Had Howard Kendall stayed how far would City have gone?

[Blue Streak]

This is a question I have thought about time and time again since that evening he left and returned to Goodison Park.

For me personally we haven't had a manager since that's drastically improved City so dramatically as he did. Yes I know we are currently Champions but the resources available now are a different planet to those he had to contend with.

The way he took Machins ailing team, brought in shrewd signings and kept us up, then left us pushing towards the top of the table was (on reflection) absolutely brilliant.

I know he wasn't a success after but I genuinely believe he was building something at Maine Road and I was saddened both by the way he left and when he left.

 

[Anonymous]

Just reading Kendalls wikipedia page , and this surprising snippet of info is there ......

'He remains the last English manager to win a European competition with an English club'

 

[how soon is now]

Have thought about this occasionally myself over the years and I feel we would have won the league under him as if you remember a the season when leeds won it who were no great shakes think palace and wednesday were top 5 also liverpool were in decline (still not recovered) and utd were still rebuilding so I think we may have won it at least once.

 

[buzzer1]

All the way.

 

[baildon blue]

We wouldnt have won the league with Kendall in charge.1 Of the reasons we were drawing a lot of matches away from home champions dont draw matches ask Mark Hughes

 

[spacecadet]

Mr Swales would have fucked it up.

 

[Blue Streak]

Just reading Kendalls wikipedia page , and this surprising snippet of info is there ......

'He remains the last English manager to win a European competition with an English club'

Indeed! The ECWC against Rapid Vienna in 1985. Good spot that Mamba.<br /><br />-- Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:53 pm --<br /><br />

We wouldnt have won the league with Kendall in charge.1 Of the reasons we were drawing a lot of matches away from home champions dont draw matches ask Mark Hughes

We wouldn't have ended up in the third division either at the end of the decade had he stayed.

 

[City 1 Chelsea 1 1971]

Have thought about this occasionally myself over the years and I feel we would have won the league under him as if you remember a the season when leeds won it who were no great shakes think palace and wednesday were top 5 also liverpool were in decline (still not recovered) and utd were still rebuilding so I think we may have won it at least once.

Tricky because he bought well, but he also brought a few short term signings who helped us progress, but would have needed moving on pretty soon.

If anything his departure made Peter Reid look a far better Manager and receive far more credit than he probably deserved.

United and Leeds were both pulling away from City towards the end of 91-92 and Reid was getting bogged down with long ball tactics and petty fall-outs with some of the Senior players.

Would Kendall have exhausted the entire transfer kitty on Curle and Phelan when we were crying out for a creative midfielder?

We will never know

 

[Pubteam Lomas]

Have thought about this occasionally myself over the years and I feel we would have won the league under him as if you remember a the season when leeds won it who were no great shakes think palace and wednesday were top 5 also liverpool were in decline (still not recovered) and utd were still rebuilding so I think we may have won it at least once.

Totally agree.
I have always maintained we would've won the league under Kendall. We were solid throughout the team and while Mark Ward was not particularly popular with some supporters, he was typical of a team that worked hard and ground out results. Just felt we were a little short of a top quality goalscorer to take the pressure of Quinny, but I think Kendall was aware of that. Although he did baffle some supporters by continuously playing Adrian Heath over Clive Allen.

 

[Blue Streak]

Have thought about this occasionally myself over the years and I feel we would have won the league under him as if you remember a the season when leeds won it who were no great shakes think palace and wednesday were top 5 also liverpool were in decline (still not recovered) and utd were still rebuilding so I think we may have won it at least once.

Tricky because he bought well, but he also brought a few short term signings who helped us progress, but would have needed moving on pretty soon.

If anything his departure made Peter Reid look a far better Manager and receive far more credit than he probably deserved.

United and Leeds were both pulling away from City towards the end of 91-92 and Reid was getting bogged down with long ball tactics and petty fall-outs with some of the Senior players.

Would Kendall have exhausted the entire transfer kitty on Curle and Phelan when we were crying out for a creative midfielder?

We will never know

Excellent points and logic suggests the answer is no. He'd already sorted us out at the back and his Everton team contained some excellent midfield players.