Summer 2021 transfer window

[Tony Towner]

I'm going to stick on my guns on this. This wasn't a straight forward normal sacking. I think Jeff wanted certain things doing that Nuno couldn't/wouldn't do and hence we get the mutual consent and Nuno staying on to say a proper goodby and allowed to speak to the press etc.

Obviously reading between the lines and probably creating my own story but I am sticking with it. I've said for a few years that I don't think Jeff agrees with the small squad stuff but let it ride as it wasn't an issue. I also think there a few players we had lined up that have been vetoed and then watched as Jesus, Cutrone & Jose flopped and Podence flipped between ace to meh to shite. So we are looking at the DoF type transfer dealings where the head coach won't always get the final say and Nuno was having non of that.
So plans to try and get us to the next level but Nuno threw a curve ball and then the man we sold our soul too has stepped in.

The thing that doesn't ring true with having an issue with Nuno's recruitment is he supposedly supported Mendes' suggestions rather than going for those outside- Podence vs Olmo being the one which is normally stated. If that's the case then why take Mendes' man without any obvious question as the replacement?

 

[Tony Towner]

Hang on... he left by mutual consent, and it wasn't a drop back season, it was a 13th place finish .

Maybe they want to go back to realistically challenging for 7th place or thereabouts rather than going to the 'next level', maybe they want the club to play in a different way (that Nuno struggled with) and that's their priority.

It's difficult to say without all the info, but not so long ago lots of people on here were saying it's not Fosun's job to give us regular ambition updates

You are quoting me with whataboutery, which I know is you playing around, but....

 

[Kenny]

The thing that doesn't ring true with having an issue with Nuno's recruitment is he supposedly supported Mendes' suggestions rather than going for those outside- Podenve vs Olmo being the one which is normally stated. If that's the case then why take Mendes' man without any obvious question as the replacement?

Hey, i'm sticking to my guns here...

There are just a few things that don't fully add up for it to be a Jeff called Nuno into his office and said thanks & goodbye oh can you manage us on Sunday and be a gent in front of the press. So for me, some things were changing and taking away an element of the control Nuno had and that started the mutual consent business (of couse that means if you can't work under these new conditions then I think its time for you leave. Thats agreed too and sorting out the financials etc is easier and everyone can be polite and read from the same sheet when the press come calling)

 

[prawnking]

I'm sure we could all name manager's we'd prefer, but I think realistically we'd always be looking for someone with potential flaws. Top managers, whether experienced winners like Ancelotti or hot new shit like Amorim just aren't going to come to us, just like they don't go to Palace or Southampton or Newcastle.

I get all the concern, I'm not unconcerned, but you have to leave some room for not knowing everything as a football fan. Lage isn't a hot name, but it's not like we've put Ian Cathro in charge

 

[Wilf Wolf]

If Fosun want to get back to 7th maybe it would make sense to stick with a manager that has achieved that twice? If they want top six with a squad that has cost a fraction of the competitors for top six maybe going with a proven manager would make sense, not a half season wonder? Lage looks like a long shot gamble and any fool knows that long shots rarely win.

 

[prawnking]

You are quoting me with whataboutery, which I know is you playing around, but....

I just think it's easy to hold up this benchmark of 'next level', about 3/4 of the PL see obsessed with it. Spurs probably thought Mourinho would do it, or West Ham with Pellegrini, or Everton with Ancelotti and probably even Marco Silva, or Newcastle with Rafa.

It rarely works that way, it needs the whole club to be on it, not just a fancy manager with a name or a hot reputation

Probably only Brendan Rodgers has really done any 'next level' stuff for clubs outside the top 4, and I bet we'd have turned our noses up at him in 2019

 

[Tony Towner]

I'm sure we could all name manager's we'd prefer, but I think realistically we'd always be looking for someone with potential flaws. Top managers, whether experienced winners like Ancelotti or hot new shit like Amorim just aren't going to come to us, just like they don't go to Palace or Southampton or Newcastle.

I get all the concern, I'm not unconcerned, but you have to leave some room for not knowing everything as a football fan. Lage isn't a hot name, but it's not like we've put Ian Cathro in charge

Nuno has gone, but I think we can all agree that the worst we would have got under him next year is a turgid season with the same frustrations and a similar league position. It's not what you, I or anyone else wants, but you know the floor.

He goes, so you have clean slate, you can go with whatever vision you want, you have pockets deep enough to get any reasonable target out of their contract or pay any out of work manager what he wants. Instead you go, 'Jorge who you got'. How people are just accepting of this shit astonishes me

 

[PuntsWolf]

Can’t do anything about it can I?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

No you can't do anything about it, but you don't have to accept it if you don't like it.

I don't like it.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I don’t not like it. I’m open minded.

In my mind a month ago it was going 3 ways.

