Next Manager Watch

[Trix]

Agree.

At least this means he is still an option. I know some on here aren’t keen on Enrique but I think he’s an interesting candidate compared to many on our increasingly diminishing shortlist.

It's a poor choice imo. I'm not overly opposed to the tika taka style of football like some are, but there is a reason very few teams have used it for any length of time despite it being incredibly successful. You pretty much need a team full of highly technical players to do it well, and we are a long way from that. He is no different to Jose or Conte in the regard he will require an awful lot of specifics to pull that off and we know how that works out. There is no point bringing in another manager who will just be frustrated at not getting exactly what they need.

 

[ntmac82]

There are major problems with Enrique:


- Hasn’t worked as a club manager for 7 years, since 2017! That’s a very long time to be out of club management while the club game evolves.

- Failed the only time he ever left Spain when he went to Roma (and was only there 1 season).

- Another big name, glamour appointment used to unlimited resources at his last club job. Will see us as a step down and would be very demanding beyond reason.

- His possession style seems to become slow and predictable.

I think he would be a huge gamble and I don’t think he’s the right person to unite the club behind the scenes in the way Poch did. He isn’t a project manager.

Roma was his first job after coaching the Barca B team so always likely to be tough. Especially going to the Italian league.

What's the fascination with a project manager? We just need someone capable.

What you will get with Enrique is someone that isn't scared to drop big names which is something we need.

 

[ntmac82]

It's a poor choice imo. I'm not overly opposed to the tika taka style of football like some are, but there is a reason very few teams have used it for any length of time despite it being incredibly successful. You pretty much need a team full of highly technical players to do it well, and we are a long way from that. He is no different to Jose or Conte in the regard he will require an awful lot of specifics to pull that off and we know how that works out. There is no point bringing in another manager who will just be frustrated at not getting exactly what they need.

Are you saying our players are not technical enough to pass the ball to each other? Shock horror

 

[HotspurResi]

Roma was his first job after coaching the Barca B team so always likely to be tough. Especially going to the Italian league.

What's the fascination with a project manager? We just need someone capable.

What you will get with Enrique is someone that isn't scared to drop big names which is something we need.

Well that’s the 1st flaw in the plan. if Harry goes we ain’t got no big name players to drop !!

 

[Austin Powers]

That’s assuming Ange is our top choice at the moment. Nobody has actually clarified that he is, just that he is one of the favourites.

One has to remember that as it stands we are down to our 3rd choice. Everyone knows that including our prospective targets. That certainly doesn’t make us an appealing prospect especially if they are employed by a club that does believe in them.

I mean we couldn’t convince Slot, our supposed top choice, that we really really wanted him. How are we going to convince our 3rd choice.

Furthermore I’d reckon there’s probably quite a bit of indecision and panic amongst the board that is probably causing them to second-guess themselves quite a bit. They probably like Ange but is he really better then Enrique, is Enrique really better the Potter, is Potter really better then Rodgers, is Rodgers really better then Ange and so on. They are probably just going round and round whilst also throwing new names into mix.

I really feel in a few weeks time we will end up going for whoever is left. *Expect for Nagelsmann, if he hasn’t gone to Madrid we still won’t go for him.

Sounds like this board!

 

[talkshowhost86]

Roma was his first job after coaching the Barca B team so always likely to be tough. Especially going to the Italian league.

What's the fascination with a project manager? We just need someone capable.

What you will get with Enrique is someone that isn't scared to drop big names which is something we need.

We need a manager who can improve the squad on the limited transfer input that Levy will allow whilst also making the most of players that Levy won't sell for whatever reason.

That's why people are looking at a 'project manager' and personally that's why I think Enrique would be a disaster.

 

[Bosher]

Our squad's not as bad as a lot like to make out on here, certainly above mid table. A couple of astute signings and the right manager choice and we could be flying next season. Just look at what Dick Emery did at Villa, from brink of relegation to European football in 6-7 months. It's all about getting the right fit between manager and club and then backing that manager, which is where we struggle. Whether it be from boardroom or stands, our managers seem to get short changed in the patience department.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Roma was his first job after coaching the Barca B team so always likely to be tough. Especially going to the Italian league.

What's the fascination with a project manager? We just need someone capable.

What you will get with Enrique is someone that isn't scared to drop big names which is something we need.

I think it’s less that we need a “project manager” and more that we don’t need someone that comes in and expects everything they want and demands instant success.

