The Final Four Candidates?

[redsapper]

I was at an FA dinner where Nigel Atkins was the guest speaker. He was asked about his next job he wanted. 
 

His response was he wanted a project where he could advance a club. He did a great job at Southampton before they replaced him with Mauricio Pochettino   
 

A good fit from my point of view. 

[Red7]

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Adkins (or I’m sure his name will be Atkins should he get it) is a massively underrated manager imho.

 

 

23 minutes ago, redsapper said:

I was at an FA dinner where Nigel Atkins was the guest speaker. He was asked about his next job he wanted. 
 

 

It's already started...

[Steve Watts]

17 hours ago, Redtucks said:

......by whom???

Steve Lansdown? Mark Ashton? The tea lady? Your mate? or what?

 

I've been told the same thing.....

...unfortunately I've been told by Whites in the OP, so it goes to show how little credence you can lend to the phrase "I've been told"...

[Phileas Fogg]

Adkins, whilst not a totally terrible choice, doesn’t have the glamour or PR for what lots of fans are after.

Fans are looking for the club to make a statement with this appointment. After being linked with Gerrard or Hughton, Atkins would be very underwhelming to many.

[GrahamC]

1 minute ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Adkins, whilst not a totally terrible choice, doesn’t have the glamour or PR for what lots of fans are after.

Fans are looking for the club to make a statement with this appointment. After being linked with Gerrard or Hughton, Atkins would be very underwhelming to many.

He would.

But there is a big difference between underwhelming & unproven & unlike Lowe, Flynn or Wellens, or a range of random foreign coaches with no Championship experience, he isn’t the latter.

[Red Exile]

2 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Adkins, whilst not a totally terrible choice, doesn’t have the glamour or PR for what lots of fans are after.

Fans are looking for the club to make a statement with this appointment. After being linked with Gerrard or Hughton, Atkins would be very underwhelming to many.

 

Just now, GrahamC said:

He would.

But there is a big difference between underwhelming & unproven & unlike Lowe, Flynn or Wellens, or a range of random foreign coaches with no Championship experience, he isn’t the latter.

Agreed. Personally I'd be more encouraged by a Nigel Adkins than a Gerrard. If we're looking for a 'been there, done that' manager, who knows what a Championship promotion dressing room looks and feels like, then he deserves consideration. And that's what I'd be looking for right now. I'd like Hughton but Adkins isn't a bad shout.

[Shaun Taylor]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

He would.

But there is a big difference between underwhelming & unproven & unlike Lowe, Flynn or Wellens, or a range of random foreign coaches with no Championship experience, he isn’t the latter.

Leave Wellens out he wasn't even in the frame

[soultrader]

15 hours ago, MarcusX said:

Is he?

Kept Scunthorpe up once out of 2 attempts with them, which is probably a good achievement.

Did well with Southampton, was unfairly treated there but in hindsight worked out with Poch

Came close with Reading to playoffs in first season, then well off and sacked.

Led Sheff Utd to their lowest finish in League 1 in 30 years, sacked.

Relegation battle and mid table finish with Hull.

I'd say the Southampton success is the outlier there rather than the standard.

Another Streaky manager?

[Phileas Fogg]

20 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

He would.

But there is a big difference between underwhelming & unproven & unlike Lowe, Flynn or Wellens, or a range of random foreign coaches with no Championship experience, he isn’t the latter.

 

18 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

 

Agreed. Personally I'd be more encouraged by a Nigel Adkins than a Gerrard. If we're looking for a 'been there, done that' manager, who knows what a Championship promotion dressing room looks and feels like, then he deserves consideration. And that's what I'd be looking for right now. I'd like Hughton but Adkins isn't a bad shout.

I agree with both of you. I think there'd be many on here who'd be content with Adkins. He wouldn't be my top choice personally, I know it's all superfluous but I believe the fans need a bit of a lift and appointing someone with a bit of a reputation is the right move at the moment.

[Red Exile]

6 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

 

I agree with both of you. I think there'd be many on here who'd be content with Adkins. He wouldn't be my top choice personally, I know it's all superfluous but I believe the fans need a bit of a lift and appointing someone with a bit of a reputation is the right move at the moment.

Oh, I agree. But Adkins would appeal far more to me than a 'trust me on x/y/z' announcement from Mr Lansdown.

[mozo]

6 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

There are no guarantees in football you're quite right. Look at Coppell for a start! 3 promotions, manager of the season for taking Reading up as runaway Champions then into the top half.

One of his more recent spells at Crystal Palace- late 1990s- when they were deep in admin, he kept up and restored to some respectability- only for Simon Jordan to sack him I think.

Yet he left us after a less than full and enthusiastic buildup into pre season then two games!

All are an upgrade though. Guarantee? Is there such a thing.

I know he hasn't the promotions and isn't sought after like those you list but I'd still be interested in seeing what Paul Cook could do.

I think we use Coppell as an example too often. He's a total outlier because that was a very rare set of circumstances. Fact is, he was a great appointment on paper and we could appoint another 50 managers of his calibre and not have anything similar happen.

[soultrader]

10 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think we use Coppell as an example too often. He's a total outlier because that was a very rare set of circumstances. Fact is, he was a great appointment on paper and we could appoint another 50 managers of his calibre and not have anything similar happen.

I agree. But also wonder if the way the club would have appointed Coppell if it were run how it is now?  

If CH is appointed you would have to say he clearly wants the job.   From the outside it does appear as if the club has not fawned over him in order to get a head coach.   

[GrahamC]

41 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think we use Coppell as an example too often. He's a total outlier because that was a very rare set of circumstances. Fact is, he was a great appointment on paper and we could appoint another 50 managers of his calibre and not have anything similar happen.

Good point.

Coppell is frankly a very strange person & also had previous for doing this with his short time at Man City.

We should probably have all seen the signs coming when he chose not to take up post for the final weeks of the previous season after being appointed.

The stuff about visiting his son instead was all pretty odd & whatever the whys and wherefores about the David James’ business, he exhibited absolutely no enthusiasm for being here during his brief spell.

Managers can be very different personality types (contrast say, SOD & Cotts) but in both those cases it was blatantly obvious they were completely committed & working as hard as they possibly could.

I have no idea why Coppell ever said yes to us, as he clearly didn’t want to be here, as you say I very much doubt that will happen again whoever we appoint.

[Lez]

One manager I wouldn't mind seeing here is the Barnsley coach. What a job he did and clear philosophy.

Just now, GrahamC said:

Good point.

Coppell is frankly a very strange person & also had previous for doing this with his short time at Man City.

We should probably have all seen the signs coming when he chose not to take up post for the final 4-6 weeks of the previous season after being appointed.

The stuff about visiting his son instead was all pretty odd & whatever the whys and wherefores about the David James’ business, he exhibited absolutely no enthusiasm for being here during his brief spell.

Managers can be very different personality types (contrast say, SOD & Cotts) but in both those cases it was blatantly obvious they were completely committed & working as hard as they possibly could.

I have no idea why Coppell ever said yes to us, as he clearly didn’t want to be here, as you say I very much doubt that will happen again whoever we appoint.

Mental health issues re:Coppell.

[LondonBristolian]

13 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think we use Coppell as an example too often. He's a total outlier because that was a very rare set of circumstances. Fact is, he was a great appointment on paper and we could appoint another 50 managers of his calibre and not have anything similar happen.

True. His specific circumstances are very rare and unlikely to be repeated. But the list of big name experienced managers who were seen by the media as sure to deliver promotion for their teams and failed completely is a long one.

Eriksson at Leicester, Pearson at Derby, both Hoddle and Taylor at Wolves in the 90s, Karanka at Forest, McLaren at Derby, Pulis, Strachan and Mowbray at Middlesbrough, Warnock, Monk and others are Leeds and this is is just off the top of my head.

It is unlikely in the extreme that a Coppell esque situation will happen anywhere in the Championship next season. It is extremely likely there will be one of two big name appointments that fail and one or two under the radar appointments succeed.

[Shaun Taylor]

49 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

 

Agreed. Personally I'd be more encouraged by a Nigel Adkins than a Gerrard. If we're looking for a 'been there, done that' manager, who knows what a Championship promotion dressing room looks and feels like, then he deserves consideration. And that's what I'd be looking for right now. I'd like Hughton but Adkins isn't a bad shout.

Adkins done a pretty good job at Southampton but he's only been average at Reading,Sheffield Utd and Hull. What might put your chairman off is he only tends to be at a club for around 80 games or two seasons and that he's been out of management for over a year  

[italian dave]

8 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Good point.

Coppell is frankly a very strange person & also had previous for doing this with his short time at Man City.

We should probably have all seen the signs coming when he chose not to take up post for the final 4-6 weeks of the previous season after being appointed.

The stuff about visiting his son instead was all pretty odd & whatever the whys and wherefores about the David James’ business, he exhibited absolutely no enthusiasm for being here during his brief spell.

Managers can be very different personality types (contrast say, SOD & Cotts) but in both those cases it was blatantly obvious they were completely committed & working as hard as they possibly could.

I have no idea why Coppell ever said yes to us, as he clearly didn’t want to be here, as you say I very much doubt that will happen again whoever we appoint.

All true, but nevertheless still worth remembering that his was probably the last appointment greeted with almost unanimous approval by fans. 

[Lez]

13 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Good point.

Coppell is frankly a very strange person & also had previous for doing this with his short time at Man City.

We should probably have all seen the signs coming when he chose not to take up post for the final 4-6 weeks of the previous season after being appointed.

The stuff about visiting his son instead was all pretty odd & whatever the whys and wherefores about the David James’ business, he exhibited absolutely no enthusiasm for being here during his brief spell.

