Let Roy steer us through the rest of this disrupted season, then move for Dyche at Burnley in the Summer. This looks like the best fit and he would jump at the chance of coming back south....

Assuming there will be a takeover, much will depend on what the new owners at Burnley decide to do with Dyche. If they keep him and give him money to spend, why would he want to leave? On the other hand, if they sack him because they want a marquee manager, he would become available before the summer.

Whatever we may think of him and his style of football he does at least know how to keep an unfashionable team in the PL with minimal financial support. Hang on, we've already got a manager who can do that!

Edited by doombear (30 Dec 2020 10.07am)

For every Potter there’s a Brendan Rodgers or Ralph Hasenhuthll.
To replace a staid manager with a progressive manager is not doomed to failure.
There’s a danger of being trapped into a mindset where we can only survive if we appoint a certain type of manager - Pulis, Allardyce, Pardew, Hodgson.
Where next - Pearson or Bruce?
The managers we’ve had have done sound jobs, but eventually we’ll run out of this type of candidate as there’s only a finite amount around still working!
To write off any change of approach ever because of the short lived experiment with DeBoer seems a tad over the top.

So true. Am in violent approval. Nuno was never a big manager before the Wolves appointment. Just sayin

Ok - but I did question how you knew Roy “ melted into the background “ at half time and then you wrote that he was claiming the credit for allowing Ray to say his piece.

I accept they were your personal experiences and differ from mine - I too was fortunate enough to play and coach at a semi pro level. It won’t surprise you to know I had my say regarding in match performance and indeed it was expected.

Neither of our experiences are relevant to what happens in the professional game. Which is why I posted the piece on Wenger and Keown. I hope that gives some perspective now to the Ray Lew situation.

Having read your other posts, I am in full agreement with you in one thing at least - we both want the best for the club we love !

Happy New Year to you - Up The Palace !

As far as I'm aware, top football teams have embraced the very latest technology and techniques. I believe the top Italian sides were originally way ahead but even Palace players will have a strict diet and regime etc. There are no more drinking sessions in the top flight. Even saw small teams will have a data analyst and sports scientist now - like Stevenage for example. Large teams may have 5-10 employees just for analysis.
Rugby is now behind football - except at the very highest level. Teams like Saracens and England, however the French are relatively new to it all, but are now doing it. Ireland rugby have a top set up.

Mate

I'm not sure how qualified I am to answer your question.

I can only recount my own experience as a player - unlike you I didn't Manage our coach at Senior/Adult level.

As a player I was reasonable - but limited in terms of ability. I was quick, could tackle and could pass - you won't be surprised to hear I was a fullback.

On that basis was encouraged just to concentrate on that - I always remember my dear old Dad when I was at junior level on the side-lines, hit him early let him know you are around..!!

That was similar to my experience at Senior level - where there was limited coaching in terms of developing you as a player more concentration on making the most of attributes you already had.

Where I can speak with more authority is development at Youth level. I was fortunate enough through my Sons to become heavily involved in the building and development of our local Football Club - where we took them from having no youth teams to having teams at every age group from U6 to U17's, at some age groups 2 teams.

We became to be the "go to" team/Club in our area - trials in close season were a nightmare..!!

The big difference that I noticed compared to my own experience as a junior was that all coaches needed to be/were qualified - unlike when I was younger it was just a Guy that liked/had played football and was prepared to give up his time to run a junior team for local kids.

There was/is far more focus on developing core skills from a very young age, so not just working on where a player has natural attributes, but pro-actively working on and developing areas of weaknesses in a player.

Prime example as much as the boys hated it, playing games where they could only use their weaker foot - at a young age this was highlighted by them having to wear different colour socks on each leg.

They were/are encouraged to pass the ball from a very young age - whereas I was encouraged just to "put my foot through it".

Result - for example my youngest son - now 22 can hit a dead ball equally well with both his right and left foot - rare as "Hens teeth"..!!

Another thing was playing with their head up - if a player played a "blind pass" - game was stopped and player asked what they were trying to do and where they were trying to pass it.

Other big thing is the introduction of 7 as side, 9 a side at younger age groups - they don't play 11 a side a side until they get to u13's.

