Next England manager

[BillyStubbsTears]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36766990

"He studies opposition's weaknesses, he knows his team's strengths and he plays to them."

THIS! This is the tactical genius to save his nation. I hear the shudders of fear across the football world, and the "Why? Why did we not think of this master plan for ourselves?" wails of horror.

f**k me. And to this that these are the people we have owning and running top clubs...

[DonnyOsmond]

He is the best English manager around though...

[BillyStubbsTears]

Donny

I'm not surprised.

I mean. He knows his own team's strengths! He studies opponents!

What more could you expect?

[DonnyNoel]

Never liked him at all but I'm massivley warming to him as a candidate based on the way the Euro's just went. Lots of nations that exceeded expectations did so by being organised and sticking to their best system - not the usual English way of "we'll pick our best players and surely we'll do ok against the lesser nations". Going on your argument that we're now a second tier power (which I fully agree with) then he's an ideal candidate as long as he can get the overpaid prima donnas to buy into the theory of sticking to a certain style/plan.

Again, whilst I've never warmed to him - he was one of the first English managers to ditch the 442 and heavily influenced Mourinho's 433/451 formation around a big brute up front. Also one of the first to buy into sports nutrition and performance analysts. Just because he's always kicked around the lower ends of the PL for most of his career doesn't make him the tactical dinsaur most people think he is. We've tried lots of different managers - why not one like this. Certainly worked for Wales.

[andyst79]

Would be a good appointment, he has the ability to get the best out of sh!t players so he will do well for England.

[rtid88]

Not the man for the job for me at all!! We need a radical change to the way our national team is managed and bringing in Big Sam will just be a continuation of the same dross we have seen for the last God knows how many years. Look how much West Ham have improved since he went and Slaven Bilic came in. For me we have to appoint a foreign manager as I just don't think there are any English managers out there at the minute that are suitable for the job. Either Klinsmann or Bilic for me!

[Jonathan]

I understand the slant of the opening post, absolutely. But the laughable thing is that we've fallen so far that we've just come out of a tournament where it seemed the manager was not aware of his best team, how to exploit their strengths or how to defend against those of the opposition (think back to the Iceland long throw).

Maybe we do need to just go back to the absolute basics.

I'd ordinarily have considered myself something of a football purist that would run a mile from the prospect of Sam Allardyce being in charge of one of the teams I support. But even I am warming to the idea. It is like an admission that we're sh!t and need to just peel it all back and get the basics right, it's also potentially a departure from the FA's long term strategy (whatever that is) but it would shake things up a bit. Some of our players clearly need shaking up and that's one of his main qualities. Maybe it's time for us to take a punt?

[bedale rover]

Wenger for me

[Bezza]

someone needs to be in place soon, can't see anybody exciting lets take a punt on Big Sam he wants the job give him a go ,he might surprise us.

[DearneValleyRover]

Does it matter who the manager is? I think we are losing sight of the main problem, our players aren't as good as they are made out to be. The media plays a massive part in over stating the quality of both the English players and the Premiership. For the most part the latter is full of average foreigners or those coming to the end of their careers and the former are the few English players who can get into a top tier team. The FA can bleat about winter breaks and a whole host of other factors in respect to the decline in English football but until there is a radical change within that organisation and a move away from the media hyped celebrity type attitude of those players picked for an England squad nothing will change.

[roversdude]

Can he coach players to be able to pass 5 yards, to not let ball go under foot, to deliver a set piece within the same postcode as the opposition penalty area

[grayx]

Can he coach players to be able to pass 5 yards, to not let ball go under foot, to deliver a set piece within the same postcode as the opposition penalty area

Leave Harry Kane out of this..

[rtid88]

Does it matter who the manager is? I think we are losing sight of the main problem, our players aren't as good as they are made out to be. The media plays a massive part in over stating the quality of both the English players and the Premiership. For the most part the latter is full of average foreigners or those coming to the end of their careers and the former are the few English players who can get into a top tier team. The FA can bleat about winter breaks and a whole host of other factors in respect to the decline in English football but until there is a radical change within that organisation and a move away from the media hyped celebrity type attitude of those players picked for an England squad nothing will change.

