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Post by Macmoish on Dec 16, 2011 23:13:57 GMT
Telegraph/Jason Burt - 16 Dec 2011
QPR manager Neil Warnock: Don’t mention Carlos TevezOn Sunday Neil Warnock will come face to face with Sir Alex Ferguson in a Premier League dugout for the first time since he was struck off the Scotsman’s Christmas card list because of his criticisms of Manchester United during the Carlos Tévez affair four years ago. “It’s been a few years since I had one,” he admits. “But when I see Cathy [Ferguson’s wife] I have a nice chat with her. I was struck off his Christmas card list, OK. But it doesn’t take away my admiration for him.” That admiration for Ferguson is stronger than ever. “There will never be a manager as good as him ever again, make no mistake,” he says. And maybe, just maybe, the Premier League will never see a manager like Neil Warnock again, either. “When I get down people tell me, ‘Gaffer, you are one of only four English managers in the Premier League’,” he explains, a mix of pride, humour and resilience in his distinctive voice. “And it’s hard to think, here’s a ------ chiropodist [his chosen profession after his player career finished and before he went into management] from Sheffield, a steelworker’s son managing in the Premier League.” The Premier League matters to Warnock. It matters a lot.Twice during this interview he admits to having had tears in his eyes during the events of last season and the summer — when Queens Park Rangers’ promotion was threatened over the inquiry into midfielder Alejandro Faurlin’s transfer (a bitter irony through rules introduced post-Tévez) and then whether the club’s previous owners were going to sack him despite having gained that promotion. “It was like, ‘everyone’s ganging up on me’,” he says. “I spent the whole summer with my hands tied behind my back thinking, ‘Why me?’ Not only that, I was thinking, ‘Why me — twice!’ There were a few times when I felt like crying, to be honest.” It is evident that he remains deeply affected by his last Premier League campaign, when he took Sheffield United into the top flight only for that dream to die on the final day of the 2006-07 season. “We only went down by one goal [difference] and we had the Tévez thing,” he recalls of that traumatic May day as if it scarred his soul. The “Tévez thing” resulted in a huge fine — but no points deduction for West Ham, who stayed up — over the issue of third-party ownership, while Warnock incurred Ferguson’s wrath after criticising United for fielding a weakened team on that final day when they lost at home to West Ham. Who else but Tévez scored the only goal. “No, I will never get over it,” Warnock says. “But I did laugh when I saw Kia [Joorabchian, Tévez’s adviser] a while ago and I suggested he got Tévez to play for us next year as a favour to me – because he cost me millions. "I like West Ham, I’ve no problem with West Ham. I just felt let down by the Premier League.” That is the Premier League organisation — not the league he manages in. He loves that, craves that and is now still working, aged 63 and having promised his family he would retire by now, because he has unfinished business there. “I wanted one more go,” he says. “I was going to retire at Sheffield United but one or two things were said when I left and because of that I was going to get another team. I was going to show them.” That sense of grievance, too, has always driven him. “I think I was always meant to be the black sheep of football. And I don’t mind that. "I used to love the non-League clubs in the FA Cup and when I played football [11 years as a self-styled “brainless winger” with the likes of Chesterfield, Rotherham and Hartlepool]. "I didn’t play for the big clubs. I like the underdog and I guess I’ve been that throughout my career. “I had to do everything from the bottom upwards and I don’t regret it because it made me a better manager. Martin O’Neill did the same.” That unfinished business took him first to Crystal Palace but the club’s financial plight meant the Premier League dream started to fade. Then QPR — after nine managers in four years — came calling. “I took it for one reason only,” he says. “Amit Bhatia.”Bhatia is the club’s vice-chairman, and son-in-law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who, after an acrimonious split with former owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, returned to take over with the Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes. “They are both like little kids,” Warnock says. “They both want to be supporters — they want to be the manager, they want to be a player. "The enthusiasm rubs off on you and I have to calm them down and there are not a lot of managers who can say that about their owners. QPR are