Tony Pulis?

[eddiebailey]

Funnily enough there are many similarities between Jose and Pulis' approach -
Both drill their teams to within an inch of their lives defensively.
Both are pragmatic when it comes to cutting their cloth to the players they have.
Maybe if Jose wore a stupid baseball cap, he'd get less respect as well...

More to the point I suspect that if Chelsea could not afford some of the finest attacking footballers on the planet Mourinho would get less respect.

 

[DJS]

Now this is just a conjecture thread. As many of you know, I've been a huge advocate for giving our managers/coaches sufficient time to bed in and implement the playing style/personnel etc required to give them the best chance for success. So all of you "Fuck, not another managerial merry go round" merchants can hold your tongues.

I'm not advocating removing Poch in any way, shape or form, but the welter of disillusionment on here has had me thinking that, should it happen, who is the most suitable candidate. During my thought process, I was thinking about who the most successful managers in our history have been, the list is short and telling, they've all been British.

Arthur Rowe was a Tottenham boy, Sir Bill and Burky both Yorkies, with Aitch a Londoner as well (though whether you can claim a CL qualification as success is debatable).

When we were looking at a number of potential managers, I was advocating LVG, but Pulis was brought up and, after the initial wtf's, a few thought it was not such a bad idea.

I think there's a bit of typecasting around Pulis, with the belief that he is a route 1 merchant due to his Stoke days. The reality, for me, is that he is a pragmatist who utilises his players dependent on their skill sets. When he has skillful players, he exploits those skills, but what he does best is organise his teams so they work as a unit, not as individuals. He tailors his team selections to the opposition he faces, in much the same wat Maureen does. The difference is that he's had relatively inferior players to choose from. But he gets these players to punch above their weight consistently.

I do believe that he is a success story waiting to happen and think that, should the unthinkable happen and Poch have a mare next season, he should be nigh on top of the list for consideration.

Again I stress, I'm hoping that Poch manages to knock it out of the park, so I'm not after yet another change over. I just thought it would be interesting to debate the relative merits of a manager that I think could do something special were he given a shot with a team such as ours.

So no fighting, bitching or agenda driven diatribe please Just your thoughts on the merits of the guy.

I was coming into this thread to say fuck no but your post makes good points and explains your reasoning well, giving food for thought.

Nice post

 

[SteveH]

Wow some of our fans do worry me.... Jeeezzzz

and they are on the increase.............

 

[Ionman34]

I was coming into this thread to say fuck no but your post makes good points and explains your reasoning well, giving food for thought.

Nice post

Thank you

 

[Mr Pink]

Given the way we've looked defensively, this season and last - the hammerings etc, its not such a bad hypothetical to ponder.

I'm so fed up with how poor we are without the ball, its embarrassing at times. Pochettino has a big task on his hands because we havn't seen any of his philosophy for the best part of three months now. He may need players in, but its funny how we were able to do it against Arsenal and Liverpool and we havn't even had a whiff of it for about 15 games now.

I must admit, I'd be very interested to see how Pulis would get on at a bigger Club - if he ever gets the chance. I suppose it would come down to how he would adapt to working with players who would be better than most of the teams he faces most weeks. So would he shift his 'emphasis' a bit, searching for a new balance that reflects the quality he has at his disposal.

If he could introduce collective defensive solidity and combine it with encouraging effective fluid football he could be a real success at a bigger Club.

What fans wouldn't tolerate is the same approach every week no matter the opposition ie picking up a 0-0 at Anfield is a good result most weeks - but if you're picking up a 0-0 against Sunderland at home, playing the same sort of way, the week after isn't obviously.

 

[Ionman34]

Given the way we've looked defensively, this season and last - the hammerings etc, its not such a bad hypothetical to ponder.

I'm so fed up with how poor we are without the ball, its embarrassing at times. Pochettino has a big task on his hands because we havn't seen any of his philosophy for the best part of three months now. He may need players in, but its funny how we were able to do it against Arsenal and Liverpool and we havn't even had a whiff of it for about 15 games now.

I must admit, I'd be very interested to see how Pulis would get on at a bigger Club - if he ever gets the chance. I suppose it would come down to how he would adapt to working with players who would be better than most of the teams he faces most weeks. So would he shift his 'emphasis' a bit, searching for a new balance that reflects the quality he has at his disposal.

If he could introduce collective defensive solidity and combine it with encouraging effective fluid football he could be a real success at a bigger Club.

What fans wouldn't tolerate is the same approach every week no matter the opposition ie picking up a 0-0 at Anfield is a good result most weeks - but if you're picking up a 0-0 against Sunderland at home, playing the same sort of way, the week after isn't obviously.

That is part of what I'm saying Pinky.
I don't think he's that type of manager. He tailors his team/tactics to the opposition, but with an emphasis on team cohesion.

Had Palace backed him in the market, I reckon you'd have seen them really kick on, he had them playing some excellent Football at times, better than the sum of their parts really.

