Who do you want as the next manager? New poll option.

[tomd2103]

I don't doubt JAF on the norweigian side. But Kendrick doesn't get too much wrong that often. So when it comes to Villa sources I would lean towards Kendrick. But it is quite possible no one has a scooby about what is going on.

Indeed, the board have been so secretive they haven't even told themselves what's going on.

I've softened a bit towards Lambert, because he has brought through some young players at Norwich. But I desperately hope he's the backup option for Solskjær, not the other way round.

For me, it really doesn't matter if it is PL or OGS. Both will play to win, both will have a desire to achieve, both will probably improve results and both will get us scoring goals.

It is as close to a Win-Win as you can get.

Short-term. I just feel Lambert is a short-term pragmatist, who won't play the sort of football which, generally, has a higher glass ceiling than the various varieties of MON-ball.

Posted it before, but this was taken from an article written by a Norwich fan:

"Lambert has used the money gathered from promotion to build a squad of young, up and coming talent. Look at the purchases he has made this year. Anthony Pilkington, age 23. Elliott Bennett, aged 23. Daniel Ayala, aged 21. Jonny Howson, aged 23. James Vaughan, age 23. Bradley Johnson, aged 24. Ryan Bennett, aged 21.

Of all the new permanent signings, only one is over 25 – Steve Morison, aged 28.

Add this to the young players already at the club. Players like Andrew Surman, aged 25. John Ruddy, aged 25. Declan Rudd, aged 21. Jed Steer, aged 19. Korey Smith, aged 21 and let’s not forget Chris Martin, aged 23. And that’s forgetting the likes of Tom Adeyemi, Matt Ball, Josh Dawkin and others.

This is the legacy of Paul Lambert". 

I also think it would be fair to say that the level of players he is working with has dictated the style of football he plays.  Whichever way you look at it, he has found a way to play with those players that has got them back-to-back promotions and a mid-table finish in the Premier League.  Yes, Rodgers has had a similar group of players to work with, but they were already playing a similar brand of football under Martinez.  Whose to say Lambert won't change his style when he is working with better players? 

[tomd2103]

As far as the Lambert v Ole argument goes, I'd say Lambert in the money in your hand while OGS is the box that may contain the jackpot....... or the exact sum of fuck-all.

Sadly, I'd have been happy to take that gamble last year, but our stock is so low at the moment I'm not sure we can gamble it dropping further.

See I'd counter the last part of your argument. I think our stock has dropped so low that now is the ideal time to take a gamble, it's very unlikely that whoever we appoint can do as badly as Mcleish. It's the perfect scenario for Solskjær to be our manager.

See I keep hearing this, but if we don't get it right this summer then I can definitely see us going down.  I wouldn't expect the promoted clubs to struggle next season and I can definitely see QPR making strides under Mark Hughes.  Which leaves us and Wigan. 

[Monty]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

[PaulWinch again]

As far as the Lambert v Ole argument goes, I'd say Lambert in the money in your hand while OGS is the box that may contain the jackpot....... or the exact sum of fuck-all.

Sadly, I'd have been happy to take that gamble last year, but our stock is so low at the moment I'm not sure we can gamble it dropping further.

See I'd counter the last part of your argument. I think our stock has dropped so low that now is the ideal time to take a gamble, it's very unlikely that whoever we appoint can do as badly as Mcleish. It's the perfect scenario for Solskjær to be our manager.

See I keep hearing this, but if we don't get it right this summer then I can definitely see us going down.  I wouldn't expect the promoted clubs to struggle next season and I can definitely see QPR making strides under Mark Hughes.  Which leaves us and Wigan. 

I don't think so, I thought Mcleish did dreadfully when our squad was fully fit. Another manager would have got a lot more points during that period. We did need quite an overhaul, but I don't think we should ever have been in relegation trouble this year.

[Concrete John]

I think Norwich and/or Swansea will have '2nd season syndrome' and be down there somewhere, especially if either lose their manager.

With our squad as is we shouldn't be in relegation danger, so Ole, or whoever comes in, needs to just do an 'average' job for us not to be in the relegation mix.

[Dave Cooper please]

See I keep hearing this, but if we don't get it right this summer then I can definitely see us going down.  I wouldn't expect the promoted clubs to struggle next season and I can definitely see QPR making strides under Mark Hughes.  Which leaves us and Wigan. 

Come of it, even McLeish couldn't relegate us, he had a decent crack at it but he couldn't manage it.
We'll be fine, there's a core of a good side here, too many decent players completely underachieved this season, I can't see us being anywhere near as bad again under either Lambert or Ole.

