Phil Neal Hopes History Will Judge Him Kindly

[Puskas]

He does, you know....

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... _/?ref=mac" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So. Better than Charlie Wright, not as good as Bruce Rioch.

Did a decent job stopping a long decline.

Seemed to view Julian Darby as a world-beater, rather than an OK, hard-working non-top-flight midfielder. Which in turn seemed to lead to crowd frustration when he turned out to be OK, rather than a world-beater.

[Bruce Rioja]

Have to be honest, I remember feeling pretty chuffed on the day that he was sacked. Not out of any personal malice, you understand, but we'd started to go backwards again. Signed Andy Walker though, and for that alone I'll always be grateful to him.

[BWFC_Insane]

He's right that much of it comes down to image and how you're perceived.

Bruce is right though we were going backwards when he left.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

He played his part for me, given the shite we were in. Definitely went at the right time. On a personal level, he was a top bloke. Allowed me to attend a training session when I were a 14/15 year old. Spent the whole day with me and allowed me to bug the players with crap questions. I remember him fining a couple of YTS lads a quid each for leaving kit behind in the training room at Burnden. I think YTS was only about 24 quid a week then - that's a bit over a grand a year Dan

[bobo the clown]

More "unloved" than "disliked". He did seem to stop a rot, was responsible for McAteer and Stubbs being her and signed Andy Walker and, I think Reeves & Philliskirk.

But there was never any "oomph" from him, more a solid job than the remotest flair. Plus, as said, his obsession with Julian Darby had fans wondering what JD had on him. The club let his contract run down, more than actively sack him and he will also always be judged by what the next guy .... Bruce Almighty .... which was rather a lot.

I was incredulous when, after leaving here, he got a Premiership contract at Coventry. Then he took Darby with him !!

Can't dislike him, can't like him. Better than many, worse than some.

[Puskas]

More "unloved" than "disliked". He did seem to stop a rot, was responsible for McAteer and Stubbs being her and signed Andy Walker and, I think Reeves & Philliskirk.

But there was never any "oomph" from him, more a solid job than the remotest flair. Plus, as said, his obsession with Julian Darby had fans wondering what JD had on him. The club let his contract run down, more than actively sack him and he will also always be judged by what the next guy .... Bruce Almighty .... which was rather a lot.

I was incredulous when, after leaving here, he got a Premiership contract at Coventry. Then he took Darby with him !!

Can't dislike him, can't like him. Better than many, worse than some.

I think this is a fair assessment. And, as Bruce/BWFCI said, it all seemed to be going downhill - or at least stagnating - when he left. A couple of play-offs, followed by mid-table and a sense of nothing much better to come.

However, I also think he's one of these people who are made out to be worse than they really were. He did an OK job in difficult circumstances. He's just always going to come out worse when compared to Rioch.

And, of course, he gave us Robbie Savage. The real one, not the johnny-come-lately Radio 5 irritant.

[Harry Genshaw]

He arrested the slide and had us back on the up. For that I'll always be grateful. His last season was a real disappointment, decent cup run aside, after us improving each year but agree it was probably the right time for him to go, when he did.

[Andy Waller]

More "unloved" than "disliked". He did seem to stop a rot, was responsible for McAteer and Stubbs being her and signed Andy Walker and, I think Reeves & Philliskirk.

But there was never any "oomph" from him, more a solid job than the remotest flair. Plus, as said, his obsession with Julian Darby had fans wondering what JD had on him. The club let his contract run down, more than actively sack him and he will also always be judged by what the next guy .... Bruce Almighty .... which was rather a lot.

I was incredulous when, after leaving here, he got a Premiership contract at Coventry. Then he took Darby with him !!

Can't dislike him, can't like him. Better than many, worse than some.

I think this is a fair assessment. And, as Bruce/BWFCI said, it all seemed to be going downhill - or at least stagnating - when he left. A couple of play-offs, followed by mid-table and a sense of nothing much better to come.

However, I also think he's one of these people who are made out to be worse than they really were. He did an OK job in difficult circumstances. He's just always going to come out worse when compared to Rioch.

And, of course, he gave us Robbie Savage. The real one, not the johnny-come-lately Radio 5 irritant.

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

[bobo the clown]

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

.... & yet, that may awaken an interest in wimmin's football for me.


.... no, thinking about it, not even that,

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

.... & yet, that may awaken an interest in wimmin's football for me.


.... no, thinking about it, not even that,

Not even top over the head goal celebrations...

[Lord Kangana]

Ultimately the job of a football manager is t get results.We can get hung up on the idea of "rebuilding programmes".

It was Bruce Rioch and subsequently Sam Allardyce who delivered from squads based on players signed by Phil Neal and Colin Todd. Not the other way round. I'm not sure if that's deserving of credit, it can equally be concluded that they both failed with players of an adequate enough standard to achieve better results.

[bobo the clown]

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

.... & yet, that may awaken an interest in wimmin's football for me.


.... no, thinking about it, not even that,

Not even top over the head goal celebrations...

The only place worth seeing a sports bra is on the floor ... empty.

[jaffka]

I quite like peeling a spirits bra off and watching those magnificent fun bags be released from constraint.

[Andy Waller]

I miss the era of player that would show your their arse on request.

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

.... & yet, that may awaken an interest in wimmin's football for me.


.... no, thinking about it, not even that,

Not even top over the head goal celebrations...

The only place worth seeing a sports bra is on the floor ... empty.

A lot of the women's footballer ones are empty when being worn...

[Gary the Enfield]

I quite like peeling a spirits bra off and watching those magnificent fun bags be released from constraint.

Weirdo.

[Gooner Girl]

Probably get a red card for it and accused of discriminating against someone these days.

.... & yet, that may awaken an interest in wimmin's football for me.


.... no, thinking about it, not even that,

Not even top over the head goal celebrations...

The only place worth seeing a sports bra is on the floor ... empty.

A lot of the women's footballer ones are empty when being worn...

You lot all really need to get a life.

[jaffka]

I quite like peeling a spirits bra off and watching those magnificent fun bags be released from constraint.

Weirdo.

Damn predictive text.

[Andy Waller]

I quite like peeling a spirits bra off and watching those magnificent fun bags be released from constraint.

Weirdo.

Damn predictive text.

Is that Gunner Ghoul?

[LeverEnd]

Before Jaffka gets all ectoplasmic on his screen, I agree with most people on here that Neal did a solid job. he stayed too long however, losing to Tranmere in 91 seemed to be the beginning of the end. It was pretty dire after that. I remember wanting him to be sacked but then feeling very sorry for him when he was.