Admittedly, WBA have blown a bit hot and cold, but he's only been with them a short time and looks like he's going to lose some key players in the Summer. He's never really had the opportunity to show how he can work with a more advanced, talentwise, squad. I just think that his emphasis on cohesion and graft, coupled with the evidence from Palace that he can get a team playing fluid Football, is an indicator that he could take a team like ours further.

Obviously, I want to see Poch do this. I just thought it would make for a good debate.

 

[Mr Pink]

That is part of what I'm saying Pinky.
I don't think he's that type of manager. He tailors his team/tactics to the opposition, but with an emphasis on team cohesion.

Had Palace backed him in the market, I reckon you'd have seen them really kick on, he had them playing some excellent Football at times, better than the sum of their parts really.

Admittedly, WBA have blown a bit hot and cold, but he's only been with them a short time and looks like he's going to lose some key players in the Summer. He's never really had the opportunity to show how he can work with a more advanced, talentwise, squad. I just think that his emphasis on cohesion and graft, coupled with the evidence from Palace that he can get a team playing fluid Football, is an indicator that he could take a team like ours further.

Obviously, I want to see Poch do this. I just thought it would make for a good debate.

Will be interesting to see if he can get West Brom into the top half of the table next season.

I'm really hoping Poch will deliver next season, and I won't be firming up any judgement until well into next season but my faith has been rocked a bit recently - and I'm very pro Poch.

Massive summer in terms of getting the right type of player in for him, because we're only going to attempt to play one way under him - so we best get it right.

 

[Ionman34]

Will be interesting to see if he can get West Brom into the top half of the table next season.

I'm really hoping Poch will deliver next season, and I won't be firming up any judgement until well into next season but my faith has been rocked a bit recently - and I'm very pro Poch.

Massive summer in terms of getting the right type of player in for him, because we're only going to attempt to play one way under him - so we best get it right.

I feel the same. In fact, I think BC summed it up pretty well in the player ratings thread where he said that we could tolerate a few more losses if we were able to see the green shoots of his desired style developing.

I believe we saw some of it in the goon and Chelsea games, as I truly don't think they were flukes per se. We also saw some of it against Citeh, so we know the ability is there, it is just the consistency and cohesion that seems to be just a bridge too far at the moment. I would expect to see this just a little after the squad has worked together for a season, but it just hasn't been the case.

If Poch can get that then he'll have cracked it. I really hope he does but, should he not, I reckon Pulis could.

 

[225]

Now this is just a conjecture thread. As many of you know, I've been a huge advocate for giving our managers/coaches sufficient time to bed in and implement the playing style/personnel etc required to give them the best chance for success. So all of you "Fuck, not another managerial merry go round" merchants can hold your tongues.

I'm not advocating removing Poch in any way, shape or form, but the welter of disillusionment on here has had me thinking that, should it happen, who is the most suitable candidate. During my thought process, I was thinking about who the most successful managers in our history have been, the list is short and telling, they've all been British.

Arthur Rowe was a Tottenham boy, Sir Bill and Burky both Yorkies, with Aitch a Londoner as well (though whether you can claim a CL qualification as success is debatable).

When we were looking at a number of potential managers, I was advocating LVG, but Pulis was brought up and, after the initial wtf's, a few thought it was not such a bad idea.

I think there's a bit of typecasting around Pulis, with the belief that he is a route 1 merchant due to his Stoke days. The reality, for me, is that he is a pragmatist who utilises his players dependent on their skill sets. When he has skillful players, he exploits those skills, but what he does best is organise his teams so they work as a unit, not as individuals. He tailors his team selections to the opposition he faces, in much the same wat Maureen does. The difference is that he's had relatively inferior players to choose from. But he gets these players to punch above their weight consistently.

I do believe that he is a success story waiting to happen and think that, should the unthinkable happen and Poch have a mare next season, he should be nigh on top of the list for consideration.

Again I stress, I'm hoping that Poch manages to knock it out of the park, so I'm not after yet another change over. I just thought it would be interesting to debate the relative merits of a manager that I think could do something special were he given a shot with a team such as ours.

So no fighting, bitching or agenda driven diatribe please Just your thoughts on the merits of the guy.

To be completely fair, Pulis is Redknapp before we took him on. But with better points.

Redknapp was a bit of a "mid table manager" himself at that time, but mostly he was disliked as an idea due to him being a Spammers legend of sorts. Pulis is just a welsh bloke who dresses like a chav, no real reason to dislike him in the same way.

I think he'd be great, given a chance at a bigger club. I worry that people judge managers based on how they've handled their environments, rather than their successes based on the challenges they have faced.

Personally, I'd say that Pulis could be fantastic - he's shown that he's no long-ball manager since he left Stoke, and can get teams playing attractive football imo.

