[Football] Gary Rowett sacked / Nathan Jones **NOW CONFIRMED AS REPLACEMENT**

[Simster]

I disagree on this. He's got lots of credit in the bank at Luton and if he goes on a bad run, he'll easily survive. On the other hand, if he goes on a bad run at Stoke, he's toast: the board have already shown that they're a bit trigger-happy so he's got little leeway.

I think that's harsh. Until Lambert and Rowett, Stoke had changed their manager once in over 500 competitive games - Pulis was there for 7 years, Hughes for 5.

Stoke fans are moaning that they don't score goals. But look at their strikers: Crouch is 102 years old, Berahino only scores in a leap year, Bojan is perennially missing and Diouf is not exactly prolific. Afobe's not bad at this level but even he only scores one in four games - he's not a 20-a-goal a season striker. And who's going to create? The ageing Adam and the over-rated Ince? Again, they have Allen who's very decent, but what if he's injured?

Correct, and if they've all got sense, that will be recognised and addressed as soon as possible. Following on from my point above, Rowett was sacked after 8 months BUT he had been backed very heavily and has ended up wasting an absolute fortune. I'm not surprised he was sacked. If you sign players like James Mclean and Tom Ince for a combined £17m, fail to address other parts of the squad and end up far worse than the average team in the division, you deserve the sack. I actually think the Stoke board have been remarkably patient with him, considering their football has been both utter gash to watch and totally unproductive.

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

I hope they never get promoted. I have an irrational dislike of Luton. Horrible town and horrible cub.

Yep agreed, now I can go back to hating them with a passion again. Unfortunately, it now means I'll be keeping an eye on Stoke.

 

[Easy 10]

I disagree on this. He's got lots of credit in the bank at Luton and if he goes on a bad run, he'll easily survive. On the other hand, if he goes on a bad run at Stoke, he's toast: the board have already shown that they're a bit trigger-happy so he's got little leeway.

He probably had a lot of TIME in the bank at Luton, but you can be sure that he'll certainly end up with more credit in the bank at Stoke - and certainly if they bin him off. Thats going to be a huge factor for him, as he's unlikely to have been on decent money (in footballing terms) throughout his career until now.

He seems a confident chap and will back himself to be a success there. Regardless of Lutons current league position, I don't think this was an opportunity that he could possibly turn down.

Despite his weasel antics at Yeovil towards us, I hope he does well there.

 

[Gabbiano]

The Luton fans are in uproar it seems. Lots of "Judas" and "traitor" and "he used us for his own career"...

If you were working with a middle-of-the-road company and doing well, and an opportunity was offered to you at a larger, more ambitious firm, offering a much bigger pay package and potentially more progression, would you take it? Why do football fans always scream "traitor" just because someone wants to undertake a new challenge and prove themselves at the next level up?

 

[AlastairWatts]

The Luton fans are in uproar it seems. Lots of "Judas" and "traitor" and "he used us for his own career"...

If you were working with a middle-of-the-road company and doing well, and an opportunity was offered to you at a larger, more ambitious firm, offering a much bigger pay package and potentially more progression, would you take it? Why do football fans always scream "traitor" just because someone wants to undertake a new challenge and prove themselves at the next level up?

In any case, it might just be a 'bridge too far'??

 

[Gwylan]

Rowett was sacked after 8 months BUT he had been backed very heavily and has ended up wasting an absolute fortune. I'm not surprised he was sacked. If you sign players like James Mclean and Tom Ince for a combined £17m, fail to address other parts of the squad and end up far worse than the average team in the division, you deserve the sack.

I'd forgotten McClean was there: they really have pissed some money away. I know that they have parachute payments but are they going to give Jones what he wants, given the amount they've spunked already? We all know that's a tough division to escape from and that squad looks a long way short of what's needed.

He probably had a lot of TIME in the bank at Luton, but you can be sure that he'll certainly end up with more credit in the bank at Stoke - and certainly if they bin him off. Thats going to be a huge factor for him, as he's unlikely to have been on decent money (in footballing terms) throughout his career until now.

Yeah, I don't doubt that he's probably tripled his salary in going there - that's going to a big factor. You can't blame anyone for wanting to do that.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Too sensible and accurate by half! Where is the bile and BarberOut hashtag? Do you not understand how to post on NSC?

Seriously, agree completely. A little self-belief for Nathan and why would he not think he can make the necessary difference at Stoke for them to come back up?

Yep. There's still several weeks left of the transfer window. Jones seems to be the sort of manager who pays great attention to the little details, and I've little doubt that he's already studied the Stoke squad closely. You'd imagine one of his questions during the interview process was regarding where he thinks improvements are needed, and the anticipated budget for doing so.

