Author Topic: Valérien Ismaël leaves WBA  (Read 464017 times)

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BaggieNick

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #75 on: June 24, 2021, 09:23:36 PM »
It's been a fabulous couple of weeks for the club let's be honest. Dowling out the door was an enormous boon. Ken seems switched on and decisive and has made a very astute appointment and he's invested heavily in his man.

I never wanted Wilder, I was crestfallen by Wagner and with LD in situ fully expected a Neil or McInnes as fallback. That would have set us back years imo.

I'm a very happy Baggie 😊

I'll get back to you after our summer player recruitment.

Much Ieft to do...

tommcneill

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #76 on: June 24, 2021, 09:24:25 PM »
It's been a fabulous couple of weeks for the club let's be honest. Dowling out the door was an enormous boon. Ken seems switched on and decisive and has made a very astute appointment and he's invested heavily in his man.

I never wanted Wilder, I was crestfallen by Wagner and with LD in situ fully expected a Neil or McInnes as fallback. That would have set us back years imo.

I'm a very happy Baggie 😊

I have to agree with you here mate.

I feel exactly the same way!
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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #77 on: June 24, 2021, 09:26:35 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

mulliganstired

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #78 on: June 24, 2021, 09:29:38 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time
It might go horribly wrong, but I don't think there will be anything underwhelming about his time here!

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #79 on: June 24, 2021, 09:30:04 PM »
Pleased it has been done. Bit odd that he was given a 4 year deal. A 12 month rolling contract would have made more sense. From comments on OS sounds like Ken will be effectively running transfers / acting as DOF alongside him.
I'm not sure many coaches would come to Albion on a rolling 12month contract. A 4 year deal; although unusual for Albion; is a sign of support and wanting a long term appointment. 12 month contracts with this club IMO would discourage a lot of coaches.

wba1993dave

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #80 on: June 24, 2021, 09:30:57 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

Really ? Please explain why.
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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #81 on: June 24, 2021, 09:31:07 PM »
I'll get back to you after our summer player recruitment.

Much Ieft to do...

That’s my feeling. He needs the players to do a job. All managers do.

He hasn’t got them at the moment. Not by a long way.

mifos

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #82 on: June 24, 2021, 09:36:27 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

I was underwhelmed with every candidate mentioned ... to be honest I knew very little about Ismael, though from what I've read and heard I'm optimistic.

Out of interest, who would you not have been underwhelmed by ?

wba_1996

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #83 on: June 24, 2021, 09:36:51 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

Underwhelming? We've just paid £2m for a guy who took Barnsley from the brink of League 1 to the brink of the Prem. This is a club who have appointed Alan Irvine, Alan Pardew, Tony Pulis and were looking at David Wagner and Alex Neil a few weeks ago.

For the first time in a long time I'm not embarrassed by the decision making at the club.

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #84 on: June 24, 2021, 09:45:34 PM »
Not disappointed by this. Definitely not an underwhelming appointment. It may not succeed but seems to be what we need, so all the very best of luck Valérien Ismaël, welcome to WBA.

Lots of work to be done, and not sure if you will be given the resources, or that some of our support and leadership will have the patience to allow the unavoidable mistakes in the longer term rebuild.

Really hope this is just what it appears to be, and is the beginning of a more enlightened and extended period of success for our club. COYB

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #85 on: June 24, 2021, 09:51:26 PM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

We've tried the overwhelming candidates and ended up where we are today.
We're trying a new, and frankly a very welcome, new approach.
We've had the Pulis's, the Pardew's, Irvine's, Allardyce's, the old and what we thought was safe options.
We needed to change direction, we've done that. Lets just support the bloke and see where we go.
There's a lot to be done to turn this mess around.
The club are making the right noises, now they need to walk the walk.
I for one am really looking forward to what this guy can do with a few clever additions to this squad.
Roll on 7th August.
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caravanc58

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #86 on: June 24, 2021, 10:56:59 PM »
Who's the last manager that lasted 4 years?
It's  different that's for sure, could be a disaster or a masterstroke, I'll sit back and enjoy the ride and hopefully it's an enjoyable one.
Nice to hear talk about long term plans for the club rather short term fixes that get us nowhere.


