Who do we want as our new Manager

[Jon with no H]

I don't know. What about Waldemar Fornalik?

I was initially going to say "What are you tolkein about?!" but subsequently realised he is not a character from The Hobbit.

 

[Quintrell Green]

I saw Skubala interviewed on Football Focus last Saturday lunchtime and was impressed by him. I would have thought his period as stand-in manager at Leeds Utd would answer those who maintain his stewardship at Lincoln City is insufficient in order to be effective in the Championship. The guy has a lot going for him, if has perhaps applied of course for the vacancy at Argyle.

 

[MustardEagle]

I'm firmly in the Michael Skubala camp based on the names I've seen thrown around so far. He's done a really good job at Lincoln since November, plays decent attacking football and they've been relatively solid defensively. He does not have the elite coaching background that Ian Foster came with, but we have seen he can actually manage a professional football team to play his style of football. By all accounts he is popular with the players and fans, and he comes across well in interviews. I think he ticks a lot of boxes. In particular I think he is the right character, a good motivator and can get players to play for him, which Foster really could not do.

This is a really good article, written by him, about his early time at Lincoln: https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/michael-skubala-lincoln-city/

The question is whether we could tempt him away. There sounds like a lot of similarity between how Lincoln and we operate.

The other reason is that I would quite like us to recruit a few of Lincoln's players and this would give us a headstart. Lasse Sorensen, the Lincoln right wing back is out of contract in the summer and would be an excellent long term replacement for Joe Edwards. Good defensively and offers a lot going forward. The other is Ethan Erhahon who is a defensive midfielder. He's got a great engine, tenacious, athletic and good quality on the ball. I think he'd be a upgrade on Houghton. He's not out of contract and would cost a decent amount, but I think he's got potential to play at a good level.

Funnily enough I just read that article before you posted. A great read and I am also firmly in the Skubala camp. He would be a fantastic appointment.

 

[Centre Circle]

I'm firmly in the Michael Skubala camp based on the names I've seen thrown around so far. He's done a really good job at Lincoln since November, plays decent attacking football and they've been relatively solid defensively. He does not have the elite coaching background that Ian Foster came with, but we have seen he can actually manage a professional football team to play his style of football. By all accounts he is popular with the players and fans, and he comes across well in interviews. I think he ticks a lot of boxes. In particular I think he is the right character, a good motivator and can get players to play for him, which Foster really could not do.

This is a really good article, written by him, about his early time at Lincoln: https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/michael-skubala-lincoln-city/

The question is whether we could tempt him away. There sounds like a lot of similarity between how Lincoln and we operate.

The other reason is that I would quite like us to recruit a few of Lincoln's players and this would give us a headstart. Lasse Sorensen, the Lincoln right wing back is out of contract in the summer and would be an excellent long term replacement for Joe Edwards. Good defensively and offers a lot going forward. The other is Ethan Erhahon who is a defensive midfielder. He's got a great engine, tenacious, athletic and good quality on the ball. I think he'd be a upgrade on Houghton. He's not out of contract and would cost a decent amount, but I think he's got potential to play at a good level.

I agree with this.

When Foster was appointed I was excited - I thought he had the right mix of coaching credentials and experience to be successful. Obviously that didn't work out... But I would very much like us to make a similar style appointment again rather than picking someone up from the managerial merry-go-round. Skubala, perhaps a bit like Mousinho at Portsmouth, fits that bill.

 

[monkeywrench]

Thought it was interesting that Dewy mentioned Anthony Barry in the presser today (in that he came through with Rooney and Shuey and was involved in the Champions League semi last night.)

 

[signalspast]

Read today that west ham could be after tuchel. If he does go there Barry could follow him

 

[Cdp]

Read today that west ham could be after tuchel. If he does go there Barry could follow him

Unless he wants to go it on his own.

 

[StrictlyGreen]

Thought it was interesting that Dewy mentioned Anthony Barry in the presser today (in that he came through with Rooney and Shuey and was involved in the Champions League semi last night.)

I've just listened to the presser as well and was gobsmacked Dewsnip mentioned this. He obviously reads pasoti!

 

[Steve Evans]

this is just a suggestion.lilian nalis.

 

[subbuteo]

Ryan Giggs?

He got Wales playing some attractive football and would raise our profile, hopefully attracting better players.

I'm certain he'd not pass the 'no d**khead policy', but who am I to judge.

 

[memory man]

I've just listened to the presser as well and was gobsmacked Dewsnip mentioned this. He obviously reads pasoti!

I am assuming that your second sentence is tongue-in-cheek.

