Pack your bags Roy

[Neil Young]

Apparently he has other meetings and will be attending the Napoli game, so it's not just for the chat with Roy that he is heading over.

It probably is Hodger's world though.

[Buzzo]

Apparently he has other meetings and will be attending the Napoli game, so it's not just for the chat with Roy that he is heading over.

Meeting the new CEO, and possibly meeting the new manager...

Actually, I think Hodgerinho will survive this round of talks, but he is surely on borrowed time.

[Johnny H]

Getting bummed by Chelsea - has he survived this likelihood after 2 wins?
Or would this show JWH that we are a long, long way behind the place we want to be and the only way forward is to change the manager?

[red g]

if Henry has watched yesterdays game he will understand that we were lucky yesterday,,,,,,,,but then regardless of luck it was a fantastic result against a team who have been doing well at home.

Depends how he views the game. I expect that new director to have a big input and explain how **** we are!!! (joe someone? that director who been following us for 20yrs)

[Exiled_red]

Even aside from the team's recent performances under Roy, and reading about NESV's plans for identifying signings and building the club for the long term I don't see how Roy is compatable with their ideas. They are looking to build the club up long term, in the last 20 years he's not been in the same job continually for more than 3 years, he's getting on a bit and can't be too far from retiring, his methods are old fashioned, and he seems to favour bringing in older players. His management style seems at odds with the way they want to work, I can't understand why they would want to give him money to spend. You would have to imagine that even if they backed him in the short term he's probably not going to be around for more than 2-3 years anyway, if we're looking to bring in young players who will hopefully be with us for 10 years, is he the person to do that? I don't think so.

[red g]

Even aside from the team's recent performances under Roy, and reading about NESV's plans for identifying signings and building the club for the long term I don't see how Roy is compatable with their ideas. They are looking to build the club up long term, in the last 20 years he's not been in the same job continually for more than 3 years, he's getting on a bit and can't be too far from retiring, his methods are old fashioned, and he seems to favour bringing in older players. His management style seems at odds with the way they want to work, I can't understand why they would want to give him money to spend. You would have to imagine that even if they backed him in the short term he's probably not going to be around for more than 2-3 years anyway, if we're looking to bring in young players who will hopefully be with us for 10 years, is he the person to do that? I don't think so.

I just hope they dont think its wise to keep the continuity in, keep him there and bring in a younger guy to carry on all his bad work ( ie promote carragher or similar in future.)

[elrichio86]

I think we're stuck with Roy till the end of the season. And we'll likely finish between 6th and 10th.

In the meantime, NESV will get the boardroom in place, and identify who they want to take over in the long run. Both of these take a bit of time to sort - its certainly something we need to get right. I think they'll be okay with one mediocre season whilst they get their plans in order. Plus, in all likelyhood, their first choice is liable to be in a job at the moment - it will be easier to get the right man during the summer.

With the Red Sox's, they changed the manager almost immediately and then changed again a year later. I think they will have learnt their lesson and make sure they get it right first time.

The only way I can see this changing is if its goes badly wrong this season and we're in a relegation battle. I could see them moving quicker in that case.

[IJM]

I think you're right. I don't think they view Roy as the manager for the long term. Unless he pulls off some kind of miracle (e.g. winning the league or something of that ilk) I think Roy will be shown the door next summer.

I think they were only considering sacking Roy and appointing an interim manager if our results failed to improve. But while Roy is "doing a job", NESV have the time to scour the world for a young forward thinking manager.

For now they want to maintain some kind of stability. But I don't think Roy will be given a completely free reign with the January budget. I imagine that NESV will be dictating the type of player we should ideally be buying.

Until Roy goes we'll be having to put up with his awful press conferences. Managers traditionally prefer to understate their intentions, but Roy manages to take it to a whole new level; to the point at which I think it's damaging. This is one area in which I miss Rafa's, "We are only thinking about winning."

[Scratch]

if Henry has watched yesterdays game he will understand that we were lucky yesterday,,,,,,,,but then regardless of luck it was a fantastic result against a team who have been doing well at home.

Lucky? Bolton had one clear cut chance, the header from a free kick, that was wasted. Other than that, they had that shot from...Holden i think his name is?...that was an easy, but spectacular, save for Reina and a couple of free kicks that he had to hold.

No, we were not good, but we weren't exactly riding our luck either...we were just lacking in the final third with both Torres and Gerrard losing the ball more than keeping it.

[redstaralex]

If he won't leave of his own accord I would give hodgson the job of cleaning boots for the remainder of his contract, he won't last more than a month before telling all and sundry he's been unfairly treated and walk, that way we don't have to pay him off

[Lecter]

Lucky? Bolton had one clear cut chance, the header from a free kick, that was wasted. Other than that, they had that shot from...Holden i think his name is?...that was an easy, but spectacular, save for Reina and a couple of free kicks that he had to hold.

No, we were not good, but we weren't exactly riding our luck either...we were just lacking in the final third with both Torres and Gerrard losing the ball more than keeping it.

They could have easily got a couple of penalties on another day

Maybe they might have been harsh but they still could have been given so from that point of view we were lucky

I think the problem isnt Torres and Gerrard its the lack of support gettingup to those players they are far too isolated because our play is far too stretched and strung out

[red g]

Lucky? Bolton had one clear cut chance, the header from a free kick, that was wasted. Other than that, they had that shot from...Holden i think his name is?...that was an easy, but spectacular, save for Reina and a couple of free kicks that he had to hold.

No, we were not good, but we weren't exactly riding our luck either...we were just lacking in the final third with both Torres and Gerrard losing the ball more than keeping it.

I would say we were lucky to win as we weren't exactly on fire either......
your right they offered **** all though.......we just offered marginally more!!

[Scratch]

They could have easily got a couple of penalties on another day

Maybe they might have been harsh but they still could have been given so from that point of view we were lucky

I think the problem isnt Torres and Gerrard its the lack of support gettingup to those players they are far too isolated because our play is far too stretched and strung out

If penalties had been given...if Torres had shown some nouse...if if if...tis easy to say and all that.

In previous games i would have agreed with your assesment of Torres and Gerrard, but yesterday Torres in particular was a waste, and Gerrard was none to efficient, and there were numbers there to support them, they just failed to utilise them.

We ain't playing pretty football, but we aren't as bad as we were earlier in the season. Not good enough by far, but thankfully moving in the right direction.

[IJM]

We've yet to play a single game this season with any conviction, let alone win it with any kind of competence.

[danperkins]

I don't think we were lucky to win, it was anybody's game and we put a great move together and scored. We didn't play well but we won. Great result but the performances can very much improve. Delighted at the result as its a tough place to go.