[Albion] Chris Hughton statement

[BN41Albion]

3 wins in 23 including embarrassing home defeats, virtually no goals or chances created and absolutely no sign that the run of results was going to change, including Chris’ own comments.

Plus the fact that the football was pretty poor in the first half of the season too and we were very lucky to be where we were at christmas with Murray taking his one chance and a lot of last ditch defending. No guarantee that we would have been relegated next season but there were definite warning signs as the season wore on. Clearly Bloom felt the same. Potter is a risk, and next season may still be a struggle, but it's nice to know we won't be going into every game mentally already a goal down. CH is a fantastic man and one of our best ever managers, but the time was right for a change imo.

 

[dazzer6666]

Plus the fact that the football was pretty poor in the first half of the season too and we were very lucky to be where we were at christmas with Murray taking his one chance and a lot of last ditch defending. No guarantee that we would have been relegated next season but there were definite warning signs as the season wore on. Clearly Bloom felt the same. Potter is a risk, and next season may still be a struggle, but it's nice to know we won't be going into every game mentally already a goal down. CH is a fantastic man and one of our best ever managers, but the time was right for a change imo.

Precisely

 

[Bold Seagull]

TB hasn’t invested millions to stand still thought that was obvious to every BHA fan, Hughton was going backwards anyone who couldn’t see that is being rather obtuse.

What many people realise is that football rarely follows a neat progression graph, there are always the odd step backwards between those taken forwards. For 7/8ths of his tenure we were taken forwards or at least not backwards.

Tony and others have taken the view that the 1/8th was going to continue into next season, but we’ll never know if he’d get it back on the forwards. We just have to hope the decision taken is the right one.

 

[Nobby]

I have that view because I want to enjoy watching football, not enjoy players, owners etc making money. There is no certainty in life but if you had two buttons in front of you and one guaranteed playing in the PL for 10 seasons but only ever finishing 17th until the last when you are relegated and the other guaranteed alternate years in the PL and Championship, ie you had about 5 promotion seasons but still end in the championship. Which button would you press?

I know which one Tony Bloom would press

 

[andy1980]

What many people realise is that football rarely follows a neat progression graph, there are always the odd step backwards between those taken forwards. For 7/8ths of his tenure we were taken forwards or at least not backwards.

Tony and others have taken the view that the 1/8th was going to continue into next season, but we’ll never know if he’d get it back on the forwards. We just have to hope the decision taken is the right one.

It's not the decision of sacking Chris that has to be right, it's the decision to hire Graham Potter that has to be right.

 

[OzMike]

He did a fine yob getting us there, but surely he guessed this could be coming.
Any other coach would have gone sooner after that run of games.
Respect to TB for being more patient than a lot of other club owners would have been in the circumstances.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Having had time to reflect, three things occur to me:

- Based on the form since Boxing Day, the way the team were responding to Chris and the evident disquiet in the camp, keeping Chris was a bigger risk than replacing him.

- Most Albion fans feel that releasing CH could have felt less like a defenestration even if we recognise the motivation behind replacing him. The way it was done (rather than the act of removing him) didn't seem fair on a decent man who did great things at the club. We didn't get to say thank you and goodbye and he deserved that.

- Appointing Graham Potter, an entirely unproven manager at anything like this level, is a very bold - if risky - move. But it is a forward step. It doesn't feel like we're going to be any safer from relegation next season, but it does feel like we'll be playing more progressive football. And we may have blagged England's next great super-manager at the start of his career. A fair gamble.

 

[dazzer6666]

He did a fine yob getting us there, but surely he guessed this could be coming.
Any other coach would have gone sooner after that run of games.
Respect to TB for being more patient than a lot of other club owners would have been in the circumstances.

First line perfectly describes his touchline antics and is, of course, the real reason he was fired. His outrageous antics were bound to cost him his job eventually.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Plus the fact that the football was pretty poor in the first half of the season too and we were very lucky to be where we were at christmas with Murray taking his one chance and a lot of last ditch defending. No guarantee that we would have been relegated next season but there were definite warning signs as the season wore on. Clearly Bloom felt the same. Potter is a risk, and next season may still be a struggle, but it's nice to know we won't be going into every game mentally already a goal down. CH is a fantastic man and one of our best ever managers, but the time was right for a change imo.

That's it. And you can overlook the poor football if the results are there. But the moment the results turn and you're left with poor results AND poor football, it isn't exactly a recipe for success. I'd certainly want more if I was Bloom considering how much we spent last summer.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I have that view because I want to enjoy watching football, not enjoy players, owners etc making money. There is no certainty in life but if you had two buttons in front of you and one guaranteed playing in the PL for 10 seasons but only ever finishing 17th until the last when you are relegated and the other guaranteed alternate years in the PL and Championship, ie you had about 5 promotion seasons but still end in the championship. Which button would you press?

You're missing out button 3 which is the one TB hopes he's pressed. Potentially stay in the Premier League whilst playing a much better brand of football AND incrementally improving over a period of time.

We've got far too many fans that still have a small club mentality and who are genuinely just grateful to be in the top league. Thankfully, our owner is not one of those.

