Russell Slade the new favourite as Gabbidon and Young make their point.

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5 Responses to Russell Slade the new favourite as Gabbidon and Young make their point.

  1. Graham says:

    As always a perceptive, insightful, and accurate analysis – but I would say that since, again as always, I agree with probably every word. I especially appreciated the contrast you draw between “they passed the ball quickly and accurately” and “our laboured backwards and sideways passing .. ending with a lump forward..”. And that has charaterised our play for so long.
    A pity that Daehli and Kim, neither of them on the field yesterday, probably our two most skillful and creative ball-players, are both guilty of taking that extra litle step which gives another chance for big lumbering opposing defenders to jostle our rather frail little guys off the ball.
    I liked the reference to “their full-backs playing more like wingers” and look forward to seeing Fabio take off up the field again.
    And you referred to “our old faithful of a set-piece goal” – but this time it was Pilkington’s corner, not Whittingham’s, which led to the goal – and great that Whitts got back on the score-sheet but did you see how he sank to the ground, presumably in embarrassment or amazement, when the ball went into the net?
    What we’re still waiitng for of course is someone who can mould this collection of individual players into a team that has as its priority getting and keeping possession but only as a means of going forward fast and shooting when they see the goal!

  2. Dai Woosnam says:

    Good morning, Paul.
    Thanks for a very comprehensive report.
    As you will appreciate, I know several Grimsby Town fans, and Slade was manager there from 2004-6. He got the Mariners to the Millennium Stadium Div Two Play Off final where they lost 1-0 to Cheltenham.
    During his first year, a sizeable percentage of fans wanted him out, but here’s the thing: in the 8 years since he has gone, and “Town” have plummeted from those heights of the Millennium to games at Alfreton and Eastleigh, his stock seems to have risen with those fans.
    They certainly felt that his teams always showed method, and as befits a former PE teacher, always looked that they had put in the hard yards on the training pitch.
    Plus they miss him on local TV: he is media-savvy and media-friendly, and reasonably articulate to boot.
    And one other sartorial aspect: if we cannot have the baseball cap of the outstanding Tony Pulis in the City dugout, then we can have one with Russell Slade, as he seems wedded to that dreadfully ugly piece of headgear, even though it does not suit him.
    [Dear Russell: try a barge captain’s cap or a newsboy cap. They would suit you down to the ground.]
    To be more serious though: the thing that strikes me is how Vincent has scaled down the salary!
    Here is a man who was paying Dave Jones circa £750K p.a.
    And Malky something also in that ballpark.
    And Ole WAY OVER that sum.
    Yet, Paul Hartley’s people have released info that he was offered £250K p.a. and a big bonus on promotion.
    Any views Paul, on this apparent downgrading?
    It will explain why the potentially outstanding Neil Lennon won’t be bound for the CCS.
    If he plays his cards right, and gets his feet in under the MotD table, he can earn that sum via the good old BBC, who love throwing everyone’s licence fee away.
    Hansen’s £1m a year is still burning a hole in their pocket.
    Kindest, as ever,
    Dai.

  3. The other Bob Wilson says:

    Thanks again for your replies. Dai, as I allude to in my piece, the interest in Russell Slade makes most sense if Vincent Tan has decided to come at things from a different angle. Since he decided to become more hands on in the running of the club early in 2012, successive managers have been indulged by Mr Tan when it comes to playing budgets, but, we are worse off now as a team and financially as a club than we were back then, so I’d say our owner could be forgiven for thinking has all the spending achieved anything? I can’t see Slade being paid much more than the sum Hartley was offered (it may even be less) and, if the intention is to splash the cash again in January, then it seems odd to consider someone like Slade who has no experience of paying big sums for players – his expertise seems to lie at the opposite end of the range.

    Graham, I thought Whittingham may have taken a knock in scoring his goal, but you can never tell with him – Whitts is dividing opinions a bit at the moment (he wouldn’t be in my starting line up at the moment), but, in a side that I’ve seen accused of having no fight in them, you could not complain about his work rate and desire to cover for team mates.

    It’s strange with Kimbo, he seems to have become a forgotten figure here when it comes to Championship football, but he said he’d rather stay with us when Celtic were after him a few weeks ago – maybe it was a money thing, he is probably on more here than he would have been at Celtic? However, I think any new manager/coach has to think seriously about involving him more, because if the new man can get him performing, then he’ll be like a new signing for us.

  4. Dai Woosnam says:

    Thanks ffor that, Paul.
    Just a thought…but has not Kimbo still got his parents living with him, plus a 24/7 interpreter?
    Or is he alone in South Wales now, with just compatriot Ki at The Liberty for company?
    If the former, maybe they did not want to decamp to Glasgow.
    Kindest,
    Dai

  5. The other Bob Wilson says:

    Possibly Dai, but, watching Kimbo this season, he is going through the motions – I would guess he is on a very good wage here and, by reputation at least, Celtic are notoriously poor payers.

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