[Archived] Mclaren

[SuperStella]

Another disastrous decision by the FA in appointing McLaren later today....... not only was he second choice, the FA managed to let every man and his dog know they wanted Scolari. A well respected manager, who was already in another job. If me or you applied for another job and the company you applied to was telling everyone, would it be legal? or morally correct? No!

Then, we go for McLaren... yes, he's got them into a Uefa Cup final and won the league cup, known as a 'mickey mouse' cup when other teams have won it. Where are they in the league? Have they ever done anything? You could say Boro are a good cup side, but so are Yeovil in the FA Cup.

McLaren, in his 5 year tenure as manager of Boro has spent £54m, including the inspired £3m+ signings of Ricketts and Christie.... He's recuperated just £5.15m. Therefore, a league cup and a uefa cup place has cost £48.85m

ABSOLUTE JOKE!

Edited May 4, 2006 by SuperStella

[Esulx]

I think McLaren is a 'yes man' and that's what the FA wanted.

The likes of Sam Allardyce and Martin O'Neill would want to bring their own staff in and doit their way and the FA dont want that.

I think the impending appointment of McLaren is the wrong decision by the FA. Of course I hope he proves me wrong but I have my doubts he can do that. His record this season with Boro in the UEFA Cup is nothing short of remarkable... but what about his record in the league... hugely disappointing. He's not the man for this big job, not by a long way!!!

[Ozz]

On the face of it I would agree SS. But recent draws at Old Trafford and Bolton with virtual youth teams indicates that the infrastructure and academy set up is working very well, which will begin to pay dividends soon, plus his coaching methods and tactics have some merits too. Didn't their youth team win or get to the final of the FAY cup too?

But, yes, I would tend to agree, not my first choice for England.

[SuperStella]

Sunderland got a 0-0 draw at Man United and were already down.

Kevin Ball for England??????????????

[chris]

problem is not many fish in the sea, he's been very average a Boro considerig the money he had

[cletus]

Nothing against McLaren, but as usual the FA are surrounding themselves with 'yes' men.

I actually feel a tad sorry for who-ever gets the England job, cos they suddenly become the media`s public enemy number 1.

England (& it`s media) will destroy McLaren & any credibility he has, with it.

[SuperStella]

Martin O'Neill has a touch of lunatic genius about him and is a proven motivator of often-average talent. He's passionate and has massive self-belief. He's inspired loyalty at both Leicester and Celtic and players respect him. In all these aspects he is in a different league to McClaren.

[Flopsy]

He's being put forward as the sacrificial lamb for all the England must have an English manager whatever their actual qualifications. So when he fails the FA can then go and get themselves a decent foreign manager who might actually do something good.

Anyone think its to give Arsene another 2 years at Arsenal and then for him to move on to the England job?

[SuperStella]

Arsene wont be considered as one of the selectors is David Dein, a board member at Arsenal

[EIEIEIO]

ABSOLUTE JOKE!

404744[/snapback]

Couldn't agree more.

[SuperStella]

McLarens win rate at Boro is 39%

[Jim J]

Put it this way, i'd be very suprised if McLaren was still in the job for the WC in 2010. In fact, i'd say 2008 would be a remarkable feat.

[Flopsy]

Arsene wont be considered as one of the selectors is David Dein, a board member at Arsenal

404794[/snapback]

Hence why I said 2 years time. I think Arsene will ahve brought the youngsters through and will be looking for a new challenge.

Look Im trying desperately to find some crumbs of comfort, be nice

[sausagemandog]

I also dont think thet Mclaren will do a good job, he is def a yes man for the FA. On saying that I dont think there is currently an Englishman who is ideally suited for the job. I believe they have been pressured into appointing an Englishman after the Scolari cock up.

If Rovers had spent the money that Mclaren has (also in wages on free transfers), I would have not been happy with the end product apart from the current European run.

I hear that Boro would like Sven as their new manager, good luck to them.

[Nate]

I would of gone with O'Neill. If he wanted the job that is. I'll gladly take him him after Guus is finished

[3rdpillar]

Maybe it is an impression I already gained from the British media. I cant help the deflated feeling in hearing McLaren has the job. I am dissapointed and at the moment it has tainted my enthusiasm for this world cup.

personal opinion, person feelings...shared with you all

[speeeeeeedie]

The FA has been a farce since its inception. The good old boy network, lining their own pockets, and gross incompetence are some of the valid criticisms toward the rulers of our national game. The most recent gaffes of the Wembley fiasco, to use a tabloid term, and the Big Phil pandering are just more examples of their idiocy.

My memory and experience can only remember the 80's onward but we were, and still are, miles behind other footballing nations in our National team infastructure. The youth structure is a joke; the U-15 coaches find the biggest kids in England who can play a bit, arrange games against Brazil, beat them through kicking lumps out of them, then proclaim that we have a bright future. The U-17's, U-18's, and U-21's exist for nothing. I watched quite a bit of the U-17 world championship last summer and saw some great players (Messi and Obi Mikel being the pick of the bunch) who are being groomed for years to come. Where were the England players? Recording themselves 5hagging birds in Ibiza probably. Portugal's Euro 2004 team was, accroding to many, the culmination of a youth policy set up years ago. Figo and the like had been playing together since their youth with a view to winning something. They never did, but came close. Even the US has a decent system. They play plenty of games with a pool of players. They only bring back the ones in Europe for big games, the rest are played with the same 30 or so who go to each training camp

Poor old McClaren, I feel for him. He interviews for a job, but the people who invited him made it abundantly clear that they wanted Scolari. McClaren was given the job as Sven's assistant with a view to taking over when the mercenary was finished. Sven goes and he gets pushed back a bit.