The fact is look at Wales, look at Iceland, and look at Portugal. None of these teams have a team full of world beaters but as a collective effort they have been able to get further in the tournament than what we did and obviously in Portugal case go on and win the tournament through working as a team and being trained with a clear plan and with a clear strategy. Yes Wales have Bale and Portugal have Ronaldo but we do have some good players. We just need a manager that is tactically good, can provide a plan of how to beat teams and stick to it! Hodgson was never that man and I really don't think Big Sam is that man. 

[grayx]

Bilic for me, with come kind of role for Shearer.

[DearneValleyRover]

Does it matter who the manager is? I think we are losing sight of the main problem, our players aren't as good as they are made out to be. The media plays a massive part in over stating the quality of both the English players and the Premiership. For the most part the latter is full of average foreigners or those coming to the end of their careers and the former are the few English players who can get into a top tier team. The FA can bleat about winter breaks and a whole host of other factors in respect to the decline in English football but until there is a radical change within that organisation and a move away from the media hyped celebrity type attitude of those players picked for an England squad nothing will change.

The fact is look at Wales, look at Iceland, and look at Portugal. None of these teams have a team full of world beaters but as a collective effort they have been able to get further in the tournament than what we did and obviously in Portugal case go on and win the tournament through working as a team and being trained with a clear plan and with a clear strategy. Yes Wales have Bale and Portugal have Ronaldo but we do have some good players. We just need a manager that is tactically good, can provide a plan of how to beat teams and stick to it! Hodgson was never that man and I really don't think Big Sam is that man. 

Its all down to attitude and I don't believe there is a collective one that can change the way we play in tournaments. Our system is flawed and I doubt that there is a single manager out there who can get a group of ego's to play to their potential

[Alan Southstand]

Does it matter who the manager is? I think we are losing sight of the main problem, our players aren't as good as they are made out to be.

We've had this discussion a while back, DVR, and I can go along with your sentiment re the players but, come on, even Donny could have defended that set-piece long throw (v Iceland). No, on 2nd thoughts, maybe not Donny - but you get my drift. Hodgson, as I've said previously, should have gone after the debacle that was Brazil, but then we all thought he'd found the secret formula, during our unbeaten qualifying campaign, but unfortunately he resorted to type as soon as the tournament started. He/they could not collectively cut it as soon as the pressure was cranked up a bit, but when you consider who he had around him, its no wonder really.

A bit of the old style ass kicking and ego busting tactics from Sam may just be what the doc ordered, but it can only be a short-term fix, surely?

[NickDRFC]

I agree that there's obviously a more deep-seated problem within the English game than purely the manager, but I'd als osuggest that Hodgson failed very badly at this tournament. In pretty much every aspect of international management - squad selection, team selection, game management, tactics, set pieces - he came up short.

Could we have won the tournament with somebody else in charge? Probably not. Could we have done significantly better with someone else in charge? Undoubtedly.

I'm not saying that a new manager can come in and make us world beaters but there is a promising set of players there that, if managed correctly, could turn into our best team in many years (probably not saying an awful lot!)

Unfortunately I've no idea really who the right man is. And sadly I don't think those in the position of power do either.

[rtid88]

Does it matter who the manager is? I think we are losing sight of the main problem, our players aren't as good as they are made out to be. The media plays a massive part in over stating the quality of both the English players and the Premiership. For the most part the latter is full of average foreigners or those coming to the end of their careers and the former are the few English players who can get into a top tier team. The FA can bleat about winter breaks and a whole host of other factors in respect to the decline in English football but until there is a radical change within that organisation and a move away from the media hyped celebrity type attitude of those players picked for an England squad nothing will change.

The fact is look at Wales, look at Iceland, and look at Portugal. None of these teams have a team full of world beaters but as a collective effort they have been able to get further in the tournament than what we did and obviously in Portugal case go on and win the tournament through working as a team and being trained with a clear plan and with a clear strategy. Yes Wales have Bale and Portugal have Ronaldo but we do have some good players. We just need a manager that is tactically good, can provide a plan of how to beat teams and stick to it! Hodgson was never that man and I really don't think Big Sam is that man. 