so lucky to have this ownership.” Cash has been injected — a flurry of players arrived at the end of August and at least two more permanent deals and two loans are planned for next month — to give Warnock a fighting chance of remaining in the top flight. And a fighting chance is all he is asking for. Warnock gained promotion last season but, he says, did not enjoy it because of the ownership uncertainty. “I was getting a bit irate,” he admits. “Getting QPR promoted was the best job I have done my whole life. It was a remarkable achievement and yet I didn’t win manager of the year. I’m the only one that’s happened to. “We had billionaire owners but we didn’t spend. And then I couldn’t do anything and it was by far the worst summer I have ever had. I was watching Swansea and Norwich sign players left, right and centre and people kept saying ‘no’ to me.”Nevertheless the troubles — now thankfully over – bonded him with the QPR supporters who, he knew, were sceptical at his appointment in the first place. “Maybe they thought, ‘he’s loud’ or angry or whatever they had heard or read about me — but since I took over they have been absolutely fantastic,” Warnock says. “It’s almost as if our fans know how far and how fast we have come. "The highlight of probably my whole career now, apart from winning things, was when I was stood on the touchline at Fulham and we were losing 6-0 [in October] and there’s god knows how many minutes left and our fans start chanting ‘there’s only one Neil Warnock’.” There were tears, again, Warnock admits. “I just filled up about it, to be honest,” he says. “I will never forget that for the rest of my life. That’s how I feel about QPR and the fans and why I am there and that’s why we are all going to enjoy every game.” www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/queens-park-rangers/8961665/QPR-manager-Neil-Warnock-Dont-mention-Carlos-Tevez.html
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Post by maudesfishnchips on Dec 16, 2011 23:22:58 GMT
very nice
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Post by harlowranger on Dec 16, 2011 23:26:44 GMT
This two signings and two loans keeps coming up then , hope we dont waste one on a Goalkeeper and get 4 outfield players . Nice read though,some of it regurgitated from past pieces but still enjoyable !
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 16, 2012 8:21:11 GMT
Year bump...I see Rednapp and Warnock as two of a kind....
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 17, 2012 10:20:52 GMT
And today in Yorkshire Post - Unhappy (Maybe he'll be teaming up with GIANNNNNNI at Birmingham?) www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/warnock-promotion-s-slipping-away-in-takeover-straightjacket-1-5231510Warnock: Promotion’s slipping away in takeover straightjacket Neil Warnock. Neil Warnock. By Phil Hay Published on Monday 17 December 2012 09:12 A DESPONDENT Neil Warnock last night admitted that promotion was slipping away from him and Leeds United as the drawn-out takeover of the Elland Road club threatened to drag into another week. In a frank expression of frustration and disillusionment, Warnock said the protracted attempt by GFH Capital to buy United had placed the club in a “straightjacket” and severely reduced their chances of reaching the Premier League this season. The Leeds manager spoke out ahead of tomorrow’s league game at Millwall with United 18th in the Championship and facing the prospect of falling 10 points adrift of the divisional play-offs after today’s fixtures. Confusion The club’s season has played out against a backdrop of uncertainty and confusion surrounding the ownership of Leeds and the fate of GFH Capital’s bid to purchase the club from current owner and chairman Ken Bates. Negotiations over the proposed sale are continuing more than six months after they first began and United’s campaign has deteriorated in the meantime amid a shortage of transfer funds, and badly weakened squad and a winless run spanning six league games. GFH Capital’s takeover plan has been passed to the Football League for approval but the Dubai-based firm is not yet believed to have finalised a deal with Bates. A statement released by the company yesterday said only that it hoped to secure ownership of United “shortly.” Warnock said: “It’s difficult times at the moment. “I’ve got to try and be as diplomatic as possible, considering how I feel, but it’s extremely difficult to get anything done or to get any answers. I’m basically like a supporter who knows a little bit more. “The main thing is to get the takeover over the line. When you’re like this as a club, as we were at QPR, you’re very much stagnated. “You’re almost in a straightjacket. The club’s got to move on, the sooner the better. “Until