[gazberg]

We have 6 from 6, with some good fortune admittedly. If DM was in charge still realistically i would have expected a maximum of 2 points. Shan still has a lot to learn but already showed he is more astute than Moore and Jones. I do not want him as boss. We need an 'outsider'.  Hopefully DM finds a job back in our club but not in charge.

[wappingbaggie]

We need an 'outsider'.  Hopefully DM finds a job back in our club but not in charge.

well its not going to be as Defensive Coach

[mulliganstired]

I still find it bizarre that DM used Edwards so much in pre season and he looked the main youth player that was ready to step up this season, then didn’t even give him game time all season.

Today’s preronance for me shows he had something to offer us, the ability to take someone on, that level of no fear about his play. When Barnes left, Kyle should have been getting game time.

If DM was manager, Edwards wouldn’t have even made the bench today.

He really missed a trick there, and if you ask me with Harper too - not playing him till Xmas then virtually every game till he was knackered, sidelining Field as .  My guess is that he had the right intentions, but every week he sat in his office with Jones and the team sheet and they decided maybe just not yet, put the experienced old guys out this week, maybe next week, repeat scenario each game.  Easy with hindsight I suppose, but that's what I think was going on.

[gazberg]

well its not going to be as Defensive Coach

He needs to learn his trade the old fashioned way i think, from the bottom up.

[Standaman]

 Nothing that was likely to happen would have persuaded me that sacking Moore at this time was the right decision. However the aborted manager search does suggest a lack of premeditation.

Either it was very much a knee jerk reaction to our downturn in form or suggestions that a dispute around Jones and his future blew up in Moore's face are not as far fetched as I thought.

[paulosull]

Nothing that was likely to happen would have persuaded me that sacking Moore at this time was the right decision. However the aborted manager search does suggest a lack of premeditation.

Either it was very much a knee jerk reaction to our downturn in form or suggestions that a dispute around Jones and his future blew up in Moore's face are not as far fetched as I thought.

Jenkins has a lot to answer for in this debacle, always looking for cheap option except when it comes to his wages and yearly bonus.

[frazzle]

Nothing that was likely to happen would have persuaded me that sacking Moore at this time was the right decision. However the aborted manager search does suggest a lack of premeditation.

Either it was very much a knee jerk reaction to our downturn in form or suggestions that a dispute around Jones and his future blew up in Moore's face are not as far fetched as I thought.

Totally agree. That’s what I’m thinking too.

[rajesh-wba]

Darren Moore on Goals on Sunday for those who are interested. Starting in next few minutes

[rajesh-wba]

Darren Moore came across really well as expected. Didn’t put his dismissal down to any racial intertwines and merely stated he had accepted it as football reasons. Is willing the club on to get promoted this season. Still thinks automatic is possible. Clearly has Albion at his heart.
Found it humbling when he said he had been away doing charity work in Kenya after his dismissal.
Most interesting thing I found was that he would have slightly tweaked his staff. Kamara nor Shepherd probed him.
I do think Moore will be slightly more pragmatic in his next role and I sincerely hope he returns to Albion in the future.
His role in unifying the club should be respected IMO

[paulosull]

Still a big fan of Big Dave and I hope he proves himself as first team coach. Top bloke and I wish him well.

[mulliganstired]

Probably not psychotic enough to be a successful manager.  I really hope he can return at some point in a coaching role.

[Mister AT]

Big Dave for me is the perfect Ambassador for a club, or a coach in the lower age groups.

He speaks well and is respected by many in the game. The head coach job came too early in my opinion, I doubt even DM expected to be a first team coach at this stage in his career, he had progressed through the academy roles and was placed within the first team, was thrown into the limelight after the mess of Pardew and gave us a bit of hope.

I will always thank DM for the work he has done in helping rebuild this club, we were a shambles (granted we are still a mess now at board level) and he helped stabilise the club when it could have been so easy to 'do a Sunderland.' He had changed our style of play dramatically from the drab we were used to seeing.

Did he place too much faith in his assistant, possibly. Maybe more will come out in the future, who knows. What I do hope for is that DM gets another crack at a managers role again and that he does a great job.

There needs to be more people like DM not just in football, but in every day life, a true gentleman.

Hopefully one day he can return here in some way or another, he is a credit to himself.

[Albionic]

Big Dave for me is the perfect Ambassador for a club, or a coach in the lower age groups.

