megson out

[Spondon Owl]

"Then again, this is nothing new for Megson. He’s never been a popular manager, with his pragmatic style of play never endearing him to fans, who prefer to see attractive, attacking football. And who doesn't? But pretty football doesn't get you out of a relegation battle, does it? It’s about rolling your sleeves up, working hard, and getting the basics right.

So Megson got to work, and got Bolton doing the basics properly again. Of course, it took time, but slowly but surely, the Trotters began to get results. They were hard working, organised, defensively sound, and strong from set-pieces. The old Bolton Wanderers were back, doing what they did best, playing to their strengths, and doing what they needed to do to stay up. It wasn't about winning popularity contests, it was about achieving results, however way they could.

Moving onto this season, and it’s been more of the same from Bolton and Megson, and the fans don’t like it. Sure, it’s been an inconsistent start, and results havent always been good. And suprise suprise, the style of play hasn’t changed."

"Megson refused to accept Bolton's style justified the criticism that resulted in his sacking.

He said: 'I thought we were brilliant against Tottenham and against Manchester City. I find it galling to be criticised in that way, given the style of play that brought Bolton success in recent years. That involved big players up front and a very direct style.'"

"Beevers, a former player-of-the-year at Hillsborough, has slipped down the pecking order under and is relishing the chance of some first team football.

"As soon as it came up I jumped at the chance," he said.

"The style of football they play at MK Dons suits me, and there are fantastic facillities here.

Twenty-one-year-old Beevers said Megson's footballing style differs from Dons boss Robinson's.

He said: "Every manager has a different syle of play and I think the manager at Sheffield Wednesday is a bit more direct.

"We do try and get the ball down and play when we can, but down at MKDons we play a lot more than other teams do."

"Robinson said: "They've let some very good players go. Gary Megson's doing his job and is a very experienced manager, and maybe has a style of play and a type of player that he likes."

"Megsons style of football wasn't great to watch, but he got results."

"Yes Megson did a fine job for us, and in a results only business, it would be difficult to argue against his achievement of double promotion,

but who would you prefer to watch, Albion then or Albion now ?

It is an unequivocal NOW from me."

"Megson’s style of play is very similar to that of Big Sam’s – long and direct with a tough defence."[/left]

"It appears Bolton fans are slowly getting fed up with

, booing the team off the pitch after the 1-1 draw with Stoke. Only Matt Taylor’s last minute penalty spared defeat but it’s the manner of play which is at odds with the support. Attendances are falling at the Reebok and it’s in no small part to Megson’s style of play."

[/left]

"Bolton fans wore masks of agony for almost the entire duration of a joyless match".

[/left]

Bolton's fans are not enamoured by a primitive playing style."

"When was at the club there was a real air of negativity about Megson himself and the style of play.

The attitude wasn't conducive to getting results and Coyle has given the players more freedom to express themselves in games."

"The simplistic analysis of ’s tenure as Bolton Wanderers manager says that he restored the tactics and style of play that had brought us so much success under Sam Allardyce.

It’s certainly true that Megson ditchedSammy Lee’s over-ambitious attempt to bring the pass and move Liverpool groove to the Reebok, but I believe Megson’s Bolton Wanderers are considerably different to Allardyce’s.

The most important difference is this: whilst Allardyce stuffed his team with physical players whose main purpose was to upset the opposition, he also understood that you have to find some room in your starting XI for players who are capable off getting you a goal. How do you ever win a game otherwise?

However negative Allardyce’s game plan may have been, he would never have played three defensive midfielders as Megson has done several times this season with Fabrice Muamba, Gavin McCann and Joey O’Brien.

Allardyce would always find room for a player or two who could cause the opposition defence a headache (and keep supporters interested), either with pace (El-Hadji Diouf), skill (Jay-Jay Okocha) or by just being a right pain in the arse (Stelios).

It’s for this reason that we are no longer able to compete against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United as we once did in head-to-head games. The current game plan still includes the bit about getting amongst the opposition, upsetting their game and making it difficult for them to play.

But it no longer includes a section about how to score goals and put teams on the back foot."

What's your point?

[DamnedOwl]

Talon, you've associated the notion of 'playing style' with Megson.

Couldn't a particular way of playing (i.e. playing style) be associated with any manager that's been around for as long as Megson has?

[Dark$ide]

Tony pulis at Stoke has a similar 'reputation' and style.

I'd give my right arm to be where stoke are at the moment...........

