New England Manager

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Had this argument with a coach years and years ago (anyone know Dick Oxtoby), i was playing at the time for Silcoms in the old Combination and he used to have us in Breightmet gym with medicine balls, running us into the ground til our legs were like jelly.

At the end of a 2 hour training session, which was mostly repetitive circuit stuff, he'd let us get the ball out and have a 5 or 7 a side match.

I once asked him why we didn't get the ball out earlier and do perhaps 50/50 training and ballwork.

You'd have thought i'd asked him to sell his soul to the devil, he went ballistic, dropped me from the side for the next game and i left soon afterwards.

Modern English footballers are taught to be athletes first and ability is a very poor second.

Strange how Croatia didn't need tremendous athletes to stroke their way around us last night though?

You've got to earn the right to play football, every Englishman knows that one!

Seriously though, playing 5 or 7 or side when everyone is fooking knackered sounds like a good way to make everyone rely on skill rather than sheer physicality...

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Thank god Paul Ince won't be on the selection panel - is he taking the piss?

I wouldn't look any further than Hoddle.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 107060.stm

The main thrust of the article suggests what anyone who's been paying a blind bit of notice to Mourinho already knows - he doesn't want the job.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

I realise he has ruled himself out, but I reckon Allardyce would take the job if the FA offered it to him.

I'm not surprised that a man of his ego has decided against wearing his heart on his sleeve this time round, and as we all know, it would do him no favours with the Geordies if he did.

With Mourinho not wanting the job, Hiddink unavailable, and the other top available managers being Italians who don't speak English, I do think Allardyce is the man for the job. Better than O'Neill, anyway.

[communistworkethic]

I realise he has ruled himself out, but I reckon Allardyce would take the job if the FA offered it to him.

.

he'll be in need of a job by the time the FA get around to looking at candidates

[WhiteArmy]

Had this argument with a coach years and years ago (anyone know Dick Oxtoby), i was playing at the time for Silcoms in the old Combination and he used to have us in Breightmet gym with medicine balls, running us into the ground til our legs were like jelly.

At the end of a 2 hour training session, which was mostly repetitive circuit stuff, he'd let us get the ball out and have a 5 or 7 a side match.

I once asked him why we didn't get the ball out earlier and do perhaps 50/50 training and ballwork.

You'd have thought i'd asked him to sell his soul to the devil, he went ballistic, dropped me from the side for the next game and i left soon afterwards.

Modern English footballers are taught to be athletes first and ability is a very poor second.

Strange how Croatia didn't need tremendous athletes to stroke their way around us last night though?

You've got to earn the right to play football, every Englishman knows that one!

Seriously though, playing 5 or 7 or side when everyone is fooking knackered sounds like a good way to make everyone rely on skill rather than sheer physicality...

Give the kids the ball, and they will play.

[ratbert]

I've just issued a press release......

Commie honoured by England Job

Communistworkethic, the TW regular and sometime columnist, has today made himself available for the vacant England managers position.

The 30-something Boltonian has made no secret of his desire to manage the national side.

"Anyone would be honoured to take the £5million-a-year job," he said at the coffee machine this morning.

"You'd be mad to turn it down, I'd snap the FA's hands off if they offered it to me. Obviously the workload of 8 games a year on average, would be tough to fit in, but you'd be prepared to make sacrifices for the compensation the role brings."

I went for the job as well:

Veteran TW poster, editor, writer and all-round master of the universe Ratbert is the latest candidate to show his interest in the England manager's job.

Ratbert told TalkDrivel presenter Adolf Hitler today: "If Steve McClaren can be utterly sh*te at the job and get paid £2 million, I certainly deserve a go. You should see me lose against the PlayStation at FIFA 2005 every week."

Pumpkin-headed FA big cheese Brian Barcode said: "Who?"

[Tombwfc]

I realise he has ruled himself out, but I reckon Allardyce would take the job if the FA offered it to him.

I'm not surprised that a man of his ego has decided against wearing his heart on his sleeve this time round, and as we all know, it would do him no favours with the Geordies if he did.

With Mourinho not wanting the job, Hiddink unavailable, and the other top available managers being Italians who don't speak English, I do think Allardyce is the man for the job. Better than O'Neill, anyway.

I would've had Allardyce first team round, save for him being our manager of course. But since he's gone up there, and in the latter parts of his tenure here, i just think he's not got the tactical ability to manage a top side with big expectations. It's probably more bitterness than anything, though i can't imagine he'd garner too many favourable reviews in the press if we went to San Marino looking for a point for example.

