[costa blanca baggie]

One of my pub hobbyhorses, how the best managers are usually not the most naturally gifted players, they are the ones who had to work out what to do with limited God given ability.  If you had to think about playing to your strengths as a player, you're already half way to being a coach.

Good point. If a person is naturally gifted, they’ve not had to learn. It then may become a problem to teach. I’d never thought of it that way. And while I’m here, I’m pleased with Darren’s appointment. It feels like we’ve been given our club back. One step at a time, eh?

[divinewind]

None of the top managers were stand out players, Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Hodgson. Did Roy ever play professionally?

[Scooby Doo]

I belive you are missing my point. If Darren was Joe Bloggs with no connection to the Albion and that record I imagine the burning torches and pitch forks would be on their way to the Hawthorns now and the threats of non purchasing of season tickets filling these pages.

This is a point I was thinking of yesterday. But ultimately he has connections to the club and has done a great job at every opportunity the club has afforded him and he deserves credit for that.

However I do believe in Big Dave and just hope that the club works with him and aids his development because lets be honest he's as much as a work in progress as we are going to be this summer.

On the point of caretakers not making great long term managers... Eddie Howe began his role as just that and so did Garry Monk at Swansea. Naturally Monk didn't last but his dismissal was against the fans wishes who felt he deserved longer. Michael Flynn has done a spectacular job at Newport County after initially taking the reigns as caretaker.


Congratulations Big Dave and good luck. I hope he gets the support from every level of the club he deserves.

[Standaman]

Roy was on Palace's books as a teenager but mainly played semi pro and his background is strikingly similar to Wenger's.  Generally the best coaches have modest playing careers often cut short by injury which pushes them into coaching relatively early in life. A great player who also makes it as a great coach is a fairly rare bird, which is why calls for high profile ex pro's to be fast tracked through coaching qualifications is a complete nonsense.

[Mister AT]

Makes you wonder if any players may now stay because of big Dave

I have a feeling a few who maybe we’re considering leaving will give us a season.

[hardtobeat]

None of the top managers were stand out players, Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Hodgson. Did Roy ever play professionally?

Guardiola, Zidane, Conte and Ancelloti weren't too shabby

[Scooby Doo]

Pep Guardiola -
Antonio Conte -
Diego Simeone -
Gheorgi Hagi -
Massimo Carerra -
Phillip Cocu -
Diego Alonso -
Giovanni Van Bronkhorst -
Luis Enrique -
Marcelo Gallardo -
Mauricio Pochettino -
Zidane -
Patrick Vieira -

Great players don't make great coaches but that's not a bad list representing some of the best managers about in world football.

[costa blanca baggie]

Pep Guardiola -
Antonio Conte -
Diego Simeone -
Gheorgi Hagi -
Massimo Carerra -
Phillip Cocu -
Diego Alonso -
Giovanni Van Bronkhorst -
Luis Enrique -
Marcelo Gallardo -
Mauricio Pochettino -
Zidane -
Patrick Vieira -

Great players don't make great coaches but that's not a bad list representing some of the best managers about in world football.

OK! How’s this for a challenge. Let’s name the household names that failed. Here’s my starter for one point. Bobby Charlton. ☺️

[SirTonyM]

Paul Gascoigne
Maradona
Bobby Charlton
Gary Neville
Alan Shearer
John Barnes
Stoichkov
Tony Adams
Van Basten
Roy Keane 

[Atomic]

As I said earlier I have serious reservations about this appointment. I think everyone is entitled to joy or disappointment when a new head coach is put in place, we're all human, we all have our own thoughts and emotions.

However, the club have made their decision so now no more moaning it's time to get right behind Darren Moore. If it all goes wrong I won't be giving it the I told you so's. There's no purpose to that and I'm not into gaining cheap points. Hopefully Darren's time in charge will be a resounding success.

Good luck Big Dave.

Come on you Baggies!