it happens, no matter what anyone tells me, I won’t really believe anything. I don’t think I can.” Warnock has been manager of Leeds since mid-February and his contract with the club runs until the end of this season. He admitted shortly after his appointment that he was contemplating retiring next summer and had come to Elland Road with the intention of securing a record eighth Football League promotion. The 63-year-old said: “I get frustrated because if I was 10 years younger then there’s always tomorrow. But I want to do it today. It’s looking very much like that’s not going to be possible and it’s a disappointment. “I don’t think I’m thick and if you look at the league table, I don’t think we should be talking about promotion at the moment – which is what I came for.” GFH Capital is promising to back Warnock in the January transfer window but an absence of immediate funding has prevented him from signing any players on loan in the aftermath of last weekend’s costly loss to Watford. Leeds dropped to 18th in the table after their 6-1 defeat and saw a stretched Continued on page 35 squad weakened further by the loss of Jason Pearce, Michael Brown and Rodolph Austin to suspension and injury. United were seven points above the Championship’s relegation places prior to today’s matches and Warnock said: “We already know that with injuries and suspensions and inactivity in the transfer market we’re going to have a very small squad in the next few games. “We’ve got top teams to play so we could be a lot nearer the bottom in four weeks’ time. But football’s not always like that. “The window for the loan market ends next Thursday and I’ll be very surprised if it (the takeover) happens before then. So it doesn’t really help me. By all means I can look for players in January. But where will be in January? “I know everyone’s working as hard as they can to come to a solution but we’re desperate for players and not just short term.” Asked if the situation might cause him to question his future, Warnock said: “I want to keep certain things within and try as hard as I can to put a team out for the fans. “If the fans weren’t behind me then I could answer that question straight away. But while the fans are behind me and they see I’m doing my best, I’ll do my best.”
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 18, 2012 7:24:53 GMT
Quite a quote from Neil Warnock "....I'm not into this loyalty thing now," he said. "My advice to young managers is: 'If you get a chance to go to a bigger club, go.' You'll get the sack anyway so why not take the opportunity. You get kicked in the teeth if you stay so you can't win either way." Louise Taylor/The Guardian
Leeds' Neil Warnock unsure whether to shake with Chelsea's Rafa Benítez • Warnock still miffed over 2007 relegation • Benítez fielded weakened Liverpool side at Fulham Share 21 Neil Warnock has still to decide whether he will shake Rafael Benítez's hand when Chelsea visit Elland Road for Wednesday evening's Capital One Cup quarter-final. The Leeds United manager fell out with his Chelsea counterpart when Benítez, then in charge of Liverpool, fielded a severely weakened team at Fulham in May 2007 as he prepared for a Champions League final in Athens. Fulham won 1-0, subsequently escaping relegation by a single point at the expense of Warnock's then Sheffield United side. Warnock pronounced himself "very bitter" and said he hoped Liverpool would "never win another trophy under Benítez". The Leeds manager added this week: "I've no idea whether I'll shake his hand. It was one of those things that disappoint you in life but you get disappointments and you have to get on with it. " I haven't thought about shaking hands yet. But I don't think I should get into that because the last time I heard from Rafa he was threatening to sue me if I mentioned [the row] again. It was an email and I think it was his solicitor who was threatening legal action but I think it had Rafa's name on it. I've got it in a scrapbook at home." If Benítez probably should not bank on being invited into Warnock's office for a post-match glass of wine, his Leeds counterpart has at least mellowed considerably since 1991. Back t hen Warnock, performing wonders at Notts County, declined an offer of the Chelsea job from Ken Bates, now his chairman in west Yorkshire. "I don't have any regrets really," Warnock said. "I was a northern lad and I thought anywhere south of Watford was the end of the world in those days. "I went down twice, once to the ground and once to Ken's farm in Beaconsfield, and I was stuck on the motorway for five hours on both occasions. "I also wanted to stay loyal to a group of players at Notts County who had been fantastic to me. It was to do with the way I'd been brought up. I thought I made