[Albion] Gut feeling - RDZ staying or going after this season?

[Triggaaar]

Agree about PL form, October to now has been rubbish. If anyone touched on this like me just 6 weeks ago, they were jumped by folk who thought it’d been a great PL season. People who went to EL group away games were clearly enthused by that . Apparently we were going to make the Dublin final and fight for a CL place.

Eh? I'd say that 6 weeks ago the majority of us thought our PL season was f***ed. And very few thought we'd be challenging for the EL.

 

[Weststander]

Eh? I'd say that 6 weeks ago the majority of us thought our PL season was f***ed. And very few thought we'd be challenging for the EL.

I posted about the shit PL form (from Bmuff at the end of Sept). Immediate I got knocky replies that all was marvellous, we were heading to Dublin, the EL games had not added fatigue, that returning players would set us fair for a European place. I can remember some of the posters.

I got no support .

Six weeks or so ago, did you post about our awful PL form?

 

[Zeberdi]

A few over-reactions here. We all know that if the monied teams come for our staff, they are generally gone, because we cannot and will not pay inflated salaries to keep them. We have a manager who is attracting the attention of those clubs because our progress, in a very short space of time, has been remarkable. He's frustrated because he wants to compete and this has become much harder because of the talent drain and subsequent very bad luck with injuries. He's been honest in saying that his contract is secondary to him and Tony discussing the club's plans for the future and correctly stated that whatever happens in the future, won't change last year's history making.

Cue posts about disrespect and ego. It's just a statement of fact. Gus Poyet actually did show disrespect and ego, but that didn't change the record books from us strolling League One against the odds. Chris Hughton was an absolute gentleman. The fact that Bloom felt he had to sack him doesn't alter the fact that he got us promoted into the EPL. What is to come in the future doesn't change the achievements of the past.

My impression is that he'll be gone because he will want guarantees that Tony won't give him, but that conversation is for the future. At the moment he's just gutted that we're out of the cups and have to finish the season without quite a few of our best players. We are all feeling a bit the same and it's easy to take it out on him because he's admitted out loud that putting up with the inherent inequalities might be a choice for him. For us it's a permanent fact of life.

This.

Great post - non-judgmental, balanced, realistic and an accurate reflection of where we are.

Enough said.

 

[The Fits]

A few over-reactions here. We all know that if the monied teams come for our staff, they are generally gone, because we cannot and will not pay inflated salaries to keep them. We have a manager who is attracting the attention of those clubs because our progress, in a very short space of time, has been remarkable. He's frustrated because he wants to compete and this has become much harder because of the talent drain and subsequent very bad luck with injuries. He's been honest in saying that his contract is secondary to him and Tony discussing the club's plans for the future and correctly stated that whatever happens in the future, won't change last year's history making.

Cue posts about disrespect and ego. It's just a statement of fact. Gus Poyet actually did show disrespect and ego, but that didn't change the record books from us strolling League One against the odds. Chris Hughton was an absolute gentleman. The fact that Bloom felt he had to sack him doesn't alter the fact that he got us promoted into the EPL. What is to come in the future doesn't change the achievements of the past.

My impression is that he'll be gone because he will want guarantees that Tony won't give him, but that conversation is for the future. At the moment he's just gutted that we're out of the cups and have to finish the season without quite a few of our best players. We are all feeling a bit the same and it's easy to take it out on him because he's admitted out loud that putting up with the inherent inequalities might be a choice for him. For us it's a permanent fact of life.

I agree with all this...but...
I'd just ask, is it sensible to be airing dirty laundry like this? Surely there is no benefit in stating the bleeding obvious to the media all time - creates a field day on social media and even here. Just, maybe, get your head down, talk to Bloom and Barber privately, tow the company line slightly. It feels a bit like he is determined to remind everyone of the excuses we/he have got for our slightly disappointing season and I'm not sure that's the best way to manage this.

 

[Weststander]

I agree with all this...but...
I'd just ask, is it sensible to be airing dirty laundry like this? Surely there is no benefit in stating the bleeding obvious to the media all time - creates a field day on social media and even here. Just, maybe, get your head down, talk to Bloom and Barber privately, tow the company line slightly. It feels a bit like he is determined to remind everyone of the excuses we/he have got for our slightly disappointing season and I'm not sure that's the best way to manage this.

