Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Smithy]

One thing I think we often skim over when looking at the final Championship league table, is that when we had everyone back from injury, and a defence of competent loan (now mostly permanent) recruits, we were by far the best team in the Championship.  THAT is the side we're building on now. I don't see us a club who scraped into the playoffs and got lucky, I see us a TEAM who blew away all before them when at full strength. I have every confidence in Smith to build on that team. 

My only concern is that there will be teams who are simply better at playing good football than we are at the current time, and how Smith will set us up against them. From what he said earlier in the summer, we're not one of those promoted sides looking ahead to where we'll get points and writing off matches against the top teams, but I also fear for us going toe-to-toe against a Man City, for example.  I still think lower mid-table is realistic, top half certainly possible

[West Derby Villan]

One thing I think we often skim over when looking at the final Championship league table, is that when we had everyone back from injury, and a defence of competent loan (now mostly permanent) recruits, we were by far the best team in the Championship.  THAT is the side we're building on now. I don't see us a club who scraped into the playoffs and got lucky, I see us a TEAM who blew away all before them when at full strength. I have every confidence in Smith to build on that team. 

My only concern is that there will be teams who are simply better at playing good football than we are at the current time, and how Smith will set us up against them. From what he said earlier in the summer, we're not one of those promoted sides looking ahead to where we'll get points and writing off matches against the top teams, but I also fear for us going toe-to-toe against a Man City, for example.  I still think lower mid-table is realistic, top half certainly possible

Agree totally, we may as well have fun and enjoy the ride. In DS I trust. UTV

[Cleybrooke]

Agree, we will play against teams who are fundamentally better than us. However, we're going to watching, in real time, a bloke learning how to compete against these teams for the first time.

Three things.

1) He's going to make mistakes and get things wrong occasionally. 
2) If he is the character we think he is, he will be absolutely up for the challenge and relishing the chance to pit his skills and resources against them.
3) From what we've seen, I firmly believe he has the skills, capability and resources to build a team who, in time, will be competing at the very top.

UTV

[JD]

Be interesting to see how he sets up for the first couple of games, Spurs away (do we go toe to toe with them?) and Bournemouth home (hope we go all out attack). Its going to be very interesting.

[paul_e]

I think the bit missing there is that he also comes across as pretty humble. Some people think that being an arrogant tit is a positive for a football manager (and it can be) but those managers tend to fall apart pretty quickly when things go against them (Bruce, Mon, Mourinho are all good examples of it). A humble man who knows he needs to keep improving and adapting will generally be much more accepting of the bad times and try to learn from them.

[Tuscans]

I think we'll be very Bournemouth like...we'll look good, then we'll look bad, we'll surprise a few and we'll get a pasting by some but we'll be decent to watch either way.

[Lastfootstamper]

I don't see a need for any continuity from last season. Smith eventually played a blinder with the hand he was dealt. Even our small dips into the loan pool showed that compared to him, all of us on here, for all our pontification, know the square root of sod all when it comes to building a side.

Now, different game altogether. I expect us to play differently, set up differently, we'll have a positive mindset, and have fresh ideas, which are something I think our coaching staff have in buckets.

To all those that got us here, thank you so much. We'll never forget you, you have our enduring love and gratitude. But we have to leave you behind now. All change here, a different future awaits us all. Nervy times, but I trust the driver.

[AsTallAsLions]

Be interesting to see how he sets up for the first couple of games, Spurs away (do we go toe to toe with them?) and Bournemouth home (hope we go all out attack). Its going to be very interesting.

Agreed JD.

Personally I'd attack both. Spurs have a reputation, fair or unfair, for starting slow. Think we could surprise them and it's the perfect opportunity to set out our stall for the season.

[KRS]

I think Dean may have to temper his tendency to keep attacking in a tight game. I’m never been a fan of sitting back but mistakes can and will be punished in the Premier League, so sometimes it’s best to shut up shop and take the 1-0 win.

[PeterWithesShin]

Apparently this is the first time since the 2010/11 season that Spurs have been at home on the opening day.

[Smithy]

Apparently this is the first time since the 2010/11 season that Spurs have been at home on the opening day.

I know this much, having seen our activity so far this summer, and the way we finished last season, they will NOT be relishing facing us - as is normally the case for anyone playing the newly promoted sides...

[Mister E]

Apparently this is the first time since the 2010/11 season that Spurs have been at home on the opening day.

I know this much, having seen our activity so far this summer, and the way we finished last season, they will NOT be relishing facing us - as is normally the case for anyone playing the newly promoted sides...

It may well take us a while to get everything workign effectively; I'd expect Spppurrrrrrss to win this; or at least draw.

[Risso]

Nah, we’ll destroy them. 3-0, and the collective dropping of jaws will be heard from miles away.

[Drummond]

Nah, we’ll destroy them. 3-0, and the collective dropping of jaws will be heard from miles away.

Because it should have been 5.

[clash city rocker]

One team I reckon we can turn over at the park this season is man utd.