Managers can be very different personality types (contrast say, SOD & Cotts) but in both those cases it was blatantly obvious they were completely committed & working as hard as they possibly could.

I have no idea why Coppell ever said yes to us, as he clearly didn’t want to be here, as you say I very much doubt that will happen again whoever we appoint.

Some very interesting things re Coppell hidden on the internet very wary of putting it in here though.

[Dan Robin]

The mysterious Fantastic Four (2020), directed by Mark Ashton 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Good point.

Coppell is frankly a very strange person & also had previous for doing this with his short time at Man City.

We should probably have all seen the signs coming when he chose not to take up post for the final weeks of the previous season after being appointed.

The stuff about visiting his son instead was all pretty odd & whatever the whys and wherefores about the David James’ business, he exhibited absolutely no enthusiasm for being here during his brief spell.

Managers can be very different personality types (contrast say, SOD & Cotts) but in both those cases it was blatantly obvious they were completely committed & working as hard as they possibly could.

I have no idea why Coppell ever said yes to us, as he clearly didn’t want to be here, as you say I very much doubt that will happen again whoever we appoint.

Why didn't it (as far as we know) crop up through most of his career. 

Man City aside of course- who were at that time a fairly shambolic club.

[LondonBristolian]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Why didn't it (as far as we know) crop up through most of his career. 

Man City aside of course- who were at that time a fairly shambolic club.

I think it was partly circumstance. He'd managed Reading for 6 years and nearly quit a year before he did when they were relegated but the fans wanted him to stay. His last season fell away and I remember at the time there as a sense he had fallen out of love with the job.

He then had a season out and I reckon he joined us, it was (whether he thought of it that way himself or not) a test to see how he felt about football and whether he still wanted to be involved in the game. I think his hope was that he'd join a new team and get the enthusiasm back but then found that it just didn't work that way. I suspect we were shambolic and that didn't help and probably hastened things but I think the overriding thing was he had had enough of management. I think it notable that he didn't manage a club for five years after he left us and, once he did, it was clubs in India with a completely different set of pressures and challenges. I think what happened went way beyond him not wanting to manage us and was basically him not wanting to manage. 

[RedNachos]

On 26/07/2020 at 13:46, Whites said:

I've been told that there have been Four interviews, two of which were at Ashton Gate, these were Chris Hughton and Nigel Adkins, who we are keen on apparently. I'm not sure who the other two were, but these were outside of Ashton Gate. 

 

Make of that what you will.....

Any point in asking you who told you this?

[AppyDAZE]

6 minutes ago, RedNachos said:

Any point in asking you who told you this?

The voices

[Phileas Fogg]

If we're interviewing 'between 5-8' as per Gregor we now know at least 3 if we can assume Holden will get an interview. I wonder if Robbie Fowler has or will be interviewed.

1. Houghton
2. Cook
3. Holden?

[mozo]

8 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

If we're interviewing 'between 5-8' as per Gregor we now know at least 3 if we can assume Holden will get an interview. I wonder if Robbie Fowler has or will be interviewed.

1. Houghton
2. Cook
3. Holden?

I'm guessing Hughton, Cook, Fowler and Flynn.

[Phileas Fogg]

5 minutes ago, mozo said:

I'm guessing Hughton, Cook, Fowler and Flynn.

Apparently Flynn not being interviewed - I think it was Gregor who said that yesterday. Lowe has been relatively short odds in the betting, but again nothing firm on him being interviewed either. 

[City oz]

9 minutes ago, mozo said:

I'm guessing Hughton, Cook, Fowler and Flynn.

Fowler, Flynn, Michael O Neil from Stoke are my top 3

[italian dave]

On 28/07/2020 at 06:29, JonDolman said:

Struber right near the top of my list. 

Plays a diamond 442, so no wingers with 2 mobile strikers.

Think that may suit us. Or sometimes he goes 352 which would also suit us.

He did a remarkable job with a team that wasn't his. A very young team that were heading down.

He brought in a couple I think in January for very little money. Centre back he signed seemed to help tighten them up a lot at the back.

I rate him.

And Barnsley would just love us if we pinched their manager again! We might even hear from Barnsley Tyke, or whatever his name was!

[Major Isewater]

On 26/07/2020 at 17:36, mozo said:

I could imagine Robbie Fowler being a candidate as a sort of second rate Gerrard option. He gave a deliberate interview that was shared on OTIB a while ago in which he talks about being influenced by and connected with Klopp. He talked boasted that he's a man-manager type. 

Here’s his record according to Wiki .

Screams promotion to the Prem doesn’t it ? 

 

[mozo]

34 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Apparently Flynn not being interviewed - I think it was Gregor who said that yesterday. Lowe has been relatively short odds in the betting, but again nothing firm on him being interviewed either. 

Yeah sorry, I think I was mistaking Flynn for Lowe there. There haven't been any leaks on Lowe that I recall but I reckon he was one of them. If not, then a foreign name.