[baggiejohn]

I might be missing something and I admit I know very little about him but why is Dean Smith being held in such high regard?
Brentford might play a decent style of football but they have blown the chance of the play offs (again), went out of the FA cup in 3rd round at home to League 2 Notts County and the 3rd round of the league cup at home to Norwich.  He has a win percentage of 39 (38.8%) and has lost and won 47 games out of 121. Doesn't sound that good to me.
All this is from this season but surely that's what we should be judging managers on, how they have most recently performed?

Ideally, I'd like someone who could not only get us promoted back to the Premier League, (assuming we are relegated) but also is able to develop the team within the Prem.

I don't think any of the named possible candidates appear to have that in their locker.

I also have a lot of sympathy for the argument the we need someone in the "football" hierarchy who can lead on a strategy for the club. For me, the DoF appointment will be the most telling on where our future lies.

[skyclad99]

Given what we know now regarding Big Dave it might be an idea to re do this poll.

Graham Potter was the top choice but he hasn't been mentioned recently, it would be interesting to see how we all feel now.

[darbolina]

I might be missing something and I admit I know very little about him but why is Dean Smith being held in such high regard?
Brentford might play a decent style of football but they have blown the chance of the play offs (again), went out of the FA cup in 3rd round at home to League 2 Notts County and the 3rd round of the league cup at home to Norwich.  He has a win percentage of 39 (38.8%) and has lost and won 47 games out of 121. Doesn't sound that good to me.
All this is from this season but surely that's what we should be judging managers on, how they have most recently performed?

Took Walsall to 4th in the league and Wembley cup final on a very low budget and by developing kids e.g. some of our ex kids such as Sam Mantom. Did this by building and rebuilding teams after selling his better players regularly and having to rely on much cheaper replacements.

Took Brentford to mid table finishes again on a very small budget and by having to build and rebuild teams following sales for large fees.

Has a reputation for coaching players to better performances and particularly developing youngsters.

Has served an apprenticeship as a manager in the lower leagues and now Championship.

All with a philosophy for trying to play through midfield.

These are my perceptions as to why he’d be up there as a candidate.

The one big thing you’d need to judge after meeting him or any other candidate is their attitude, energy, desire to improve the club and to buy into it as a project for example. We need to move away from people like Pulis, allardyce, Pardew etc... who’s experience hides the fact they’re not coming to us to build anything sustainable but to fight fires and to make a short term buck for the club and themselves!

[Cullompton baggie]

Brentford sit higher in the league under Dean Smith than the money generated through the gate should allow, which means he utilises the funds through smart player buys and sales and youth team products!
we want a total rebuild as a side and this is the type of manager most on here are asking for! I would even put up with not being promoted for the next 3-4 years providing he gutted the team and got rid of any deadwood

[Nathan]

Brentford sit higher in the league under Dean Smith than the money generated through the gate should allow, which means he utilises the funds through smart player buys and sales and youth team products!
we want a total rebuild as a side and this is the type of manager most on here are asking for! I would even put up with not being promoted for the next 3-4 years providing he gutted the team and got rid of any deadwood

The trouble with all that though is that some managers sort of 'find their level' and struggle when faced with bigger budgets than what they are used to working with. This is especially the case when you look at the fact we will be looking to regain our Premier League status sooner rather than later. It's all well and good developing 'youth' and succeeding at working on a shoestring at a club like Brentford and Walsall where expectations are minimal, but should we get back to the Premier League within a couple of years (assuming we are going down) then that particular talent and ability will be pretty much irrelevant knowing how the Premier League works and the expectations that come along with being in it.

[darbolina]

Mowbray and RDM had achieved relatively little. We brought into their characters, philosophies and them as having potential. Same with Steve Clarke who'd only been an assistant. There's always risk with appointing managers however I think recent appointments have debunked the myth that experience is better and I'd include Pulis, Lambert, Pardew, Allardyce, Moyes and Hughes in that bracket.

The Huddersfield manager Wagner was pretty inexperienced and didnt' do too badly so far. Eddie Howe had tried and failed but arguably was still learning and has now applied a lot of that learning with the better resources he had at Bournemouth.

Why wouldn't Dean Smith do even better with even better resources than he's had so far?

