??
Good luck to him….this time next year with a top 6 finish & an FA Cup hopefully
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
Sorry not comparable to today’s game.
But hope I’m wrong.
You usually are to be fair.
Cold.
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
Sorry not comparable to today’s game.
But hope I’m wrong.
You usually are to be fair.
Cold.
If you hope for the worst, you'll never be disappointed.
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Remember seeing him quite a lot on Sky Sports after he got Blackpool promoted, sounds a very good appointment well done Villa yet again.
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It's a statement appointment in as much as appointing an assistant can be. He's done a really impressive job up there in two years and had recently signed a new long deal.
He'll have a big say in things for sure, I doubt he'll be a 'Phil Neal' bibs and cones bloke.
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Interesting that Beale took a step into managing, and Critchley did the opposite. Maybe he’s happier with coaching, now he’s done both.
Seems a good appointment, and in good time.
Not a bad workplace Bodymoor Heath.
It feels a world away from when JT and ROK left, I had a feeling Gerard knew it was coming and already had a replacement teed up.
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I wonder whether the conversation with MB before he left, was around if you go, who do you reckon can fill your shoes…type of thing.
Or SG has a list of names in terms of succession planning.
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Finally Aston Villa - Prepared appears to mean something
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I wonder if he sees Doug as a DM?
Don't need a UEFA Elite badge to answer that.
Think it's quite impressive that we've been able to attract a settled manager of a Championship club to come and be assistant. Do wonder with the speed it has happened and that he applied for a couple of jobs, whether Beale's departure was not by choice?
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Apparently we've quadrupled his wages.
So that’s £400 a week. He must be pinching himself.
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Apparently we've quadrupled his wages.
So that’s £400 a week. He must be pinching himself.
Ha ha.
Whatever happens, he will be able to retire somewhere more salubrious than hitherto imagined.
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Critchley WALKS OUT ON BLACKPOOL to join VILLA!
Nice little video
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Has Steven Gerrard Improved Aston Villa?
This video looks at how we approach games.......which is important as Blackpool play with a 442 or a 3412 and we play with either a 4312 4321 or a 433.
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Has Steven Gerrard Improved Aston Villa?
This video looks at how we approach games.......which is important as Blackpool play with a 442 or a 3412 and we play with either a 4312 4321 or a 433.
WOAH THERE! We'll have none of that five at the back dressed as three at the back nonsense, please.
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My concerns with Beale going were that we could end up wasting time on the recruitment and building relationships with the new appointee. Neither of those things are happening which gives the impression that work was happening in the background even while they were publicly hoping he stayed.
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I wonder if he sees Doug as a DM?
Don't need a UEFA Elite badge to answer that.
Think it's quite impressive that we've been able to attract a settled manager of a Championship club to come and be assistant. Do wonder with the speed it has happened and that he applied for a couple of jobs, whether Beale's departure was not by choice?
Yeah, I was wondering similar things this morning.
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i don’t think you can underestimate the power of being able to take a manager from championship side (whilst in post) to become an assistant manager at a premier league club that finished bottom half. If Neil was the guy the club wanted, a lot of credit is due to securing him and at speed. Welcome Neil.
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Apparently we've quadrupled his wages.
So that’s £400 a week. He must be pinching himself.
Ha ha.
Whatever happens, he will be able to retire somewhere more salubrious than hitherto imagined.
More salubrious than Blackpool? Does such a place even exist?
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Lytham is alright. Bars there are an interesting exprience.
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I wonder if I've been over thinking this a little bit? Could this appointment, although necessary, be some very long-term planning for when SG eventually moves on to his dream job when Klopp calls it a day and Villa have improved beyond recognition? NC has the coaching credentials with the added bonus of a successful stint as a championship manager. It would be an example of the Liverpool system of promoting from within without too much revamping of the backroom staff, A smooth transition.
I didn't sleep well last night as you can see!
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Maybe, or perhaps Critchley just fancies the Liverpool assistant manager's job? 🙂
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Apparently we've quadrupled his wages.
So that’s £400 a week. He must be pinching himself.
Ha ha.
Whatever happens, he will be able to retire somewhere more salubrious than hitherto imagined.
More salubrious than Blackpool? Does such a place even exist?
Beverley Hills has similarities. Well, they both start with a ‘B’ anyway.
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i don’t think you can underestimate the power of being able to take a manager from championship side (whilst in post) to become an assistant manager at a premier league club that finished bottom half. If Neil was the guy the club wanted, a lot of credit is due to securing him and at speed. Welcome Neil.
Thank you, glad to be here.
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I wonder if I've been over thinking this a little bit? Could this appointment, although necessary, be some very long-term planning for when SG eventually moves on to his dream job when Klopp calls it a day and Villa have improved beyond recognition? NC has the coaching credentials with the added bonus of a successful stint as a championship manager. It would be an example of the Liverpool system of promoting from within without too much revamping of the backroom staff, A smooth transition.
I didn't sleep well last night as you can see!
Roy Evans was the last time Liverpool promoted from within...30 years ago!
Houllier, Benitez, Hodgson, Dalglish (demotion from the board of directors), Rodgers and Klopp since.
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Apparently it's been known for some time that Beale harboured ambitions of being a number one and it was discussed when we brought him over from Rangers. Probably no surprise that Gerrard had people in mind in the event, it just happens that he was able to get his first choice.
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i don’t think you can underestimate the power of being able to take a manager from championship side (whilst in post) to become an assistant manager at a premier league club that finished bottom half. If Neil was the guy the club wanted, a lot of credit is due to securing him and at speed. Welcome Neil.
Thank you, glad to be here.
Lol, welcome Neil
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I wonder if I've been over thinking this a little bit? Could this appointment, although necessary, be some very long-term planning for when SG eventually moves on to his dream job when Klopp calls it a day and Villa have improved beyond recognition? NC has the coaching credentials with the added bonus of a successful stint as a championship manager. It would be an example of the Liverpool system of promoting from within without too much revamping of the backroom staff, A smooth transition.
I didn't sleep well last night as you can see!
Roy Evans was the last time Liverpool promoted from within...30 years ago!
Houllier, Benitez, Hodgson, Dalglish (demotion from the board of directors), Rodgers and Klopp since.
I was tired.
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I'm sure the fans were absolutely delighted when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor rocked up at Derby from Hartlepool and look how that turned out.
