The Alex Neil Legacy

[king canary 7,578]

Despite the short term positivity he bought to the club it is increasingly looking like Neil will have left a toxic legacy. More money spent than by any manager in our history, 6 of our top 10 most expensive signings ever were made by him and yet we''re left with an imbalanced squad with no confidence or mental strength.

He has left us in a position where the squad needs a total overhaul yet he''s spent most of the money we''d need for said overhaul. We''ve got a raft of players on big wages we''re going to struggle to shift and squad that really only fits one formation.

What a triumph.

[FenwayFrank 2,456]

He also took us into the prem for a season when it looked like we wouldn''t make it and bought some good quality young players. A bit of balance doesn''t hurt does it ?

[king canary 7,578]

He had a good 6 months.

I''d say there is a question mark over the young players- and what is the point of signing them if you refuse to use them?

[smooth 114]

Afraid investing in youngsters is my what we needed. The cash spent should be invested in getting in the here and now. We had invest in a premiership playing squad. Youngsters don''t always develop.

Afraid we should have gone up that season anyway, Adams was a mistake from the board and Neil got us over the line but out of depth in the premiership. You cannot afford that leadership when in the premiership. Which we saw brutally taken out over last season and now this season.

[Cantiaci Canary 556]

He was an impact manager ... no more no less.

The excruciating mistake was clinging on on him and hoping that the deterioration would stop.

The crime was not learning from the decaying days of Worthy and Hughton that once the rot sets in you have to act ruthlessly ... nomatter how nice the manager is as a person.

By sone accounts Lambert wasn''t the most pleasant character to have around ... but look at what he did.

[Hucks6 169]

He might have took us up he also took us down shouldn''t been given Job in first place

[Guest]

Winning at Wembley in the playoff final is more than many managers will achieve. But yes, things are a mess now. Largely due to not replacing Alex Neil when change was needed last year and promotion was still a possibility. He did introduce the Murphys to regular first team football, so that''s something​.

[ZLF 271]

player recruitment not impressive but its not just down to neil, the numerous incarnations of the recruitment team and a CEO who lumbered us with contracts that make it impossible to move deadweight players on have all played their part.

[capricorn1 17]

I think the issue is that he got us promoted. I loved that day at Wembley and wouldn''t change it for the world, I''ll always have that amazing day with my dad and my sons.

However, the squad needed an overhaul then, we already had players who were becoming past their sell-by dates but I suspect we stuck with them because they had prem experience and they got us back up. Had we have got to Wembley but lost the play offs, I think people would have been satisfied with the job Neil had done and given him another season. That summer might have then seen the required squad overhaul we needed take place ready for another push for promotion.

AN had been making noises for months that the squad needed to be overhauled, he spoke about it in his last press conference before the chop. I don''t hold him completely responsible for the squad, we clearly need to get rid before we can bring in and if we have high wage earners (who he didn''t bring in) taking a wage with no teams interested his hands are tied. This summer is a blessing as so many are out of contract so that clean up can take place.

Let''s hope the new set-up swiftly take the required action and rebuild us for the future!

[Chip20 69]

Success and failure in football is always a combination of many factors. I hate the reductionist culture of blaming/sacking the manager but I can also see that there is little else a club can do in the short term if they wish to be perceived by demanding fans to be doing something. People whinge and whine as though Norwich are the only team that fail to get established in the top flight and struggle to bounce back from a relegation whereas I am fairly sure we are not in a particularly significant minority.

[shaunieboy77 73]

I find it quite staggering that players that needed to be shifted immediately after promotion almost 2 years ago are still starting games now.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Cantiaci Canary"]He was an impact manager ... no more no less.

The excruciating mistake was clinging on on him and hoping that the deterioration would stop.

The crime was not learning from the decaying days of Worthy and Hughton that once the rot sets in you have to act ruthlessly ... nomatter how nice the manager is as a person.

By sone accounts Lambert wasn''t the most pleasant character to have around ... but look at what he did.[/quote]

In other words, they did what they always do. They dithered. Something they do better than anyone else.

[Lessingham Canary 99]

The Alex Neil Legacy

Well he did leave us Frankie and Irvine!!

