JOL'S MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE REVIEW

[NogoodBoyo]

I'd raise a glass to you for participating in a lively, spirited debate, Maestro, but Sunday night is a non-drinking, liver-cleansing night in Boyodom.
Nogood "have to watch American football now I suppose, isit" Boyo
P.S.  I admire people who are still loyal to Jol.  He's not a bad bloke and not a bad manager.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

You're right again, Maestro.  The "evidence" is no more than a load of old Welsh ill-educated opinion that there is a problem in our manor.  Thankfully, I don't have to deal with this.  Mocintosh does (or do).  They are probably sweating a bit at the moment as there's a lot of money at stake in getting this wrong. 
Having said that, we have to watch it unfold.  As interesting as that is, it is painful.
Nogood "wheel-tapping and shunting with the best of them, KC, isit" Boyo

I would qualify to play for Wales. It was just a little dig at your on-line persona.

No implication that it is ill-educated but it is opinion.

Who cannot agree that there are problems but at one stage we were one of the highest scoring teams with much the same team. Such is the fine line between joy and misery.

I would like some managerial consistency, as with Moyes at Everton, and think Jol could provide that if we can get through this sticky patch.

[AnotherVicHalomLoveChild]

4 C's & 1 F doesn't appear to be a disaster NgB
Perhaps you could clarify your grading system as I think your summary suggests far worse along with serious outcomes if there isn't change
You might have added some CPD/further studies for MJ to improve his language & communication skills - starting with English,Bulgarian,Spanish & a little Greek
I struggle to follow what the heck he is on about,never mind he doesn't dwell,leaves it behind & moves on
On a serious not,dear old Woy was able to communicate clearly in many languages & this was hugely beneficial to both him,the individual players,MAF & the BoArd & FFC supporters
It is up to MJ to make clear what is required,what is expected from each player & the team as a whole
He then unleashes the "lovers" (whoops should be the warriors) to play to their strengths & exploit the other teams weaknesses (& yes they do have them just as we do)
Has MJ got it in him to pull this round?
Jury out,time running out......

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

I'd raise a glass to you for participating in a lively, spirited debate, Maestro, but Sunday night is a non-drinking, liver-cleansing night in Boyodom.
Nogood "have to watch American football now I suppose, isit" Boyo
P.S.  I admire people who are still loyal to Jol.  He's not a bad bloke and not a bad manager.

082.gif

[Berserker]

Sometimes you just make my day Mr Nogood  077.gif

[Senior Supporter]

Dear cebu,
I agree that Macintosh should bear a good deal of the blame for the club's disastrous showing in the August transfer season.  I would have analysed his performance but he keeps such a charmingly low profile that I don't know what he thinks or does.
Regarding the failure to replace the Double Dems and Dan, as I view it, Blind Freddy could see that Demps was going to be off like a bucket of prawns in the August sun.  But Dembele?  Many among us believed he was worth 15-20 million.  We didn't know about the release clause.  Jol did.  It seems as if he was building his team around this "known" liability.  He has to bear responsibility for not recognising the dangers in this.  
Furthermore, replacing the Triple D midfield power house with the creative force of our wonderful but ancient Greek, our fragile African and our delicately limbed, but immaculately coiffed Costa Rican was not good management planning.  Also, throwing all the dice onto the erratically shrugging shoulders of Berbatov seems to be back-firing as he shows signs of being a disruptive force or perhaps a loose cannon on the field.  I hope I'm not right on this; I fear I am.
Nogood "troubling at mill, isit" Boyo

Mr NbG, you suggest that Jol was negligent in not recognising the dangers surrounding Dembele's release clause, and I'd like to know your basis for that assumption. No doubt he was praying that it would not be triggered, but what could he have done? I'm sure the club would not have sanctioned the signing of a replacement "just in case", and it happened so late that we literally ran out of time. Hughes left because he felt the funds he needed to progress would not be made available (fortunately from our point of view), and now it seems Jol is having to cope with the same restrictions.

