Dean Smith - Confirmed

[pauliewalnuts]

Leeds are a better side than us, which is why they are where they are and why we are where we are.

We've got a much stronger squad and a decent manager but they've got a top quality manager.

We need to be where they are next season, and DS has done, for me, just about enough to have the chance to do it, but he's really got to deliver.

I understand our weaknesses in this second half of the season, and there are mitigating factors, but he has got to put them right. Ultimately he has to deliver, and if he gets the financial backing this summer, he is going to have to produce the goods.

They're better than us if we don't have Grealish. That's why they're above us in the league. We are better than them with Grealish. That's why we were above them before he got injured.

To quote a hundred posters on here whenever this sort of stuff is normally discussed, the league table says they're eighth and we're twelfth (or whatever we are), all the rest is ifs and buts.

[tomd2103]

Dean Smith quoted in the express and star as saying we only need 2 to 3 players this summer rather than a load of players. I think this is probably right but depends on the three players and whether they are up there with the likes of Jack, so they can take some of the pressure off him. If we don’t sign a good quality defensive central midfielder I will be shocked as we have to control the centre of the park more. I reckon Tammy is nailed on, we will spend big on a 10 and I hope and pray for a DCM.

g

We need 2-3 real quality players to go into the starting XI, but also need to upgrade some of the squad options as well.  If Engels leaves, we will need to replace him; we need a better 2nd choice left-back than Taylor and we need a back-up striker which would allow Davis to go out on loan and get some game time. 

[cdbearsfan]

Leeds are a better side than us, which is why they are where they are and why we are where we are.

We've got a much stronger squad and a decent manager but they've got a top quality manager.

We need to be where they are next season, and DS has done, for me, just about enough to have the chance to do it, but he's really got to deliver.

I understand our weaknesses in this second half of the season, and there are mitigating factors, but he has got to put them right. Ultimately he has to deliver, and if he gets the financial backing this summer, he is going to have to produce the goods.

They're better than us if we don't have Grealish. That's why they're above us in the league. We are better than them with Grealish. That's why we were above them before he got injured.

To quote a hundred posters on here whenever this sort of stuff is normally discussed, the league table says they're eighth and we're twelfth (or whatever we are), all the rest is ifs and buts.

And the league table when Grealish was available said that we were above them, I don't think you can really ignore that. We are quite clearly a much better team with him in.

[Hockley Lion]

Leeds are a better side than us, which is why they are where they are and why we are where we are.

We've got a much stronger squad and a decent manager but they've got a top quality manager.

We need to be where they are next season, and DS has done, for me, just about enough to have the chance to do it, but he's really got to deliver.

I understand our weaknesses in this second half of the season, and there are mitigating factors, but he has got to put them right. Ultimately he has to deliver, and if he gets the financial backing this summer, he is going to have to produce the goods.

They're better than us if we don't have Grealish. That's why they're above us in the league. We are better than them with Grealish. That's why we were above them before he got injured.

To quote a hundred posters on here whenever this sort of stuff is normally discussed, the league table says they're eighth and we're twelfth (or whatever we are), all the rest is ifs and buts.

And the league table when Grealish was available said that we were above them, I don't think you can really ignore that. We are quite clearly a much better team with him in.

If Jack hadn't been injured I'm confident we'd be comfortably in the top half, even 8th maybe and there'd be less criticism.

[SoccerHQ]

Potter's done alright but lets face it given the crap that's gone down finishing 17th and possibly 11th points off 18th isn't that impressive.  Anyway I couldn't see the argument in giving 200m to him instead of Smith.

I think it's always important to look at managers who showed enough in how they coach in that the ability can be scaled up if given a better calibre of players.

I would put Potter in that category. A decade ago Rodgers came up with Swansea and got them playing good football and they finished 11th that year with 47 points so similar to what we've done and 5 points more than what Brighton are on. His ability scaled up no problem in the decade since compared to say Paul Lambert who also finished that prem season on 47....

Martinez was another around that time who showed good ability but was dismissed because Wigan were constantly in relegation battles...again hasn't done too badly since as in the 5 years since he's left Everton a couple of high profile managers have done no beter than him despite many more 100s of millions spent.

I think if we're looking for similar type to DS then Potter would be a decent pick (don't forget he has europa league experience aswell) but I accept he won't have the wow factor we all want from a signing or managerial appointment eventually.

[SoccerHQ]

This time last season people were saying we should get Pochettino in. He went to PSG. Somebody mentioned him again a few pages ago, along with Rodgers. We are not a step up for these people, and these kind of people, at this stage of their careers, only take steps upwards.

Edit: and according to Pitarch (who would know), had we sacked Dean we'd have been looking at Chris Hughton.

Some perspective required.

Interesting. When did Suso say this? I presume he was implying if we'd sacked DS and got relegated we'd have put Hughton in.

[Sexual Ealing]

This time last season people were saying we should get Pochettino in. He went to PSG. Somebody mentioned him again a few pages ago, along with Rodgers. We are not a step up for these people, and these kind of people, at this stage of their careers, only take steps upwards.

Edit: and according to Pitarch (who would know), had we sacked Dean we'd have been looking at Chris Hughton.

Some perspective required.

