Freedman better than Big Sam

doffcocker wrote:
The most he could do is take us on a late run, which we already know he's capable of, because he did it last season.

Yes, a late run to League 1 - much more likely than the play-offs.

bwfc1874 wrote:There was no 'big budget' at Bolton for most of Allardyce's reign Lust, he got us up and kept us up on next to nothing. He also did a few good jobs before us, at Blackpool where he still has the highest win percentage of any manager there, he also got Notts County promoted with a record points margin.

That said I agree he'd probably struggle on the budget Dougie's working with.

I think that's wrong 1874. Allardyce brought in players on gigantic wages. It was great to see the likes of Djorkieff, Okocha, Campo and a host of other stars playing for us, but they were on huge money.

Did their performances justify the salaries though? I'd say yes, they also brought an unprecedented amount of success to the club and seeing as after said success we were able to buy the likes of Anelka I'd guess that the financial rewards of becoming an established premier league side and playing in Europe paid for their salaries.

In comparison to the clubs we were competing with our budget was tiny.

Under Sam we paid a lot for salaries, but picked up quite a few players on free transfers and I agree it worked for a while as a financial strategy. Problem was in abandoning the previous managers strategy of buying for nothing, developing the players and selling them on for a (often huge) profit, we ended up with a lot of players at the end of their careers, with little coming through the ranks.
The market changed during Sam's time and it got to a point when other clubs started competing for the same players and we lost out trying to replace them as by now we had to throw more money at it just to stand still, let alone start competing at the top table for top players to advance us further.
I think Sam realised that without big funds he couldn't get away with it for much longer so he went to a club determined to spend their way into the CL i.e. the Geordies.

My point is that Sam has never managed on the type of budget Dougie currently has - where there's no money for transfers OR big salaries. Looking at what Sam has done since he dumped us, I don't think he has a plan B when the money runs out and it amuses me to think how much Andy Carroll is on.

Between them, Allardyce, Megson, and Mostly Coyle have ruined us as a club, Allardyce had success, but at what cost, Megson spent the Anelka money pretty wisely, but at what cost, Coyle, well pffff what a total fuck up he was, shite players on long contracts on huge salaries, but as incompetent as Coyle was, who sanctioned all these managers dealings? I will say no more.

MartinBWFC wrote:Between them, Allardyce, Megson, and Mostly Coyle have ruined us as a club, Allardyce had success, but at what cost, Megson spent the Anelka money pretty wisely, but at what cost, Coyle, well pffff what a total fuck up he was, shite players on long contracts on huge salaries, but as incompetent as Coyle was, who sanctioned all these managers dealings? I will say no more.

Spot on.

Gartside gambled everything on still being in the Prem when the new TV deal came in and lost.

There is no Plan B and we're now desperately hoping that somehow Freedman will suddenly come up with a way to get us promoted but it isn't looking good.

That isn't the strategy of a competent business man and he now needs to go before he fucks things up even more.

Breadman wrote:

MartinBWFC wrote:Between them, Allardyce, Megson, and Mostly Coyle have ruined us as a club, Allardyce had success, but at what cost, Megson spent the Anelka money pretty wisely, but at what cost, Coyle, well pffff what a total fuck up he was, shite players on long contracts on huge salaries, but as incompetent as Coyle was, who sanctioned all these managers dealings? I will say no more.

Spot on.

Gartside gambled everything on still being in the Prem when the new TV deal came in and lost.

There is no Plan B and we're now desperately hoping that somehow Freedman will suddenly come up with a way to get us promoted but it isn't looking good.

That isn't the strategy of a competent business man and he now needs to go before he fucks things up even more.

Agree with this, apart from Freedman's brief. Anyone expecting promotion from our current position with the current squad is dreaming. We are average at best.
I think Freedman's brief is to stop us sliding even further and any turnaround in our fortunes isn't going to happen quickly.
Mears is a good example. We need him, and a few others to get off our books asap so that Dougie at least has a chance of reshaping the team into one that can realistically challenge for promotion without breaking the bank. But naturally enough for a mercenary, Mears wants to stay as he's on a good screw.