We underperformed for sure but we still need a lot of work. Key things for me are:

Understanding the club

Establishing an identity

Playing positive football

Creating a positive atmosphere

Ability to work with players and improve them

Tactical flexibility

I think any coach coming in is going to struggle and we have to have patience. I just can’t think of too many coaches that fit the bill. I don’t think just getting someone “capable” is going to work, they’ll get frustrated with the setup and time it takes to turn this round.

 

[Flobadob]

That’s not really the point though is it. Different managers suit different situations and clubs. Surely people have learnt that after the last 4 years?

Enrique might be a very good coach, but is he the person to build a club from the mess we are currently in? We’d need a lot of changes for his football to work here. There’s so much work to do with the squad.

It’s seems like the point isn’t can the manager build the club/team, it’s about how good a coach they are with it being down to the DOF to build everything. We’ve got lots of players in and around a potential match day squad that will be suited to a possession based system like Enrique’s (Romero, Porro, Udogie, Bissouma, Bentancur, Lo Celso, Kulusevski, Devine, Kane) and you’d assume any goalkeeper and centre back we buy will be good on the ball too if we went in that direction. Enrique is one of the few coaches I’d be quite content with at this point

 

[parj]

It's a poor choice imo. I'm not overly opposed to the tika taka style of football like some are, but there is a reason very few teams have used it for any length of time despite it being incredibly successful. You pretty much need a team full of highly technical players to do it well, and we are a long way from that. He is no different to Jose or Conte in the regard he will require an awful lot of specifics to pull that off and we know how that works out. There is no point bringing in another manager who will just be frustrated at not getting exactly what they need.

Players can adapt to tiki taka. We have players on loan and players at the club that can pass and move.

Brighton do it and they don't have highly technical players. They have players that are safe to pass and move, and leave their position without fear of being dropped. It's a mentality that is driven by the manager. Our last 3 have been stay in your position managers with limited flexibility. Players thrive when they have more freedom.

 

[Austin Powers]

Does he? Even on a level-playing field, Celtic fans rank/rate Ange a lot higher than Rodgers.

Perhaps he'd be OK with a decent DoF, but from what I've seen (nothing official, as this stuff never is), he wanted control of transfers, and he's bad at it. Failed to integrate new signings, failed to pick up morale. Got sacked, Leicester went down.

His capitulations with Liverpool and Leicester worry me, too. But he does play good football – at first. Perhaps we sack him after a season or two...

Standard procedure then

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

It's a poor choice imo. I'm not overly opposed to the tika taka style of football like some are, but there is a reason very few teams have used it for any length of time despite it being incredibly successful. You pretty much need a team full of highly technical players to do it well, and we are a long way from that. He is no different to Jose or Conte in the regard he will require an awful lot of specifics to pull that off and we know how that works out. There is no point bringing in another manager who will just be frustrated at not getting exactly what they need.

So lets hire him and give him what he needs for once.

His style of play fits a lot better with our DNA.

The Napoli president said "I've been analysing a lot of 4-3-3 coaches and will make the best decision".

That is a chairman who has a plan and an identity and is sticking to it.

We need to re-build our identity to a formation and style that suits our clubs DNA.

If we hired L.Enrique he could certainly make use of Lo Celso, Reguillon, Gil, then you have the likes of Emerson, Lenglet, Udogie, Spence, Bissouma, Bentancur, Kulu, Son, Richarlison, Kane and a few others all who are either good with the ball and/or athletic dynamic players, that is the start of something. Then go and sign : Raya, Laporte, Maddison and another WF and promote a few of the more technical youth team players and Enrique would have the makings of a decent squad to start a new project with.

 

[Trix]

Players can adapt to tiki taka. We have players on loan and players at the club that can pass and move.

Brighton do it and they don't have highly technical players. They have players that are safe to pass and move, and leave their position without fear of being dropped. It's a mentality that is driven by the manager. Our last 3 have been stay in your position managers with limited flexibility. Players thrive when they have more freedom.

And what do you feel Brighton's ceiling is with their current squad? Remember they only finished 2 points above us and have been well coached and playing out of their skins all season. If our ambition is 6th and Enrique is happy with that then it might work. If we have aspirations of finishing higher and actually winning something we will need much better players all over to play this style of football successfully.

 

[KingNick]

Because he isn’t a project manager.

Got to love these made up concepts and discount people because of it.

