Gus Poyet appreciation thread

[Marshy]

LEgend, best manager we have had in the 30 years I have been watching the Albion.

 

[R. Slicker]

Totally this.

The sooner the Gus is 'perfect' brigade turn it down from 11.
The Gus 'has taken us as far as we can go' band wake up and look around them (Forest, Blackburn, Leeds, et al).

The happier we'd all be.

There is no such thing as the Gus is 'perfect' brigade. Just people who can support their club and manager without constantly having something to whine about.
Giving these supporters a name, gives the moaners someone else to target.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

I have noticed an ever increasing resentment of Gus building up on NSC over the last few weeks.

I will admit that in the past I have questioned his tactical nous and ability to change to Plan B during a match if things are not going to plan.

However, one thing you can never doubt is Poyet's commitment to our football club, and his ambition to reach the Premier League.

Yes he has made the odd mistake in the transfer Market, but then again what manager hasn't?

He has also made some incredible signings in Buckley, Bruno, Bridge, Bridcutt and Kuczczak.

Now more than ever is the time to get behind Gus and the boys. On the fringes of the play offs and with the promise of further marquee signings in January, this is one of the most successful periods in the clubs history.

So let's universally get behind the manager and the players, and give it our best shot to reach the promised land.

Tony is the legend,Gus has got us promoted from the 3rd division to the 2nd that does not make him a hero in my book,not knocking him but hero ?

 

[KZNSeagull]

Totally this.

The sooner the Gus is 'perfect' brigade turn it down from 11.
The Gus 'has taken us as far as we can go' band wake up and look around them (Forest, Blackburn, Leeds, et al).

The happier we'd all be.

Yup. People really only need to look at Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool in the 70's and 80's etc to see that sticking with a good manager/philosophy, through bad times as well as good, pays off in the end. Blackburn "bought" the premier league all those years ago and look at them now. They are clueless, as are Dirty Leeds. This "short termism" search for the big bucks and success only works for the likes of Chelsea/Man City who have a seemingly bottomless pit of money. It is no surprise that Notts Forest had their only period of sustained success under one manager.

Things can only get better with Brighton. Gus and TB have transformed the club from top to bottom - some of the signings Gus has made, even if some have not paid off as well as expected, have been beyond our wildest dreams. The calibre of player he attracts to the club is astounding. 10 out of the 11 positions on the pitch (and arguably the 11th has as well, but I am not going there!) have been improved dramatically in a very short space of time. Strength in depth will come in time, not least from the academy, which will be top class and the envy of many in 10 years time.

Gus has made mistakes and will continue to do so, but he is learning from them. He comes in for criticism from some on here, but most of those are posters who never say anything good about anything.

The only pressure I perceive him to be under is from himself - he has high expectations of himself and his players. His main problem I think is that he is still a better player than most in the squad, and I suspect that this causes him some difficulties in himself, but he will learn to deal with that in time.

When the time comes for him to move on (not soon hopefully), the philosophy in the club that has been created has to be maintained and there are very few managers around that can do this. If we fall into the trap of wanting instant success, we will regress like many of those clubs in our Division and below, who once thought that they were the bees-knees. If this upsets some "supporters" then so be it. We have a chance here to build a dynasty - let's not mess it up.

 

[Stat Brother]

There is no such thing as the Gus is 'perfect' brigade. Just people who can support their club and manager without constantly having something to whine about.
Giving these supporters a name, gives the moaners someone else to target.

I was taking KZN's word, but there is a faction for whom it's impossible for Gus to do wrong.
It's chicken and egg as to which one 'starts it'.
But it's easy to come across as negative, anti Brighton, when discussing team/squad selection with these people, as the merest mention of questioning Gus is jumped on, in a blinkered fury.

And visa-versa.

 

[jackcgull]

In 100-odd years we have won promotion to the top division once and come close maybe 3 other times. The fact that we are serious challengers is down to tony and gus as a team and I would be gutted if this was split because people who love to moan force gus out.

We are so close to a very good team, you can almost taste it. Amazing time to be an Albion fan.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

First season: Took a side in relegation zone to mid table respectability.
Second season: Champions of League 1 with five games to go, the performances at Charlton and Peterborough saw the Albion playing the most destructive football I have seen since my first match at The Goldstone in 1973.
Third season: Highest finish since 1990/1, beat two Premiership clubs in cup competitions.
Fourth season to date: Not firing on all cylinders but improvements in the squad and performances (but not results) from last season.

I appreciate that for some on NSC that is not good enough, but for me that's a reflection on a society that has a sense of entitlement without effort.

Sums it up perfectly. We have progressed every season and I am confident we will have done by the end of this one.

I think people forget how far he has taken us. It is easy to forget how dire we were in our 3 and a half years back in League 1 before Gus took over. Except for the Wilkins season, when we came 7th but the football wasn't great, we were terrible and could easily have gone back down to League 2. Gus took us from bottom 4 to Champions in 18 months and I think people underestimate what a great job he did. He is slowly increasing the quality of the squad and, although I would be delighted to see us finish top 6 this year, I feel next season will be the year we are really ready to challenge. Either way, I am loving this season and there is so much to look forward to for the rest of it!

