Oh Dean Smith

[Yellow and Green 334]

5 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

The price for Maddison will have dropped now, which is bad news for us. Another Smith legacy.

Leicester and Leeds appointed managers who have no skin the game, Dyche was a shrewd appointment.

A classic hindsight post. 

You opted not to post this at any point in the last five months, did you? You just decided to post this nugget of wisdom a few hours after Everton stayed up. Footballing genius.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,550]

Smith's tenure saw over 1 point a game, which is survival form in the Premier League. They didn't survive, but not by a huge margin, so hardly a disgrace. They have owners with deep pockets so I doubt they'll be down for long. Two relegations for Smith when parachuted in as a desperation measure maybe, but also two times he has gone in and delivered more points per game than the person he was replacing in a crisis situation.

Edited May 29, 2023 by littleyellowbirdie

[Google Bot 3,275]

Wonder how much truth is in this article where it says "Some of Leicester City's first-teamers are keen to see Dean Smith leave and be replaced with someone who has a clearer style of play"

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/leicester-city-players-stance-emerges-on-the-future-of-dean-smith/

Seems what's being said in regards to him not delivering a clear plan to players is something we definitely experienced here. I can't bring myself to even click on the daily mail link to know what the source is for this article though.

His approach to management is certainly an interesting one, In theory it's quite a nice concept that you create the environment for players to naturally evolve a system that works based on their skillsets and who rises to the top. 

Trouble is, you're not going to have a local lad of the skill and drive of Grealish each club, and when you're in the blame game as most players are you get the feeling most would rather be spoon-fed as it's easier to know your position and role in most situations.

[BroadstairsR 2,166]

I will always maintain that Dean Smith was our worst ever manager ... and I go back a few.

Hamilton ..... Had some pedigree as a player and manager prior to Carrow Road. Even at international level. Knew his footie so either a bad fit or the wrong time.

Roeder .... partially ditto. Easy to let his obnoxious character cloud the fact that he had been reasonably decent at a higher level than City were at the time and did start off rather well at Carrow Road, despite ditching Huckerby the way he did. Poor chap had other issues to deal with as well.

Gunn .... we love you Gunny and not just because you signed Grant Holt.

Grant ---- had the decency to resign before doing too much damage.

Smith .... lower league clogger, lower league manager mostly, Villa supporter who they sacked. despite the love-in. Mr. Walsall through and through. Who did so much damage during his spell here and destroyed everything built up in previous seasons under Farke and before, ably aided by Big Stu.

"No brainer," without a single positive that can be attributed to his spell at Carrow Roaf. Nowhere, nobody man.

We had forgotten what awful football looked like until we were confronted with Smithball.

Fore!

 

[Capt. Pants 4,234]

Smith needs to take time out the game. Perhaps reinvent himself. It's a rather daft philosophy to let the players decide on playing style. 

Seems a very lazy approach in my opinion.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

At the time of his appointment I thought Smith was an poor decision. Not many organisations take the offloads of a direct competitor. The sacked CEO of a mainstream business would rarely be snapped up by a similar business. 
 

This is what we did. Irrespective of size of club , Villa sacked Smith whilst in the bottom six for fear of relegation. We opted to take him on. Inevitability and football don’t usually go hand in hand but this seemed inevitable to me. 
 

Leicester appointing Smith was more of the roll of the dice. With a few games left he may have done enough. In fact he probably had better results that his predecessor but it wasn’t enough. Everton, Leeds,  Southampton even Palace rolled the dice . 

Smiths failure at Norwich is not the same as him failing to keep Leicester up. However the results on his cv are the same. I can’t see anyone in the Prem taking him on. However he may take Leicester back up . 
 

 

[Big Vince 318]

On 28/05/2023 at 22:28, Graham Paddons Beard said:

If Villa fans love him that much why don’t they take him back. 

Because they know he's no good even though they love him.

[Google Bot 3,275]

15 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

However he may take Leicester back up . 

I thought he was only on a contract till the end of this season? 

