Thetownend.com

Who's in the mix for the top job?
           


  THE Swindon Town board are faced with one of their most important decisions in years with the appointment of the next manager, who will be handed the task of masterminding an immediate return to
  League One.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/9005062.Who_s_in_the_mix_for_the_top_job_/?ref=rss
           

Robbie Fowler? Seriously?

Picked names out of a hat

More chance of Pauline Fowler

No mention of DRS I see. That's something of a disappointment - hopefully it just means this is another poorly sourced story, random guesswork etc rather than a genuine nod from the CG that he's not in the running

There are some special people on the Adver message board.

Steve Lomas

My thoughts exactly when i read that

Dissapointed is a understatement.

I think they're just keeping you under wraps so they can negotiate with you exclusively. Don't want word of your availability leaking out to other clubs and getting caught up in a bidding war

Robert Pires is coming to the end of his playing career.

You heard it here first.

DRS will only want pies as payment anyway

That's it

If DRS isn't manager next year, I'm not buying a season ticket.

DRS is no longer a fat bastard.

(Well, he's no longer fat).

Opposed to you wanting a lip reduction

Nah mate, TBH I heard he was coming to the end of his career last year! :D

Coppell as dof with trollope will do please

I don't think this board do exciting! It will be Trollope, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He just doesn't have the wow factor to increase season ticket sales.

It'll be Trollope.

He did well at Bristol Rovers (until the money dried up) and I often wondered whether he could make the step up to a bigger club - we will find out before too long.

I don't get why many people seem to be so down on Trollope. He's had 4 good to very good seasons at Rovers, and one shit half a season when he had no budget. He's young with plenty of potential. He's got strong personal links to Swindon.

Of the realistic targets out there, if he's not the best I don't think there are loads better, and personally would be more than happy if he got the job.

There's quite a few people who agree with the sentiments of the two posts above mine. Myself included.

Special needs.

I think Trollope would be a fair choice and if he made a fist of it then would be a real hero considering the family connection. Sign him up and see how he goes.... :)

I hope that something imaginative might come out of the 'chats' with Glenn Hoddle, and that Swedish club, so that we get to have the chance to see some untried players, but ones who have caught Hoddle's eye, and so we need a manager who is mature enough to handle that with a core of experienced players.  I don't know enough about Trollope to guess whether he could do that.  I get the feeling he is one of those solid, thoroughly English but not greatly exciting people, who would be great in some circumstances, but matbe not these.....but I certainly wouldn't join the chorus of 'No way@ coming from many people.

Last season, when Rovers beat us 7-0 on , it seemed to me like Trollope always had a plan as to how to play against us - in the game at the CG he cleary had targetted the pace of our centre backs as a weakness and played a pacey winger up front to unsettle them - in the away game he pushed everything down the wing against our left back (Lescinal on the day I think) and all of their goals came from that.

Our fans aren't tolerant of managers messing with formations - so on the plus side he could be our first manager for a while with a plan B, on the minus side we will slaughter him for tactical changes if they are not always successful.

Are we a bigger club then ?

I remember listening to a football forum on Radio 5 last year from the North East.  The main topic of conversation was whether Sunderland were a bigger club than Newcastle.  I turned over after 3 mins.

(To answer your question though...on most measures, yes, probably.)

I think it was a tongue in cheek swipe.

I'm not overly fussed on Trollope, largely based on a) what I read from Rovers fans (granted mainly this season when it got bad) b) uncertainty regarding his ability without a DOF in place c) My opinion is fan perception will be he isn't "the man for the job", we kind of need everyone pulling in the same direction from the off next year.

But I don't know who has applied that is 'better', if anyone. And I'd certainly not stamp my feet and sulk if he is hired.

I don't think PT would be bad as such. It just wouldn't inspire fresh hope straight away.

I'd give him time of course, but I can imagine some would be wanting to get on his back as quickly as possible.

Fair enough.

Toon are bigger than Sunderland too :)

Luc Nijholt ??

Let's hope it goes to someone without any stfc connections that wants to further their career - they will need to have sucess here before leaving

Or be a complete failure :)

DRS or STFU

Need someone in who can shake the club up and at least get the team playing with some passion.  Don't care who it is so long as at the end of next season we are at the right end of the table. 

As fans we do need to be patient though as after a season like this and with twelve players out of contract in the summer it may take more than a preseason for them to gel.

