[Lloydy]

As much as I am shocked and surprised by the club appointing Irvine we really shouldn't be, with the exception of Roy this is the type of manager we have always gone for since Peace has owned the club.  Its no good people having a pop at Terry Burton either, he's been in the job two minutes and he has to work to the constraints set by Peace which clearly limits us severely.

I think this is the first time we've appointed a categorical failure. So far Peace has appointed Robson (had a good spell at Middlesbrough), Mowbray (did a good job at Hibs, played attractive football), Di Matteo (good job at McDons), Hodgson (overall great coaching career) and Pepe Mel (by all accounts did a decent job at Betis whilst playing attractive football).

Irvine is an absolute failure as a manager, with a negative defensive style to "compliment" poor results and a relegation with Sheffield Wednesday.

Whilst every managerial appointment is a risk, this one is absolutely ridiculous and is destined to fail.

[PsalmXXIII]

So now it's become ok for the players to disrespect the manager 

And the fans. But don't let the fact he hasn't moved into his office stop anyone treating him with contempt. Nor by that standards give the man who hired him the opportunity to prove why he's been hired, just jump in say it's a disgrace and hide if it comes off. He not an inspiring name, but if you're seriously suggesting Peace cares so little about the club he'd put anyone in charge why not Downing? Or Doris the tea lady, or someone even cheaper? He's here for his coaching ability, and last time I checked he hasn't started to coach our club yet.

[Lloydy]

And the fans. But don't let the fact he hasn't moved into his office stop anyone treating him with contempt. Nor by that standards give the man who hired him the opportunity to prove why he's been hired, just jump in say it's a disgrace and hide if it comes off. He not an inspiring name, but if you're seriously suggesting Peace cares so little about the club he'd put anyone in charge why not Downing? Or Doris the tea lady, or someone even cheaper? He's here for his coaching ability, and last time I checked he hasn't started to coach our club yet.

I really do admire your ability to ignore the facts about Alan Irvine's managerial "credentials", and to blindly hope that it comes off. I hope it does but I'm sorry I just can't see it at all.

[B_H_Baggie]

Blind hope appears to be all we have left quite frankly.

[Ste1987]

Burton: "We understand there is disappointment but who is more disappointed? The people at Everton FC who know him."

Well if they're that upset me and my mate will drive him back there this afternoon!!!

Just let me know, Terry. I won't even charge for fuel....

[WBAinDEVON]

Burton: "We understand there is disappointment but who is more disappointed? The people at Everton FC who know him."

Well if they're that upset me and my mate will drive him back there this afternoon!!!

Just let me know, Terry. I won't even charge for fuel....

I havent seen any banners on the gates at Gooodison yet.What a stupid comment.Burton just another yes man

[WSBaggie]

I havent seen any banners on the gates at Gooodison yet.What a stupid comment.Burton just another yes man

I think he was alluding more to the Everton FC staff within the club...

[bagstaff]

I think westbrom.com should follow in the footsteps of our beloved club and add a new member category of 'Head Coach Baggie'.  Of course you won't have to make as many posts to gain this status as a 'Coach Baggie' - they are far far more important in the hierarchy - and really you don't need much gravitas or posting history to to be of this status, so presumably shouldn't have achieved pm status as yet - somewhere between 'newbie' and 'baby baggie' should suffice.

[WBAinDEVON]

I think he was alluding more to the Everton FC staff within the club...

If thats the case why isnt he no 2 there.He was in his rightfull place there

[hardtobeat]

As much as I am shocked and surprised by the club appointing Irvine we really shouldn't be, with the exception of Roy this is the type of manager we have always gone for since Peace has owned the club.  Its no good people having a pop at Terry Burton either, he's been in the job two minutes and he has to work to the constraints set by Peace which clearly limits us severely.

Is it??  Dont think so RDM and Mogga stars were very much in the ascendent, Clarke had been a number 2 at 2 of the biggest clubs in our league, Roy had managed everywhere, only Robson was risky and he was a past hero of the club . Most of the appointments were supposedly up and coming can hardly say that about this division 1 failure

[tuamigos]

He's so good that Moyes didn't take him to Utd and he didn't get the No 2 spot at Everton.
Why do these people at the club try and treat us all like cretins.
We all know that this is destined to fail.
If I am proved wrong and we go on to have a very good season I am more than willing to stand outside the Astle gates on the last match day of the season with my tojjer on a platter, if all you that are happy to see us all go headlong into the abyss do the same if I'm right

[George47]

We fans all know what the outcome is from this ludicrous appointment, we have half a poor squad ,a manager with a shocking record, no flair, no charisma to attract players, no funds to attract players a club in total disarray from last seasons well documented disputes, an assistant manager in Downing who was instrumental in our decline over past 18 months, and a chairman with contempt for the fanbase. In my opinion we will be bottom by Christmas, Irvine will be sacked, no new manager will want to take on the job , players will leave and we will be relegated with 6 games to go . With Keith Downing in charge!!  What a disaster, and to think we had the next England manager and came 8th in the league 14 months ago, oh the joy of supporting the Baggies.