Some appear increasingly furious about our poor league form over the 6 months, blaming RDZ.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

“We had super Rob De Zerbi, he knew exactly what we needed, which wasn’t selling Ben White at the back, Trossard in attack, or Caicedo and Ali Mac in midfield.”

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I agree with all this...but...
I'd just ask, is it sensible to be airing dirty laundry like this? Surely there is no benefit in stating the bleeding obvious to the media all time - creates a field day on social media and even here. Just, maybe, get your head down, talk to Bloom and Barber privately, tow the company line slightly. It feels a bit like he is determined to remind everyone of the excuses we/he have got for our slightly disappointing season and I'm not sure that's the best way to manage this.

He is being asked direct questions. How is he supposed to answer, especially when he only has 18 months experience of English?
Maybe he should learn the phrase it is what it is. Be non commital and then leave anyway?

 

[Jeep]

My twopenneth..
1) he's getting nowhere reducing his exit clause so wants to speak to Tony
2) he's briefed his agent to tout him around every big club and every news channel.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Re: form for this season, even from 08 October till now, we have 26 points from 20 games - far from any kind of regelation form really. Our longest run without a win is 6 games, and we only lost 2 in that.

 

[Bold Seagull]

My twopenneth..
1) he's getting nowhere reducing his exit clause so wants to speak to Tony
2) he's briefed his agent to tout him around every big club and every news channel.

3 big jobs are available, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Not a lot he can do about being linked to those, and asked about them on every press conference. Not exactly needed to brief his agent.

 

[Normal Rob]

Oh god. Talksport asking BHA fans to call in in this very subject. INCOMING!

 

[Flounce]

I was really looking forward to our tough run in after the international break but that last RDZ presser has taken the wind out of my sails and I now have a feeling of impending doom on and off the pitch

I guess the upward trajectory had to end sometime, I fear it may be now

 

[Solid at the back]

So I guess at the end of season he would be placed on gardening leave? He can't just walk as under contract, so would owe us and TB wouldn't just mutually agree to end his contract.

 

[Hometownglory]

Yep. His latest comments again show nothing but disrespect for Tony and the club as far as I’m concerned. Massively over rated ego maniac. He can get f***ed for all I care, I’d be quite happy if Tony got rid tomorrow, I think it might give the club and players a bit of a boost for the run in to be honest as I don’t think he’s helping the players confidence at all at the moment.

The only thing that stops me wanting Tony to get rid is I want the club to get compensation for putting him on the map.

If we have a bad run to then end of the season results wise, can you see anyone paying his release clause plus employing his bazillion backroom staff...?

 

[sparkie]

Re: form for this season, even from 08 October till now, we have 26 points from 20 games - far from any kind of regelation form really. Our longest run without a win is 6 games, and we only lost 2 in that.

Indeed. I've been looking at the results and trying to get relegation form to fit. Square peg, round hole.

Some very bad results, for sure - Villa, Fulham, Luton. Disappointments v Burnley and Sheff Utd ( and Fulham, again ).

The common theme in all the above ( except Burnley ) is Steele in goal. Which is a big problem and my only criticism of RDZ.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

If/when he goes hopefully we'll have some whizzy unknown to replace him as our new toy.

 

[Commander]

Last year we were the most exciting team in the country. We were absolutely unplayable on our day, and we had a brilliant squad. We were potentially only a proper 30 goal a season striker from being a Champions League team. So Tony went out and brought one in Jao Pedro. And all RDZ can do is f***ing moan. He’d argue we sold Caicedo and MacAllister, but how many clubs in world football wouldn’t sell two players who a) wanted to leave and b) were offered a combined transfer fee of £170 million? I’ll tell you how many, it’s 2. Real Madrid and Man City. Every other club in the world would have sold under those circumstances.