1) Nuno stays on and is sacked in october.
2) Nuno is sacked and his replacement does no better, sacked at some point between October and January
3) Replacment shows signs of progressing the club.

So if he’s shit, in my mind we are no worse off (you are free to think Nuno would have turned us around and kicked us on, if he actually wanted to...). I obviously hope 3) happens. If it doesn’t, Nuno left with his rep still intact with a good send off and we are in the hunt for a manager.

 

[prawnking]

Nuno has gone, but I think we can all agree that the worst we would have got under him next year is a turgid season with the same frustrations and a similar league position. It's not what you, I or anyone else wants, but you know the floor.

He goes, so you have clean slate, you can go with whatever vision you want, you have pockets deep enough to get any reasonable target out of their contract or pay any out of work manager what he wants. Instead you go, 'Jorge who you got'. How people are just accepting of this shit astonishes me

I don't want to bat smart comments back at you because I get (and share some of) your concerns, but I'm a little surprised that so many people are surprised that we're leaning on Mendes, when we've done so through this entire period of success we've had.

Now, whether this is a step too far is probably the question, but that really remains to be seen, surely? It's not an extreme enough appointment to be a guarantee of failure IMO, its underwhelming, sure, but I'm still intrigued

 

[Tony Towner]

I don’t not like it. I’m open minded.

In my mind a month ago it was going 3 ways.

1) Nuno stays on and is sacked in october.
2) Nuno is sacked and his replacement does no better, sacked at some point between October and January
3) Replacment shows signs of progressing the club.

So if he’s shit, in my mind we are no worse off (you are free to think Nuno would have turned us around and kicked us on, if he actually wanted to...). I obviously hope 3) happens. If it doesn’t, Nuno left with his rep still intact with a good send off and we are in the hunt for a manager.

Surely for option 3 you'd like to explore the best possible candidate out there though? Who matches your ambition, who wows you with their vision.

 

[prawnking]

Surely for option 3 you'd like to explore the best possible candidate out there though? Who matches your ambition, who wows you with their vision.

But you or I don't own the club, and we've never spoken or listened to Bruno Lage.

How many clubs really spread the net wide and go for the best possible available candidate? I think there's a danger of holding Fosun to standards few other clubs match

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't want to bat smart comments back at you because I get (and share some of) your concerns, but I'm a little surprised that so many people are surprised that we're leaning on Mendes, when we've done so through this entire period of success we've had.

Now, whether this is a step too far is probably the question, but that really remains to be seen, surely? It's not an extreme enough appointment to be a guarantee of failure IMO, its underwhelming, sure, but I'm still intrigued

I'm not going to repeat at length what I've posted numerous times before so in synopsis Jota, Neves and Nuno to a Championship club is not the same as Lage to a mid table PL one. The power emphasis shifts considerably

 

[Tony Towner]

But you or I don't own the club, and we've never spoken or listened to Bruno Lage

..and those that do didn’t speak to anyone else

 

[Kenny]

How people are just accepting of this shit astonishes me

Right now, what can we do.

Bitch until the Internet breaks is about it then maybe not buying the overpriced tickets. The point when we can tell the club what we think is when we are in the stadium and results/performances are shit. Fosun haven't seen the ugly side of our support. We never really turned on Walter or Lambert but if this one is wrong then they will know about it and see the fans won't accept this side of the Jorge Mendes tie up. Until then shouting online or getting on with shit until we can say something is all we have.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Im with TT.

Parking Lage and Mendes the process/due diligence from the club should be of huge concern.

It's one thing getting the odd Silvio or player who won't do anything to do him a favour but to be so relaxed about the most critical appointment in the football club is worrisome.

Mendes might open the door and facilitate a meeting between Wolves and Lage but that should be part of a wider interview process.

Certainly from the outside Shi is just being led down the garden path by Mendes.

 

[Jabbawolf]

If Fosun want to get back to 7th maybe it would make sense to stick with a manager that has achieved that twice? If they want top six with a squad that has cost a fraction of the competitors for top six maybe going with a proven manager would make sense, not a half season wonder? Lage looks like a long shot gamble and any fool knows that long shots rarely win.

....or stick with a manager who has got the team on a downward trajectory, playing ugly football...

 

[Carrotdude]

I don’t see how people can be so adamant that it won’t work, especially as I doubt anyone has really seen his teams play more than the odd game before. He certainly doesn’t seem like the best person we could have got but may as well see what happens rather than make the same point a million times on here. The way it is already I can see he’ll get zero credit from many people for anything we do well and jumped on as soon as anything goes wrong -even if it’s the same issues we saw with Nuno this season.

 

[Tony Towner]

....or stick with a manager who has got the team on a downward trajectory, playing ugly football...

Yet again, not the point.
Nuno going does not justify the Lage coronation