[Mello Yello 2,293]

Of all the recent panic appointments....Roy is the Boy....Palace will verify that....

I would have dearly loved for Everton to have been relegated....alas not to be.... 

[Big Vince 318]

1 hour ago, BroadstairsR said:

I will always maintain that Dean Smith was our worst ever manager ... and I go back a few.

Hamilton ..... Had some pedigree as a player and manager prior to Carrow Road. Even at international level. Knew his footie so either a bad fit or the wrong time.

Roeder .... partially ditto. Easy to let his obnoxious character cloud the fact that he had been reasonably decent at a higher level than City were at the time and did start off rather well at Carrow Road, despite ditching Huckerby the way he did. Poor chap had other issues to deal with as well.

Gunn .... we love you Gunny and not just because you signed Grant Holt.

Grant ---- had the decency to resign before doing too much damage.

Smith .... lower league clogger, lower league manager mostly, Villa supporter who they sacked. despite the love-in. Mr. Walsall through and through. Who did so much damage during his spell here and destroyed everything built up in previous seasons under Farke and before, ably aided by Big Stu.

"No brainer," without a single positive that can be attributed to his spell at Carrow Roaf. Nowhere, nobody man.

We had forgotten what awful football looked like until we were confronted with Smithball.

Fore!

 

Hughtonball wasn't that long ago. And he wasn't in bottom three when sacked.

[Harry53 209]

1 hour ago, Capt. Pants said:

Smith needs to take time out the game. Perhaps reinvent himself. It's a rather daft philosophy to let the players decide on playing style. 

Seems a very lazy approach in my opinion.

Maybe retire from football altogether ! He must have loads of money for retirement 

[BroadstairsR 2,166]

11 minutes ago, Big Vince said:

Hughtonball wasn't that long ago. And he wasn't in bottom three when sacked.

I never minded Hughton. He had some success and a certain purpose in his intent to keep NCFC up there. I seem to remember he had that awful run-in for the relegation season that sent us down  whilst others down there had some chance of making a fight of it in the traditional manner We had none (Hughton goal apart.)

What I don't remember is the football CH dished up, I think I was abroad for much of that season.

I therefore bow to those regulars who said it was quite dreadful.

Hughton never damaged the legacy he inherited in the the way that that Smith managed, and in a very short space of time.

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by BroadstairsR

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

6 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

I never minded Hughton. He had some success and a certain purpose in his intent to keep NCFC up there. I seem to remember he had that awful run-in for the relegation season that sent us down  whilst others down there had some chance of making a fight of it in the traditional manner We had none (Hughton goal apart.)

What I don't remember is the football CH dished up, I think I was abroad for much of that season.

I therefore bow to those regulars who said it was quite dreadful.

Hughton never damaged the legacy he inherited in the the way that that Smith managed, and in a very short space of time.

 

With Hughton, if you were wanting to think back to memorable moments from his last season, there would be very little to remember.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

44 minutes ago, Google Bot said:

I thought he was only on a contract till the end of this season? 

They could offer him a new one . 

[Indy 3,300]

3 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

They could offer him a new one . 

Why would they, their players are already asking the same questions our players and fans, what is the system and style Smith wants to play! Can’t see Leicester keeping him, there’s a lot of issues if they do! That said might help us if they did keep him on.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

6 minutes ago, Indy said:

Why would they, their players are already asking the same questions our players and fans, what is the system and style Smith wants to play! Can’t see Leicester keeping him, there’s a lot of issues if they do! That said might help us if they did keep him on.

Didn’t say they would. 
 

I said he “may take them back up” . Leicester may think he has a better chance of promotion than other candidates and he is the incumbent . 
 

I agree , I wouldn’t go for him but Leicester might . Be interesting to see if his ship has finally sailed. 

[Indy 3,300]

17 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

Didn’t say they would. 
 

I said he “may take them back up” . Leicester may think he has a better chance of promotion than other candidates and he is the incumbent . 
 

I agree , I wouldn’t go for him but Leicester might . Be interesting to see if his ship has finally sailed. 