What is there to prove that Enrique can’t take on a project?
Why are Potter and Ange or even Mason considered to be better suited to this?
(Arguably Enrique’s work with Spain was a project because he was still dealing with a transition from the older players who had been so successful to a new group that lacked the same quality or had players who were in major decline)

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Players can adapt to tiki taka. We have players on loan and players at the club that can pass and move.

Brighton do it and they don't have highly technical players. They have players that are safe to pass and move, and leave their position without fear of being dropped. It's a mentality that is driven by the manager. Our last 3 have been stay in your position managers with limited flexibility. Players thrive when they have more freedom.

Yep its actually probably easier for players to adapt to tiki taka than it is for them to adapt to a very rigid defensive 3-4-3 where most of the time you have to stay in a shape and you have strict instructions as to where you can move and when and where you can pass also the gaps between the players is huge so you're having to hit 20-30 yard passes, its not a fun style to play in.

Tiki Taka has players that are a lot closer together and just relies on quick 5-10yard pass and move, actually not that hard for most professional players if they're coached in the right way, heck Lewis Dunk looks like Beckenbauer under De Zerbi for example. But sure we would need to sign some more technical players to make it work well but we could make good use of 3 currently on loan who'd fit perfectly into this style.

 

[HedgieSpur]

There are major problems with Enrique:


- Hasn’t worked as a club manager for 7 years, since 2017! That’s a very long time to be out of club management while the club game evolves.

- Failed the only time he ever left Spain when he went to Roma (and was only there 1 season).

- Another big name, glamour appointment used to unlimited resources at his last club job. Will see us as a step down and would be very demanding beyond reason.

- His possession style seems to become slow and predictable.

I think he would be a huge gamble and I don’t think he’s the right person to unite the club behind the scenes in the way Poch did. He isn’t a project manager.

For balance, there major benefits to him too

- Plays excellent possession based football that is purposeful and not mindless tiki taka
- Requires players who are technically very good and does not tolerate cloggers
- Promotes youth and very good at developing players (Celta Vigo)
- Has worked with tiny budgets and had a club punching well above its weight, while not compromising playing front foot football (Celta Vigo)
- Drives an excellent high performance culture
- Speaks very good English
- Very likable and affable character with a witty sense of humour

Im not suggesting he is perfect by any means but its good to balance out some of the rather hyperbolic narrative that some posters have been propagating

I'd certainly have him above Ange, Potter, Mason et al

 

[Fluteryid]

Our squad's not as bad as a lot like to make out on here, certainly above mid table. A couple of astute signings and the right manager choice and we could be flying next season. Just look at what Dick Emery did at Villa, from brink of relegation to European football in 6-7 months. It's all about getting the right fit between manager and club and then backing that manager, which is where we struggle. Whether it be from boardroom or stands, our managers seem to get short changed in the patience department.

We are Everton without Kane. The squad is rotten.

Things aren’t changing without a massive clear out and some very sound recruitment.

 

[HedgieSpur]

It's a poor choice imo. I'm not overly opposed to the tika taka style of football like some are, but there is a reason very few teams have used it for any length of time despite it being incredibly successful. You pretty much need a team full of highly technical players to do it well, and we are a long way from that. He is no different to Jose or Conte in the regard he will require an awful lot of specifics to pull that off and we know how that works out. There is no point bringing in another manager who will just be frustrated at not getting exactly what they need.

Enrique doesnt play tiki taka

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

And what do you feel Brighton's ceiling is with their current squad? Remember they only finished 2 points above us and have been well coached and playing out of their skins all season. If our ambition is 6th and Enrique is happy with that then it might work. If we have aspirations of finishing higher and actually winning something we will need much better players all over to play this style of football successfully.

True but don't forget De Zerbi joined Brighton part way into the season so he had no pre-season to work with the team or plan for new signings etc apart from in January, in theory Brighton could achieve better than 6th but tbh anything from 2/3rd down to about 7/8th is going to be so competitive from now on that 6th and a cup won't be a terrible season, but sure ofc we should be ideally aiming to eventually get back up to where we were under Poch challengeing for the title and cups and for that the re-build will take a few years of good decisions in terms of which manager we appoint and player recruitment has to be spot on.

 

[danielneeds]

Enrique is a good coach, but again it’s all about alignment for me. I don’t think he would be aligned well with the club’s aims and methods. But since the club is flailing around without any plan or aims it’s hard to make any definitive calls on it.