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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #87 on: June 24, 2021, 11:00:51 PM »
Welcome to The Hawthorns, Valérien. I’m sure it was my vote that started the ball rolling.  :P
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Adamstv

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #88 on: June 24, 2021, 11:30:36 PM »
Definatley a change in tack.  Slaven got only a two yeat contract, looks like this is more of a long term appointment.

Paying Barnsley the compo fee over 4 years probably like Grant and Huddersfield

BaggieNick

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #89 on: June 24, 2021, 11:31:38 PM »
We've tried the overwhelming candidates and ended up where we are today.
We're trying a new, and frankly a very welcome, new approach.
We've had the Pulis's, the Pardew's, Irvine's, Allardyce's, the old and what we thought was safe options.
We needed to change direction, we've done that. Lets just support the bloke and see where we go.
There's a lot to be done to turn this mess around.
The club are making the right noises, now they need to walk the walk.
I for one am really looking forward to what this guy can do with a few clever additions to this squad.
Roll on 7th August.

Let's just hope we equip the Latest with the tools to do the job otherwise, despite the wel written and thought out posts, like your own, then what's the point?

A gamble but one that I'm happy to see over the likes of a few of our targets.

Now. Players! Let's see what happens...

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #90 on: June 24, 2021, 11:53:16 PM »
https://twitter.com/henrywinter/status/1408091062170787846

An interview he gave last month but I can't see it all, anyone with a Times account ?


HENRY WINTER | VALÉRIEN ISMAËL INTERVIEW
‘My first rule is intensity, to work as a swarm – if one slips, we’re all dead’
Henry Winter meets Valérien Ismaël, whose Barnsley side have been the surprise package of the Championship season and are aiming for a Premier League place via the play-offs
Ismaël joined Barnsley from Austrian side LASK in October and has taken them from 21st in the Championship to the play-offs
Ismaël joined Barnsley from Austrian side LASK in October and has taken them from 21st in the Championship to the play-offs
MARK ROBINSON FOR THE TIMES
Henry Winter
, Chief Football Writer
Friday May 07 2021, 5.00pm, The Times
One of the most remarkable managerial achievements of the season has unfolded at Barnsley. Valérien Ismaël has guided the youngest side in the Sky Bet Championship — whose most recent starting XI cost only £5 million to assemble — from 21st when he arrived in October to a play-off place. Ismaël’s team play high-octane, quick-pressing football, and only Thomas Tuchel’s half-time tactical and personnel changes at Oakwell kept Chelsea in the FA Cup after their fifth-round meeting.

The MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis, sent Ismaël a letter congratulating him on being a real tonic to the town during the Covid pandemic. “Many have suffered greatly here but the fantastic performance of the team has provided light in the dark,” Jarvis wrote. Ismaël is beginning to appreciate the impact more as restrictions lift. “I can meet more people now,” he says. “I feel their pride. I see on social media what’s going on but it’s not the same feeling as when you meet the people, and see the pride in their eyes.

“Last week I was in Marks & Spencer and two old ladies came to me and said, ‘Thank you for all the good things.’ They were really polite, asked for an autograph. They were really proud to see what the boys give on the pitch.


“The feeling was great for me, the feeling that we are on the right way here to give pride to people in a tough time. People recognise that it’s not just because we won the game but the way we play. The boys give everything, and this is what people love. Even if we don’t win they recognise the energy, intensity and hard work, and they say, ‘OK, we stay with you.’

“We have such an emotional connection with the fans. Our fans being back will be massive. They will set more energy free in the players. They want to see the players play with courage and heart. This is my way. A few teams can dominate the opponent in possession. My team can dominate the opponent with physicality, with intensity.

“I’m proud of what we’ve done so far and this story is a contrast to the [European] Super League. Barnsley’s story is about having the chance to compete and deserve to be where we are because we give everything. It is the underdog mentality.

“The Super League was just about the elite, to play among themselves and ‘We don’t want to have anyone else with us’, just about the big money. But this is not the real story of football. The story of football is competition. The truth is on the pitch all the time. Everything is possible. We feel we’ve given people hope back and the vision that times will be better.”


He knows the pressure on communities during the pandemic. “Friends of mine lost their jobs, they work in restaurants and have to close the restaurant. So we have to help each other. We try with my family to help people where we can. My family’s still in Munich. I miss them. January and February were really hard with the new mutations, they close everything, and we were five weeks apart from each other.