I'd have Capello, you can teach a man English (Or maybe not, Hiddinks Russian is about as good as mine), but you can't teach him how to be a great manager, which he is. Again he's got a bit of a reputation for being pragmatic and a bit dull, but for me thats the only way we're ever going to win things with these players. We're not technically good enough to play total football.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

I would've had Allardyce first team round, save for him being our manager of course. But since he's gone up there, and in the latter parts of his tenure here, i just think he's not got the tactical ability to manage a top side with big expectations. It's probably more bitterness than anything, though i can't imagine he'd garner too many favourable reviews in the press if we went to San Marino looking for a point for example.

I'd have Capello, you can teach a man English (Or maybe not, Hiddinks Russian is about as good as mine), but you can't teach him how to be a great manager, which he is. Again he's got a bit of a reputation for being pragmatic and a bit dull, but for me thats the only way we're ever going to win things with these players. We're not technically good enough to play total football.

English is the world's lingua franca though Tom, and Hiddink speaks it fluently, just like 85% of Dutchmen do.

And given that the Dutch are used to juggling usually 3 languages from an early age, they are good at assimilating extra languages too, so I'd venture that unless there's something I don't know about your background or education, Hiddink's Russian is considerably better than yours!

You're right though, it's not an insurmountable problem for Cappello, and he would be a decent appointment.

I'm just saying that I'd appoint Allardyce.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Oh, and as for Allardyce's record at Newcastle - he's had 12 games to deal with Newcastle's expectations and he's only 5 points off the European spot. Surely it's too early to take much from what he's done there, especially seeing as he's a long-term project kind of guy.

[WhiteArmy]

Oh, and as for Allardyce's record at Newcastle - he's had 12 games to deal with Newcastle's expectations and he's only 5 points off the European spot. Surely it's too early to take much from what he's done there, especially seeing as he's a long-term project kind of guy.

I agree with you there mate, i don't think he's doing toooooo bad a job up there, and we all know Allardyce will change things rapido if the personnel he has aren't doing it for him.

I think he's inherited decent players, but whether they can be a decent team remains to be seen.

I'd have Allardyce as well, the guy would have taken it up the dirter to have had a crack (pardon the pun) at it last time.

At least he has the passion.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Oh, and as for Allardyce's record at Newcastle - he's had 12 games to deal with Newcastle's expectations and he's only 5 points off the European spot. Surely it's too early to take much from what he's done there, especially seeing as he's a long-term project kind of guy.

I agree with you there mate, i don't think he's doing toooooo bad a job up there, and we all know Allardyce will change things rapido if the personnel he has aren't doing it for him.

I think he's inherited decent players, but whether they can be a decent team remains to be seen.

I'd have Allardyce as well, the guy would have taken it up the dirter to have had a crack (pardon the pun) at it last time.

At least he has the passion.

I agree (I think ).

Allardyce has only had 12 Premier League games to have a proper look at what he's working with up there - and we all know that whilst he's prepared to sign players to have a look at them, if they don't come upto the grade pretty quickly then they don't play and they get shipped out.

I don't think he's worked out quite how he wants to play yet, partly because of the same Michael Owen factor that McClaren has grappled with poorly. If he's fit and on form, then it changes everything, but having him tantalisingly on the brink of fitness (or more precisely, another injury) is something that is difficult to deal with.

The only way to judge Allardyce sensibly is to look whether Newcastle are challenging for the top 5/6 places regularly in a couple of seasons' time.

[BWFC_Insane]

Oh, and as for Allardyce's record at Newcastle - he's had 12 games to deal with Newcastle's expectations and he's only 5 points off the European spot. Surely it's too early to take much from what he's done there, especially seeing as he's a long-term project kind of guy.

I agree with you there mate, i don't think he's doing toooooo bad a job up there, and we all know Allardyce will change things rapido if the personnel he has aren't doing it for him.

I think he's inherited decent players, but whether they can be a decent team remains to be seen.

I'd have Allardyce as well, the guy would have taken it up the dirter to have had a crack (pardon the pun) at it last time.

At least he has the passion.

I agree (I think ).

Allardyce has only had 12 Premier League games to have a proper look at what he's working with up there - and we all know that whilst he's prepared to sign players to have a look at them, if they don't come upto the grade pretty quickly then they don't play and they get shipped out.

I don't think he's worked out quite how he wants to play yet, partly because of the same Michael Owen factor that McClaren has grappled with poorly. If he's fit and on form, then it changes everything, but having him tantalisingly on the brink of fitness (or more precisely, another injury) is something that is difficult to deal with.

The only way to judge Allardyce sensibly is to look whether Newcastle are challenging for the top 5/6 places regularly in a couple of seasons' time.

Sorry but it doesn't work like that up there.

Expectations are different.

European football is a MINIMUM. Good football is also a requirement ESPECIALLY if you don't achieve European qualification.

