Next manager

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Smith hasn't resembled somebody who has been at the coal face for the last two years for some time.

[chrisw1]

We have to look to someone like Pochechino or maybe Rafa Benitez, with the owners we have we have to aim big, I think they’ll try and save face and stick with Smith but surely he has to give them something before the end of this season.  If we finish with less than 32 points it could get very nasty.

There's a bit of a gap between those two but it absolutely must be someone of at least Benitez's level.  No more has beens, never was-es, or shots in the dark.

Benitez has Championship experience if/when the worst happens: he got Newcastle back up at the first time of asking

I think a lot of people are attracted by Benitez's name.  He plays the type of incredibly defensive football which if served up by an English manager would have many posters on here building the gallows in no time.

A lot of people were attracted by Dean Smith being a Villa fan.

You keep coming up with clever quips but no answers.  Which of those will come, get us up next season and kick on from there?  Most either wouldn't touch us or have already failed in far less difficult circumstances.  And then there's Hughton and Allardyce.

[hilts_coolerking]

You keep coming up with clever quips but no answers.  Which of those will come, get us up next season and kick on from there?  Most either wouldn't touch us or have already failed in far less difficult circumstances.  And then there's Hughton and Allardyce.

Look, if you think Dean Smith is the best manager this club can hope to get under current circumstances then that's your business.  Our league position indicates the weakness of that position, but again that's your business.  What you're doing is starting with Dean Smith as your answer and the working back from there, ruling out anyone and everyone.  Why will Smith gets us up next season and kick on from there?  I've seen nothing whatsoever this season to suggest that he will.  I genuinely can't see any reason why anyone would think Dean Smith is the best or only man for the job.

[SoccerHQ]

Leicester showed the way to go last season.

They'd lost 4-1 at home to Palace, it was start of March and they were 12th in the table with 32 points from 27 games (so not a million miles better than what we are now.

They went out and got Brendan Rodgers who was actually in work at the time.

He has his flaws but achieved lots in his managerial career and obviously does great work on the training ground given how well they play when everyone is fit.

It would be good to get a top level manager in his actual prime one season (Houllier was semi retired when he turned up). We used to do it no problem with Saunders, Taylor, Big Ron, Brian Little, O'Leary and O'Neill and we achieved good things under five of them.

There's plenty of decent ones out of work but obviously easier to attract them as a premier league club rather than stuck in the championship.

[Drummond]

You keep coming up with clever quips but no answers.  Which of those will come, get us up next season and kick on from there?  Most either wouldn't touch us or have already failed in far less difficult circumstances.  And then there's Hughton and Allardyce.

Look, if you think Dean Smith is the best manager this club can hope to get under current circumstances then that's your business.  Our league position indicates the weakness of that position, but again that's your business.  What you're doing is starting with Dean Smith as your answer and the working back from there, ruling out anyone and everyone.  Why will Smith gets us up next season and kick on from there?  I've seen nothing whatsoever this season to suggest that he will.  I genuinely can't see any reason why anyone would think Dean Smith is the best or only man for the job.

He did it 9 months ago.

He knows the squad and what they are or aren't capable of. It doesn't necessarily make him the only or even the best, but it gives him a pretty good base point.

Another manager has to start all over again.

[ez]

Supposing we stick with Smith and supposing he gets us back up next season, what happens then? Does he get another free pass for the following season as a reward? I think we've established he isn't a premier league manager.

[hilts_coolerking]

You keep coming up with clever quips but no answers.  Which of those will come, get us up next season and kick on from there?  Most either wouldn't touch us or have already failed in far less difficult circumstances.  And then there's Hughton and Allardyce.

Look, if you think Dean Smith is the best manager this club can hope to get under current circumstances then that's your business.  Our league position indicates the weakness of that position, but again that's your business.  What you're doing is starting with Dean Smith as your answer and the working back from there, ruling out anyone and everyone.  Why will Smith gets us up next season and kick on from there?  I've seen nothing whatsoever this season to suggest that he will.  I genuinely can't see any reason why anyone would think Dean Smith is the best or only man for the job.

He did it 9 months ago.

He knows the squad and what they are or aren't capable of. It doesn't necessarily make him the only or even the best, but it gives him a pretty good base point.

Another manager has to start all over again.

Yes he got us up, and he'll always get credit for that from me, but he has not kicked us on.  On the contrary, with the remaining fixtures we have and with our current form, you have to suspect he'll take us back down.  Then, probably shorn of his three best players, he's going to find it harder to get us promoted next time.  If and when we do get back up will he kick us on?  I don't think so.  He's shown his limitations massively this year.  I have no problem at all with a better manager starting all over again.

[chrisw1]

It's finding the better managers we seem to struggle with. 

[Big Ming]

I really don't see how a combination of Sir Brian and Ian Taylor could do any worse for the remainder of the season.

At least we might see some effort and, possibly, even something remotely resembling football.

[Risso]

He knows the squad and what they are or aren't capable of. It doesn't necessarily make him the only or even the best, but it gives him a pretty good base point.

Another manager has to start all over again.

I know what they're not capable of: keeping possession, defending from set pieces, passing to a team mate, and winning games. Getting somebody in who can do something about it rather than spotting the problems would be a big improvement.  Smith will sink back into relative obscurity once his brief charade as a Premier League standard manager is over, and my guess is he'll be much the happier for it.

[Drummond]

Yes he got us up, and he'll always get credit for that from me, but he has not kicked us on.  On the contrary, with the remaining fixtures we have and with our current form, you have to suspect he'll take us back down.  Then, probably shorn of his three best players, he's going to find it harder to get us promoted next time.  If and when we do get back up will he kick us on?  I don't think so.  He's shown his limitations massively this year.  I have no problem at all with a better manager starting all over again.

I understand theta view. And you may be right. I think we'd be in a better position (playing-wise) if we'd not gone up last summer  as I think Smith would have had time to spend with the squad. Though we'll obviously never know. Though financially we may well have been in a real pickle.

I think it was Newcastle that springs to mind as a club who went down having been dreadful and then got promoted with largely the same squad. I think we'd do similar next season (and again, I understand why people would think it unlikely).

He has shown some limitations, but he's still young and learning, he's not had the best hand dealt to him but there would be no excuses next season.

It may be harder to get us promoted again, and I'd like to give him a chance.

[hilts_coolerking]

It's finding the better managers we seem to struggle with.

We do, and it's got to stop.

[hilts_coolerking]

I know what they're not capable of: keeping possession, defending from set pieces, passing to a team mate, and winning games. Getting somebody in who can do something about it rather than spotting the problems would be a big improvement.  Smith will sink back into relative obscurity once his brief charade as a Premier League standard manager is over, and my guess is he'll be much the happier for it.

I agree with the last sentence, harsh as it is.  If we are relegated this season I'm afraid he won't manage in the Premier League again.

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We probably need 14 points possibly less. That's not a significant bounce, but st the moment beating say Newcastle, Palace, Arsenal, West Ham looks way beyond us.

Beating any of them looks beyond us. We have to stay up. Is Smith capable? As soon as that first goal in, the dial switched for me and its sadly no.

[ez]

It's finding the better managers we seem to struggle with. 

True. It's frustrating that Everton were in trouble and got Ancelotti in and now they're safe whereas we stuck with Smith. I'm sure Everton were not much better off than us at the time.