The precision of an assassin? More like the floundering of a man who has lost the plot. He landed a load of useless players on Powell in January and then fired him, for not playing them. He then appointed Riga, who kept us up by also not playing those useless players but getting the best out of Powell's previous squad. He then fired Riga replacing him with a yes man in Peeters and broke up Powell's squad, leaving Peeters short of numbers and experience and, crucially, a decent centre forward. He has now fired Peeters for failing to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. RD's method of operation should be clear to us by now. His football business plan is flawed and he blames his staff when it goes wrong, both cowardly and stupid.
As nice as it is that people are trying to find positives in all of this, Southbank's post sums it up perfectly. The only plus since RD took over (and admittedly it's a big one) is what has gone on off the pitch but that's not what we pay our money for.
We were 24th when Powell went, 18th at the end of last season under Riga and now we are 14th. That's a rise of 10 places in ten months and many think we have a better squad than this time last year. If, and it's a big if, they get this appointment right and bring in one or two decent players then I see no reason why we shouldn't finish top half and then look forward to next season.
Before the takeover fans would have been delighted with mid-table 12 months down the line.
So he would have still sacked him if we were top of the league? Unlikely!
They had agreed a new long-term contract but failed to agree football strategy. Talking about top of the league is completely ridiculous as the whole scenario would have been different, Roland would probably not have been buying us in the first place as the other lot would have been hanging in there for their pot of gold. The point is Powell was a dead man walking because he didn't buy into Roland's ideas, so Roly Poly was waiting for the first politically-manageable opportunity to sack him. After the QPR and Wednesday results he couldn't so his first chance was after the Sheffield United defeat and before he had the opportunity to guide us clear of relegation himself with the very winnable run of midweek home games in hand. Even if we had made the cup final and stayed up, I think Powell would have left one way or the other because he wasn't interested in Roland's perverse ideas about how to manage a football club.
It would probably just have been a short, officious website announcement on June 1st, Chris Powell will not be signing a new contract with the club. Thanks for your efforts.
So he would have still sacked him if we were top of the league? Unlikely!
They had agreed a new long-term contract but failed to agree football strategy. Talking about top of the league is completely ridiculous as the whole scenario would have been different, Roland would probably not have been buying us in the first place as the other lot would have been hanging in there for their pot of gold. The point is Powell was a dead man walking because he didn't buy into Roland's ideas, so Roly Poly was waiting for the first politically-manageable opportunity to sack him. After the QPR and Wednesday results he couldn't so his first chance was after the Sheffield United defeat and before he had the opportunity to guide us clear of relegation himself with the very winnable run of midweek home games in hand. Even if we had made the cup final and stayed up, I think Powell would have left one way or the other because he wasn't interested in Roland's perverse ideas about how to manage a football club.
I think that's valid, but Powell declined to take instructions on team selection at Sheffield United and consequently knew before the game he was gone because of that. Of course, that may well have been the intention when the instructions were issued.
Can't help feeling, maybe just purely out of desperate hope, but that the longer we wait for a new manager to be appointed, the less likely it is to be someone from the network? With both Riga and Peeters, they were announced quickly after the sacking of the previous, clearly having been lined up to come in. Maybe this time RD is actually looking at a number of candidates, rather than just sticking Luzon or any other former SL man into it.
We can hope.
Or he's at least pretending to look at other candidates before appointing Luzon, Fraeye or another random Belgian connection so he can try and fool us into thinking he genuinely explored all avenues. Maybe I'm too cynical.
Can't help feeling, maybe just purely out of desperate hope, but that the longer we wait for a new manager to be appointed, the less likely it is to be someone from the network? With both Riga and Peeters, they were announced quickly after the sacking of the previous, clearly having been lined up to come in. Maybe this time RD is actually looking at a number of candidates, rather than just sticking Luzon or any other former SL man into it.
We can hope.
Or he's at least pretending to look at other candidates before appointing Luzon, Fraeye or another random Belgian connection so he can try and fool us into thinking he genuinely explored all avenues. Maybe I'm too cynical.
I am not so sure, If i have learned anything about Roland already its is that he doe snot care what we the fans think. If he wanted Luzon in he would be in now and would not worry about looking like he is taking his time to find teheright person.
Now because i have said this Luzon will come in after Saturday lol.
Can't help feeling, maybe just purely out of desperate hope, but that the longer we wait for a new manager to be appointed, the less likely it is to be someone from the network? With both Riga and Peeters, they were announced quickly after the sacking of the previous, clearly having been lined up to come in. Maybe this time RD is actually looking at a number of candidates, rather than just sticking Luzon or any other former SL man into it.
We can hope.
Or he's at least pretending to look at other candidates before appointing Luzon, Fraeye or another random Belgian connection so he can try and fool us into thinking he genuinely explored all avenues. Maybe I'm too cynical.
I am not so sure, If i have learned anything about Roland already its is that he doe snot care what we the fans think. If he wanted Luzon in he would be in now and would not worry about looking like he is taking his time to find teheright person.
Now because i have said this Luzon will come in after Saturday lol.
it could well be that Luzon has been agreed but they are now sweating the small stuff, like length of contract eg end of season v 3 years!! Not sure anyone is going to accept a short term contract from RD currently.
I'm not sure enough time has passed from BP's sacking to assume that Luzon isn't lined up, I'd give it another week or so before reaching that conclusion
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If, and it's a big if, they get this appointment right and bring in one or two decent players then I see no reason why we shouldn't finish top half and then look forward to next season.
Before the takeover fans would have been delighted with mid-table 12 months down the line.
Now because i have said this Luzon will come in after Saturday lol.
Surely he's retained in the network to avoid terminating his existing contract and paying him compensation as a lump sum?