[telford baggie]

time to enjoy pulis football again and sounds like as long as you work hard that is good enough, gone by xmas out the division by may, dean saunders mark 2

[baggie steve]

Makes you wonder if any players may now stay because of big Dave

Do we want them to stay ? There are a few who were that bad last year we don't want them to stay around ,  new broom was promised by Jenkins , we want some young hungry talented players and play a more pleasing on the eye style.
Big Dave has said this squad can only play one way ? A change in personnel is needed

[Chipperfan]

time to enjoy pulis football again and sounds like as long as you work hard that is good enough, gone by xmas out the division by may, dean saunders mark 2

Not sure how it “sounds like” anything. All DM has said so far are the usual platitudes about being excited to get the job etc.

Seems the club couldn’t do anything apart from appoint Moore, the upturn in form had made the decision for them, there was really no other choice.

After watching Albion since 1966, I must say I recognise that I know nothing really of how football works. I couldn’t say who is going to be a good/great player and I certainly am not qualified to recognise a good/great coach. Like most fans and supporters, I’m just along for the ride.

I withdrew my support while Pulis was there. Much as I struggled not to because he was at Albion, I detested the man’s brand football. I detested it while he was at Stoke and continued to when he was at the Hawthorns. Then I really hoped Pardew would turn it round, but no, we all know the outcome.

So, here I stand, with over fifty years of following the club, fifty years of (largely) false dawns, looking at DM’s appointment thinking “yes, this is it, this is the beginning of a new era, something great”. Part of me knows it’s foolish, as statistically and financially we can’t compete with the top end of the Prem, but hey, who cares, this is football not a logic seminar. Big Dave is an Albion man, he won games when all looked lost. He galvanised everything around Albion, he feels about the club like I do, and he seems like a genuine bloke.

He’s our top boy now, I’m with him 100% and I’ll be back up there next season come what may.

[tuamigos]

Big Dave could turn out to be his own worst enemy.
With the results he managed in the last 6 games he made it very difficult for the board not to appoint him.
Not sticking up for the board but they were on a hiding to nothing, dammed if they did and dammed if they didn't

[wba_1996]

time to enjoy pulis football again and sounds like as long as you work hard that is good enough, gone by xmas out the division by may, dean saunders mark 2

Jesus, I'm disappointed by the appointment but it sounds like you need to give Samaritans a ring.

[Scooby Doo]

Paul Gascoigne
Maradona
Bobby Charlton
Gary Neville
Alan Shearer
John Barnes
Stoichkov
Tony Adams
Van Basten
Roy Keane

Fair enough but all these are in the past. There is a definite shift in the modern game and for whatever reason, perhaps the current crop are better prepared. But when we're talking of top players making it as managers it really has no bearing on the Darren Moore debate in fairness.

[AlbionFan]

Paul Gascoigne
Maradona
Bobby Charlton
Gary Neville
Alan Shearer
John Barnes
Stoichkov
Tony Adams
Van Basten
Roy Keane

Bobby Moore
Brian Kidd
Bryan Robson

[divinewind]

Billy Wright.

The new DoF who ever that may be will do the recruiting / selling etc. Big Dave will hopefully be the motivator, the feel good factor, the one who pulls everyone together.
We have to get the DoF appointment spot on.
Really hope this works, for Darrens sake as much as our own.

[koren]

Did a great job for the last six games but there are much more difficult tasks ahead of Big Dave.

Promotion would be the top priority. Nowadays the teams in championship are also very competitive. We need to have a good start at the beginning of the season in order to boost the promotion chance. Therefore Big Dave has to prepare well in the pre-season, in terms of tactics and game plan. There is no room for testing or experiment after the season starts.

Overhaul for the squad is another important task. It should be happened last summer but we missed it.
Big Dave is inexperienced for player recruitment. Giuliano Terraneo has to work closely with him and bring new players to improve the aging squad.

Also, I'm sure many fans were tired of Pulis' style football in last few years, it is hoped that Big Dave can develop a team with more attacking intent and play better football.

Good luck Big Dave!

[TheJacko2000]

Did a great job for the last six games but there are much more difficult tasks ahead of Big Dave.

Promotion would be the top priority. Nowadays the teams in championship are also very competitive. We need to have a good start at the beginning of the season in order to boost the promotion chance. Therefore Big Dave has to prepare well in the pre-season, in terms of tactics and game plan. There is no room for testing or experiment after the season starts.