Another aspect that the manager debacle throws up is the apparent lack of respect for the FA coaching badges. Roeder is getting more special dispensation to complete the necessay qualifications, Stuart Pearce still has one to go but is held with acclaim with many, but McClaren has everything, gone through the system, learned the ropes and gets shunned. Whay have it?

McClaren should do decent job, he knows all the players, the core of which will have another World Cup in them, and he will bring in a left winger who he knows well.

Just one thought; What does Sven do this World Cup? McClaren is taking over, does Sven let him do everything as a "training exercise" whilst he sits there counting his cash at halftime.

[RevidgeBlue]

Whe-hey!

After a tortuous selection process it became apparent that the FA Chief executive Barwick favoured O"Neill, Dein favoured Scolari, Allardyce apparently interviewed best, so what do we get after interminable interviews carried out with farcial James Bond like secrecy?

Rejected out of hand by eventual first choice Scolari and we end up with MCClaren who was the current manager's right hand man anyway!

Brilliant, don't know how they do it!

Despite his apparent lack of charisma, the hope has to be that without the opportunity to waste money, he can do a good job.

[rover6]

The youth structure is a joke; the U-15 coaches find the biggest kids in England who can play a bit, arrange games against Brazil, beat them through kicking lumps out of them, then proclaim that we have a bright future. The U-17's, U-18's, and U-21's exist for nothing. I watched quite a bit of the U-17 world championship last summer and saw some great players (Messi and Obi Mikel being the pick of the bunch) who are being groomed for years to come. Where were the England players?

404886[/snapback]

That is a point that I fully agree with.

What is the point of having U15s, U16s, U17s, U18s, U19s, U20s...?!!! Talk about overkill.

The U20 side are just players who are not good enough to play for the U21s - so clearly will never be good enough to be internationals so why bother? The same applies to most of the other youth sides.

The selection process for these teams is so arbitrary, it makes Sven's selection choices seem respectable. Players from Premiership clubs are continually picked for these youth teams, regardless of their performances whilst players lower down the rungs, with more promising futures, are ignored. Until they sign for a big club. Classic example is Joe Garner. Now we all know that he's a prospect and a few years back he was being hailed as the next big thing from Rovers academy. However, his goals have stopped flowing since breaking into reserve football - yet come rain or shine, goal drought or not, England beckons every time.

Is it any surprise that one of the biggest problems in English youth football is players with great potential getting too much too soon and lapping up the attention and hype whilst letting the football deteriorate?

The other problem are the coaches/managers. Who are they? Don't ask me. They're anonymous characters who are accountable to no-one. If their team capitulates in a youth tournament they will trot out the same cliche about learning and a big curve. They will say that it's not about the winning, it's about the development.

Typical bull**** - and they don't mention how lovely the all stay in Brazil or wherever was and how much they're looking forward to the next one.

England, as a major football nation, should be winning youth tournaments left right and centre. We're not, is the simple fact, and then people wonder why the senior side can't do anything in the real thing.

Oh - and btw, Steve McClaren is a crap choice. He seems barely capable of coping with the pressure of Middlesbrough - so God knows how he'll cope with the weight of a nation on his shoulders. You have to say though, anyone's better than that promiscuous Swedish accountant.

Edited May 4, 2006 by rover6

[Flopsy]

Poor old McClaren, I feel for him. He interviews for a job, but the people who invited him made it abundantly clear that they wanted Scolari. McClaren was given the job as Sven's assistant with a view to taking over when the mercenary was finished. Sven goes and he gets pushed back a bit.

404886[/snapback]

Becareful throwing Mercenary about unless youve never earned a penny in your life

[Billy Castell]

I think McLaren is a 'yes man' and that's what the FA wanted.

The likes of Sam Allardyce and Martin O'Neill would want to bring their own staff in and doit their way and the FA dont want that.

404746[/snapback]

All bets are off, we have a winner !.

Exactly the same reason Brian Clough wasn't picked all those years ago.

[doctorryan]

The FA has been a farce since its inception.

404886[/snapback]

Wow.

Since all the way back in 1863, huh?

Edited May 4, 2006 by doctorryan

[Esulx]

Martin O'Neill wanted to take his own backroom staff (Steve Walford & John Robertson) who he's worked with since his days at Wycombe Wanderers but the FA werent interested in employing anyone other than a head coach.

Their belief is that the current structure (Sammy Lee, Ray Clemence, Trevor Brooking) is sufficient support for the incoming head coach. Very much a "Yes Man" required to do this job.

Something like 78% of fans polled do NOT want McLaren as the new boss. And to have a 39% win rate is abysmal. Managers at Premier League clubs have been sacked for less than that, never mind promoted to the biggest job in world football.

Speaking of being promoted to the job... why not Peter Taylor?? He may only be manager of Hull but his record at under-21 level is fabulous and isnt it usual for the U-21 manager to be promoted to the main job once the previous coach calls it a day!!!

The FA have done sweet FA for the fans of this country.

[Hughesy]

Confirmed this afternoon - what a load of rubbish that appointment is!

[Hughesy]

Can we have a poll on whether or not we are happy with him being named as England manager?