New manager

One thing's became more and more apparent in recent years: it's not just the quality of coaching, tactics and man-management that's crucial, but CONTACTS too. So Grant's connections, and especially those of Duffy, meant player after player was signed from the SPL.

The reason why us going after Staunton makes sense (though I also think it'd be an absurd gamble to appoint him) is two fold. First, he's on a shoogly peg with Ireland: incredibly unpopular with press and public, and his players plainly don't respect him either. As soon as they can't mathematically qualify for Euro 2008 (ie. sometime over the next nine days), he'll be gone. But the best he could then do would be a Championship club, and not one of those doing well either: he'd have to make a success in such a post to maintain a managerial career.

And on our part, we'd clearly be attracted by the contacts he's bound to have, presumably with former teammates etc. I'm not talking League of Ireland players here: I AM talking clubs who his former teammates now manage. As I said though, I think it'd be ludicrous if we give him the job - and just what is our board's problem with English managers anyway? Megson was the last one!

Thankfully though, Staunton isn't the only candidate - I'm trying to find out more, and will post as and when I do.

Posted By: thebigfeller, Oct 8, 23:42:06