Sorry not comparable to today’s game.
But hope I’m wrong.
You usually are to be fair.
Interesting. I think we have had the same view on all the previous managers. Until SG rocked up.
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For me this is a positive appointment. I'm excited by Critchley arriving, which is a first since last November. He has pedigree. He has good qualifications. He has worked himself up to this position including managing a team in the Championship (no easy task).
People I know with Blackpool connections rate him highly including Villa fans, who visit the area regularly. It's clear that he just doesn't know how to coach, but he also knows how to manage people. He also has good knowledge of youth players, which is encouraging regarding our good crop of youngsters coming through. I think Critchley could be quite instrumental in Villa making real progress.
Welcome and UTV!
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i don’t think you can underestimate the power of being able to take a manager from championship side (whilst in post) to become an assistant manager at a premier league club that finished bottom half. If Neil was the guy the club wanted, a lot of credit is due to securing him and at speed. Welcome Neil.
Thank you, glad to be here.
What are your plans for improving the finishing of our strikers?
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Typically a manager leaves following an extended period of poor results. Feasibly/Fingers crossed Gerrard will leave because he’s done an excellent job and Liverpool are desperate to appoint him. In that circumstance, business as usual, and the appointment of Critchley might be the best solution.
Plan B/Succession planning might be villa’s thinking so justifies the pay rise.
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
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Dare we start to believe that the people running the club might actually know what they're doing ?
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Don't know that one. When did he write that?
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Don't know that one. When did he write that?
It’s was the b side to midsummer nights dream
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Met his sister once.
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Met his sister once.
Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Met his sister once.
Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Met his sister once.
Shakespears Sister?😆
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Will be interesting to see then what kind of system(s) the combo of Gerrard/Critchley manage to put out
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Seems like positive coup though I thought same with Shakespeare.
Do your best
Don't know that one. When did he write that?
"One may smile, and smile, and be a villain."
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
Is he a medical genius as well?
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I wonder whether the conversation with MB before he left, was around if you go, who do you reckon can fill your shoes…type of thing.
Or SG has a list of names in terms of succession planning.
He just phoned up one of the other coaches he's worked with and got the club to offer him a wheelbarrow of cash. It's no mystical midas touch nor, I suspect, some long thought out 4D succession plan.
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I wonder whether the conversation with MB before he left, was around if you go, who do you reckon can fill your shoes…type of thing.
Or SG has a list of names in terms of succession planning.
He just phoned up one of the other coaches he's worked with and got the club to offer him a wheelbarrow of cash. It's no mystical midas touch nor, I suspect, some long thought out 4D succession plan.
Who cares? He’s here now, we’ve thrown some cash at it, if it doesn’t work we’ll throw more cash at it until it does.
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Sounds like he has jumped at the big money and opportunity to join the 'Big league' as a No.2 rather than continue as a No.1 at Blackpool.
Their supporters are seething and rightly so.
Hopefully he will be an asset to the Football Club and who knows could be our future Head Coach if things go as badly as the last couple of months of the season
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From what I've read Blackpool played mostly 4-4-2 with two DMs and two wide midfielders.
Defensively very organised with a good press, but often exposed on the counter attack.
Attacking seems a bit rudimentary, often bypasing midfield witrh a big punt up to Gary Madine and playing off that. I suspect they lacked the quality to do much else and he'll be more progressive with our squad.
He seems generally highly regarded but the PL is a massive step up for him. Will be interesting to see what impact he has on the team.
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Sounds like he has jumped at the big money and opportunity to join the 'Big league' as a No.2 rather than continue as a No.1 at Blackpool.
Their supporters are seething and rightly so.
Hopefully he will be an asset to the Football Club and who knows could be our future Head Coach if things go as badly as the last couple of months of the season
That’s the spirit
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Really impressed with how quickly this got done. Complete contrast to what happened when O'Kelly and Terry left just before the season started, and seems to be a very highly rated coach with even more experience (leastways of actual management) than the departing one.
I am hoping QPR take a few of our youngsters on loan next season, as under Beales tutelage they should slot in easily when they return should they do well there. Barrie, Philogen Bidace and Kessler-Hayden could all do with a run at that level. Hoping Archer gets a full season at PNE as all my PNE supporting mates up here are raving about him.
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Sounds like he has jumped at the big money and opportunity to join the 'Big league' as a No.2 rather than continue as a No.1 at Blackpool.
Their supporters are seething and rightly so.
Hopefully he will be an asset to the Football Club and who knows could be our future Head Coach if things go as badly as the last couple of months of the season
That’s the spirit
I would sack him , the money grabber
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Sounds like he has jumped at the big money and opportunity to join the 'Big league' as a No.2 rather than continue as a No.1 at Blackpool.
Their supporters are seething and rightly so.
Hopefully he will be an asset to the Football Club and who knows could be our future Head Coach if things go as badly as the last couple of months of the season
That’s the spirit
I would sack him , the money grabber
To be honest, he's probably only been brought in to inflate the season ticket waiting list numbers, by taking up an extra seat. DISGRACEFUL.
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Sounds like he has jumped at the big money and opportunity to join the 'Big league' as a No.2 rather than continue as a No.1 at Blackpool.
Their supporters are seething and rightly so.
Hopefully he will be an asset to the Football Club and who knows could be our future Head Coach if things go as badly as the last couple of months of the season
That’s the spirit
Always good to have dissenting views in our happy Heroes discussion.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
Is he a medical genius as well?
Bailey isn't injury prone - he just had an injury last year. Bad luck for himself and the club, but he's not one to be crocked year in year out.
Traore however, I think he's done here.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
Is he a medical genius as well?
Bailey isn't injury prone - he just had an injury last year. Bad luck for himself and the club, but he's not one to be crocked year in year out.
Traore however, I think he's done here.
He came back into the squad at least a couple of times and then got re-injured so he’s either injury prone, our medical staff are incompetent and bring him back too soon or he’s a wingy fucker who won’t play if he breaks a toenail.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
Is he a medical genius as well?
Bailey isn't injury prone - he just had an injury last year. Bad luck for himself and the club, but he's not one to be crocked year in year out.
Traore however, I think he's done here.
He came back into the squad at least a couple of times and then got re-injured so he’s either injury prone, our medical staff are incompetent and bring him back too soon or he’s a wingy fucker who won’t play if he breaks a toenail.
