Life outside the Premiership

[????]

Di Canio confirmed as Swindon Boss....that could be fun...I fear it'll end in tears.

Football geniuses (especially the mad ones) don't tend to make good managers. Discuss

[StraferJack]

Discuss?? Any discussion is likely to be

Agreed

Agreed

Agreed

Agreed

Part of me wants to be there when Di Canio first encounters Swindon's Magic Roundabout tho' (right next to the ground as well)

[????]

Hoddle was a decent potential manager and an almost football Genius - to multi-hedge

[david_carnell]

Maradonna - greatest ever (maybe). As a manager.....loon. And useless.

At my own club (Leeds) all of our best players have been terrible managers.....Bremner, Clarke, Giles, Lorimer, McAllister. Strachan is the one that never came and given his record at Middlesborough a good job too.

I imagine someone like Bergkamp would be a great manager. Cerebral. Whereas Henry seems too much of a prima donna to ever put out cones at a training session.

Stuggling to think of one to be honest. Beckenbaur maybe.

Anyway....welcome to life in the lower leagues ???? and Mockney. I've been here a while and it's not all bad. But you'll never, ever get an away ticket. So don't try. And the games against Milwall, Cardiff and Leeds will require the entire Met Police to turn up.

[StraferJack]

Cruyff?

[Huguenot]

Rijkaard?

[????]

Cruyff - good shout

Rijkaard - not a football genius, although a very good one and a fantastic manager.

[Huguenot]

Would Klinsmann count? Maybe not a footballing genius but he had plenty of accolades.

For Germany and Bayern as manager he only lost 15 games out of 79, but it's not really a very long career.

[mockney piers]

Tony Cottee didn't do too well did he.

[Huguenot]

Cottee once managed to play for a different team in each of the four top divisions all in one season!

Which goalkeeper achieved the same feat?

[david_carnell]

Peter Shilton?

Les Sealey?

[maxxi]

(re OP) Vialli?

[maxxi]

Is Ancelotti serious or is it a come-get-me for QPR?

[kpc]

This is my football thread of preference for the next twelve months (at least).

[????]

Welcome KPC - given the Irons and Blues on the forum this may be more active than the glory boys/girls on the Football Focus one next year

Gutted for you, genuinely a lot of bad luck, injuries and i'd rather Wigan, Blackburn or Wolves had joined us next year....and not just 'cos I think your a better team and more likely to go back up ;-)

[maxxi]

I agree and disagree quids, I think Wolves and Blackburn were lucky (and Blackburn remarkably complacent) but gutted because I hate the idea of facing Blues next year instead of either of them. Ancelotti for manager now?

[kpc]

???? - you make your own luck. I think we deserved to go down for the quality of our football. Fifteen draws have condemned us to relegation, which to a large extent is down to McLeish's preference for a safety first 4-5-1. The player most missed was Zigic as he had just started a run of scoring and the team were starting to get the best out of him.

On the positive side, the board have backed McLeish. A number of players are out of contract (or their loans have expired) and will leave - please God I don't see wasters like Bentley and Derbyshire in a Blues shirt again (Hleb was never truely fit so I'll not be too hard on him). I will be sad to see Seb Larsson leave, a bargain five years ago for ?500k and one of the hardest working players you will see. He will probably end up at Stoke, Bolton or Newcastle, but should go abroad to continue improving his game.

Anyway, roll on next season and trips to Millwall, West Ham, Brighton, Pompey, Saints plus a few other southern encounters (though Selhurst is one of my least favourite grounds). Plus a few local midland encounters (Derby away is worth it just for the Brunswick pub alone). Then there's Leeds and Cardiff. And our magical mystery trip in the Europa League.

Onwards and upwards.

[????]

Letter from Scott Parker

Dear Supporter

I want to start by saying thanks once more. Not just for making me Hammer of the Year again but for backing us every step of the way in what has been a really tough season.

We know this year hasn?t been good enough. Even though I was delighted personally to pick up awards and get back in the England team, I would have swapped it all for the team staying in the Premier League.

Unfortunately that didn?t happen but this as an opportunity to rebuild a squad that will get the club straight back up to where it belongs and to build on that over the next three seasons ahead of the move to a fantastic new stadium. What I do know now is you will be needed like never before. I am absolutely sure the team can bounce back quickly and make you proud once again.

I know the players will be determined to make up for the disappointment of last season and what is really exciting is that there are several young players who are ready to step up. They can be part of this club?s future for a long time.

I know from first hand that there is some exciting new talent coming through the ranks to stake a claim.

Together in the new season, everyone starts with a clean slate and the club has the chance to make sure this new chapter in West Ham?s history is as exciting on the pitch as it will be off it.

All the lads will be doing their best to make that happen but as a team ? players and fans together ? is when you can most make things happen.

Thanks again for your fantastic support ? you?ve been amazing and I hope you stick with the team on the journey to bigger and better things next season.

Come on you irons!

Scott Parker

No.8

Where's the

PS - Will be watching your progress keenly from the Emirates next year :))

[maxxi]

I think he may want to link up with Harry Redknapp - so he's off to Chelsea

[????]

Anyone but that lot at the Lane, please

[maxxi]

...and anyone but big sam or warnock pleeeeease.

['bout now]

Right I'm out. Allardyce! ALLARDYCE? I was thinking about a season ticket for next year but not now, I am taking a hiatus from WHUFC until he's gone. Hopefully by October/ November.

He's going to stand in a technical area with "the Academy of Football" written in large letters. Sullivan/ Gold/ Brady....Idiots.

[mockney piers]

I know, absolutely gutted from Ilford when I heard that this morning.

Probably lowest on my list, well, maybe after warnock.

He stands for everything that West Ham stands against.

[mockney piers]

Another good article. http://jlmd.blogspot.com/2011/05/fallen-edifice.html

I must say I want to be persuaded by his heretical pragmatism, but....but...allardyce.....

['bout now]

Does he work as Gold's guerilla PR man?

I forgot that Fat Sam played for Millwall as well but I'll never forget that most of his technical savvy came straight from American football and that's the most meat-headed sport in the world. Fact.

Lets form a breakaway club, West Ham United United FC. Trails on Hackney marshes, Saturday.....anyone??

Gus Poyet was always my choice.