so much hangs on this new coach working out

[ted1965]

Its been another chaotic beginning to a season and left more questions and very few answers to where this club is going or what the future holds.

Jon Walters has put his head in the noose and his call to replace SS should be a make or break moment for him I want the new coach to be a roaring success and wish him every success, the club needs a lift off after the last 8 years.

Though if you look at this club from the outside we would be the envy of many clubs in theory but why isn’t reality such a success.

We are owned by a very rich family who support the club genuinely, they are local lifelong supporters who want to bring the success back to the club. Peter Coates had two very different periods and outcomes with his ownership of this club, many supporters now won’t remember the anger and frustration during his first tenure. His second coming was glorious 10 years back in the top flight, an FA Cup final and European adventure. since we came down it really has been so different. JC has not been a success yet despite many rests, lets hope this latest one actually gives hi9m some better rewards.

TP was a very marmite character but he brought relative success but he was running out of steam and was rightly replace and things just got better. Conservative top 10 finishes under Hughes and some amazing players and football, until he lost his nerve and since then it has been all downhill.

The process since relegation has been one of stagnation and nothing seems to change things.

RECRUITMENT

Mark Hughes went from signing Shaqiri, Marko, Bojan and Muniesa to chasing a busted flush in Berahino a player who was an 18 month wonder but by the time we were desperately trying to sign him, he was a waste of effort and time and yet we kept persuading him and we all know the rest. Wimmer we didn’t need him and he walked into the club like a Goodyear Blimp and would have been more use as one at least we might have made some money if we used him to advertise how gullible we were.

After relegation it got worse thanks to Gary Rowett, we plumped for a manager who had never achieved any actual success and with an ego of Brian Clough. This has been a joke and not a very funny one. A procession of yesterday’s leavings and who were once decent plodding around in a red and white striped shirt stealing a living while giving very little back to the supporters.
So far the only manager who can hold his head up is MON, he at last prevented self-destruction and managed to offload a lorry load of absolute donkeys and give the club a chance for a reset.

I am not going to include SS because he wasn’t here long enough and there were some positive signs but still the same lethargic performances left you scratching your head.

I see someone has asked questions about the players fitness levels and it is glaringly obvious since we came down. So many times the players look completely gassed by 50 minutes and seem incapable of putting in 2 performances of similar quality. Every time you think we have turned a corner something immediately goes wrong. it is not a new thing its been the case since we came down, we look slow and ponderous and it never changes no matter who is in charge or who is playing.

Our defenders make the same suicidal decisions time and time again, it doesn’t; matter what the names are on the shirts it seems they become afflicted with Stoke syndrome. How many times so we miss tackles, clear the ball like it’s a bomb, leave gaping holes for the opposition to enjoy. The reality we have given away so many points through situations that were very solvable.

The new coach has a hell of a job, for his and our sakes I hope he really is something special but he will need to be. If he fails and things go wrong then Jon Walters has to follow him through the door as it was clearly his call to pull the trigger.

We have some exciting players in the squad but how long before they become tainted with the Stoke malaise since relegation. Berger already seems to have contracted it.

As for goals I hope Cannon is a lot better than he has looked so far because his first few efforts have been underwhelming.

I have supported this club for longer than I care to remember and maybe its age but I no longer get angry merely shrug my shoulders and find something else to enjoy after yet another display of self-destruction both on and off the field. I really hope in 6 months this has aged about as well as my eyesight and I look like a whinging clown at the sheer genius of this new coach and a team that are entertaining me and winning in equal measure but sadly I won’t be holding my breath as blue doesn’t really suit me.

[maninasuitcase]

Agree with the MON bit.
Probably the rare glimmer of home in sea of mediocrity since we got relegated.
His work in binning a a large chunk of the rubbish while blooding youth was big positive.

Shame he broke a winning formula in the end.

[flea79]

you missed out a few words on the shambles that was QSF and how we ended up with Paul Bloody Shambert, his tactic according to Crouch was get the ball to Shaq and see what happens

[mcw]

Every chance we break him before we see if he is any good or not. After Friday he probably thinks the whole squad needs therapy and sessions with a hypnotist to extract the fear and nerves they are all exhibiting when the ball comes near them.

[Fred Merger]

You also left out the absolute disaster which was Nathan Jones!

[ted1965]

I just wanted to forget jones, AN, and the man who was not the plan Lambert.

[OldStokie]

Good post Ted. Pretty much sums up what has happened and how most of us feel. Supporters are now attending with hope and not expectation. Hope is a strange thing. A drowning man will cling to hope even when his last breath is leaving him. Here's hoping the new manager can save us from drowning.

OS.

[noustie]

I'd be amazed if he is still in charge before this year's Strictly Come Dancing finishes.

Hull are shit and could have given us a couple more with what was supposed to be a new manager bounce. Boro away then a tricky October - this has the potential to be an absolute cluster fuck.