In his time at Leverkusen:
2017/18: 34 appearances
2018/19: 39 appearances
2019/20: 25 appearances
2020/21: 40 appearances
At Genk:
2015/16: 42 appearances
2016/17: 35 appearances
I think, if anything, this year may have been an anomaly. He's only 24.
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Interesting that Critchley prefers wingers to a diamon system I'm midfield. Maybe there's scope still for Traore and Bailey to shine on the flanks.
Maybe though I'd imagine Blackpool didn't have much to play with and he had to work with what he had. He also brought through the youngsters, again a policy or budget restriction? Either way, he was successful in first getting them promoted and then comfortably keeping them up.
If he can find a way to get the best out of Bailey and even Traore I'll be more than happy.
Is he a medical genius as well?
Bailey isn't injury prone - he just had an injury last year. Bad luck for himself and the club, but he's not one to be crocked year in year out.
Traore however, I think he's done here.
He came back into the squad at least a couple of times and then got re-injured so he’s either injury prone, our medical staff are incompetent and bring him back too soon or he’s a wingy fucker who won’t play if he breaks a toenail.
In his time at Leverkusen:
2017/18: 34 appearances
2018/19: 39 appearances
2019/20: 25 appearances
2020/21: 40 appearances
At Genk:
2015/16: 42 appearances
2016/17: 35 appearances
I think, if anything, this year may have been an anomaly. He's only 24.
Let’s hope so.
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Really impressed with how quickly this got done. Complete contrast to what happened when O'Kelly and Terry left just before the season started, and seems to be a very highly rated coach with even more experience (leastways of actual management) than the departing one.
I am hoping QPR take a few of our youngsters on loan next season, as under Beales tutelage they should slot in easily when they return should they do well there. Barrie, Philogen Bidace and Kessler-Hayden could all do with a run at that level. Hoping Archer gets a full season at PNE as all my PNE supporting mates up here are raving about him.
Really good point made about potential Loans at QPR
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We should loan him McGinn just to disprove the rumours of a fall out.
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Really impressed with how quickly this got done. Complete contrast to what happened when O'Kelly and Terry left just before the season started, and seems to be a very highly rated coach with even more experience (leastways of actual management) than the departing one.
I am hoping QPR take a few of our youngsters on loan next season, as under Beales tutelage they should slot in easily when they return should they do well there. Barrie, Philogen Bidace and Kessler-Hayden could all do with a run at that level. Hoping Archer gets a full season at PNE as all my PNE supporting mates up here are raving about him.
Really good point made about potential Loans at QPR
Possible I suppose, but bear in mind he hasn’t worked with any of our players who were on loan last season.
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Interesting article on Neil Critchley in The Athletic for those of you with subscriptions;
https://theathletic.com/3357921/2022/06/12/neil-critchley-aston-villa-blackpool/?source=user_shared_article (https://theathletic.com/3357921/2022/06/12/neil-critchley-aston-villa-blackpool/?source=user_shared_article)
“ As well as creating a plan to benefit the collective, Critchley excels in improving players — centre-back Marvin Ekpiteta, a signing from Leyton Orient, has become one of the best central defenders outside the top flight after moving to Blackpool. Critchley spends time focusing on individuals and knows the necessary stages to get a young player equipped for first-team action.”
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And for those of you without...
Gregg Evans in The Athletic
“He is a fantastic coach,” said Steven Gerrard when Aston Villa confirmed Neil Critchley as their new assistant manager.
A coach who will make the training sessions at Bodymoor Heath fun and varied. A coach who will help devise and execute specific game plans as Villa prepare for a serious crack at breaking into the top seven. A coach who knows Gerrard well; the exact style and set-up he is promoting, but more importantly, a coach who sees the bigger picture and is not overly focused on taking centre stage.
There was a sense of trepidation among supporters when it became clear that Michael Beale was leaving to take over as manager at Queens Park Rangers.
They feared losing the “brains” behind Gerrard’s operation and that the ending of a four-year relationship would spark a spiral of trouble.
But his exit was always in the pipeline; Beale wanted to test himself. Critchley, 43, has done that successfully at Blackpool and is better equipped for it, and while this is not the time to compare the old with the new, what is clear inside Villa Park is that Gerrard is equally as excited for pre-season even with the backroom changes.
In what was externally perceived as a crisis, Gerrard used the opportunity to continue building.
It was made clear to The Athletic in the days leading up to Beale’s exit that there was no panic. The manager had a plan and less than 48 hours after one assistant had officially left, another arrived.
Villa’s club motto is “Prepared” and their approach to key decisions fits that. Beale’s absence from the training pitch, the area he was in control over, will leave a strange void for Gerrard — who likes to oversee day-to-day sessions from a distance — and the players who return at the start of July.
It will not take Critchley long to fill in. His background serves him well; from his early days as a player to working in Crewe Alexandra’s academy, Liverpool’s youth development system and then his two-year stretch at Blackpool. He is well prepared for this and having a full summer ahead will be a benefit.
If there was a drawback to managing in the Football League it was the relentless nature of the fixture list when taking over at a new club. Critchley loves to coach — the chance to work at Villa and be a part of the push back up the Premier League table and into the latter stages of the cup competitions appealed.
Blackpool were stunned and disappointed. Followers of the club describe Critchley as their favourite manager for a decade; he was unassuming and purposeful. What he set out to achieve — taking them to promotion into the Championship and then keeping them there — was completed.
Those who have worked alongside the 43-year-old talk about a hard-working deep thinker, often described as a student of the game.
Critchley stopped playing at 24 after spells at Crewe and in non-League with Leigh RMI and Hyde United to focus more on analysis and coaching. He stepped into the academy at Crewe and began the next stage of his career. Stoke City’s Nick Powell and Burnley’s Ashley Westwood were two players who progressed under his watch.
When he moved to Liverpool he began to thrive, first as under-18s manager and then with the under-23s.
Remember Villa’s 5-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool in December 2019 when the visitors were forced to field a team of youngsters because the seniors had a Club World Cup game less than 48 hours later in Qatar? Critchley was in charge of that young group who earned plaudits for their efforts.
He also took charge in the FA Cup game against Shrewsbury Town the following month and has helped shape the early careers of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Ki-Jana Hoever (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Harry Wilson (Fulham).