Overhaul for the squad is another important task. It should be happened last summer but we missed it.
Big Dave is inexperienced for player recruitment. Giuliano Terraneo has to work closely with him and bring new players to improve the aging squad.

Also, I'm sure many fans were tired of Pulis' style football in last few years, it is hoped that Big Dave can develop a team with more attacking intent and play better football.

Good luck Big Dave!

To be fair that's probably the one thing you don't need in the Championship. You need to finish strongly.

[Scooby Doo]

To be fair that's probably the one thing you don't need in the Championship. You need to finish strongly.

This season

Cardiff took 17/24 points at the start of the season. Fulham took 10/24.

Cardiff took 11/24 points at the end of the season. Fulham took 19.

Season before

Brighton took 14/24 points at the start of the season, Reading the same.

Brighton took 16/24 points at the end of the season. Reading took 18/24 points

[TheJacko2000]

Off the top of my head, Sunderland 06/07. You can be in the bottom half at Christmas and still get automatic promotion, it's that type of league.


That said, ideally you would get a lead and then give yourself breathing space so a slump doesn't derail the season. My issue was with the idea that a good start was vital, suggesting Moore has no time to settle, which just isn't the case, coupled with the fact he'll have far more goodwill from the fans (which will afford him more time) than any manager in recent history. A solid start is all that is required from the club in August and September.


edit. Interestingly in that season Sunderland won the title they had 17 players come in and 15 leave. It can be done.

[MarkW]

I've kept relatively quiet about a new manager, and about Darren Moore's appointment, as I have been very much on the fence.

He wasn't my first choice. I'm not sure who was but it wasn't Darren. I want to club to build a footballing identity and from the little I've seen, DM either doesn't have one, or his is similar to Pulis in that we concede possession and use set pieces to nick goals. This has worked well against the big teams he has come up against, but failed vs those around us. That again is a very Pulis-like trait.  Next season we will have to play with initiative, and take the game to teams that look to set up shop. We'll be a big scalp, and there are plenty of teams who will form two banks of four, and ask if we can break them down.

DM has yet to show an ability or desire to set us up in that way, but maybe a summer of new arrivals and a bit of a clear out will allow him to play with more freedom.

This may come across as writing DM off, and it is definitely not intended that way. I will back DM totally, and look forward to him building a culture of togetherness at the club, which I think has been missing. I have my reservations, but he gets my support, as any manager would when they arrive. It is up to him to maintain that good faith.

[Cullompton baggie]

He will need at least 2 types of system to counter act teams coming to the Hawthorns, teams are going to come to us and shut shop, trying to get away with a point! we will need to have a system that will allow us to break down this type of team. something we did not have under Pulis or Pardew. and a 2nd system for the likes of Stoke, who bombard you with long balls all the time!

[WorcsWBA]

He wasn't my first choice. I'm not sure who was but it wasn't Darren. I want to club to build a footballing identity and from the little I've seen, DM either doesn't have one, or his is similar to Pulis in that we concede possession and use set pieces to nick goals. This has worked well against the big teams he has come up against, but failed vs those around us. That again is a very Pulis-like trait.  Next season we will have to play with initiative, and take the game to teams that look to set up shop. We'll be a big scalp, and there are plenty of teams who will form two banks of four, and ask if we can break them down.

DM has yet to show an ability or desire to set us up in that way, but maybe a summer of new arrivals and a bit of a clear out will allow him to play with more freedom.

This may come across as writing DM off, and it is definitely not intended that way. I will back DM totally, and look forward to him building a culture of togetherness at the club, which I think has been missing. I have my reservations, but he gets my support, as any manager would when they arrive. It is up to him to maintain that good faith.

That's a great post,  which I entirely agree with. We need to bring in more attack-minded players than we have at present - players who are adept at breaking down massed defences. By and large, the clubs who've got automatic promotion have been capable of that; consider Wolves, Wigan and Blackburn (I can't bring myself to write about Cardiff, given who's in charge there)! To my mind, those are the 3 clubs we should look to be emulating in their style of play and bringing players in who are capable of delivering it.

All Darren's talked about so far is being organised and working hard, but it's going to need more than that to stand out from the crowd and push for automatic promotion, so I look forward to hearing his more considered thoughts on what's going to be our general approach for next season.