[Nathan]

Mowbray and RDM had achieved relatively little. We brought into their characters, philosophies and them as having potential. Same with Steve Clarke who'd only been an assistant. There's always risk with appointing managers however I think recent appointments have debunked the myth that experience is better and I'd include Pulis, Lambert, Pardew, Allardyce, Moyes and Hughes in that bracket.

The Huddersfield manager Wagner was pretty inexperienced and didnt' do too badly so far. Eddie Howe had tried and failed but arguably was still learning and has now applied a lot of that learning with the better resources he had at Bournemouth.

Why wouldn't Dean Smith do even better with even better resources than he's had so far?

Absolutely no reason why he couldn't do even better armed with better resources, this just highlights what a difficult decision the club are faced with doesn't it. For every manager that 'finds his level' there is another one who takes his level one step further given the opportunity. I've just got a sort of gut feeling that Dean Smith will forever be a mid to lower table Championship level manager. It's making my head hurt weighing up the pros and cons of each potential candidate! I think if we are going to go down the 'unproven' route then Potter still ticks the boxes for me as offering something just a little bit different and potentially exciting and offering the opportunity of a change of direction that the club have hinted at wanting.

[hunsletbaggie]

 Paul Cook is the one for me who is an exact fit for our situation.
 He has achieved promotion in his last three jobs.
 He has turned around the fortunes of two ex premier league clubs on their way down in Portsmouth and Wigan.
And when I saw Wigan on tv against Man City in the F A Cup they played some decent football.
I know he has Dingle connections but I think he's a much better shout than Dean Smith. 

[TheJacko2000]

Dean Smith 


and Michael Appleton 


to be approached imminently according to John Percy in the Telegraph.

[lewisant]

Dean Smith 


and Michael Appleton 


to be approached imminently according to John Percy in the Telegraph.

I read 'approach' as 'appoint' and was immediately confused!

[Standaman]

Link to the Percy article

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/02/west-brom-approach-michael-appleton-anddean-smith-search-new/

I'm entirely relaxed about either Smith or Appleton on balance I would prefer Smith but they both tick the key boxes for me

1. First and foremost both are training ground coaches. They develop and improve players
2. They both play football with an emphasis on attack and passing. They have done this with teams that have not had the most resources in the division(s) they were in at the time
3. Both are likely to be amenable to  keeping Darren Moore in their coaching team.

Point 3 always should have been non negotiable regardless of how his caretaker role turned out.

 

[baggie38]

I'd be extremely happy with either Appleton or Smith.

[telford baggie]

i really hope its not appy cant see what he offers, done ok at a lower league club and thats it happy been a no2 now...big no from me may aswell keep big dave.dean smith my choice

[Hull Baggie]

Took Walsall to 4th in the league and Wembley cup final on a very low budget and by developing kids e.g. some of our ex kids such as Sam Mantom. Did this by building and rebuilding teams after selling his better players regularly and having to rely on much cheaper replacements.

Took Brentford to mid table finishes again on a very small budget and by having to build and rebuild teams following sales for large fees.

Has a reputation for coaching players to better performances and particularly developing youngsters.

Has served an apprenticeship as a manager in the lower leagues and now Championship.

All with a philosophy for trying to play through midfield.

These are my perceptions as to why he’d be up there as a candidate.

The one big thing you’d need to judge after meeting him or any other candidate is their attitude, energy, desire to improve the club and to buy into it as a project for example. We need to move away from people like Pulis, allardyce, Pardew etc... who’s experience hides the fact they’re not coming to us to build anything sustainable but to fight fires and to make a short term buck for the club and themselves!

thanks for the reply, as I said I know very little about him.

I agree that we should be moving away from the likes of Pulis, Pardew and Allardyce but I'm not sure Smith fills me with much hope either. He sounds like he is a mid table championship manager to me, as Nathan said maybe that's his level.
I don't know how far we've looked for a new manager but I'd have preferred someone who has actually won something in their management career, a promotion, a cup, anything over someone who's teams appear to start well then fade towards the end of the season.
 
Obviously if we do end up appointing him he'll get my full backing but I just think we can afford to wait a few more weeks before we have to get anyone in.

