[Albion] Chris Hughton leaves with immediate effect

[Nobby]

Tony must run the club as a business and this was a business decision. Hundreds of millions of pounds are at stake and many lower level administrative jobs are on the line. There is very little room for sentiment in business.

Here’s a question for those who feel he shouldn’t have been sacked. It’s a thought experiment so no cheating.

You are in charge of recruiting our next manager. Our situation is as it is now, but our fictional manager has just resigned. Chris Hughton is available and has never been our manager, but has exactly the same record with another club, playing the same way with the same stats. Would you offer him the job? Or would you look elsewhere?

Interesting question;

Positives;
Given a reasonable competitive budget, proven success.
History of keeping clubs with low budget in the Premier League.
Getting promotion from the Championship with a top ten budget only, being unbeaten for half a season with one club
Positive personal Image that promotes a club’s media profile.

Negatives;
Playing style that could be described as negative but practical, which some fans find boring
Rumours of some senior players discipline problems
Seemingly unable to affect games with in game tactical changes

So as a CV writer, in summary, proven success and safe pair of hands, if given a budget commensurate with the aim of the organisation.

 

[dazzer6666]

Interesting question;

Positives;
Given a reasonable competitive budget, proven success.
History of keeping clubs with low budget in the Premier League.
Getting promotion from the Championship with a top ten budget only, being unbeaten for half a season with one club
Positive personal Image that promotes a club’s media profile.

Negatives;
Playing style that could be described as negative but practical, which some fans find boring
Rumours of some senior players discipline problems
Seemingly unable to affect games with in game tactical changes

So as a CV writer, in summary, proven success and safe pair of hands, if given a budget commensurate with the aim of the organisation.

You missed ‘recent performance record’ from the negatives. Several months of nailed-on relegation form, failure to score or even create chances, 3 wins in 23 games........and an attitude that seemed to accept this was going to continue into next season.....

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Interesting question;

Positives;
Given a reasonable competitive budget, proven success.
History of keeping clubs with low budget in the Premier League.
Getting promotion from the Championship with a top ten budget only, being unbeaten for half a season with one club
Positive personal Image that promotes a club’s media profile.

Negatives;
Playing style that could be described as negative but practical, which some fans find boring
Rumours of some senior players discipline problems
Seemingly unable to affect games with in game tactical changes

So as a CV writer, in summary, proven success and safe pair of hands, if given a budget commensurate with the aim of the organisation.

Your positives suggest a great Championship manager.

Your negatives fail to take in to account his recent performance, games won and goals scored in the Premier league which indicate he is less suited to this level than other candidates.

Given a choice of several good quality candidates I honestly think No one would opt for Chris. The caveat being the quality of alternatives. But I'm sure there will be dozens interested.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Decision was pretty much made in Bloom's mind after the Cardiff game. And rightly so after the 2 debacle matches. Interesting read.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/sp...sidered-sacking-chris-hughton-four-weeks-ago/

 

[Bwian]

Sorry there is no spin required.
You are wrong on this one.

OK, explain where I am wrong.

We were dreadful at Palace. Not the result-the performance and the stats support that point of view. If Palace had played as they did towards the end of the season they would have battered us.

Like I've said, the result was fantastic and as it turns out the points were crucial. 4 shots, 3 on target, no corners and paltry possession says we were beyond lucky to win. I was there and know what I saw-we robbed them.

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[Nobby]

You missed ‘recent performance record’ from the negatives. Several months of nailed-on relegation form, failure to score or even create chances, 3 wins in 23 games........and an attitude that seemed to accept this was going to continue into next season.....

Writing his CV I would write that as;

Lack of any January investment by the club - relegation rivals made big signings and loan deals

Injuries to key players from previous season

Undermined by Director of Football role.

Still writing the CV;
Given financial backing he outperforms rivals
Builds competitive squad on low budget

 

[forumwayseagull]

You have to question how we came to be in that position in the first place, I would suggest that CH lost some of the players belief in him en route to it.

None of us thought TB would sack him but I am pleased he did, something was very wrong behind the scenes.

My enthusiasm for next season may prove to be a false dawn but it’s a chance I’m happy for us to take. I have always felt enjoying watching the Albion is, as a fan, my main concern. I did not enjoy last season, a handful of games apart, and even the semi final didn’t thrill me given the way we play.

I found last season as hard to watch as the Hyppia season....we were clueless much of the time and I was really struggling towards the end of the season to go (always went in the end) as I knew the inevitable outcome of most games before I left my house...

 

[Bwian]

Like i said, tough crowd.

Not at all-the numbers show how we played. Without wanting to keep repeating myself: The result was fantastic and the win desperately needed. The performance wasn't.

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[sussex_guy2k2]

4.5 years in the job and the first 3.5 were great, we couldn’t have asked for any more. He excelled himself and will always have my respect for that.

However, the facts do not lie and this season (the whole season, not just the second half like some would have you believe) has been abysmal. We fluked three wins in a row in October that gave us a false sense of safety, but the reality is we’ve been truly hopeless for a long time. We can’t score, we can’t attack, we’ve got no pace, we move the ball slowly, we are cautious and timid, we show too much respect to opponents, we have won four away games out of the last 40, we only make subs at 70 minutes. Most worryingly of all, he’s done nothing to combat the critical issues even a layman like me can see occurring throughout the season. He appears to me to be a manager with his head in the sand. It’s absolutely woeful stuff and completely untenable at this level. I could go on but most of all, I’m just bored of my team being so spineless, defensive and dull.

