Re: Tim Sherwood - Head Coach
Pretty much, yes.
Regular qualification has to be the minimum target - one-off qualification doesn't make that any more likely to happen. In fact, our recent history would suggest that one-off qualification makes it less likely.
If he'd had time to fully implement the system he wanted to then I think we'd have had a very good chance, yes. It's impossible to say something would or wouldn't have happened, but IMO the right steps were being taken to get there.
I'll state again though, as you must have missed it before - simply motivating our players will only get us into the CL if two or more of the richer clubs **** up. We need a long-term system in order to get past them permanently. IMO AVB was implementing a system that will do that, hopefully soon we'll employ a manager who can do that.
Do you really hold the viewpoint that it's all down to players now having been here for 6 months? If you do then which particular players do you feel have suddenly had that '6 month light bulb on' moment that coincided with the new manager taking over?
Also qualifying for the Champions League once makes it MUCH easier to then achieve regular qualification. If we qualify for the Champions League this season then we stand a better chance of the likes of Lloris, Vertonghen, Paulinho, Sandro, etc wanting to stay at the club. We should also be able to attract a better class of player, our revenue also increases so that we have the opportunity to spend more money on transfer fees.
In the three years since Redknapp qualified us for our single Champions league season we have finished:
5th - 6 points off qualification place.
4th - 1 point off 3rd place & qualification taken away through means beynod our control.
5th - 1 point off qualification place.
The one off qualification sets you up to be able to have an attempt at a sustained run, otherwise you constantly have the cycle of losing your best players.
How do players who like/respect their manager look? How do players who are enjoying their football look?
I would say that players who like/respect their manager continue to work hard for the whole game even if they are losing comphrensively.... I was appalled at our players demeanor on the pitch against Emirates Marketing Project at the Etihad and in our spanking at WHL by Liverpool. Getting a proper tonking will always put the manager under pressure and it appeared to me as though the players didn't care about this.
The way I see it there will always be a number of players that like the manager and a few players that don't , this will be the same with pretty much any manager at any club (unless they come in and do a Cloughie at Leeds of course). Typically the players who like the manager are the ones who are in his plans and those that dislike the manager tend to be ones that aren't. The key is for the manager to be able to ensure that he can still get a good performance out of the players who
don't like him.
Or ****-kissing the new boss because he wants a starting place.
Or perhaps Kaboul genuinely holds those thoughts about Sherwood? From what I have heard around the place many people at the club had been impressed with Sherwood and thought he was likely to be a future manager. I find it interesting that you feel Kaboul must be sucking up to the manager simply because his thoughts differ from yours.
What was important is that after a dozen games, Timmeh showed signs that he's slowly learning his lessons and performed more like a professional in his approach to the match.
This is an interesting take on things.... I think Sherwood has learnt lessons very quickly. He has regularly changed our formation, personell and shape for games to good effect. The Southampton match early on in his tenure was a good example of this. I don't think he has a real set way of playing - he talks about attacking football and no need for defensive midfielders because they are good 'Spurs' type soundbites I think, however it seems to me as though he is quite adaptable in terms of his football philosophy with one simple ethos which is that he won't be a 'safety first' type manager.
Now I defy you to tell me with a straight face that anyone with a fully functioning brain could stand being in the company of Jamie Redknapp for more than a few seconds.
I trust that you haver never had a conversation with Jamie Redknapp? He is actually a thoroughly nice guy, polite, engaging and intelligent. I wouldn't mind get stuck in a broken down lift with Jamie Redknapp and talking football for a few hours.... My wife said that she would be even more keen to get stuck in a lift with him.... although I can't think why - because she
hates football!
