Are you happy with the new appointment?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

No, no no no. A thousand times no.
He is at best mediocre. His record is 35% wins as a manager. Apart from beating Manure in a game of little consequence and having been given 'Manager of the month' for getting 14 points out of 15 (3 of those against us, 3 more gainst Sheff Wed) what else has he done. [apart from roads, and taxes, and the army of course].
Palace were not falling over themselves to negotiate a new contract and we go in and double his wages!!!
I, of course, hope I'm wrong, but I don't like this one bit. I foresee mid table mediocrity followed by a crash.

An absolute miracle

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Dougie 'Jesus' Freedman

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Dougie 'i'm not a number i'm a' Freedman

[Gary the Enfield]

Can we call him 'Fluff'?

Not 'arf, pop pickers!

[BWFC_Insane]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

McCarthy for example would have split fans down the middle. Some happy with his experience of promotion others unhappy with his experience of relegation from the top flight.

But either way you'd have something to go on.

Freedman is an unknown quantity, 91 games at Palace as manager an I believe his record is impressive there, given the circumstances he was operating in. Selling his best players (apart from Zaha) relying on cheap transfers and bringing through young players, 1.35 ppg at Palace is decent IMO.

But we have no real data to assess how he might do here. He's worked in specific circumstances at Palace. However, here he will be restrained by a budget (bigger than Palace's but its all relative) and asked to do many of the things he did there.

He seems to believe in bringing through young players, in creating a culture of hard work and fitness oriented training.

All that is probably what we were looking for after Coyle's looser approach.

He's coming here to try and turn round an 18 month slide we've been on. It won't be easy and I'm prepared to give him plenty of time. These are NOT his players its not his setup and he's coming in cold.

So a simple yes/no vote is a bit moot. I'm happy we're getting a manager who seems on the face of it to have more substance than our previous one.

I'm happy that we've picked a manager who all our fans will probably give a chance to, McCarthy/Souness/Davies would be under instant pressure from some factions of the support, (though probably able to deal with it at their level of experience).

I think he seems to be rated highly and whilst that can be dangerous (Coyle was) it seems to be based on a little more substance in terms of not just being about his "infectious nature and positivity" but actually based on real stuff he's implemented and achieved.

Right now its an impossible one to call.

But I wish him every success and will judge him again in 2 years time.

[Gary the Enfield]

With the current regime we're averaging 2 points per game.

Our seasonal average is 1.25 ppg

So Dougie Freedman is better than Coyle but not as good as the incumbent triumvirate.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Triumvirate in !

[CrazyHorse]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

[Sponge]

From the Palace forum, an eloquent summation of their feelings:

"Dunno about betrayal, but Freedman has effectively done the supporters of this club up the arse, without having the common decency to lean forward and offer us a reach-around."

[BWFC_Insane]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

Like I say thats decent under the circumstances he's been working at Palace under. I don't think it tells us how he'll do here.

Win ratio's don't tell much of a story. Mourinho would never be able to replicate his career win ratio for example at Bolton long term.

Neither would Coyle's win ratio have predicted how shite he would end up being.

[CAPSLOCK]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

But, it's not

In fact, that's very Coyle

You seem to be disregarding draws

A bit like Coyle

It also takes no account of the quality of players

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

McCarthy for example would have split fans down the middle. Some happy with his experience of promotion others unhappy with his experience of relegation from the top flight.

But either way you'd have something to go on.

Freedman is an unknown quantity, 91 games at Palace as manager an I believe his record is impressive there, given the circumstances he was operating in. Selling his best players (apart from Zaha) relying on cheap transfers and bringing through young players, 1.35 ppg at Palace is decent IMO.

But we have no real data to assess how he might do here. He's worked in specific circumstances at Palace. However, here he will be restrained by a budget (bigger than Palace's but its all relative) and asked to do many of the things he did there.

He seems to believe in bringing through young players, in creating a culture of hard work and fitness oriented training.

All that is probably what we were looking for after Coyle's looser approach.

He's coming here to try and turn round an 18 month slide we've been on. It won't be easy and I'm prepared to give him plenty of time. These are NOT his players its not his setup and he's coming in cold.

So a simple yes/no vote is a bit moot. I'm happy we're getting a manager who seems on the face of it to have more substance than our previous one.

I'm happy that we've picked a manager who all our fans will probably give a chance to, McCarthy/Souness/Davies would be under instant pressure from some factions of the support, (though probably able to deal with it at their level of experience).