And megson for all his supposed faults has got teams promoted.

[Rodger Wylde]

I'm beginning to think is just me, but, I don't believe there are any more long balls in a game now than there have been in the previous 11 seasons.

My only gripe with Gaz is the way we approach away games. Same ball, same kind of pitch, same players. So just set out to play like we do at home!!

[DamnedOwl]

Tony pulis at Stoke has a similar 'reputation' and style.

I'd give my right arm to be where stoke are at the moment...........

And megson for all his supposed faults has got teams promoted.

And Stoke's current team make for decent viewing too.

[owlsdreamer]

What's your point?

Talon never did have a point.

[the mighty wednesday]

Unless we start leaking goals again in the style of the unmentionable "Scottish" manager Megson's job should be secure unless we are unlikely to get a play off place. Even then his sacking should not be a foregone conclusion as Milan will no doubt consider the circumstances carefully and if he feels progress is being made he would want to continue with that progress.

After 10 years of obvious regression, alleviated by only one season of play off success and undermined by constant debt we should not necessarily assume that narrowly missing out on the play-offs would not be a significant step in the right direction. I hope like everyone else that we will get promoted this season and I would welcome 23 lucky 1-0 wins at home and 23 even luckier 0-0 draws away if it guaranteed Championship football next year. The end result is everything at this stage in our development, the manner (unless we play like Leeds!!) is largely irrelevant.

I would love us to recreate the early 90's again but in our present situation it would be just as nice to be successful using the mid 80's style. Granted Megson is more Ugly Wilko than Sexy Big Ron but Big Ron would not have happened without Wilko. Perhaps will pave the way for Pep Guardiola to achieve his secret ambition of managing the Owls and we would make Barca look like kick and rush specialists.

I know it sounds ridiculous that Guardiola could be a Wednesdayite but no more ridiculous than seriously thinking that Megson should be sacked at this stage of the season, with this number of points and also without having had the opportuniy to put out a full strength team.

It is nice to debate the finer points but "Megson Out" and "Megson's record is no better than Irv****e's" is just becoming stale. It may ring true in 15 games time (but we all hope not) but at the moment it is not true and any predictions of failure are not based on any real evidence other than most manager's get the sack and are adjudged to have failed at some point in their tenure. It is easier to predict failure than success.

Let's try not to be too hard on everybody until we have a real reason to doubt. It will certainly help my blood pressure....and you never know Pep may turn the job down saying he would find it impossible to match the success of the Ginger Mourinho.

Don't stop me dreaming.

UTO

[gurujuan]

It makes me laugh when people hold up Stoke as the yardstick for our football club Sure they've done well but why the flip should aspire to be like Stoke City. Footballing sides were successful in the Premiership, ditto the Championship, and more importantly, footballing sides were successful in our division.

[owls66]

It makes me laugh when people hold up Stoke as the yardstick for our football club Sure they've done well but why the flip should aspire to be like Stoke City. Footballing sides were successful in the Premiership, ditto the Championship, and more importantly, footballing sides were successful in our division.

Exactly, Stoke's playing style is atrocious and makes my eyes bleed. I'd sooner see football played like it should be played. In my opinion, hoofball is amateur like and cannot understand for the life of me why some teams actually resort to this woeful style of play. The only way to get out of this league is to play the football on the deck (not hit and hope up to Madine, Morrison etc). We won't break teams down in the air - pass and move, and open things up a bit - which will create more genuine chances.

Let's get the ball down, give proper service to our forwards. Let's utilise Johnson and Marshall out wide. If we resort to hoofball this season - I can guarantee that we will not go up. Play football and create actually good chances - we will go up. We've got the players to do it, so why not?

[Chris E]

It makes me laugh when people hold up Stoke as the yardstick for our football club Sure they've done well but why the flip should aspire to be like Stoke City. Footballing sides were successful in the Premiership, ditto the Championship, and more importantly, footballing sides were successful in our division.

You said that all you want is to see us making progress. We're seeing that. Why still the snide comments?

[gurujuan]

So what exactly is snuffy about that comment?

[gurujuan]

Or snide even?

[Guest TonyOwl88]

Sick of stupid people.

Megson will get us promoted, and if its ugly... who cares?

[Chris E]

So what exactly is snuffy about that comment?

Your comments in general are.

[gurujuan]

But not that one eh?

[Chris E]

But not that one eh?

No. I never said it was.

[gurujuan]

Thankyou Chris