As well as creating a plan to benefit the collective, Critchley excels in improving players — centre-back Marvin Ekpiteta, a signing from Leyton Orient, has become one of the best central defenders outside the top flight after moving to Blackpool. Critchley spends time focusing on individuals and knows the necessary stages to get a young player equipped for first-team action.
At Blackpool he also earned widespread praise from the older players.
Richard Keogh, the 35-year-old centre-back, has spoken of learning things about his game that he had never experienced before.
Goalkeeper and captain Chris Maxwell, 31, said about his old manager: “His work ethic is second to none… hours and hours of endless drills… he will work behind the scenes and prepare sessions as well.
“I go back to a conversation I had with Gary Madine (also 31) and we said we feel like we’ve been taught how to play football wrong for the whole of our careers.”
Critchley delivers his messages in a calm and composed way. “He’s certainly not a ranter,” said an ex-staff member.
Results are important to him, but he is firmly focused on the performance. That was one of the main takeaways from working with Jurgen Klopp for so long.
“It was always about performance and taking care of what you can control — never underestimating an opponent, respecting them and always being fully prepared,” Critchley told The Athletic last year about the German.
By stepping into a managerial role, he learned new skills. Blackpool had to recruit almost an entirely new team and that took considerable effort on his behalf.
In meetings with players he was described as “affable and well-mannered”. Some players were not so sure about him at the start but that all quickly changed. By the end they knew that if Critchley put a system or tactic in place, it was because it was the right thing to do. The hope at Villa is that a group of high-profile, international stars quickly feel the same way.
Critchley remains comfortable outside of the limelight and that is perhaps why he made the surprise move to Villa when he was doing so well as a No 1.
But if Villa suddenly start motoring up the Premier League and into the top seven — that is the aim for next season — and Critchley plays a leading role, his stock will rise considerably.
And if it isn’t an immediate success, what harm has it done for his journey? The blame often falls on the manager, not the assistant, and Critchley’s work at Blackpool will keep him firmly in the thoughts of club chairmen.
Speaking last year he said: “Management was an itch that I wanted to scratch at some point. My ambition as a coach was always to do the best wherever I was at and hopefully then your work does the talking for you. I absolutely loved all of my coaching experiences at Crewe and Liverpool, but the first-team environment had always intrigued me.”
Villa are getting a coach ripe and ready, a man so respected at his craft that he was hand-picked by the Football Association to take UEFA’s first elite coaching course in 2013.
He has started preparation work for pre-season and in the weeks ahead Villa will take the first steps into a new era with Critchley on the team.
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Neil Critchley isn’t currently with the Villa first team squad out in Australia. Instead he was in the stands watching the Villa U23’s at Leamington today. Apparently he doesn’t have a valid passport. Not a good look if that’s the case.
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Neil Critchley isn’t currently with the Villa first team squad out in Australia. Instead he was in the stands watching the Villa U23’s at Leamington today. Apparently he doesn’t have a valid passport. Not a good look if that’s the case.
Agreed, although a few H&Vers have also been caught by the delays in the processing of passports.
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Neil Critchley isn’t currently with the Villa first team squad out in Australia. Instead he was in the stands watching the Villa U23’s at Leamington today. Apparently he doesn’t have a valid passport. Not a good look if that’s the case.
Agreed, although a few H&Vers have also been caught by the delays in the processing of passports.
I recently renewed mine on-line and despite being a bit worried by all the massive delay of months stories I'd been hearing, was pleasantly surprised when it arrived in approximately six weeks.
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Neil Critchley isn’t currently with the Villa first team squad out in Australia. Instead he was in the stands watching the Villa U23’s at Leamington today. Apparently he doesn’t have a valid passport. Not a good look if that’s the case.
Agreed, although a few H&Vers have also been caught by the delays in the processing of passports.
Yeah seems a pretty big mess up - cant you go and stand in a queue for a day and get some same day.
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Neil Critchley isn’t currently with the Villa first team squad out in Australia. Instead he was in the stands watching the Villa U23’s at Leamington today. Apparently he doesn’t have a valid passport. Not a good look if that’s the case.
Agreed, although a few H&Vers have also been caught by the delays in the processing of passports.
Yeah seems a pretty big mess up - cant you go and stand in a queue for a day and get some same day.
Nope, they're not offering that service at the moment. Average wait for a new passport is about 10 weeks at the moment, so probably not his fault.
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You can understand the manager of Blackpool not needing a passport: they weren't likely to be playing Juventus anytime soon. And you've got donkeys and a pleasure beach just down the road.
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Can’t you get express passport services over there? I assume that means he’s also out for Rennes too seeing as we fucked off out of the Union.
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Our four renewals for the kids have taken 13 weeks.
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Can’t you get express passport services over there? I assume that means he’s also out for Rennes too seeing as we fucked off out of the Union.
Brexit has made no difference there, we've always needed passports because we decided not to join schengen.
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Can’t you get express passport services over there? I assume that means he’s also out for Rennes too seeing as we fucked off out of the Union.
You could before everything seemingly imploded because of Covid. Got one next day for my wife when I'd booked to take her to Paris. Now though, it's weeks and weeks.
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Can’t you get express passport services over there? I assume that means he’s also out for Rennes too seeing as we fucked off out of the Union.
You could before everything seemingly imploded because of Covid. Got one next day for my wife when I'd booked to take her to Paris. Now though, it's weeks and weeks.
Yeh that’s what I meant. I know it got long out here too but for specific business requirements it was fast tracked. Not back to what it was mind you. I figured given he was appointed on June 2 it would have been enough time to get it sorted.
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Can’t you get express passport services over there? I assume that means he’s also out for Rennes too seeing as we fucked off out of the Union.
You could before everything seemingly imploded because of Covid. Got one next day for my wife when I'd booked to take her to Paris. Now though, it's weeks and weeks.
Yep covid did for renewals, and Brexit hasn't helped either, the old extensions don't count these days which means renewing earlier.
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In his recent Welcome to Villa video interview on Pravda, Critchley mentioned looking forward to going to Australia because he'd never been there before!
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This appointment appears to be a concern now, and it appears that Crtichers was brought in primarily because Gerrard knows him, rather than because it was the best appointment for the club and coaching premier league players to the next level or even current levels. We talk about players being upgraded but it seems the Beale loss and the replacement of Critchley was lower standard.