Its all down to attitude and I don't believe there is a collective one that can change the way we play in tournaments. Our system is flawed and I doubt that there is a single manager out there who can get a group of ego's to play to their potential

The German system was flawed 10 years ago and Klinsmann came in and helped to completely restructure the whole system. However if this last tournament is anything to go by exciting International football is pretty much done the world over!

[arkseyrover]

For me some of that German machine mentality is what we need. Always get to the semis at least. Are well organised. Play as a team. Have flair. Do the basics very well. Are not afraid to be inventive and try something different when needed. And are brilliant at penalties. Bring on Klinsman or some other German contender.

The problem though is much deeper than the England team and the old b*stards at the FA haven't got the bottle to tackle the real issues. As has been said on here already we need to change the over hyped focus on the so called best league in the world that is full of self interest, awash with money, controlled by foreign owners and full of second rate English players who are vastly overpaid and believe they are better than they really are. Oh and the legions of foreign mercenaries who are brought in that prevent our own young players developing.

[DearneValleyRover]

Alan I'm not doubting that the coaching didn't help but these players are supposed to be the elite they are certainly payed that way and lauded as such yet not one of them took responsibility on the pitch, no leadership no realisation that they needed to play with pace the problem is far deeper than the manager. I'm not against Allerdyce I just don't believe it will make much of a difference if we qualify for the World Cup finals. Expectations will be overly hyped in order to reap as much financial reward they can before the inevitable failure.

[glosterred]

If big Sam is the answer, we're screwed

[ravenrover]

It creases me every time a pundit/commentator says Why can't player X play like he does for his club team? It's because he plays in a team full of foreign players that make him look good. I.e. Harry Kane, where would he be without the likes of Ericcson, Lamella, Dembele and the same goes for the majority of England's players in their respective teams.
Give the job to Allardyce let him build a disciplined team that can grind out results against the rest of the world, even if that means looking at the odd player from the Championship now that would be controversial!

[arkseyrover]

'Unfortunately I've no idea really who the right man is. And sadly I don't think those in the position of power do either'

Not sure Nick that those people with the power have any interest in solving the problem. In fact they are the problem while ever they bury their heads draw their fat salaries and enjoy their privileged positions. Why should they change?

[silent majority]

'Unfortunately I've no idea really who the right man is. And sadly I don't think those in the position of power do either'

Not sure Nick that those people with the power have any interest in solving the problem. In fact they are the problem while ever they bury their heads draw their fat salaries and enjoy their privileged positions. Why should they change?

I would disagree with that. The FA are a not for profit organisation and need the income in order to sustain what they do in terms of grass roots football and the multitude of other projects they finance. They don't have the resources like the PL but what they do have is the national team and FA Cup, that's where they get their money. If the national team don't qualify for competitions they cant find sponsorship nor can they claim the TV rights from participating in the tournaments.

The problem isn't whether they care, they obviously do, the problem is they need reform, and that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

[Jonathan]

Allardyce would be a good choice, but would probably struggle with the billy big b*llocks mentalities of England players.

And I doubt he'd be all singing and dancing when the FA come out with their usual academy/development clap-trap. Nor will he allow a bunch of old farts, including Trevor Brooking, to interfere as much as they'd like.

I still think the nodding dog that is Gareth Southgate will get the job.

Do you ever compile a sentence without an overtly negative and / or cynical tone? Is this the way they teach sports journalism now or just your niche?

Anyhow, for what it's worth:

Allardyce has managed egos before and the notion that he'll struggle to cope with the England players is contrary to the later suggestion that he won't dance to the tune of the FA. For better or worse, I don't think he will ever be dictated to and if players didn't like it then they wouldn't be picked.

There may be problems that need to be addressed regarding elements of the FA's grassroots and development programmes but to dismiss the concept as clap-trap is nonsense. A well directed and resourced development programme is positive in any walk of life.

