The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[stokeriño]

The more that time goes on the more I suspect that the next Chelsea manager will be Laurent Blanc.

[Plubby]

Or the Venkys chicken.

[Lineker]

Steve Clarke indeed appointed at WBA on a two-year deal.

[METALMAN]

Steve Clarke indeed appointed at WBA on a two-year deal.

Who is Steve Clarke indeed?

[Lineker]

Poor. Andrew.

[Pesci]

Eager to see what Clarke can do as a manager. He's shown himself to be somewhat of a master of defensive organisation so it'll be a good insight into the rest of his game. I like it, anyway.

[Hobo]

Going by my FM game it won't end well. Pretty sure he relegated Stoke.

[Lineker]

Chelsea are expected to confirm the permanent appointment of Roberto Di Matteo as manager this week.

The Italian's representatives spent the weekend in talks with Chelsea officials and the 41-year-old has been assured he is the man Roman Abramovich wants.

Di Matteo has agreed to accept the position in principle and the remaining contractual issues are expected to be ironed out this week.

The former West Brom manager returns from a family holiday on Wednesday.

It is thought Chelsea are likely to wait until Di Matteo is back in London before making an official announcement.

Di Matteo was appointed interim coach following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas in March.

He led Chelsea to a historic Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich last month and also lifted the FA Cup as he lost just three out of 21 matches to restore much-needed pride to Stamford Bridge.

Di Matteo's case was strengthened by the willingness of the senior players to see him handed the chance to build on last season's triumphs.

One issue that remains unresolved, however, is the length of the contract.

Di Matteo had expressed a reluctance to accept a short-term deal, fearing it would affect his authority at the club and his ability to make long-term decisions.

It is now thought the most likely scenario will see both parties agree to a longer contract with a clause that would allow either to break it after 12 months.

[stokeriño]

It's weird. I'm sort of pleased, but the way it's taken them several weeks with the club having obviously pursued other names leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Now let's just get Robbie to start wearing an eyepatch somehow.

[Lineker]

Michael Laudrup has emerged as odds-on favourite to succeed Brendan Rodgers and become the next Swansea City boss.

The ex-Denmark and Barcelona star is on the Swans' shortlist of candidates for the vacant role after Rodgers left for Liverpool.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins is on holiday but is reportedly set to begin negotiations with Laudrup.

The 47-year-old former Real Mallorca and Spartak Moscow boss had spoken of a desire to manage in the Premier League.

Swansea, who finished 11th in their debut Premier League season, are searching for their fourth boss in three years after Rodgers accepted the Liverpool vacancy last month.

Former France captain Marcel Desailly, Wigan assistant and ex-Swansea number two Graeme Jones, Brighton and Hove Albion boss Gus Poyet, MK Dons chief Karl Robinson, Swindon manager Paolo di Canio and former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp are also being linked with the job.

Laudrup, who won five Spanish league titles with Barcelona and Real Madrid as a player between 1991 and 1995, played a style of attractive, passing football that would suit Swansea's philosophy.

He has been out of work since resigning as Mallorca manager, where he was in charge for 14 months, in September 2011 after the club sacked his assistant Erik Larsen.

Laudrup retired from playing while at Dutch giants Ajax and started his coaching career aged 36 as Denmark coach Morten Olsen's assistant in 2000.

He helped inspire the Danish team to win their 2002 World Cup pool, which included Uruguay, Senegal and reigning champions France, before they were beaten 3-0 by England in Niigata.

Laudrup took the manager's job at Danish side Brondby after the World Cup in South Korea and Japan and he guided the side to the 2005 league and cup double with a young squad playing an attractive short-passing game, similar to Swansea's brand.

He was linked with a managerial vacancy at former club Real Madrid when he left Brondby in 2006 before Laudrup joined Spanish side Getafe, who he guided to the 2008 Spanish Cup final and the Uefa Cup quarter-final.

Laudrup was reportedly a contender for jobs at Valencia, Benfica, Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United when he resigned as Getafe boss in May 2008 but took over at Spartak Moscow in September 2008.

He was dismissed seven months later following their Russian Cup loss to Dynamo Moscow and was heavily linked with Spanish side Atletico Madrid but Laudrup and the club were unable to agree terms.

He was appointed Mallorca manager in July 2010 and kept a struggling team in Spain's La Liga but left the club citing frustration in his working relationship with director of football Lorenzo Serra Ferrer.

Jenkins, who insists Swansea will take time to appoint their new manager, has a reputation for appointing and developing young managers who share his football philosophy to ensure squad stability.

The subsequent departures of Martinez to Wigan, Paulo Sousa to Leicester and Rodgers to Liverpool have earned Swansea almost £10m in total compensation.

[Adam]

Having been away, I'm not sure what's going on with the managerial merry-go-round.

Steve Clarke is the new WBA manager, but Norwich, Chelsea and Swansea are yet to appoint anyone. Is that right?

[therockbox]

Yeah. Michael Laudrup is apparently favourite for the Swansea job, and RDM the Chelsea one. No idea about Norwich.

[MGW]

Yeah. Michael Laudrup is apparently favourite for the Swansea job, and RDM the Chelsea one. No idea about Norwich.

I thought Chris Hughton had gone to Norwich from Birmingham?

[therockbox]

...

oh yeah >_>

[Adam]

But was that ever confirmed?

[Summers]

hughton? yes.

[Blue Rosler]

I'm liking lots of the West Ham rumours... they're not world beaters, but could provide a squad strong enough to stay up. Joselu, Nicholas Anelka, Zat Knight, DaMarcus Beasley, Scott Dann.

I'd love us to sign decent defenders, though.

[Adam]

hughton? yes.

Thanks. Being in a field for the week means I missed that. Great move for both.

[Lineker]

Danny Guthrie sees his wedding turn into 'mass brawl'

[Adam]

staff at the home said they had 'behaved like peasants with money'.

I think that about sums up this type of crowd of footballers and their hanger-ons.