“I’m in England, and try to help where I can, speak to people, make donations.” Ismaël even gave £200 to a local brass band at risk of falling silent. “I do it to help, to give the people hope. And I do this with heart.

“People in Barnsley work hard. There was so much snow one day on the training pitch and everyone at the club worked to clear the park for the players. That showed me, ‘This is Barnsley.’ It was good for the players to see that, and after that you respect the staff even more.

“The passion for football in this country is unbelievable. I’m even more aware of that after the Super League. You see how powerful football is with the fans. It’s something special. I never felt that anywhere else, even in Germany or France. It’s a big, big passion as well there but here it’s not a passion, it’s a life. It’s all about football here.”

So how did Ismaël get here? It’s quite a story. Now 45, he was born in Strasbourg, his father from Guadeloupe and his mother from Alsace. “My father was in the army, and my mother worked as a secretary in an insurance company,” he recalls. “My parents divorced when I was three. The values [he was taught] were wake up early, work hard, work again and don’t be satisfied. My drive started in my childhood.

“It was not easy. I grew up with racism. The racism was direct to me, at school, the area I lived, everywhere. It was all the time, especially a game with other opponents was worse. I developed something special to fight against the racism. Sometimes I fought back physically. For sure, at school. I had to show my strong mentality and fight but the best way is to become someone in life, to reach something that your family is proud of, and to show everything is possible.

“I developed a stronger mentality because I knew I had to do more than the other boys to be recognised. I was not the best player at that time, but my mentality was my strength. Every time I came through problems it was through my mentality.”

Ismaël knows many black coaches watch him, willing him to succeed. “If I can inspire some coaches then I’m very glad about that,” he says. “It drives me. It’s more about equality, that everyone can have the chance to be a manager. You then have to take your chance.

He agrees with last weekend’s “important” social media boycott, to encourage companies to act against online abuse, but with a caveat. “You need to do this consistently, not just to make [campaigns] one or two days a year,” he says. “English football now understands that the fight against racism won’t be finished tomorrow. It will take a long, long time. The first part is education.”

Having emerged at local grassroots club Holtzheim, near Strasbourg airport, Ismaël’s playing career took off at Racing Strasbourg. Crystal Palace came calling in January 1998, making the tall centre back their record signing at the time, for £2.75 million. His introduction was painful, encountering Robbie Savage, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Vinnie Jones in the first three of his 16 games for Palace.

“It was always my dream to play in England,” he recalls. “It was unfortunately a difficult experience. I was 22. It was too early. It was the first time away from home, without family, without friends. I tried to give my best. Maybe if it was summer transfer it would have been much easier for me to integrate, find a house, do pre-season, adapt. I then got injured.”
He was sold to Lens, for £1.3 million, and rebuilt his career, returning to Strasbourg, then on to Double glory at both Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich. “The only thing I didn’t reach in my career was to play for my country,” he reflects. “I played in Les Espoirs [France Under-21, in 1996 and 1997] with Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and [David] Trezeguet. I was proud when France won the World Cup [in 1998]. I was in England, injured, on my couch, with my knee up, after the surgery.”

As he established himself more, Ismaël felt France would beckon when Raymond Domenech, his coach with Les Espoirs, was promoted to the senior role in 2004. “He said he wanted to try every player, young players, and I was a champion with Bremen, so I thought, ‘OK now, this is the ticket to have the chance to play for my country.’ But I never got the chance to show that. It was a shame for me.”

That drive simply transferred itself to his managerial career, taking him from Hannover to Nuremberg, Wolfsburg and Apollon Smyrnis in Greece, before he led the Austrian side LASK to the round of 16 of the Europa League last season, where they were knocked out by Manchester United.

Ismaël draws from many of the managers he played for. “Felix Magath was fearless,” he says of his former Bayern coach. “Ottmar Hitzfeld had this feeling for the group [at Bayern]. Thomas Schaaf at Werder Bremen always gave players the feeling they were the best of the world in their position. There are influences but I have found my own way with my own mentality.”

His players love him. “Because I am real. I was a player, so I understand everything going on in the head of the player. If they are ready to follow my way, I give everything for the player. The first rule is intensity. Without intensity we are average. Intensity to work as a swarm altogether. If one slips we’re all dead. We attack altogether, we defend altogether.

