[Legend]

They would have cost a lot of money I guess. I'm sure Pepe had his own ideas on who he wanted to bring in too. I also think that coaching staff was also an issue. I wasn't his biggest fan but he should have been allowed to bring in his own backroom staff as should any other coach.

I honestly think that would have relegated us last season if Mel had his own coaches instead of Downing who it looked like had to steer us to safety after the players couldn't understand Mel's instructions. The coach Mel had with him apparently didn't do a lot.

[tuamigos]

Is 'He' Pepe or Moyes?

Moyes

[TheJacko2000]

I honestly think that would have relegated us last season if Mel had his own coaches instead of Downing who it looked like had to steer us to safety after the players couldn't understand Mel's instructions. The coach Mel had with him apparently didn't do a lot.

Whereas I'm almost certain we'd have been a LOT more comfortable.

[ex coseley kid]

Whereas I'm almost certain we'd have been a LOT more comfortable.

Agreed.

[BB74]

Whereas I'm almost certain we'd have been a LOT more comfortable.

Hear, Hear

[ex coseley kid]

Take him back, JP, you know it was just a spat.

You can wear the trousers. You know you belong together.

[LiamTheBaggie]

I think he would have struggled last year even if he had his own coaches due to a number of reasons

- players being hopelessly out of form. Several of the players within the squad had been in decline for an awful long time and I don't think any manager would have been able to turn them around to be honest.

- He had a squad which wasn't suited to playing his method of football. You cannot get a side to play pressing football when that side includes the likes of Steven Reid, Diego Lugano, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson and Liam Ridgewell. It was the equivalent of footballing suicide and thankfully we ditched the idea. I don't think of them are good enough in possession of the ball either.

- We weren't fit enough. There were signs that our forward minded players and our midfield could get to grips with the pressing style of play but it was patently obvious to anybody that our players were hopelessly unfit and blowing out their arses before the hour mark.

- The squad was unbalanced and even those that could adapt to the pressing game it looked totally ridiculous when our back four looked frightened to even approach the half way line.

Having said all of that however and I keep hearing about the need that he would have needed a turnover of players - yes, he would have needed a turnover, but we appointed Alan Irvine and had a turnover of players anyway. I would definitely say that this squad currently is a squad much more suited to Pepe Mel than it is Alan Irvine and I would probably say the football would be damn more entertaining too. Had our players not cocked up against Cardiff and Tottenham then there is a good chance that Pepe might still be here today.

[VVVAlbion]

People do seem so blinkered when it comes to Pepe Mel.
In 17 games he managed to accumulate 15 points, Alan Irvine has got 13 points in 11 games. (PM had 8 at this point) One of which, to some, is seen as the would have been saviour of the club and theoother a complete failure. Bizarre when you analyse it.
Pepe Mel's failure has been partly put down to his in ability to bring his own coaching staff in and having to work with Downing and Kiely, which is the same position Irvine is in but he is achieving better results.
Pepe Mel had a squad that were no good but essentially the players that are still being picked formedthat squad.
Pepe Mel was treated badly by the club, Alan Irvine is being treated badly by a significant proportion of the support.

Pepe Mel is history.  Move on.

[wbarenno]

Take him back, JP, you know it was just a spat.

You can wear the trousers. You know you belong together.

Take him back?? For what reason??

[ex coseley kid]

It's an interesting debate to me.

Liam gave us the most measured reasoning - that this is the squad that PM would have excelled with. Ok I admit it, I think he would have done well with our current squad - and Pepe took on a very tired looking, media-beleaguered side. He wasn't helped by the incidents such as Anelka, nor do I think he was helped by the selling of Long... we had hardly any strike force at the time, just did NOT get that at all.

We can argue he didn't have the dressing room - but we know something didn't smell right in the State of Denmark back with Odemwingie.

That said, I think Irvine has been a steadying influence in a number of ways. His rep for working well with younger players arguably has been the galvanising force with Saido. He fits the existing coaching model so no apple cart upsetting there, old guard happy.

I'm not sure I want happy. I want some bloody attack. I just fell like it isn't going to happen with AI. Come on Blakey let's get this bus out. I take VVV's argument about how many points on the board under both etc.... to be fair, can't even argue with it. But we look uninspired and boring.

So yeah, I think PM would have relished this squad. And I think on a page about him I'm entitled to say that. The guy didn't get the chance and ok it may be old news now but I think it was really unfair.

On that basis - and on the basis I still believe Man Utd didn't give Moyes the chance, and trying to be fair about this - how long do we give Irvine?

