[Albion] Why has RDZ not signed a new contract yet?

[Seagull58]

I must admit, I'm not convinced that RDZ is a once-in-a-generation coaching talent, like you put it.

Obviously he's a great manager. Potter is/was obviously a great manager too. And like RDZ, the likes of Klopp & Pep were singing Potter's praises at the time.

RDZ is not elite yet, though. In particular, defensively his tactics & strategies, and possibly defensive coaching, are poor.

I think, like Potter, it would be a mistake to leave (unless he's only after the guaranteed £££ as well, which doesn't seem like he would be). He would better off continuing his development as a coach here.

That said, I think he's going. His ambition is more short-term than ours. He is/will become frustrated by us continually selling our best players, and not buying oven ready players - having to start over again with fresh, raw talent.

I predict that he will leave us soon. I also predict he will not do as well at his big new club, and regret it, like Potter will have (in a football respect anyway).

I also predict that when he does go - it will transpire it was not just Potter, or RDZ, that is making the club great - but the entire set up of the club, as a new candidate takes the reigns and takes us to the next level.

He's a generational talent who is redefining how the game is played..

 

[The Pilsbury Echo]

I think you're lying. A 'Good old Sunday Roast leg of lamb' does not have a 'Raspberry Jus' with it! Mint sauce is the only real accompaniment to roast lamb.

Mint sauce!!! Very 1980s Darling x

 

[Washie]

He's a generational talent who is redefining how the game is played..

I massively disagree. I think he's great, but he is not good enough for the top jobs

 

[Swegulls]

Zdenek Zeman and Lecce springs to mind. I watched a lot of Italian football in the early 2000 and they had a young team with Bojinov, Vucinic and some other players. It was all out attack 5-3, 2-4, 3-3 etc. Great fun to watch and one of those years they had a goal difference of 66-73, only Juve scored more goals. Obviously they didn’t win anything with a defence like that. Just saying …

And, if some of your best players are injured or for some reason are away, you have to adapt. Maybe be a bit cautious. To just say this is the way we play is a bit strange. RDZ will have to learn how and when to defend.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

And, if some of your best players are injured or for some reason are away, you have to adapt. Maybe be a bit cautious. To just say this is the way we play is a bit strange. RDZ will have to learn how and when to defend.

I agree, but when we've come badly unstuck (Villa away, Luton last night) it has not been because we've been too expansive / gung-ho - we've just been SHIT.

 

[studio150]

RDZ seemed down in the Palace press conference, when asked about the squad following closure of the transfer window, and in particular being short of midfield players.
Says he spoke with the club, but club decided differently. Says his role is with the players, and we will see on the pitch.

So wouldn't expect any news on signing of new contract any time soon.

Current contract to 2026 so another frank exchange of views on summer signings, unless one of the big clubs with a summer vacancy come calling.

 

[Pete Skinner]

RDZ seemed down in the Palace press conference, when asked about the squad following closure of the transfer window, and in particular being short of midfield players.
Says he spoke with the club, but club decided differently. Says his role is with the players, and we will see on the pitch.

So wouldn't expect any news on signing of new contract any time soon.

Current contract to 2026 so another frank exchange of views on summer signings, unless one of the big clubs with a summer vacancy come calling.

Waiting for Poch to be sacked by Chelsea and then he’ll throw his hat in the ring is my guess on why RDZ not extended his contract

 

[jcdenton08]

I firmly believe Tony will back the boss in the summer, and I also believe we were in the market in January. What we won’t do is overspend and undo all the brilliant work we’ve done in the last few years. I, like RDZ, would’ve loved to add a couple more first team ready players. But there is never any guarantee they’ll work out. We clearly had targets but the record low January spending shows how hard it was for all clubs to do business in which they found value.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I disagree on so many levels.

RDZ has long been recognised as being at the cutting edge with his style of football and is beginning to attract young players from all over the world that want to train under him. He managed top Ukrainian Premier League side Shakhtar (taking them to a Ukranian Super Cup win in one season) and Serie A club where he became widely recognised for his possession attacking style football. He took Sassuolo to a within a GD qualification to European football and has improved on that record at Brighton.

Potter was a university coach that managed Championship side Swansea City and while his time at Ostersund was somewhat legendary, it was a small club in a small pond. RdZ came to Brighton already with more experience in top flight European football.

IMO his time at Brighton is continuing to cement his reputation as a very talented coach not just in Europe but amongst top EPL clubs - he is managing a relatively moderate size club with half its key players out for a good part of the season- that would frustrate any manager. He has a style of high risk attacking football - the pace which he develops that being tempered by our need to build on a squad with MF/defensive players that can then, under his hands-on style of coaching, acquire the skills to cope with it.

He hasn’t even completed 3 transfer windows yet, I am not sure how much money people think we should be spending each time but I would suggest it is not RDZ’s short term view or frustration that some folk are expressing. None of what TB/PB wanted for the Club has happened overnight - we aren’t funded by Saudi sports washers, we can’t ‘buy’ our way to the top. RDZ knew how we operate when he came in - he knows we are one of the best run clubs in the League, he’s not going to walk out because of that.

While Potter was a good coach for us, laying the foundations of our current style of play and putting to use an acutely tactical brain, he didn’t push our existing players to the height and achievements RDZ is doing - that work takes place largely in training and in that aspect alone, imo RDZ is the better coach.

