Author Topic: Alan Irvine  (Read 1745887 times)

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darbolina

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #475 on: June 15, 2014, 11:38:00 AM »
This seems a bad decision on many levels , Irvine's first team coaching pedigree, relationship with fans of clubs he's managed and players he signed in the past - all of which should've been the leading criteria for choosing our new head coach?

If the theory is to focus on coaching to better nurture and bring on young players,either academy or new signings, then a well respected academy coach on the first team staff would achieve this. However, the demands of the top coaching/managers job in the premier league are such that you need to be a politician and excellent at handling the media/fans as well as players/ training. Pepe was great at the PR side of things in spite of his limited English - I'm not sure on his coaching ability to be honest. The point is, to have a criteria based solely on technical coaching ability is badly flawed, particularly at a time when our club clearly needed a 'leader' / figurehead to galvanise the players, fans and to create a perception the club were ready to progress. A 'leader' can be a figurehead like Roy of course rather an someone who is actually calling all of the shots.

 By creating a perception that the club is going places, it means fans, media and as a result players (prospective signings) buy into this vision. The appointment of Irvine actually shows the opposite (I'm sure this wasn't the intent) I.e. that WBA are ready to consolidate,sign young lower league players and young foreigners to build for a future which the club accept might involve dropping down the divisions at some point. Irvine is a Championship appointment at best, however a large change in structure (ousting Downing and Kiely in the process) would involve an owner admitting his whole plan and fundamental principles are wrong. Those same principles he perceives have brought success for ten years - no one can argue we've progressed in the past ten years. However, a leader (like it or not Peace is the current actual leader and not a Roy style figurehead) must surely see that with a structure which has brought success, there are also fundamental problems this causes eg lack of flexibility and too much upheaval , that these problems are creating uncertainty and prompting our best young players to want to leave rather than 'buy into' a club which will nurture them.
No owner in their right mind (?) would welcome or court relegation knowingly (££££) , however surely beginning the season with a manager with an (outward) style of dour pragmatism and a poor first team coaching record at League one level is leaving the door wide open to fans to 'devour' the coach within ten games.

Irvine seems to be a good workshop foreman promoted to CEO because he did a good job at managing a workshop. It's rare this kind of guy will work out in such a high profile job in an environment of large Egos (boardroom, players, agents) but I'll take my hat off to the club if we win 6 games by Christmas.

I just hope we don't lurch into a Keen at Blackburn style implosion on and off the field now that sees the club fighting the fans who want Irvine sacked by October following no wins. Only some significant signings - not necessarily big money but signings of vision and balance - will start to change the fans and media perception.

Can we not strengthen our voice to Peace by using the only language he knows - shares and money. I have no money to invest but with a collective fans voice intent of creating a greater fans ownership, this would make Peace have to listen to our collective voice more. People talk of the balance German club ownership brings. Why not try to begin this at WBA for long term reasons ( it wouldn't happen overnight).

You can tell I've thought about this all and care but I won't be spending any money at the club shop or ground including tickets until I see that investment (yes I 'invest' or give charitable donations to the club so it can have a better future - not to create profit for shareholders) is well managed and the top people at the club share their vision in a way that I can understand clearly.

First time poster who is struggling to accept that the club can implode again after being there throughout the dire 80s and 90s years where fans and board were often in conflict.


cads_ap_albion

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #476 on: June 15, 2014, 11:39:19 AM »
What has inebriated me off the most are two things:

 1. Albion wait until the day of the England game.
2. 14 working days have passed since deadline so people will not get refunds.

The contempt and cynicism for the fans just appalls me. irvine might be decent but it's the sheer contempt...
Nice one Cyrille, nice one son

Albionic

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #477 on: June 15, 2014, 11:39:44 AM »
imagine the england bench last night,

Good game Danny (Welbeck)
Cheers Ben, I feel a lot more confident in myself now we don't have Moyes and the Dutch national manager is coming in.

By the way Ben hows things going at your place ? :-X
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Plastic Paddy

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #478 on: June 15, 2014, 11:40:19 AM »
What on earth has JP done?  >:( Whilst the appointment of Pepe Mel was not a universal success, at least it united the fans. By giving Alan Irvine the job, Pearce has more than likely sealed our relegation to the Championship next season. If he wasn't good enough in 2009 to beat RDM to the job how can he possibly be good enough now?

Over the last 5+ weeks we have been linked with numerous names (some good, alot bad/uninspiring) but I can't actually think of anyone I would have wanted less and that includes Neil Lennon, Chris Hughton, Malky Mackay & Dave Jones!

