nPower Football League Thread 2011/12

[Bobfoc]

Forest thrashed again and McClaren loses the plot seemingly at half time... surely he's all but sacked?

Considering the discontent with the Forest board that's been evident under the last several managers, I wonder who would want to replace him if he did go. Under Billy Davies, Forest were a solid, cohesive unit that just lacked the extra edge that some decent squad investment might have brought, and getting rid of him seems to have been another poor decision on the part of the board. Yes, Billy was temperamental and abrasive, but at least he got significantly more out of his players than McClaren has so far. Their options seem to be either to stick with McClaren and risk falling even further into the relegation scrap or to get rid of him and hope that any half-decent manager would be prepared to deal with all the internal nonsense that has helped hold the club back for the last decade.

[Jimmy]

I'm pleasantly suprised Ipswich beat West Ham last night. Upton Park is a really hard place to go in this league and I'm very happy we walked away with all three points. That's three clean sheets we've kept in the last three games, a huge improvement from our awful 7-1 loss to Peterborough. We've started stringing decent results together and we're one point off six. Hoping this is a sign we've got it together.

[IAceI]

His reputation seems to be in absolute tatters right now and it appears he's just a dead man walking at Forest. I can't see them giving him much longer and losing 5-1 to Burnley is pretty shambolic, regardless whether home or away, 5-1 against Burnley is poor.

It's a shame, because he seemed to do the right thing after the England disaster. He went to Holland, became Dutch, and made FC Twente a very good team and fair play to him for moving on to bigger and better things at Wolfsburg. Unfortunately he's a shocking disciplinarian and it was so apparent when up against the egos of Dzeko and Diego (particularly Diego who essentially got him fired).

This is a man, who at Wolfsburg, had his side gain a penalty and despite having a set penalty taker, Diego insisted on taking it and missed and McClaren was sacked at the end of the match.

You'd think Forest would have been the ideal place for him to rebuild his reputation, away from the watching and prying eyes of the Premier League, but it seems he's been found out and you have to wonder if he does go in the near future - where does he go to next? Who would have him? Surely no Premier League or Championship team will want to touch him right now, and surely no team in either of those leagues are in such dire straits right now that they would consider McClaren?

I hope he turns it round but once you're on that slippery slope it's pretty hard to stop the momentum so I can't see much changing at Forest unless a new guy is brought in.

And to wrap up, obligatory [its so sad to see a team of Forests reputation struggle like this] comment. As we all know Forest like to tell us how good they used to be.

[Bobfoc]

Whether he gets sacked soon or not, it's definitely not doing McClaren's reputation any favours, especially in England, where he was hardly the most popular of figures anyway.

Interesting point on his lack of ability as a disciplinarian as well. A lot of people seemed to view his as a decent cultivator of youth during his time as assistant manager at Man United, but he has never seemed nearly as capable as being the man in charge. Perhaps it was the same situation when he was England's assistant manager under Sven, a time at which there seemed to be more harmony within the team than there was when he took over as coach.

Maybe he's just a guy who's better suited to a role as a coach or assistant manager than as the main man at the helm of a club or nation. I know he did a good job at Twente, but that was only for one season and, despite winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough, they seemed to be in a worrying state of decline before McClaren left to manage England. With all that said, though, it'd be hard to envisage any major teams wanting to take him on in a non-management role, and the smaller clubs probably couldn't justify his probable wage demands for a similar position. Assuming things don't turn around quickly at Forest, this could end up being his last job in English football.

As for Forest, I wonder how well Sean O'Driscoll would fare as manager. It wasn't long ago that he was considered one of the best young managers in the English league, and he's certainly demonstrated an ability to work on a small budget. Now that he's been sacked by Doncaster, I think that Forest could do much worse than giving him a look.

[Lineker]

For sure he's better as a #2. Boro should look to get Curbs in.

[Adam]

I think I'd rather have O'Driscoll in than Curbishley right now, he's been out of the game quite a while.

[Lineker]

Is that really such a factor though? Dalglish has proved that it isn't, not really.

[Twist]

You mean the guy who has spent 100 million and is delivering, well, mediocrity?

[MGW]

You mean the guy who has spent 100 million and is delivering, well, mediocrity?

Hardly mediocrity compared to where we were when he took over though is it! It's not even Christmas and we're 5th. We finished 6th last year and when Kenny took

Over Woy was doing his best to get us relegated. So that's ever so slightly harsh to say he's delivered mediocrity!!

[Lineker]

^ that basically. But that's another debate for another day.

Gus Poyet signs a new five-year deal at Brighton. Good stuff.

[IAceI]

Good for Brighton, they'll get more money now when a bigger team gets him before his contract ends.

[Bobfoc]

Good for Brighton, they'll get more money now when a bigger team gets him before his contract ends.

True, and I could definitely envisage him going elsewhere before too long. If Harry Redknapp ends up becoming England boss at the end of the season, as has been so widely speculated, I'm sure Poyet would be near the top of Tottenham's list of potential replacements.

[Colly]

You mean the guy who has spent 100 million and is delivering, well, mediocrity?

Hardly mediocrity compared to where we were when he took over though is it! It's not even Christmas and we're 5th. We finished 6th last year and when Kenny took

Over Woy was doing his best to get us relegated. So that's ever so slightly harsh to say he's delivered mediocrity!!

Not to promote 'Arry who I think is a div, but Redknapp took a Spurs team from bottom to 8th, then the Champions League with an expenditure that was peanuts by comparison. Not that Liverpool can't make that, but £55m for Carroll and Henderson is madness, whether you've got Torres money to burn or not. Time will tell of course, but Henderson is rats...

[Adam]

Looking at it as a one off then you can't disagree that Carroll was bought for waaay over the odds, but you have to look at it whilst taking into account the other factors - it was deadline day and Liverpool knew that they needed a striker in to replace Torres, and since they had a newly acquired £50 million in, they decided to re-invest most of it in Carroll. Torres was overpriced too but it doesn't change the fact that that transfer made sense if only for one day.

Henderson for £20 million though I will never understand.

Anyway, this is the npower leagues thread so let's get back on topic...we're now unbeaten in three games and up to 20th since Dean Saunders took over, with a well fought comeback victory at Peterborough that I absolutely loved . Even got to talk to the chairman John Ryan in the stands before the game too!

Edited October 2, 2011 by AdamDRFC

[IAceI]

If Carroll can go for £35m then £20m isn't enough for Henderson.

[Jimmy]

Great win for Ipswich yesterday, beating Brighton who have proved they're going to be difficult opposition this year. We were all over them before they scored their goal and we came back nicely. 10 points from the last four games is impressive and we're only a point off the top 6. If we can keep this form up I really think we've got a shot at promotion this season, but it is still early days.

[MJB]

Forest concede three in ten minutes to go down 3-1 at home to Birmingham. McClaren out?

[Starvinho]

Apparently if they sack him, McClaren will get about £2million compo and Forrest are against doing that. But if this carries on they'll have get rid sooner rather than later.

[Bobfoc]

McClaren staying on for the sake of millions of pounds in compensation as a result of being sacked? Sounds awfully familiar.

[Starvinho]

McClaren has resigned.