The Managerial Merry-go-round

[abigsmurf]

Oh god... we could actually end up with Mark Hughes.

Euch

[toythatkills]

Who's we?

[Adrock]

merf, there is a book on that subject alone. All about the TPI (transfer price index).

As for Mark Hughes at Chelsea, how the hell has he managed to be linked to a club like that? He did ok at Man City but would he ever have managed to get them to the next level? I have my reservations.

[Jebus]

... Surely you still prefer Coyle though, don't you?

I'd prefer a combination of Owen and Sam though. Pretty football may be what the papers say we play now, but at times it is far from it. Also, Owen has absolutely no idea how to keep a clean sheet.

On balance though, yeah, of course I prefer Owen.

[Gradius]

Roberto Martinez is staying at Wigan, i'm hoping Villa go for Steve Mclaren.

[merf]

I think its brilliant to see what Martinez is doing, he says he made Dave Whelan a commitment and is going to see it through, DW seems a thouroughly decent chap and did the right thing in letting Martinez make the decision and has been rewarded, its really good to see and Martinez gone up a lot in my estimation for that.

[EJG1980]

Couldn't have put it better, honourable behaviour all round from Martinez and Whelan. Nice to see a bit of loyalty when most in football jump ship the instant a big club comes calling.

[merf]

yup, its either all that manly nice stuff or he bottled it !

[Adrock]

Just out of interest how many of you reckon Wigan would have kept him had they been relegated? The club has to be one of the toughest jobs going, always in danger of being relegated and always selling your best players.

I'm not surprised managers jump at the chance to get bigger clubs when they manage the likes of Wigan. Thats not to say the club would be wrong to remove the manager if they get relegated. But the fact they have to constantly scout new talent because their best players are sold means the managers at the perennial strugglers end up with very difficult jobs.

edit: Also, could it have anything to do with the fact Martin O'Neil assembled a squad who only played a certain way and Martinez saw the hostility Houllier met from the players at Villa for trying to change to a more continental style? That seems to be the biggest challenge for Villa.

[EJG1980]

Hard to say. Wigan did spend a lot of the season in the relegation zone, which would have got him sacked well before the end of the season at a lot of clubs, so Whelan did show more loyalty to him there than a lot of chairmen would have.

If they had been relegated I have a feeling he would have got the chance to try and take them back up, but would probably have gone if they'd had a bad start to the season in the Championship.

From a personal point of view I think he's probably made the right choice to turn down Villa. At Wigan he will be given more time when the team hits a rough patch, giving him a better chance to learn from his mistakes and improve as a manager. At Villa he'd probably have had the fans calling for his head and in danger of the sack at the first signs of a dodgy run.

He's not even 40 yet so if he can keep Wigan playing decent football and start getting better league finishes too, he'll have plenty of time to try and move up to a bigger club in the future.

[Adrock]

Thats true HE, but if they get relegated through no fault of his own (the club sells Insomnia, Rodallega and the likes) then his stock faults rapidly. Then he is stuck with having probably lost his job and finding it difficult to get another.

Also, Wigan have already hit their ceiling financially. They cant attract the fans required for a revenue boost and obviously a club like that doesn't really have a fanbase outside of their region.

I'm unsure as to what decision he should have made, but he has done the honourable thing and stayed with a club who showed faith in him. I hope he manages to do well with them and moves on to a better club because he seems to be one of the better managers in the league.

[prinnysquad]

McLeish ... ?

Bizarre. Resigning by email, lol.

[merf]

Cant fathom the logic at villa, they need a manager to return them to their former glories, ok, lets get a bloke in who just got relegated, skirted it the year before, and is for good measure the former manager of our bitterest rivals.

Its bizarre on both levels, the bloke is a failure, you don't bring him in to push for honours and a top 6 finish.

[EJG1980]

On the plus side, he'll bring his fantastic brand of free flowing football with him. What? Ohh...

[Flabio]

Wonder if anyone in the prem will take Billy Davies? Actually, maybe he'll go to Cardiff...