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

LEgend, best manager we have had in the 30 years I have been watching the Albion.

Totally agree. Best manager since I started following the albion in 83.

 

[BLOCK F]

Gus has done pretty well,but for me,Tony Bloom is far more important.
To have a genuine fan and astute businessman as chairman of the club is a very fortunate position to be in.
I feel this is a very important season for Gus, and for me he must show he knows how to get the best out of the talented players we have got.It is no good having good players if we can't score goals and win matches.
As a final thought,it would be nice to know we can go a goal down and actually fight back and get all 3 points!!!!

 

[Caveman]

Best manager we have had in many a years and I think will go on to be the best in the clubs history.

 

[Magic Sponge]

In 40 years of watching The Albion we have never been in such a great position. It's easy to criticise when things don't go quite as expected but we have to be in this for the long haul, it won't happen overnight. We have to be patient and I for one am confident that Gus and Tony's plan will get us to the promised land even if it takes a couple of years. Gus is still the right man for the job and I have loved the journey he has taken us on so far, things will only get better.

 

[W.C.]

For me he's made us the stuff of dreams. Now, not every dream i manage to part remember has me roll and tussle and sweat with thrill, or tell everybody about, but they were there and normally stood out against the blackness of the night that surrounds them. Gus has upgraded our dreams each season and in doing so raised our expectations. He'll develop, and hopefully so will we as viewers and supporters in dealing with the flatline of spells betwixt fantasy, of it all not being quite as remarkable as those orgasmic moments we've been so surprisingly exposed to glimpses of.
In my time with the Albion i have never been so amazed, and Gus is a factor in that. I don't want it to stop for some time yet.

MB nails it once again.

In the Gus No camp on the other hand, you have a few aggressive types barely able to string a sentence together, a couple obsessed with their own superior knowledge of football and a pair of trolls/teenage fantasists.

 

[W.C.]

First season: Took a side in relegation zone to mid table respectability.
Second season: Champions of League 1 with five games to go, the performances at Charlton and Peterborough saw the Albion playing the most destructive football I have seen since my first match at The Goldstone in 1973.
Third season: Highest finish since 1990/1, beat two Premiership clubs in cup competitions.
Fourth season to date: Not firing on all cylinders but improvements in the squad and performances (but not results) from last season.

I appreciate that for some on NSC that is not good enough, but for me that's a reflection on a society that has a sense of entitlement without effort.

Good post.

Since we've been a championship club, have we ever had to worry about relegation? I can't remember having to.

 

[banjo]

Gus is God.

 

[grummitts gloves]

You can never underestimate the relationship between the chairman and the manager. If you include The Amex, we have three very solid foundations to our club. We have stability and potential like we have never had before.

As the title of Simon Jordan's book says, 'Be careful what you wish for'. Having read that book recently, it made me think that everything that went wrong for him and his club i.e. managers and players, is going right for us. (Not turning this into a 'you know who thread'. Just thought his story was a good example of how not to do it).

Enjoy watching the managerial merry go round at other clubs as it nearly always ends in tears for those clubs who want instant success. Of all those managers out there who have either been sacked or recently re employed, I wouldn't want any of them over Gus.

We've come a long, long way in a very short space of time. With some patience, it's only going to get better and better watching and supporting the Albion.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

MB nails it once again.

In the Gus No camp on the other hand, you have a few aggressive types barely able to string a sentence together, a couple obsessed with their own superior knowledge of football and a pair of trolls/teenage fantasists.

And a couple of undercover palace tools I think.

 

[Albumen]

He had 2 targets when signing:
1) Avoid relegation
2) Get promotion
He did that with bells on. March 2011 will live long in the memory. 8 straight wins in a month. Unprecedented.

Third mission was to build a team that played good football and that would be strong enough to get promoted. He's in the middle of that mission.
The dissenters need to look at the facts. Let the army continue.

 

[Phat Baz 68]

I will back ANY player and ANY manager
that (as they say) pulls on an Albion shirt
week in, week out.
Why wouldn't you ?
You don't have to agree with everything
they say or do but get behind them !!!

 

[Ernest]

Will always get credit for how he saved the club after the Salde debacle who saved the club after the Adams debacle and the 2010/11 season will never be forgotten. I just wish he would learn a little more from past mistakes and not keep repeating them like playing 3 defensive midfielders at home time and time again.

I think Leicester have had about 8 different managers in the last 5 years, thrown a shed load of cash at the team and still nowhere near the Premiership so maybe that is a lesson there.

 

[BarnhamBlue]

PB68 is spot on! We must always back the managers/players. Gus is on a 5 year mission and he is slowly building a quality squad for the prem. As the Guinness adverts say 'Good things come to those who wait'.