I'm wondering how far this guy is out of his depth.
Having no experience dealing with the calibre of our players, his coaching appears to be stagnant, and as highlighted on MOTD 2, our players were disjointed in the attack.
The errors in movement of our forward players into right spaces and runs made, as well as highlighting Danny Ings having to go wide and strangely overlapping Luca Digne, came after a few weeks of pointing out Watkins going out to the left and leaving big space in the box, as well as him not making attacking moves into space in the penalty area.
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In his recent Welcome to Villa video interview on Pravda, Critchley mentioned looking forward to going to Australia because he'd never been there before!
Well that says it all. Having read that.
Wonder how he felt meeting the superstar premier league players. He must be overawed by it all.
Bet this guy feels like he won the lottery.
And can imagine he was paid a substantial wage to be brought in.
Question would be would any other club be looking to take him on as a coach in the premier league?
I'm not sure how much impact he's making.
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That MOTD2 stuff sounds awful, Footy. Combine that with our hideous running stats and you do get the feeling of a team basically not being coached. Sherwoodish.
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That MOTD2 stuff sounds awful, Footy. Combine that with our hideous running stats and you do get the feeling of a team basically not being coached. Sherwoodish.
Yes to top it all off, Micah Richards was doing the analysis!
He was emphasising the concerns around teams balance, and the primary focus and fixation was on the front pairing of Watkins and Ings, as well as knowing the best 11.
There was some 100% accuracy on football tactics and errors highlighted by video footage of the players, but an ignorance to the overall issues of SG's insistence and knowledge of how he plays and only briefly touched on that the full backs play wide and attacking and missed some other underlying issues.
So it was fascinating but up to a point. As it didn't have the depth.
It was all about the main characters. As it were, the big stars. Coutinho, Watkins, and Ings were singled out.
I believe they made some excellent points, but they also failed to grasp the concept of a squad game as a counter to the obvious fact that SG does not know his starting lineup.
And, of course, there is no mention of a new coach that being this man Crtichley.
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That MOTD2 stuff sounds awful, Footy. Combine that with our hideous running stats and you do get the feeling of a team basically not being coached. Sherwoodish.
I took note of the MOTD and added quotes to the thread's comments and the analysis's time stamp.
It wasn't the first time that former professionals had said that this team didn't appear to be competent.
That's super concerning because similar observations have been made by us fans and followers in attendance at games as well as by those who have been watching or listening any match we have played. This has been the case at various points throughout last season and most definitely this season against Bournemouth and Palace.
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In his recent Welcome to Villa video interview on Pravda, Critchley mentioned looking forward to going to Australia because he'd never been there before!
Well that says it all. Having read that.
Wonder how he felt meeting the superstar premier league players. He must be overawed by it all.
Bet this guy feels like he won the lottery.
And can imagine he was paid a substantial wage to be brought in.
Question would be would any other club be looking to take him on as a coach in the premier league?
I'm not sure how much impact he's making.
He's a highly regarded coach, but one who has been here for four games. I can't think of many assistant coaches/managers who haven't come from the lower leagues.
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If it is too early to judge Gerrard then Critchley certainly deserves some slack. He’s very well qualified and was previously a manager so I’d be surprised if he is a complete dud.
However I remember reading that he often played 352 at Blackpool so I am slightly surprised that he’s now implementing tactics that Gerrard himself admitted are from the brain of Beale. That cannot be easy (or the correct thing to do).
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Throw in undroppable McGinn and another mate Coutinho being a ghost on the pitch and it's who you know not what you know.
Fucking shit.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Don't nearly all managers have an assistant they worked with before? Eddie Howe was reported only to have agreed to the Newcastle job if he could bring in Jason Tindall, for example.
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The only flaw in blaming Critchley is the fact it was also absolutely shit under Beale.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Don't nearly all managers have an assistant they worked with before? Eddie Howe was reported only to have agreed to the Newcastle job if he could bring in Jason Tindall, for example.
Tindall needed a gig though, can you imagine the size of his electricity bill this winter trying to keep on top of that tan?
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The only flaw in blaming Critchley is the fact it was also absolutely shit under Beale.
Quite, it’s absolute been shit for ages.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Throw in undroppable McGinn and another mate Coutinho being a ghost on the pitch and it's who you know not what you know.
Fucking shit.
The only flaw in blaming Critchley is the fact it was also absolutely shit under Beale.
Quite, it’s absolute been shit for ages.
At Rangers, however, Beale and Gerrard did collaborate at a senior professional level, and their accomplishments were on display and all to see.
It is only at the development level through the Liverpool academy, Crtichley and Gerrard are well known to each other.
Its not elite.
And theres a great deal of inexperience around them therefore.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Don't nearly all managers have an assistant they worked with before? Eddie Howe was reported only to have agreed to the Newcastle job if he could bring in Jason Tindall, for example.
Howe and Tindall are a pair.
Gerrard and Critchley are not.
Gerrard has his mate McAllister who never looks much animated on the sidelines here as he did at Rangers.
And as we know coach Beale went this summer.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Don't nearly all managers have an assistant they worked with before? Eddie Howe was reported only to have agreed to the Newcastle job if he could bring in Jason Tindall, for example.
Howe and Tindall are a pair.
Gerrard and Critchley are not.
Gerrard has his mate McAllister who never looks much animated on the sidelines here as he did at Rangers.
And as we know coach Beale went this summer.
And if Tindall left to get a full manager's job as Beale has done, he'd have to be replaced as well.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Don't nearly all managers have an assistant they worked with before? Eddie Howe was reported only to have agreed to the Newcastle job if he could bring in Jason Tindall, for example.
Howe and Tindall are a pair.
Gerrard and Critchley are not.
Gerrard has his mate McAllister who never looks much animated on the sidelines here as he did at Rangers.
And as we know coach Beale went this summer.
And if Tindall left to get a full manager's job as Beale has done, he'd have to be replaced as well.
I just mentioned Tindall and Howe are a pair.
Whereas Gerrard and Beale obviously aren't.
Like Dyche and Woan.
Critchley claims he's part of the coaching team and has his input so I'm not sure if that sort of input is better served for up and coming players rather than developed players.
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I just mentioned Tindall and Howe are a pair.
Whereas Gerrard and Beale obviously aren't.
