Big Sam for the chop?

chrispy108

He's right though, I can't see it being that tricky to skirt the rules.
The FA Compliance department is (well was a few years ago) apparently two people. To check all the paper work (At least 25 pages for the simplest of transfers, 50+ for foreign ones).
It's just not possible for them to be able to check it properly, certainly not in the time frame they have to work in (hours at the end of the transfer window).

TTony

Fretwired said:

FA have asked permission to speak to Wenger.

I can imagine the response.

Why would Wenger want to manage England?  What's in it for him?  The pay cut?  The lack of control over the players?  Being hated by 100% of the country, rather than just 85%?  Having to get used to finishing 52nd in any tournament rather than 3rd?  

Plus he's virtually no experience of managing English players.

Sky f*cked English football years ago when they put so much money into it that made it corrupt on an industrial scale rather than the previous amateur scale.  The players aren't bothered about playing for "England" because the money's not there, it's back at the club.  There is no "team" - just remember how the players reacted after the Iceland game - Hodgson had pissed off down the tunnel to finish his resignation speech and the players were sat, individually, on the pitch wondering whether they were too late to get a decent beach villa for the rest of the summer.  *Teams* win together and lose together.  There was no together.

The England manager can't build any team or team spirit when they have the players, if the team managers allow, for a few days before each match.  And when the players themselves really aren't that bothered either.

No decent manager would want to take the job with those conditions.

Which is why our last two managers have been Roy Hodgson and Sam Allardyce.


Wenger is a decent guy and a decent football team manager (and that's from a Spurs fan).  He'd run a mile.

Nitefly

Well, now they've fucked it up for everybody else, why don't we make the Telegraph "journalists" manage the England team, lol...

Jez6345789

As someone who's only real interest In football is at the international level due to all the normal reasons for hating club football.

i hoped Allardyce might be in with a shout to turn things around a bit.

the stupidity of these fake sheik type investigative journalism is in the premise that you take a person who by the nature of their job wants to win and I am sure that competitive persona is important to be a good manager. You then offer him easy money to do a consulting job. At this point he is in a negotiation he wants to win and get the prize. And we are surprised when said victim starts talking big and to impress that he is the man to get the job and trashes other lesser mortals.

he works for the FA who give him a contract that does not expressly prohibit him from doing what he was doing.

in the end he took no money was a jerk probably but ultimately doing what you would expect him to do to win the deal.

Snap

I think the issue is Jez, he should have known better, and exercised more reserve. It is IMO really bad behaviour by the journalist though. All they are interested in is the story, self serving. No real thought for the consequences. Not really. Not if you are bothered about the national game. If they were, they could have done it all quietly behind the scenes. Perhaps/

chrispy108

I think people are focusing on the wrong bit. It's not the £400k consulting gig or mocking that Roy and Gary Neville, it's telling a random guy how to break FA rules. Your figure head can't be running around telling people he's just met how to break your rules.

jonnyburgo

sinbaadi said:

G.L.E.N.H.O.D.D.L.E.I.S.H.A.V.I.N.G.A.G.O.A.L
Glen Hoddle is having a goal!

Haha, @sibaadi Nice Adam & Joe reference

siremoon

Nitefly said:

Well, now they've fucked it up for everybody else, why don't we make the Telegraph "journalists" manage the England team, lol...

That's right.  Those bastard newspaper employees forcing football people with impeccable standards of integrity to take money against their will.  It's a bloody disgrace.

BigLicks67

The whole England football team should be wound down as the FA are clearly not fit to manage a piss up in a brewery. The really clever people are involved in the money making Leviathan that is the premier league.
Big Sam had already been investigated by a Panorama programme years ago, so none of this should be a surprise.

lloyd

TTony said:

Fretwired said:

FA have asked permission to speak to Wenger.

I can imagine the response.

Why would Wenger want to manage England?  What's in it for him?  The pay cut?  The lack of control over the players?  Being hated by 100% of the country, rather than just 85%?  Having to get used to finishing 52nd in any tournament rather than 3rd?  

Plus he's virtually no experience of managing English players.

