[Archived] Premier League Happenings

[Waggy76]

Brave move by West Ham , that could end in tears !

[DE.]

Interesting appointment by West Ham. Bilic has been touted as the next big thing for a while, so let's see if he has what it takes.

McClaren was obviously waiting to see if Newcastle were a PL team before committing. He's lucky to get a PL job after underachieving somewhat at Derby, particularly this season. He may not feel so lucky if Newcastle start off poorly, though. I don't think the fans really wanted him and their fans aren't known for giving time to those they deem unworthy.

[AllRoverAsia]

Bilic has been appointed as West Ham manager on a 3 years deal.

Also John Carver has been sacked at Newcastle(along with first team coach Steve Stone). With Steve McClaren set to appoint as head coach tomorrow according to some reports I've read

Ashley showing some sense - geeting shut of an over promoted coach.

[RevidgeBlue]

Brave move by West Ham , that could end in tears !

Another Club like Newcastle who presumably think that if you're going to finish mid table and sack off the Cup competitions etc you might as well watch entertaining football in the process.

Risky but time will tell if its the right move.

Edit: Sam's agent missed a trick in not getting him up to Sunderland I think. 3 years of mid table security no great demand for attractive football and another 9m in the back sack. Luvvly jubbly.

[West Yorks Rover]

Another Club like Newcastle who presumably think that if you're going to finish mid table and sack off the Cup competitions etc you might as well watch entertaining football in the process.

Risky but time will tell if its the right move.

Edit: Sam's agent missed a trick in not getting him up to Sunderland I think. 3 years of mid table security no great demand for attractive football and another 9m in the back sack. Luvvly jubbly.

Rumour has it that Sam was offered a one year extension at W Ham, but wanted 2 years at least.

I suppose they wanted to be sure of being in the PL when they make their big move to the Olympic stadium and

then replace him, it will be interesting to see how it works out for them now.

[davulsukur]

As DE says, Bilic has been hailed as the next big thing for a while now. Let's see how he does.

[ABBEY]

#STEVEKEANFORTOON #STEVEKEANFORNEWCASTLE LETS HAVE STEVE KEAN PROVE HIS WORTH AT THE #TOON

[Stuart]

Another Club like Newcastle who presumably think that if you're going to finish mid table and sack off the Cup competitions etc you might as well watch entertaining football in the process.

Risky but time will tell if its the right move.

Rightly or wrongly I think there would have been a decent reaction if we had replaced Sam with someone of the calibre of Bilic instead of someone of the calibre of a BIC pen.

Actually that's harsh on BIC pens.

[roverandout]

Strange when they also had chance to appoint a proven coach in bielsa, did a good job at Marseille last season

[davulsukur]

#STEVEKEANFORTOON #STEVEKEANFORNEWCASTLE LETS HAVE STEVE KEAN PROVE HIS WORTH AT THE #TOON

If only!

[joey_big_nose]

As DE says, Bilic has been hailed as the next big thing for a while now. Let's see how he does.

He's hardly been a success at Lokimitiv or Beskitas, still living off a good run as Croatia coach in 2008-2011.

Very very risky appointment IMO. Sticking with Sam would have been wiser. The prem, outside the usual top six cartel, is anyone's next year. So much cash, a lot of young managers.

Anyone could get relegated IMO apart from the top six and maybe Southampton.

[DE.]

He's hardly been a success at Lokimitiv or Beskitas, still living off a good run as Croatia coach in 2008-2011.

Very very risky appointment IMO. Sticking with Sam would have been wiser. The prem, outside the usual top six cartel, is anyone's next year. So much cash, a lot of young managers.

Anyone could get relegated IMO apart from the top six and maybe Southampton.

Stoke won't go down. Neither will Everton, WBA (with Pulis in charge) or Swansea IMO. The rest will sweat, unless somebody appoints Allardyce, in which case they'll be reet as well.

[davulsukur]

He's hardly been a success at Lokimitiv or Beskitas, still living off a good run as Croatia coach in 2008-2011.

Very very risky appointment IMO. Sticking with Sam would have been wiser. The prem, outside the usual top six cartel, is anyone's next year. So much cash, a lot of young managers.

Anyone could get relegated IMO apart from the top six and maybe Southampton.

Without question it would have been. Allardyce shouldn't have even given them the time of day anyway. They have treated him like cr@p. The fans have moaned constantly about him and it sounds like the owners were only willing to keep him in charge until they moved into the new stadium.

[Jimmy612]

Another Club like Newcastle who presumably think that if you're going to finish mid table and sack off the Cup competitions etc you might as well watch entertaining football in the process.

Risky but time will tell if its the right move.

