Irvine Out

[Tarnyowl]

Never heard so much b*llocks in my life. We're a third rate team with third rate players who the current manager inherited. On top of th`at we have no money so come on all yopu smart arses.....who the hell can we get that's better ??????

I couldn'agree more.

The team (not his) are not playing how he would prefer them to play. He said this at the very beginning! Some people have short memories. They don;t suddenly become a great team cos we have a new manager. We haven't been getting thumped every week. We have no better players to call on to change things, just the same 11 and similar bench every week. What the hell can he do.

[BRADDAZ]

I haven't agreed with some of Irvines decisions, especially with regards to team selection and substitutions. However, this squad of players are utter throw, I personally think most managers would have struggled with them. Laws assembled an awful squad, especially the midfield and striking options.

If we go down a little blame falls on Irvines shoulder as does a little fall on Strafford, but the majority falls on the players and Brian Laws.

I don't want to judge Irvine until he's got his own set of players in to suit his own style.

Edited April 25, 2010 by BRADDAZ

[barmyowl1212]

Never heard so much poo . AI has been left with this bag on poo poo and no money. WTF do you expect him to do? Cant turn us into Barca in half a season!

[damianb1]

If we had money I think I would like to replace him with someone else (not sure who and anyone we would probably want would not want to come to a team that will in all likelyhood be playing league 1 football next season). However, we don't have any money at the moment so we should probably stick with him. He has a good opportunity in the summer to trully creat "his" team, with lots of players out of contract this will free up a lot of the wage budget and he can make his own selections. Continuity is the key to success in any football club and to get back to where we all feel we belong we need to give a manager a good crack at it. I don't feel that (so far) AI has played good attractive football but that is not neccessarily the type of football that will promote us back to the championship next season.

If we are lucky enough for West Brom (who have nothing at all to play for) can avoid defeat against Palace on Monday then we have a very undeserved opportunity to dodge a bullet next sunday, if we do it would be a miracle. If we don't lets get behind the team and hopefully have a promotion push next season.#

UTO & WTID

[Guest Distraught!]

I haven't agreed with some of Irvines decisions, especially with regards to team selection and substitutions. However, this squad of players are utter throw, I personally think most managers would have struggled with them. Laws assembled an awful squad, especially the midfield and striking options.

If we go down a little blame falls on Irvines shoulder as does a little fall on Strafford, but the majority falls on the players and Brian Laws.

I don't want to judge Irvine until he's got his own set of players in to suit his own style.

But the players that Irvine inherited are much the same as last year, are they not? The same set of players comfortably managed an upper mid table position last year.

The exceptions being Purse, who has arguably been the most consistent player under Irvine, Miller who in his very limited time on the field played well under Irvine and Soares who Irvine apparently rates. Irvine has had the best part of half a season to get things right and he still appears to be unsure of his best formation or team let alone motivating them.

The only other thing that could have changed is the CCC is significanty better than last season. I don't believe that to be the case. It was poo last year and much the same this year.

Even given their crass mediocrity, the present squad is capable of a mid table position if they could be arsed. I don't think it is player ability that is the problem, more player attitude! That is Irvine's job to rectify.

[Guest oliver666]

Lets put things in perspective. Irvine was unemployed when Wednesday offered him a job. He must have pissed his pants when LS offered him a 3 year contract knowing full well that the average time span of a manager in the Championship is not much more than 2 years. AI can't lose. The mans 51, do you think he needs to look for another job if his contract his terminated plus, his compensation from Preston means he ain't that skint.

Another masterstroke from Wednesday who couldn't run a corner shop when it comes down to business sense. How many times has this happened in the last 10 years. we must be the laughing stock of the footballing world and its weeing fans/ supporters off.

Please LS, next time you allow people to put pen to paper, please you use your business acumen for a f00king change. We are in dire straights, believe.

[Plonk]

Not been impressed so far. BUT I dont think wenger Mourinho and Ferguson together could have got anything out of the passionless shower of poo Laws has left us with.

Lets see what he does in the Summer, and see how the team starts next season. But anything less than top 6 by Christmas (in the third div obviously) and he must go. If a miracle happens and we stay up, then its got to be mid table by Christmas.

[malek]

That mate I'm afraid is nonsense. We look far better organised than what we did under Laws. The defensive organisation, team shape, and the amount of goals conceded has dropped considerably under Irvine compared to Laws. That was only the second time in the last 12 games that we have conceded 2 or more goals in a match. We only looked clueless under Laws

The lack of confidence is hardly new and the players looked far worse under Brian when we went nearly 10 games without scoring under him.

The results recently haven't been good enough and he has to take some of the blame for that, but the players are Laws', and he was the man who led us into trouble in the first place.

I'm commenting on Today's game, and can honestly say that never before I've seen a team get 20 yards from opposition's goal play 20 passes between themselves, and return the ball back to their keeper. It is the problem I would say, as no one knows what to do when in sight of the goal, and yes I will pin it on the manager. Other thing is the ease of how Cardiff passed the ball in huge gaps we left between out defenders and midfielders - another huge tactical mistake.

Laws lost the dressing room, and should have been sacked earlier, but he was never so tactically inept as Irvine showed himself to be today.