Sky f*cked English football years ago when they put so much money into it that made it corrupt on an industrial scale rather than the previous amateur scale.  The players aren't bothered about playing for "England" because the money's not there, it's back at the club.  There is no "team" - just remember how the players reacted after the Iceland game - Hodgson had pissed off down the tunnel to finish his resignation speech and the players were sat, individually, on the pitch wondering whether they were too late to get a decent beach villa for the rest of the summer.  *Teams* win together and lose together.  There was no together.

The England manager can't build any team or team spirit when they have the players, if the team managers allow, for a few days before each match.  And when the players themselves really aren't that bothered either.

No decent manager would want to take the job with those conditions.

Which is why our last two managers have been Roy Hodgson and Sam Allardyce.


Wenger is a decent guy and a decent football team manager (and that's from a Spurs fan).  He'd run a mile.

Would it be  pay cut? It's a pretty lucrative salary no?

EricTheWeary

Google says £8.3 million per annum to manage Arsenal, £3m to manage England.

Fretwired

EricTheWeary said:

Google says £8.3 million per annum to manage Arsenal, £3m to manage England.

I think the problem for Wenger is a lack of success at Arsenal. I can't see the owners putting up with it for much longer. They want to win the Champions League.

TheBlueWolf

I've taken a lot less interest in the England international team over the years as they seem to play like a bunch of lads from the pub having a kick about rather than the country's finest. Sam getting the boot is the final nail in the coffin for me.

lloyd

EricTheWeary said:

Google says £8.3 million per annum to manage Arsenal, £3m to manage England.

Ah right, cheers. 

Bidley

I think it's entirely possible for Wenger to take the job at the end of the season.

He's been on a rolling contract for years and he gets more and more coy every season about renewing his contract. He's at the stage in this career where taking the part-time position that is England manager would be appealing. He's obviously stuck in a rut at Arsenal, and the fans will probably be glad to see the back of him.

He's good with younger players and that's what the England setup needs. Getting him in would also be a big statement of intent from the FA. Seems a logical move all round. Give Southgate the job until Wenger comes in, job done.

lloyd

Bidley said:

I think it's entirely possible for Wenger to take the job at the end of the season.

He's been on a rolling contract for years and he gets more and more coy every season about renewing his contract. He's at the stage in this career where taking the part-time position that is England manager would be appealing. He's obviously stuck in a rut at Arsenal, and the fans will probably be glad to see the back of him.

He's good with younger players and that's what the England setup needs. Getting him in would also be a big statement of intent from the FA. Seems a logical move all round. Give Southgate the job until Wenger comes in, job done.

Agree with this mostly, I think he'd do well, and it could be a nice career move for him at his age, even if it's a pay cut to only £3m the poor dab.

Fretwired

Bidley said:

I think it's entirely possible for Wenger to take the job at the end of the season.

He's been on a rolling contract for years and he gets more and more coy every season about renewing his contract. He's at the stage in this career where taking the part-time position that is England manager would be appealing. He's obviously stuck in a rut at Arsenal, and the fans will probably be glad to see the back of him.

He's good with younger players and that's what the England setup needs. Getting him in would also be a big statement of intent from the FA. Seems a logical move all round. Give Southgate the job until Wenger comes in, job done.

I agree with this .. I think Wenger could get more money than Big Sam.

EricTheWeary

Just looking at the bookies suggestions. I quite like the idea of Eddie Howe. His philosophy seems to be about what makes the team work and less bothered about creating stars. The string of pensioners we've had don't seem to have worked and I think he'd bring the enthusiasm that the others rarely have.The England team are underdogs now, they need to be plucky underdogs fighting their way up and that's what Eddie does.

crunchman

Wenger would be a disaster.  All these lightweight attacking midfielders doesn't even work at Arsenal where he can go out and buy even more of them instead of a decent centre back or holding midfielder.  Even when he gets the players that fit his style he can't win anything.  What's he going to do with English players who don't fit his style at all?

I think they should take a punt on someone young and up and coming - preferably without a lot of baggage.

Fretwired

crunchman said:

Wenger would be a disaster.  All these lightweight attacking midfielders doesn't even work at Arsenal where he can go out and buy even more of them instead of a decent centre back or holding midfielder.  Even when he gets the players that fit his style he can't win anything.  What's he going to do with English players who don't fit his style at all?

I think they should take a punt on someone young and up and coming - preferably without a lot of baggage.

He sounds ideal, especially the can't win anything.