Life outside the Premiership

[Jah Lush]

Oh dear... you're worst nightmare has come true. Big Sam at West Ham. Many commiserations to you.

[maxxi]

Hulking Norwegians and Nigerians with more brawn than brain are now tweeting how they've always loved WH. Rumour is there'll be a sign on the dresing room door "You Must Be This Tall To Play For This Team"

[kpc]

I'm going to go with the pragmatists and think Big Sam will get WH straight back up. His transfer style will be well suited to Gold/Sullivan, low on fees (preferably free) and pay the wages - let's face it, he managed to lure Okocha, Djorkaeff, Bobic and Campo to Bolton and got good performances out of them (plus he signed the man mountain/legend that is Radhi Jaidi). Plus, he was one of the first managers to embrace sports science/Pro=Zone analysis before it became popular. Just expect most of his signings to come under close scrutiny.

[maxxi]

possibly... it's just this 'one style at home a different one away' that worries me.

[kpc]

For balance I could list some of his less 'artistic' signings.

[maxxi]

If this Tony Fernandes thing turns out to be more than media puff then I think big Sam could be shortest-lived appointee in history. Would love to see Lotus as a shirt sponsor. Vroooom!!!

['bout now]

You can have him then kpc.

[StraferJack]

I hope so, but by golly listening to him on the radio yesterday he doesn't half love talking about himself

[huncamunca]

bleat bleat bleat, home of football, 1966, the academy, Bobby moore bleat bleat bleat.

This is not the swinging sixties and Carnaby street is no longer the place to buy your purple loons. England will never win a world cup again and you are unlikely to see Pink Floyd play their experimental choons above a pub off Oxford street

Apprently it is impossible to go back in time, but possible to go forward if you speak to physicists, so lets work on than rather basic assumption

Alladyce is a professional,thoughful meticulous manager. The reputation he gained for dull football is mostly unjust and pretty much a myth propagated by men in the pub.Given the time and support, SA will not only take Wet Spam back to the PL, but ensure their long term survival and "mid table mediocrity". he may also get a sniff of Europe in time.

Up there with expat deluded Manc Filth Demanding the Glazers walk away and Arse fans demanding Arsene Wenger should be sacked because he has failed to bring in a trophy in the past couple of years.Boo fucking hoo. Morons get too much airtime.

Turn off Talk sport and think about things before voicing an opinion.

/end

[kpc]

maxxi Wrote:

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> If this Tony Fernandes thing turns out to be more

> than media puff then I think big Sam could be

> shortest-lived appointee in history. Would love to

> see Lotus as a shirt sponsor. Vroooom!!!

Or you could end up with Lotus' owners on the shirt - Proton.

[kpc]

'bout now Wrote:

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> You can have him then kpc.

There are many Birmingham fans who would take him over Big Eck right now. I do not include myself in that number, but our style of play needs to change and it is easier to take a revised approach in the Championship.

[maxxi]

Oh hunky you old curmudgeon you got it wrong again!

A desire for attractive football is not mindless nostalgia nor is the happiness of the average footy fan measured in top-of-the-table glory or European triumph.

There IS a tradition of attractive attacking football and a desire for it but it didn't end with Bobby Moore. I remember being thrilled by the McAvennie-Cottee partnersip back in 86 and having my freezing cockles warmed by little Stuart Slater at a night cup game in 89/90, ditto Di Canio's 1st season in 98 and his goal of the season in 2000.

I've seen Rio and Joe Cole and others come in as kids and depart to greener pastures and would like to hang on to them but understand the realities of modern football and am glad I got to see them play when I did. I just worry when a manager says he will play two different syles for home and away. That may sound pragmatic but it is inflexible and will rely on set pieces and discipline rather than flair and creativity.

And another thing...

You CAN still buy purple loons in Carnaby street.

['bout now]

Maxxi shoots, Maxxi scores.

Hunky old chap, free with the vitriol, what's up? Not shifting much "art" today.

[huncamunca]

you want attractive football, then you can display it for the next few years against Coventry,Doncaster & Scunthorpe. And the odd hammering by Millwall should get the blood flowing.If thats your thing.

Personally, Survival is preferable to Flair in these hard times.Insanity I know, but Im a crazy guy.

Still, you can live the dream and appoint absurd managers - A DeCanio & McAvennie dream team would tick all the boxes. Once DeCanio has been sacked.

Krays / The Queen Mum / Blitz / jellied eels

Laaavley

[maxxi]

"Survival is preferable to Flair" I think you should have this tattooed on your knees (particularly as you seem to think it's an either/or equation).

