Gary O'Neil

New Old Cherry said:
Listening to O'Neill explaining how he 'went about Bournemouth'..in some detail....I realised how much I don't know about the modern game...he comes across as a genius...totally lost me....
He is not particularly articulate but not many of them are tbf....
Should I be impressed really ? I don't know....but he did beat Man City...got us our first win at Spurs and a Win and clean sheet v Liverpool.
I really find it hard to align him with any negativity ..and I don't think any Forumites have any solid base for criticism...it's quite bizarre that they have...based mainly on 4 'on the beach' games at the end of last season....the players doing !
The players he inherited from Parker were pretty unimpressive...even I could see that...and I don't think Iraola can be blamed for the recent catastrophic signings by our hierarchy.
But..it's a funny old game..and things can change quickly.
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Exactly. I decided to visit the wolves forum the other week...before man City. Should read their opinions if him... pretty much all of it was around getting rid of him now, clearly out of his depth, cheap option, clueless, not even tinpot bournemouth wanted him, going down with him in charge etc.

Pretty confident that O'Neil thread reads a bit differently 2 or 3 games on.

Like you say things/opinions change very quickly in this game/era now.

'Funny', but also a bit sad imo.
 
New Old Cherry said:
Basically then it all boils down to getting to one end of the pitch to score goals...and keeping tight at the back when it's necessary.
Most 'fools' can work that out without applying words like f√cking ' gegenpress' ..'tika - taka' or 'zeitgeist'.

What f√cking twaddle !

O'Neil took 3 points from the Cherries ..he was born in Kent, and talks ' fanaker' . English ffs !
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I think you said it best with
New Old Cherry said:
...I realised how much I don't know about the modern game...
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Its seems you don't want to learn either.
 
AFCBade said:
Agreed.

I think we are mad to even think we could get a de zerbi or emery level. Thus, need to be very sure re taking such a big change.
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Not sure about De Zerbi (prior to brighton).

I think he may well have been interested if Foley was at the ckub and all the investment.
 
MB1980 said:
Not sure about De Zerbi (prior to brighton).

I think he may well have been interested if Foley was at the ckub and all the investment.
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I reckon there's every chance we could have got him if we were more settled when we approached. There is no guarantees he would have done as well as he's done ar Brighton though. There he walked into a settled and successful club, here would have been the transitional project that Iraola has walked into.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Not when people are saying outside the top five la Liga is league one level. I think Valencia might beat Rotherham.

Also ignoring Iraolas excellent record against the top five.
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Merely an observation from watching too much La Liga. It's nothing against that league, it's my assessment of the level a fair few of the teams are at.
You might rate Granada as good as Aston Villa for all I know.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
Let Lerma go? Didn't you accept that there was likely nothing anyone could have done to stop him going? There was no way a contract was going to be signed by either party in the championship and after that he seemed determined to leave.

If he doesn't have the right options he's got to find the right formation. A lot of sides have managed to survive without Jefferson Lerma. Howe's side without him was better than the one with him. If Dan Gosling and Harry Arter can step up I don't see why he can'take it work with the current lot despite the injuries.
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If as heavily speculated they had a year to replace Lerma, and know Pearson wasn’t good enough then we shouldn’t be in a position where we are thinking about Joe Rothwell an attacking midfield learning a holding role for Saturday. Rothwell, Billing, Cook and Kilkenny are not a premier league level midfield four and only one can play deep (with huge reservations). While other sides have played without Lerma (well done) they didn’t have to do it with the level of our current four. There’s a limit to what you can polish.
 
West Moors Cherry said:
Merely an observation from watching too much La Liga. It's nothing against that league, it's my assessment of the level a fair few of the teams are at.
You might rate Granada as good as Aston Villa for all I know.
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I don’t have to, it’s your analogy and last time I looked Villa weren’t in league one.
 
MB1980 said:
Not sure about De Zerbi (prior to brighton).

I think he may well have been interested if Foley was at the ckub and all the investment.
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Maybe - think timing was bad given we had just been whacked 9-0 and there was still 6 months to end of the next transfer window
 
Neil Dawson said:
If as heavily speculated they had a year to replace Lerma, and know Pearson wasn’t good enough then we shouldn’t be in a position where we are thinking about Joe Rothwell an attacking midfield learning a holding role for Saturday. Rothwell, Billing, Cook and Kilkenny are not a premier league level midfield four and only one can play deep (with huge reservations). While other sides have played without Lerma (well done) they didn’t have to do it with the level of our current four. There’s a limit to what you can polish.
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It's obviously not a good situation but we have two defensive midfielders to cover one position. One is injured and the other suspended. Billing can play deep and so can Rothwell. How many defensive midfielders do other squads have? Chelsea seem to have loads but other than them not many habe more than two.
 