[TIL 1010 4,718]

[quote user="ZLF"]player recruitment not impressive but its not just down to neil, the numerous incarnations of the recruitment team and a CEO who lumbered us with contracts that make it impossible to move deadweight players on have all played their part.[/quote][Y]

[lake district canary 4,531]

Circumstances caused our downfall. New defenders were needed before the Pl season - were identified but we were unable to get them, hence the need to at least get Klose in the January that season.    So AN doesn''t get the full blame imo - and the players he did have left from previously weren''t good enough.  The bright points were the way that he has got the Murphys going and the new players - Oliveira and Pinto and Naismith.  The other legacy is the group of young players who are plainly going to be the future. Pritchard, Maddison, Thompson, Godfrey and others.  We are a goalkeeper or two short, but Rudd imo is still a good prospect.  Goalkeepers - Jones   RuddDefenders -      Pinto     Dijks   Midfielders - Godfrey Thompson Howson Dorrans Wildschut Murphy Murph Maddison Pritchard (Wes, maybe)Forwards - Oliveira, Jerome and MorrisAlso of course other youngsters who may have a future in the first team squad. So it is not all negative and AN has left the club in a good state, it''s just the demands of this season to get the team back to the PL held back the introduction of the youngsters. Now this season has gone that can be addressed, shame for AN as I think he was held back by the lack of transfers in defence and a deep rooted culture of failure in the squad due to the negative effect of two seasons of heavy defeats/elegations in the PL.

[Clint 221]

How on earth can you say that spending £8m and £40k a week on Naismith is a bright point LDC?

[Barclay seats 4849 the 3rd 0]

Alex Neil 🤡💩🙈🙉🙊

That''s all

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Clint"]How on earth can you say that spending £8m and £40k a week on Naismith is a bright point LDC?[/quote]I think that going forwards, he is the one senior player we should keep if possible - with the experience he has in a successful Everton side - and that could be the focal point in the new era of younger players coming through.  The experience to go with the youth, if you like.

[king canary 7,578]

@LDC

''So it is not all negative and AN has left the club in a good state''

Errrm has he?

[Clint 221]

I''d say that Naismith is exactly the sort of player that we need to get shot of LDC. Well past his best, massively overpaid and underperforming and I''m not sure that blaming everything and everyone around him each time he messes up on the pitch makes a great role model.

He was a member of a reasonably successful Everton squad but he managed just over 50 starts in 4 years and was used mainly as an impact sub. He was far from a significant contributor to it.

I agree with your point on retaining experience but I would suggest there''s far better and much cheaper options within our squad.

[lake district canary 4,531]

Fair comment, Clint.   Retaining experience in some form is important, but if not Naismith, then who?   

[Clint 221]

I''ll probably get shot down for some of these but off the top of mr head, I''d keep Wes, Howson, Jerome, Dorrans and Martin of the elder group.

A lot of the younger players have plenty of experience as well though, Pinto and Nelson being two examples.

[king canary 7,578]

@clint

I''d agree with that. We''re not lacking experience as we''re actually quite an old squad. We do have the chance to replace some outgoing older players with youngsters though which will help. If Mulumbu goes then that lets Thompson step up, Toffolo should have a chance to be more involved, if Ruddy leaves then maybe Rudd gets his chance etc etc.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Clint"]I''ll probably get shot down for some of these but off the top of mr head, I''d keep Wes, Howson, Jerome, Dorrans and Martin of the elder group.

A lot of the younger players have plenty of experience as well though, Pinto and Nelson being two examples.[/quote]

I can envisage a team without any of the elder players you mention and including leaving out Naismith - we would still be strong.                  RuddPinto    ?           ?         Dijks       (if we can persuade him to stay)      Thompson  GodfreyMurphy Maddison Pritchard             OliveiraIf those players come through, the key experience will be in whoever we sign as central defenders to replace our failing ones. Someone like Dion would be great - a time served and respected player from a very high level who can be the lynch pin of the team. 

 

[stu 0]

Cantiaci Canary wrote the following post at 06/04/2017 9:58 AM:

He was an impact manager ... no more no less.

The excruciating mistake was clinging on on him and hoping that the deterioration would stop.

The crime was not learning from the decaying days of Worthy and Hughton that once the rot sets in you have to act ruthlessly ... nomatter how nice the manager is as a person.

The Board remain entirely unaccountable for this and do not show any shred of remorse. The supporters deserve an explanation for all the major transfer decisions in the past year or so.