I seem to remember that all of us were calling for Hyppia to go but TB stuck by him for an embarrassingly long time. Eventually I think Sami walked out, not sacked, and Chris came in to save the club from relegation. That’s how I remember it anyway.When Hyypia managed Bayer Laverkusen the setup was slightly different at first. He was first team manager and Sascha Lewandowski was head coach and both had equal footing (rather like Gritt and Curbishley being joint managers of Charlton all those years ago). Lewandowski was responsible for the training sessions as Sami didn't have the required pro-licence at the time. A lot of the success they had in finishing third in their first season was put down to Lewandowski rather than Hyypia. At the end of the first season, Hyypia became sole head coach and Lewandowski went back to working in the Laverkusen youth setup.
They had a good second season finishing 4th but the following season they went on a run of 1 win in 12 games and Sami was sacked with Lewandowski taking over as caretaker manager winning 4 and drawing 1 of their last 5 games that season.
Things might have been different if Sammy Lee had taken up the offer to be number 2 but I have serious doubts that Hyypia was that good of a manager when his team were faced with a poor run of results and struggled to turn things around both at Leverkusen and here which ultimately lead to his sacking both times.
Have a listen to MOR on the official BHA podcast. He puts his quick recovery down in part to mindset - planning in advance for a number of years how to react should he get injured (this is his first injury in all his time at MK Dons and Celtic), immediately forgiving the guy that did it, meditation, and mindfulness / living in the moment and not in the past or the future. He has a therapist / guru in India. MOR is a very interesting person that will probably have a positive influence on other players. Exactly the sort of recruit I can see TB and PB chasing down.Agree. Look at the medical team snaffled from Bayern. And Mat O'R comes on a full 2 months earlier than his initial predicted return date and bags the winner v Citeh. How often do we hear of a player coming back weeks early after surgery?
I think you’re right, in the end Sami stepped down, it definitely went on too long and I remember TB refusing to accept his resignation at least once before.I seem to remember that all of us were calling for Hyppia to go but TB stuck by him for an embarrassingly long time. Eventually I think Sami walked out, not sacked, and Chris came in to save the club from relegation. That’s how I remember it anyway.
I am so excited, I asked him to come to my school and speak to our older children for careers day. He really is unbelievable, he replied to me a couple of times very quickly and then I found out, via his secretary, that he was on a family holiday. Above and beyond.Paul Barber is predominantly responsible for putting the theory into practise. He is, in my mind, a critical factor.
Sky Sports News originally reported he'd be out for 8-12 weeks.Agree. Look at the medical team snaffled from Bayern. And Mat O'R comes on a full 2 months earlier than his initial predicted return date and bags the winner v Citeh. How often do we hear of a player coming back weeks early after surgery?
Welbeck was back playing and scoring less than 7 days after being rushed to hospital and stretchered off at Newcastle.Can't recall any off-hand, it was always the opposite. How many times in the past did we hear that so-and-so has 'a slight knock', and then we didn't see them again for months?
There was a banner at the Millwall home game (surely the lowest point of our entire stay at the Amex) calling for him to go but i don't think it was "all of us". however poor the results. . He ultimately resigned which Bloom said he "reluctantly accepted" . (surely more to it than that - some say Bloom/PB thought the underlying numbers were good). Chris of course did save us from relegation but few remember it was touch and go for a while and his record in that second half season was pretty patchy P22 W6, D6, L10. Dunk was top scorer that year !!I seem to remember that all of us were calling for Hyppia to go but TB stuck by him for an embarrassingly long time. Eventually I think Sami walked out, not sacked, and Chris came in to save the club from relegation. That’s how I remember it anyway.
Yes but come on, Chris came in about Christmas time when we were looking at relegation and he kept us up. Think Nathan Jones had a couple of games over Christmas but Chris basically kept us up so job done. It probably wasn't all of us calling for him to go but I was tearing my hair out!There was a banner at the Millwall home game (surely the lowest point of our entire stay at the Amex) calling for him to go but i don't think it was "all of us". however poor the results. . He ultimately resigned which Bloom said he "reluctantly accepted" . (surely more to it than that - some say Bloom/PB thought the underlying numbers were good). Chris of course did save us from relegation but few remember it was touch and go for a while and his record in that second half season was pretty patchy P22 W6, D6, L10. Dunk was top scorer that year !!
Possibly already covered as I’m late to the party, but that surely is correct - because our model is famously about an approach to the game and then buying the players and staff to execute that approach.Firstly, I will say that a lot of credit should go to each of the managers, who have all done a great job in building on what their predecessor achieved.
But a whole load of credit should also go to the players who were either already here or brought in (and some subsequently sold on) during that time. They have clearly bought into what each manager is doing and many have improved beyond the wildest dreams of fans during their time at the club (March, for example).
Basically, it's a team effort (including the analysis and recruitment people) and everyone involved has seemingly taken things to higher and higher levels. You only have to look up the road at how the Messiah Glasner has managed to get the worst out of his players (old and new) in a very short space of time.
Take nothing away from the managers, but it helps when you're given the right tools for the job
Welbeck was in the new regime, so more 'proof' that it works better. And I bet (although I have obviously zero evidence for this) that O'Riley wouldn't have come back on schedule last season either.Welbeck was back playing and scoring less than 7 days after being rushed to hospital and stretchered off at Newcastle.
(There's also still plenty of mystery injuries or recoveries where there's no real updates as to when players are returning. See Milner, Minteh, March., Webster )
Not really a mystery, more just rightly imo keeping it out of the public domain.Welbeck was in the new regime, so more 'proof' that it works better. And I bet (although I have obviously zero evidence for this) that O'Riley wouldn't have come back on schedule last season either.
But yes, we still haven't lost the 'mystery injury' syndrome.
Agreed. Chris saved us - in the end - and yes - can't imagine many of us wanted Hyppia to stay. That Milwall game was toxic. . Nathan Jones got us 4 points at Christmas that made a real difference too. Without them it would have gone to the final day.Yes but come on, Chris came in about Christmas time when we were looking at relegation and he kept us up. Think Nathan Jones had a couple of games over Christmas but Chris basically kept us up so job done. It probably wasn't all of us calling for him to go but I was tearing my hair out!
I think with Hughton we went on quite a good run early on in his tenure, mostly from being outrageously dull and tough to beat and got the points that ensured survival, then were really poor for the remainder of the season, only winning 1 of our last 10 games. I remember a particularly poor 0-0 draw at home to Huddersfield where it looked like the game could have been 9 hours long and it still would have remained goallessAgreed. Chris saved us - in the end - and yes - can't imagine many of us wanted Hyppia to stay. That Milwall game was toxic. . Nathan Jones got us 4 points at Christmas that made a real difference too. Without them it would have gone to the final day.