“I create a work ethic for the guys and they push each other. They recognise straight away when a player didn’t run, they’ll say, ‘You have to run.’ They started to develop wining mentality.

“They are privileged to be a footballer and they have to respect that. They can reach something great but you have to stay focused for the young player. I say to them, ‘You have to discover your greatness with your responsibility to your performances.’

They are a band of young brothers on a mission, the likes of the emerging Jasper Moon (20), Callum Styles (21), Toby Sibbick (21), Mads Andersen (23), Callum Brittain (23) and Conor Chaplin (24), alongside more experienced players such as Cauley Woodrow (26). “The youngest team in the league, average 23 years old. Unbelievable,” Ismaël says. “The team spirit is incredible. Without that mentality you can’t reach the play-offs in the Championship.

“Even a world-class team like Chelsea had problems with our intensity. I said to the players, ‘If you can do this against Chelsea then you can do this against anyone in the Championship.’ It was a game-changer for us. We stayed focused on our game, not on the name of the shirt.

“Yes, we respect Chelsea. Yes, we know they are the better team but we have our principles. We saw after the first half they changed. We forced that. It was the first time the players realise it is worth giving everything because we are so close to beating Chelsea.” After their narrow defeat by the Premier League club, Barnsley won their next seven games.

“The hunger to win drives me,” Ismaël says. “That’s why I wake up in the morning, to do my job, to win, but the good thing is when I win, I want to know why I win. In football, you can have a lucky day and win but to win consistently means you need to have a plan. Every manager has his philosophy. Pep Guardiola has one philosophy, Jürgen Klopp has one, José Mourinho has one, but they have the same thing in common, they are winners. This is what we want to reach, to win with consistency.”

This weekend brings the hardest test in the Championship, Norwich City, and Ismaël will be pushing Barnsley to maintain their momentum. “My players are aware of my mentality: ‘Don’t be satisfied.’ I said to them, ‘This season could be special, you have to believe and keep the momentum going.’ We have to give everything.”






« Last Edit: June 25, 2021, 07:59:46 AM by Hull Baggie »
Nice one Cyrille, nice one son

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #91 on: June 25, 2021, 02:24:56 AM »
Good luck Val, give us joy on the pitch and off the Valium.

Hull Baggie

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #92 on: June 25, 2021, 08:03:18 AM »
Really pleased by the appointment. Was surprised by the 4 year contract but it does show that we are planning for the future (to a degree).

Looking forward to how the season unfolds.

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wba1968-Tim

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #93 on: June 25, 2021, 08:05:44 AM »
He certainly talks the talk and I like what he says. I only hope he is given sufficient time and resources. I’m actually quite excited to see what he brings to the team !
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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #94 on: June 25, 2021, 09:01:31 AM »
Really pleased by the appointment. Was surprised by the 4 year contract but it does show that we are planning for the future (to a degree).

Looking forward to how the season unfolds.
Same here, pleased with the appointment but pretty shocked by the 4 year contract to be honest, just hope it doesn't come back to bite us.
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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #95 on: June 25, 2021, 09:02:51 AM »
Possibly the most underwhelming managerial appointment for a very long time

Underwhelming?
That's when you don't look further than your own training ground and appoint an assistant coach who's had no experience of being the manager.  That's underwhelming and cheap.

At least the club has shelled out on a manager who has had some success in the league we are in this season.

I don't know how this is going to turn out and I have expressed some doubts on this board but I'm just relieved we have gone out and engaged a manager instead of scratching around for a cheap option.

We need to get behind the club and the manager now.
« Last Edit: June 25, 2021, 09:05:18 AM by NJS »
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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #96 on: June 25, 2021, 09:04:26 AM »
Can't remember a signing, of any sort, that has united the board as much as this. It's doomed I tell ya.  ;)

Really happy on all aspects of this. firstly the man himself, seems like a good fit for our club, likes to bring everyone together with an all for one, one for all, mentality which should go down well when we get back in the ground. Secondly the length of contract, makes a statement of intent to at least try and build something long term and, thirdly, Ken! A lot of people thought he was just a freeloader who knew nothing about football and maybe the canteen staff were better placed to pick the new manager. Well it appears that there's more to him than meets the eye, so that's another positive. If he keeps going like this he'll need his own song. 8)

Could the stars be aligning on a new dawn? :)

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #97 on: June 25, 2021, 09:11:11 AM »
Have warmed to this over the last week or so.