the right decision; it was the decision which meant I could still live with myself." The Chelsea job eventually went to the late Ian Porterfield, but Warnock has since relaxed his views. "I'm not into this loyalty thing now," he said. "My advice to young managers is: 'If you get a chance to go to a bigger club, go.' You'll get the sack anyway so why not take the opportunity. You get kicked in the teeth if you stay so you can't win either way." He would not have said "no" had Roman Abramovich asked him rather than Benítez to succeed Roberto Di Matteo. "I wish I could have had Chelsea now," Warnock added. "Yes, I should have got it this last time. Roman hasn't had an Englishman in the job, has he?"www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/17/leeds-neil-warnock-chelsea-rafael-benitez
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 18, 2012 14:00:24 GMT
Standard
Queens Park Rangers lost their soul after sacking me, says Neil Warnock
Leeds boss is still sore over his exit from QPR but is relishing the clash with his old adversary Rafael Benitez Action man: Neil Warnock is enjoying life at Leeds‘After I left, it became a club for mercenaries. QPR have wasted a lot of money and got nothing out of it’ - Neil Warnock Suggested Topics Rafael Benitez Queens Park Rangers Neil Warnock Leeds United Chelsea F.c. Simon Johnson 18 December 2012 It has been a source of regret for Neil Warnock that he has had to wait a year to get another chance to cause an upset against Chelsea. Tomorrow night his Leeds side will reach the semi-final of the Capital One Cup if they can beat a Chelsea team suffering from jet-lag and a lack of confidence following their failure at the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan. Understandably, the 64-year-old has been excited about the tie since the draw was made seven weeks ago but it has also caused him to look back on the past with much anguish. It is 14 months since the then Queens Park Rangers boss engineered a 1-0 win over the millionaires from Stamford Bridge. For Warnock it was arguably the greatest win of his managerial career but less than three months later he was sacked. QPR had suffered a dip in form, yet they were still clear of the Premier League’s bottom three and considering he took the club from Championship strugglers to promotion in just over a year, one might have expected Warnock to be given the chance by chairman Tony Fernandes to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window. Instead, just eights days into 2012, he was replaced by Mark Hughes, who went on to spend a fortune during a woeful 10 months, which brought only six wins in 30 League games. Rangers are now facing a real challenge to beat the drop and, significantly, new boss Harry Redknapp has turned to many of Warnock’s signings such as Shaun Derry, Clint Hill, Jamie Mackie and Adel Taarabt, to get them out of trouble. That has made his memories of his time at Loftus Road all the more bittersweet and he told Standard Sport: “Tony and the owners had their own ideas so you can’t blame them for that — I just think they lost the soul of the club when I left. It became a club for mercenaries. “I felt the staff and me did a miracle job to just keep them in the Championship and then, to get a promotion-winning team. I deserved more loyalty. “But there were certain individuals who became too influential on pushing managers’ names forward, players’ names forward and the board got sucked into spending a lot of money they didn’t have to. “To have the carpet whisked away from under my legs was very unfair. In hindsight, they have wasted a lot of money and got nothing out of it. They’ve not got any better and are using my players rather than some of the millionaires. “What happened was the most disappointing thing to happen to me in my career, more so than the way Sheffield United were relegated.” That is some statement from Warnock, especially as he prepares to come face-to-face with Chelsea interim coach Rafael Benitez. Warnock has always resented Benitez for fielding a weakened Liverpool team in a key game against struggling Fulham at the end of the season in 2007. Benitez wanted to rest his men ahead of the Champions League Final two weeks later and Fulham took advantage by claiming a crucial win as they ended up finishing above Warnock’s Sheffield United by one point. You get the impression Warnock would love to talk more about it but Benitez reportedly sent him an email threatening to sue him if he did. Benitez has bigger problems to worry about right now. The Chelsea fans are still calling for his dismissal and his impact on the team since he replaced Roberto di Matteo has been limited. Though he may not say it publicly, Warnock certainly senses an opportunity for revenge. He