Forget new deals for players….get Nigel signed up now!

[GrahamC]

10 minutes ago, italian dave said:

My hunch too. But maybe not as strongly as yours!

And not sure whether it’s other interests as much as just realising that there’s more to life than football - and he’s at retirement age. 

This is how he switches off & relaxes, not that he isn’t interested.

Reckon he’s always known there’s more to life than football & unlike many managers makes time to do them to keep him in a better frame of mind for his actual job.

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, glynriley said:

I’d rather have Catherine Zeta than that odious little runt. 
Him or Russell Martin, they make my skin crawl. 

I don't particularly like Parker either, not so bad but he is overrated and yet ticks boxes for varied modern club owners which is baffling.

His Fulham and Bournemouth sides should have gone up with more ease and accomplishment than they did.

[JoeAman08]

2 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

I fully agree that home form is a painful work in progress. Pearson tells us that in interviews including yesterday. However the fact we can at least go away from home and have significant spells of games on top is chalk and cheese to where we were when he took over and other Managers were calling us the worst side in the league after we’d scabbed a result off them. The laughable thing about that is our wage bill was at its highest during that period (£35m was what @Mr Popodopolous quoted the other day).

Think there are positives and negatives to Pearson is all. I am not screaming to get rid but also as someone who watches us live 30 times a year, I’d like to be more entertaining. Think the 3 away games have been that. Like say Sykes shoots first time and doesn’t score yesterday and Sam Bell hits post. I’d have still been happy with that performance and losing. I want to see more of that at home.
 

So at the minute, if you told me he sees out his contract and goes, I won’t be complaining. Much like the arguments about Lansdown, it could go either way.

[prankerd]

17 minutes ago, Bourne End Red said:

It’s up to Nige now to force SLs hand by pushing us towards the upper parts of the league during the season. He has no choice if NP does well really.

Its quite clever on SLs part because if we finish lower mid table, SL can sit back and say I was right not to back him with funds.

It is all very strange though as the job he’s done under the circumstances I would imagine any other champ club would have offered a new contract by now.

The problem is if nige does well with us this season whats stopping him from leaving end of the season for a better job with his stock high? 

Just seems embarrassing by the club to not offer him an extension, especially with the great job he has done with his hands tied behind his back.

People saying they want progressive managers in place is baffling to me, thats all well and good if you have the money to implement their systems but we don't and all the hard work would be undone.

 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Given his feats at Leicester, his turnaround of Watford at rapid speed and indeed his work here improving us under huge constraints he is no les qualified and probably moreso than a lot of managers in the top third Championship, bottom 3rd PL.

Him or Martin, him or Parker. O'Neil did fine at Bournemouth but hasn't really built anything. Kompany and Maresca in their respective jobs inherited an excellent platform. Carrick flavour of the month after 6 good months at Middlesbrough now he has a test..I could go on.

I'd genuinely take NP over a lot of managers in the top 3rd Championship, bottom 3rd PL.

If he is to go, next manager had better be a clear and obvious upgrade.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Kid in the Riot]

21 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Because he’s already told them he intends to retire?

I’m just playing devils advocate, and not saying that’s the case, or even that I think it is. But it’s a possibility, and fact is none of us know. 

Yeah I think it's incredibly unlikely he'd have let SL know that now, if that indeed was his intention. 

Far more likely is SL wants to see us higher up the table before offering Nige a new deal. 

I don't understand the retirement talk. He isn't old for a football manager, or most other professions for that matter. 

Tellingly, he also has a very active agent who is still getting him interviews for the Guardian/Athletic etc this summer to keep his profile high. And who of course also came to his defence on twitter last season! 

That doesn't strike me as the actions of an agent/manager that know they're going to be exiting stage in a few months. 

[ExiledAjax]

I don't think he'll be here next season, and I am not that bothered by that.

[Sheltons Army]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Given his feats at Leicester, his turnaround of Watford at rapid speed and indeed his work here improving us under huge constraints he is no les qualified and probably moreso than a lot of managers in the top third Championship, bottom 3rd PL.