So who:

Has over 40 international caps
Played for STFC
Played in the top leagues in Germany, Scotland and Holland
Won "Coach of the Year" in his league
Would make some sense of the Robbie Fowler rumours

Where's that come from iffy?

Wot you talking about Willis?

One of: Off the top of my head / A reliable source / Someone who's mate's brother's son is in the academy and saw Billy Bodin's facebook page.

It's the internet. You're not allowed to ask for sources.

David Mitchell - recently relieved of managerial duties at Perth Glory. Good coach, terrible at recruiting players.

Well Nijholt played in Jockland and Holland. No international caps though.

If any past player/manager that is related to STFC history is taking a massive gamble. It will probably back fire.

Stayed on as Director of football at Perth Glory.

Robbie Fowler. You can blame the Adver plucking names out the air for that

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/sportlatest/9005062.Who_s_in_the_mix_for_the_top_job_/

blame might be a bit strong.  It may be the source though.

Just putting it out there, no rumour or anything, but what about George Burley.  Was on Talksport today talking about wanting to get back into the game.

just been tinned: http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/03/04/perth-glory-review-sees-mitchell-sacked/

Oh right, not heard that, seems like hes not had the best season there!

Wonder if Howard Webb could be tempted into a DoF role to form a dream team combo?

Though googling about Mitchell led me to Paul Okon? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Okon

Wouldn't David Mitchell be filming a new episode of peep-show soon? He could have the Johnson as assistant, that'd be ace.

I don't understand the need for STFC connections when considering the manager's position.  Hoddle, Ardiles, Macari, Wise (OK, sorry for mentioning Wise in the same sentence as the other three)...not one of these had any previous STFC connection before they came to us.  Jimmy Quinn did, though.

As long as he brings Big Suze in in some capacity I'm behind it.

George Burley?

Some deluded mong on the STFC Yahoo group setting a new benchmark for unrealistic targets.

"Why wouldn't Roberto Martinez manage us ? he was in div 3 with the Swans and he's out of his depth at premier level. He'd take us to the championship in 2 years and thats what the board are looking for. They will pay the money for the right man, they've learnt from their mistakes (they say) and they won't want any failed lower league man such as Trollope or Ling and some others that some fans would be happy to have here. I say get him if you can."

To many Town fans getting above their station pulling big names out of a hat thinking that they seriously would come to this League 2 club.

Personally I think we should get Kenny Daglish as he has turned Liverpool in to Champions League contenders yet the Premier League club dither giving him the full time job :-P

So did Iffy

Money is hot favourite my sauces tell me. ;)

Some old bloke in the pub last night was adamant that Paolo Sousa had applied for the job.

I like him. I would have him here in a heartbeat.

That would be a goodun

I'm not sure who I want in charge to be honest, I hope that when it was mentioned about needing stfc connections and having the club at heart this was said without thinking it through and they would appoint the person with the best credentials etc etc for the job.

May be worth a gamble, not the best record but has a good pedigree, young and maybe with a few contacts in Portugal too.

Worth a go IMO.

A couple of different names in the betting......

Michael Appleton, Kevin Blackwell, Mark McGee, John Hughes, Mark Kinsella, Uwe Rosler, John Still, Paul Cook, Iain Dowie and Ronnie Moore.

Where these betting companies get thier list of names from is beyond me!

Some real random names in there and also no mention of any odds on Paolo Sousa and thats in the odds up to 20/1.

Paolo Sousa? Please no.

Swansea fans hated him, and he didn't even manage 3 months at Leicester before they gave him the boot.

Which is a long time by Manderic standards.

Sousa would be a great appointment but i couldn't see him dropping to league 2.

The only other thing about Sousa that concerns me a little....he plays attacking attractive football, the ball on the floor and playing it out from the back with lots of short quick passing, can that work in the bottom division with players of a lower quality than hes used to playing with?

Oh and I doubt he would ever drop so low in the league to the level we are currentyl at.

You can understand why though.

I mean, he take take them to their highest league position in 27 years. They must have loathed the man for that!

He likes to play possession football, from the back etc. He gets the defence rock solid aswell. A bit like Gus Poyet at Brighton.

I would have him here in an instant. His managerial record is decent, he's young, hungry and done the lot as a player. He would have some good contacts too I would imagine.