Sorry wasn’t having a dig, but they must look to us last year and see he’s not right for them. But who knows?

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

13 minutes ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

Didn’t say they would. 
 

I said he “may take them back up” . Leicester may think he has a better chance of promotion than other candidates and he is the incumbent . 
 

I agree , I wouldn’t go for him but Leicester might . Be interesting to see if his ship has finally sailed. 

It always felt to me he was good at saying the right thing to the owners/SD.  E.g persuading them to give him the WC break and that the team would come back transformed, when nothing changed (actually things were worse).  If it's true as Webber says that they didn't even consider replacing him before the WC break, it beggars belief and who knows, he might persuade the Leicester owners.  Stranger things have happened.

 

The reality is that he took over Leicester when they were 2 points from safety, and at the end of the season they were 2 points from safety.  It came down to the 2-2 draw at home to Everton when they were in the lead but couldn't hold on.  A win from that game would have been enough for them to survive.

[Foxy2600 301]

On 28/05/2023 at 19:03, Unhinged Canary said:

It's poor Shakey and JT I feel sorry for.

 

Surely Superbikes is Non-Football?

[Worthy Nigelton 1,046]

Smith is nowhere near our worst manager.  Results-wise it's probably Grant or Gunn, Roeder was just so unlikeable, and for style of play it is Hughton even if his results weren't all bad.

Out of all them, the worst three are as follows (1 being the worst, 3 being the least bad):

1. Roeder

2. Hughton

3. Gunn

Seems harsh on Hughton to be second worst in my lifetime, but the style of play was so boring that I would have literally stopped watching/supporting us at all had it gone on much longer.  Football should stir emotions (even bad ones) but in those two seasons, it felt uplifting if I had double-booked a home game and could legitimately decide not to go!

Roeder is the all-time worst though and by some distance.  I've never actually hated a Norwich manager before or since, but I truly hated him with every part of me.  An absolute c**t of a bloke.

[canarydan23 4,060]

3 hours ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Smith is nowhere near our worst manager.  Results-wise it's probably Grant or Gunn, Roeder was just so unlikeable, and for style of play it is Hughton even if his results weren't all bad.

Out of all them, the worst three are as follows (1 being the worst, 3 being the least bad):

1. Roeder

2. Hughton

3. Gunn

Seems harsh on Hughton to be second worst in my lifetime, but the style of play was so boring that I would have literally stopped watching/supporting us at all had it gone on much longer.  Football should stir emotions (even bad ones) but in those two seasons, it felt uplifting if I had double-booked a home game and could legitimately decide not to go!

Roeder is the all-time worst though and by some distance.  I've never actually hated a Norwich manager before or since, but I truly hated him with every part of me.  An absolute c**t of a bloke.

You're definitely being harsh on Hughton, he took us to our highest ever league position since 1993. Yes it was turgid, but we had wins v Man U and Arsenal to dwell on.

Smith's football was dire and we had no real bright points that will live in the memory.

Smith is easily above Hughton in the worst manager stakes. Easily.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,431]

4 hours ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Smith is nowhere near our worst manager.  Results-wise it's probably Grant or Gunn, Roeder was just so unlikeable, and for style of play it is Hughton even if his results weren't all bad.

Out of all them, the worst three are as follows (1 being the worst, 3 being the least bad):

1. Roeder

2. Hughton

3. Gunn

Seems harsh on Hughton to be second worst in my lifetime, but the style of play was so boring that I would have literally stopped watching/supporting us at all had it gone on much longer.  Football should stir emotions (even bad ones) but in those two seasons, it felt uplifting if I had double-booked a home game and could legitimately decide not to go!

Roeder is the all-time worst though and by some distance.  I've never actually hated a Norwich manager before or since, but I truly hated him with every part of me.  An absolute c**t of a bloke.

As a manager,  Gunn was miles worse than Hughton.
 

One took  us to the lowest league position in my lifetime . The other survived in the Prem and had success at other clubs. Style of play is not the point . Results are.