[PsalmXXIII]

I really do admire your ability to ignore the facts about Alan Irvine's managerial "credentials", and to blindly hope that it comes off. I hope it does but I'm sorry I just can't see it at all.

I'm not ignoring anything - though I do think that we focus a lot on track records and not on abilities. Like I've said plenty of times I think the appointment is poor considering some people we've spoken to but I reserve my judgement until he's actually had chance to prove us right or wrong. I'd also like to point out that he didn't relegate Preston, he got them from 15th in the league to the playoffs and his sacking resulted in a demonstration by Preston fans when he left.

(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1240220/Preston-7-Colchester-0-Jon-Parkin-scores-hat-trick-managerless-Preston-run-riot.html)

He also had moments of success with Wednesday despite taking them down (and SW twice having winding up orders in court through financial problems) and was replaced by Gary Megson who was also sacked. It's not a Guardiolaesque career but if Everton deemed him good enough to hire to develop their youth team (Barkley, Stone, etc) he's got something about him they saw too. It doesn't mean he will be great but he has some ability.

I admit I am having faith in this because I refuse to believe anyone would purposefully try and destroy their own asset so I'm inclined to believe that there MUST be SOMETHING they see that we don't. But I simply cannot hope or wish we do badly to prove a point - I can't even bet against us, it doesn't feel right. I only want this appointment to come off because it means the club will do well, not because I'm delusional.

In my eyes player acquisitions are more important now; it's not rocket science to see that coaches fortunes come down to who's on the pitch getting results. A manager can't single handedly kill player talent and so it's essential we get some good players in and I think anyone who thinks that a coach has more bearing on a players decision to come to a club than money is daft.

[PsalmXXIII]

We fans all know what the outcome is from this ludicrous appointment, we have half a poor squad ,a manager with a shocking record, no flair, no charisma to attract players, no funds to attract players a club in total disarray from last seasons well documented disputes, an assistant manager in Downing who was instrumental in our decline over past 18 months, and a chairman with contempt for the fanbase. In my opinion we will be bottom by Christmas, Irvine will be sacked, no new manager will want to take on the job , players will leave and we will be relegated with 6 games to go . With Keith Downing in charge!!  What a disaster, and to think we had the next England manager and came 8th in the league 14 months ago, oh the joy of supporting the Baggies.

Well we don't KNOW, you're assuming. And then getting upset about it.

[Lloydy]

In my eyes player acquisitions are more important now

Good job our player recruitment has been top notch in the last 12-18 months then!

I really do feel sorry for the bloke, to be honest he will be in the exact same position as Pepe Mel who everyone rallied behind - having to coach a squad full of mediocre, selfish, arrogant footballers, having to work with (and be undermined by) the current coaching staff, having to recruit players for minimal outlay in terms of transfer fees and wages.

Our situation was bad enough without an exceptionally poor Head Coach appointment, I think that's what has tipped everyone over the edge.

[Greenock Baggie]

WHY ARE PEOPLE IGNORING THE MAIN ISSUE IN AN ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY IRVINE

Its not him people are protesting and upset about, ITS THE FACT OF HIS APPOINTEMENT AND THE MUPPET WHO APPOINTED HIM.

The bloke ( Irvine ) is completely blameless and no-one should be having a pop at him for simply accepting a job offer, and this should be made clear to the press as well. What people are drunk off about and protesting about is the fact that he has actually been considered for the job in the first place and actually awarded the job by our board of directors of which Peace is the head !!!

THATS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

When you appoint anyone who applied for a job, you look at their track record, their failures and successes, then make a decision. ANYONE can see this bloke has been a perpetual failure and if he is the best candidate for this job, THEN I'M A CHINAMAN !!!.....as the saying goes.

So for the visually impared......THIS IS NOT ABOUT IRVINE, ITS ABOUT HIS APPOINTMENT AND THE P***K WHO CHOSE HIM AS THE BEST CANDIDATE !!!!

[WBAinDEVON]

Good job our player recruitment has been top notch in the last 12-18 months then!

