Wolves 0 Spurs 1 - Verdict Thread

[Mel Evo]

He laid into him for never criticising the performances and said something along the lines of “he deserves to be criticised for what he doesn’t say, as well as what he does, because he’s decided he has to be overly positive all the time”, which is true.

I think Spiers offered points for both sides of the discussion.

Yep. He said that too. Baffling to my mind that, regardless, he therefore concludes he’d stick with him. But people are allowed their own opinions. Personally I think he’s just struggling to walk back a bad call. But that’s just my opinion.

 

[Alan]

What I’ve seen in the last few games is inexcusable even with the players we’ve got, bad as they are. He’s absolute shit Al.

I don’t know if I’d use the same language, but I’m not defending him. I want him gone.

Frankly, I’m trying and failing to resist continuing to be a dickhead about what we’re comfortable leveling at the players. Oh well.

 

[prawnking]

if we’re trying to apportion blame then it starts to wobble for me that someone who has no tools or materials would be sacked over having built nothing.

He doesn't have no tools or materials. They may be inferior, but he still has them, and two of them are from a transfer window he was very much present and involved with.

Again, this take (and it's not just you) massively plays down the influence a good manager can have on players. Think how much Nuno got out of Doc and Bennett, as obvious examples, by putting them in a system that they understood and got the best out of them, then sending them out motivated and focussed.

If Edwards has no influence then we may as well have employed me in the job and saved the £4m and PL salary

 

[Mel Evo]

Again, this take (and it's not just you) massively plays down the influence a good manager can have on players. Think how much Nuno got out of Doc and Bennett, as obvious examples, by putting them in a system that they understood and got the best out of them, then sending them out motivated and focussed.

If Edwards has no influence then we may as well have employed me in the job and saved the £4m and PL salary

I so agree with this. And it’s what frustrates me about the Spiers take (quite liking his general style and not disagreeing with various points he makes). That view, that the manager has limited importance, is so slack, especially when taken alongside all the points made about ticket prices, culture, approach to the game etc.

Where we managed to get to as a club overall, including with the heady costs to attend, simply demands excellence in management. With no leeway whatsoever to accept anything else. At all. No ‘deserving a chance’, no ‘doing us a favour’, no ‘trying his best’. It’s simply not OK. We invest life changing money for the individual, and yet it’s a relative pittance in the scheme of things for the club to get right, so we should all demand the highest level in what is unarguably a, if not ‘the’, key leadership role in the club. Why we would accept anything other than full commitment and elite level performance staggers me.

And you can say all that and still accept that the playing staff is wildly sub par. It’s not an either or.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I think this is being over analysed.

TS was saying that this squad is so shit currently, that the key thing is improving on that, that Jackson's recruitment in the summer is the most important thing.

He didn't say Edwards has no influence, he said that even if (when) Edwards fails we can replace him and if the squad is good enough still have a good chance at promotion, just like Southampton.

That's not controversial, that's obvious.

 

[Jinky]

I think this is being over analysed.

TS was saying that this squad is so shit currently, that the key thing is improving on that, that Jackson's recruitment in the summer is the most important thing.

That's not controversial, that's obvious.

I see it from both sides. Spiers is quite correct that the squad is appalling and needs ripping up and starting again. He's also correct to criticise Edwards for not blasting said squad more if they're not following his instructions etc. @Mel Evo is correct in stating that just because the squad is sub-par, it shouldn't act as a excuse for Edwards and his (obvious) failings, or for Spiers defending him with the classic "he deserves a chance next season" line.

I'd prefer we binned the whole squad and Edwards this summer and had a complete reset, but clearly that isn't/won't/can't happen.

 

[Banjo]

Spiers is conditioned to accepting second tier mediocrity and managers that fit that level - remember how he lost his MIND when we replaced Lambert with Nuno. The irony being that people of that ilk also were the first to complain about Nuno in his final season. The evidence is overwhelming that Nuno transformed this club because of him and his team and not because of the residual structure or organisation of the club.

 

[Jinky]

The evidence is overwhelming that Nuno transformed this club because of him and his team and not because of the residual structure or organisation of the club.

Absolutely correct. They fell lucky with Nuno (because of his relationship with Jorge, not because of anything clever Fosun or Jeff did), his team of coaching staff, that particular group of players, the vision etc - it was a perfect moment in time where everything came together.

It's no coincidence that it's been a complete and utter shitfest since they left.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Spiers is conditioned to accepting second tier mediocrity and managers that fit that level.

I think that's realism rather than acceptance now.

Nuno was the outlier.

