Would you be happy with Ole Gunnar Solskjær? Now with added poll.

[DB]

He'll need serious investment to bring trophies, we are competing against a lot of good teams at the moment. What i think he will do though is at least steer us away from the lower reaches and play some decent football, if there is no money thats about the best we can hope for i'm afraid. If Randy does get the chequebook out again then i would feel fairly confident that we can compete with the Tottenham / Arsenal / Liverpool / Newcastle / Everton area 4th - 8th in the league and outside chance of a cup win.

Every club is in same position, there is no way anyone can keep up with the Man Ctiy's and Chelsea's, I include ManUre in that too, with the Glazers taking any profit they make to pay the bills they created they bought them. We can just hope any manager that comes in can get us to a European place at best.

Yeah, the way i think it'll go for next season will be bracket 1 - Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea any of which could win the league and bracket 2 - Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Everton competing for 4th place / europa / domestic cup, and if we spend some money with the right manager we could gatecrash that 2nd bracket. I don't think there is anyone else that could at the moment, QPR maybe in a few years when they are better established.

Exactly, I would put a caveat around ManUre - while AF is the manager, their current squad is poor and need investment, but even though it pains me to say it, he's the one reason they are as good as they are. Also, there may be other clubs that may be invested in by a rich sugar daddy, hopefully we are one of them... wink.

[lovejoy]

I think Arsenal will flit between bracket 1 and 2.

[olaftab]

Yeah, the way i think it'll go for next season will be bracket 1 - Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea any of which could win the league and bracket 2 - Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Everton competing for 4th place / europa / domestic cup, and if we spend some money with the right manager we could gatecrash that 2nd bracket. I don't think there is anyone else that could at the moment, QPR maybe in a few years when they are better established.

I don't think Chelsea will or come close to winning the League next season. Manu will challenge but city will win again. On the ongoing debate the best that our new manger can do is keep us top of that rest just below Manu city arsenal Chelsea spurs and lpool and Newcastle. Anything better than 8th would be an achievement above expectation.

[Aston Manor]

Not sure about this one and it really could be a terrible decision or an inspired one.

i think it was dave woodhall on a different thread (Sorry if not you but you criticised my sheep jokes elsewhere so I may just have you on my radar!!! I could say you were bleating about my sheep jokes, but won't lol) who when there was talk of good up and coming managers asked the question to name one such manager who has sustained a career in the top flight after one good season. He then later went on to say that Solskjær could get us into the CL. Based on nothing but that he was the very good up and coming manager type that he was rallying against earlier.

Now my point isn't an anti-dave woodhall one but rather that there's something about this one. Just something that is difficult to explain why but it just feels right. Not because he's ex-Man U (wouldn't want Hughes), or that he's won the CL (Wouldn't want Di Matteo) but that it excites(unlike lambert - who could also be used in the won the CL category).

Any managerial  appointment is a risk. We could get Mourinho and as unlikely as it may be it could just as easily go wrong as right. Lets plan for the future. Lets get someone bright eyed and bushy tailed who may, just may, get us believing in Randy, the board as a whole, and Proud History and Bright Future again. It almost feels like it could be 2006 again. We are willing to try and back Randy and the rest of them and somehow Solskjær feels like it could be the start of something.

[ozzjim]

United will win it if they get 4 players in that Fergi wants, they threw it away this season, I can't see them doing so next.

Arsenal will be down to whether RVP stays.

Chelsea need massive rebuilding. Mourinho's team gasped one last gasp last night, and have hit the ceiling.

[cb]

I would dispute strongly that Chelsea are in bracket 1. Unless the Russian invests strongly again this summer, they are definitely going to be making up bracket 2. I see them having a very hard fall in the next year or two, as many of their prime performers are about to exceed their Sell By date. I kind of see their Euro win as a high water mark, at least for a few years. There is still rank indiscipline at that club, it's just that RDM has come in and appeased the mob rule there - lets see how they are when they need to make a few changes (which is now). For the next couple of years I see it as being City and Utd as being the main rivals - below that it might actually be gloriously competitive for the remaining CL places. Get things right here and we could be shooting for these targets...