 

[dondo]

Wow some of our fans do worry me.... Jeeezzzz

Do you think we would have more or less point this season if pulis was in charge instead of pochettino?
I agree his style of play isn't always great but with the sides he has managed you aren't going to get stoke or WBA playing like Real Madrid

 

[dontcallme]

Do you think we would have more or less point this season if pulis was in charge instead of pochettino?
I agree his style of play isn't always great but with the sides he has managed you aren't going to get stoke or WBA playing like Real Madrid

True but Swansea managers have got them playing better football than Stoke with a much lower budget. Redknapp also got some good football out of Portsmouth and both did it while getting results as well.

 

[dondo]

True but Swansea managers have got them playing better football than Stoke with a much lower budget. Redknapp also got some good football out of Portsmouth and both did it while getting results as well.

Good point it can be done but Swansea devolved a good style over a long period of time

 

[dontcallme]

Good point it can be done but Swansea devolved a good style over a long period of time

Pulis managed Stoke for quite a long time and didn't develop any real style of play.

http://www.transferleague.co.uk/stoke-city/english-football-teams/stoke-city-transfers

The fees there show a very short-term approach as he threw a lot of money at strikers who were later cast aside and sold for peanuts.

Pulis got results and kept them in the Prem. He didn't try to get them playing good football. Just found a safe formula and stuck to it.

At Palace they wouldn't give him the same bottomless pit of money and he left.

He just isn't a good fit for us though I'm sure short-term results would be solid.

 

[SpursManChris]

The expectation levels at Spurs are sky high which would be something that Pulis has never had to deal with.

Oh, because Poch had to deal with it before coming to us? He was expected to get a club to CL before us?

 

[Spurger King]

I'd rather chew off my own testicles.

 

[dagraham]

Good god no. Just no. The Stoke team under him was the closest team I ever saw to the Wimbledon teams of the early nineties. An ugly, horrible bunch of dirty ***** hoofing the ball into the corner and chasing it down, with a nice side line in time wasting. There's being pragmatic and there's creating that team.

I admire the way he sorted out the Palace defence and I've no doubt he'd improve us in that respect, but you may as well get Fat Sam who would do exactly the same thing. If that suggestion was made on here I would imagine it would be met with ridicule.

He's also nothing like Redknapp by the way, who was always known to play open attractive football. No idea where that comparison comes from, other than them both being English and a bit old school.

In a hypothetical situation of Poch leaving, if it's a pragmatic, experienced manager we want who can improve our defence than look no further than Benitez. The manager we should have gone for instead of Poch imo.

 

[Donki]

Swap Pulis in the title for Ancellotti and I will agree with you.

Not that I think there is anything wrong with Pulis, he does well with what he has got, I am sure if he had our squad he would change his style of play accordingly. His Palace team placed much differently to his Stoke side so he has some versitility something alot of managers lack. Problem he would have is simply the snobbery some of our fans have, they would rather have a tastey bit of exotic tart that a boring name, HArry and Tim had this problem, Pulis would be fucked before he even started. Hos dabbling in the transfer market is also very questionable, of coure this could change if he had a bigger club.

Im happy enough to stick with Poch another season, but if things dont go well and he does have to go I want experience and a proven winner over someone who talks a good talk with a philosphy or footballing ideal.

 

[Blockbuster]

Pulis is a bit like Harry, and he would get us playing again and sort us out.

Can he push us to top 4? maybe. who knows, Harry did but didn't count for anything as the squad was so good according to some.

Pulis isn't a fashionable manager so won't be given the time or day by most fans which is rubbish.

I'd really like to see Pulis given a chance at a club like Spurs, he got Stoke to an FA Cup final!, His transfers are questionable but considering we don't let our managers buy players it won't be his fault, although as some blame AVB for th famous 7, who knows it could be his fault?

good thread and if it all goes wrong I'd like to see us go for Pulis.

 

[Donki]

Good god no. Just no. The Stoke team under him was the closest team I ever saw to the Wimbledon teams of the early nineties. An ugly, horrible bunch of dirty ***** hoofing the ball into the corner and chasing it down, with a nice side line in time wasting. There's being pragmatic and there's creating that team.

I admire the way he sorted out the Palace defence and I've no doubt he'd improve us in that respect, but you may as well get Fat Sam who would do exactly the same thing. If that suggestion was made on here I would imagine it would be met with ridicule.

He's also nothing like Redknapp by the way, who was always known to play open attractive football. No idea where that comparison comes from, other than them both being English and a bit old school.

In a hypothetical situation of Poch leaving, if it's a pragmatic, experienced manager we want who can improve our defence than look no further than Benitez. The manager we should have gone for instead of Poch imo.

Would be happy with that also, but again it would majorly divide fans unfortunately.

 

[dagraham]

Would be happy with that also, but again it would majorly divide fans unfortunately.

Maybe, but no one can argue with his record at the top level compared to someone like Pulis.

I also think the dividing the fans thing is overplayed. I don't see a universal approval in and around WHL of the football we are playing under Poch. Most people seem pretty meh about it actually.