At the end of the season, there's a good chance that Dougie will be well along the road of clearing out the dead (and expensive) wood. All we need to do is survive in this division until then.

Only when we get there will Dougie have freed up some cash to start shaping the squad with players "with the right DNA" (sic)

We can only hope that he has the skills to use it wisely, but that is not today's problem. Dougie's immediate tasks are clearing out and survival IMO.
So far he's clearly doing all he can to get rid of the dead wood either by terminating youth contracts or sending players out on loan wherever he can.
The loanees he's brought in and the few signings he's made are equally clearly geared towards survival - with a few prospects for the future also purchased.

Contrary to popular opinion, I think he's doing a decent job if this is his brief in reality. However I think that some fans think he is there to get us promoted (despite the reality of our situation) which is why he gets stick.

wanderlust wrote:

Agree with this, apart from Freedman's brief. Anyone expecting promotion from our current position with the current squad is dreaming. We are average at best.
I think Freedman's brief is to stop us sliding even further and any turnaround in our fortunes isn't going to happen quickly.
Mears is a good example. We need him, and a few others to get off our books asap so that Dougie at least has a chance of reshaping the team into one that can realistically challenge for promotion without breaking the bank. But naturally enough for a mercenary, Mears wants to stay as he's on a good screw.

At the end of the season, there's a good chance that Dougie will be well along the road of clearing  out the dead (and expensive) wood. All we need to do is survive in this division until then.

Only when we get there will Dougie have freed up some cash to start shaping the squad with players "with the right DNA" (sic)

We can only hope that he has the skills to use it wisely, but that is not today's problem. Dougie's immediate tasks are clearing out and survival IMO.
So far he's clearly doing all he can to get rid of the dead wood either by terminating youth contracts or sending players out on loan wherever he can.
The loanees he's brought in and the few signings he's made are equally clearly geared towards survival - with a few prospects for the future also purchased.

Contrary to popular opinion, I think he's doing a decent job if this is his brief in reality. However I think that some fans think he is there to get us promoted (despite the reality of our situation) which is why he gets stick.

I have been of the same opinion for some time but am reluctant to express it for fear of being branded a happy clapper.  

Reebok Trotter wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Agree with this, apart from Freedman's brief. Anyone expecting promotion from our current position with the current squad is dreaming. We are average at best.
I think Freedman's brief is to stop us sliding even further and any turnaround in our fortunes isn't going to happen quickly.
Mears is a good example. We need him, and a few others to get off our books asap so that Dougie at least has a chance of reshaping the team into one that can realistically challenge for promotion without breaking the bank. But naturally enough for a mercenary, Mears wants to stay as he's on a good screw.

At the end of the season, there's a good chance that Dougie will be well along the road of clearing  out the dead (and expensive) wood. All we need to do is survive in this division until then.

Only when we get there will Dougie have freed up some cash to start shaping the squad with players "with the right DNA" (sic)

We can only hope that he has the skills to use it wisely, but that is not today's problem. Dougie's immediate tasks are clearing out and survival IMO.
So far he's clearly doing all he can to get rid of the dead wood either by terminating youth contracts or sending players out on loan wherever he can.
The loanees he's brought in and the few signings he's made are equally clearly geared towards survival - with a few prospects for the future also purchased.

Contrary to popular opinion, I think he's doing a decent job if this is his brief in reality. However I think that some fans think he is there to get us promoted (despite the reality of our situation) which is why he gets stick.

I have been of the same opinion for some time but am reluctant to express it for fear of being branded a happy clapper.  

The irony is that you're realistic about our situation so are probably far less deluded than those who think Dougie is failing because we're not competing at the top of the table.

Don't think either of us are as yet convinced Dougie is the man to take us to the top of the league in the foreseeable future, but there again neither of us think that is the job in hand anyway.

wanderlust wrote:

Contrary to popular opinion, I think he's doing a decent job if this is his brief in reality. However I think that some fans think he is there to get us promoted (despite the reality of our situation) which is why he gets stick.

