Pulis in before the weekend

[McRightSide]

1 minute ago, Auckland Owl said:

Great news! Frees up my Sunday’s to spend with the family. 

Fixed it for you my friend 

[wellbeaten-the-owl]

Just now, wellbeaten-the-owl said:

Not worried about this season, but those thinking he will keep us up and be gone in may are dreaming, got to accept this "style" of football will be here for a few years.

 

Ask any WBA fan, it takes years to rid club of his anti-football when he leaves

For balance though started watching Wednesday in the Howard Wilkinson days and from memory I didn't seem to mind that style then

 

Positive is we won't be a soft touch anymore.  

[Lionel Fessi]

People are missing the point.

 

Pulis is not the right man for the future.

Pulis is the right man until the end of the season.

 

We all knew it was going to be a c**p season, as long as he keeps us in the division so come summer we can then have a proper rebuild under a different manager who cares?

[IWEDFM]

People slating Pulis, no matter how defence minded he is let's be honest we can't score any less goals then we did under Monk

 

1 goal from open play in our last 10 matches wasn't it?

 

I'm happy with Pulis if it turns out it is him. Experienced manager in the Prem and even led Stoke to Europe during his time there. He'll keep us up no trouble and then the club can re evaluate at the end of the season

[Bouncing Owl]

6 minutes ago, Quist said:

It would be an extremely poor decision in so many ways.

 

I will not pay to watch him serve up his brand of football

 

As a fanbase, we've been very well prepared for Tony.  We've endured 14 months of Monkball !

[Imre Varadi's Conker]

This is not the news I was expecting. What about Megson? I thought he had it in the bag. 

[WalthamOwl]

Just now, Lionel Fessi said:

People are missing the point.

 

Pulis is not the right man for the future.

Pulis is the right man until the end of the season.

 

We all knew it was going to be a c**p season, as long as he keeps us in the division so come summer we can then have a proper rebuild under a different manager who cares?

if he keeps us up I would be pretty certain he will get a new deal. 

[Carbone]

1 minute ago, wellbeaten-the-owl said:

Not worried about this season, but those thinking he will keep us up and be gone in may are dreaming, got to accept this "style" of football will be here for a few years.

 

Ask any WBA fan, it takes years to rid club of his anti-football when he leaves

We are at least 5-10 years away from seriously challenging for promotion, at least we can bring a manager in who in the short term can make us a solid unit.

 

Stoke did fine after he left, 3 9th place finishes under Mark Hughes afterwards playing good football. It’s up to the club to get it right after Pulis

[archieswfc]

3 minutes ago, wellbeaten-the-owl said:

Dreaming if you think he will leave in summer.

 

On positive note we won't be play much different than under monk just be doing the style correctly.

Tbf mate if he stays longer than the summer he'll have been here longer than our last few managers. You'd like to think if he is here then he's doing something right. 

It's horses for courses and I'm certain Pulis will keep us up. Nobody on that list barring possibly Pearson, who is still unwell by the sound of it, will please even 50% of our fans. Maybe Ryan Lowe would be a bit of a crowd pleaser but he's untried at this level, that's not to say he would fail. If we were mid table looking for a bit extra to make that play off push then maybe he would be worth the risk. But we're not. We're averaging a point a game roughly and we have absolutely no back bone. Pulis might just instill a bit of character.

Time will tell but DC is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't at the minute. 

[Captain Scarlett]

Once again going absolutely NO WHERE with this Owner/Chairman. No long term planning at all.

Just short term PANIC setting in as his money melts like the snow in Spring.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, WalthamOwl said:

If he keeps us up he will get a new contract. In won’t just be for the season. I dread to think how much money he has demanded. 

And once he gets his new contract and we may be allowed into the grounds next season I can see the renewals being at an all time low.

 

Such a shocking appointment. But then again Pulis is friends with Paixao so we should have seen this coming. 

[Hitcat]

 

  

Tony Pulis: the man that time and football forgot

 

The announcement was so popular that in the immediate aftermath Middlesbrough’s website crashed. There were jubilant responses on Twitter. Fans made clear their relief at the news most felt had been a long time coming.

Tony Pulis had been sacked. After a season of turgid, dismal football at the Riverside, a season in which Middlesbrough missed out on the playoffs having been ensconced in the top six for most of the year, there were very few dissenting voices. This, for most, was a welcome update.

Boro’s supporters, by the end, had grown tired of Pulis and his insistence on playing the most functional, one-dimensional football imaginable. It was not that his team missed out on the playoffs; it was the manner in which they did so.

They got close: one point behind sixth-placed Derby after winning their final two games of the season. But they fell short, and that, ultimately, was inexcusable. Even if they had reached the playoffs, it would not likely have changed the opinions of most Middlesbrough fans.