added: “I’ve never been in a position like Benitez where the fans have been against me from the start like he’s got now. I’ve never had hostility like he’s got there. “I wish I’d got those players to work with, they’re fabulous. They have two teams who can quite easily play in all the competitions and do well. “Obviously, I know how to beat Chelsea from what I did with QPR last year and I will take some of the lessons from that game into this one.” There is just one significant difference and that is Warnock has an eye on a big Championship game against Middlesbrough at the weekend and is considering rotating his squad. He hopes to win promotion with Leeds this season so that he can take on the Blues more regularly. However, former Chelsea and current Leeds chairman Ken Bates would enjoy inflicting more pain on his old club’s owner Roman Abramovich and is keen that Warnock plays a full-strength side. The manager said: “Middlesbrough is more important to me personally and there are a few niggles I don’t want to risk. Ken wants to win the game more than anything and has tried to influence my team selection but I won’t let him affect that. But we will still give it everything and whoever wins, will have a great chance to win the competition. Chelsea are strong favourites. But every game is winnable for us.” Leeds have already proved that by knocking out Premier League Southampton and Everton this term. Warnock said: “Everton put a strong team out and were gutted when we beat them. We have played well in every round but the victory over Everton was one of the best performances this season.” But however good that victory was it still does not match up to the triumph over Chelsea last term. The Blues, then flying under Andre Villas-Boas before it all came to a sorry end, went into the match with only one defeat in eight League games. Warnock said: “I think that win started his [Villas-Boas’s] downfall. No one coming to the game that day, including QPR fans, though we had a chance. “All I kept telling the players was how we were going to beat them. I know they had two men sent off, but that didn’t help us, we actually played better 11 v 11. It was a fantastic day, to beat Chelsea when we were nearly getting relegated just over 12 months earlier, it doesn’t come much better than that.” The stunning victory was overshadowed by the John Terry/Anton Ferdinand race row, which resulted in the Chelsea captain being banned for four-games by the Football Association. The Blues were at the centre of another controversy this season when they alleged referee Mark Clattenburg racially abused John Obi Mikel. The FA cleared Clattenburg and gave Mikel a three-game ban and £60,000 fine for threatening the official. During the FA investigation, Warnock accused Chelsea of trying to “kill the referee”. Today, though, he said: “They know they made a mistake and on reflection won’t be very happy with their actions. They’re bigger than that, but we all make mistakes. I don’t think there’s much wrong, it’s a great club.” www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/queens-park-rangers-lost-their-soul-after-sacking-me-says-neil-warnock-8423276.html
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Post by nomar on Dec 18, 2012 23:15:54 GMT
Warnock still bitter at QPR exit.
In other news, dog bites man......
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Post by sharky on Dec 18, 2012 23:30:51 GMT
What did NW in was that not only were we loosing to all and sundry in the Prem, but we looked second class against MK Dons and were lucky to get a draw.
He had lost his mojo, game, set and match.
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 18, 2012 23:33:09 GMT
Ah but who is to say - no way of knowing - that with HIS January signings, we wouldnt have done at least as well as Mark Hughes...
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Post by pommyhoop on Dec 19, 2012 0:18:51 GMT
Ah but who is to say - no way of knowing - that with HIS January signings, we wouldnt have done at least as well as Mark Hughes... So I take it you will listen to Hughes with a sympathetic ear when he starts saying that wins were round the corner for him and he could've matched whatever H achieves with us.No,? neither will I.No one can see into the future but there were massive clues in both cases and thank f**** Tony acted on them.Albeit a little late in Hughe's case.
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Post by nomar on Dec 19, 2012 16:38:39 GMT
What did NW in was that not only were we loosing to all and sundry in the Prem, but we looked second class against MK Dons and were lucky to get a draw. He had lost his mojo, game, set and match. Lost the dressing room too by all accounts. Genuinely not good enough for the Prem.