[VVVAlbion]

Some of our passing the ball around to feet has been excellent,  sharp and quick (Berahino chance in the first half against Newcastle being a good example) but you aren't going to dramatically change the style of play and get the results required over night. It is ok saying you want quick exciting football but if that had left us bottom of the table cut a drift (which some on here said we would be anyway) people would be properly slagging of the manager and the club.
We have established some stability,  more so than under Mel, and have the players who have the pedigree to maybe provide the excitement on a more consistent basis (and hopefully the results) being integrated (more slowly than acceptable for some) into the club.
Not having reserve matches does not help us but the organisation of behind closed doors games like the match against Leicester (?) today shows that the club is doing what it can to make the likes of Varela, Brown, Blanco etc. more readily available.

[ex coseley kid]

Some of our passing the ball around to feet has been excellent,  sharp and quick (Berahino chance in the first half against Newcastle being a good example) but you aren't going to dramatically change the style of play and get the results required over night. It is ok saying you want quick exciting football but if that had left us bottom of the table cut a drift (which some on here said we would be anyway) people would be properly slagging of the manager and the club.
We have established some stability,  more so than under Mel, and have the players who have the pedigree to maybe provide the excitement on a more consistent basis (and hopefully the results) being integrated (more slowly than acceptable for some) into the club.
Not having reserve matches does not help us but the organisation of behind closed doors games like the match against Leicester (?) today shows that the club is doing what it can to make the likes of Varela, Brown, Blanco etc. more readily available.

Not totally blinkered and I hear what you're saying. Some of our possession has been superb, got to admit.
I did however feel that the Newcastle game was abject and devoid of any inspiration... yep, Alan has done well so far, but we need more creativity. Whether that is seen to come from AI or the players themselves, it little matters. Ironically for me at one time we seemed dominant in midfield but now that's where the real missing link is.

[WBArgo]

People do seem so blinkered when it comes to Pepe Mel.
In 17 games he managed to accumulate 15 points, Alan Irvine has got 13 points in 11 games. (PM had 8 at this point) One of which, to some, is seen as the would have been saviour of the club and theoother a complete failure. Bizarre when you analyse it.
Pepe Mel's failure has been partly put down to his in ability to bring his own coaching staff in and having to work with Downing and Kiely, which is the same position Irvine is in but he is achieving better results.
Pepe Mel had a squad that were no good but essentially the players that are still being picked formedthat squad.
Pepe Mel was treated badly by the club, Alan Irvine is being treated badly by a significant proportion of the support.

Pepe Mel is history.  Move on.

I agree with this, albeit it's good history to look over and discuss. In my opinion, the key reason why both he and Clarke did poorly last season was due to an awful summer, and the squad simply wasn't good enough. To be fair, by the time Mel came in, the MO was safety, so you could argue his time was a success here, as he kept us up with little resources.
Does this make him a good manager? His CV probably tells us more and it says he's pretty hit or miss. Personally I'd have liked to see him stay but I don't think he was the saviour that many praised - and I think even with Chelsea's squad he'd have thrown away many points due to the awful defending of set-pieces which was his achilles heel.
That said, I still respect him - last season a few of our players looked careless - whilst you could tell that Pepe gave it his all and truly respected the fans, which is quite a dignified quality whatever your thoughts on his football.

[WorcsWBA]

Have a look at the second photo down in this article about F1/Bernie Ecclestone. It's a guy called Paul Walsh, but he's a doppelganger for Pepe Mel - it's very spooky!

Link: BBC website

Update: They've since added another photo into the article, so the photo in question is now the third one down (Pepe Mel not being a woman AFAIK!)

[BB74]

Amazing! Great look a like 

[tommcneill]

Blimey...are we sure its not him!!! that's a hell of a doppelganger!

[Mister AT]

Ive just spent a good 2 minutes studying that picture, fully believing it is Mel. 

[Legend]

Haha that's brilliant! 

[BB74]

Just think, that could have been the real Pepe Mel in that pose surrounded by glasses of champagne after leading us to the Carling Cup this season 

[Mister AT]

Just think, that could have been the real Pepe Mel in that pose surrounding by glasses of champagne after leading us to the Carling Cup this season 

Or maybe Pepe Mel was never WBA manager and infact this guy was the reason we stayed up last season.
 

[Albionic]

Christ on a bike that is scary !

Pepe Mel to transition to F1 - crazy !

[smethwickw]

Or maybe Pepe Mel was never WBA manager and infact this guy was the reason we stayed up last season.
 

It was all down to Downing and Keily. 

[Legend]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02243/diageo-paul-walsh-_2243854b.jpg

That has to be his twin! 

[BB74]

That really is amazing!

[LiamTheBaggie]

Pepe Mel has been appointed head coach at Real Betis.

The love affair with that club continues