[NogoodBoyo]

Mr NbG, you suggest that Jol was negligent in not recognising the dangers surrounding Dembele's release clause, and I'd like to know your basis for that assumption. No doubt he was praying that it would not be triggered, but what could he have done? I'm sure the club would not have sanctioned the signing of a replacement "just in case", and it happened so late that we literally ran out of time. Hughes left because he felt the funds he needed to progress would not be made available (fortunately from our point of view), and now it seems Jol is having to cope with the same restrictions.
[/quote]

As I recall his statements and reactions at the time, he said that nobody could see it coming.  I disagree.  As I said, many of us on here went on record (to some ridicule) that Dembele was worth more than 15 million.  Evidently he was, an outcome for which Jol seemed completely unprepared.   It was bad luck, but a top manager would not have left such a gaping gap in the heart of the midfield.   
Nogood "struggling to answer as I'm watching Ravens beating Patriots, isit" Boyo

[HatterDon]

splendid, well-crafted and erudite review/analysis. I can't believe I've ignored this thread so long. It's brilliant, and I'm embarrassed at my sloth.

Hatter "The tardiness of the far distant strummer, isit" Don

[Hazey]

What a coool post.  Very entertaining.

[Senior Supporter]

Mr NbG, you suggest that Jol was negligent in not recognising the dangers surrounding Dembele's release clause, and I'd like to know your basis for that assumption. No doubt he was praying that it would not be triggered, but what could he have done? I'm sure the club would not have sanctioned the signing of a replacement "just in case", and it happened so late that we literally ran out of time. Hughes left because he felt the funds he needed to progress would not be made available (fortunately from our point of view), and now it seems Jol is having to cope with the same restrictions.

As I recall his statements and reactions at the time, he said that nobody could see it coming.  I disagree.  As I said, many of us on here went on record (to some ridicule) that Dembele was worth more than 15 million.  Evidently he was, an outcome for which Jol seemed completely unprepared.   It was bad luck, but a top manager would not have left such a gaping gap in the heart of the midfield.   
Nogood "struggling to answer as I'm watching Ravens beating Patriots, isit" Boyo
[/quote]

That's all well and good until you say "a top manager would not have left such a gaping gap in the heart of the midfield". I repeat, what could he have done? I'm sure he didn't have funds to bring in a replacement as a contingency, and we don't know what frantic efforts were made to bring in someone suitable in those few hours after Levy sprung the release clause. Was it not the case anyway that Spurs only came in for Dembele when their first choice replacement for Modric fell through at the last moment? Sadly Fulham does not have the pulling power of the top clubs, who can pretty much just beckon and players will come running.

[FulhamMic]

I would like some managerial consistency, as with Moyes at Everton, and think Jol could provide that if we can get through this sticky patch.

:plus one: this!

[FulhamMic]

That's all well and good until you say "a top manager would not have left such a gaping gap in the heart of the midfield". I repeat, what could he have done? I'm sure he didn't have funds to bring in a replacement as a contingency, and we don't know what frantic efforts were made to bring in someone suitable in those few hours after Levy sprung the release clause. Was it not the case anyway that Spurs only came in for Dembele when their first choice replacement for Modric fell through at the last moment?

:plus one: and this!

We simply don't know what was happening in those hour between Spurs triggering the clause and the close of the transfer window. Everything said about it is nothing more than hearsay, rumour or propaganda (depending on which camp you're in)

[Fulham bob]

Has he been fired yet Yol.Thats the word on the streets lads.Mo

[Rupert]

The word on the street here is "Bedford A6", only it is covered in snow at the moment.

[filham]

With only 10 days of the window left this kind of talk is almost meaningless. It looks as if we are going to have to sink or swim with Jol and with most open water being frozen at the moment sinking looks easier than swimming.

[Lighthouse]

With only 10 days of the window left this kind of talk is almost meaningless. It looks as if we are going to have to sink or swim with Jol and with most open water being frozen at the moment sinking looks easier than swimming.

Ah yes but with the great thaw comes the flood of optimism that will drown us all. 