He gets stick because he is the most negative Bolton manager of recent years, tactically inept, and one of the least inspirational people in football.

The only people who think he is doing a good job are those that aren't paying to watch his shite.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

Contrary to popular opinion, I think he's doing a decent job if this is his brief in reality. However I think that some fans think he is there to get us promoted (despite the reality of our situation) which is why he gets stick.

He gets stick because he is the most negative Bolton manager of recent years, tactically inept, and one of the least inspirational people in football.

The only people who think he is doing a good job are those that aren't paying to watch his shite.

He is fairly negative which is understandable considering how we were getting slaughtered every game when he started with 2 strikers early doors and our defence made mistake after mistake. That said, the marginal improvements since then gave him the confidence to try two strikers again last week which was fine until Beckford got crocked. That implies to me that he would like to be more attacking if and when he gets rid of the likes of Andrews and Mears and frees up some cash to get a more reliable defence.

I disagree with some of his tactics and selections but I also recognise that his hand has been forced and until he gets the squad he needs he will continue to make unpopular decisions as he hasn't got the luxury of multiple tactical options. He would have more options if he was willing to risk some of the younger players, but he's not and I can't argue with that as I don't watch them train all week.

Inspirational to whom? I don't think it's the manager's job to inspire the fans and I've no idea whether or not he inspires the players - although they trot out the party line in the media about it.

I agree that a fair bit of shite is being dished up, but that can't all be laid at Dougie's door. Some of that responsibility has to lie with the previous managers, the squad and a fair bit of bad luck.

George Graham at Arsenal was described as a negative manager. 1-0 to the Arsenal and all that. He was also extremely successful and the Arsenal fans still hold him in high regard.

It's not as if Dougie has had sackfuls of cash to spend on players. Personally, I think his loan signings have been pretty solid. Even Mourinho and Fergie would struggle to get promoted with the team that Dougie inherited.

Reebok Trotter wrote: Even Mourinho and Fergie would struggle to get promoted with the team that Dougie inherited.

Are you for real, Mourinho is one of the best man managers that the world has ever seen, he turns average players into team winning super-stars.

And Fergie won the European cup with the mighty Aberdeen . 

True. But both of them had decent budgets to work with.

Fuck me we have won a couple of games because he reverted back to 4-4-2 not by choice,what about the utter dross we have been watching for the last 12 months with his team selections and tactics ??? We have got beat by the shittest teams in this shite division,he made knightmare Captain then dumped him. He made Spearing Captain and he has been utter shite since. What goes on in the dressing room,training ground etc etc is effing baffling but watching him and Lennie on the touch line is pure effing pantomime and those of you who dont go and watch but feel free to comment on here from their armchairs can fuck off !!
At least Pratley hasnt played for a couple of weeks and boom boom surprise surprise we didnt get beat !!!! Well done Dougie your a fucking marvel !!

The team Dougie inherited was hardly getting slaughtered every week. It was just a team that would have spent the season winning one, losing one then drawing one which is only good enough if you're aiming for mid-table. 

It took him a while to turn things round. He spent his first twenty or so matches doing what he's been doing this season, fucking around with various negative formations, for no other reason, in my opinion, than fashion. 
Finally, around February he started to go for it with two wide players and two forwards and it made us clinical at worst.

Reebok Trotter wrote:True. But both of them had decent budgets to work with.

But, on paper we have a good squad 'in the championship' , so i'm sure a top top football coach could do somethong with our squad, F or M would have us back in the PL before you could say David Icke.

I wish people would drop this "Dougie hasn't had a decent budget" crap! It's total bullshit! Who in this division has and who is doing well?

JAH wrote:Who in this division has and who is doing well?

QPR
Forest
Leicester
Wigan
Watford

Then there are teams like Brighton, Huddersfield and Derby who are spending a bit to try and grow the side year on year. Whereas Dougie is having to reduce the budget year on year.