thunderball

Timing wise its a difficult call given what we are all going through and the uncertainty, ideally any new man coming in should have been here and using this time to plan and drill the players in this window (as and when they return to training). But I no longer think he is the answer and I dont think our timescales of his improvement (and the teams) and the clubs ambition are aligned. I dont think he is enough of a 'complete' coach for this level [yet] and despite his many merits, I fear the shortcomings undermine and overshadow this. He cannot set us up solidly and this has cost us, the fundamentals are just not there, and we are going backwards from a relatively bright start. EDIT: I should add that I think he would get us straight back up if we were relegated, but this papers over the cracks and would it be a case of deja vu?

It’s a smoke screen. The PL would have decided that the PR story is that they are determined to finish knowing full well further escalating events will likely change the landscape drastically allowing them to say to the stakeholders & sponsors that it’s out of their control. They will privately assure Liverpool they will be crowned champions and no one else will be bothered, and put a lid on any leaks and let this run it’s course. One thing for sure is they won’t be bothered about the EFL clubs challenging them legally, the PL is a business (actually an private entity) of the member clubs and anyone outside it has no say. Any legal action would fail in light of these extreme circumstances, some accommodation will be agreed if necessary. Players out of contract at the end of June will be as much a cause of clubs suing the PL if they are forced to play into a second transfer window, and that also means they could sign players too to bolster their chances. No way will the PL unilaterally impose special transfer restrictions to avoid this as European clubs will all have their own situations to deal with and those in European competitions will not want to be disadvantaged in equipping their squads for what is almost as much money as the PL. If there a chance there is no way the FA will risk disrupting another full season of football just to settle this mess, everyone will want to move on and put this behind them. Also money will dictate that there is no possibility of damaging another seasons income from Sky and other sponsors, especially as the Euros will be next summer now.

Today will be an interesting day with regards the FA & Clubs thought process. Clearly the bottom teams will be determined to push for a voiding, the middling teams won't have much of an agenda and the current top 5 look like they would repeat their top 5 status next season. I think Wolves may feel aggrieved, but Spurs and Arsenal might actually favour the season being scrubbed. With £1.9m per table finish placing and £79m guaranteed (assume pro rata) every one is a winner if they void the season if no one goes down and Liverpool are crowned 'Champions', the only argument may be about the games in hand and the potential of the £1.9m that may effect, but I hardly see Villa arguing too hard if there is no threat of relegation. The reality is that if they cant finish the 9 outstanding games (10 for us and three others), including accommodating the domestic and European fixtures by the end of June it cannot progress without having big repercussions due to players contracts, transfer window and preparing for next season. The question is what is reasonable?: two games a week which equals 5-6 weeks - likely more with Cups and the European competition, and Man CIty and Chelsea wont give that up easily, but that would mean it has to restart in May, and teams must be fit and ready. Its touch and go I think, and they need to satisfy Sky that their product isnt being compromised too.

That would be great but I dont think it will happen. I think thats a big jump in assumption. China are way ahead of us in this process and have had a 3 month lockdown enforced by the military and police in a heavy handed manner that will unlikely happen here unless things got very bad indeed. I really dont think people grasp just how big an issue this Coronavirus is, its going to be a catastrophic event and will effect the economy and life as we know it like a world war, this is gong to take years to recover from even if we get everything right.

You never know what will happen but don't expect common sense, all football authorities are self important, mercenary and incompetent. They exist in their own bubble of self importance and self satisfaction so really nothing would surprise me as they look to chase the money and avoid legal action. The correct decision is too hard for them at the moment - do you disrupt two seasons which means its a two year problem or just scrub the existing one? However they may well incur a fan backlash as in all honesty, this horrible situation is only just getting started and its going to get a whole lot worse, possibly unimaginably worse before we can even consider getting sport back on the agenda. The EFL promotion hopefuls and Liverpool are the only clubs that hope the season ends at a cost to everything else, so possibly 10 clubs and a few promotion chasing hopefuls, the majority wont be bothered and may even prefer to scrub it and move on rather than have two disrupted seasons. Common sense suggests this is an unprecedented situation and good taste and diplomacy would dictate that the season ends without consequence now and restarts when there is an appetite for it and the clubs/players have had chance to recover and re-focus. The one certainty is that before football restarts there will be thousands of people dead and many family situations in tatters as a consequence of the virus. Thats very sobering to me.

I really dont think teams will be able to train, nor TV crews cover it etc etc. I think the whole thing is now at a completely new and unimaginable level, and putting food on the table and peoples jobs and well being will soon be the only thing anyone is worried about.

