Should we go down, I think we've got three different options to lead our rebuild, and with an intriguing project in place of which they will have funds (more than any other Championship) side to spend, a thriving academy and a genuine need for a new identity and essentially a heart transplant, Fulham FC could interest many a manager.
Option 1: We stick with Rene Meulensteen.
The form has been dire, but with an impressive window and the positive performances early on, could he do better with his own team? I'm not sure. I think he can, but there's clearly something wrong, whether it's "too many cooks spoil the broth" or simply he's not very good, or even the players aren't very good, we can only really be sure on one. For me, we say "thanks, but no thanks" and we wipe the surface clean with a lifetime supply of anti bacterial spray, really start from the bottom.
Option 2: We go back to basics, and appoint Malky Mackay.
A manager similar to Roy Hodgson, he can organise the defence and get us playing similar football, boring but effective, more draws than losses and wins, but the teams heart and discipline cannot be judged. He's won the Championship as a manager, and also won the play offs twice as a player, his experience of that tier of football is huge despite his youth, for a manager anyway. A good eye for a player, brought Danny Graham to Watford for just £200k, the club going on to sell him for £3.5m. He also gave valuable game time to Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury early in their career. Although his spending at times is questionable, £2.5m for Nicky Maynard and £7m for Andreas Cornelius, his results however cannot be ignored. An appointment I wouldn't be against.
Option 3: Kit Symons.
I can feel the judgement coming through the computer screen, going from one inexperienced coach to another. However, all you have to do is watch 90 minutes of the U21s to see how much he has perfected a beautiful style of play; it helps that we have the best U21 of course, but don't take away how difficult it is to coach and instil the passing game, the solid defence and the quick breakaways, made even more impressive that's put it into 17/18/19 year olds. Also, it helps Kit that he has experience of playing at the top level, and also being a senior member in a squad that won the Championship at Fulham, along with 3 other promotions in his playing career. Also, he knows the younger players better than anyone else at the club, and not only can that help maybe keep them for longer, but also to get them to play at an increased level.
These are the only three options for me, Michael Laudrup's personal issues with Swansea warn me off a tad. I was tempted to discuss managers already in the job (Eddie Howe and Karl Robinson) but I can't really be bothered. Other than that, the available managers are Paolo Di Canio, Neil Warnock, Steve Lomas or Steve Clarke. Sven anyone?
Also, bare in mind this is should we go down, I'm usually quite positive, but I can't see it happening, the next few weeks, I think, will be too much for us.
If you're considering possibilities for management moving forward after we hypothetically go down, then it could very well be that the managers available in the summer will be different than those that are available now. In any case, going with the options you're laying out, Mackay seems at least okay.
Is Pardew the one that grew up a Fulham supporter? I'd have taken him though it seems like that ship has sailed given that he has Newcastle playing pretty well these days.
Quote from: jmh on February 05, 2014, 05:29:27 PM
If you're considering possibilities for management moving forward after we hypothetically go down, then it could very well be that the managers available in the summer will be different than those that are available now. In any case, going with the options you're laying out, Mackay seems at least okay.
Is Pardew the one that grew up a Fulham supporter? I'd have taken him though it seems like that ship has sailed given that he has Newcastle playing pretty well these days.
Well it's either way really, this club doesn't need just a facelift, it needs a boob job, bum impants, botox and lip fillers. I don't feel confident enough in the current management to give them a transfer window and then the start of the season only to be sacked.
Yes, Alan Pardew allegedly grew up watching and supporting Fulham. Other football related Fulham supporters are Gary Johnson (Yeovil manager), Dario Gradi (Crewe legend) and Nicky Bailey (current Millwall central midfielder, had time at FFC in academy days, best known for his time at Charlton and Middlesbrough).
Relegation will soon be an absolute certainty, possibly with about six or eight games to go. If by then there are no signs of definite improvement lets bring Kit Simmons in to see if he has the makings of a Championship challenging manager. Other options could be Danny Murphy or Lee Clark.
Murph has to finish his badges I believe
Mackay's legacy Norwich,Cardiff,perfect fit for FFC then.?Highly overrated by the media in my opinion.Moyes will be available soon,Everton of the South will do for me.
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I don't want to experiment with Kit as manager if we go down, I would want us to appoint a manager who we can be confident will give us the best chance of being promoted at the first time of asking. The longer we languish in the lower divisions, the bleaker the outlook becomes.
Interesting piece in the Grauniad on this conundrum http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/05/fulham-rene-meulensteen-manager?CMP=twt_gu (http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/feb/05/fulham-rene-meulensteen-manager?CMP=twt_gu)
Khan and McIntosh do not strike me as people who knee jerk react and so firing RM, which may be a possibility and Curbs and Wilkins will never happen - compensation alone will discourage that. So any thoughts or discussion around Malkey Mackay, Laudrup etc is fanciful, its just not going to happen. I think RM gets a chance with the new players and then either succeeds and lasts the season or does not and in a couple of weeks Curbishley takes over. Whether he keeps Wilkins is not for certain as none of us think he is offering much. How long of a time does that "chance" amount to? spanked by both Manu and Lpool may be enough. Signs are from last night's game that he has lost the dressing room already so whether he finally makes wholesale changes and really does try and use the new signings or not will be critical. If he uses them as band aids and we see the tired failing central partnership of Parker and Sidwell again then he is destined to fail and will be gone by the time the final whistle blows next Wednesday at the Cottage.
It may well be that both Rene and Ray are not up to managerial jobs, simple as. I reckon if we go down 6-0 to Man U, Rene will be out...
Quote from: filham on February 05, 2014, 06:08:49 PM
Relegation will soon be an absolute certainty, possibly with about six or eight games to go. If by then there are no signs of definite improvement lets bring Kit Simmons in to see if he has the makings of a Championship challenging manager. Other options could be Danny Murphy or Lee Clark.
My problem with Murphy is complete lack of coaching experience. Although a Fulham hero, that's the biggest gamble there is, someone that has never been employed as a coach. Kit at least has been coaching at Fulham for 6 years and also has caretaker manager experience for Palace (twice) and Colchester.
Lee Clark interests me. He was seemingly very good at Huddersfield, setting a Football League record for 43 games undefeated, but was eventually sacked; and at Birmingham, for a time he was getting very negative reviews, but seems to be doing okay with a depleted squad and no budget.
Quote from: west kowloon white on February 05, 2014, 06:17:22 PM
Mackay's legacy Norwich,Cardiff,perfect fit for FFC then.?Highly overrated by the media in my opinion.Moyes will be available soon,Everton of the South will do for me.
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Why would David Moyes join a Championship club? I don't think he should be sacked.
Also, why were you talking about Norwich? He also managed Watford...
Option 4: Hodgson has a bad world cup, gets sacked, returns to fulham.
If not, I choose option 3. Don't think we can keep Rene, yeah he about 2 or 3 good games but we've gone back to being shite. Get rid of Wilkins as well.
And Watford ...satisfied?Still not convinced.There is a long list of people who have been short term reasonably successful at loads of clubs.