[James]

The Baggies are always worth a shout for relegation too! 

[tomd2103]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

You can't make this stuff up!!  First we have people criticising Di Matteo for winning the Champions League using negative tactics and now we have Hitzfeld's record (won European Cups with two different clubs) being discredited because the style of football was not entertaining enough.  Just waiting for someone to come along and say that our achievement in '82 wasn't that great because we played too defensively in the final!!

[mr woo]

As far as the Lambert v Ole argument goes, I'd say Lambert in the money in your hand while OGS is the box that may contain the jackpot....... or the exact sum of fuck-all.

Sadly, I'd have been happy to take that gamble last year, but our stock is so low at the moment I'm not sure we can gamble it dropping further.

See I'd counter the last part of your argument. I think our stock has dropped so low
that now is the ideal time to take a gamble, it's very unlikely that whoever we appoint can do as badly as Mcleish. It's the perfect scenario for Solskjær to be our manager.

Good counter argument, although I can't agree with you. The danger is, things haven't fallen as far as they possibly can just yet, but they have fallen as far as they can without there being serious consequences.

You know, if things aren't going so well come Christmas, is Man U's reserve coach with one years experience at the equivalent of Walsall going to be the man to turn us around?

[Monty]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

You can't make this stuff up!!  First we have people criticising Di Matteo for winning the Champions League using negative tactics and now we have Hitzfeld's record (won European Cups with two different clubs) being discredited because the style of football was not entertaining enough.  Just waiting for someone to come along and say that our achievement in '82 wasn't that great because we played too defensively in the final!!

Where did I discredit his achievements? I just don't think pragmatic football is what we need right now. In order to grow as a club we need entertaining football at VP. We're not going to win the league any time soon, so entertainment and a clear way of playing would progress us better in the short and the long term.

[olaftab]

Come of it, even McLeish couldn't relegate us, he had a decent crack at it but he couldn't manage it.

Yes we will NEVER go down after playing the ultimate brinkmanship this season gone. That Randy must be hell of a poker player!

[dave.woodhall]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

You can't make this stuff up!!  First we have people criticising Di Matteo for winning the Champions League using negative tactics and now we have Hitzfeld's record (won European Cups with two different clubs) being discredited because the style of football was not entertaining enough.  Just waiting for someone to come along and say that our achievement in '82 wasn't that great because we played too defensively in the final!!

Quoting Richard Littlejohn is not going to win friends amongst our band of lentil-knitters.

[tomd2103]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

You can't make this stuff up!!  First we have people criticising Di Matteo for winning the Champions League using negative tactics and now we have Hitzfeld's record (won European Cups with two different clubs) being discredited because the style of football was not entertaining enough.  Just waiting for someone to come along and say that our achievement in '82 wasn't that great because we played too defensively in the final!!

Quoting Richard Littlejohn is not going to win friends amongst our band of lentil-knitters.

With friends like these .....

[Monty]

One point on Lambert's experience at Dortmund: his manager there was Ottmar Hitzfeld, extremely pragmatic manager of, in fairness, great repute. Those who remember Switzerland's 1-0 win over Spain at the last World Cup will be familiar with his methods, and his ability to implement them. However, the Dortmund of his and Lambert's day was ultra-pragmatic - they largely won that 1997 CL final due to Lambert's strict man-marking of Zidane - and a far cry from Klopp's modern-day goal-machine.

These were the days in Europe, and especially in Germany, of man-to-man marking, the defensive sweeper in the back three such as Matthias Sammer, counter-attacking especially to big, physical forwards like Carsten Jancker, and typical defensive-players-to-attacking-players ratios of 7 to 3 respectively. It was European, it was tactically sophisticated, but it was not entertaining in any way.

You can't make this stuff up!!  First we have people criticising Di Matteo for winning the Champions League using negative tactics and now we have Hitzfeld's record (won European Cups with two different clubs) being discredited because the style of football was not entertaining enough.  Just waiting for someone to come along and say that our achievement in '82 wasn't that great because we played too defensively in the final!!

Quoting Richard Littlejohn is not going to win friends amongst our band of lentil-knitters.

I object to being labelled a lentil-knitter. You can't get the needle through the damn things, for starters.

[Sexual Ealing]

Richard Littlejohn is composed entirely of discarded bum hair that was gathered from the floor of a homosexual beauty salon, and his parents were benefit tourists from Romania. And he's in the IRA.

If he thinks I've made any of that up then he's wrong, because I couldn't.