The Official Dean Smith Thread | Page 367 | Vital Football

The Official Dean Smith Thread

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LewChatterley'sLover said:
It's a been a great few months for Deano. Having won promotion against all odds, then achieved the 17th that we'd all have accepted last season, his management ideas are now gaining national attention and making us an attractive top-half side. Yes he's had the good fortune of a rich, sympathetic board, plus a once-in-a-generation talent in Jack, but he's doing a superb job.
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He has to take some of the plaudits for Jack Grealish too. He's been hiding in a cupboard gathering dust since the Sherwood days hardly developing at all. Smith's found a way to get the best out of him, put an armband on him and an arm around his shoulder, given him unwavering support and now he's reaping the benefits.

I can picture an alternate universe where we had a Southgate-esque manager or he made that move to Spurs and Grealish's potential was lost.
 
ldgavfc said:
He has to take some of the plaudits for Jack Grealish too. He's been hiding in a cupboard gathering dust since the Sherwood days hardly developing at all. Smith's found a way to get the best out of him, put an armband on him and an arm around his shoulder, given him unwavering support and now he's reaping the benefits.

I can picture an alternate universe where we had a Southgate-esque manager or he made that move to Spurs and Grealish's potential was lost.
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I agree with you mate but polishing a Ferrari is hardly building it from scratch
 
It will be interesting to see how Dean responds to the recent run of below par performances and the degree to which he decides to change things against Arsenal.

He was honest post match against West Ham and said WHU were the better side. He also said Villa were a little off the pace, unable to maintain the tempo, so will he look to change the 11 which he's been a little reluctant to do.

Another point from his post match, he said that he'd tweaked the set up and looked to get Barkley and McGinn the other side of West Ham, which I took to mean further forward and in front of the ball, and he admitted it didn't work that well vs having in his words 'two number 6s'.

I think he'll be looking for a much better performance for starters so I'll watch with interest as to who he picks and how he sets up for Aresnal.
 
The big positive for Deano and the club is that they can take every confidence that whatever happens from here on there has been another season of tangible improvement under him so he is going nowhere this season. FACT.
Season 1 - promotion
Season 2 - squad over haul and survival
Season 3 - 32 points at halfway 9th place , beating top teams and improved playing style.


We should be safe at a canter and it would take something absolutely extraordinarily freakish to go wrong to be involved in any 'r' issues. And quite frankly if we even flirt with the 'r' word from here on in then the management and players should all be replaced .
 
Melon Donkey said:
The big positive for Deano and the club is that they can take every confidence that whatever happens from here on there has been another season of tangible improvement under him so he is going nowhere this season. FACT.
Season 1 - promotion
Season 2 - squad over haul and survival
Season 3 - 32 points at halfway 9th place , beating top teams and improved playing style.


We should be safe at a canter and it would take something absolutely extraordinarily freakish to go wrong to be involved in any 'r' issues. And quite frankly if we even flirt with the 'r' word from here on in then the management and players should all be replaced .
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Yep and it means solid finances, less FFP issues and another transfer window for prem strengthening.
 
Dean dropped Anwar after he’d had a good run to play Barkley at Man City, fair enough - a tough decision. After the hard evening at Southampton he thought the response was to drop Bert. Fair enough, but unlikely that caused our ineptitude last night. Dean’s solution at half time was to take Anwar off, a clear admittance that he got selection wrong. Or did he? I know he is inexperienced at this level but not as a manager of players. I only hope he is able to to make less popular decisions with players for fear of upsetting them or other teammates. Is he prepared to be tough with players like, SJM, RB even JG. Or will he just change softer targets such as Bert, Marv, Trez and Doug? I hope he has the ruthlessness necessary to succeed at top level.
 
Managers all have favourites in all walks of life, normally those who suck up to them and hang on their every word, I imagine football is the same if not worse as the players earn far more than the manager. Player power is strong. I would not want Deans job when he puts the team sheet up that's for sure.

Imagine the 9 on the bench all moaning behind his back, just like workers who don't get the nod for weekend overtime on a Thursday afternoon.
 
I loved the way he looked at Barkley and shrugged his shoulders when Ross was subbed and kicked the water bottle in the air. No arms round the shoulder and discussions like Klopp with Milner the other day. The look was "I'm in charge and I will be deducting the cost of that bottle of water out of your wages"
He may still be learning the ropes in the PL but he has some great man management skills. Never once in his after match interview did he mention himself and it was all about the team.
We have a very good manager here!
 
I think it was after the play off final when he said he tries to be the type of manager he would have wanted to be managed by and certainly he never seems to have had any problem with players in his managerial career.

Half the battle won when you have happy players .
 
JW1985 said:
Favourite to be the next England manager with some bookies. Not sure why he'd leave his dream job to take up that poisoned chalice.
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Still think there's a big pull towards the National team....World Cups, jumpers for goal posts....those were the days!
 
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