I asked why he wouldn't have Jones here, for footballing or personal reasons? He suggested both, justifying it by saying that he would want someone to continue with the same style as JDT to build on his work, which I appreciate even if I don't necessarily agree, but I didn't get why the personal stuff makes a difference if that is the reasoning.

Really? So why are him as a person and his "antics" relevant?

Yep, if Feyenoord come in for him, nothing anything can do, he will understandably go. Questions are whether Feyenoord will have a vacancy and then whether they would go for Tomasson.

Seems a bit of a petty reason to dismiss someone, as much as I dislike him as a person myself, I wouldn't say no if he was the best man for the job, but each to their own.

Out of interest, why are you so against Jones? Don't like him as a person or don't rate him despite the job he did at Luton?

I think with Stoke, it was a managerial graveyard at the time, Gary Rowett also failed. The squad there at the time included Jack Butland, Peter Etebo, Tom Ince, Ashley Williams, Joe Allen, Benik Afobe, James McLean, Sam Vokes, Ryan Shawcross, Bruno Martins Indi and Saido Berahino, lots of unshiftable big earners who had come down from the Prem. Our squad is full of low earning, younger players so I don't think those same type of players are here. That being said, I do hope it doesn't come to a managerial change and if it does, I would ideally like a better and less deplorable option than him! Hard to disagree with the last 2 sentences.

As long as that manager isn't expected to play passing football. If he is the best candidate, then he would surely then pick the tactic he feels suits the squad we have plus a few additions. If he didn't think that was possession focused, for example if he thought that the current defenders aren't good enough on the ball to do that, then fine, that's the managers prerogative. Long way away as we don't know if Feyenoord will go for Tomasson or even if their manager will be poached, but if so, just go for the best choice and let him decide. A new manager may think we are better suited playing counter attacking football for example, whatever gets us the most points will do me. Nathan Jones is an interesting name, possibly as good as we would likely be able to get, even if I hate him as a person, I would stomach it if he did well.

Wonder if they will give Nuno Gomes a call if the next potential manager is Spanish.

That may be true to be fair. Although I guess any worries about a replacement for Tomasson whenever he moves on comes more from Venkys history rather than a conversation with a former player.

Surely you just trust a man you have just appointed probably at a significant cost to decide on the manager following a thorough process, not asking an old player what he thinks.

Not going to increase player value doing that! (or so I am told)

But what if a stand out candidate didn't want to pass it out from the back, would you ignore him because of that? Surely you find the best manager and let him play how he wants, not have people who aren't managers telling a manager how to play.

4 in 36 this season suggest he was struggling to find it at senior level. Vale could barely get a kick at Hull.

Fair enough. I think he has done an article that any of us could have done, indeed there has been mentions of Tomasson to Feyenoord before today. Easiest article in the world.

Do you subscribe to his patreon?! How would they be to blame if our manager was poached by a huge European club? If Tomasson does go, let's just get the best possible manager available, whoever that is. If he wants to play passing football or otherwise, fine. Can you? The owners asked Morten Gamst Pedersen for his advice last summer, they can always scupper everything even if there are good intentions below them.

Would be a huge blow if Tomasson left, and he would go, 100% and you couldn't blame him. But I wouldn't get too ahead of myself just yet, the key is IF Tottenham get Slot, and then if Feyenoord would automatically come to the Championship for his replacement. Tomasson has done a decent job but not as yet a remarkable one, but of course there is his history as a player there which clubs often seem to obsess over. The worry would be getting a replacement. It has come out in the last 2 days that the owners asked Morten Gamst Pedersen for his advice last summer, so that is what we are dealing with.

Who stands out for you? Of them 4 strikers, Delap struggled at 2 clubs at this level, Jebbison has struggled at this level, Scarlett struggled in League 1 and Joseph has barely ever played. Doyle has done well at Coventry but would he be interested and do we need a young loanee CB, probably not.

You would think the remit would be, I don't care how we play or how it looks, just get us up.

Please see below. I am a cynic of such stats, I think there are a lot of holes in them, but that is a big difference which doesn't surprise me, as purely from seeing them, Kaminski kept us in far more games with saves he wasn't entitled to make, Pears isn't a match winner.

What is the obsession with becoming a possession based teams? Possession for both teams can only ever total 100%. Rather than appoint a manager with high possession stats but pretty average results over a 2 year period, and with a squad not suiting that style, why not just get a manager that can focus on getting them up in the first season?

Pickering takes at least as much blame, 100%. But that sort of goal was in the pipeline for weeks, there have been numerous occasions of misunderstandings when the ball has gone in behind, Pears often half coming out and leaving nervous moments. Kaminski gives his defenders more confidence. You are very keen on data etc. What do you think to the stats that the difference between Kaminski and Pears in terms of expected saves is 4.5 goals this season in Kaminski's favourite.

Who are you thinking? There are only 3 keepers who have ever gone for more than 40m, one was Buffon over 20 years ago, one was Alisson and the other was the curious Kepa deal.

Whilst it is definitely a valid argument to suggest that we sold Raya for a low fee and it was a short term move, he made so many mistake in that first season up and he wasn't a patch on the keeper he is today, and likely wouldn't be close to it even now without the coaching and development he has got at Brentford. The year with Walton was a joke, but what frustrates me more at this current time is that we did (a year too late) get an excellent replacement in Kaminski and we are probably going to sell him to go back to having someone bang average in net instead.

You've listed some very average signings there but it's a huge stretch to say he was dishing them out to put them first, especially as many of those only signed the one contract here so he was hardly "looking after" players he had never managed before, as if he was doing an old mate a favour. Should some of those signings have been made, no of course not. We signed Brittain this season who had a number of injuries and Szmodics missed a few games having suffered bad injuries prior to joining. We will probably end up signing injury prone players at times and having to take slight risks.

Will he be expecting £18k a week? And Sunderland have lots of attacking midfielders, Pritchard, Embleton, Roberts etc. Could argue Dack is better than them, but not sure it is much more than 2+2 at the moment. But if he did sign a player of his quality for free, hardly a sympathy deal.