According to an ITK the country is going into LOCKDOWN on Friday for two weeks, matters are very quickly spiralling into very new and dark territory and I think very quickly the football calendar will become very unimportant and an irrelevance. I fully expect the season to be scrubbed, it may effect next season too. FWIW, he also told me Prince Philip has died and they are waiting to announce it.

I would suggest a flop is a flop but the likely hood is you pay double for a British flop. Either way it’s a £100m’s worth of flops. To be clear on my position, I don’t believe any of them are flops. Yet.

I think we were always buying two forwards but only got one across the line. I think Wesley was always coming and wasn’t a panic buy. We did get him early in the window? I think Wesley will come good, I am glad we have him.

The problem is transfer windows are such scrum it’s difficult to know exactly what happens, there are so many complications. One thing I will say about Suso, he had to plan for Championship and Premier League. As the 3rd place promotion team we were the last to know our status and also the least attractive prospect to potential targets. We had the most amount of business to do due to ageing squad/loans/ends of contract in an inflated market. He got 90% of our business done very early, much earlier than most, so we had a decent preseason, and I think the prices we paid even now seem good value in a rising market. In January, he also did more business than any other PL team, and I think he did ok. Now not every transfer works, so his odds on failure will be more notable due to sheer volume of players. And for players to prosper they need the correct coaching, introduction and integration, no of which is down to him. Dean signed off every player, they didn’t close any deal without his blessing. Hindsight is great, but I genuinely think that no one is a dud, Jota looks just short PL ability but again he’s hardly had a chance in a pretty changeable set up. And I know Wesley is marmite, but his goal return, in a team that doesn’t really feed our forwards, is good, certainly good for a 22 y.o. and better than other teams big money summer striker targets. But successfully integrating 12 young players into a super competitive league where even the manager hadn’t experienced before, is a challenge for everyone. Just remember Suso’s brief in the biggest, most competitive market of all: 12 players minimum, average of £10m and low wages, under 25y.o. and ability to add value, must have “the right personality” I.e. Dean and Purslow has to meet them and ensure they were not disruptive. I think he did ok. Final word on Maupay: I think this was a deal that was meant to happen but agents inflated the price/wages. I think we held out for ages but also had another option which failed to materialise on deadline day. Yes in hindsight perhaps we should have paid the money but the cost of a player is the transfer fee plus agents fee, plus wages amortised over the length of the deal. I have read wages (high) and agents fee (I have read £6-8m) was the sticking point. Brighton needed him more and didn’t need as many players, they swallowed hard and paid the money (same with Bowen to West Ham, another mad deal).

I think the chances of this season finishing are very very slim. There is no way things in the country will be better in 3 weeks, it will be a lot worse. I think it’s far more likely that sport generally will be finished until September. I would bet my house that this season will be written off (and only Liverpool will be pissed off) and all divisions restart the season in the Summer, slate wiped. Hopefully we sign 3/4 decent players (Centre back partner for Mings; Midfield general; decent winger who can scamper down the wing and cross and; possibly another centre forward) in the Summer and we sort out our shortcomings. McGinn, Heaton and Wes will return to play the majority of that season. We will have a fighting chance of staying up, which is actually what we have now with 11 games in hand, 6 of which are at home where we have decent record. The only question mark is our Manager, will he be trusted by the owners given his downward momentum?

Football management is death or glory, there’s no middle ground nor shame in the sack. It’s just business, not personal. Whatever happens history will remember Smith with fondness, he can be proud of his first 12 months.

Not posting to argue, but I honestly think that not many managers would relish going up and losing most of your squad and then having the pressure of 12 new faces, many first teamers, all young, mostly foreign and only ‘average’ in quality then having the pressure of expectation because your club was the biggest name promoted, had the wealthiest owners and had spent second highest in the whole division. It’s pretty daunting to be honest. £140m on 3 players joining an established team, yes that would be something to relish as a manager, but not £140/12

He might be good in the Championship next season

Jeez, how can't people understand the basic economics of our Summer recruitment? I would argue that actually the recruitment has been good. Our midfield was our most solid element with Jack, McGinn, AEG, and Hourihane the continuity stability from last season, the only place where we had continuity, that shoudl have been further galvanised by the arrival of Nakamba (and Luiz who is only 21 so temper expectation there), but actually the midfield and system is failing us not helped by losing McGinn. I would argue that naivety and the attitude that we could play our way out of trouble was quickly dispelled but not taken on board by the Management team. I think they are out of their depth for our ambition. I know this is a thread about who is the next Manager, and I understand the irony, but with regards to the players I would preach patience.