Manager for next season

[DaveD]

But he's never been anywhere long enough to build a squad. He won't be able to come in and do what he knows and be successful. It's a huge risk.

[Dave]

But he's never been anywhere long enough to build a squad. He won't be able to come in and do what he knows and be successful. It's a huge risk.

He arrived at a side that had finished bottom of the league and did what he needed to do to get them promoted without a fuss. That sounds like what we're looking for.

Who do you feel is the perfect, risk-free alternative?

[Ads]

The important thing for me is that we've got it done early.

Time as ever will tell whether we've got the right, but he has good credentials.

Won silverware at the highest level and make no mistake, beating Bayern on their own patch in the European Cup final is a huge result [as much as it makes your skin crawl those chavs having their name on the trophy.]

Did well with the Albion, apparently plays some decent stuff and got the best out of average players. Seems hands off like O'Neill during training.

His inexperience of squad building is a worry, but I'd imagine he has his ideas about how he wants to play anyway.

[DaveD]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

[Dave]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

In his first summer at West Brom he signed six players and a brought in five more on loan. On promotion he signed eleven players.

How many more would he have needed to sign for the number to be "significant"?

[LeeS]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

In his first summer at West Brom he signed six players and a brought in five more on loan. On promotion he signed eleven players.

How many more would he have needed to sign for the number to be "significant"?

Ooh excellent rebuff, sir

[Stirchley Villain]

Let's face it. It's all a gamble. May as well be DiMatteo. Even Warnock would have done a job for us to a point.

[mattjpa]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

The critical thing in that though is that were we in the premiership next year he would need to build a whole squad. But ability wise I would say that 98% of this squad is good enough for the top of the championship. The problems come from bad attitude, fragile mentality, poor motivation/application and poor fitness (amongst other things) There are alot of players that need moving on granted but there are alot which should be kept I think on.

If he can identify the key weaknesses both playing and character wise, It might not be such a big undertaking as people think

[N'ZMAV]

There is no ideal (realistic) candidate. Not one.

[Chris Smith]

There is no ideal (realistic) candidate. Not one.

You're right. We are a mess as a result of years of mismanagement and whoever comes in will have a job on his hands to create order out of chaos. I am coming round to the idea of Di Matteo and I hope he hits the ground running.

[curiousorange]

At this point, watching us put in the effort and playing some decent football is my primary requirement. I think if you do that, you'll be in with a shout of promotion anyway. So if Di Matteo is the best option we have for that, he'll do for me.

[PaulWinch again]

But he's never been anywhere long enough to build a squad. He won't be able to come in and do what he knows and be successful. It's a huge risk.

He arrived at a side that had finished bottom of the league and did what he needed to do to get them promoted without a fuss. That sounds like what we're looking for.

Who do you feel is the perfect, risk-free alternative?

Agree completely he sounds like exactly what we need.

[ozzjim]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

In his first summer at West Brom he signed six players and a brought in five more on loan. On promotion he signed eleven players.

How many more would he have needed to sign for the number to be "significant"?

Who did he bring in Dave?

[cdward]

So Tony Barton must have just been lucky then..

[SheffieldVillain]

Given we are expecting to have to replace a significant number of players, I'd like someone with experience of buying significant numbers of players, and have them be successful.

A change of playing style, better selection and the odd purchase isn't going to cut it with this squad.

In his first summer at West Brom he signed six players and a brought in five more on loan. On promotion he signed eleven players.

How many more would he have needed to sign for the number to be "significant"?

Who did he bring in Dave?

From Soccerbase
Simon Cox   Swindon   £1,500,000   08 Jul, 2009
Youssouf Mulumbu   Paris St-G.   £175,000   10 Jul, 2009
Reuben Reid   Rotherham   Signed   31 Jul, 2009
Joe Mattock   Leicester   £1,200,000   10 Aug, 2009
Gonzalo Jara   Colo Colo   £1,400,000   25 Aug, 2009
Andwele Slory   Feyenoord   Free   01 Feb, 2010
Pablo Ibanez   Atl Madrid          Free   02 Jun, 2010
Steven Reid   Blackburn          Free   02 Jun, 2010
Boaz Myhill   Hull                  Free   01 Jul, 2010
Gabriel Tamas   Auxerre          Free   01 Aug, 2010
Somen Tchoyi   RB Salzburg   Signed   17 Aug, 2010
Peter Odemwingie   Lok. Moscow   Signed   17 Aug, 2010
Marc-Antoine Fortune   Celtic   Signed   27 Aug, 2010
Paul Scharner   Wigan   Free   31 Aug, 2010
Craig Dawson   Rochdale   Signed   31 Aug, 2010
James Hurst   Portsmouth   Free   01 Sep, 2010

Or alternatively including youth players:
http://www.worldfootball.net/teams/west-bromwich-albion/2010/6/