However I watched the two play-off games and Barnsley were appalling.  Just basically hoofed the ball from the back to the front.   That won't wash with our purists unless of course we are top/2nd from early doors.

Mowatt looks a potentially good signing on a Bosman, having watched his highlights I was surprised how good he was, his dribbling and passing skills and weighs in with a few goals.

He generally plays a 3-4-3 without a specific defensive midfielder so I doubt we'll pursue Yokuslu now.

Johnstone or Palmer in goal. 

Ajayi - Bartley - O'Shea  with Kipre competing and maybe Bryan if he signs.


You would think Furlong/Townsend/Snodgrass and Phillips would compete for the two wide roles in the 4 with. 

We need to sign two central midfielders who are mobile.  So Mowatt if he signs and A N Other.  Maybe Hamer or Longstaff.  Can't see Livermore and Sawyers having the legs for Val.

Then we have Pereira if he stays (if not we'll need to replace him) Robinson, Grant, Diang and a new striker - maybe a Diagne type competing for the front 3.

This is the thing that concerns me to be honest. Whilst I am happy with this appointment, if things go to plan and we are at the top of the league from the start then everything will be fine. However, if we start to have a run of indifferent results then the 'long ball' tactic will very quickly come to the fore.

I am quite pleased with this appointment as it is a risk, it feels good and it is not from the usual list of 'also rans' currently doing the rounds looking for jobs. I would like to think that VI will have a better quality of player to bring in [as well as the ones who are already here], and when the going gets tough he does have a plan B and C.

Overall pretty happy and now looking forward to renewing my two STs'.

Good luck Valerien!
« Last Edit: June 25, 2021, 10:12:02 AM by skyclad99 »
MAGA!

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #98 on: June 25, 2021, 09:26:36 AM »
According to Alan Nixon, Palace were keen on him:

Alan Nixon
@reluctantnicko
·
10m
Ismael was … until they decided to go sexy instead. Hey ho.
Quote Tweet
Joe
@Joe57535191
 Â· 16m
Replying to @reluctantnicko
What about Steve Cooper? Seemed a front runner at the start then faded

https://twitter.com/reluctantnicko/status/1408337675069931521

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Re: Valérien Ismaël - Head Coach
« Reply #99 on: June 25, 2021, 09:44:53 AM »
On reflection this is the appointment I hoped for from the outset. It is the appointment that we should have made across the last 6 appointments. I don't mean specifically  Valérien Ismaël but the type of coach he is and a coach at this stage of his career.

He has a clear style of play and it is a progressive one. He has experience as coach roughly 10 years to date but has more of a career in front of him than behind him. He is first and foremost a training ground coach and works with players not only as a group but improves them individually. To some extent he is a long term appointment and Ken's comments on the club focussing too much on what is right in front of us might prove to be a watershed moment (only if backed up by actions)

Let's deal with the thorny issue of compensation and contract length. Or the first steps along a different path. A 4 year contract does show a commitment and intent. To some degree it follows on from the initial investment in buying out Ismael's contract with Barnsley we need to protect that investment.

I don't think it is a good appointment because we have paid compensation to get him. I will never ascribe to the "showing ambition" school of thought i.e. the move was ill considered but it cost the club a bunch of money so at least it showed ambition. Show me joined up thinking even if it is cheap joined up thinking rather than flashy ambition with no substance.

When we could recruit freely from Europe there was never any need to pay compensation for a Head Coach because the pool was vast and there were always good coaches available (it's not the pools fault we didn't hire them). The restrictions on recruitment we face as a Championship club are such that the dynamic has changed and I think we should credit the club for realising that and acting accordingly. For those who still wish to criticise the club for being "cheap" I will point out that while Ismael cost £2m Steve Cooper might have been available for £4m so Ismael is still the cheap option.

I am delighted with the appointment but I will add a note of caution. This is long term and as such patience will be required the squad will be learning a whole new style of play and there will be player churn so I suspect it will be slow burn in the first season we won't really hit our stride until Christmas.

However I am genuinely looking forward to a new beginning.     
« Last Edit: June 25, 2021, 10:50:01 AM by Standaman »
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