Everyone including Allardyce knew this before he went, and by going there he agreed to be judged by their terms.

The Geordies have not taken to him and to be honest is anyone really surprised?

[WhiteArmy]

Oh, and as for Allardyce's record at Newcastle - he's had 12 games to deal with Newcastle's expectations and he's only 5 points off the European spot. Surely it's too early to take much from what he's done there, especially seeing as he's a long-term project kind of guy.

I agree with you there mate, i don't think he's doing toooooo bad a job up there, and we all know Allardyce will change things rapido if the personnel he has aren't doing it for him.

I think he's inherited decent players, but whether they can be a decent team remains to be seen.

I'd have Allardyce as well, the guy would have taken it up the dirter to have had a crack (pardon the pun) at it last time.

At least he has the passion.

I agree (I think ).

Allardyce has only had 12 Premier League games to have a proper look at what he's working with up there - and we all know that whilst he's prepared to sign players to have a look at them, if they don't come upto the grade pretty quickly then they don't play and they get shipped out.

I don't think he's worked out quite how he wants to play yet, partly because of the same Michael Owen factor that McClaren has grappled with poorly. If he's fit and on form, then it changes everything, but having him tantalisingly on the brink of fitness (or more precisely, another injury) is something that is difficult to deal with.

The only way to judge Allardyce sensibly is to look whether Newcastle are challenging for the top 5/6 places regularly in a couple of seasons' time.

Well ( and please don't laugh) was so confident he'd do well i wagered 40 British pounds that Allardyce's team would finish above ......................................................................................Arsenal.

I still think he'll be successful, although there'll be no double or quits next season!

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Well, I'm happy to judge him on my terms, because I think that those of their fans who think like that are idiots.

Allardyce knows the score, but he said before a ball was kicked that these things take time.

[officer_dibble]

I would've had Allardyce first team round, save for him being our manager of course. But since he's gone up there, and in the latter parts of his tenure here, i just think he's not got the tactical ability to manage a top side with big expectations. It's probably more bitterness than anything, though i can't imagine he'd garner too many favourable reviews in the press if we went to San Marino looking for a point for example.

I'd have Capello, you can teach a man English (Or maybe not, Hiddinks Russian is about as good as mine), but you can't teach him how to be a great manager, which he is. Again he's got a bit of a reputation for being pragmatic and a bit dull, but for me thats the only way we're ever going to win things with these players. We're not technically good enough to play total football.

Completely agree - Capello seems the best out of the interested. I reckon Allardyce would of got that bunch qualified, but you can't polish a turd. Players like Lumpard, SWP, Cole, Bridge (notice a theme?) all get paid far too much and think their position in the England side is a god given right. Lampard spitting his dummy out when dropped is a prime example.

The whole thing stinks - there isn't enough english players in the prem cos we are sh*te at coaching from grass roots up. The ones who do make it are overpaid and overhyped. The selection process was quite clearly flawed. We have no good managers. The job isn't a 'top' job anymore, its a very tough task.

Anyone see the article by Jon Nich on F365 about England FC earlier in the week, flawed in parts but a great idea I thought.

[hisroyalgingerness]

am lovin the google ad

Mundane McClaren
Fed up of the long-ball? Watch exclusive action from the big-four

[WhiteArmy]

Slightly off topic, but it has been discussed here.

Just seen Craig Johnstone on Skysports advocating giving kids the ball to work with for hours, instead of endless amounts of mindless fitness coaching.

WhiteArmy for England manager anyone?

[hisroyalgingerness]

Slightly off topic, but it has been discussed here.

Just seen Craig Johnstone on Skysports advocating giving kids the ball to work with for hours, instead of endless amounts of mindless fitness coaching.

WhiteArmy for England manager anyone?

there was a docu on sky sports months ago saying same thing, that's how they do it on the continent. don't worry about fitness til they start playing at pro level

[WhiteArmy]

Slightly off topic, but it has been discussed here.

Just seen Craig Johnstone on Skysports advocating giving kids the ball to work with for hours, instead of endless amounts of mindless fitness coaching.

WhiteArmy for England manager anyone?

there was a docu on sky sports months ago saying same thing, that's how they do it on the continent. don't worry about fitness til they start playing at pro level

Which was my argument when i played local footy years ago.

There is far too much emphasis on the physicality, when in truth, apart from the pure speed merchants, the best players have comparitively 'normal' physical attributes. Fabregas, Benayoun, Ronaldinho.

Training kids to death has been tried and has failed miserably, give the kids the ball, please, pretty please.

[Trott]

how this Jimmy Armfield a credible football figure??

Perhaps by dint of the fact he was England Captain, invented modern full back play and was one of the best managers Bolton Wnaderers ever had?