[jhstoke91]

Sept 23, 2024 10:54:08 GMT mcw said:

Every chance we break him before we see if he is any good or not. After Friday he probably thinks the whole squad needs therapy and sessions with a hypnotist to extract the fear and nerves they are all exhibiting when the ball comes near them.

Mike bassett-esque? We are better than the Mexicans

[Gods]

Sept 23, 2024 11:59:05 GMT noustie said:

I'd be amazed if he is still in charge before this year's Strictly Come Dancing finishes.

Hull are shit and could have given us a couple more with what was supposed to be a new manager bounce. Boro away then a tricky October - this has the potential to be an absolute cluster fuck.

Perfect timing for the audacious appointment of Craig Revel Horwood in to the head coach role then!

[seths]

Sept 23, 2024 11:59:05 GMT noustie said:

I'd be amazed if he is still in charge before this year's Strictly Come Dancing finishes.

Hull are shit and could have given us a couple more with what was supposed to be a new manager bounce. Boro away then a tricky October - this has the potential to be an absolute cluster fuck.

I doubt the new new fella had much of an input into that one given he only arrived a couple of days before, but he will need to show some signs of improvement quickly or things are going to get very ugly.

[ted1965]

If he can stop the defensive unit doing the funky chicken it will be a start. We will be running out to the MASH theme if this goes wrong

[mamathestriker]

I think the biggest thing which concerns me is the huge element of risk we've taken.

We've essentially replaced an inexperienced head coach, with one with no experience. Being a first team coach is very different to being the top dog.

My gut feeling is it won't end well, although for obvious reasons I really hope I'm wrong there. And Pelach gets my full support, it's unfair for him not to. And if this does go south, I wouldn't blame him.

If it doesn't work out, it'll put Walters in an extremely difficult position. I wasn't really enamoured with Schumacher, but this season I think we'd have stabilised under him, which it feels like we need a season of.

I'm quite mad at the decision makers to be honest, it all feels very much like a lottery now as to what'll happen.

[Mr_DaftBurger]

Sept 23, 2024 12:12:27 GMT Gods said:

Sept 23, 2024 11:59:05 GMT noustie said:

I'd be amazed if he is still in charge before this year's Strictly Come Dancing finishes.

Hull are shit and could have given us a couple more with what was supposed to be a new manager bounce. Boro away then a tricky October - this has the potential to be an absolute cluster fuck.

Perfect timing for the audacious appointment of Craig Revel Horwood in to the head coach role then!

Dee zast orrrr!

[mamathestriker]

One bright hope about Pelach the other night was, I thought it already looked like we had some semblance of tactics, in the first half anyway.

Fitness remains our biggest issue as we simply can't carry promising first halves into decent second ones.

[noustie]

Sept 23, 2024 12:19:02 GMT seths said:

Sept 23, 2024 11:59:05 GMT noustie said:

I'd be amazed if he is still in charge before this year's Strictly Come Dancing finishes.

Hull are shit and could have given us a couple more with what was supposed to be a new manager bounce. Boro away then a tricky October - this has the potential to be an absolute cluster fuck.

I doubt the new new fella had much of an input into that one given he only arrived a couple of days before, but he will need to show some signs of improvement quickly or things are going to get very ugly.

Yeah doubt he managed to get much across but partly because of that had hoped there'd be more 'lets show the new guy' type response but it was more insipid than previously which has alarm bells ringing straight off.

Always suspected the old charity bus would come out and they'd pinch a draw but the second half capitulation was unbelievable in the circumstances really. Hull had no form, no confidence yet when they brought that Miller (?) on second half he ran riot despite being wank and we had no response at all to it.

My knickers are sodden piss wet through.

[questionable]

Firmly of the opinion that the new coach will be an absolute disaster, we’re kidding ourselves if we think that anyone can get the current crop to perform.

Friday’s standard will be the norm in my opinion

Gone by Xmas is my guess.

[mamathestriker]

Sept 23, 2024 13:01:19 GMT questionable said:

Firmly of the opinion that the new coach will be an absolute disaster, we’re kidding ourselves if we think that anyone can get the current crop to perform.

Friday’s standard will be the norm in my opinion

Gone by Xmas is my guess.

Why do you think that? Not saying you're wrong but genuinely interested.

[flea79]

Sept 23, 2024 12:22:28 GMT mamathestriker said:

I think the biggest thing which concerns me is the huge element of risk we've taken.

We've essentially replaced an inexperienced head coach, with one with no experience. Being a first team coach is very different to being the top dog.

My gut feeling is it won't end well, although for obvious reasons I really hope I'm wrong there. And Pelach gets my full support, it's unfair for him not to. And if this does go south, I wouldn't blame him.

If it doesn't work out, it'll put Walters in an extremely difficult position. I wasn't really enamoured with Schumacher, but this season I think we'd have stabilised under him, which it feels like we need a season of.

I'm quite mad at the decision makers to be honest, it all feels very much like a lottery now as to what'll happen.

i do foresee a Birmingham at home moment at some point this season, it could get really ugly really quickly..

