With John Percy reporting this morning that Puels position is now under threat - do the owners need to take a leaf out of Burnley’s book in terms of the way a club is run and following an ethos?
I’m not talking about the way we play football, more the approach Burnley have taken since getting promoted to the PL again. They know the football they want to play (we don’t). They sign players to fit that (we don’t seem to do that). They spend well and consistently in the transfer market, not paying over the odds. They tend to sign players with a proven track record in England.
To me they seem to be a far better run club from a footballing perspective and are reaping the rewards of sticking with Dyche and backing him. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Puel go and then Leicester continue to be stuck between two styles of play
The Burnley Way
posted on 27/4/18
Just to prevent a rant about agendas, Pearson, etc etc, I don’t think Shakespeare had what it took but the fixture list and results we had was a little unlucky and neither do I want us to sack Puel. Not everyone who makes a point or shares a concern has to fall into diverse/polar opposite camp. I think Puel’s ethos has potential and he deserves to bring in resources to make this plan happen, but it doesn’t mean as a paying fan I have to obliviously and passively agree with everything he is saying or opinions he has on our progress so far under his reign
posted on 27/4/18
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 2 hours, 33 minutes ago
BS - I think what you're describing is what the club are trying to do. They hired Puel with the premise of it being a long-term appointment that could develop the team into one that plays attractive, passing football. Unfortunately it looks like we're on the verge of being developed into a team that plays boring, passing football. Best intentions, good plan overall, but is Puel good enough for what they want?
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But Dunge, did they watch Southampton last season?! The fact is there has been no long term plan footballing wise since the title win. We have seen 3 managers and complete inconsistency in player performances together a mismatch of expensive signings that seemingly don’t fit into any style.
It’s patently obvious to me that Burnley as a club are overtaking Leicester, on a much cheaper budget, and through good footballing decisions are more likely to be a top half PL side on a consistent basis
posted on 27/4/18
So BS - I personally think this all comes down to having a strong and successful manager.
“The Burnley way” as you call it has evolved over time with Dyche. Dyche wasn’t brought in and told “play the Burnley way or your out”, he was brought in with view to building the club and given that remit.
He’s now stamped his way on the team and the club is set up to continue this.... as we were before Ranieri decided to rip up the blueprint after he title win.
Now we need a new string manager to come in and lay down his blueprint and be given the backing of the owners to do it.
I personally don’t think Puel is the right man, but I could be wrong.
As for our owners, I think they have been amazing for our club and have definitely invested for the long term. What hey need to be very careful about now is that they don’t mismanage the short term to achieve that. I agree with you that they need a few more football men around them advising and helping them through what is a tricky time adjusting to the title win.
We now need to rebuild in my mind, and we should rebuild around the right manager. Because that is who will create “the Leicester way”....
posted on 27/4/18
100% agree Mersey. I just don’t know if our owners (and I wouldn’t want any other owners) are equipped for that alone. As you say, I think they need people advising them.
posted on 27/4/18
Don't get me wrong, I wanted them to go for Dyche at the time. But Puel's hardly been a disaster. We did well just before Christmas and shot up the table, played some decent stuff at the time and haven't been near the relegation dogfight under his command.
I remember the owners saying at the time that he interviewed well and I can see in him many of the attributes they're looking for in a long term manager. And just because things didn't go right for him at Southampton, perhaps they accepted his explanations as to why. You could argue there's some naivety in that and I wouldn't disagree. But there are also proven aspects I can see they'd want in Puel. Perhaps they felt it was worth a try and now they might learn from that and try something else.
posted on 27/4/18
Mersey - I think sometimes in these cases, something just ends up fitting nicely and luck gets falsely attributed as genius.
posted on 27/4/18
I sort of agree Dunge, but I often think talent and planning is often mistaken for luck.
Leicester and Burnley’s current postitions aren’t down to luck but careful planning over almost a decade.
The worrying thing is, the same could have been said of Southampton, but when that plan goes wrong.... 😳
posted on 27/4/18
Burnley do seem to sign players within their financial boundaries. Well played
It could also be that there are limitations to what type of player they can go for based on their facilities/ground etc. But the club appears to be run well & has a very grounded manager in Dyche.
On another note ................
.................has anyone mentioned elsewhere that Southampton are in deep sh!t bearing in mind Claude Puel isn't managing them this season? They got rid, brought in someone else, but have got worse!
It's a point in Puel's favour that is.
Is he a good fit for us? I honestly don't know. We won't unless we let him get in HIS players and let him get rid of the under-performing, past-it players here.
Then again, he might not win another match this season which could put any future potential transfers in serious doubt, time-scale wise, current standing and "kerb" appeal-wise.
posted on 27/4/18
Southampton took too long to pull the plug this year. And they ran out of good players.
posted on 28/4/18
comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 12 hours ago
I sort of agree Dunge, but I often think talent and planning is often mistaken for luck.
Leicester and Burnley’s current postitions aren’t down to luck but careful planning over almost a decade.
The worrying thing is, the same could have been said of Southampton, but when that plan goes wrong.... 😳
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I have an opposite view for Southampton, what's happened to them was almost inevitable. Selling all your best players and expecting a) your scouting to continue to unearth gem after gem, b) for them to assimilate into the team quickly and c) picking up manager after manager who were expected to manage in the 'Southampton way' was a recipe for trouble.
Even so, they aren't down yet, away to the Swans might prove to be a crunch game for both clubs.
The Burnley way has been relatively straightforward, find an excellent manager and stick with him.
In regard to us, although there have been some poor big money deals (Musa & Slim), there have also been good ones (Harry & Wilf) and Ian - who the verdict isn't in on yet.
I'm not convinced we are safe even in the short/medium term given the owners propensity to panic and sack managers if we are underachieving. It isn't a surprise to me at all that there are rumblings about Claude - if we don't have a decent end to the season I can see him on his way however unfair that may seem given he's got us out of the mire and hasn't had a summer transfer window and preseason to work with yet.