[darbolina]

I think Neil is a coach on the up. He has good experience of this division, has achieved promotion with Norwich. Has had to operate on a small budget at Preston (good preparation for Albion if he gets it) and done well for them (top half is good development on their previous performances. Overall, I can see the logic of Neil vs Jokanovic. Neil possibly longer term (?) and will likely be more content of the two to work with our kids as opposed to buying a team. Maybe Jokanovich is already on his way back to Fulham? Maybe Wagner doesn't fancy us? Maybe others just aren't interested? I'm not sure we'll ever get a top head coach under this leadership to be honest, they just don't seem to have it in them.

I really think we need to accept we're in the championship for the longer haul now and start to rebuild from ground up. Neil would therefore be better as he's more likely to bring some stability. Shame we didn't give this role to Dean Smith when we had the chance as he's a much better version of Neil in my opinion.

Above all, I hope we have new ownership soon who are more engaged..............?

[NJS]

People here are talking about a board with "ambition" which I take to be willing to pour cash into the club with no ROI - just for love or status.
Prove me wrong but I don't think someone like that is coming in for WBA and we have to rely on our own resources such as the academy.  I think that Neil fits that model better than
Jokanovic who seems high maintenance and anyway is probably looking for a club with a sugar daddy for an owner. 

[Pie]

Would prefer Neil to a lot of the other 'options.'

Although as others have mentioned, the whole mentality of the board needs to change to help the club.

[seteefeet]

If it is Neil, and we don't get promoted, what are people's expectations for next year?
Moore was sacked with us 4th, and the majority on here who voted agreed, so does that mean top 2 minimum next year or he goes as well?
Or, is it about style of play, so, as long as we don't urine about at the back, top half will do?

[skyclad99]

Would prefer Neil to a lot of the other 'options.'

Although as others have mentioned, the whole mentality of the board needs to change to help the club.

Slight amendment there

[AlbionFan]

If Preston beat us on Saturday and let’s be honest, they have every chance, I doubt we will see AN until the end of the season. Then there would be the haggling over the compensation and before you know it, he’s lumbered with a squad he can do nothing about until January.

But should they get into the play offs and win promotion, we’ll have to start looking all over again.

That’s the concern for me regardless of whether the scenarios above are unlikely, it could happen. Why not go for a Head Coach who's out of work, therefore available and with no compensation to pay. Jokanovic just makes sense to me. Why make an already difficult life even more difficult?

[Mister AT]

If Preston beat us on Saturday and let’s be honest, they have every chance, I doubt we will see AN until the end of the season. Then there would be the haggling over the compensation and before you know it, he’s lumbered with a squad he can do nothing about until January.

But should they get into the play offs and win promotion, we’ll have to start looking all over again.

That’s the concern for me regardless of whether the scenarios above are unlikely, it could happen. Why not go for a Head Coach who's out of work, therefore available and with no compensation to pay. Jokanovic just makes sense to me. Why make an already difficult life even more difficult?

I'm sure I read somewhere (not sure on the truth) that he's on gardening leave so therefore we would have to pay compensation for Jokanovic (same situation with Wagner).

For me, when DM was sacked and it was clear we didn't really have a plan in place to replace him. If its the be all and end all of this club being in the premier league, they should have just got someone like Big Sam on the phone, offered it him until the end of the season with a big bonus if he got us up. If he didn't get us up he left and then we targeted the right man to rebuild in the summer. The football didn't have to be pretty for the last few weeks of the season, and it doesn't have to be pretty in the playoffs, its all about the results and getting the wins. Big Sam would have been perfect for that in my opinion - don't get me wrong I wouldn't want him in charge for say 2-3 years, but for what we needed at this stage of the season, there probably wasn't anyone better suited.

[baggiejohn]

For John Percy to have been so confident with his "scoop" last night, he must have had some confirmation from a reliable source within the club.

Whatever messages are coming from PNE, I would say that negotiations are fairly well advanced. There was even talk in some circles of the amount of compensation we would have to pay PNE.

[Albionic]

Aside from Maddison, that is a very worrying track record.


Not that he'll have any money to spend here.


I'm desperate for him to turn us down, this will be a disaster.

Tim Klose / Pritchard / Pinto / Olivera are all quality IMO

[Mister AT]

For John Percy to have been so confident with his "scoop" last night, he must have had some confirmation from a reliable source within the club.

Whatever messages are coming from PNE, I would say that negotiations are fairly well advanced. There was even talk in some circles of the amount of compensation we would have to pay PNE.

£650,000 being batted about. Think Matt Wilson has mentioned that also.

[LiamTheBaggie]

I am absolutely staggered that it has taken what is approaching nearly two months for them to appoint Alex Neil.

Incompetence is being polite.

[skyclad99]

I am absolutely staggered that it has taken what is approaching nearly two months for them to appoint Alex Neil.

Incompetence is being polite.

I think the double six they were hoping to roll with James Shan came out as a 2 and a 1 [no disrespect to JS there].