[cebu]

Dear cebu,
I agree that Macintosh should bear a good deal of the blame for the club's disastrous showing in the August transfer season.  I would have analysed his performance but he keeps such a charmingly low profile that I don't know what he thinks or does.
Regarding the failure to replace the Double Dems and Dan, as I view it, Blind Freddy could see that Demps was going to be off like a bucket of prawns in the August sun.  But Dembele?  Many among us believed he was worth 15-20 million.  We didn't know about the release clause.  Jol did.  It seems as if he was building his team around this "known" liability.  He has to bear responsibility for not recognising the dangers in this. 
Furthermore, replacing the Triple D midfield power house with the creative force of our wonderful but ancient Greek, our fragile African and our delicately limbed, but immaculately coiffed Costa Rican was not good management planning.  Also, throwing all the dice onto the erratically shrugging shoulders of Berbatov seems to be back-firing as he shows signs of being a disruptive force or perhaps a loose cannon on the field.  I hope I'm not right on this; I fear I am.
Nogood "troubling at mill, isit" Boyo

Dempsey:
The problems revolving around Dempsey's departure were indeed clear at a very early date – Macintosh needed to accept his departure was inevitable and get on with selling him. He didn't do this, which meant the club did not have access to the transfer fee. This in turn put Fulham under tremendous pressure towards the end of the transfer window – that's Macintosh territory, not Jol's whose territory is what in other sports is referred to as that of being head coach.

Murphy:
The same is true of a potential Murphy replacement – what the hell was Macintosh doing? I accept him not offering Danny a 2 year contract like Blackburn did. But not landing a replacement when he had enough time really isn't good enough. This is not Jol's fault.


Dembele and the release clause: 
Macintosh was involved in that contract and had to know that there was a release clause. Jol claimed eventually that he had known about it – he could be telling the truth or he could be lying to cover up the fact that Mac and Co. embarrassingly hadn't kept him in the loop (I have a sneaking suspicion that Jol didn't know) – but the fact that he knew/didn't know doesn't in any way make him responsible for the "known liability" and its fallout.

Macintosh certainly knew that Levy would be in the market for a class midfielder, if the Modric deal with Real Madrid came through. He had to know that Dembele would be a possible replacement for Modric. He needed to have a replacement candidate/candidates lined up. It seems from the reports at the time that there was indeed a flurry of activity with players actually showing up at Motspur, but no signings. Signings are the responsibility of Macintosh, not Jol!


Let's blame Berbatov?
I was lucky enough to follow his career from his time at Leverkusen up to the present. He's not been perceived as a major trouble maker at his past clubs and I doubt if he's become one now. For weeks now, Berba has basically been camped in midfield. Strikers (not just Berba!) do this when there's no service from midfield – after all he'd get hell from us fans and Jol  if he spent his time camped up front having a friendly chat to the opponents' goalkeeper while waiting for service to materialize from our midfield.

Our problem remains the failure by Macintosh to sign a replacement for at least one of Murphy/Dembele. Diarra/Sidwell/Kara are not those guys. They work their socks off but provide little in the way of creativity – working your socks off is not a substitute for creativity.


Well Mr Macintosh, you've got a few days left to fix this. If you acquire no Murphy/Dembele replacement, you look to me to be turning our Prem survival into a complete crap shoot.

[Berserker]

With only 10 days of the window left this kind of talk is almost meaningless. It looks as if we are going to have to sink or swim with Jol and with most open water being frozen at the moment sinking looks easier than swimming.

What about ice skating?

[FulhamMic]

With only 10 days of the window left this kind of talk is almost meaningless. It looks as if we are going to have to sink or swim with Jol and with most open water being frozen at the moment sinking looks easier than swimming.

You can't sink if there's a thick layer of ice between you and the water.

[Berserker]

That's all well and good until you say "a top manager would not have left such a gaping gap in the heart of the midfield". I repeat, what could he have done? I'm sure he didn't have funds to bring in a replacement as a contingency, and we don't know what frantic efforts were made to bring in someone suitable in those few hours after Levy sprung the release clause. Was it not the case anyway that Spurs only came in for Dembele when their first choice replacement for Modric fell through at the last moment?

:plus one: and this!

We simply don't know what was happening in those hour between Spurs triggering the clause and the close of the transfer window. Everything said about it is nothing more than hearsay, rumour or propaganda (depending on which camp you're in)

Alot of wringing of hands and crying I expect