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Post by nomar on Dec 19, 2012 16:43:57 GMT
Ah but who is to say - no way of knowing - that with HIS January signings, we wouldnt have done at least as well as Mark Hughes... So I take it you will listen to Hughes with a sympathetic ear when he starts saying that wins were round the corner for him and he could've matched whatever H achieves with us.No,? neither will I.No one can see into the future but there were massive clues in both cases and thank f**** Tony acted on them.Albeit a little late in Hughe's case. This ^^^ Many times over.
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 19, 2012 16:46:21 GMT
I'm a little doubtful about the "Lost the Dressing Room" & "Over-drinking Coaching staff"
Yes we were in a slump...we needed new players (as Warnock kept saying)
But I don't believe more than half the Premiership managers really are "Premiership" Managers either any more (or less) than Warnock - Redknapp of course is...
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Post by cpr on Dec 19, 2012 17:05:45 GMT
I hate that cliche!!!! Meaningless drivel to roll out without actually saying what really went on. Far too many cliches allowed to come into everyday use in football. A story spread by Barton's mod is taken as de facto truth, at least that vile creature is not with us!
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Post by cpr on Dec 19, 2012 17:09:04 GMT
Not mod, mob.
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Post by alfaranger on Dec 19, 2012 17:20:00 GMT
Ah but who is to say - no way of knowing - that with HIS January signings, we wouldnt have done at least as well as Mark Hughes... So I take it you will listen to Hughes with a sympathetic ear when he starts saying that wins were round the corner for him and he could've matched whatever H achieves with us.No,? neither will I.No one can see into the future but there were massive clues in both cases and thank f**** Tony acted on them.Albeit a little late in Hughe's case. But Hughes had a two whole transfer windows and money to buy a whole new team with time to plan and research. NW didnt have that luxury, he had a few days and the choice of what was left on the shelf after the sale had finished i.e. spoiled or 2nd class goods. You can hardly compare Notts County or Sheffield Utd with no money to spend and overperforming (and overperforming because of their manager) with QPR and money to buy a whole new team. At least, thats my view.
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Post by 0hwestlondon on Dec 19, 2012 18:45:17 GMT
Like i have said before i will always have time NW, but he needs to move on, but maybe he is right in some of the things he says, but Redknapp is here now so he should stop looking at us thinking i could have done better.
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Post by fraserinbc on Dec 19, 2012 19:55:56 GMT
So I take it you will listen to Hughes with a sympathetic ear when he starts saying that wins were round the corner for him and he could've matched whatever H achieves with us.No,? neither will I.No one can see into the future but there were massive clues in both cases and thank f**** Tony acted on them.Albeit a little late in Hughe's case. agree with alfaranger that this is a little bit of a straw man argument and that the two circumstances are very different. For example, QPR had, what, 17 points when Warnock left. Not sure about you, but I could not see Hughes getting that total by the beginning of January. Also, Warnock had had a very rushed transfer market to get players in, in which he made mistakes admittedly. However, with the benefit of hindsight, I would have liked to have seen what Warnock could have done with the rest of the season.
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 19, 2012 20:09:11 GMT
I wonder if we had handled it directly, maybe could have made Warnock as an Advisor/Director of Football/Board Member - but with no coaching/managerial responsibility. He could have offered Beard and Fernandes some Football experience in their actions - (and of course would have filled that terrible void left when "He Saved the Club" was "Moved on" By Fernandes!)
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Post by cpr on Dec 19, 2012 21:55:41 GMT
Colin did nothing to improve the environment where the players worked day to day.
He went to a different place for pre-season with new players and talked players into signing at his home in Richmond. Harlington was too embarassing.
One thing Hughes did was make the players' day to day environment acceptable to top class players.
Please don't say he made it too cushy for them. If you do, you've never been to Harlington.
