Premier League

[chaddyrovers]

Wouldn't surprise me if United approach Maresca for the Man Utd given he knows Wilcox and their CEO from his City time

[DE.]

Gutted. Will always remember that magical night at Grimsby. 

[roversfan99]

Yep, a sad day. Amorim was doing well in making United a laughing stock.

More relevant to Chelsea, but football is going into a strange direction. Off the field executives and high power staff members yield too much power and managers (or head coaches) are becoming less and less "important." People who havent managed a team now decide the players to sign, the players to sell, get involved in what tactics to play etc. It makes no sense, and often ends in chaos. 

[chaddyrovers]

The head coach isn't the most important person at the club like Chelsea. They have a structure similar to what we seen in NBA or NFL where the Sporting Director/head of Basketball team operations in the case of NBA teams runs the show and in charge of transfers where the head coach has an opinion but not the final say. 

Forget managers – it’s the flawed strategy of Chelsea’s owners that is the problem - The Athletic

Inside Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea exit: Rotation disagreements, Man City talks and defender woe - The Athletic

[wilsdenrover]

and how’s that working out for them?

[roversfan99]

6 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

The head coach isn't the most important person at the club like Chelsea. They have a structure similar to what we seen in NBA or NFL where the Sporting Director/head of Basketball team operations in the case of NBA teams runs the show and in charge of transfers where the head coach has an opinion but not the final say. 

Forget managers – it’s the flawed strategy of Chelsea’s owners that is the problem - The Athletic

Inside Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea exit: Rotation disagreements, Man City talks and defender woe - The Athletic

You just repeat how certain clubs operate. Its not an opinion.

My point is that IMO its an illogical way to run a football club.

Makes no sense trying to copy off other sports.

I feel like power mad higher ups are the cause of many clubs running inefficiently. The manager should have full say on transfers and tactics and those above and around him should do what they can to assist with that.

[Mattyblue]

Vinjay 👍 Like

[davulsukur]

So Liam Rosenoir is the new Chelsea manager.

Really not sure how this will go but I've just seen that Strasbourg are owned by the same company that own Chelsea, so feels like a bit of a lazy appointment on the face of it.

He's done well in management so far but these type of appointments rarely seem to work out at big clubs over the medium/long term.

Maybe the days of getting "big name" managers in are over?

[KentExile]

Just now, davulsukur said:

Maybe the days of getting "big name" managers in are over?

Yep, head coaches are required these days, who are happy to tow the line of "the project"

[davulsukur]

Rosenoir's contract is until 2032. 

Some people just don't learn

[Comfortably numb]

27 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

Rosenoir's contract is until 2032. 

Some people just don't learn

True. Who in their right minds would offer a 6 year contract at a club where you do well to last 6 months.?

Same with the 8 year contracts for players.

Absolute bat shit club ( and that's something coming from us )

 

[davulsukur]

27 minutes ago, Comfortably numb said:

True. Who in their right minds would offer a 6 year contract at a club where you do well to last 6 months.?

Same with the 8 year contracts for players.

Absolute bat shit club ( and that's something coming from us )

 

The players long contracts were a way around FFP I think.

[oneandycrawford]

Good discussion on Monday Night Club on R5Live last night regarding Sporting Directors and playing 'philosophies'.

Suggested works better on the continent as established way of working so everyone understands the concept and how to work with it 

On 'philosophies' one of the contributors said he asked Max Allegri about how he deals with this when joining a new club. The response was 'my philosophy is to look at the players I have and decide on the system they are best suited to'. Radical!

[Comfortably numb]

Oh dear .....😄

 

[davulsukur]

10 minutes ago, Comfortably numb said:

Oh dear .....😄

 

 

[Herbie6590]

This detail in today’s David Squires cartoon is delicious. Agent Wilcox still hard at work settling scores for King Kenny…😁

https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/jan/06/david-squires-ruben-amorim-enzo-maresca-thrown-overboard-manchester-united-chelsea-power-struggles

[Vinjay]

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

This detail in today’s David Squires cartoon is delicious. Agent Wilcox still hard at work settling scores for King Kenny…😁

 

Jack Walker is the one he owes most.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Herbie6590 said:

This detail in today’s David Squires cartoon is delicious. Agent Wilcox still hard at work settling scores for King Kenny…😁

https://www.theguardian.com/football/picture/2026/jan/06/david-squires-ruben-amorim-enzo-maresca-thrown-overboard-manchester-united-chelsea-power-struggles

I tried and read that every week but I sometimes struggle with the font.

[Herbie6590]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I tried and read that every week but I sometimes struggle with the font.

I have to view it via browser so I can zoom in.

I have all his books as well & find myself pinching the paper to make it bigger…🤦‍♂️

The infrequent Rovers mentions make them all the better when they appear…

[speeeeeeedie]

Both Maresca and Amorim left/sacked because of disagreements with higher ups. I have read plenty on both with the overarching summary being that the powers that be directly or indirectly infringed on the first team boss's independent authority over team tactics and selection. 

Man U haven't won the league since 2013, Chelsea 2017. If both owners carry on as they are it will be a long time before either does so again. 

Chelsea's owners goals looks to be making money from player sales (I'm sure this plan was put to Venkys in the past) so will only buy young and aim to profit later. It does seem strange though as Chelsea are one of world football's biggest spenders so the market for sales is small, or to league rivals. 

Ratcliffe and his merry band of analysts running the show for the Glazers want to recreate the Ferguson years by stamping a "philosophy" and "playing the Man U way" onto the club. Good luck doing that whilst changing managers every 15 months, buying sub standard players, and isolating academy lads who made it to the first team. 

[Hasta]

Hope Forest win tonight to push West Ham 7 points from safety and Burnley 9 points from safety.

[Tom]

The battle for who gets sacked first tonight? Anything but a West Ham win and surely Nuno is gone and rumours that Dyche already under some pressure 

[Tom]

Forest win in the last few minutes, West Ham 7 points adrift now I can’t see how Nuno survives.

Burnley 9 points adrift but with a game in hand tomorrow at home to United 

[Salgados Hair]

@Herbie6590