Interesting. When did Suso say this? I presume he was implying if we'd sacked DS and got relegated we'd have put Hughton in.

After he was sacked. He said (to paraphrase) that he and Dean got on fine, that Purslow was the problem. And that they'd discussed DS getting the boot. Purslow wanted Gerrard or Terry (I think), and he had identified Hughton and another Championship manager who escapes me at the moment. Guillem Balague tweeted it out just after he left.

Edit: thread here: https://twitter.com/GuillemBalague/status/1288087347528073216

[eamonn]

Balague acts the Big Balls know it all at times.

And in that tweet he says we were promoted two years ahead of schedule. It was one, wasn't it?

[RamboandBruno]

Mulled over the discussions on here and the varying viewpoints. It seems to be that Smith and his coaching staff made some concerted efforts to spot where we were weak and improve us.

with the acquisitions of Emi and Cash and the huge improvement of Targett and Konsa and less obvious improvement of Mings, they have made vast improvements to our defense.
He also tried to vastly improve our attacking intent by surrounding Jack with quality in Watkins, Barkley and Traore. Whilst the defensive changes have worked brilliantly, the attacking changes have been hindered by Grealish missing 1/3 of the season which probably couldn’t be predicted, and Barkley getting injured early on and not recovering either his form or seemingly mental strength to perform at this level, you could argue that research should of been done on Barkleys personality but maybe they thought it was a risk worth taking. Watkins has worked, Traore only in patches, which we could of coped with if Jack hadn’t got injured and Barkley hadn’t flopped.

The midfield, Luiz was probably our best player post lockdown and there was probably no reason to think his progress wouldn’t continue, but he’s stalled a bit. The experiment with McGinn in a deep lying role largely hasn’t worked.

A manager/coach lives by he decisions and is impacted by good or back luck. It seems to me that Smith has done an unbelievable job with the defense, has been hindered by misfortune in attack and has made decisions that haven’t worked in midfield. So a mixed bag.

He now needs to step up again for next season and like others have said a really good defensive midfielder to play alongside or instead of Luiz is essential, alongside another top quality attacking player to replace Barkley and another forward to compete with Ollie. Smith will then live or die by those decisions or how he coaches them.

It also seems despite all the discussions there is somewhat of a concensus on here between those in the Smith camp or sitting outside of it, that in terms of where we are there probably isn’t anyone else at the moment and he should start with us next season.

[Risso]

Wasn't Purslow's one managerial appointment when he was in charge of Liverpool, Roy Hodgson?

[sickbeggar]

Potter's done alright but lets face it given the crap that's gone down finishing 17th and possibly 11th points off 18th isn't that impressive.  Anyway I couldn't see the argument in giving 200m to him instead of Smith.

I think it's always important to look at managers who showed enough in how they coach in that the ability can be scaled up if given a better calibre of players.

I would put Potter in that category. A decade ago Rodgers came up with Swansea and got them playing good football and they finished 11th that year with 47 points so similar to what we've done and 5 points more than what Brighton are on. His ability scaled up no problem in the decade since compared to say Paul Lambert who also finished that prem season on 47....

Martinez was another around that time who showed good ability but was dismissed because Wigan were constantly in relegation battles...again hasn't done too badly since as in the 5 years since he's left Everton a couple of high profile managers have done no beter than him despite many more 100s of millions spent.

I think if we're looking for similar type to DS then Potter would be a decent pick (don't forget he has europa league experience aswell) but I accept he won't have the wow factor we all want from a signing or managerial appointment eventually.

yeah i'm not saying he's worse than Smith or better. He could be better. Or worse  I'm just saying there's no real evidence for the club to bet the farm on him replacing Smith this summer. Of course if we're bottom 5 this autumn and BHA are top 8 then people's opinion will inevitably change, but if someone at the club decided we're really going for the big time and sanctioned mega-spending this summer then unveiling Potter as the man to take us to the next level is a bit "wtf?" really. As you say, he's very in the DS mould as far as media recognition and profile are concerned.

[Risso]

Balague acts the Big Balls know it all at times.

And in that tweet he says we were promoted two years ahead of schedule. It was one, wasn't it?

It also comes across as a little bit of somebody sticking up for his mate.

[ChicagoLion]

Wasn't Purslow's one managerial appointment when he was in charge of Liverpool, Roy Hodgson?

Row

[ozzjim]

I would take Potter over Smith tomorrow. I think Deano is great, I think he has done really well to get us to safety, and then kick on, but if we are as ambitious as claimed, then he needs to be replaced with someone tactically more astute sooner rather than later. Leeds are the prime example of a manager making the difference, they have a decent championship squad with 3-4 good players on top, and Bielsa has extracted every last ounce of ability from them. No way any other manager with that squad gets close to 55 points. Spurs should be offering him the earth on a stick to go there. Problem we have is every manager in the land knows how we will line up every week, the way we will play, the time we will make subs etc. We have no variation, no ability to change things. If Smith is going to kick us on to the top 6 as per the will of the owners, he is going to have to adapt and improve too.

[Ian.]

I seriously think a little more consistency and balance in our midfield, some help or cover for Watkins, some real quality to replace Barkley (as this didn’t quite work, but showed glimpses of what could have been) we’re not far off a very good side.