Howe and Tindall weren't a pair when Tindall stayed on as manager at Bournemouth. Tindall would stilll be there now if he wasn't sacked for poor results.
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How much of the subpar performances can be attributed to Critcheley.
He has taken over as the manager's assistant and is in charge of the coaching, but the players aren't improving he has to be part of the stagnation.
Is Crtitchely in over his head here? failing to adopt a consistent playing style with the team from a coach who's never been at Premier league level or dealt with such high calibre players?
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Critchley wasn’t here when we were crap at the end of last season. There is one common denominator across the period we’ve been rubbish. Wonder who that might be?
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Well aware of that.
Now this season though we have Critchely involved in the first team.
What sort of impact is this guy having?
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Critchley wasn’t here when we were crap at the end of last season. There is one common denominator across the period we’ve been rubbish. Wonder who that might be?
John McGinn? :D
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Critchley and Beale have both down well in their own right without Gerrard.
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Yes but in fairness it’s at a different level, and in Beale’s case still pretty early days. Not saying Gerrard isn’t the issue, but Critchley doing well at a lower level and Beale doing decently so far this year at a lower level doesn’t mean they’d be doing better as Villa manager.
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It all smacks of jobs for the boys.
Purslows mate gets the managers gig.
Gerrards mate gets the coaching gig.
Throw in undroppable McGinn and another mate Coutinho being a ghost on the pitch and it's who you know not what you know.
Fucking shit.
The only flaw in blaming Critchley is the fact it was also absolutely shit under Beale.
Quite, it’s absolute been shit for ages.
At Rangers, however, Beale and Gerrard did collaborate at a senior professional level, and their accomplishments were on display and all to see.
It is only at the development level through the Liverpool academy, Crtichley and Gerrard are well known to each other.
Its not elite.
And theres a great deal of inexperience around them therefore.
Sorry, you’re counting success in Scotland as a thing? Scotland is absolutely not elite, it’s the lower end of the Championship at best, which is also where we got Critchley from by the way. If Coventry played in the Scottish Premier League, they would win it.
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I keep thinking where is mcallister in all this. He never seems to be involved when in the dug out yet I thought he was a senior coach
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I keep thinking where is mcallister in all this. He never seems to be involved when in the dug out yet I thought he was a senior coach
He seems to be more active on the training ground.. someone's got to do it.
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Certainly won't be needing that passport any time soon
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Not necessarily. We'll probably spend a week in Dubai doing warm weather training the weekend of the FA Cup 4th round having been knocked-out by ManUre earlier in the new year.
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He might not be here by then
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Certainly won't be needing that passport any time soon
Second comment I've seen along these lines. Is that true or some kind of joke I missed?
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Certainly won't be needing that passport any time soon
Second comment I've seen along these lines. Is that true or some kind of joke I missed?
He couldn't go to Oz with us as he hadn't got his passport
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Thanks, but now I'm even more intrigued. Lost it, never had one, doesn't want one, applied for one but it didn't come in time.....?
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He let it expire, didn't think he'd need it so soon.
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He let it expire, didn't think he'd need it so soon.
Thanks. Shame it was a sensible answer.
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To be fair he was manager of Blackpool, no need for a passport when you live and work in the greatest holiday resort in the world.
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To be fair he was manager of Blackpool, no need for a passport when you live and work in the greatest holiday resort in the world.
Some of the finest static homes on the north Lancs coast. And I include Morecambe in that.
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I keep thinking where is mcallister in all this. He never seems to be involved when in the dug out yet I thought he was a senior coach
Hes Home Alone
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Kevinnnnn !
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He's gone as well. As well as most of the others. Danks in charge on Sunday.
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What a dissapointing bag of shite this bloke turned out to be.
Cheeri-fucking-o
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He came, he saw, he left.
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So Danks and McPhee are still at the club then?
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A lower league coach paired with a lower league manager, what could have gone wrong ehh. Abysmal jobs for the boys appointment.
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So Danks and McPhee are still at the club then?
With the right management team and coaches those two will be fine.
They have good pedigree.
A lower league coach paired with a lower league manager, what could have gone wrong ehh. Abysmal jobs for the boys appointment.
I think its great Critchley left he was part of the problem
Lower level coach doesnt belong in prem and yes man.
He was lucky to get anywhere near our club.
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So Danks and McPhee are still at the club then?
With the right management team and coaches those two will be fine.
They have good pedigree.
A lower league coach paired with a lower league manager, what could have gone wrong ehh. Abysmal jobs for the boys appointment.
I think its great Critchley left he was part of the problem
Lower level coach doesnt belong in prem and yes man.
He was lucky to get anywhere near our club.
While he has to shoulder some responsibility Footy, Critchley can hardly be blamed for it all. We were shit before he arrived.
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So Danks and McPhee are still at the club then?
With the right management team and coaches those two will be fine.
They have good pedigree.
A lower league coach paired with a lower league manager, what could have gone wrong ehh. Abysmal jobs for the boys appointment.
I think its great Critchley left he was part of the problem
Lower level coach doesnt belong in prem and yes man.
He was lucky to get anywhere near our club.
We've been largely rubbish since Danks and McPhee have been at the club.
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And we got even shitter with Critchley. He can take a share in the blame, he can't get paid a fucking fortune and do nothing positive. Back to the 1st division with him. Clown appointment.
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McPhee what does he do to keep his job???
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He's gone as well. As well as most of the others. Danks in charge on Sunday.
Both Danks and MacPhee can fuck off too. And also take Lange with you on your way out.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
That's a bit unfair. You used to be able to get a passport over here next day if needed. Then all of a sudden, the passport office turns to shit and you've got a 10 week wait.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
That's a bit unfair. You used to be able to get a passport over here next day if needed. Then all of a sudden, the passport office turns to shit and you've got a 10 week wait.
I think you’re being quite generous, Risso. In the role he’s in, European or beyond scouting should be par for the course and the role. Seems a bit bizarre not to have it within the remit to be able to do so, i’ll be honest.
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I always thought it was a convenient excuse and he could enter Oz because he hadn’t had his covid jabs.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
That's a bit unfair. You used to be able to get a passport over here next day if needed. Then all of a sudden, the passport office turns to shit and you've got a 10 week wait.
To be fair, if you apply on line you get them quick. I applied for a renewal of my wife's earlier this year, I did it on a Monday it came through the door on Thursday. My mate had a similar experience.