He speaks well and is respected by many in the game. The head coach job came too early in my opinion, I doubt even DM expected to be a first team coach at this stage in his career, he had progressed through the academy roles and was placed within the first team, was thrown into the limelight after the mess of Pardew and gave us a bit of hope.

I will always thank DM for the work he has done in helping rebuild this club, we were a shambles (granted we are still a mess now at board level) and he helped stabilise the club when it could have been so easy to 'do a Sunderland.' He had changed our style of play dramatically from the drab we were used to seeing.

Did he place too much faith in his assistant, possibly. Maybe more will come out in the future, who knows. What I do hope for is that DM gets another crack at a managers role again and that he does a great job.

There needs to be more people like DM not just in football, but in every day life, a true gentleman.

Hopefully one day he can return here in some way or another, he is a credit to himself.

I don't want to get into a slanging match here,
I am a fan of Darren Moore the ma, and thought he should have been given more time, but a couple of the things you say in his support, I do have issue with

a) You say "he speaks well", he started out with a great message but got mired in repeating things which were patently incorrect and often baffling.
His delivery isn't slick, but personally and hopefully for most others, I don't think thats an issue, its more that the content was poor and highly repetitive.

b) You say "the head coach job came too early"  Darren is 44, he has been coaching since 2010, he may have been held back by WBAFC but at what age are you capable, Lampard / Gerrard / Howe are younger,  Gareth Southgate / Dean Smith / David Wagner all similar age, more remarkably Villas Boas / Chris Coleman / Alex Neil were much younger when they "broke through"

I am being a bit pedantic, but just felt these things needed pointing out.

[Standaman]

I don't want to get into a slanging match here,
I am a fan of Darren Moore the ma, and thought he should have been given more time, but a couple of the things you say in his support, I do have issue with

a) You say "he speaks well", he started out with a great message but got mired in repeating things which were patently incorrect and often baffling.
His delivery isn't slick, but personally and hopefully for most others, I don't think thats an issue, its more that the content was poor and highly repetitive.

b) You say "the head coach job came too early"  Darren is 44, he has been coaching since 2010, he may have been held back by WBAFC but at what age are you capable, Lampard / Gerrard / Howe are younger,  Gareth Southgate / Dean Smith / David Wagner all similar age, more remarkably Villas Boas / Chris Coleman / Alex Neil were much younger when they "broke through"

I am being a bit pedantic, but just felt these things needed pointing out.

Darren has never been a particularly polished performer in front of the camera. There are plenty of coaches that appear a lot more comfortable and confident in the media e.g. Pardew but on balance it is something we shouldn't hold against an otherwise successful coach.

There isn't an ideal career path for ex-players into coaching but instinctively there are 3 steps. 1. Learn to coach through study and experience typically at Youth team level. 2. Step up to a supporting role at first team level. 3. Head Coach position.

Typically each of those steps should take about 2 years to complete. Hence from retirement to 1st Head Coach position is about 4 years. Anything less and the young coach probably does not have the grounding they need.

Obviously most of those you quote were pretty much thrown into the deep end with little or no previous coaching experience but made a sufficient success of their initial appointment to be offered their next appointment and therefore establish themselves as Head Coaches. However there is a huge survivor bias in that list there are probably many whose career path has been similar and whose coaching career has regressed or been abandoned altogether.

While Darren had quite a bit of youth coaching experience he had precious little at 1st team level and as such was a relative novice even at the age of 44 because his playing career lasted to his late 30's. Whereas Coleman's Howe's and Neil's playing careers were over before they were 32. Even had their career paths had followed a similar trajectory to Darren's and they were pitched into Head Coach roles within 18 months of retirement,  they would have been Head Coaches at an age when Darren was still playing.

 


 

[Albionic]

Darren has never been a particularly polished performer in front of the camera. There are plenty of coaches that appear a lot more comfortable and confident in the media e.g. Pardew but on balance it is something we shouldn't hold against an otherwise successful coach.

There isn't an ideal career path for ex-players into coaching but instinctively there are 3 steps. 1. Learn to coach through study and experience typically at Youth team level. 2. Step up to a supporting role at first team level. 3. Head Coach position.

Typically each of those steps should take about 2 years to complete. Hence from retirement to 1st Head Coach position is about 4 years. Anything less and the young coach probably does not have the grounding they need.

Obviously most of those you quote were pretty much thrown into the deep end with little or no previous coaching experience but made a sufficient success of their initial appointment to be offered their next appointment and therefore establish themselves as Head Coaches. However there is a huge survivor bias in that list there are probably many whose career path has been similar and whose coaching career has regressed or been abandoned altogether.