The issue, for Pulis, is that his methods are increasingly outdated. Fans are no longer content to pay to watch 90 minutes of unadventurous, ugly football, regardless of the end result. Middlesbrough’s fans, by the end of this season, approached matchdays with a feeling closer to dread than anticipation.

That is because they knew what would, without fail, be served up by Pulis’ team. Boro scored just 49 goals in 46 league games, fewer than all but four teams in the Championship, and two of those were relegated. That they finished seventh was due to a typically solid and well-organised defence: they let in just 41 goals, the joint-best record in the division.

Pulis has argued that coming so close to the playoffs was a success, given he sold close to £50million worth of players last summer – the likes of Adama Traoré, Patrick Bamford and Ben Gibson all left – in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

For that, he deserves credit, though Middlesbrough are hardly poverty-stricken. “Two years ago we invested heavily in the squad in terms of transfer fees and salaries in an attempt to regain our Premier League status,” chairman Steve Gibson said in a club statement. “This happened before Tony’s arrival.

“Over the past 18 months Tony has been proactive, not only in the ambition to win football matches and promotion to the Premier League, but also in addressing our financial position in order to comply and respect the Championship Fair Play criteria.

“He has ensured that the club is stable and strong for the future. He leaves us in excellent condition.”

On the surface, then, it appears Pulis has done a respectable job. This season was hardly disastrous; it did not set the club back several years and they will again be amongst the favourites to challenge at the top of the Championship next season.

As always, though, with Pulis, it all comes back to his dogmatism, to his refusal to even consider the possibility of playing more expansive football. The club’s fans, for the most part, were fed up with it, and wanted him gone.

It did not help that Middlesbrough were often poor at home. They won just ten of their 23 games at the Riverside, losing seven and drawing six. They scored just 23 goals and often played unnecessarily defensively for a promotion-challenging team on their own turf. It was much different away from home, though.

Over the course of the season, Boro created an average of just 1.1 big chances per 90 minutes, some way off the division’s pacesetters. They completed an average of 344.13 passes per game, which ranks 19th in the Championship.

None of this is surprising, of course, but it highlights the dearth of entertainment at Middlesbrough over the course of the campaign.

Inevitably, such a style of play does not endear a manager to the fans, particularly in the modern game, where most supporters feel entitled to a certain level of entertainment (Marcelo Bielsa and Daniel Farke have certainly provided that at Leeds United and Norwich City this season).

There are others, too, who have suffered similar fates because of their refusal to conform to modernity.

Chris Hughton was dismissed by Brighton largely due to his side’s consistently dour performances in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce and Mark Hughes are out of fashion, too, since their most recent and forgettable tenures in the top flight.

It seems clubs are growing increasingly weary of Pulis and his ilk. The former Stoke and West Brom manager is undoubtedly effective in the right circumstances. But, after a while, he prompts a feeling of existentialism from fans: Why are we watching this unapologetically drab football? Would success even make it all worthwhile?

The answer to the latter, for Middlesbrough, proved to be no. Pulis is gone, and he must now consider his next step wisely. If he does not change his approach, he may find himself faced again and again with an alienated group of fans and a dissatisfied chairman.

 

 

YIPPPEEE, CAN'T WAIT!

[WalthamOwl]

I just hope Pulis is asking to much and Chansiri won’t pay it. 

[Jim]

There is a bit of a pattern forming here. After Carlos we appoint Jos who ruffles a few feathers, bloods the kids but the performances and results are awful.

 

We then appoint a proven championship manager in Bruce and everything clicks. Senior pros are restored, the camp seems happy and we finish the season strongly.

 

Bruce was the man but unfortunately he left before his ar$e got warm in the S6 manager’s chair. We then appointed Monk who basically did the same as Jos but was even worse.

 

So it looks like we’re going to appoint Pulis. Doesn’t have the charisma that Bruce has or the record at this level that he has but he knows this division plus he knows the division above. I would gamble on Lowe but DC I believe is looking at Pulis to do the job he wanted Bruce to do and that was to get us promoted to the premier league (of course he has the job of keeping us up in this division first). 

 

It won’t be long before Westwood is restored and the matchday 18 is full of senior pros. I’m afraid we won’t be seeing a young hungry side under Pulis.

[Ray Von shabba]

1 minute ago, Imre Varadi's Conker said:

This is not the news I was expecting. What about Megson? I thought he had it in the bag. 

No.2

[Carbone]

2 minutes ago, Adem Poric said:

 

What people dont grasp is that football should be entertaining. It shouldnt be a chore. It has been a chore watching Wednesday for a very long time.

I agree, but I think entertaining football with this set of players will see us in League One

[WalthamOwl]

Just now, Hitcat said:

 

  

Tony Pulis: the man that time and football forgot

 

The announcement was so popular that in the immediate aftermath Middlesbrough’s website crashed. There were jubilant responses on Twitter. Fans made clear their relief at the news most felt had been a long time coming.

