ThrillhouseI’m not convinced that many of us actually know what an Alex Neil team looks like and are judging him on being a dour Scottish man who got sacked from his last job.
Valid
I remember his Preston being boring as eff whenever we played them.
At times we played exciting football in 23/24. Teams enjoyed playing us, which of course is not good. Right now I’d take a bit of stubborn dour football to get us out of the third tier.
Of course, ideally it would be a bit of both flair and grit.
Cheeky bastards. It doesn't take a genius to research how Neils various teams have approached games
He is a safety first merchant. A nearly man. Norwich nearly stayed in the premier league. Preston nearly got into the play offs. And those are the highs. Yes I know Norwich won a play off final after nearly finishing in an automatic spot.
Like many others, he’s perfectly OK, nothing special.
Taking him on would render the sacking of Eustace as utterly pointless.
ThrillhouseI’m not convinced that many of us actually know what an Alex Neil team looks like and are judging him on being a dour Scottish man who got sacked from his last job.
Valid
My arse.
yeehawThrillhouseI’m not convinced that many of us actually know what an Alex Neil team looks like and are judging him on being a dour Scottish man who got sacked from his last job.
Valid
Or his Preston side coming to St Andrews and feigning injuries from minute one dropping to the floor like they'd been shot and ruining the game for everyone in the ground.
Not the type of team I want to watch thanks
And that's the issue. Derail your season and get relegated for absolutely nothing.
Stick to your principles.
TaylorJay84Bowyer had just got them relegated after taking them up. We wouldn’t have appointed him if he hadn’t played for us. Maybe the same with Rowettmjd2505SnoopIf we go for a Challinor type pick, I wonder if the club and Mowbray might be interested in him acting as a mentor or similar role?
Assuming Mowbray is still a way off being able to return to management.
I don't think Challinor would need it. He has 14 years of managerial experience. I'd agree if we went for a Cole, Williamson sort of route, someone brand new or very new to management. But also not sure Mowbray would take it, I think he deserves time to live with his family up north and re-evaluate later in the year.
Complete sidenote, when's the last time we actually poached a manager from another club?
Rowett from Burton
Bowyer from Charlton
Both doing considerably well at both clubs too.
Bluesince62 F.E.A.TaylorJay84mjd2505Bluesince62 F.E.A.I just hope whoever it is, including Neil, they get the full backing of the fans. I'm confident that they will.
The Rooney antagonism from the first game was shit, though of course a lot of that was of the clubs making.
Whoever comes in has a clean slate.
Think it's different this time, no controversial sacking of a generally liked manager, not coming off a 3-1 home win vs the baggies, more time to digest and accept whoever we get in charge if it's an unpopular appointment.
But if we lose the first game 1-0 to Burton then yes, an unpopular choice will turn the crowd quickly.
Wish I could be more optimistic regarding Neil I honestly do, but he just gives me Karanka vibes, set in his ways, very rigid philosophy wise, prickly bloke most of the time that it won’t take much to turn the crowd if it starts going south.
I’d even say his demeanour is similar albeit ones Scottish & the other Spanish, both are about as upbeat as a Samaritans call centre.
Nothing wrong with having an opinion mate and you are always consistent and articulate with it.
Suppose as ever, only time will tell 👍
Thanks mate I just don’t want to sound like a biased miserable effer, but I’ve just never warmed to the bloke nor liked his sides, I can’t help that’s the case, I couldn’t stand him on the Sunderland doc tbf, just comes across as a really prickly bloke who would wind me up if he asked me if I was ok 😂
He’s just sour faced individual like Karanka.
As has been mentioned some of the sides I’ve seen him manage have been pretty dour robust borefests.
That Norwich side he had btw was festered with talent, likes of Maddison, Cantwell, Aarons, Lewis & Godfrey.
I know he just got Sunderland over the line but boy did he make an absolute pigs ear of it, and again he had a very talented highly paid squad for that league he was competing in.
My lasting memories are him at Preston and Stoke, that’s just my image of him tbf, and it’s not pretty.
As Fat Buddha said, why sack JE to only 12 months later replace him with a more miserable JE 😂
But as with any other manager, it’s just momentary moaning and I will down there cheering him on
Rab C NesbittTaylorJay84Bowyer had just got them relegated after taking them up. We wouldn’t have appointed him if he hadn’t played for us. Maybe the same with Rowettmjd2505SnoopIf we go for a Challinor type pick, I wonder if the club and Mowbray might be interested in him acting as a mentor or similar role?
Assuming Mowbray is still a way off being able to return to management.
I don't think Challinor would need it. He has 14 years of managerial experience. I'd agree if we went for a Cole, Williamson sort of route, someone brand new or very new to management. But also not sure Mowbray would take it, I think he deserves time to live with his family up north and re-evaluate later in the year.
Complete sidenote, when's the last time we actually poached a manager from another club?
Rowett from Burton
Bowyer from Charlton
Both doing considerably well at both clubs too.
That’s fair.
But Bowyer was thought of by many to have done a good job at Charlton getting them up on a reasonable budget and narrowly getting relegated on the last day by us I think.
Rowett was also doing ok and punching above his weight with Burton if I remember rightly and another who was deemed the next bright young manager etc.
Not a fan of either believe me, But correct point of view that neither might have been of interest had they not had the blues links previously.
Yep I didn’t want Bowyer from the start yet many fans were loving it because he’s ex Blues.
Sunderland fans views on X/Twitter;
“Alex Neil is a tremendous league one manager and serviceable championship manager.
Birmingham fans really have a rude awakening if they think they're above Neil”
“If their squad can be kept largely intact, he gets them up with plenty to spare, I feel. Tremendous appointment for them, if it happens.”
“I'd have him back at Sunderland”
“Blown away by the negativity surrounding Alex Neil at #BCFC mind. I genuinely can’t think of many managers I’d want in their position. Did a cracking job for us in league one and had a great start in the championship with us. He’ll get them promoted”
“His in game management is the best I’ve seen for a long time. Ability to change things and adapt to what’s happening is brilliant. That’s what Mowbray sorely lacked with us unfortunately. If you could combine the two you’d be laughing 😂”
Jesus, ringing endorsement. I'm still baffled that he left them for Stoke
TrickyBlueYep I didn’t want Bowyer from the start yet many fans were loving it because he’s ex Blues.
We were in an awful position then though. Bowyer for us at the time was a decent appointment. Many don't get that we are now echelons above where we were then.
yeehawTrickyBlueYep I didn’t want Bowyer from the start yet many fans were loving it because he’s ex Blues.
We were in an awful position then though. Bowyer for us at the time was a decent appointment. Many don't get that we are now echelons above where we were then.
No he wasn’t, he was an awful appointment. People were just getting excited because he was a cup winner with us.