I never asked for an absurd management appointee and would rather have seen kevin Keen given a shot - some people were calling for Chris Hughton to go to Upton Park because he was given a shot at Newcastle and took it - I think Keen would have too.

On the other hand If Bilic had been available/keen (no pun) that would have fulfilled 'fantasy' criteria and avoided the 'absurd' tag pragmatists are always so keen (again no pun - really) to hang around WH supporters necks. I am waiting with bated breath to see what happens at Swindon and am certain that whatever it is, it won't be dull.

Anthony Blunt/Quentin Crisp/CND marches/hummus

[huncamunca]

PS I have no particular issue with the Hams, indeed, I saw my last game on the terraces at the Hams, in the home end.

Keegan is out of work ATM IIRC.Likely to be more fun than Keen.

['bout now]

"The Hams"? Oh huncs you've never been there in your life. Alongside your reticence to nail your colours to any particular mast, you're transforming into the person you most despise, Boden Man, neither here or there.

[ratty]

Pompey are back anyway. New owners and a new Dawn. Ahem.

[????]

Snorky touches obn some truths

Heresey as it seems, I'm going to give Big Sam the benefit of the doubt

Nice guy - no, but look where nice guys Zola and Grant got us

Route 1 football - not utterly convinced that's fair, and the "I'd arther go down playing with flair" is a bit overstated. To be honest I'd rather go down with some spirit, hich with the exception of Parker and Noble (neither who can be described as flair) wasn't much the case this year. I think Big Sam's one dimension is a cliche of the Arsenal loving media...we will soon find out.

Big Sam has absolutely got a good record and is CRUCIALLY enough of his own man to not take shite from Sullivan & Gold ....Houghton and/or Keen been able to do that? He also says that southern and London based media never report on his teams with anything other than cliches, I suspect there's a kernel of truth in that.

Firs time we've been down and appointed a proven at all levels manager - Macari had just had seuccess at Swindon and Pardew at Reading. Billic has no form whatsoever managing Croatia...mmmmm

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt for now....I think he's more to him than Curbishley for instance (and we'd have still been in the Premiership with Curbishley) and to a degree our future, where we deserve to be, as a well suported mid-ranking premiership club depends on us getting back up there asap.

Let's face it our supposed purism an/or need to appoint 'west Ham' People has seen us yoyo fsince the Premiership started - the two decent managers we've had, Pardew and Redknapp have had to leave for, ahem, non football reasons.

COYI and, with some reservations, BIG FAT SAM'S CLARET & BLUE ARMY

PS Pity he played for the Scum tho

[maxxi]

Not asking for a nice guy (saw too much of that with Roeder). Macari wasn't nice but was still $#&! and Pardew was no pushover but was one of the best of the bunch.

"Let's face it our supposed purism an/or need to appoint 'west Ham' People has seen us yoyo fsince the Premiership started - the two decent managers we've had, Pardew and Redknapp have had to leave for, ahem, non football reasons."

Although he was pre Premiership I think that's a little harsh on Bonzo - up then down then up in three seasons is yoyo style yes but he was another who was pushed out when the club were mid table in top flight and that second promotion behind Newcastle was the culmination of a great season.

I am willing (there's no choice, idiot) to get behind big Sam (where no one can see me) but am still concerned by his determination (not to mention advance notice to the rest of the league) to play two styles home and away (hums home and away theme tune and suspects it will catch on). Perhaps he could persuade Joey Barton (no, wait, just think about it for a minute) to come and add the 'spirit'? When Parker goes we'll need a strong captain and Barton is mature enough for that now. They should go after him - he's not getting in the England team anyway (history) so what does he have to lose? Who else is after him?

As for Gold et al - they should shut up for a year.

so coyi indeed - and I hope we draw Swindon in the cup.

[????]

I think Redknapp was behind Bond's sucecss to be honest

[maxxi]

only latterly - when WH went down in 92 (before Harry arrived) they were favourites to come back up in 93, a spirit and attacking style of play and a never-say-die attitude that had been built up by Bonds was the reason. Redknapp was definitely a better coach in the long run but I think Bonds got shafted and has been airbrushed out of history a little. Now answer the question.... Barton?

['bout now]

What the best Midfielder in Britain (copyright J Barton ESQ)? Can't see it myself.

[kpc]

ratty Wrote:

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> Pompey are back anyway. New owners and a new Dawn.

> Ahem.

Just seen the new owners are Convers Sports Initiatives, So that'll be CSI Pompey from now on.

[zephyr]

Anyone have season tickets on here.

We have two at Southampton but they are putting their prices up for the coming season. I wondered how they compare with other teams in the Championship

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/javaImages/f3/30/0,,10280~9711859,00.jpg