Fordy62

15 hours ago, Shev said:

Wycombe fan here. I just wanted to post as we have come up against Liam Manning's sides a few times, and I have been very impressed with what he has accomplished. I was just mentioning him a week or so ago to a friend as the face of a new breed of younger British managers who have a bit more nuance (and almost continental understanding) of the game, compared to the "up and at 'em" ethos of yesteryear.

For context on his MK sacking, he had them playing amazing football in 21/22, coming 3rd and very close to the autos. However, they sold their best player and had a lot of top quality loanees who went back, and they simply could not replace well enough, leading to a bad start to 22/23 and a sacking (MK would end up relegated too). He went to Oxford who were floundering, kept them up, and then cracked on excellently this season.

I really think his style is suited to higher up the divisions, which is why in theory he is an excellent hire. He is one of those (along with Mousinho at Portsmouth and others) who I expect to work his way up one way or another. We are not talking about hiring some clogger from the lower leagues, but someone with a very good grasp of the game.

Of course it could come unstuck - who knows if he will have enough credibility with the players, and the Championship is so competitive that it is easy to go on a bad run. It also may take him a while to bed in. But seeing as you tend to be a pretty loyal club with managers, my money is on him being a success with you.

Oh, and if he could actually develop Mehmeti, so much the better!

Thank you for a considered and insightful post. 

But please, let’s put to bed this ‘loyal club with managers’. We’ve been loyal once. Once ever. And that was to a family friend. Cotterill - no loyalty. Pearson - no loyalty. 

The Lansdowns seem to have been afforded this ‘patient owners’ tag, it’s peddled by Sky because they allowed Johnson to lose a million in a row, twice. And with respect, its bollocks. Take nepotism out of the equation and They’re no more patient than any other owners in reality (barring maybe Watford).

I hope you’re right about Manning. Good luck for the season.  

Just now, The Coach said:

So what was their purpose? 
 

To support the clubs decision to sack Pearson?

Yes. Quite obviously so. 

I’d like him to bring in Nige as his assistant.  

So… I understand we’re being afforded a 30 minute window to mourn Curtis Fleming?

3 minutes ago, Frenchay Red said:

JL is definitely ITK, but that doesn't stop him talking rubbish 

Yes. Bizarrely ITK and simultaneously full of shit. 

In all the years Nothing I’ve ever seen of Phantom would ever lead me to believe that he’s in any way a bull shitter. He’s a forum stalwart and if he says something then it’s either true, or he’s mistaken. 

What I will say however is the influx of new members who appear to share the same down trodden opinion of Nige is bizarrely coincidental - almost like something is going on. 

Have we appointed Manning yet?

Just now, Super said:

3 now!

I’d still rather have any other striker. 

Jackson may have a brace but he’s still dog shit. 

What in gods name are Spurs doing?!

Genuinely don’t think Jackson would get into our team. 

7 minutes ago, Ecko said:

Extremely frustrating when refeers acknowledge a player diving, but doesn't book them!

It should be mandatory. 

You see I didn’t think it was a dive. I think there was sufficient contact for Sterling to be put off balance and go down, but not enough for a pen. I think there can be middle ground sometimes. 

1 minute ago, Silvio Dante said:

Just said on commentary that Spurs have had ten days rest. No wonder there are hamstring injuries happening, they’re running serious risk of deconditioning.

You’d have thought Big Ange would have known that.

Yep. Even Tinnion knows that. 

That’ll be 8-10 weeks without van de ven. 

I remember doing mine trying to stop a quick single. I had no experience of torn muscles so I got straight back up and tried to go field the ball. Completely purple from knee to buttock. 

Simply cannot believe that double footer wasn’t a red. Ridiculous. 

3 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I'm not watching, but I thought you couldn't give a red and a penalty?

Dangerous play. 

Insane game. 

Never seen anything like it. What a liability. 

The officials must have. Absolutely ridiculous decisions going on at the spurs/Chelsea game. 

Spurs should be down to nine and yet VaR seems to be ignoring everything. 

Good game tho. 

6 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

 

Oh no !

Not the dreaded Johnson Twins !

 

Almost like a joke: what’s worse than Lee Johnson?

Two Lee Johnsons. 

Just now, Numero Uno said:

It’s Sammy Allardyce………

Now bizarrely that would be interesting. 

I can imagine the official social media channels now:

he’s coming home, he’s coming home, he’s coming…  

3 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Well, if it’s good enough for @BendSinister86 it’s good enough for me - who could it be!

What’s Cotts’ entrance music?

5 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

This is great news. Thank you for posting (I don't do ****er).

But what on earth is that machine he's strapped into????

Also - if I've read it right - Proctor used to be at Oxford United!

Looks like the queen alien got hold of him. 

1 hour ago, LoyalRed said:

It seems a little unusual to leave a team in 2nd place with a good chance of getting promotion.  It would be a nice addition to his CV to gain a promotion with Oxford.

I’d clean bins if you trebled my wages. 

I bet a thousand quid he’ll pay tribute to the ‘platform’ Nige has laid. 100%. 

His Oxford team are playing ‘fast, attacking front foot’ football. 

And he’s inexperienced enough to be a yes man. 

That’s both boxes ticked then. 

Good luck to him, although I can’t help but feel pretty ambivalent to it all now.