Yes of course RDZ will leave - very possibly in the summer window and of course we will already have an eye on his successor but I would be somewhat surprised if he left he in the middle of the season like Potter did - I believe he is focused on finishing the project he started this season in Europe and securing us another top ten place in the EPL. It is things like that which cement reputation not walking out leaving projects uncompleted. If Liverpool want him that badly and Klopp leaves before the summer.they could appoint an interregnum manager and wait until the end of the season.

I suspect Man City or even Milan will be a more of siren call if Pep announces he is leaving. I would be happier if he signed a new contract with us though, even if all it would achieve would be a better financial deal if he does go this summer.

In the meantime I am going to focus on the present, enjoy our most successful season to date and relaxed in the knowledge that TB and PBOBE have got this - whichever way it blows.

Once again I salute your indefatigability. Ah, @Mustafa II ....... at least when @rebel51 falls pray to an acute loss of his shit, he's succinct about it

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Mint sauce!!! Very 1980s Darling x

Home made artisan vegan mint sauce. Pronounced mant sose, or sauce à la menthe

 

[Deadly Danson]

RDZ seemed down in the Palace press conference, when asked about the squad following closure of the transfer window, and in particular being short of midfield players.
Says he spoke with the club, but club decided differently. Says his role is with the players, and we will see on the pitch.

So wouldn't expect any news on signing of new contract any time soon.

Current contract to 2026 so another frank exchange of views on summer signings, unless one of the big clubs with a summer vacancy come calling.

Having watched the whole thing I didn't think he looked any more up or down than in any other press conference. In fact he was positively chirpy when discussing meeting Roy Hodgson. Probably slightly miffed by not getting PL reinforcements but unless he's incredibly stupid (which he clearly isn't) then he'll understand the reasons and get on with the job. Anyway signing a new contract will make no difference as to whether he stays or goes - it'll just increase the payout.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I’m not going worry about it, all angles will be covered regarding a replacement.

You and your sensible comments. Grrrrr! This is supposed to be a prelude thread to a full meltdown thread on Saturday after wheel loose to Palarse, with Mustafa creating a poll while blasting the whole of the internet with torrential diarrhoea. Sorry @Mustafa II but you do make me laugh some times. Just remember, it's a marathon, not a snicker.

 

[Baldseagull]

I think the stumbling block is he wants royalties on all threads about him on NSC, pay up @Mustafa II .

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Taking the discussion about FFP from the other thread.

Brighton/Spurs/Liverpool/West Ham are all in a good state on FFP, in the summer clubs are going to have to sell, no point going for players now when there will be a lot more of options in the summer.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I firmly believe Tony will back the boss in the summer, and I also believe we were in the market in January. What we won’t do is overspend and undo all the brilliant work we’ve done in the last few years. I, like RDZ, would’ve loved to add a couple more first team ready players. But there is never any guarantee they’ll work out. We clearly had targets but the record low January spending shows how hard it was for all clubs to do business in which they found value.

Once we overpay either on fee, agent fee or on a salary that’s it (for a long time).

Agents will remind us in every negotiation that we pay top whack (you paid Zaha £250k per week, you can afford that for Edourd etc).

 

[Uh_huh_him]

His only comment on the contract discussions, was ensuring that he and the club have the same targets.

That is likely to make any contract discussions problematic at present.
I don't expect to hear any news on a new contract for a while

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Taking the discussion about FFP from the other thread.

Brighton/Spurs/Liverpool/West Ham are all in a good state on FFP, in the summer clubs are going to have to sell, no point going for players now when there will be a lot more of options in the summer.

yes I agree with that.

The market is likely to cool significantly over the next 5 months.
If Forest and Everton get clobbered with points deductions, then clubs sailing close to the wind, will need to offload some players and drive the prices down further.

 

[Eeyore]

I firmly believe Tony will back the boss in the summer, and I also believe we were in the market in January. What we won’t do is overspend and undo all the brilliant work we’ve done in the last few years. I, like RDZ, would’ve loved to add a couple more first team ready players. But there is never any guarantee they’ll work out. We clearly had targets but the record low January spending shows how hard it was for all clubs to do business in which they found value.

Quite. The key is to replace with better than what you have. And that would come at huge cost in January, and only if those clubs are willing to let go. Albion don't let players go unless they are surplus.

I can almost hear Tony saying it and, given where the club is now, I'm quite happy to accept it.

So they just have to get on with it. As RDZ says 'We are Brighton'. We're not Chelsea- which is a blessing.

 

[Munchkin]

Not sure the club are going to back a manager that’s yet to commit to them long term, when the contracts been on the table a while, and why should they.

Sign the contract extension and I’m pretty sure he will be backed in the summer.

It’s a bit like your wife wanting you to spend a fortune on doing your house up over the winter when you’ve got suspicions she might be about to jump into bed with one of your better looking neighbours over the summer.

 

[The Grockle]

I'm not sure RDZ has ever come across as particularly enthusiastic in interviews it's just his general demeanour

I don't doubt he's frustrated but I'm sure the club would have been open about their stance in the January window and reassured him he'd be backed in the summer. We have always backed managers with signings and I don't see this summer being any different.