 

[sycophantia]

Just listening to it and Spiers is critical of everything in the club. He does think Edwards should be given the chance at the start of next season which is bizarre but tbh I never agree with everything anyone says.
He's bang on with the most important thing is recruitment. Dont agree that it doesnt matter who starts as coach.
Overall I like this podcast, I don't have to agree with all the opinions but it doesnt make me angry if I think he makes some points that are nonsense.

 

[prawnking]

The thing is, if Edwards is 'given a chance' (like 20-odd games isn't a chance) for the start of next season, then he'll be inextricably linked to and heavily influencing our recruitment and consequent playing approach. Our squad will be full of Dan Neil's and Tommy Doyles.

Yes, you can change that midway through a season and possibly succeed...but why are we as fans pushing that as acceptable? Haven't we had enough of that for the past few years? Haven't we learned from how it's now blown up in our faces?

 

[Mel Evo]

I think this is being over analysed.

Outrageous Don’t make me go back to the crossword or, worse, actual work!

 

[basher]

Edwards has had his chance... he's fuckin shite!

 

[Lupo]

The thing is, if Edwards is 'given a chance' (like 20-odd games isn't a chance) for the start of next season, then he'll be inextricably linked to and heavily influencing our recruitment and consequent playing approach. Our squad will be full of Dan Neil's and Tommy Doyles.

Yes, you can change that midway through a season and possibly succeed...but why are we as fans pushing that as acceptable? Haven't we had enough of that for the past few years? Haven't we learned from how it's now blown up in our faces?

This 'he deserves a chance' bullshit does my head in. This is bloody important to us and most of us can see he offers very little in today's game beyond 'work ard', 'run more', 'win duels', the evidence is there week after week. Those stats posted yesterday about his record against relegation sides was damning.

I don't want to give him a chance then have to rip it up and start again in the Autumn, the club needs to be ruthless. What other club would tolerate such a poor record as what we have seen since he took over? He is Juric levels of shit

 

[Mel Evo]

Outrageous Don’t make me go back to the crossword or, worse, actual work!

Though I don’t have many responsibilities really.

I manage Wolverhampton Wanderers.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

This 'he deserves a chance' bullshit does my head in. This is bloody important to us and most of us can see he offers very little in today's game beyond 'work ard', 'run more', 'win duels', the evidence is there week after week. Those stats posted yesterday about his record against relegation sides was damning.

I don't want to give him a chance then have to rip it up and start again in the Autumn, the club needs to be ruthless. What other club would tolerate such a poor record as what we have seen since he took over? He is Juric levels of shit

Agree.

And I think if the games he had picked up points in were against the lower placed teams the media would be more critical.

Rather than looking at the bigger picture they see the Arsenal come back, the win against Liverpool and Villa. But ignore that the strategy was like that of a League 2 team in the cup and ignore us getting bent over against sides like West Ham, Spurs and Leeds.

There is no evidence in how we have set up under Edwards to suggest that he is tactically astute.

The only notable improvement is that i think the effort and application of the players has been generally better (with some exceptions) than it was under VP.

 

[Lupo]

Agree.

And I think if the games he had picked up points in were against the lower placed teams the media would be more critical.

Rather than looking at the bigger picture they see the Arsenal come back, the win against Liverpool and Villa. But ignore that the strategy was like that of a League 2 team in the cup and ignore us getting bent over against sides like West Ham, Spurs and Leeds.

There is no evidence in how we have set up under Edwards to suggest that he is tactically astute.

The only notable improvement is that i think the effort and application of the players has been generally better (with some exceptions) than it was under VP.

There's also a lot of negativity and baggage surrounding him now for his involvement in this shit show, see the reaction to him from the stands these past few games, he's not shaking that off going into next season which is why the hair brained idea of appointing a manager in November with a view to him being in charge for the following season, no matter what, is a nonsense idea

 

[prawnking]

Shi II would make me sit up and take notice if he fucked Edwards and Jackson off the minute the season ends TBH.

Both stink of Shi I and everything he represents

 

[Lupo]

Shi II would make me sit up and take notice if he fucked Edwards and Jackson off the minute the season ends TBH.

Both stink of Shi I and everything he represents

Would give everyone a lift if we ended the season and then had the excitement of brining in something completely different rather than just giving Rob Vanilla the chance because, well because he came here for it

 

[Lupo]

Its also funny how some people on the outside see him as some sort of Championship Specialist - he really isn't. Was chatting to the Blues fan at work yesterday who says if we don't want RE then Blues will take him! I mentioned how he was sacked in January 2025 as his Luton team were heading for League One, he replied with his record this season with Boro. Small sample size though, about 14 games, the same that Ian Beale had managed at QPR when we went after him and look how he turned out