[ROKERITE]

To be talking about getting rid of Irvine is ridiculous, but typical of so many football fans at every club I'm afraid. Whatever division Wednesday start next season in, Irvine is the man who should be in charge; and I wouldn't be considering his position till this time a year from now.

[Guest oliver666]

To be talking about getting rid of Irvine is ridiculous, but typical of so many football fans at every club I'm afraid. Whatever division Wednesday start next season in, Irvine is the man who should be in charge; and I wouldn't be considering his position till this time a year from now.

2nd division isa daunting thought

[edinburghowl]

I'm commenting on Today's game, and can honestly say that never before I've seen a team get 20 yards from opposition's goal play 20 passes between themselves, and return the ball back to their keeper. It is the problem I would say, as no one knows what to do when in sight of the goal, and yes I will pin it on the manager. Other thing is the ease of how Cardiff passed the ball in huge gaps we left between out defenders and midfielders - another huge tactical mistake.

Laws lost the dressing room, and should have been sacked earlier, but he was never so tactically inept as Irvine showed himself to be today.

I respect your opinion but I totally disagree. We performed FAR worse many times under Laws this season (especially away from home) than we peformed yesterday.

[jonnyowl]

Was at party last night with some of the Preston players and they all said that the best manager that they have worked under is Alan Irvine!

[victorturner]

AI has not impressed since February when a further decline began. We have won 1 of our last 11 games I believe. There's no way a manager deserves approval on that record. I'm indifferent whether ho goes or stays now

They say he had a bigger budget at PNE and they certainly have a wealthy donor. He may be used to better clubs than the way Wed is now.

After all, it is unusually desperate to sack a manager from a losing team then tell his successor that there is no money to change it at all.

That shows that the bank and board decided to stick with the current financial plan. That showed they were prepared to take a serious risk with League 1. That's the management decision the club is answerable to the supporters for, esp when they are selling season tickets for next season at the same time!!!

[Glaser]

Never heard so much poo . AI has been left with this bag on poo poo and no money. WTF do you expect him to do? Cant turn us into Barca in half a season!

But surely you can judge in these 22 matches.... yes... 22......how successful a manager he is going to be

His managerial traits / decision making won't change

His ability to change matches won't change

His lack of adventure and tactical / substitutional awareness won't change

[chrispag]

I agree with you mate not sure about Esajas though

[chrispag]

irvines a good manager just inherrited a load of guttless poo ,who dont deserve to wear the shirt

[Glaser]

irvines a good manager just inherrited a load of guttless poo ,who dont deserve to wear the shirt

Agreed

No one is doubting that.

What we are questioning is....

A) could he have approached matches differently ? One win and two defeats gets more points than 2 draws and 1 defeat

B) could he have been a lot more adventurous in matches against poor opposition ? Derby, Bristol, QPR, M'boro, Coventry, Preston

C) could a different manager have been able to influence matches later on in game through tactical changes, inspired substitutions or just by "throwing the kitchen sink at them"

D) could he have not renewed Soares' loan and / or not brought in Nolan, to use the money on a good central midfielder and a pacy striker (which we could all clearly see was missing)

E) could he have actually instilled some more fight, togetherness and passion into the players ? AT the end of the day, that is his job. Managers are surely appraised on how good a man manager they actually are

F) could he have actually been a little more ruthless and not condoned all these poor performances. Should he have allowed players to get into comfort zones, by refusing to drop favourites, regardless of how they play ? Has a massive negative affect on the player with the shirt, but also completely deflates all the squad / subs, as what have they actually got to motivate them, if they know players won't be dropped ?

Edited April 25, 2010 by Glaser

[DJMortimer]

Can we please stop with this rampant nonsense that Irvine is all but completely helpless in all this?

Take a look at this thread and explain how other managers placed in very similar circumstances have managed to do so much better. We're not talking about the dim and distant past, managers handled bundles of cash to spend or inheriting great players. Doesn't it say anything to you that I can muster up 4 such examples from our own club in just the last decade who can point to better results? Stop falling back on a convenient excuse without thinking any deeper than that. Of course our players are the main problem (despite proving capable last season) but to suggest the boss is powerless is crap, especially when he insists on sticking by the same methods and players who have been so woeful and worst of all comfortable.

http://www.owlstalk.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=127307

[DJMortimer]

D) could he have not renewed Soares' loan and / or not brought in Nolan, to use the money on a good central midfielder and a pacy striker (which we could all clearly see was missing)

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said there, to be fair I think that Nolan's signing was a perfectly sensible one. If I recall correctly, at that time we had only one spare defender beyond the 4 in the starting line up due to injuries.

[Glaser]

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said there, to be fair I think that Nolan's signing was a perfectly sensible one. If I recall correctly, at that time we had only one spare defender beyond the 4 in the starting line up due to injuries.

fair play

Not saying he is a poor signing, just felt that we needed to utilise what little resources we had at the time, in more important areas.

But, as you say, we were short on defensive cover, so it was probably needs must on his behalf.

He did however have a chance to assess and make a decision on Soares. He knew he had Gray, Macca, Boden and Esajas who could offer the same level of fight and defensive nous as Soares (which is the role he is employed in) so was a season long loan really a good move ?

Agree with you on the "Alan Irvine is not helpless" in all of this, though

Surely a managers' job is to get the best out of a team. This is how accomplished and run of the mill managers are graded.