Tony Pulis had been sacked. After a season of turgid, dismal football at the Riverside, a season in which Middlesbrough missed out on the playoffs having been ensconced in the top six for most of the year, there were very few dissenting voices. This, for most, was a welcome update.

Boro’s supporters, by the end, had grown tired of Pulis and his insistence on playing the most functional, one-dimensional football imaginable. It was not that his team missed out on the playoffs; it was the manner in which they did so.

They got close: one point behind sixth-placed Derby after winning their final two games of the season. But they fell short, and that, ultimately, was inexcusable. Even if they had reached the playoffs, it would not likely have changed the opinions of most Middlesbrough fans.

The issue, for Pulis, is that his methods are increasingly outdated. Fans are no longer content to pay to watch 90 minutes of unadventurous, ugly football, regardless of the end result. Middlesbrough’s fans, by the end of this season, approached matchdays with a feeling closer to dread than anticipation.

That is because they knew what would, without fail, be served up by Pulis’ team. Boro scored just 49 goals in 46 league games, fewer than all but four teams in the Championship, and two of those were relegated. That they finished seventh was due to a typically solid and well-organised defence: they let in just 41 goals, the joint-best record in the division.

Pulis has argued that coming so close to the playoffs was a success, given he sold close to £50million worth of players last summer – the likes of Adama Traoré, Patrick Bamford and Ben Gibson all left – in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

For that, he deserves credit, though Middlesbrough are hardly poverty-stricken. “Two years ago we invested heavily in the squad in terms of transfer fees and salaries in an attempt to regain our Premier League status,” chairman Steve Gibson said in a club statement. “This happened before Tony’s arrival.

“Over the past 18 months Tony has been proactive, not only in the ambition to win football matches and promotion to the Premier League, but also in addressing our financial position in order to comply and respect the Championship Fair Play criteria.

“He has ensured that the club is stable and strong for the future. He leaves us in excellent condition.”

On the surface, then, it appears Pulis has done a respectable job. This season was hardly disastrous; it did not set the club back several years and they will again be amongst the favourites to challenge at the top of the Championship next season.

As always, though, with Pulis, it all comes back to his dogmatism, to his refusal to even consider the possibility of playing more expansive football. The club’s fans, for the most part, were fed up with it, and wanted him gone.

It did not help that Middlesbrough were often poor at home. They won just ten of their 23 games at the Riverside, losing seven and drawing six. They scored just 23 goals and often played unnecessarily defensively for a promotion-challenging team on their own turf. It was much different away from home, though.

Over the course of the season, Boro created an average of just 1.1 big chances per 90 minutes, some way off the division’s pacesetters. They completed an average of 344.13 passes per game, which ranks 19th in the Championship.

None of this is surprising, of course, but it highlights the dearth of entertainment at Middlesbrough over the course of the campaign.

Inevitably, such a style of play does not endear a manager to the fans, particularly in the modern game, where most supporters feel entitled to a certain level of entertainment (Marcelo Bielsa and Daniel Farke have certainly provided that at Leeds United and Norwich City this season).

There are others, too, who have suffered similar fates because of their refusal to conform to modernity.

Chris Hughton was dismissed by Brighton largely due to his side’s consistently dour performances in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce and Mark Hughes are out of fashion, too, since their most recent and forgettable tenures in the top flight.

It seems clubs are growing increasingly weary of Pulis and his ilk. The former Stoke and West Brom manager is undoubtedly effective in the right circumstances. But, after a while, he prompts a feeling of existentialism from fans: Why are we watching this unapologetically drab football? Would success even make it all worthwhile?

The answer to the latter, for Middlesbrough, proved to be no. Pulis is gone, and he must now consider his next step wisely. If he does not change his approach, he may find himself faced again and again with an alienated group of fans and a dissatisfied chairman.

 

 

YIPPPEEE, CAN'T WAIT!

Jesus Christ. That makes me want to cry. 

[Bouncing Owl]

If this is only until the end of the season and he does go, then im happy with it. But, no contract extensions.  I want a 3 year plan in the summer with a new management team brought in and a new footballing philosophy. 

[Rodger Wylde]

Just now, WalthamOwl said:

I just hope Pulis is asking to much and Chansiri won’t pay it. 

It's not about the money. It's a clause in the contract they are trying to add that states that when fans are allowed back into stadiums Pulis has to leave.

[Tea Baggins]

39 minutes ago, 0114 said:

I said an appointment while the end of the season would be perfect.
 

Getting Pulis in the same way Boro did Warnock is perfect. No way under any circumstances we go down now. 

 

Exactly this.

 

Pulis to steady the ship and retain our league status.

 

Get someone in for next summer for the long term re-build.