I think he seems to be rated highly and whilst that can be dangerous (Coyle was) it seems to be based on a little more substance in terms of not just being about his "infectious nature and positivity" but actually based on real stuff he's implemented and achieved.

Right now its an impossible one to call.

But I wish him every success and will judge him again in 2 years time.

Exactly how I see it.
Jimmy phillips doesnt want to be manager which is completely understandable. Why sacrifice long term security and stability for a couple of years of pressure followed by having to try and find work elsewhere.

As for those pointing at win ratios. It's largely circumstantial and means nothing taken in isolation. If you take a look at sam Allardyces win ratios there are plenty spells when it's been no better than that and his first post was getting WBA relegated and being sacked(albeit with brian Talbot)
Like BWFCi says we dont really know enough to say yay or nay.

[Wandering Willy]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

But, it's not

In fact, that's very Coyle

You seem to be disregarding draws

A bit like Coyle

It also takes no account of the quality of players

CAPS loves Dougie.

[CrazyHorse]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

But, it's not

In fact, that's very Coyle

You seem to be disregarding draws

A bit like Coyle

It also takes no account of the quality of players

Ha!
Fair enough. And our squad is stronger than Palace's but are they strong enough to push his win ratio into the high 40s?
Doug is going to have to hit the ground running and maintain that momentum all season. That's one hell of a task.

[CAPSLOCK]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

But, it's not

In fact, that's very Coyle

You seem to be disregarding draws

A bit like Coyle

It also takes no account of the quality of players

CAPS loves Dougie.

Maybe I'm just relieved

[BWFC_Insane]

Thing is, there is not enough information to decide whether Freedman is a good appointment or not.

Here's all the evidence you need....
35.56% win ratio.

But, it's not

In fact, that's very Coyle

You seem to be disregarding draws

A bit like Coyle

It also takes no account of the quality of players

Ha!
Fair enough. And our squad is stronger than Palace's but are they strong enough to push his win ratio into the high 40s?
Doug is going to have to hit the ground running and maintain that momentum all season. That's one hell of a task.

But by those facts it was tough for anyone who took over. Because of the instant expectation.

As I say, Freedman is clearly being brought in with an eye on the present, but also on the future as he has shown an ability to bring young players into the first team. A real ability to do it.

Now I'm willing to bet that when he's announced as manager at the end of this week, Gartside will say something along those lines about young players, as a reason for bringing him in.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Now that I'm classed as one of the 'old gimmers' on here (thanks GG) I reserve the right to be grumpy and unhappy about this appointment. I'm still struggling to understand what the big deal with Freedman is. The facts as I understand it are:

1. He's done alright considering the circumstances at Palace.
2. He plays 4-5-1 at Palace.
3. He can only get the defence or attack to function. Not both together.
4. He was possibly close to the sack a few weeks ago for poor results.
5. Much of the recent success of Palace is attributed to an in form Zaha.
6. He is young and cheap (salary wise).
7. He likes fitness and young players.

I'm not the most knowledgeable about Palace or Freedman, but very little there tells me anything more than he is a close your eyes, hope for the best punt. We may not be in the Premiership any more, but I'd hazard that we are in the top 20-25 in the UK of clubs to manage. Can anyone really say that Freedman is even in the top 50 managers in the UK?

I'll support him and I don't feel negative about him personally like the Megson appointment, but if this pays off I think it is more luck than any sort of judgement on Garty/Eddie's part.

[BWFC_Insane]

I guess the question is AT, who would you have preferred instead?

[CrazyHorse]

But by those facts it was tough for anyone who took over. Because of the instant expectation.

All the more reason why we should've got someone in with a better track record don't you think?

Anyway, fck it. At least clueless has finally gone; I'm convinced that cracked twt would have taken us down again.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I guess the question is AT, who would you have preferred instead?

To be honest I don't know. For a few years I haven't followed football much, apart from ourselves. Being abroad now I don't really see/hear much in the way of football apart from Utd/Chelsea et al; I ignore them naturally!

I understand Garty wanting young and up and coming and not to spend shed loads. I just don't think Freedman can be classed as up and coming yet. Keith Hill seems to have a good record at Rochdale, less so with Barnsley; maybe with a similar caveat to Freedman in that a reasonable job with limited resources. I don't know enough about Hill to say he is the man, but he seems to be a closer fit to the criteria I believe Garty has set, coupled with more experience.