Anyone but O'Neill

[Yorkshire Blue]

Now that the FA have taken the easy decision to sack McLaren (easy as it is the right decision, easy as he makes a convenient scapegoat) there will no doubt be a clamour for Martin O'Neill as next England manager.

The decision has to be either

1. go for the best English manager
2. go for the best manager.

O'Neill is neither. I don't want a compromise candidate. We either go English, or we go for the best foreigner. O'Neill is not the best foreigner and would be way behind Mourinho, Hiddink and even Capello.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Surely though YB, with his experience of British football, that makes him English by proxy?

A very good motivator, excellent at dealing with the press and unlikely to have any skeletons in the cupboard the media can exploit. Tactically very switched on too!

 

[Pubey]

o'neill would be my first choice... mouriniho 2nd

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Surely though YB, with his experience of British football, that makes him English by proxy?

A very good motivator, excellent at dealing with the press and unlikely to have any skeletons in the cupboard the media can exploit. Tactically very switched on too!

NO IT ****ING DOESN'T!

He is not English and there are better foreign candidates.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

NO IT ****ING DOESN'T!

He is not English and there are better foreign candidates.

Allright, allright, just asking!

:thump:

I'd honestly start with Mourinho & work my way down from there. Capello 2nd choice.

Definitely NOT Scolari or Hiddink!

 

[South Bank Hank]

I personally couldn't give a monkey's ar$e whether the man is English or not. We need to bring in the right man for the job. I don't accept that it takes an Englishman to motivate a group of English players.

For me, the toughest challenges for the England manager are in managing the egos of the players, getting them to play as a cohesive unit, adopting a tactical footing which exploits our strengths and the opposition's weaknesses, and manipulating the creative media to our advantage.

There is only one contender as far as I'm concerned.

Arsene, show the people who I mean...

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Allright, allright, just asking!

:thump:

I'd honestly start with Mourinho & work my way down from there. Capello 2nd choice.

Definitely NOT Scolari or Hiddink!

I agree not Scolari, Hiddink would have been my choice last time, I just wonder if we've missed the boat on that one.

Mourinho looks the stand-out candidate, the only knocks I can find against him are (a) he's not English and (b) he comes with baggage having managed in England before.

Given the lack of English candidates (a) doesn't seem a problem, and I think I can get over (b).

 

[EastStandBlue]

Barwick is assembling a list of candidates and will present them to the board... Judging on his previous appointment, how the man can be let within a mile of the next appointment is beyond me.

Still, the shortlist should almost write itself:

Who's a talented manager, Unemployed (More than likely a criteria) and would be interested?

Mourinho
Capello











That it then?

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Barwick is assembling a list of candidates and will present them to the board... Judging on his previous appointment, how the man can be let within a mile of the next appointment is beyond me.

Still, the shortlist should almost write itself:

Who's a talented manager, Unemployed (More than likely a criteria) and would be interested?

Mourinho
Capello











That it then?

Although knowing Barwick's track record, Martin Allen's probably on that list :p

 

[SUFC_Al]

Barwick is assembling a list of candidates and will present them to the board... Judging on his previous appointment, how the man can be let within a mile of the next appointment is beyond me.

Still, the shortlist should almost write itself:

Who's a talented manager, Unemployed (More than likely a criteria) and would be interested?

Mourinho
Capello












That it then?

Marcello Lippi is available and turned down Birmingham.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

I don't think Jose wants it though, does he?

Actually, I see the fact that he has spent time here as a bonus - the way in which the press behave won't come as a shock, he's worked with a difficult, meddling and demanding boss, he understands the English game and he's had to handle difficult and primadonna-ish footballers' egos.

The only thing he hasn't had to handle before is the fans. Chelsea fans loved him, gave him time, and were always on his side. England fans are often remarkably impatient about the team, and overrate the players more than any group of national fans anywhere in the world.

I reckon Jose would cope with that.

If he wants the job, it should be his. Unfortunately, I'm really not sure he does want the job, and who would blame him?

I've a funny feeling that it'll go to Alan Shearer. Don't know why, it's just my hunch. At least he would instil a little steel in certain players (e.g. Gerrard) who need the mother of all kicks up the @rse.

 

[Mighty Shrimper]

In order of who i'd go for:

Mourinho
Alex Ferguson
Harry Redknapp
Alan Shearer

After that, who knows!

I wouldnt be happy with O'Neil at all.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I think the key draw for Mourinho would be the adulation he'd recieve if he made us into a top draw side. The one thing that really angered him more than anything with Chelsea was he never got the credit he thought he deserved, both from the fans and critics.

Nobody could question his managerial ability if he managed to lead us round a corner. Somebody on the radio this morning made an extremely valid point... One of the biggest travesties in English football was Brian Clough never taking the reins... Mourinho is the closest thing alive to Clough, do we really want to make that mistake again?

If i was Barwick, I'd be on the phone to Jose asap to see if he's even the slightest bit interested in the job. He shows an ounce of enthusiasm, go hell for leather in bringing him in. If he doesn't want it, then fine... If there's no contact at all they'll be hell to pay.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Plus it would p*ss ORM off, since he thinks that only English managers should manage England, so that would be a bonus...

:finger:

 

[Slipperduke]

O'Neill is a Belfast Catholic, if he took the job, his house would get burned down.

I've heard that Shearer was lined up for the job last week. I sincerely hope that's not true, but it comes from a half-decent source.

I'd go for Mourinho all the way. Proven winner with small clubs, medium clubs and big clubs, piles of siverware, knows the English game, used to boss half the players and is the only person who can intimidate the media and handle the pressure. It's a no-brainer for me.

Matt's right though, he may not even want it.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Mourinho is the closest thing alive to Clough, do we really want to make that mistake again?

Which is why I feel we need Martin O'Neill!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

If i was Barwick, I'd be on the phone to Jose asap to see if he's even the slightest bit interested in the job. He shows an ounce of enthusiasm, go hell for leather in bringing him in. If he doesn't want it, then fine... If there's no contact at all they'll be hell to pay.

If he doesn't want the job, you goad him into taking it. Tell him to stop hiding behind excuses of wanting the day to day stuff and admit that he isn't man enough for the job. Tell him that whilst his confidence may have taken a knock at being sacked from Chelsea, if he regains his bottle and actually wants to take on a challenge, he should ring you back.

 

[Napster]

Boothroyd?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Mourinho has gone on record as saying:

a) he wouldn't manage any national side other than the Portuguese one

b) international management is something to be done when you are older and your club days are behind you

Hence why I've just laid Mourinho on Betfair. It won't be him. He's waiting for a big club job like Inter/Milan/Juve/Barça etc

I can't see it being Shearer, but he's available at 18/1 currently.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Boothroyd?

Not a bad shout actually, but again can you see one of the "golden generation" being put in their place by him?