Swansea fans hate anything that aint welsh or animal.

They adore leon fucking knight for christ sake

Yeah, what's Ty up to these days? 

Gooden for manager!

European scout for Arsenal.

Former Lillestrøm SK head coach, took them to the cup final and their highest league finishes in recent years. Fjørtoft was manager/director at the time as well.

He did well at Viking FK as well and was replaced by Solskjær at Molde.

I'd rather Trollope than Sousa. People probably only want Sousa because they have heard of him more than someone like Money or Trollope. Really he's probably a poorer manager than both.

Some people are strange....Sousa is noted for being as negative as Hart, yet there are those saying they'd like him here.. :(

I wouldn't want him at Town to be honest. Never rated him as a manager, but he is passionate and loves a good punt with the media.

I don't want Richard Money or Martin Ling either. I'd rather give Paul Bodin the chance rather than those two options.

My wishlist: A hungry young manager currently learning his trade as an assistant in PL og Championship. Although Wray has a good point that a new manager needs to have a certain loyalty. We don't want another (un)Wise situation!

I was thinking the same as well. Just dont get it. As I say i'd much rather have Trollope.

Not a fan of Sousa. Just because he's foreign everyone seems to think he's amazing and plays "continental" football. Overrated manager and dodgy hair.

I'm warming to the idea of trollope , he's took being called a (unt reasonably well every time he's been at the CG

Whoever it is thats the new manager I can guarantee that not even 50% of our fan base will be happy with the appointment.

We all have a preference and we all know who we wouldn't like and even those cross over massively from person to person.

Many people want Hoddle, many don't want him anywhere near the club.
Some people want Wise, some people don't want him anywhere near the club.
Lots of people want Sousa, lots of people don't want him.
Some people want Trollope, some people don't want him anywhere near the club......

You get the picture.

All I will say is that I hope they choose the next boss fairly soon so he can work out who he wants and who he can afford to keep and also who wants to stay at the club so we can plan for next season.

Who needs a manager? I like the idea of having the players all managing each other. 30 co-managers would be funny.

Spot on, lets just hope we all get behind the man.

I'll dont want Trollope or Ling but if one of them gets i'll be behind him 100%

So what if a manager plays a more defensive, cautious style? As long as he plays winning football who cares.

If Paul Hart won all of his games in charge 1-0 and kept us up would we be moaning about negative tactics? Of course we wouldn't!

I think it's more worrying that certain fans would want ex players to be in charge, regardless of whether they are capable of management or not.

Last season Swansea scored the second least goals in their history.....only a season in the 80's when they imploded post Toshack and dropped back to Div 4 being worse..they finished 7th, so ultimately not successful and it did their fans heads in.

Despite being historical small time...Town have had a fairly impressive array of strikers down the years...our fans like a goalscorer, that is how we should play....not fucking 1 up front in home games.

6 Pages and not one mention of Paul Ince.

it will be Uwe rosler cos its give me and norwayred something to circlke jerk over

They had the second best defence in the league, they finished 7th, 1 point off the play-offs and you don't think that's a successful season?

It about winning games of football, not about style of play, formations etc. it's all about results.

Nick Clegg could be looking for a new job in the morning. Only thing is I could see us getting hammered by the League if every week he hands the ref a teamsheet saying one side then plays a completely different set of players

 :D

You got to be impressed by Graham Westley's stats. I would fancy him as new manager, but I doubt he'll leave Stevenage.

Others out of contract: Tom Nordlie, Ivar Morten Nordmark or Kjell Jonevret?

I'd take Tom Nordlie.

[url width=460 height=350]http://i.imgur.com/oGCCD.jpg[/url]

Well they're still fond of Martinez and they're very happy with Brendan Rogers. Neither of those meet your criteria.

Also, they're pretty indifferent towards Leon Knight.

Sousa, however, they do not like. Somebody earlier in this thread said that he likes to play "attractive attacking football". That's simply not true. Although he finished just outside the play offs with Swansea, he turned a team full of players who were very capable of free flowing football into a defensive team who struggled to score goals. This wasn't what fans of Swansea were used to, and they didn't like it at all.

Swindon have a long tradition of playing decent football, although not so much in recent years. But at least, as Reg said, we've always had some good goal scorers. I don't want Sousa anywhere near our team. Just because he's Portuguese, people think he's the next Mourinho. He's not.