[mamathestriker]

Sept 23, 2024 14:31:17 GMT flea79 said:

Sept 23, 2024 12:22:28 GMT mamathestriker said:

I think the biggest thing which concerns me is the huge element of risk we've taken.

We've essentially replaced an inexperienced head coach, with one with no experience. Being a first team coach is very different to being the top dog.

My gut feeling is it won't end well, although for obvious reasons I really hope I'm wrong there. And Pelach gets my full support, it's unfair for him not to. And if this does go south, I wouldn't blame him.

If it doesn't work out, it'll put Walters in an extremely difficult position. I wasn't really enamoured with Schumacher, but this season I think we'd have stabilised under him, which it feels like we need a season of.

I'm quite mad at the decision makers to be honest, it all feels very much like a lottery now as to what'll happen.

i do foresee a Birmingham at home moment at some point this season, it could get really ugly really quickly..

Really hope not. I can see us panicking and appointing an experienced manager at some point.

[flea79]

Sept 23, 2024 14:39:44 GMT mamathestriker said:

Sept 23, 2024 14:31:17 GMT flea79 said:

i do foresee a Birmingham at home moment at some point this season, it could get really ugly really quickly..

Really hope not. I can see us panicking and appointing an experienced manager at some point.

if it gets to anywhere near the levels of last years relegation scrap it could snap, we are only one hammering away from full protest, sacking SS could be the straw that breaks the camels back, piss poor results and performances could be the elephant trampling on the remains left in the road

sod the gravity crocodile we have the roadkill elephant

[prestwichpotter]

We'll get a sense of what he offers this weekend after a full week on the training ground. Let's give him time to implement his ideas at least.....

[gingerninja]

Agree entirely with Prestwich, I only hope he doesn't bombard them with too much info and confuse the poor souls, they looked bamboozled by Schueys inverted full backs.

[Fred Merger]

He needs to recognise the key issues with the defence and midfield to start with. Tchamadeu and Wilmot need taking out of the equation. Burger and also Bae Junho also need omitting. Cannon obviously needs minutes to sharpen up with Manhoef and Koumas either side of him.

[pavel]

The only thing that should hang is our senior managers heads in shame for the last eight years of mismanagement.

Nice post by the way Ted.

[prestwichpotter]

Sept 23, 2024 14:49:11 GMT gingerninja said:

Agree entirely with Prestwich, I only hope he doesn't bombard them with too much info and confuse the poor souls, they looked bamboozled by Schueys inverted full backs.

Phillips and Moran (possibly Seko/Sidibe also) would automatically give the team more energy if selected.

There wasn't too much wrong with our first half against Hull and we broke the lines really well creating lots of opportunities, it's about being able to maintain that for more of the 90 minutes, cutting out individual errors and being more clinical when we're on top in a game.

But easy to say but not always easy to do.......

[pavel]

Sept 23, 2024 14:56:51 GMT prestwichpotter said:

Sept 23, 2024 14:49:11 GMT gingerninja said:

Agree entirely with Prestwich, I only hope he doesn't bombard them with too much info and confuse the poor souls, they looked bamboozled by Schueys inverted full backs.

Phillips and Moran (possibly Seko/Sidibe also) would automatically give the team more energy if selected.

There wasn't too much wrong with our first half against Hull and we broke the lines really well creating lots of opportunities, it's about being able to maintain that for more of the 90 minutes, cutting out individual errors and being more clinical when we're on top in a game.

But easy to say but not always easy to do.......

Yep but how long have we being saying that, reasons to be hopeful, not really.

[prestwichpotter]

Sept 23, 2024 14:59:45 GMT pavel said:

Sept 23, 2024 14:56:51 GMT prestwichpotter said:

Phillips and Moran (possibly Seko/Sidibe also) would automatically give the team more energy if selected.

There wasn't too much wrong with our first half against Hull and we broke the lines really well creating lots of opportunities, it's about being able to maintain that for more of the 90 minutes, cutting out individual errors and being more clinical when we're on top in a game.

But easy to say but not always easy to do.......

Yep but how long have we being saying that, reasons to be hopeful, not really.

the past is the past, it's up to the new coach to get that extra 10/20% out of the players at his disposal.....

[pavel]

Sept 23, 2024 15:03:17 GMT prestwichpotter said:

Sept 23, 2024 14:59:45 GMT pavel said:

Yep but how long have we being saying that, reasons to be hopeful, not really.

the past is the past, it's up to the new coach to get that extra 10/20% out of the players at his disposal.....

It is but it seems to be Groundhog Day for ever here at Stoke. The future seems always be a replay of the past.

[thornestein]

Sept 23, 2024 14:45:35 GMT prestwichpotter said:

We'll get a sense of what he offers this weekend after a full week on the training ground. Let's give him time to implement his ideas at least.....

he needs till at least the November internationals to see what he’s really about , though i’m extremely concerned about his lack of experience