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

[Clive Walker]

Lots of guesswork and reading between the lines on here.

The only facts I’m aware of is that bloom is setting a target of CL football 3 years out of the next 5. That’s ambition for you.

The club also already knows who RDZ replacement will be.

 

[GT49er]

Lots of guesswork and reading between the lines on here.

The only facts I’m aware of is that bloom is setting a target of CL football 3 years out of the next 5. That’s ambition for you.

The club also already knows who RDZ replacement will be.

Facts? Really?

 

[Clive Walker]

Facts? Really?

Yep

 

[Deadly Danson]

Lots of guesswork and reading between the lines on here.

The only facts I’m aware of is that bloom is setting a target of CL football 3 years out of the next 5. That’s ambition for you.

The club also already knows who RDZ replacement will be.

I'm not doubting you but do you really mean Champions League football 3 years out of the next 5 because that is an unbelievably high target or European football which is tough but attainable?

 

[Silverhatch]

I'm not doubting you but do you really mean Champions League football 3 years out of the next 5 because that is an unbelievably high target or European football which is tough but attainable?

Perhaps that’s why RDZ’s shitting himself

 

[Javeaseagull]

I think it’s great that the manager is pushing us on to achieve more and from what PBOBE has said I think he is loving it as well. Far better than a forelock tugging “Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir” type of jobsworth. He has 2 years on his contract, from this summer. Pretty sure de Zerbi sees that as his shelf life, he has said so himself. So he’s not going this summer, so there!

 

[Zeberdi]

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.

I do agree to a certain extent but it’s the media asking direct questions though too which hasn’t helped.

Same thing happened to the pressers in the January window - because RDZ said he needed a few extra midfield players after our defeat at Luton in direct response to an interviewer asking him if he had all the players he wanted (in the light of all these injuries) to continue to compete in 3 competitions and qualify for Europe next season - clearly we didn’t because RDZ was trying to rotate a team that was getting desperately thin. The press were relentless though in trying to create a narrative that RDZ had fallen out with the Club. Of course he was frustrated and unhappy, we had just been hammered by a bottom of the table club. We tried to sign Kieran-DH but Leicester was over valuing. We still spent £10 m on Barco though. It’s also unfortunate Dahoud was a flop and returned to the Bundesliga in January.

He said at the time (from Athletic)

“I can answer all your questions, but transfer market is closed,” he said. “It’s not my business. It’s finished. It’s not a problem. With new players or without new players, my ambition, my passion, my energy can’t change.

“I want to reach the highest target we can and my focus is very strong on the target. It’s not important if I had a different expectation. Everyone can think what they want.”

Prickly - certainly but the truth too and would we want a manager that lacked ambition for the club? I think all this is more to do with a very ambitious manager, in his first EPL club, being frustrated with the injuries and the recent run of defeats than anger at the Club or TB imo.

He has also been pressed on what our target position is in the League and what was realistic going forward - it was very much a case of the press making digs at our losses imo - laying down the groundwork for a scenario that achieving anything less than RDZ wanted would be a failure. I think RDZ felt he was being blamed for our losses when we had half our key players out and were relying on youngsters (and you have to ‘accept the mistakes’). Of course he wanted a full squad to pick from.

All this happening too in the context of endless click-baiting rumours of his links to other Clubs because he is recognised as a talented and top coach - just before Roma, the Italian media kept pushing him, suggesting that Brighton fans ‘hated‘ him, stirring up trouble before the game as gamesmanship yes, but perhaps to because they might be wanting RDZ back in Italy?

RDZ has arguably made errors in his line ups and certainly has made errors in the way he has tried to answer when the press has put him on the spot but I think the latter at least is just his open and honest personality, language barrier (nuances matter) and genuine frustration at the number of injuries we’ve had this season.

I hope he does stay another season and TB and PB agree at least to provide RDZ with a squad that can get us further because this season has been turgid. I think that will depend very much on where we end up this season though. There’s no point in keep forking out millions if your existing players are making League 1 errors when they go out on the pitch.