What's interesting is that Stoke have had a particular reputation in respect of their style of football for years, thanks mainly to the Pulis era. Clearly they're hoping to go down an entirely different route now with Jones, so you'd have thought they'd back him strongly to do that, whatever it takes. Won't it be weird to think of Stoke as a fast, neat, attacking footballing side composed of neat, technical players under 6'3" tall??

 

[Change at Barnham]

Pompey and Sunderland will be pleased at the prospect of Luton possibly going into a decline.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Just looking at Stoke's squad. Alright, there is some crap in there. Berahino has done nothing for years- or ever?-. Charlie Adam is overweight and past it. Crouch has been great but can only really be relied on for occasional goals these days. Shawcross seems past his best, as does Ashley Williams.

But they still have Jack Butland, Tom Ince (who has always been quality in the Championship: you just have to bin him off once you reach the PL), Ryan Woods (great little footballer, impressed hugely at Brentford), Darren Fletcher, Benik Afobe, Bojan Krkic, McLean if he can be arsed, and Joe Allen. There are some top notch Championship footballers there who should easily be able to play their way into promotion contention with the right guidance. Jones must have seen that when he was asked to consider the job.

Bet he still dreams of managing the Albion though

 

[Arthur]

The Luton fans are in uproar it seems. Lots of "Judas" and "traitor" and "he used us for his own career"...

Speaking to a Luton supporting pal this afternoon it would seem Jones is very much against gambling and has made a big song and dance at Luton about ensuring the club didn't take sponsorship from the industry. So going to work for the Coates family has left a very bitter taste.

 

[Cozzy]

Just my personal opinion but cant help feel this is at best a side step but really is a bad move for NJ. Odds must be Stoke will be foul of FFP if they fail to get promotion this or next season after all the money they have spent and what must still be a fairly high wage bill. Obviously its past Albion connections that influenced NJ but cant help feel he would have been more appreciated & better suited for a long term future at Luton ... but then again what do I know I am not the one who makes such decisions.

 

[Easy 10]

Just my personal opinion but cant help feel this is at best a side step but really is a bad move for NJ. Odds must be Stoke will be foul of FFP if they fail to get promotion this or next season after all the money they have spent and what must still be a fairly high wage bill. Obviously its past Albion connections that influenced NJ but cant help feel he would have been more appreciated & better suited for a long term future at Luton ... but then again what do I know I am not the one who makes such decisions.

Financially it'll be a terrific move for him, and as Edna says, he has the spine of a squad there where there's certainly something to build on. It was a no-brainer. Stoke are a far bigger club than Luton with much more potential. He'd have been nuts to turn this opportunity down.

 

[Don Tmatter]

I’m wondering how some of the ‘champagne charlies’ in the Stoke squad are going to react to Nathan, will they give him a chance?

 

[symyjym]

Stoke are "Prem Ready" and not too far off the playoffs at this moment in time. It's a great move for him and he deserves it with all the hard work he puts in.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Just my personal opinion but cant help feel this is at best a side step

A side step, from a club with crowds of 9,000 in a hideous stadium that you have to walk through somebody's house to get into, with little money for squad improvements, who *might* be in the Championship next season, to a club with crowds of 25,000 in a decent stadium, bags of money, one of the strongest squads in the Championship (even if they are underperforming), who *might* be in the Premier league next season? Who are probably quadrupling his salary?

If that's a sideways move, then I can't wait to see what you think a forward one is.

 

[symyjym]

https://youtu.be/lj0wsNbSokg

He was in Brighton when he had the call.

 

[Dolph Ins]

Sorry I'm fairly sure that before the Fulham game we didn't like Natham. Did I miss the memo?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Listening to TS ...Durham and Gough doing their normal good cop bad cop routine...but one thing I'd take issue with is Durham suggesting ''Chairmans card will be marked'' because he jumped ship....pffft if the guy is successful any chairman will want him.

They had a few Luton supporters text/ring in criticising Jones......in time hopefully they will look back and recognise what good work he has done for them.
As Gough said ..if they had lost six on the trot they'd have wanted him out....its a risk moving to another club...but managing any club works the way

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Let’s hope that he doesn’t give it large when he takes Stoke to Luton in a cup game and beats them.

 

[West Upper Seagull]

I’m sure most on here can sympathise with the pain Luton fans will be feeling right now because it happened to us when we were the small club. I can remember how gutted I was when we lost Mickey Adams to Leicester after everything he’d done to turn us around on the pitch and also before Poyet lost the plot and started pimping himself out to other clubs many people were equally concerned we’d lose him to a bigger club. A manager will always take an opportunity to progress their career and loyalty will go out of the window, and NJ is just the next person on that treadmill. However NJ should also take careful note about how the fortunes of Gary Rowett turned out, who made a name for himself in his first managerial job at Burton and moved on to a bigger club and look what’s happened to him since !