If we had won our last two games I am convinced we would not be having this conversation.

[baggiebof]

I haven't paid too much attention to Neil's teams but I would like to know; what style of play is he looking to play and are we happy to recruit to suit? In addition to this, what is his track record with young players? Going forward, we absolutely need to take advantage of the prospects coming through.

[TAFKATMNo1Fan]

I haven't paid too much attention to Neil's teams but I would like to know; what style of play is he looking to play and are we happy to recruit to suit? In addition to this, what is his track record with young players? Going forward, we absolutely need to take advantage of the prospects coming through.

Here are Preston's results from September and October last year. Mowbray esq results.

Wednesday 24th October
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End 4 3 Brentford FT

Saturday 20th October
Sky Bet Championship
Hull City 1 1 Preston North End FT

Saturday 6th October
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End 4 0 Wigan Athletic FT

Tuesday 2nd October
Sky Bet Championship
Aston Villa 3 3 Preston North End FT

September 2018
Saturday 29th September
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End 2 3 West Bromwich Albion FT

Tuesday 25th September
Carabao Cup
Preston North End 2 2 Middlesbrough FT Middlesbrough win 4-3 on penalties.

Saturday 22nd September
Sky Bet Championship
Sheffield United 3 2 Preston North End FT

Tuesday 18th September
Sky Bet Championship
Leeds United 3 0 Preston North End FT

Saturday 15th September
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End 2 3 Reading FT

Saturday 1st September
Sky Bet Championship
Preston North End 2 2 Bolton Wanderers  FT

[FallOutBoy]

Here are Preston's results from September and October last year. Mowbray esq results.

Worth pointing out that they started the season rather poorly because they have a small squad and had a fair few injuries. Once they got everybody back, they started getting up the table again. Just missed out on the play-offs last year, will probably do the same this year because of that.

[KN22]

AN does not inspire me I have to say. I was hoping for a foreign coach with vision. Because, sadly, I see no British ones who fall into that category (except Howe who would not consider us) If it is him he will have my 100% support. I could not consider not renewing my ST. Sad to say I love the club and that never changes. Just make an appointment please!!

[TAFKATMNo1Fan]

Does anybody know what coaching staff work with Neil? Has he worked with the same people in each job?

[Hunnington Baggie]

Does anybody know what coaching staff work with Neil? Has he worked with the same people in each job?

from a brief data trawl he only brings an assistant called Frankie McAvoy with him. The rest appear to have been at Preston for years.

[tuamigos]

AN does not inspire me I have to say. I was hoping for a foreign coach with vision. Because, sadly, I see no British ones who fall into that category (except Howe who would not consider us) If it is him he will have my 100% support. I could not consider not renewing my ST. Sad to say I love the club and that never changes. Just make an appointment please!!

You could get pep in with this board and he would struggle

[rajesh-wba]

Does anybody know what coaching staff work with Neil? Has he worked with the same people in each job?

I’m sure he worked with Alan Irvine at Norwich. Not 100% sure whether Irvine was inherited or recruited by Neil. Neil from memory fell out with the board because he wanted to sell Hoolahan when they just been relegated which wasn’t allowed to happen.

[TheJacko2000]

Tim Klose / Pritchard / Pinto / Olivera are all quality IMO

We had Pritchard, he's rubbish. Klose is decent but that's a hefty price tag for him. The other 2 weren't great.

[darbolina]

https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/former-norwich-city-manager-alex-neil-moving-on-at-preston-1-5890382

Interesting read.....maybe he learned something from Norwich he could bring to us if he comes?

[Albionic]

this is the most relevant bit, if he comes, i hope he pins this up in his office

We had a lot of players at the club for longer than five years, and we needed to start afresh,” Neil said in an interview shortly after his dismissal.

“Thirteen of the 24 players in the first-team squad were over 30, and when we went up the last time they were 28, which is significantly different, it’s when you’re at your peak.

“We needed to re-build and the one thing I blame myself for is that I re-signed all the players to get us back up because they’d done it in the past. I should have taken more time and looked to alter the squad at that stage.”

[TheJacko2000]

this is the most relevant bit, if he comes, i hope he pins this up in his office

We had a lot of players at the club for longer than five years, and we needed to start afresh,” Neil said in an interview shortly after his dismissal.

“Thirteen of the 24 players in the first-team squad were over 30, and when we went up the last time they were 28, which is significantly different, it’s when you’re at your peak.

“We needed to re-build and the one thing I blame myself for is that I re-signed all the players to get us back up because they’d done it in the past. I should have taken more time and looked to alter the squad at that stage.”

It's all well and good until he gets to training and sees the old guard: Brunt, Morrison, Barry are the only players with any technical ability with a football at feet, then offers them all new deals. 

[skyclad99]

We had Pritchard, he's rubbish. Klose is decent but that's a hefty price tag for him. The other 2 weren't great.

We did but we hardly played him. I thought he was pretty decent down at our place this year. Certainly better than what we put out.