Yo.
On the last blog I gave a Arry a dig in the ribs. For me what grates are the self indulgences presumably prompted by his defense mechanism. The mood at The Lane when things fail to go swimmingly is fine blend of angst and lynch mob.
Football managers do not benefit from speech writers or spin doctors and consequently they have probably provided the world with more ‘interesting’ uses of the English language than George Bush.
But if you can suspend your disbelief at his belief in 3MP, and your rage at being told you’ve never had it so good you can actually see that he’s done a good job.
I’m not 83 but when I was a kid qualifying for Europe was the one. Bill Nicholson said if we’re not in Europe, we’re nothing. We’re nothing. I’ve always loved the way his words and those of Danny Boy have transcended time and become our scripture.
But the quote on Europe is rarely mentioned. I never see it as a ‘signature’ on forums. Always the ‘Aiming high…’ one. And so it seems I guess that the expectations in the modern game have changed. Not just in the top flight. There was a fella on the radio the other day saying that in the lower leagues the life expectancy of a manager is now averaging 14 months.
14 months. Managing a team comprised of men who aren’t very good at playing football, with no financial resources and piddle poor facilities. Heh, yeah. Change the manager. That’ll crack it.
So Redschnapps out then. I’m not surprised. Let me state that from the start. He and his mate 3MP currently owe me 2 television sets a piece.
Arry has done well in places. The quarter finals of the Champions League is an excellent achievement. Finishing 5th or 6th was heralded as ‘fab’ under Jol. JOl fans told us is this hourly for about 6 months after he was chopped. But the expectations of fans now have overtaken common sense.
Arry has done poorly in places. He is so media friendly he is bound – by the law of averages – to end up bugging someone. For every quote that makes us grin, there will be one that prompts us to violently swear at him. That 2 points from 8 games line has gone from being a badge of honour to a life raft.
There is of course the inevitable, ‘it’s Levy’s fault’ element within the lynch mob. A wage cap means fiscal control which means you don’t get bought out by chicken wholesalers. Fiscal control means you don’t get relegated with £40M worth of debt tucked into your underpants by a pair of porn barons.
Anyhoo, I’m not selling Arry. I’m selling reason. I got chill down my spine yesterday looking at some of the Arry replacements some supporters online have lined up. Let the shipwrecks of others be your marker in the storm, I say.
Let’s have a look at the runners and riders.
Carlo Ancelotti
Aside from his chances of wanting to join us, this has to epitomise the ‘I want it now, mummy!’ screaming fan mentality. Arguably one of the best managers and proven football minds in Europe. Fwank his 20 goals a season star missing for months plus Drogba his 46 year old striker out with Malaria. Yeah, sack him and send him over.
Villas Boas
Portuguezzer. One game away from an undefeated season. League title winner. Navy suit wearer. This guy is golden. Ramos 4.0. Just pledged his future to Porto. Get him in and we’ll turn his glittering career into a smoking, smashed up, twisted car crash.
Gus Hiddink
He’s used to managing turkeys :-p . The name on the lips of anyone comprising a managerial wish list. He’s been linked with Cheatski so long even he must wake up some days and think he must have managed them at some point. Gus Hiddink’s blue and white army! unfortunately doesn’t scan.
Jose Mourinho
Ah, the fantasy. The Special One actually requires a near bottomless pit of money in order to weave his unique brand of specialness. We would invoke not trophies from him but barbs. ‘I am a manager with only one hand. Daniel keeps my other hand in his bank. What can I do?’ – Where have we heard that line before….?
Over to you…
I see that Ranieri is in the picture at QPR. That nice Mr.Warnock could be available….he knows the run of the club from Taarabt, Cerny, Routledge. Media would be happy as well…at least as many quotes as ‘Arry.
Warnock gets my vote! Even I’m not sure if I’m joking or not. If it’s a good idea then I’m being serious. If not, then I’m just kidding! :-D
The mans an atrocity of a manager.
Bring back El Tel or the Pleat only because O love how he can never pronounce anyones name!!
Mmmn Pleaty. That might be the only name that could make me backtrack on my Dowie plan :-D
Surely Hoddle should get another go at it? I hear Ossies looking for another stab at managing :D
A stab is probably what he’ll receive.
In the dark?
Harry banging on about ‘you’ve never had it so good, we play some of the best stuff you’ve seen you orrible lot’ Ossies treated us to some great attacking football… look where that got him…
Personally I’d welcome Ossie back, if he brought Messi, Di Maria, and Aguero with him ;)
Completely agree Spurfect!
Arry isn’t here for the long term and everyone knows it, so why should DL give him the money to invest when he knows he’ll have to do it for next summer’s replacement?? What he’ll say is you can only spend what you sell, we won’t get the invest we need as we will spend all summer trying to sell the players to generate money and then do the same thing we always do and try and sign someone on the final day once we have sold a few. If we don’t have the squad to keep up with man city arsenal and liverpool next season we won’t get CL again and Bale, Modric and VDV will be off with Rednapp that summer and we’ll be back to rebuilding for god knows how long. Sorry to be a pestimist but this is what I can see playing out if we don’t see the bigger picture and find a replacement this summer. We have one last chance to cement ourselves competing at the top and that’s next season, we need to get it right.
Coys
What he’ll say is you can only spend what you sell
I think this might be the case. The problem there is, will anyone want to buy at Levy’s asking price. We all know what a tough negotiator Levy is, and it’s served as well. But selling (possibly) 8 players and brining in 3 or 4 way before the season starts just isn’t going to get done. We’ll be putting in last minute offers for anyone whose name ends in a vowel; guarantee it.
completely agree, Harry has made this situation himself by going on about England all the time. Everyone believes he’ll be there so why would you give him money to spend. I dont think Harry has done a bad job but we need to improve and for the sake of the club Harry needs replacing now and not next year through no real fault of his own. Bale modric and co will not stay next year (if they stay this year) if there is again no champions league football. Hell I wouldn’t
What situation? There isn’t a situation.
Just fantasists moaning. It’s all meaning less.
Levy will buy a striker or two, we will add in other positions and sell some fringe players, Harry will be with us for another season and if he is offered the England job at the end of the season he will take it. BUT why would you help trying to have someone done for fraud and then appoint him England manager? The FA won’t comfirm today that the next manager must be English, why, because the only candidate is Redknapp (after Hodgsons failure at Liverpool) and they would rather have someone with a cleaner image. They should never have got rid of Hoddle in the first place.
Releasing Harry will never solve the situation. However, appointing an assistant, having tactical skills to change a losing situation into a winning one & to compliment Harry is essential.In addition, we need a vocal captain to highlight the faults of his underachieving players.
Obviously, Harry must accept decision overruling from his assistant, as ” all in the game of sport & for the benefit of the club”
Loved Gallas’ comments that this season hasn’t been a success. Spot on. Thats a winners mentality. Thats what we need more of. He acknowledges our achievement and showing in the Champions league but states our need to improve. Thats the attitude that got him disliked at the scum but is what we need! No excuses, just a will to improve and rectify it. Gallas is a Spur! COYS
I’d be a lot happier if those were the type of remarks coming from the manager. Instead we get barefaced lies and denial.
Spot on. Both of you.