[drewks]

Yup, I agree with Beefy - GM was just what the club needed at the time, and achieved hugely....but IMO we NOW need someone to bring something new to the playing side of things.
Hurts to say it but I can hardly imagine a worse assistant to TP
(Line up and throw those stones in an orderly fashion)

[BaggieMan]

Reserving judgement. As people say, he was very good at the time he was with us and the circumstances that prevailed at the time but, we have moved on.... time will tell.

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I'm told Gerry 'The Mullet' Francis still does two days a week with the First Team

[BaggieSteve]

I'm with Drewks in not viewing the appointment of Gary Megson with undiluted joy. All of us remember the events of 2002 and how brilliant that was, considering how long we had been in the footballing wilderness; a huge reason for that success was Gary Megson and the club owe him a huge debt. However, we have moved on in 15 years....or have we? The strengths of Megson's promotion side was strong teamwork, an incredible work ethic and an unwillingness to give in. We dragged results of out of nowhere during that promotion season. If we're honest, we were a functional team that did what it needed to get promoted; creative, attractive football was not, in my view, on Megson's radar and that's fair enough when you're trying to get promoted - you just want to get the job done. My concern is that we now have a management/coaching team that still have this ethos but now there's two of 'em. However, we are an established Premier League team now and should be far more ambitious than we are in our style of play. In this coaching team, there is no yin and yang, no balance of conservatism and ambition, just two fellas who believe in grinding out results.

[talkSAFT]

Megson's previous management did grind out a few results - true. But his teams relied far less on 10 tall players behind the ball. And not once did I come away from The Hawthorns bored and embarrassed about having 30% possession. (Once at Sunderland when we needed a draw - and actually won, due to a breakaway goal from Dyer/Koumas - we cynically put all players behind the ball, which the fans were happy with as it more or less guaranteed promotion).
But we shouldn't bracket Megson with Pulis. Megson's (what was it) 16 1-0 wins in the promotion season were mainly well-earned, rather than cynical, and even in the Prem he made best use of the players he had, and then always brought in attacking and flair players just as readily as stoppers.

I'm hoping Gary's input will include a few sessions in training where midfielders remember how to pass to each other. Last season - after February - we would weather the storm of 3 or 4 minutes without the ball, then proceed to give it back because nobody was allowed to cross the halfway line to support Rondon.

[Sir Megson]

It's frankly typical of our some of our fanbase of late to take this news and twist it to be more negative than it needs to be. Yes we've moved on since his time as manager, but he's not the bloody manager now is he!

He's back as assistant due to Kemp retiring and I'm baffled how it's viewed as anything other than a great choice by the board for giving it their approval.

The bloke is more than suitable replacement for Kemp and clearly loves the club, choosing this role over another job he no doubt could have taken instead.

[BaggieSteve]

Sir Megson, I guess from your email you're referring to me as "one if those typical fans" as I posted a less than enthusiastic welcome to the news of his appointment. I also assume from your name that you're a fan of his. Sorry but I don't buy into the "SGM" cult of idolatry. As I said in my email, I think the club owes him a lot from his initial time here but I still hold the view that, by and large, his approach to football is "effective and functional", the same as Tony Pulis. I think we should have moved on from that. Yes, you're right, he's the coach, not the manager, but the disappointment Pulis expressed at the loss of Dave Kemp and the speed at which he appointed Megson, indicates the importance the role of coach is for Pulis. Megson will clearly influence Pulis' thinking, otherwise he would not have appointed him, he clearly sees him as someone who dill be supportive of his own approach and thinking. As a passionate fan, I desperately hope it works out but please don't get uptight with those of us who don't want to turn the clock back 15 years.

[drewks]

Yup, agree, Steve.
I'm sure that we bloody well hope we're wrong! We all want the same thing - a good, successful entertaining Baggies team - so let's not start falling out because we have different opinions Sir Gary!

[Sir Megson]

Sir Megson, I guess from your email you're referring to me as "one if those typical fans" as I posted a less than enthusiastic welcome to the news of his appointment. I also assume from your name that you're a fan of his. Sorry but I don't buy into the "SGM" cult of idolatry. As I said in my email, I think the club owes him a lot from his initial time here but I still hold the view that, by and large, his approach to football is "effective and functional", the same as Tony Pulis. I think we should have moved on from that. Yes, you're right, he's the coach, not the manager, but the disappointment Pulis expressed at the loss of Dave Kemp and the speed at which he appointed Megson, indicates the importance the role of coach is for Pulis. Megson will clearly influence Pulis' thinking, otherwise he would not have appointed him, he clearly sees him as someone who dill be supportive of his own approach and thinking. As a passionate fan, I desperately hope it works out but please don't get uptight with those of us who don't want to turn the clock back 15 years.

Misquoting what I wrote isn't a great start. I said it's typical of some of our fanbase, not just aimed at those on here although that's how it may be interpreted. You aren't the only person to have voiced an opinion that can be safely classified as a negative response to the appointment.

As a young fan who didn't get to enjoy the Albion in their prime in the 70's etc, Gary Megson represents the most enjoyable time in my time supporting the club. He literally took us back to the top flight when it looked like the club was going the other way. 

Having fans older than me throwing shade at the appointment is annoying and I'll happily voice my opinion on that. Voicing an opinion is not being uptight, quite the opposite infact as I could simply just grumble to myself and not share my opinion otherwise.

If we'd have announced this after we'd made about 3,4 or 5 player signings, I guarantee Megson returning would not have been put into a negative light. 

It's not a question of falling out with each other, I will use this forum as a platform to put my opinion across just the same as everyone else can. That's how these places thrive if everyone actually has the guts to put their views out there for all to see.

[BaggieSteve]

Sorry but when your original post start with "it's frankly typical", then it's clearly intended as a criticism of those who have voiced less enthusiasm about Megson's appointment and who don't totally buy into the notion of Saint Gary Megson. I have no issue with you voicing your opinion on his appointment, whether positive or not, as you say that's the purpose of boards such as this. Neither do I feel that my age entitles me to claim a superior opinion based upon my experience of watching the Albion for 55 years, I've seen some great teams and some dross over that period although I'm not sure how my advanced years are relevant to you when commenting on my view of Megson's appointment. Like you, I have no qualms in voicing my opinion on this, nsmely that it's a retrograde step and brings little to improve the playing style of the team. Time will tell and, as you say, if we had made a number of important signings, then this news would likely be lost among the by lines. However, we haven't and the club made a big splash of Megson's appointment, so not surprisingly people have commented upon it. Let's hope we do make some signings, otherwise it's gonna be a long, hard season.

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Yup, agree, Steve.
I'm sure that we bloody well hope we're wrong! We all want the same thing - a good, successful entertaining Baggies team - so let's not start falling out because we have different opinions Sir Gary!

Fair point, Drewks, totally agree

[talkSAFT]

Delighted to read your views on this issue (and others).

Some of the other Boards are almost manic in their postings, such as
"....if you don't agree with me I'll find out where you live. You ****!!!"