I really do feel sorry for the bloke, to be honest he will be in the exact same position as Pepe Mel who everyone rallied behind - having to coach a squad full of mediocre, selfish, arrogant footballers, having to work with (and be undermined by) the current coaching staff, having to recruit players for minimal outlay in terms of transfer fees and wages.

Our situation was bad enough without an exceptionally poor Head Coach appointment, I think that's what has tipped everyone over the edge.

No he wont.Everyone wont ralley round like they did with Mel

[WSBaggie]

If thats the case why isnt he no 2 there.He was in his rightfull place there

I don't know? Maybe you could ask the Everton academy a question that I obviously don't know the answer to.

Try speaking to the guy for the email address he used when he emailed the Everton academy demanding they held him to his contract, stay classy Albion fans.

[monkey nuts]

but why not would be my question, as as been stated by Greenock it's not his fault he got the job his only crime was to apply for it, we can all go on about his record but the beloved Pepe's was rubbish to so why can't he be shown the same respect as him,

it's PEACE we all need to get at not Irvine

[bry]

I admit I am having faith in this because I refuse to believe anyone would purposefully try and destroy their own asset so I'm inclined to believe that there MUST be SOMETHING they see that we don't.

Yes what we are not party to is that Irvine was the best coach in the Boards eyes who would do the job for the wage and conditions offered. Peace will not pay  enough for or give the control to any good manager who would work for him. That’s the something they see and we don’t see explicitly.
Name me another Premiership club who regularly employs their Managers/Coach on 1 year rolling contracts. If Irvine was so good why didn’t they offer him a 3 year contract like Southampton have with Koeman.

[PsalmXXIII]

but why not would be my question, as as been stated by Greenock it's not his fault he got the job his only crime was to apply for it, we can all go on about his record but the beloved Pepe's was rubbish to so why can't he be shown the same respect as him,

it's PEACE we all need to get at not Irvine

And regardless until Irvine proves to be a bad appointment you can't slate Peace either. You can't rally behind and support a manager when you've already assumed will be bad. If he turns out good (which we don't know he won't) what of your Peace hatred then? If you're prepared to give Irvine a chance, by that association give Peace a chance. It's a dangerous state of affairs if you're prepared to act on your own convictions and not on real life.

And Bry, it's damage control. Would you be more or less annoyed that Irvine was offered a three year deal considering he's already unpopular. Koeman will have to be paid whatever is left of that contract should he be sacked. United paid millions in severance to a man who got them dreadful results and lasted 8 months because they had him on a four year deal. Not giving him a long deal doesn't prove anything. Name me one manager that successfully leaves a club at the end of his contract without being sacked, resigning or being approached by another club.

[slugga1]

No he wont.Everyone wont ralley round like they did with Mel

That's half the problem too..  They get rid of  Mel whom the majority of the fans were right behind and actually willing to give him a chance to put his stamp on the squad ( even after a dire season) ,  he's let go before getting anywhere near a fair shot and now we are meant to put that belief into someone who's done literally jack all in his managerial career.  Mel was wanted by his old fans, Plauded by other managers and football pundits regarding his style of football,  even the betis fans kicked off when he was sacked from there).

What exactly has AI done to give us hope apart from blood good talent (which we constantly let's go to other clubs anyways.


I'm not sure how we are meant to buy into it when we have literally nothing positive to cling onto from his appointment.  With other managers,  wether we had wanted them or not,  we had excitement regarding their links regarding players to buy or loan atleast,  we have literally bugger all now. 

[Dexy]

Terry Burton just on Radio WM blowing smoke up Irvines ass (as he would).

Didn't hear the WM interview but i have heard the Tom Ross one , Burton kept hammering home the point about Irvine being a players coach be it young or old ....trouble is he didn't answer the question on quality signings and we certainly don't want another 5 half hearted loan signings.
We are just going to have to wait and see with Irvine , a few decent signings before the first game would sweeten the issue i believe.

[WorcsWBA]

Burton: "We understand there is disappointment but who is more disappointed? The people at Everton FC who know him."

That's a bizarre thing to say and so takes Burton down a notch in my book. Judging by this comment, he's quickly picked up the club policy of not taking the fans seriously.

[Dexy]

That's a bizarre thing to say and so takes Burton down a notch in my book. Judging by this comment, he's quickly picked up the club policy of not taking the fans seriously.

Depends what angle you look at it , if it means regarding the great job he was doing in their academy (by all accounts) then i can see what Burton means . Bit harsh to be jumping on Burton just yet IMO , lets see what players arrive first.