I applied for my own UK passport renewal on line and was told it could take eleven to twelve weeks, it arrived in six. Perhaps we were just lucky.
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There was absolute chaos at the passport office over the summer - stories about people losing holidays because the office had had them for months and not processed them.
It was apparently down to one of the centres they used to process them which is why it didn’t impact everyone. My Mrs got hers in a few weeks at the exact time this was going on but other people were waiting months. They also stopped the ‘pay a load of money and come in person and get it in a day’ thing too.
It’s totally unfair to accuse Critchley of wrong doing here - the story was all over the news for a start.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
That's a bit unfair. You used to be able to get a passport over here next day if needed. Then all of a sudden, the passport office turns to shit and you've got a 10 week wait.
To be fair, if you apply on line you get them quick. I applied for a renewal of my wife's earlier this year, I did it on a Monday it came through the door on Thursday. My mate had a similar experience.
I applied for my own UK passport renewal on line and was told it could take eleven to twelve weeks, it arrived in six. Perhaps we were just lucky.
That absolutely wasn't the case this summer Dave. We had to renew three of the kids' passports, all done online. The quickest took 8 weeks. My son's took 12. Absolute shambles.
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I never bought this “he got caught out” re the passport debacle. What manager even at a Championship club would let that happen? Last time I looked there were tons of overseas born players in the championship. I thought it was just dumb and smacked of lack of forethought.
Circus from the beginning.
That's a bit unfair. You used to be able to get a passport over here next day if needed. Then all of a sudden, the passport office turns to shit and you've got a 10 week wait.
To be fair, if you apply on line you get them quick. I applied for a renewal of my wife's earlier this year, I did it on a Monday it came through the door on Thursday. My mate had a similar experience.
I applied for my own UK passport renewal on line and was told it could take eleven to twelve weeks, it arrived in six. Perhaps we were just lucky.
That absolutely wasn't the case this summer Dave. We had to renew three of the kids' passports, all done online. The quickest took 8 weeks. My son's took 12. Absolute shambles.
Three of my kids renewals took 12 weeks to come through. All ordered at the same time, well in advance fortunately, but only because my dad paid for my eldest and he was nagging me to get it done.
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Blackpool played 0 overseas friendlies and signed 0 overseas players last season. It wasn't like having a passport was top of the things needed to be Blackpool manager.
Maybe he forgot to renew it, maybe he just hadn't bothered as he didn't need one for the job he was in, maybe he did renew it and it was in the delays mentioned above. Either way it's blown way out of proportion imo.
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Blackpool played 0 overseas friendlies and signed 0 overseas players last season. It wasn't like having a passport was top of the things needed to be Blackpool manager.
Maybe he forgot to renew it, maybe he just hadn't bothered as he didn't need one for the job he was in, maybe he did renew it and it was in the delays mentioned above. Either way it's blown way out of proportion imo.
Maybe he wasn’t getting on no plane fool.
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He came, He sat, He left
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He came, He sat, He left
Amen to that.
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bet he's glad it didnt pay £95 for the passport now
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He'll be top 6 in the championship before long. Wouldn't shock me if Albion went for him.
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He came, He sat, He left
Venit, sedit, reliquit.
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I don't have anything else much of interest about him, but he's not in the Premier League level. He's reportedly in the running for Luton Town, and that could be his coaching level so good luck to him there.
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Maybe Gerrard could join him.
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Does Critchley need an Assistant?
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Wonder if Wigan will go for him. He did a decent job at Blackpool so might be in their thoughts.
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Plus no passport requirements, being that close...
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Just read that out of all the Managers that have taken charge of 10 games or more for QPR, he has the worst win percentage in their history. Currently at 10%. 1-5-4.
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Just read that out of all the Managers that have taken charge of 10 games or more for QPR, he has the worst win percentage in their history. Currently at 10%. 1-5-4.
He’s making Beale look a very good coach. The wheels have fallen off at QPR since his arrival, and it wasn’t much better at Villa.
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Just read that out of all the Managers that have taken charge of 10 games or more for QPR, he has the worst win percentage in their history. Currently at 10%. 1-5-4.
He’s making Beale look a very good coach. The wheels have fallen off at QPR since his arrival, and it wasn’t much better at Villa.
Certainly is - I don't think there is much doubt that Beale is a very good coach indeed!
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Just read that out of all the Managers that have taken charge of 10 games or more for QPR, he has the worst win percentage in their history. Currently at 10%. 1-5-4.
He’s making Beale look a very good coach. The wheels have fallen off at QPR since his arrival, and it wasn’t much better at Villa.
Certainly is - I don't think there is much doubt that Beale is a very good coach indeed!
What happened at Villa?
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His boss.
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And we were. Better side when Beale was at the club. Despite Gerrard & his stupid little turnip shaped forehead. As for Critchley, we were always onto a loser when he joined. People stated that it was great we had such an experienced assistant, but Critchley has never been anything other than an average low league quality manager. I shuddered when I though he was basically going to be in charge of coaching while Gerrard cheerled the Dipper loving media. While Beale was at the club, we had a little going for us. With Gerrard & Critchley, well, we all witnessed that debacle... So it is no surprise he is destroying the good work Beale did at QPR. Just a shame Iroegbunam has to be involved in it all...
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Critchkey was doing a great job at Blackpool really well qualified too. His time at our club was completely tainted by the charlatan of a head coach.
Interesting that it's gone wrong at QPR though Beale fucking them over has derailed them somewhat.
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We might have been better off moving Iroegbunam in January.
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We might have been better off moving Iroegbunam in January.
Let him go through the struggle, it’s character building
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We might have been better off moving Iroegbunam in January.
Let him go through the struggle, it’s character building
Agreed, he'll learn more from playing through it than perhaps not playing at a side better placed. Him continuing to apply himself to his best is all that matters.
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And we were. Better side when Beale was at the club. Despite Gerrard & his stupid little turnip shaped forehead. As for Critchley, we were always onto a loser when he joined. People stated that it was great we had such an experienced assistant, but Critchley has never been anything other than an average low league quality manager. I shuddered when I though he was basically going to be in charge of coaching while Gerrard cheerled the Dipper loving media. While Beale was at the club, we had a little going for us. With Gerrard & Critchley, well, we all witnessed that debacle... So it is no surprise he is destroying the good work Beale did at QPR. Just a shame Iroegbunam has to be involved in it all...