While Darren had quite a bit of youth coaching experience he had precious little at 1st team level and as such was a relative novice even at the age of 44 because his playing career lasted to his late 30's. Whereas Coleman's Howe's and Neil's playing careers were over before they were 32. Even had their career paths had followed a similar trajectory to Darren's and they were pitched into Head Coach roles within 18 months of retirement,  they would have been Head Coaches at an age when Darren was still playing.

Good counterpoint to my musings and a valid point about the different career progressions, however, if Darren applied for a manager / head coach position today, his CV would be thin for a 44 year old and any appointment would be a leap of faith. Where does Darren go next ? I really, really hope that his contacts in the game hold him in good stead and he will earn a good living from the game, I would love to see him back at B71 in the future but how?

Darren is undoubtedly a great bloke and the clubs Senior Management hasn't really done him any favours over the the long term, in my opinion.

[Dexy]

Good counterpoint to my musings and a valid point about the different career progressions, however, if Darren applied for a manager / head coach position today, his CV would be thin for a 44 year old and any appointment would be a leap of faith. Where does Darren go next ? I really, really hope that his contacts in the game hold him in good stead and he will earn a good living from the game, I would love to see him back at B71 in the future but how?

Darren is undoubtedly a great bloke and the clubs Senior Management hasn't really done him any favours over the the long term, in my opinion.

Agree with that , I fear though he'll got to Luton as No.2 to Jones.

[iwastherein68]

Agree with that , I fear though he'll got to Luton as No.2 to Jones.

Walsall

[KN22]

Agree with that , I fear though he'll got to Luton as No.2 to Jones.

Is it a fact that Jones has the Luton job? Reason for asking is a cursory glance at the league 1 table. Will Harford not get the job there?

[Albionic]

Is it a fact that Jones has the Luton job? Reason for asking is a cursory glance at the league 1 table. Will Harford not get the job there?

Hartford has consistently stated that he does not want the job long term

[baggiebof]

Is it a fact that Jones has the Luton job? Reason for asking is a cursory glance at the league 1 table. Will Harford not get the job there?

Some friends down Luton way told me he was going there in the summer, before he got sacked by us; everything seems to be pointing to that being the case.

[TiptonThrostle]

Good counterpoint to my musings and a valid point about the different career progressions, however, if Darren applied for a manager / head coach position today, his CV would be thin for a 44 year old and any appointment would be a leap of faith. Where does Darren go next ? I really, really hope that his contacts in the game hold him in good stead and he will earn a good living from the game, I would love to see him back at B71 in the future but how?

Darren is undoubtedly a great bloke and the clubs Senior Management hasn't really done him any favours over the the long term, in my opinion.

agree mate except the last bit. not the senior managements fault DM wasnt up to it, thats his own fault with continuous poor decisions all season which has left with us having to  win every game to try and break into the top 2.

i think he needs to take a league 1 job who are expecting top 8 or something maybe and then progress from there. IMO him taking an assistant job now is surely admitting that he isnt cut out to be a manager? he could surely get a job in league 1.

[darbolina]

I actually think DM was onto something at the beginning but that he just got confused by Jones and paid him too much respect. He basically got dragged down with a vision of perfect football which didn't / doesn't exist for a team of players like ours. 

I could see Darren carving out a decent career as a manager albeit maybe at a lower level than the premier league and Championship at least initially if he got back to a more pragmatic approach?

[Mister AT]

I actually think DM was onto something at the beginning but that he just got confused by Jones and paid him too much respect. He basically got dragged down with a vision of perfect football which didn't / doesn't exist for a team of players like ours. 

I could see Darren carving out a decent career as a manager albeit maybe at a lower level than the premier league and Championship at least initially if he got back to a more pragmatic approach?

Me too, if you look at our games in the premier league when he came in (granted its different expectations) but he set us up in a way the players knew best, similar to what Shan has done now, back to basics.

We seemed to complicate things a little too much when Jones came in and then that's when it all started becoming stubborn.

I would love to see DM successful as he's a genuinely nice bloke, if people like Warnock, Pardew, McLaren and the likes keep getting jobs, then DM surely deserves another chance somewhere else.

[Hunnington Baggie]

Apparently Daves on QPR’s shortlist, good luck to him if he gets it.

[OldburyWBA]

Apparently Daves on QPR’s shortlist, good luck to him if he gets it.

Was down South on Monday talking about a possible job as he wants to get back into it asap.