Edit: Sam's agent missed a trick in not getting him up to Sunderland I think. 3 years of mid table security no great demand for attractive football and another 9m in the back sack. Luvvly jubbly.

I hope so - Newcastle were relegated within 15months of sacking Allardyce. Be fantastic to see West Ham suffer the same fate.

I loathe this 'entertaining football' argument that you've invented Simon. How entertaining was it under Steve Kean's all new brand of football? I recall that you were quick to smugly shower him with praise after the heroics of the Liverpool win in 2011 - look where that exciting new chapter took us.

Managers like Big Sam deserve a hell of a lot of praise for what they do - you get managers ten a penny that pretend to play nice football; it's much rarer to find a manager that guarantees PL football year after year. Also hilarious that Pulis and Moyes have been lauded as top managers when they do exactly the same as what SA does - builds a solid side with a bloody big striker up top and relies on his more talented attacking 3 to get around him.

[Rover_Shaun]

The increase in money during the Premier League era has enriched the bigger clubs and severely limited the ambitions of the rest. And as such those lowered expectations and ambitions have flat lined so that 'just' maintaining oneself on the gravy train is the be all and end all. It has played into the hands of limited managers such as Allardyce, as ell as many other trophy less managers

In the future cold light of day who will recall a manager who maintains a club between 11th and 17th or a manager who won a cup (irrespective of any relegations)?

McClaren has the league cup, Redknapp has the FA Cup even Alex McCleish has a league cup to fondly remember. Albeit such managers are becoming few and far between due to the monopoly of the top 6 but having the gumption and balls to not rest 10 players to chase 3 points and go for a cup will keep the fans of that clubs memories warmer.

Allardyce now needs to win something to be truly remembered imo

[joey_big_nose]

The increase in money during the Premier League era has enriched the bigger clubs and severely limited the ambitions of the rest. And as such those lowered expectations and ambitions have flat lined so that 'just' maintaining oneself on the gravy train is the be all and end all. It has played into the hands of limited managers such as Allardyce.

An odd comment when you consider, prior to the gravy train turning up, English football had such exponenents of entertaining as George Graham and Graham Taylor. Percentage football had always existed.

Largely I would argue the quality of football has got better since the prem turned up.

To be honest I find this football used to be better in the good old days not really that convincing, but each to their own.

Also I would say to call Allardyce limited is unfair. He has succeeded almost everywhere he has been and sometimes played good football doing it.

90% of managers who have ever graced the premiership would love to have been as "limited" as him.

[Rover_Shaun]

Don't believe the George Graham long ball hype. He had a damn good side at Arsenal. Mourinho is the George Graham of his day

Maybe I am just old fashioned in that I consider Football to be a sport and the object of Footballing within a league or cup competition is to win it.

Keeping clubs in the nether regions of the league is good but not great.

Use Rovers as an example compared to Newcastle. Who has the fondest memories over the last 20 years? The team in the doldrums with a league and cup to recall or the team in the Premierleague with bugger all to remember?

Brum maybe even worse than us but they have a league cup to fondly remember whereas fans of Stoke have scraping another draw at home to West Ham to warm their cockles

[DE.]

And £80-£100m a year to keep their club going, whilst bringing in the likes of Bojan and being able to afford a decent manager like Mark Hughes.

You play the game as it's presented. Right now for any club outside of the top 6 the aim is to get into the PL and stay there. If that's not to your liking, time to find another league or another sport, because it ain't changing any time soon.

[Rover_Shaun]

In a way I already have DE. I don't watch live football any more and record and just watch the goals on MOTD.......if I watch it at all. Venky's (during the relegation season where they kept Kean and took the p*ss out of us all) virtually killed what little passion I had left for the game. I say virtually because the seed will always be there, even if it's dormant for a while.

But we've been round in these circles before.........

I still enjoy the odd visit to Irongate though. Football in a cricket club atmosphere, brilliant.

[DE.]

I'm sure you're not alone Shaun, but at the same time you can't have a pop at the likes of Allardyce or Pulis for playing the game as it is. Nor do I think past achievements are particularly comforting when you're bored to tears every week with dire football and a dire squad.

Put it this way, I'd rather be scraping a draw against West Ham than the likes of Rotherham or Huddersfield.

[Rover_Shaun]

Doing the latter with a good team, ambition and the memory of winning the league is fine

[DE.]

Doing the latter with a good team, ambition and the memory of winning the league is fine

Unfortunately neither us nor Birmingham have a good team or ambition, and judging by current ST sales and general attendences at both clubs, memories alone ain't enough.

[Rover_Shaun]

LOL I didn't say we had DE.

Memories are all we have (in more than just football)

[DE.]

Maybe so, but I'd rather have a current team to support and be proud of than the memory of one!

[Rover_Shaun]

Moon on a stick