[Rip Van We Go Again]

with a massive majority of posters in favour of OGS, including me.
 it would be worth keeping this thread on speed dial for when in 6 months time we are all moaning like twats again if it all goes wrong,
 i remember the same things were being said about N'Zogbia before he signed, but now its ' why did Mcleish buy him he's rubbish' queitly forgetting we were all crying out for his signature at the time.

hindsight is a great thing, we ought to have the names of those for and against so we can name and shame depending on how it all turns out

We were right to be excited about N'Zogbia. This time, if he's still here, we may have a manager who will show why we were excited.

The poor form of Gabby and N'Zogbia can be layed directly at the feet of Mc£eish. They are both creative players and do not play well in a side that puts the shackles on them.

They'll be far, far better under the next Manager.

[Greg N'Ash]

There is no logical reason for OGS. Not on his record or where he's done it. Its just because we all know OGS. If he was a non-entity then no-one would want him.  Christian Gross keeps coming into my mind.

[DB]

Chelsea may not be there next season as I think there will a lot of changes, new manager, players coming in / leaving. But RA will invest. It will be interested to see what Fergie gets to spend, I don't think they can spend 50m on a player though...

[richard moore]

I would dispute strongly that Chelsea are in bracket 1. Unless the Russian invests strongly again this summer, they are definitely going to be making up bracket 2. I see them having a very hard fall in the next year or two, as many of their prime performers are about to exceed their Sell By date. I kind of see their Euro win as a high water mark, at least for a few years. There is still rank indiscipline at that club, it's just that RDM has come in and appeased the mob rule there - lets see how they are when they need to make a few changes (which is now). For the next couple of years I see it as being City and Utd as being the main rivals - below that it might actually be gloriously competitive for the remaining CL places. Get things right here and we could be shooting for these targets...

Sort of the point I was making in my earlier posts. There may be opportunities if, and it is a big 'if', we can get our act together. Things can change surprisingly quickly, albeit that the two Manchester clubs are likely to reign supreme

[Clark W Griswold]

Chelsea have been outstanding since De Matteo took over, they would be fools to not give him the chance next season. The one difficulty they will have is replacing Drogba, but if they do that successfully they will challenge for sure.
Agree on Arse, if RVP stays then they'll probably stay top 4, but without him they'll slip away badly. Agree on Man U as well, fergie is the only reason they are still right at the top, shame he doesn't piss off really and see how good they are then.

[Brian Taylor]

There is no logical reason for OGS. Not on his record or where he's done it. Its just because we all know OGS. If he was a non-entity then no-one would want him.  Christian Gross keeps coming into my mind.

At least they are thinking 'outside the box'. I think it is an inspired choice. Will we get him is the question.
It gives me hope that they are not 'messing' now.
Greatness will come again from fresh blood and inspired thinking!

[Concrete John]

with a massive majority of posters in favour of OGS, including me.
 it would be worth keeping this thread on speed dial for when in 6 months time we are all moaning like twats again if it all goes wrong,
 i remember the same things were being said about N'Zogbia before he signed, but now its ' why did Mcleish buy him he's rubbish' queitly forgetting we were all crying out for his signature at the time.

hindsight is a great thing, we ought to have the names of those for and against so we can name and shame depending on how it all turns out

We were right to be excited about N'Zogbia. This time, if he's still here, we may have a manager who will show why we were excited.

I'm not so sure N'Zogbia would fit in with Ole's style.  If he likes quick, short passing where his teams keep the ball moving, then would a player who likes to run with it so much, often ignoring his team mates, get much of a game?

[ozzjim]

Chelsea have been outstanding since De Matteo took over, they would be fools to not give him the chance next season. The one difficulty they will have is replacing Drogba, but if they do that successfully they will challenge for sure.
Agree on Arse, if RVP stays then they'll probably stay top 4, but without him they'll slip away badly. Agree on Man U as well, fergie is the only reason they are still right at the top, shame he doesn't piss off really and see how good they are then.

They have in the cups, but it has been attritional backs to the wall stuff a lot of the time, and that squad are old now in the main part. I think Di Matteo has done brilliantly winning what he has, but their league form has not been that good, and it will cost him. You are right though, replacing Drogba is the big issue, and that they need 2 wingers of quality.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The Manager coming in is only half the story, whoever it is will need sufficient funds to buy around 7 players.

It remains to be seen if Lerner will supply the necessary cash.