Red Sky said:
Did we play good passing football in contrast to a Burnley or Watford type of play?

In spells. It was certainly better than Parker-ball. Still felt like big parts of games passed us by though.

Did the team give 100%?

Certain players, and in spells- Dom and Christie spring to mind. I've seen other players play better under different managers.

Did he get the most out of his squad?

Absolutely not. He was a work in progress but still far behind the greats like Eddie Howe for getting the most out of a squad.

Did try to influence games during the match?

At times, substitutions sometimes wrong and too late. Tactical changes worked a few times though.

Did I enjoy spending my hard earned money watching us play?

Not every game. Probably as much as the promotion season under Parker but for different reasons. We were promising in spells but made lots of things hard work. The Man City home game was the only one I've ever left early in our history.

Did he keep afcb us in the toughest league in the world?

Yes. This is still the strongest arguement for me. But doesn't really apply to a club with owners who strive for more than staying up.

Is he an appropriate figurehead for my team, which has been based on good values?

Most successful managers are. AI has great values, he's just struggling to translate them to results and performances.

Was he a sexy media name that would attract international talent?

More to do with his experience and philosophy than his name. If he makes a name for himself by continuing to grow as a coach then the international talent will come.
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It’s all about opinions. I understand your responses - for me it’s not about binary answers as there was some good and some less good elements of GON.

Hence, I understood why they wanted someone else to deliver the strategy. No complaints in that respect.

However, knowing what you had then make sure you have the right man for the job. Taking a punt on an inexperienced manager and giving him a short contract always made me easy.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
It's obviously not a good situation but we have two defensive midfielders to cover one position. One is injured and the other suspended. Billing can play deep and so can Rothwell. How many defensive midfielders do other squads have? Chelsea seem to have loads but other than them not many habe more than two.
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Billing and Rothwell are not viable options at this level as I’m sure you realise. We spent so much money and wages at wide forwards and left the heartbeat of the team as last years third choice CDM and a guy with a torn hamstring. However anyone wants to dress it up it’s just not an acceptable situation unless you had no money.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Billing and Rothwell are not viable options at this level as I’m sure you realise. We spent so much money and wages at wide forwards and left the heartbeat of the team as last years third choice CDM and a guy with a torn hamstring. However anyone wants to dress it up it’s just not an acceptable situation unless you had no money.
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For as much as I like Rothwell, playing in that position costed us in successive games, the goal against West Ham and the pen against Liverpool. I rate him, but this is not his position.
 
AFCBade said:
It’s all about opinions. I understand your responses - for me it’s not about binary answers as there was some good and some less good elements of GON.

Hence, I understood why they wanted someone else to deliver the strategy. No complaints in that respect.

However, knowing what you had then make sure you have the right man for the job. Taking a punt on an inexperienced manager and giving him a short contract always made me easy.
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I agree with all of this. I think there is always a big risk with any managerial appointment though. Whether it's keeping on the same guy or bringing in a new one (as we see with the sheer number of PL managers hired and fired each season). I can at least see their logic with AI, in trying to build some kind of longer term legacy and identity. The shorter contract looks like a sensible move now, if things don't work out this season or next.

My main anxiety with Foley is he sounds trigger happy when it comes to personnel. I wouldn't want us to become the next Watford. But then as long as he keeps putting his money in to grow the club and facilities I guess I'll do my best to enjoy whatever rollercoaster awaits.
 
I think Royal Cherry is hoping GON will have his babies. There's more fawning going on than in a deer reproduction farm.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Billing and Rothwell are not viable options at this level as I’m sure you realise. We spent so much money and wages at wide forwards and left the heartbeat of the team as last years third choice CDM and a guy with a torn hamstring. However anyone wants to dress it up it’s just not an acceptable situation unless you had no money.
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Billing has played well in the holding role at this level. Iraola is going to have to work something out.

The guy they signed to replace Lerma was due to be back by now, he was but his injury has reoccurred. Clearly this is a massive issue and the reasons behind it need to be clarified. It could well cost our PL status, Iraola, Hughes and even Blake their jobs and who knows what knock-on effects.

Cook wasn't third choice, why do you insist on coming out with this sort of complete b*llocks? He is also not currently injured, his absence is self-inflicted, in some way I hope he loses his place for it.
 
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