We started well under Gerrard but teams worked out how to expose us by going in behind the fullbacks. I fully believe that Beale came up with the idea of the midfield helping to plug those gaps as a temporary solution to get us to the end of the season. What should've then happened is that we came up with a long-term solution in pre-season but he left and no-one bothered to find that fix so we carried on playing with the short-term tactics but they made us boring and predictable.
I blame Critchley nearly as much as Gerrard for that because the assistant manager was, according to Gerrard, clearly supposed to be the guy who did most of the work.
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And we were. Better side when Beale was at the club. Despite Gerrard & his stupid little turnip shaped forehead. As for Critchley, we were always onto a loser when he joined. People stated that it was great we had such an experienced assistant, but Critchley has never been anything other than an average low league quality manager. I shuddered when I though he was basically going to be in charge of coaching while Gerrard cheerled the Dipper loving media. While Beale was at the club, we had a little going for us. With Gerrard & Critchley, well, we all witnessed that debacle... So it is no surprise he is destroying the good work Beale did at QPR. Just a shame Iroegbunam has to be involved in it all...
We started well under Gerrard but teams worked out how to expose us by going in behind the fullbacks. I fully believe that Beale came up with the idea of the midfield helping to plug those gaps as a temporary solution to get us to the end of the season. What should've then happened is that we came up with a long-term solution in pre-season but he left and no-one bothered to find that fix so we carried on playing with the short-term tactics but they made us boring and predictable.
I blame Critchley nearly as much as Gerrard for that because the assistant manager was, according to Gerrard, clearly supposed to be the guy who did most of the work.
3 clowns. QPR must hate us.
Beale looks OK back in Scotland. It’s his level
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And we were. Better side when Beale was at the club. Despite Gerrard & his stupid little turnip shaped forehead. As for Critchley, we were always onto a loser when he joined. People stated that it was great we had such an experienced assistant, but Critchley has never been anything other than an average low league quality manager. I shuddered when I though he was basically going to be in charge of coaching while Gerrard cheerled the Dipper loving media. While Beale was at the club, we had a little going for us. With Gerrard & Critchley, well, we all witnessed that debacle... So it is no surprise he is destroying the good work Beale did at QPR. Just a shame Iroegbunam has to be involved in it all...
We started well under Gerrard but teams worked out how to expose us by going in behind the fullbacks. I fully believe that Beale came up with the idea of the midfield helping to plug those gaps as a temporary solution to get us to the end of the season. What should've then happened is that we came up with a long-term solution in pre-season but he left and no-one bothered to find that fix so we carried on playing with the short-term tactics but they made us boring and predictable.
I blame Critchley nearly as much as Gerrard for that because the assistant manager was, according to Gerrard, clearly supposed to be the guy who did most of the work.
There are worrying signs that we've been sussed again though. It's still too easy to get beyond our full backs, because Young has no pace, and Cash is often too advanced. Neither Digne or Moreno are especially strong defensively. We try to play better football than under Gerrard, but put pressure on Luiz and Kamara, and also on the crap short goal kick routine and it all starts to fall apart. The 4-4-2 isn't very effective when you have two players like Ramsey and Bailey who aren't contributing anything useful of note.
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And we were. Better side when Beale was at the club. Despite Gerrard & his stupid little turnip shaped forehead. As for Critchley, we were always onto a loser when he joined. People stated that it was great we had such an experienced assistant, but Critchley has never been anything other than an average low league quality manager. I shuddered when I though he was basically going to be in charge of coaching while Gerrard cheerled the Dipper loving media. While Beale was at the club, we had a little going for us. With Gerrard & Critchley, well, we all witnessed that debacle... So it is no surprise he is destroying the good work Beale did at QPR. Just a shame Iroegbunam has to be involved in it all...
We started well under Gerrard but teams worked out how to expose us by going in behind the fullbacks. I fully believe that Beale came up with the idea of the midfield helping to plug those gaps as a temporary solution to get us to the end of the season. What should've then happened is that we came up with a long-term solution in pre-season but he left and no-one bothered to find that fix so we carried on playing with the short-term tactics but they made us boring and predictable.
I blame Critchley nearly as much as Gerrard for that because the assistant manager was, according to Gerrard, clearly supposed to be the guy who did most of the work.
There are worrying signs that we've been sussed again though. It's still too easy to get beyond our full backs, because Young has no pace, and Cash is often too advanced. Neither Digne or Moreno are especially strong defensively. We try to play better football than under Gerrard, but put pressure on Luiz and Kamara, and also on the crap short goal kick routine and it all starts to fall apart. The 4-4-2 isn't very effective when you have two players like Ramsey and Bailey who aren't contributing anything useful of note.
Any team with 2 or 3 playing like drains will usually find their tactics failing. Fuck Bailey off for a bit and give young Jhon his shirt, get McGinn in for Ramsey and Moreno for Digne and let's see how we look.
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I see he’s gone back to Blackpool following their relegation. Surprised they were happy for him to come back!
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There was a lot of hatred and venom when he dumped them to become a number two. Now he’s been sacked twice and crawled back… it’s gonna take some doing to win a lot of them back over I think.
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I see he’s gone back to Blackpool following their relegation. Surprised they were happy for him to come back!
Handy for holidays when you don’t have a passport
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There was a lot of hatred and venom when he dumped them to become a number two. Now he’s been sacked twice and crawled back… it’s gonna take some doing to win a lot of them back over I think.
Didn’t realise that. Although upset he was leaving I thought they were pleased for him getting a big gig at Villa.
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There was a lot of hatred and venom when he dumped them to become a number two. Now he’s been sacked twice and crawled back… it’s gonna take some doing to win a lot of them back over I think.
Didn’t realise that. Although upset he was leaving I thought they were pleased for him getting a big gig at Villa.
I had a quick look at their forums at the time and it was as Dogtanian said, they were incredulous and very very angry when he came here.
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I think most people were surprised someone would give up a managers job in the 2nd tier to come here and be assistant, but with hindsight he was coming to be pretty much manager as his boss clearly didn't have a fucking clue, and on the evidence we saw, neither did he.
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Can't believe we paid £1.2m in compensation to bring this guy in. He showed he's no Michael Beale.