Myra Hawtree 124 Posted March 3 Interesting article about City by Alex Neil on BBC Sport web page. He was, of course, at Sunderland but left them for Stoke and eventually got the sack. Wouldn’t mind him back. Much more experience than when originally here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
non-scoring strikers 113 Posted March 3 (edited) Jeez. Another one of these thick posts about bringing back rubbish former employees. Edited March 3 by non-scoring strikers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
......and Smith must score. 1,360 Posted March 3 2 minutes ago, non-scoring strikers said: Jeez. Another one of these thick posts about bringing back rubbish former employees. Personally I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring anyone back but to call Myra thick is a bit rich. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,741 Posted March 3 I think Wagner is at least on par with him. Would be a pointless change. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Commonsense 644 Posted March 3 30 minutes ago, non-scoring strikers said: Jeez. Another one of these thick posts about bringing back rubbish former employees. It’s not right to bring him back now, but to call him rubbish is ridiculous and says far more about you than him. That wonderful run to the play offs ( which we won easily!) and that inspiring away record in the first season are memories I treasure! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S_81 843 Posted March 3 No, he had his time. He did well. And then he didn’t. His career has gone sideways to backwards since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Newtopia 519 Posted March 3 He did okay, and seemed like an alright person, but going back seems a really bad idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
splutcho 176 Posted March 3 Great time for us, great time for him, but that's gone, it's in the past. Very, very few managers I'd have back. And this is from someone that wouldn't mind at all if DW left tomorrow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daly 507 Posted March 3 What happened to to Fat Frankie his sidekick 11 minutes ago, S_81 said: No, he had his time. He did well. And then he didn’t. His career has gone sideways to backwards since. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonnyJonnyRowe 453 Posted March 3 (edited) The weird thing about Alex Neil is that if somebody started their managerial career at 40 you'd consider them a young manager at that point. He's managed 5 clubs over the past 11 years and is still only 42. He was 32 when we pinched him from Hamilton, think he was younger than some of our players, although he certainly looked about 45, didn't wear the baldness very well. I'm not really sure where this meandering chain of thought is going really, other than perhaps to argue that there is plenty of time for him to still achieve some major success in management, could end up being the next Neil Warnock and on club 18 in 30 years time. I just remember him for signing about 4 central attacking midfielders when we already had Sir Wes, and that was simply a complete waste of limited resources, why on earth he decided we needed Naismith I do not know, but once signed it made no sense whatsoever to then go and sign Pritchard as well. We'd often find ourselves with Naismith and Pritchard together on the bench, deputising for the superior Hoolahan, £15m worth of spare attacking midfielders on the bench in the Championship a decade ago was insanity. Edited March 3 by JonnyJonnyRowe 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
not a clue 19 Posted March 3 41 minutes ago, daly said: What happened to to Fat Frankie his sidekick He’s assistant at Hearts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary Jedi 590 Posted March 3 The man who ousted Bradley Johnson from the club. Johnson said he thought he would see out his remaining years with Norwich, and was still a hell of a player. But Neil didn’t like him… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,545 Posted March 3 Came to us as a assertive, confident, no nonsense young manager, which worked brilliantly to get us promoted. Lost his way in the PL, as most do at our club when we have so little resources to help a manager - and then couldn't regroup the squad on relegation - which was a key factor in his sacking (unlike Farke who brilliantly turned a losing mentality into a winning one). Being young and a bit authoritarian, couldn't deal with big player egos very well - Maddison for one - and his postings since leaving us have not been brilliant. A good spell for a while at Preston, but Sunderland didn't work out, despite some good results - and Stoke just didn't work for him. So imo he needs another job where he shows an ability to build a squad, or at least have some success on the pitch before he would be considered for a bigger club like us or another main championship contender. Might even be better to drop down to League 1 and build from there. Still young, still with ability - needs a good club to build his career up with, but not us. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JonnyJonnyRowe 453 Posted March 4 (edited) 9 hours ago, lake district canary said: A good spell for a while at Preston, but Sunderland didn't work out Eh? He was there for 7 months, during which time he got them promoted from League One, winning a play-off final at Wembley, then walked out on 28th August having only lost 1 of their first 5 Championship games, including 2 away wins. He wasn't sacked from Sunderland, he left because he disagreed with transfer policy. Edited March 4 by JonnyJonnyRowe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Segura 84 Posted March 4 Will always remember Alex quite fondly - that run to the play off final in 2015 culminating in one of the best days of my life (sorry wifey) was magnificent. Then seemed to lose his way a bit but I'm not surprised he's gone on to have a decent managerial career. One other abiding memory was Seb Bassong's interview about meeting him for the first time - along the lines of 'he told me if you **** about I'll break your balls!' Made me chortle. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nexus_Canary 1,024 Posted March 4 15 hours ago, Myra Hawtree said: Interesting article about City by Alex Neil on BBC Sport web page. He was, of course, at Sunderland but left them for Stoke and eventually got the sack. Wouldn’t mind him back. Much more experience than when originally here. Those flood lights are bad enough already without them bouncing off his shiny head. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dylanisabaddog 4,983 Posted March 4 13 hours ago, splutcho said: Great time for us, great time for him, but that's gone, it's in the past. Very, very few managers I'd have back. And this is from someone that wouldn't mind at all if DW left tomorrow. Just the one I can think of😊 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fen Canary 866 Posted March 4 Just now, dylanisabaddog said: Just the one I can think of😊 Worthy or Lambert? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Shuck 188 Posted March 4 Lakey's nailed it. He's got more than enough time to have some success again-at a bigger club looking for a lift perhaps, Pompey if they lose Mousinho, Derby, Sheff Weds etc. Suffered at Stoke-massively wealthy owners but a club skittering about like a moth to a flame, Schumacher now getting a lot of stick there. But his time here is done and dusted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulfotto 643 Posted March 4 Look a good guy. Had the ability to make complex things simple. I would always agree with what he said after games in particular. And I completely agree with when he said his downfall at Norwich was putting too much trust in the experienced players and he should have ripped it up and started again after relegation. A lesson not learned last season! The guy has made some questionable choices in his management career since leaving Norwich. He was too loyal to Preston when WBA. came calling. Basically he stayed with Preston who then sold the players from under him and then sacked him for under performance. Then probably because of that he ditched Sunderland for Stoke which didn’t work out at all. He is quite prominent in season 3 of Sunderland until I die and comes across quite well. Suspect he will be back in the championship come the summer will be interesting to see how he does. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheGunnShow 5,995 Posted March 4 He's a manager you wish all the best until you face him, but generally agree that his time here is done. He's a solid operator at this level but no more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,545 Posted March 4 3 hours ago, JonnyJonnyRowe said: Eh? He was there for 7 months, during which time he got them promoted from League One, winning a play-off final at Wembley, then walked out on 28th August having only lost 1 of their first 5 Championship games, including 2 away wins. He wasn't sacked from Sunderland, he left because he disagreed with transfer policy. Didn't say he was sacked or didn't do well, I said "Sunderland didn't work out" by which I meant he left too soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,669 Posted March 4 Vastly overrated. Good for a short spell on motivation alone. Struggles longer term. Poor judge of players and dreadful in the transfer market. Also not humble enough to recognise he needed a SD/DoF type to help stop him spunking huge sums on players he couldn't use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites