John Gregory and Alan Curbishley

paulie8290

If the rumors of John Gregory heading to manage Crawley are true I think it is a good move for him.

The difference between Curbs and Gregory is although they both have great experience, they have both been out of English football for a while, and while Gregory looks happy to go to a league 1 club, Curbs on the other hand seems to only want to manage a prem team.

IMO most teams in League 1 would love a manager like him and probably a few in the championship(Barnsley just sacked their manager) but I cant see any prem team taking him as he has been away to long.

MrLargo

I would say that's shortsighted by Premier League managers if the only reason Curbs can't get a job is because he's been away too long. The game hasn't changed significantly (if at all) since 2008 - players were overpaid then just as they are now, Sky Sports still pretty much runs the game, and on the pitch the top 6 is virtually identical except for the arrival of Manchester City, and England are still a woeful international side with no realistic chance of ever winning anything.

Curbs record stands up there with the best in terms of what he acheived with the resources he had. Gregory's last two jobs in British football were at QPR in the Championship - sacked - and at Derby, whose relegation from the Premier League he oversaw before being sacked. Not a fair comparison.

J BLOCK

I think the game has changed massively since 2008

paulie8290

MrLargo said:

I would say that's shortsighted by Premier League managers if the only reason Curbs can't get a job is because he's been away too long. The game hasn't changed significantly (if at all) since 2008 - players were overpaid then just as they are now, Sky Sports still pretty much runs the game, and on the pitch the top 6 is virtually identical except for the arrival of Manchester City, and England are still a woeful international side with no realistic chance of ever winning anything.

Curbs record stands up there with the best in terms of what he acheived with the resources he had. Gregory's last two jobs in British football were at QPR in the Championship - sacked - and at Derby, whose relegation from the Premier League he oversaw before being sacked. Not a fair comparison.

You say the game has not changed but chairman want someone who has good contacts, and knows all about the league unfortunately Curbs will of lost most contacts, and I am not certain but probably has not seen that much of the prem. all I am saying is if he spent a season or 2 in the championship and regained everything he has lost in the last 5 years I am sure he will manage in the prem again

MrLargo

If he really does want to get back into the game then he'll need to take a Championship job. If League 1 is all he can get then I don't think it's worthwhile for him, and I doubt he will think it is either. He's certainly seen plenty of Premier League football though - most of his work these days is as a pundit for one of the tv companies that shows Premier League games, Al Jazeerah or someone like that. Anyway, I doubt we'll ever get the chance to find out whether he's still any good or not as nobody seems to want him.

J Block - not saying you're definitely wrong and I'm definitely right, but curious to know why you think it's changed so much since 2008?

Kap10

Curbs looks comfortable in what he is doing now, he does not give the impression of being hungry to get back into football, Every now and then he pops up and says he would like this job or that job but is never totally convincing. Look at people like Steve Bruce and Phil Brown they were willing to take two steps back and in Bruces case it has paid off for the moment.

Maybe Curbs should not have held back while taking West Ham to court and got back into management quickly, when over the long run he would have been financially better off.

J BLOCK

MrLargo said:

If he really does want to get back into the game then he'll need to take a Championship job. If League 1 is all he can get then I don't think it's worthwhile for him, and I doubt he will think it is either. He's certainly seen plenty of Premier League football though - most of his work these days is as a pundit for one of the tv companies that shows Premier League games, Al Jazeerah or someone like that. Anyway, I doubt we'll ever get the chance to find out whether he's still any good or not as nobody seems to want him.

J Block - not saying you're definitely wrong and I'm definitely right, but curious to know why you think it's changed so much since 2008?

I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer mate. But I think the main difference is the lack of long ball teams in the modern game. Even up to a couple of seasons ago, some of the teams in the lower half of the table would adopt the long ball game, stoke in particular. I can't now think of any team that really take that approach, the likes of Swansea, WBA and even Hull play good attacking football on the floor.

JiMMy 85

paulie8290 said:

heading to manage Crawley...it is a good move for him.

I would never, ever put 'good move' in the same sentence as Crawley. On any level. Whether it's about doing the shopping or going to Nandos.

As for the game changing, I don't see it. Maybe there are some tactical differences, like, one up top is more prevalent, but to assume Curbs is incapable of catching up with such changes seems bizarre to me. I tend to agree with Danny Baker on this point: sometimes football's a lot simpler than we like to make out. Nobody admits that because it would undermine the excitement, and put lots of pundits out of work.

Chris_from_Sidcup

I remain convinced that Curbs will never manage in the premier league again

MrLargo

J BLOCK said:

MrLargo said:

If he really does want to get back into the game then he'll need to take a Championship job. If League 1 is all he can get then I don't think it's worthwhile for him, and I doubt he will think it is either. He's certainly seen plenty of Premier League football though - most of his work these days is as a pundit for one of the tv companies that shows Premier League games, Al Jazeerah or someone like that. Anyway, I doubt we'll ever get the chance to find out whether he's still any good or not as nobody seems to want him.

J Block - not saying you're definitely wrong and I'm definitely right, but curious to know why you think it's changed so much since 2008?

I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer mate. But I think the main difference is the lack of long ball teams in the modern game. Even up to a couple of seasons ago, some of the teams in the lower half of the table would adopt the long ball game, stoke in particular. I can't now think of any team that really take that approach, the likes of Swansea, WBA and even Hull play good attacking football on the floor.

That's a valid point about the lack of long ball teams. Having said that, there is one team that's likely to be playing long ball football in the Premier League for the remainder of this season, although probably not for a while after that.

sm

Kap10 said:

Maybe Curbs should not have held back while taking West Ham to court and got back into management quickly, when over the long run he would have been financially better off.

Perhaps he did so because he is a man with some principles - which is probably why he realises that he can only work with Chairmen and directors such as Richard Murray who are as rare as hens' teeth in modern day football.

Phil

Unbelievable, I didn't know he was still alive ! What a bizarre appointment with so many decent managers out of work. Can't see it being a success but I've been wrong before !