Him or Mawtin, him or Parker. O'Neil did fine at Bournemouth but hasn't really built anything. Kompany and Maresca in their respective jobs inherited an excellent platform. Carrick flavour of the month after 6 good months at Middlesbrough now he has a test..I could go on.

I'd genuinely take NP over a lot of managers in the top 3rd Championship, bottom 3rd PL.

If he is to go, next manager had better be a clear and obvious upgrade.

Superb post 

Totally agree with every word

 

[Tim Monaghan]

35 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Please tell me this isn't a prelude to the return of LJ?

I can't think of anything worse! 

A management Team of Ian Holloway and Ian Gay as Assistant, with Robbored as lead scout? 

[Ska Junkie]

2 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

A management Team of Ian Holloway and Ian Gay as Assistant, with Robbored as lead scout? 

You might have beaten me there GR.

[chinapig]

4 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

I don't think he'll be here next season, and I am not that bothered by that.

Off the top of my head I would be bothered about:

1. Who Steve would appoint given his track record.

2. Whether a new manager comes in with his own entourage and Tinnion gets marginalised (as before) or forced out.

3. Whether there is another volte face in Steve's strategy.

4. Whether the culture change Nigel created will survive.

[Davefevs]

24 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

This is how he switches off & relaxes, not that he isn’t interested.

Reckon he’s always known there’s more to life than football & unlike many managers makes time to do them to keep him in a better frame of mind for his actual job.

I think his ability to switch off from football allows great focus / objectivity when he is at the day job.

I do cringe a bit at the “my mind is in football 24/7” or “I’ve been sleeping in the office” type bravado.  Everyone needs to switch off.

Plus Nige “employs” people to help / assist.  It’s trusting too.  He has different “sorts” too, not yes men.  Who asks the head of medical his eleven for the next game?  He’s happy to hear different opinions.

[bearded_red]

Just needs to go on a club record losing run, that’s how a previous manager earned his new contract after all..

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think his ability to switch off from football allows great focus / objectivity when he is at the day job.

I do cringe a bit at the “my mind is in football 24/7” or “I’ve been sleeping in the office” type bravado.  Everyone needs to switch off.

Plus Nige “employs” people to help / assist.  It’s trusting too.  He has different “sorts” too, not yes men.  Who asks the head of medical his eleven for the next game?  He’s happy to hear different opinions.

Your last paragraph is the telling bit.

Nige has a team who he trusts and values, and that was his first job before buying, selling or cutting wage bills.

They are completely loyal to him and he to them, that’s not to say any of them might leave to progress their own careers, he trusts them to get on with the job of coaching and his role is very much bringing them all together to pool ideas and make decisions, I’d bet  Nige rarely acts alone, he’ll carry the can for mistakes in selection or tactics as the main man, but it won’t always have been his idea that was agreed to put  into practice, you only have to watch the bench in action during match days to see that. 
 

Rennie is very evident during the warm ups and I don’t think he’s just watching for signs of injury, I think he’s very much Nigel’s eyes and ears, having followed him to Belgium, and back to here.

[eardun]

1 hour ago, Negan said:

I’m very much let him have this season and move on. Done a great job but think it’s better, providing the club get it right (if you trust them too) to have a fresh approach and a better style of play. He’s been here a while now and imo the football is still rather poor/boring. Deserves this season but I’d like to see someone else taking charge next season, but that’s just me 

Someone else would provide a better style of play? Our current performances are boring? I presume you’re either joking or haven’t experienced some of the dross under previous managers. 

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

My hunch too. But maybe not as strongly as yours!

And not sure whether it’s other interests as much as just realising that there’s more to life than football - and he’s at retirement age. 

Neil Warnock says "hold my beer"!

[GBF]

2 hours ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

Best manager in the championship, as are lucky to have him. Southampton mates would love to have him back, with money he would win the league. Nice to see us tying down Pring, Vyner but next on the list needs to be at least another 12 months for Nigel. He builds club success and surely is ticking all the boxes the owner has ever asked for….academy talent pathway to the first team, working within budgets, selling when required and coaching average players to be better. I just don’t get why we think in current climate and wage bill restrictions that we can get anyone better. Sign up Nigel now! 