 

[Greenarmy1234]

I was in the media team at Gateshead when Mike joined as a player, and during his time as manager, and there was far more to him getting the job than just him being the oldest player. When he joined the club he joined as a player coach, it was a very, very, young team and he was the one real experienced player. So much happened in that season, with the club nearly going bankrupt and folding. Williamson was a real leader throughout, and helped out younger players who were struggling with tough times when no-one was getting paid. All experienced staff other than Williamson had gone by the end of the season, almost all players had gone. Williamson having been a coach, knowing the club, having a pull of being Mike Williamson a former Premier League player who has played in Europe and been Newcastle's player of the season in the Premier League one year made sense for all parties. He had a professional squad in the National League North, which is a bit of an advantage, but Gateshead are fan owned, don't own their stadium and rely largely on sponsors to survive. The budget was tiny and smaller than some part time teams. Despite that Williamson got his team playing some of the best football I've ever seen a side play. He's also been really good at improving players. Look at Macauley Langstaff's career before he started playing for Mike, he put his improvement down to the work Williamson did with him on the training ground. Then into the National League, with either the smallest or second smallest budget in the league Williamson got Gateshead to stay up last season while guiding them to the FA Trophy final. This season, still with one of the smallest budgets in the league, and Gateshead were flying high in the league when Williamson was poached by MK, and still playing great football the entire time. A number of out of favour players joined Gateshead on loan during this time, had the form of their lives and then earnt bigger contracts elsewhere. MK were 16th when Williamson was appointed. They are completely unrecognisable from the team he took over back in October.

I do think he would probably be reluctant to take on the job though unless he had assurances over contract length. He's got a young family, and I assume he's moved down to MK when he took the job - although I'm not certain about that. If they didn't, and if he was to move here then he'd be a very long way from his family up in Newcastle if they're still there. If they're not still there, and if they've gone with him then it could be difficult to persuade him to uproot his family again after such a short space of time.

This smacks of his agent planting his name in the mix. Sorry if im wrong, but this would be an awful appointment. No way after foster should we consider this sort of appointment.

For me a minimum would be success at an un fancied league 1 side, i.e. Lincolns manager, or a similar set up with an un fancied european top flight or second tier team ( as long as they speak fluent english).

 

[GreenEden]

More attractive than a L1 or L2 job yes. But still the least attractive Championship job available - Sunderland, Millwall, Watford and us all available already. Maybe Birmingham depending on Mowbray's health. Then we have potentially Sheff Utd and Burnley coming down looking for new managers if Kompany moves on. Then we have the top 4. If Leicester and/or Leeds miss out, a change is likely. McKenna could get poached from Ipswich if they don't go up. Whatever happens we will be the least attractive Championship job available for sure and I think that is just being realistic not negative.

What a ray of light let's get this season over before we're negative about next year

 

[Montybulldog]

My 3 choices

1st, Des Buckingham young coach plenty of experience managing and winning league in India, Melbourne runners up for 1st time in A league, New zealand youth then U 21 coach, and then Oxford Utd, has done a good job of maintaining there good start under Liam manning before heading to Brizzle.

Brought through like Tyler Goodhram whom at 20 years Coventry and rumoured to be in for 3.5 million, and Tyler Goodwin from Academy at 17, whom both Norwich & Ipswich are monitoring.

As well financially Oxford and Argyle are of similar stature, yet we have had more recent success / progress then the U's.

Buckingham style is attack minded with a mixture of fast flowing counter attacking, getting on the ball and yet physical at set pieces ( a part of the game argyle lacking in).

So he meets the head coach/ managerial of AP, ND & SH.

2) Long shot - if in championship Steve Neismith at Hearts, very entertaining fast attacker, surprisingly strong on the ball for his stature, and he has his hearts team playing in his own image. Hearts will never have the income to separate the Glasgow strong hold and there is a lack.of other attractive fixtures, the Championship would be a much more interesting league to put your credentials to the test.

3) Oscar Hiljemark - Young Danish manager, ex International midfielder head coach at Danish, division 1 Aab. Lots of experience in Greece, Seria A, and played in Championship as a player.

Worked his way up from Academy coach, to assistant coach twice and now head coach. Favours a counter attacking team using mobile wingers and a blend of speed and physicality up front. Shown real loyalty in his progression through the coaching ranks at all levels, still in late 30's. Aab have brought through a number of talented youth players into senior ranks too.

So feel my list meets the criteria outlined as attack minded entertaining style, willing to grow with club to achieve 5 year plan and buy into the culture at Home Park.

Oscar is on a rolling contract having taken earlier this season, when previous manager moved to Budesleague, so no compo there.

​

 

[Montybulldog]

Amendment - Oscar is Swedish, but managing in Denmark sorry forgot to clarify that, ex international midfielder