I'm not sure what direct interference 'old fart' Trevor Brooking provided in respect of our recent tournament failure. Perhaps you could enlighten us?

Do you really think Gareth Southgate will get the job? Or is it simply the least inspiring option you can think of?

[PDX_Rover]

Surely the FA are ultimately responsible for the continued failure of England in tournaments? It's no good chafing the manager every couple of years if the powers that be have no clue is it?

[idler]

If a manager fails having been given the right tools to do the job then the people choosing him have failed.
The FA needs a complete overhaul of the hierarchy in my opinion.
We need a total rethink.

[arkseyrover]

come on SM. Surely even you can't stick up for the old b*stards who have been responsible for providing us with the sh*te that the England team and its failed managers have served up over the past decades! Or you may just take comfort in enjoying the fact that they are non profit making and do a good service to grass roots football! A bit like Rovers being a fourth tier club but happy that they are thought to be a good family club working for the community. We want winners and entertainment. Your loyalty is unbelievable. You'll be sticking up for the Great God Gavin next!

[Move DRFC]

It will be good to have a manager who is organised, well drilled and who will be able to motivate players, unlike Hodgson the drab. It could work out well with Big Sam.

[Sammy Chung was King]

If he is such a good manager, why did'nt Gold hold onto him?. He is a forward thinking manager, he was probably the first english manager, to use stats to help make decisions on players and tactics and when to rest a player.
People look at him, and think 'Good old big sam, he's good at keeping teams up and managing small sides'!. The problem is he hasn't been given the opportunity to manage one of the top sides, newcastle was his biggest appointment.
 And he really lost that job because of mike ashley taking over. And in the long run they would have been better sticking with him. Before that he had been offered the man city job, but shinawatra took over, so he lost the chance!.

If you look at winning percentages over his career, they are not that impressive, but you have to take into account the clubs he has managed.
A lot of unfashionable clubs, that needed mending, almost every club he has been at, he has improved them, and when he has left the club tend to go backwards.
His two most successful periods, were at Blackpool and Bolton, where he had a forty odd percent win ratio. If you remember both clubs were both in a real mess before he took them on.
He gets his 'long ball' reputation from the bolton period, and it is a fair assessment of how they played, for most of the time he was there.  Near the end of his reign, money was released a bit more and he got technically brilliant players in such as Okocha, Hierro and Campo, the team started mixing a tough physical style with some really good football.

Arsene Wenger started most of the long ball stuff, because he was bleating, because sam and his team had Arsenal's number, they took some really important points off them.
Tactically he more often than not outwitted Wenger, one of the best tacticians supposedly in the game.
He has gone into some hopeless situations as a 'fire fighter', with teams practically relegated, and he is still yet to be in charge of a premier league side that got relegated !.
How many times have you thought, 'He won't do it this time'?, but everytime he has. Sunderland looked certainties, to go down, but with the limited budget given, he got the right ones in, and saved them.

Here's where it becomes dodgy for him getting the job. He has very little european experience, no international experience, he can't transfer players in and out when things go wrong. He will have the same pool of players that Roy Hodgson had.
Would you give him the opportunity, that he has always wanted?, the man has strived to get the job, he has shown massive disappointment when he has lost out before.
 Here is a man that wants the challenge, it's not all about the money, he thinks his management of players is better than those before him who failed. And i have to say everywhere he goes, practically every player, plays to his potential, he gets the best from players.

He leaves no stone unturned in knowing the opposition, playing to his own players strengths, tactically he has outwitted a fair few legends of the managerial game.
 No manager enjoys playing against his sides, they know they will have to work very hard to beat his teams.
For me there is no doubt, he is the best english manager, capable of doing the job. He loves the game, loves a challenge, and i have never heard of problems with players, not doing what he asks them to.
He is a disciplinarian while also making things enjoyable, people like playing for him. Out of currently serving english managers he is the only choice.
 I do have doubts over whether he can step up and outwit the top managers in the world, but he has done it in the premier league, so if we do go for an english manager, then other than my personal choice Glenn Hoddle, he is the man for the job!.