Chris Wilder - Watford Head Coach #18

That seems an odd comment. Didn't Mazzarri and Pearson have 'personality'? Ranieri, too? Even Hodgson (possibly not a 'personality' one might like much...).

 

Pearson has one of the biggest personalities in management, hence why he got the sack with two games to go.

 

Fans hating a coach doesn't make them a bad coach. I can't stand Hodgson, Pleat, Silva, Vialli (RIP), Klopp, Wenger and many others but they've all been successful

 

All posers compared to Beppe. Proper grafted his way to get where he was. Given an opportunity that was probably beyond him, but made the best out of it.

 

I'd like to see you call Pearson a poser to his face...

 

Heard stories from various former players saying he's a bit of coward. Doesn't tell players things direct to their faces, and wilts away if people stand up to him

It's all a big act I suspect. Most modern players will rightly still be petrified of him so it clearly works to some extent

 

If you include Mullins and Dyche, then that's an average of 2 managers a year since Pozzo took over.

I mean, its very funny but f*ck me that's mental.

 

Take the point about Hodgson, Silva and Vialli, but the other managers aren’t quite the same, you’d be hard pressed to find any fans of the clubs they managed who hated them, which was the point with Wilder.

 

Seems likely.

 

Indeed, us fans showed less patience with Mazzarri than the Pozzos, although I'm inclined to think he was horrendously unlucky rather than rubbish

 

Big Sam was not liked at West Ham, Moyes at United, Silva again at Everton, Louis Van Gaal at United. Not every coach is hated by their previous clubs but I think I would take fans reactions with a pinch of salt. I would be more interested in players thoughts

 

In fairness, we played some excellent stuff early on under Ranieri pressing the opposition, but for some reason we stopped it before long. Can't tell you how the scum play (other than hacking the oppo and surrounding the ref), but Edwards was always on a hiding to nothing here

 

Yes of course, I was just stating your thoughts on other managers of other clubs are not really relevant to the conversation, as that’s just par for the course.

 

Fair enough with Klopp and Wenger, poor examples

 

If we could make that 4 games I would be very grateful

 

How long can Wilder go on like this?

 

With our track record, we are never going to attract a top manager . Therefore it seems pointless replacing one average manager, with another.

 

Kind of agree with many above. His style is very specific and absolutely needs a pre-season and a transfer window. I have very little optimism for this season but if there is a plan then Wilder is a good choice - but the contract length suggests otherwise.

 

I for one am more optimistic about these last 11 games now with Bilic gone. Is Wilder the answer? Maybe, maybe not.

What I do know is that under Bilic the last 11 games we’re going to be very boring, predictable, no game plan, horrible tactics, woeful in game management, and horrendous substitutions. At least with Wilder I’m now interested to see what happens, well until we lose to QPR, then I will go back to not caring again.

What I am looking forward to is the inevitable day 1 training pictures that the club will put out with the players all smiling under Wilder.

 

Definitely, along with a clenched fist emoji and something about working hard.

Followed up a few days later with one of the players shoved in front of a camera to say how "the boys" are all well up for it and training has been great.

 

Very clever allusion to the 'Blazing Saddles' references on this thread.

 

...and it's getting better
Growing stronger, warm and Wilder
Getting better everyday, better everyday


Mama Cass knows.

 

And then finally the same player looking sheepish in front of a Hive Live mic at 5.30pm on Saturday saying how up for the boys had been all week and how disappointing it is that they didn't turn that into a winning performance, but will go again.

 

Came on here to post the same thing. Hopefully Knill can join. Believe he is working with Wales but I’m sure he can spare 11 games.

 

Wilder has got his work cut out to turn things around. Going on averages/likelihoods, we’re probably going to need around 75 points to finish top 6.

That’s 8 more victories, from just 11 remaining matches.

Fortunately the fixture list is a kind one. Only Luton and Sunderland look like difficult games to get 3 points from. The rest are games we should actually win.

It’s doable, but when you need to win 8 from 11, it puts on a lot of pressure.

Saturday is key to everything. If we flop again on the road, I’d say that’s just about it.

To get everyone believing (players and fans) he has to win at QPR. Fail to do that, then the revival could be over before it even has started.

 

Was Knill with him at Boro? I'm sure coming here on a short-term deal wouldn't be too much of a bother if he's not in club employment (although ****s' contract took a while to sort out!)

 

Great, we can’t score goals and we want to bring in an assistant called Knill??

 

Giving Wilder a very short term contract is probably the right thing to do and it is a shot to nothing to see if he can get a positive reaction for a possible push for the playoffs, but it is, in reality, an admission that we are on the look out for a manager to take over in June to put in place a plan for promotion for next season. I don't think that the belief or desire exists in this squad of players as a collective to achieve promotion. They are broken as a group. We should seek to retain the players that are salvageable. Get as much as we can for Sarr and Pedro (sadly) and offload the deadwood. I would welcome a situation where we keep Louza, Sema, Porteous, Hoedt, Choudhury, Asprilla, Ferriera, and Kone. Maybe Morris, but I am yet to be convinced. Cleverley and TDB are too injury prone, but I would not be unhappy if they were retained if they are injury free. Leave Manga and co to do their stuff with the new manager (post Wilder) in building a squad that can properly challenge. We need a good man manager and motivator for the next head coach, with a support team of coaches that can have a successful and adaptable playing system/style. Easy.

 

Yes. Also seemed to retain the role when he joined Wales. Shouldn’t be too tricky I’d have thought - but is important!

 

It was already obvious with Bilic not pulling up trees that we'd be after a new manager in the summer regardless of whether we got promotion or not. The fact of Manga coming in since Bilic was appointed also added to that likelihood anyway.

 

Serious question. If we don’t win the next 2 or 3 games, how likely would it be for Gino to pull the trigger again?

I wouldn’t rule it out. Wilder is a glorified caretaker in essence, and if there is no bounce, even if there is a slither of a chance of winning 8 games, I’ll think they sack and hire again.

 

Straight on the blower to Xisco. Not joking

 

I'd have gone with Xisco rather than Wilder anyway.