Consequently players get more time on the ball on smaller pitches, meaning they have to be able to control the ball, pass and have more awareness of making space etc..

Upshot total difference to when I played football as a junior - I remember when I was a junior at what 9/10 years of age - pitch was huge and it was just "kick and rush".

All of this is why I get so exasperated when I see a performance like our first half performance against Leicester where we couldn't string 2 passes together - kids of 8/9 years of age are now able to do that.

I also think that the St Georges park project has has had a huge impact - IMO it's no coincidence that we are seeing at England senior level so much exciting talent and excellent players coming through now 8 years after it's inception.

So in summary and in answer to your question grass roots and youth football IMO is far more organised, facilities and coaching so much better - meaning that we are seeing so much more quality coming through. So the future looks bright.

On Youth Football, kids and the coaches are great - it's the parents that can be a nightmare..!!

COYP

Mate

I'm not sure how qualified I am to answer your question.

I can only recount my own experience as a player - unlike you I didn't Manage our coach at Senior/Adult level.

As a player I was reasonable - but limited in terms of ability. I was quick, could tackle and could pass - you won't be surprised to hear I was a fullback.

On that basis was encouraged just to concentrate on that - I always remember my dear old Dad when I was at junior level on the side-lines, hit him early let him know you are around..!!

That was similar to my experience at Senior level - where there was limited coaching in terms of developing you as a player more concentration on making the most of attributes you already had.

Where I can speak with more authority is development at Youth level. I was fortunate enough through my Sons to become heavily involved in the building and development of our local Football Club - where we took them from having no youth teams to having teams at every age group from U6 to U17's, at some age groups 2 teams.

We became to be the "go to" team/Club in our area - trials in close season were a nightmare..!!

The big difference that I noticed compared to my own experience as a junior was that all coaches needed to be/were qualified - unlike when I was younger it was just a Guy that liked/had played football and was prepared to give up his time to run a junior team for local kids.

There was/is far more focus on developing core skills from a very young age, so not just working on where a player has natural attributes, but pro-actively working on and developing areas of weaknesses in a player.

Prime example as much as the boys hated it, playing games where they could only use their weaker foot - at a young age this was highlighted by them having to wear different colour socks on each leg.

They were/are encouraged to pass the ball from a very young age - whereas I was encouraged just to "put my foot through it".

Result - for example my youngest son - now 22 can hit a dead ball equally well with both his right and left foot - rare as "Hens teeth"..!!

Another thing was playing with their head up - if a player played a "blind pass" - game was stopped and player asked what they were trying to do and where they were trying to pass it.

Other big thing is the introduction of 7 as side, 9 a side at younger age groups - they don't play 11 a side a side until they get to u13's.

Consequently players get more time on the ball on smaller pitches, meaning they have to be able to control the ball, pass and have more awareness of making space etc..

Upshot total difference to when I played football as a junior - I remember when I was a junior at what 9/10 years of age - pitch was huge and it was just "kick and rush".

All of this is why I get so exasperated when I see a performance like our first half performance against Leicester where we couldn't string 2 passes together - kids of 8/9 years of age are now able to do that.

I also think that the St Georges park project has has had a huge impact - IMO it's no coincidence that we are seeing at England senior level so much exciting talent and excellent players coming through now 8 years after it's inception.

So in summary and in answer to your question grass roots and youth football IMO is far more organised, facilities and coaching so much better - meaning that we are seeing so much more quality coming through. So the future looks bright.

On Youth Football, kids and the coaches are great - it's the parents that can be a nightmare..!!

COYP

For every Potter there’s a Brendan Rodgers or Ralph Hasenhuthll.
To replace a staid manager with a progressive manager is not doomed to failure.
There’s a danger of being trapped into a mindset where we can only survive if we appoint a certain type of manager - Pulis, Allardyce, Pardew, Hodgson.
Where next - Pearson or Bruce?
The managers we’ve had have done sound jobs, but eventually we’ll run out of this type of candidate as there’s only a finite amount around still working!
To write off any change of approach ever because of the short lived experiment with DeBoer seems a tad over the top.