 

[oldboyroy]

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.

Agree with this. My thinking is he's already decided he wants to go and possibly already agreed to join 1 of the clubs interested in him. He really should keep his thoughts to himself regarding the owners rather than making comments re Baleba. Its easy to just say." All I'm concentrating on is last 10 games of our season and see where we are"

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

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

I am finding it a bit hard to be engaged with these last few games because I reckon RDZ leaving is inevitable and now it is more about our recruitment of his replacement some time in the Summer.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Its quite striking how quickly I've got from marveling at RDZ and what he's done to getting bored and frustrated at his peacocking for another job and the "it's not my fault guv" in the pressers.

Earlier in the season, there was a lot of positive media about how we were over run again Man utd away but in game tweaks with the CBs turned the tide in our favour. RDZ could spot and change things for the better. Against Roma away, the game was crying out for some in game management. 3 at the back wasn't working, Igor was exposed, we conceded 2 goals with simple balls over the top and we persisted with the same whilst a Champions League semi finalist and Europa league squad winning member sat on the bench.

There's no shame in losing to Roma who we caught right at the wrong time and plenty of mitigating circumstances with injuries but we were so naive in that first game. i can't believe he did himself any favours (or is doing himself favours in the pressers) for potential new jobs. I've long resigned myself to him going this summer but I hope it's sorted quickly and one of the big boys does come in for him otherwise this could get messy quite quickly.

 

[Zeberdi]

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.

All of this can be directed at the fans too - I agree with every point you make re. what we have to work with and selling on players but it really does seem that it is over these exact points that all some NSC members can do is f***ing moan - about selling Caciedo/Mackie, about Facundo, about Ferguson, about Baleba about rotation, about our model (which we‘ve known for years) etc etc

Not once have I heard RDZ say he’s leaving, but rather it is a significant number of NSC members who are now repeating it like a worn trope as if it is a fait accompli - as if repeating it will make it true - I suspect therefore deep down a lot of fans actually love Roberto, admire what he has already achieved and rather than avoid the disappointment when he does, inevitably, eventually move on, some folk are trying to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy sooner than later - armchair psychobabble maybe but call it “post-Potter-fcuked-us-over syndrome” and we aint falling for it again.

 

[Triggaaar]

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.

But the end of Sept is not 6 weeks ago and I'm not sure that back then we predicted we'd struggle so much with injuries.

I got no support .

Well that is awful.

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

I have no idea what I said, but we lost against Luton 4-0 a couple of months ago so warning signs were there.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

All of this can be directed at the fans too - I agree with every point you make re. what we have to work with and selling on players but it really does seem that it is over these exact points that all some NSC members can do is f***ing moan - about selling Caciedo/Mackie, about Facundo, about Ferguson, about Baleba about rotation, about our model (which we‘ve known for years) etc etc

Not once have I heard RDZ say he’s leaving, but rather it is now a significant number of NSC members who are repeating it now like a worn trope as if it is a fait accompli - as if repeating it will make it true - I suspect therefore deep down a lot of fans actually love Roberto, admire what he has already achieved and rather than avoid the disappointment when he does inevitably eventually move on, some folk are trying to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy - armchair psychobabble maybe but but call it “post-Potter fcuked us over syndrome” and we aint falling for it again.

What are your views on THAT Sheffield Wednesday atmosphere in the play off game? (50 words or less please)

 

[Sarisbury 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.

Agreed, not to mention he took every opportunity he could to talk Mac Allister and Caicedo out of the club last season anyway.

He clearly thinks we’re very lucky to have him like Conte did at Spurs where in reality it’s the other way around in both cases.

 

[Sheebo]

A few over-reactions here.

No way. !!!

 

[Baldseagull]

If he was pretty sure he was moving on, why would he try and put pressure on TB to be more ambitious?

