A scenario

JohnMaddocksAxe

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30 Apr 2008
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Picture this.

In two weeks time Sam Alladyce knocks on the door of John Williams.

"John, I have some concerning news", says Fat Sam.

"I've come to the conclusion that the squad you have here is not good enough. I can't be expected to work with this. It is impossible for me to get results with them and until you provide me with £150m to buy a completely new team then this club is doomed to shocking results."

"John, I'm a man of high standards. I've worked with players like Ivan Campo and Kevin Davies in the past. What do you expect me to do with this lot?"

"Yes, Pederson and Roberts might have talent but I'm more ambitious than that John. I want better players, players of my own choosing. I can't believe you expect me to get results with players that I haven't bought."

"I refuse to take responsibility for any results until you provide me with this money, John, so get your wallet out. Until you do then things won't get any better and there's nothing I can do about it"

So Williams replies:

"Sam, we brought you here on the strength of what you've done in the past. You've worked with limited players, done good things with them and gradually evolved your squad over time, when budgets allow it."

"We need you to develop something here Sam. Establish a rapport with the players. make them get results for you. Sure, some of them were poor under Ince but you're a top manager Sam. We expect you to be able to get more out of them, use your managerial skills to advance them, make the environment easier for everyone to get results, make average players good and good players better."

"That's why we believe in you, Sam. We didn't get you because we thought you would be a good man to throw £200m at players and spunk money at anything that is available. We got you because you have shown good managerial qualities in the past and we believe you have what it takes to make something here."

"We'll give you some money, Sam. But we cn't just replace 3/4 of a squad at the drop of a hat. No manager in history has ever been able to do that. Managers work with what they've got and then improve when they can. You can't just say it's nothing to do with you until they are all your signings, Sam"

Sam replies:

"John, they were shit under Ince. Therefore they are going to be shit under me. What do you expect?"

"Work with them, Sam. Get their confidence. Show them the way to win, use you managerial skills. It's not fantasy football, Sam. We're not paying you this big wage just to pick players out of a catalogue. You have to work with what's here too" says John.

Sam gets up.

"£200m for a new squad or you're fucked, John. Your choice."




Is Sam justified in saying that it's nothing to do with him until John gives him a truck load of money or should he accept responsibility for keeping Blackburn up with the current squad and a few additions that he can get in January?
 
And yes, this relates to our current situation as it seems that this is exactly the situation we would be in if the Arabs hadn't turned up out of nowhere nd we were under the same constraints that were in place when Hughes accepted the job.
 
Interesting parallel and there's definitely room to criticize Hughes for the way in which he's handled certain elements within the squad.

But the reality is that Hughes has the money, and the owners want success.

How about this for a sample conversation...

Sheikh Mansoor: So Mark, we're the new owners. We want success. We understand that it can't be bought overnight, but we want to know which areas of the squad need strengthening.

Hughes: Well, to be honest, all of them.

Sheikh Mansoor: What are the problem areas.

Hughes: Most of the players we have are average, and the squad is terribly unbalanced.

Sheikh Mansoor: Well, in January you can address this.

Hughes: How much will I have to spend?

Sheikh Mansoor: Money is not relevant. You spend the next few months identifying who you want in, and who you want out, and we will back you in January.

Fast forward three months...

Sheikh Mansoor: Results have been terrible and morale seems really low. What on earth is going on...

Hughes: The squad's unbalanced and inconsistent. I told you that when you bought the club. We're capable of beating Pompey and Hull by a bag full of goals...but when the players have to battle and scrap for points, too many of them just go missing. Sven had the same problem last season. The problem now is, they know they're at the richest club in the world, and they know that a raft of them are going to be replaced. They simply don't care.

Sheikh Mansoor: So what shall we do?

Hughes: Replace the inconsistent players with better ones.

Sheikh Mansoor: Here's my cheque book...make it work Mark.

Hughes: Will do...

See, it's easy doing role play exercises!
 
meldrew said:
What about meeting halfway?

This John Williams seems like a right cnut.

Can't wait for the next episode though!

Ha, quality reply to what is after all another thinly disguised Hughes Out thread though I admit JMA is right about no-one ever being allowed to replace 3/4 of a top tier team.
 
When the Shiek states he wants improvements and success, Billy, is that 'winning the league' success, or is it 'mid table security and maybe winning a couple of cup games' success?

Granted, the one legitimate thing that I can see some sense in is that some players know they are going to be replaced.

However, this happens at many clubs where a new manager comes in. Some players sulk, many knuckle down and wait for their move, others try to convince the manager they should stay, often after being told tht if they are doing well enough then there's a chance (Ireland?).

The difficult part about that scenario for me is that the likes of Richards, Hart, maybe Dunne, Onouha as a prospect, Jo as a prospect, Elano, Sturridge, etc all have the potential to be good enough to be part of at least the short to medium term plans here. Whether that's the next 12 months or the next 3 years.

Yet we are asked to believe that on mass they are all part of the huge percentage of this squad who apparently have decided to down tools and that no matter what they do are going to be sold down the river.

If they honestly believe this, which is what we are now asked to believe, then doesn't that suggest that the manager has failed to convince them that he sees their value or potential to be part of any medium term plans?

And isn't that exactly what a manager should do to make sure that current performance stay acceptable and players continue to strive to do their best until such time that they leave the club?
 
I have been saying all this for ages now. When Hughes joined us we had no money, he would have been told that for the first 12 months he works with the players he has got and needs to get us higher in the league and winning cup games. Yet he still got to buy 7 players in the summer, spending more money than any other Prem Manager and we have gone backwards.....
 
The club were going down as a whole under Sven, performances in the second half of the season were crap(The odd one of two decent one's), players attitudes were questioned and there was general hysteria around the place(Agents, Family members and friends at Carrington).

Hughes is doing his best to change this by weeding out the shite and changing the attitude of the club as a whole to be more professional and workmanlike.

I support him and other fans should too.
 
meldrew said:
The club were going down as a whole under Sven, performances in the second half of the season were crap(The odd one of two decent one's), players attitudes were questioned and there was general hysteria around the place(Agents, Family members and friends at Carrington).

Hughes is doing his best to change this by weeding out the shite and changing the attitude of the club as a whole to be more professional and workmanlike.

I support him and other fans should too.


Yes, but do you think that Sam, or any other manager, is correct in saying that results and perfomances are nothing to do with him and can't improve until he gets 3/4s of a new squad?

Is this fair, realistic or the actions of a quality manager?

That's what I'm asking on this thread
 

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