10-11-2014, 21:37
(09-11-2014, 19:14)Salopbaggie Wrote: Have to agree with the above, I would still be prepared to give AI a chance if he were prepared to "have a go", but that is looking increasing unlikely.
I still have the words of some of the Wednesday fans on the new606 board lingering in the back of my mind:
"Will defend if in front will, defend if drawing and will still defend if losing."
"Get used to seeing the same team because rather than change it he will try and fit a square peg in a round hole"
"Hope you like just hoofing the ball forward"
"take a book it will be more exciting than the game"
"Guaranteed he will take you down"
If fact if I remember correctly one of the posters of some of these quote is a moderator on this forum, St. Charles Owl.
Now I am not calling for AI's head, (yet) but he does need to get us back to playing attractive football, its not as if we have not got the players to do so.
Those comments would be very consistent with what most Owls fans would say about Father Ted!! He is supposedly a very good coach, particularly of youngsters, but his management skills seem completely lacking!! Now of course when he was with us he had nowhere near the talent that he has with you guys, but he made our bad talent even worse!!! He will defend at all costs, particularly when you get the lead!! That may work with a talented bunch of under19s like he had at Everton but in the prem the better players will punish you if you sit back too much. We lost or drew so many games from winning positions when he was here and the football that went with it was dire!! The sideways pass will be the norm, keep the ball at all costs, but gone are the days when possession means that much, its what you do with it now, and most prem teams will know how you are set up as a rigid 442 and will conter easily without needing a lot of possession!!
As some of you have said, there are worse teams that you guys this season, but as always its going to be tight all season and it will come down to teams pulling off the shock win against a top 5 side in the run-in that will determine the relegation spots, and that means having manager who will go for it when not winning and one who will go for it even more when you do get the lead!!! That is not Father Ted's style I am afraid!!!