Agreeed , well said. Was thinking yesterday if only Conway was fit or Kodja was playing up front with Sykes and Bell  and we would have  a good chance of play offs   Done a fantastic job with the resources available

[Red-Robbo]

2 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Those who reckon his interests outside the game mean he’s slowing down or losing focus, have completely got the wrong end of the stick for me.

 

Indeed. One of the nice thing about Nige is he clearly enjoys spending time in the West Country, has bought land in Somerset and spending time there either just chilling or tree-planting and building up the property is a major hobby for him. Someone I know who has met him said they had a humorous conversation where Pearson asked him about Bristol dialect words and brought up some Nottingham ones.  Whatever the frustrations he has at the club, he's enjoying the South West. 

[eardun]

1 minute ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Indeed. One of the nice thing about Nige is he clearly enjoys spending time in the West Country, has bought land in Somerset and spending time there either just chilling or tree-planting and building up the property is a major hobby for him. Someone I know who has met him said they had a humorous conversation where Pearson asked him about Bristol dialect words and brought up some Nottingham ones.  Whatever the frustrations he has at the club, he's enjoying the South West. 

Agree, and it’s great to see him invested/living in the area. Complete focus while he is with us. Not all experienced managers would do that in my view.

[SecretSam]

2 hours ago, CodeRed said:

A first for OTIB........15 minutes and no one's done the obligatory Nathan Jones gag.

 

Come on, then, enlighten me (I was the last person on earth to get the "Colin" gag about Warnock)

[WarksRobin]

3 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

Come on, then, enlighten me (I was the last person on earth to get the "Colin" gag about Warnock)

The gag’s been gone too long

[Sheltons Army]

4 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

Come on, then, enlighten me (I was the last person on earth to get the "Colin" gag about Warnock)

You’ve clearly been gone too long

[Nugget]

SL backed Pearson when he was long term absent, he could have let him go. Heard a mumbling from someone close to the club that Curtis is doing most of the work currently, not sure how accurate or why so will try to dig a bit, maybe still a health thing. 

[Fpcity]

If given the chance to extend I think he would. Seems like he enjoys living in the area and has a good project here with bringing through academy players albeit through the financial restraints, which I guess is always a good feeling for a manager to give young lads a chance to make a career in the game. 

Its just how much him and SL see eye to eye! 

[Fpcity]

1 minute ago, Nugget said:

SL backed Pearson when he was long term absent, he could have let him go. Heard a mumbling from someone close to the club that Curtis is doing most of the work currently, not sure how accurate or why so will try to dig a bit, maybe still a health thing. 

Interesting about Curtis, I made a remark that I see him as our next manager

[Nugget]

1 minute ago, paul_fox said:

Interesting about Curtis, I made a remark that I see him as our next manager

Yeah I thought the same, pretty good succession planning potentially if Nige maybe went upstairs to a different role or retired if he’s already being developed for it - likeable guy (plus we’re trying to sign Irish players ?!) . Like I say it was from someone that would know but they only said it briefly so I’ll try to find out more 

[Tim Monaghan]

Huge hypothetical question here. SL is a huge Mark Robins fan, I think that’s been clear. So, if you had the option of extending Pearson contract, or Mark Robins next season with a £25m war chest. What would you choose? 

[BasSavage88]

He's done better than I hoped but he's not someone that could take us forward

Let go at end of contract 

[italian dave]

2 hours ago, The Bard said:

What is a 'progressive' manager ? Someone 'on the up'?  Like LJ was or Russell Martin or any line of bluffers we could mention.

You know our owner isn't capable of separating the wheat from the chaff in this regard?

Someone proven or safe is what he should stick to and we already have one.

If only it was that simple though.

Alan Dicks was very much an ‘on the up’ appointment of a new and progressive manager. One of the most ‘proven’ appointments we’ve made in recent years was Steve Coppell.

It’s not really about old/young, experienced/inexperienced, fresh/proven and so on. It’s about good and bad, successful and unsuccessful - and that’s an awful lot easier with hindsight! 

[Superjack]

9 minutes ago, BasSavage88 said:

He's done better than I hoped but he's not someone that could take us forward

Let go at end of contract 

Sounds a bit contradictory to me.