Finally, the inevitable came in recent months as our home form fell apart. Hughton had been boring his way to enough points at the Amex to keep the more blinkered fans on side but finally the players couldn’t cope with such a mentally and physically draining style any longer. You just can’t lose 5-0 at home to Bournemouth, a team that had just lost nine consecutive away games. You can’t lose to Southampton, Burnley and Cardiff with barely a shot on goal.

Hughton has actually been a dead man walking for a long time. I called it in 2018 after the Leicester game. Losing a 60 minute match at home to ten men because we sat on the edge of our own box and failed to lay a glove on them was embarrassing at Premier League level. I don’t think any other manager in this division would have done what he did that day. There have been countless other opportunities missed this season, going all the way back to Fulham and Southampton in the first month, as a direct result of the manager’s approach. So regrettably, he had to go and he should have gone months ago.

Nailed it.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

OK, explain where I am wrong.

We were dreadful at Palace. Not the result-the performance and the stats support that point of view. If Palace had played as they did towards the end of the season they would have battered us.

Like I've said, the result was fantastic and as it turns out the points were crucial. 4 shots, 3 on target, no corners and paltry possession says we were beyond lucky to win. I was there and know what I saw-we robbed them.

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Palace are vulnerable at home against well organised defences, able to hit on the counter attack.
The performance was exactly that. Perfectly executed.

The stats you are referring to mean absolutely nothing.
percentage possession is a meaningless statistic.
as is the number of shots.
Palace regularly have 20+ shots. Predominantly from outside of the area and off target.

The whole team were up for that game, focussed and on top form.
Sure it was a defensive master class with two exceptional goals.

If you can't appreciate that type of performance away from home, against our fiercest rivals, you are supporting the wrong team.

 

[the right footed denilson]

........and an attitude that seemed to accept this was going to continue into next season.....

This, more than anything, cost him the job IMHO

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Palace are vulnerable at home against well organised defences, able to hit on the counter attack.
The performance was exactly that. Perfectly executed.

The stats you are referring to mean absolutely nothing.
percentage possession is a meaningless statistic.
as is the number of shots.
Palace regularly have 20+ shots. Predominantly from outside of the area and off target.

The whole team were up for that game, focussed and on top form.
Sure it was a defensive master class with two exceptional goals.

If you can't appreciate that type of performance away from home, against our fiercest rivals, you are supporting the wrong team.

This - perfectly put.


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[neilbard]

You missed ‘recent performance record’ from the negatives. Several months of nailed-on relegation form, failure to score or even create chances, 3 wins in 23 games........and an attitude that seemed to accept this was going to continue into next season.....

This, more than anything, cost him the job IMHO

Yes let's get someone in with the positivity of say David Wagner, the Premier League broke him in the end, be careful what you wish for people..

 

[Whosh51]

Unfortunately the nice people in business or power never win. Bloom is a gambler not afraid to make the hard decision especially the outlay he and the club have made in the past few years. If you want success in the future don’t make weak choices, we will benefit down the line but a few more may fall along the way, that’s how it is ruthless business.
Good luck to Chris a nice man.

 

[chaileyjem]

So does a manager have to lose every player before he can be said to have lost the dressing room. For a club at our level wink EVERYONE needs to pull together, three or four players not giving 100%, consciously or otherwise, means we are probably fecked in a game.

Those three winnable three home games looked to me like everyone was not pulling together, which is why we found ourselves where we were in the last few games.

I find it hard not to think CH and his rigidity on tactics were part of the problem.

I imagine everyone sucked it up in the last few games because none of our players wanted to go down so were obliged to give it their all for those games.

Well It would have been a lot easier for em if they'd 'sucked it up" and felt "obliged" to fix it v Cardiff but yes i get what you're saying. I disagree. but i get it.

 

[Weststander]

Decision was pretty much made in Bloom's mind after the Cardiff game. And rightly so after the 2 debacle matches. Interesting read.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/sp...sidered-sacking-chris-hughton-four-weeks-ago/

That brings back painful memories of yet more shocking HOME performances against Bmuff (largest margin of home defeat in 46 years) and then Cardiff.

I defended CH almost all the way through, but that little reminder has made it patently clear to me that TB has made the right call with the sacking.

CH is a lovely bloke and achieved unforgettable things for us, but his tenure had come to a natural end.

 

[Bozza]

Decision was pretty much made in Bloom's mind after the Cardiff game. And rightly so after the 2 debacle matches. Interesting read.

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/sp...sidered-sacking-chris-hughton-four-weeks-ago/

Out of interest, Andy Naylor was repeatedly sneeringly dismissive of Albion fans who were saying we should be doing better and/or calling for Hughton's head. People needed to be realistic and draw in their expectations etc.

Presumably he's said the same about the Albion board over the last 24 hours? Anyone?

 

[Bladders]

Cowardly Brighton according to Henry Winter.

 

[dazzer6666]

Yes let's get someone in with the positivity of say David Wagner, the Premier League broke him in the end, be careful what you wish for people..

I wasn’t wishing for anything, but our half-season record is truly horrendous. If we’d done that in the first half CH would have been gone before Christmas, 100%.

 

[Seagull73]

Cowardly Brighton according to Henry Winter.

Link?