However, whilst I appreciate that I am in the minority judging by the comments so far, everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves. AI will get my full support however the team needs to hit the ground running otherwise I imagine the atmosphere will turn "poisonous" very quickly  :(


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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #479 on: June 15, 2014, 11:43:14 AM »
I wouldn't say I was happy by any stretch of the imagination but I'm also not avoiding the medicine cabinet like many on here, Irvine is a highly respected coach within the game, anyone would think we've employed Kim Jong-il for gods sake, here's a novel idea, how about we give the guy a chance (crouch's back down behind the sofa).
All for giving the guy a chance but there must be dozens of 'highly respected' coaches in the land who are not suited to being No.1 at a premier league club. I said it above, he may be 'head coach' but there are a lot of management skills needed  in being No 1 at a club.....the evidence for Irvine being a good choice is very very hard to find.
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baggiejohn

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #480 on: June 15, 2014, 11:43:47 AM »
Isn't that what you want from a leader? Somebody to come in and instill a bit of confidence around the place and show all and sundry whose boss?.
Not saying that's what Sherwood would have done but that's what you want

In my experience, the best leaders have an ability to listen, not sure the word's in Sherwood's vocabulary.
I'm not trying to justify the Irvine appointment, & by choice I'd have had neither, but with Sherwood, the car crash would have happened, it would just have been a matter of when.
If it was easy, it wouldn't be Albion

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The less he spoke the more he heard, why aren't we like that wise old bird?

cads_ap_albion

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #481 on: June 15, 2014, 11:47:37 AM »
In my experience, the best leaders have an ability to listen, not sure the word's in Sherwood's vocabulary.
I'm not trying to justify the Irvine appointment, & by choice I'd have had neither, but with Sherwood, the car crash would have happened, it would just have been a matter of when.

i agree a major crisis with sherwood and peace was just round the corner. I don't mind not having sherwood but the coincidence of releasing the news hours before England just appalls me.
Nice one Cyrille, nice one son

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #482 on: June 15, 2014, 11:48:26 AM »
In my experience, the best leaders have an ability to listen, not sure the word's in Sherwood's vocabulary.
I'm not trying to justify the Irvine appointment, & by choice I'd have had neither, but with Sherwood, the car crash would have happened, it would just have been a matter of when.
Not so much a car crash with Irvine................more like a 20 ton truck ran into it whilst parked out side your house 10 minutes before you have to go out!!!
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #483 on: June 15, 2014, 11:51:06 AM »
In my experience, the best leaders have an ability to listen, not sure the word's in Sherwood's vocabulary.
I'm not trying to justify the Irvine appointment, & by choice I'd have had neither, but with Sherwood, the car crash would have happened, it would just have been a matter of when.
With Sherwood the car crash might have happened. On the other hand he may go on to have a successful managerial career - we just don't know, but it would have been interesting to find out and would have put bums on seats at least for a while. We probably would have had more chance of attracting players and raising the profile of the club a bit also.
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lewisant

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #484 on: June 15, 2014, 11:51:42 AM »
Their social networks are getting slammed!! There's probably some poor SEO marketing guy/gal who is going to have to deal with us baggies using that as our soap box. I think if it's relentless over the next few months it'll get noticed.

Part of my job is running social network profiles for companies and if I was in charge of baggies' one I'd retweet and share as many possible disgruntled tweet and Facebook statuses till I got the sack!
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #485 on: June 15, 2014, 11:51:52 AM »
In my experience, the best leaders have an ability to listen, not sure the word's in Sherwood's vocabulary.
I'm not trying to justify the Irvine appointment, & by choice I'd have had neither, but with Sherwood, the car crash would have happened, it would just have been a matter of when.

I agree with your point, I never got the fascination with Sherwood, he would have been a disaster I reckon, but so will Irvine most likely. The difference is, Sherwood was young, had a bit of potential and was clearly not a yes man - who had charisma and passion. I'm not saying that would make him into a decent manager, but at least it would have been more fun to watch and you could connect with the club a bit more with someone like that involved.

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #486 on: June 15, 2014, 11:54:38 AM »
After sleeping on it the only positive I can come up with is its not Irvines fault he just applied for a job and if he had any sense he wouldn't come anywhere near

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #487 on: June 15, 2014, 11:57:06 AM »
All for giving the guy a chance but there must be dozens of 'highly respected' coaches in the land who are not suited to being No.1 at a premier league club. I said it above, he may be 'head coach' but there are a lot of management skills needed  in being No 1 at a club.....the evidence for Irvine being a good choice is very very hard to find.

They haven't been given the job though mukka, Irvine has & whilst he wouldn't of been anywhere near the top of my list (neither RDM, Clarke, Downing & to a degree Hodgson), he's got the gig & so will receive my support.

As an aside & this is purely a personal point but I don't get the "I want a refund" thing either, (no disrespect intended) mainly because we gave Alan Irvine the Head Coach job
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #488 on: June 15, 2014, 11:59:33 AM »
I wouldn't say I was happy by any stretch of the imagination but I'm also not avoiding the medicine cabinet like many on here, Irvine is a highly respected coach within the game, anyone would think we've employed Kim Jong-il for gods sake, here's a novel idea, how about we give the guy a chance (crouch's back down behind the sofa).