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Post by cpr on Dec 19, 2012 22:02:39 GMT
"If it wasn't for Rafa, I wouldn't have had such a great time at Palace, QPR and now Leeds, would I"
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Post by mfnc on Dec 19, 2012 22:13:12 GMT
Colin did nothing to improve the environment where the players worked day to day. He went to a different place for pre-season with new players and talked players into signing at his home in Richmond. Harlington was too embarassing. One thing Hughes did was make the players' day to day environment acceptable to top class players. Please don't say he made it too cushy for them. If you do, you've never been to Harlington. talk of a refurbishment happened whilst warnock was in charge, i think it was always on the cards for pre season anyway, whether neil was still there or whoever. i think barton stamped his feet about this when he joined. after all. he was the leader of the players committee
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Post by nomar on Dec 19, 2012 23:02:52 GMT
Sharon used to run the rule over the players. Wonder what she would have made of Bosingwa?
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Post by nomar on Dec 20, 2012 7:10:11 GMT
I'm a little doubtful about the "Lost the Dressing Room" & "Over-drinking Coaching staff" Yes we were in a slump...we needed new players (as Warnock kept saying) But I don't believe more than half the Premiership managers really are "Premiership" Managers either any more (or less) than Warnock - Redknapp of course is... Players know when a manager is on his last legs and how to play just badly enough to hasten his demise. Witness the MK Dons game as exhibit A. Witness Southampton game this season as exhibit B. The players knew that if they lost this one Hughes was for the chop. Hughes even said it publicly several times in the build up all week. So, did you see a team running through walls to save their managers skin like the Saints players showed, or did you see a team lie down and surrender without much resistance? Players will make it abundantly clear when they no longer want to play for a manager. No matter what crap they spout in interviews they will always do their real talking on the pitch.
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Post by cpr on Dec 20, 2012 7:22:32 GMT
Colin did nothing to improve the environment where the players worked day to day. He went to a different place for pre-season with new players and talked players into signing at his home in Richmond. Harlington was too embarassing. One thing Hughes did was make the players' day to day environment acceptable to top class players. Please don't say he made it too cushy for them. If you do, you've never been to Harlington. talk of a refurbishment happened whilst warnock was in charge, i think it was always on the cards for pre season anyway, whether neil was still there or whoever. i think barton stamped his feet about this when he joined. after all. he was the leader of the players committee What talk of refurbishment? I remember none, the owners were there four years and did nothing, Paladini for what? Seven years at least, did nothing. They did not want to invest money in a rented training ground. As I said already, Colin was too embarassed to take players there to sign them and took them to his rented mansion in Richmond. He used a different place for pre-season training, can't remember where it was but it was suddenly touted as a place we'd used often, which we hadn't. I could be wrong but happy to be corrected.
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Post by mfnc on Dec 20, 2012 7:37:18 GMT
the plans or talk of it was when fernandes first took over. in that first half of the 2011/12 season
hughes had no initial dealings with it. he may of chose the paint when the contractors turnt up.
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Post by Macmoish on Dec 20, 2012 7:44:28 GMT
But how is that Warnock's fault in any way?
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Post by cpr on Dec 20, 2012 7:46:11 GMT
the plans or talk of it was when fernandes first took over. in that first half of the 2011/12 season hughes had no initial dealings with it. he may of chose the paint when the contractors turnt up. Fernandes had no idea what a Premier league training ground looked like when he rocked up. It looked like ours, obviously, coz that os that he bought. Hughes knew Harlington well, he also knew it had not changed in fifteen years. He got it turned into a place that was an acceptable stand in as a place of work until the training ground and academy is ready for season 2013-14
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Post by cpr on Dec 20, 2012 7:52:07 GMT
But how is that Warnock's fault in any way? You could argue that it isn't, obviously but he was first team manager so his primary workplace for the first team should have concerned him, it didn't as he demonstrated. It must be said that he's old skool innit so you don't need all this stuff and had he carried on with the type of players he wanted he would have been right. Clearly, his ambitions did not match the new owners, sadly for us, Hughes did but only sadly from an on field perspective. Still think Mark's idea of him moving "upstairs" as it were, was a good one. I certainly believe his coaching team were not up to the job. swift edit to add not
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