The young players he has to work with - Enciso, Ferguson, Gilmour, Sarmiento, Adingra, Van Hecke. Buenonotte is a f***ing potential Ballon D’or winner FFS. He knew the model when he joined, and the model keeps bringing in a conveyor belt of young superstars. Yet it isn’t enough for him. He’s had one good year in the Premier League. We were superb last year and superb the first two months of this season. Then pretty crap ever since. So why does he now think he is the new Guardiola? He’s going to look a right idiot if one of these big clubs don’t come for him this Summer.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

He knew the limitations of the club when he signed up to it and has exceeded his expectations by being provided with some outstanding talent that has had to be sold to maintain that model. If he is trying to hold TB to ransom he is dealing with the wrong player. TB won’t push the boat out too far of it isn’t in his long term plan for the club. RDZ could end up looking a bit of a prat if he isn’t careful, despite the language excuse.
I suspect if he gets to a big big club he may end up doing a Potter, which would be a shame.
Whatever happens Im not too worried as what we have is miles better than what we hAve had in the recent past.

 

[tigertim68]

Last year we were the most exciting team in the country. We were absolutely unplayable on our day, and we had a brilliant squad. We were potentially only a proper 30 goal a season striker from being a Champions League team. So Tony went out and brought one in Jao Pedro. And all RDZ can do is f***ing moan. He’d argue we sold Caicedo and MacAllister, but how many clubs in world football wouldn’t sell two players who a) wanted to leave and b) were offered a combined transfer fee of £170 million? I’ll tell you how many, it’s 2. Real Madrid and Man City. Every other club in the world would have sold under those circumstances.

The young players he has to work with - Enciso, Ferguson, Gilmour, Sarmiento, Adingra, Van Hecke. Buenonotte is a f***ing potential Ballon D’or winner FFS. He knew the model when he joined, and the model keeps bringing in a conveyor belt of young superstars. Yet it isn’t enough for him. He’s had one good year in the Premier League. We were superb last year and superb the first two months of this season. Then pretty crap ever since. So why does he now think he is the new Guardiola? He’s going to look a right idiot if one of these big clubs don’t come for him this Summer.

It’s not that we sold the best midfield duo in the league , it’s we failed to replace them , and don’t forget we also lost Enoch as well ,
3 top class midfielders we lost bought in a couple of free transfers and a youngster who is still learning his trade

 

[Bold Seagull]

Last year we were the most exciting team in the country. We were absolutely unplayable on our day, and we had a brilliant squad. We were potentially only a proper 30 goal a season striker from being a Champions League team. So Tony went out and brought one in Jao Pedro. And all RDZ can do is f***ing moan. He’d argue we sold Caicedo and MacAllister, but how many clubs in world football wouldn’t sell two players who a) wanted to leave and b) were offered a combined transfer fee of £170 million? I’ll tell you how many, it’s 2. Real Madrid and Man City. Every other club in the world would have sold under those circumstances.

The young players he has to work with - Enciso, Ferguson, Gilmour, Sarmiento, Adingra, Van Hecke. Buenonotte is a f***ing potential Ballon D’or winner FFS. He knew the model when he joined, and the model keeps bringing in a conveyor belt of young superstars. Yet it isn’t enough for him. He’s had one good year in the Premier League. We were superb last year and superb the first two months of this season. Then pretty crap ever since. So why does he now think he is the new Guardiola? He’s going to look a right idiot if one of these big clubs don’t come for him this Summer.

We all also knew we were going to be weak in both fullback positions, not the most expensive player on the pitch to backup, but we didn’t because we thought a 39 yr old could cover. As it has happened, not only do Estupinan, Veltman and Milner get injured for large parts of the season, as well as March out all season, the brilliant Hinshelwood steps in and gets injured as well.

Not sure anyone was thinking transfer records needed to be broken, but given our attacking style and leaving ourselves 1 on 1 at the back quite often, that not strengthening at fullback was a particular error. I mean we’ve had our most creative player playing fullback for several games this season. Igor has done well, but he’s a left footed CB really.

If RDZ had been banging on about this all summer, and perhaps January, and sees us going out of cups and league form suffer, largely through that weakness on the flanks, I don’t blame him tbh for being somewhat frustrated.