I'll give anyone a chance but this is what you get when you force a pre-installed backroom on someone. If we were going into our first season in the Prem then I could maybe understand it more and probably accept it but we're an 'established' middle to lower team in the top division at the moment and having just endured a nightmare season on and off the pitch followed by what are now empty words/ bullshite from our leader it makes it harder to swallow. I have no issue with Irvine himself as all he did was apply for the job and has been extremely fortunate to get it, the issue is with those that have appointed him showing a lack of ambition and doing it on a shoestring. I hope I have to eat all my words next Summer but I fear this season we're going down and between Christmas and start of the 2015-2016 season we will be back in this position looking for another fall guy.
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addy

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #489 on: June 15, 2014, 12:00:45 PM »
Wish I would have applied for the job now...

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #490 on: June 15, 2014, 12:05:04 PM »
I'll give anyone a chance but this is what you get when you force a pre-installed backroom on someone. If we were going into our first season in the Prem then I could maybe understand it more and probably accept it but we're an 'established' middle to lower team in the top division at the moment and having just endured a nightmare season on and off the pitch followed by what are now empty words/ bullshite from our leader it makes it harder to swallow. I have no issue with Irvine himself as all he did was apply for the job and has been extremely fortunate to get it, the issue is with those that have appointed him showing a lack of ambition and doing it on a shoestring. I hope I have to eat all my words next Summer but I fear this season we're going down and between Christmas and start of the 2015-2016 season we will be back in this position looking for another fall guy.

Quite agree Oldbury, and having had a couple of poor seasons wiith Downing in  the backroom staff, the one common denominator, why oh why oh why has he been allowed to stay, nothing has changed, and nothing learnt.

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #491 on: June 15, 2014, 12:05:20 PM »
I don't know if anyone here has the answer, but how much did Peace buy the club for back in the day? I have google'd and can't find much information?

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #492 on: June 15, 2014, 12:09:46 PM »
Quite agree Oldbury, and having had a couple of poor seasons wiith Downing in  the backroom staff, the one common denominator, why oh why oh why has he been allowed to stay, nothing has changed, and nothing learnt.
A couple of poor seasons which included our highest ever Premier League position?  It is funny how easy history is rewritten.
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #493 on: June 15, 2014, 12:12:09 PM »
It will be interesting to see who are new signings will be after last year's total shambles. Irvine and Burton have been pre-occupied for the past couple of seasons with their Academy roles and will have had little or no time to go scouting; Garlick has been moved sideways and so we are left with JP, plus the usual network of scouts, which all clubs have. I really fear for us next season, but clearly JP doesn't care a toss. He will no doubt pocket a chunk of the extra TV revenue and once he gets his 75% share holding he'll do his best to flog us mid season before we get relegated.

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #494 on: June 15, 2014, 12:17:04 PM »
I'll give anyone a chance but this is what you get when you force a pre-installed backroom on someone. If we were going into our first season in the Prem then I could maybe understand it more and probably accept it but we're an 'established' middle to lower team in the top division at the moment and having just endured a nightmare season on and off the pitch followed by what are now empty words/ bullshite from our leader it makes it harder to swallow. I have no issue with Irvine himself as all he did was apply for the job and has been extremely fortunate to get it, the issue is with those that have appointed him showing a lack of ambition and doing it on a shoestring. I hope I have to eat all my words next Summer but I fear this season we're going down and between Christmas and start of the 2015-2016 season we will be back in this position looking for another fall guy.

I don't pretend to be totally happy with the 'pre installed backroom staff' & like many others wouldn't of been disappointed if they had, had a clear out when the new Coach was brought in but the fact remains that this is the 'West Brom model' which has kept us in the Prem for the longest period & I don't see it changing unless Peace sells up, then of course if some Malaysian, Russian, American Billionaire can come in & change our name/colours/venue then we might just be begging for JP to come back.

For the record, I don't think we'll get relegated next season because we're Uncle Alan's Barmy Army  :P   
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #495 on: June 15, 2014, 12:22:47 PM »
I bet even Alan Irvine woke up this morning and had to pinch himself.

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #496 on: June 15, 2014, 12:24:55 PM »
wouldnt be cancelling his october holiday if i were him just dont see it working, gone by September!
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #497 on: June 15, 2014, 12:32:26 PM »
I bet even Alan Irvine woke up this morning and had to pinch himself.

With any luck he'll read these pages and withdraw his application
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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #498 on: June 15, 2014, 12:35:05 PM »
With any luck he'll read these pages and withdraw his application

How can he withdraw his application when he didn't even apply in the first place ?
« Last Edit: June 15, 2014, 12:37:34 PM by LiamTheBaggie »

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Re: Alan Irvine sacked by Albion
« Reply #499 on: June 15, 2014, 12:38:33 PM »
If Irvine is the answer im not sure I want to know the question in all honesty.

Cheap appointment and the 'clique' at the club between Downing and Kieliy and some of the players remain.

We had the perfect opportunity to rebuild and start again but yet again JP takes the cheap option.

It's not physically possible to contact and appoint a man within hours of Sherwood 'turning us down'.

JP knew who he wanted.

The only reason its taken 5 weeks is because JP was waiting for the right time to burry the bad news.

Sick that us fans have been treated like this.