 

[chaileyjem]

This thread is a bit odd. Whether you think it was justified or not that Hughton was sacked is irrelevant. Whether he deserved to be sacked or not is irrelevant. I don't think he did but can absolutely understand those that do. And why Bloom did it and (guess at) some his reasoning. But thats not the point.
The only issue is whether he was surprised. He said he was. There's no evidence whatsoever that TB had given him any sign that it was coming, all the reporting suggests otherwise. And he was , by all accounts, preparing for next season. And still , despite some limited rumours , it came as a major surprise to people on here on that Monday morning.
And thats it. There's no need to wheel out the stats from Fulham onwards yet again ...again...and again.

(On this thread anyway)

 

[Guinness Boy]

Let's see Hughton keeps a team without the talent needed in the Premier League by doing what it takes. Gets called dodgy for his tactics. Seems surprised when he is sacked. The good man did his job. When Potter takes the Albion back to the championship you will all see it more clearly.

Given that, from your location, you appear to live in the North East, you're perfectly placed to look at the results coming in on your telly or smart phone and come out with something along the lines of "that'll do". When fans who follow us everywhere are despairing of us ever getting another win away, when we're losing 5-0 at home to Bournemouth (who had lost their last nine aways) and when Cardiff do the double over you and you have to sit through that, and it's really dull to boot, then (Albion wise) not much could be worse.

Next season we're either going to go down fighting or we're going to surprise a lot of people, or it'll be a car crash and Potter will be out by Christmas. I can't believe we've got a sub-set of fans who'd want the latter to happen just so they could be proved right.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Given that, from your location, you appear to live in the North East, you're perfectly placed to look at the results coming in on your telly or smart phone and come out with something along the lines of "that'll do". When fans who follow us everywhere are despairing of us ever getting another win, when we're losing 5-0 at home to Bournemouth (who had lost their last nine aways) and when Cardiff do the double over you and you have to sit through that, and it's really dull to boot, then (Albion wise) not much could be worse.

Next season we're either going to go down fighting or we're going to surprise a lot of people, or it'll be a car crash and Potter will be out by Christmas. I can't believe we've got a sub-set of fans who'd want the latter to happen just so they could be proved right.

Just corrected for you.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

I don't think he was really surprised. Saying he was surprised indicates he achieved what was expected. Thus adding positivity and therefore an increased chance of another offer, which would now be his prime concern. All I presume written by his manager / advisors.

 

[Stat Brother]

Having had time to reflect, three things occur to me:

- Based on the form since Boxing Day, the way the team were responding to Chris and the evident disquiet in the camp, keeping Chris was a bigger risk than replacing him.

- Most Albion fans feel that releasing CH could have felt less like a defenestration even if we recognise the motivation behind replacing him. The way it was done (rather than the act of removing him) didn't seem fair on a decent man who did great things at the club. We didn't get to say thank you and goodbye and he deserved that.

- Appointing Graham Potter, an entirely unproven manager at anything like this level, is a very bold - if risky - move. But it is a forward step. It doesn't feel like we're going to be any safer from relegation next season, but it does feel like we'll be playing more progressive football. And we may have blagged England's next great super-manager at the start of his career. A fair gamble.

It's not the start of his career.

 

[Guinness Boy]

This thread is a bit odd. Whether you think it was justified or not that Hughton was sacked is irrelevant. Whether he deserved to be sacked or not is irrelevant. I don't think he did but can absolutely understand those that do. And why Bloom did it and (guess at) some his reasoning. But thats not the point.
The only issue is whether he was surprised. He said he was. There's no evidence whatsoever that TB had given him any sign that it was coming, all the reporting suggests otherwise. And he was , by all accounts, preparing for next season. And still , despite some limited rumours , it came as a major surprise to people on here on that Monday morning.
And thats it. There's no need to wheel out the stats from Fulham onwards yet again ...again...and again.

(On this thread anyway)

If all we're going to do is agree the contents of a small press statement we might as well put the board in to stasis until the first signing or friendly.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

It's not the start of his career.

That's what you took out of the post? This comment is why you are such an infuriating contributor. You're not stupid but you can be a dick.

 

[chaileyjem]

If all we're going to do is agree the contents of a small press statement we might as well put the board in to stasis until the first signing or friendly.

Ha ! but i think i'm done with another explanation/response to anyone suggesting any nuance about the last 6 months of "You can't have been there/not a fan" . I WAS THERE. And nearly all the posts on this thread aren't debating whether he was surprised or not , they are debating that he shouldn't have been surprised because he must have known all along cos a) the performances were terrible b) it was his fault c) TB wanted better and that was obvious - or some such. or even d) i saw a text saying it was happening so how come he didn't .
Chris is a good bloke says everyone but when he says he was surprised at being sacked - to a man its not accepted in good faith.
(on this thread anyway) . Clearly he's not a good bloke if he's a liar.

 

[Icy Gull]

I can imagine that he was surprised, as I believe he thought he was doing a good job given the players at his disposal, most of the newbies did not appear to impress him. Quite a few fans felt the same way it seems. Time will tell if he was right.

 

[Stat Brother]

That's what you took out of the post? This comment is why you are such an infuriating contributor. You're not stupid but you can be a dick.

Be fair everything else you wrote has been posted a bazillion times, already.
The closing comment was the only piece of originality, probably because it was completely wrong.


Oh and i did so it wasnt meant as a hatchet job. (Unlike the above)


Oh sorry, again:-

"defenestration" =

So have that as my take away, if it makes you feel better.