[HampshireBaggie]

Took Walsall to playoffs on a small budget, took Brentford to 2 games off playoffs on a small budget. So you can say he has surpassed expectations at every test.

We would offer him a bigger budget, so if he overachieved with us then surely this would be success?

[Dexy]

I've admired Smith's work on small budgets for a few seasons now ,  young attacking sides playing on the floor .
My only concern is defending wise it does look a little Mowbray like for me , whether that would change IF we got to the top flight I don't know.
Don't think Appletons done enough for the gig so from names mentioned it would be Smith or Moore/Shan for me.
Finding that two fold coach with the ability of getting up and  staying up is the obvious issue.

[DaveWBA]

I've admired Smith's work on small budgets for a few seasons now ,  young attacking sides playing on the floor .
My only concern is defending wise it does look a little Mowbray like for me , whether that would change IF we got to the top flight I don't know.
Don't think Appletons done enough for the gig so from names mentioned it would be Smith or Moore/Shan for me.
Finding that two fold coach with the ability of getting up and  staying up is the obvious issue.

You'd have to hope that if he came here with better players and more resources that is something he would be able to address.

I'd be all for Dean Smith. Don't understand the Appleton link, we don't owe him a job.

[Hull Baggie]

Took Walsall to playoffs on a small budget, took Brentford to 2 games off playoffs on a small budget. So you can say he has surpassed expectations at every test.

We would offer him a bigger budget, so if he overachieved with us then surely this would be success?

I get all that but with regard to Brentford surely they should have been in the play offs and it was a case of form tailing off at the most crucial part of the season (like this year), rather than them making a late surge for the play offs and being unlucky?

Smith overachieving could be us getting into the play offs, but would that really be success or just what would be expected of a club with our bigger budget?

[tuamigos]

I get all that but with regard to Brentford surely they should have been in the play offs and it was a case of form tailing off at the most crucial part of the season (like this year), rather than them making a late surge for the play offs and being unlucky?

Smith overachieving could be us getting into the play offs, but would that really be success or just what would be expected of a club with our bigger budget?

I think we've got a few options available when appointing the next manager:

1) Appoint from within. Big Dave has put a case but with so many question marks around our current form I'm not so sure. Are the players playing for Darren Moore or for a move away?
Doubtless Darren Moore has had an influence but to what extent I'm not so sure.

2) Tried and tested. Dodgy old managers already on the gravy train. Already tried that with Roy/Pulis/Pardew. A mix of limited success and abject failure. This shouldn't even be an option.

3) Appoint an up and coming manager from the lower leagues. Smith/Johnson/Appleton.
Always a risk but all managers have to cut their teeth somewhere so why not here. If it starts to go pear shape expect the board to revert to type and go to option 2.

4) Appoint a foreign coach. Not many foreign coaches on the bookies list  so doubt if this is a starter.
That said with Terraneo now technical director who knows what might happen

Should be enough interest to keep the close season alive anyway.

[AlbionFan]

Whoever is appointed I will support and back as much as I can.

But I do hope we make a real statement of intent with this crucial Head Coach appointment, more intent than many of the names on the poll and being mentioned in the press.

I do understand, whoever we appoint does not guarantee success.

[SmethDan]

Heeeeeeeeeyyy Tim Sherwood, ooooooh aaaaaaah, I wanna Knooooowoooowooowowo........    .

[AlbionFan]

Heeeeeeeeeyyy Tim Sherwood, ooooooh aaaaaaah, I wanna Knooooowoooowooowowo........    .

"Whoever is appointed I will support and back as much as I can."

But not him 

[dont ask me to choose luv]

Heeeeeeeeeyyy Tim Sherwood, ooooooh aaaaaaah, I wanna Knooooowoooowooowowo........    .

Don't even joke about it Dan 

[SmethDan]

"Whoever is appointed I will support and back as much as I can."

But not him 

As I thought.......      ...........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DudnhJn3ZaM

[bradleysrocket]

Dean smith has been my choice as soon as the vacancy came up. Only one thing has happened since then to alter my mind and that is Big Daves impact. I’d still love to see Smith here with a plan to build long term , but should we go the Big Dave route I’d be very happy also. I just hope that whoever gets it is given enough time to mould their own squad and playing style. I’ve had enough of the short termism of ‘just stay in the league’.