I never understood why Stoke and WBA swapped managers in the first place - both Pulis and Hughes seemed to be a better 'fit' before they swapped jobs.
Hughes has never managed West Brom
I never understood why Stoke and WBA swapped managers in the first place - both Pulis and Hughes seemed to be a better 'fit' before they swapped jobs.
Down to the lake I fear!
Most likely down, but based on their 29 points in 2017, it's more than possible that they would've been relegated even with Pulis in charge.
The problem WBA have, along with most other teams in the league, is that the ceiling is 7th. Barring the Leicester miracle, pretty much everyone else is hoping to be the best of the rest (it's quite demoralising knowing your ceiling is actually a place where you're not ever winning anything). WBA have been that, or close to it, on numerous occasions since they've been promoted, and they've done it at times playing decent football. Since Pulis came in, he's done what he's always done (getting between 42 and 47 points per season, and not going above or below that), but for their fans, there comes a point where you want a bit more hope or, at the very least, a bit of decent football to go along with your 42 to 47 points. As a club, they reached their maximum potential, and now they're not reaching it so the lack of progress is more and more obvious and the fans and owners clearly want more - personally I don't blame them.
My worry as a Brighton fan is that if we survive for 3-4 years, we might get in this same rut caused by the 7th placed ceiling.
I agree, for now. The problem is that if you have 3-4, or 7-10 years of that same monotonous grind where you're mid table but never really achieving anything, how exciting is that as a fan?
Don't get me wrong, I'd be delighted with 7th for the next few years... but eventually we'd all want more. It's human nature. And it would then only take one season of slightly lower performance for people to start getting agitated... heck, it happens on here if we don't win a game and we've only just been promoted!
See post above!Hughes has never managed West Brom
We had our most successful season ever under Mike Bailey but his style of football killed attendances and he was sacked. If we kept him a few years, I very much doubt we would have been relegated.
It wasn't that long ago that Charlton fans were moaning about Curbishley because they were only 8th in the Prem.
Edit: I was typing this at same time as Billy the Fish.
[MENTION=30752]NooBHA[/MENTION] has alluded to this before I think, but how it seems to work, is that the ones who are CONSTANTLY linked to every available job (whether they are in work at the time or not) are the ones whose agents / representatives / media contacts are touting them for every vacancy.Surprised that Chris Wilder hasn't been mentioned in relation to these PL vacancies. He's doing an amazing job at Sheffield United.
Down to the lake I fear!
[MENTION=30752]NooBHA[/MENTION] has alluded to this before I think, but how it seems to work, is that the ones who are CONSTANTLY linked to every available job (whether they are in work at the time or not) are the ones whose agents / representatives / media contacts are touting them for every vacancy.
Basically, if a manager isn't interested in having his people pimp him out, then he doesn't get linked with the jobs.
Not to mention Lee Trundle.
I agree, for now. The problem is that if you have 3-4, or 7-10 years of that same monotonous grind where you're mid table but never really achieving anything, how exciting is that as a fan?
Don't get me wrong, I'd be delighted with 7th for the next few years... but eventually we'd all want more. It's human nature. And it would then only take one season of slightly lower performance for people to start getting agitated... heck, it happens on here if we don't win a game and we've only just been promoted!
You have a point and I don’t disagree with that last sentence....but an argument could be put forward that he has at least harnessed the talent of Bale whereas other Welsh managers have failed with Rush, Hughes and Giggs?