 

[Baldseagull]

He has a contract, no one more interesting than Brighton wants to pay £12M to see if he works out there, TB will buy some reinforcements, no one we will miss will be sold, and De Zerbi will sign a new contract, and win a trophy next season.

 

[raymondo]

I do agree to a certain extent but it’s the media asking direct questions though too which hasn’t helped.

Same thing happened to the pressers in the January window - because RDZ said he needed a few extra midfield players after our defeat at Luton in direct response to an interviewer asking him if he had all the players he wanted (in the light of all these injuries) to continue to compete in 3 competitions and qualify for Europe next season - clearly we didn’t because RDZ was trying to rotate a team that was getting desperately thin. The press were relentless though in trying to create a narrative that RDZ had fallen out with the Club. Of course he was frustrated and unhappy, we had just been hammered by a bottom of the table club. We tried to sign Kieran-DH but Leicester was over valuing. We still spent £10 m on Barco though. It’s also unfortunate Dahoud was a flop and returned to the Bundesliga in January.

He said at the time (from Athletic)

“I can answer all your questions, but transfer market is closed,” he said. “It’s not my business. It’s finished. It’s not a problem. With new players or without new players, my ambition, my passion, my energy can’t change.

“I want to reach the highest target we can and my focus is very strong on the target. It’s not important if I had a different expectation. Everyone can think what they want.”

Prickly - certainly but the truth too and would we want a manager that lacked ambition for the club? I think all this is more to do with a very ambitious manager, in his first EPL club, being frustrated with the injuries and the recent run of defeats than anger at the Club or TB imo.

He has also been pressed on what our target position is in the League and what was realistic going forward - it was very much a case of the press making digs at our losses imo - laying down the groundwork for a scenario that achieving anything less than RDZ wanted would be a failure. I think RDZ felt he was being blamed for our losses when we had half our key players out and were relying on youngsters (and you have to ‘accept the mistakes’). Of course he wanted a full squad to pick from.

All this happening too in the context of endless click-baiting rumours of his links to other Clubs because he is recognised as a talented and top coach - just before Roma, the Italian media kept pushing him, suggesting that Brighton fans ‘hated‘ him, stirring up trouble before the game as gamesmanship yes, but perhaps to because they might be wanting RDZ back in Italy?

RDZ has arguably made errors in his line ups and certainly has made errors in the way he has tried to answer when the press has put him on the spot but I think the latter at least is just his open and honest personality, language barrier (nuances matter) and genuine frustration at the number of injuries we’ve had this season.

I hope he does stay another season and TB and PB agree at least to provide RDZ with a squad that can get us further because this season has been turgid. I think that will depend very much on where we end up this season though. There’s no point in keep forking out millions if your existing players are making League 1 errors when they go out on the pitch.

"and certainly has made errors in the way he has tried to answer when the press has put him on the spot but I think the latter at least is just his open and honest personality, language barrier (nuances matter) and genuine frustration at the number of injuries we’ve had this season."

Defo this. RDZ could brush offer certain presser questions but his intense, analytical style means he answers them in depth, and keeps on digging.

 

[Mancgull]

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...?

You’ve made a point here that very few others have highlighted around his large back room staff who do a lot of the day to day jobs for him.
Taking this team and paying a release clause of €15m is an expensive recruitment decision for any team.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yes, last season - great. This season? Relegation form for much of it. That, in and of itself, doesn't bother me; I don't expect or demand we win every game, obviously. But the whole goalkeeper rotation nonsense, the indifference towards defending and letting his ego dictate that we play the first leg of a 2-legged tie like it was 'winner-takes-all' irritates me.

Relegation form? We’ll be in the European places if we win today and top ten if we don’t. Lost one PL game all season at home. Last 16 of the Europa League. Beaten Spurs 4-2, Palace 4-1, Sheffield united 5-0 away and Roma 1-0 since Christmas. That’s not relegation form. In fact we won our last two games before the break