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Next Manager Thread (2026 Edition)

Who Is Up Next?

  • Alonso

    Votes: 25 27.5%

  • Xavi

    Votes: 3 3.3%

  • Poch

    Votes: 45 49.5%

  • Mckenna

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Other

    Votes: 17 18.7%
  • Total voters
    91
MartyFunkhouser said:
I am really mixed about a return of Poch, I love the bloke and love what he did here, just something niggling with it
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I think the owners feel it's the play they had to make from the moment they came in. In fact, I wonder if they were happy to putter along with Frank knowing Poch would come in the summer until the situation got as bad as it did? That's something I don't know. One thing...with the ST prices being announced before the end of the season, they are going to need a big, fat, cheap hit...Poch allows them that.
 
thfcsteff said:
I think the owners feel it's the play they had to make from the moment they came in. In fact, I wonder if they were happy to putter along with Frank knowing Poch would come in the summer until the situation got as bad as it did? That's something I don't know. One thing...with the ST prices being announced before the end of the season, they are going to need a big, fat, cheap hit...Poch allows them that.
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Shades of Levy employing Hoddle.
 
thfcsteff said:
I think the owners feel it's the play they had to make from the moment they came in. In fact, I wonder if they were happy to putter along with Frank knowing Poch would come in the summer until the situation got as bad as it did? That's something I don't know. One thing...with the ST prices being announced before the end of the season, they are going to need a big, fat, cheap hit...Poch allows them that.
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They need to pair him with the right DoF.

They need to get Paul Mitchell, Ramon Planes, Dan Ashworth, or who ever Poch want to work with - in asap now.
 
Lemonade Money said:
Shades of Levy employing Hoddle.
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Oh absolutely!

Sadly, I am at a point where I'm up for trying a bit of nostalgic dopamine in the hope it actually defies logic and works even better second-time around. My 'wise mind' says it is not the right move for us long-term, but back in earlier years I'd polish a bottle of Jaegermeister off and just evacuate it the next day thinking nothing much about whether it was good or bad long-term because the night of consumption was epic. It's an unhealthy place to be as a supporter, that's for sure.
 
Gutter Boy said:
I still think that would have worked if we weren't coming from such a low starting point/ENIC had turned the taps on a bit quicker. Hoddle was a great coach
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He may have been a great coach, but for a fantastic midfield player I can never understand why he selected a midfield that could only play walking football.
 
So I simmed the rest of the season on Football Manager and started from 2026/27 playing as Pochettino and using his tactics. It has me convinced we need to bring him back.

Currently 3rd in the league after 16 games wirh 12 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. 2pts of Liverpool in 1st now managed by Alonso. Won every home game. Came back from 0-2 down at Anfield to win 3-2 in the league but lost there in the league cup 4th round a week later.

Top scorers in the Prem but the defense is leaking goals. Mathys Tel has 15 goals in 15 games and Samu who I signed has 9 goals so far. Solanke got injured in the opener and was out for 2 months which gave them both the chance and I’m going to sell Solanke in January now unless one of them picks up an injury. Nice rotation between Romero, Vuskovic & VDV at CB and sometimes go to a back 3 to see out games away. Gray has been sensational at DM with Gallagher or Bergvall next to him. Xavi switching between CAM & LW has been a mainstay. Kudus high G&A as well. Moore has also had a few starts and minutes of the bench and done well. Kulusevski injured again and out until March.

Signed Ter Stegen & Johnstone on loan. Robertson on a free. Stankovic as a young DM and spent big on Diomande & Samu.

Sold Vicario, Dragusin, Bentancur & Richarlison. Loaned a few our including Kinsky to Frankfurt. Going to move on Danso & Sarr in January as well to bring in another attacker. Thinking Akliouche or maybe push for Pulisic.

Arsenal away next they are 4th currently and bottled the league last season. 😃
 
thfcsteff said:
Oh absolutely!

Sadly, I am at a point where I'm up for trying a bit of nostalgic dopamine in the hope it actually defies logic and works even better second-time around. My 'wise mind' says it is not the right move for us long-term, but back in earlier years I'd polish a bottle of Jaegermeister off and just evacuate it the next day thinking nothing much about whether it was good or bad long-term because the night of consumption was epic. It's an unhealthy place to be as a supporter, that's for sure.
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I was very much against reappointing him but now, I think we need to exorcise that particular demon. If the magic happens again, great. If it doesn't, we (collectively, as fans) will stop dreaming about what might have been... although I suspect Postecoglou will soon replace him.

Some people think history is made by extraordinary men (or women, for that matter). Personally, I think that what we call 'extraordinary men' are the result of a set of circumstances (social, political and cultural). The same is true in football. Did we have a great squad that was on verge of maturing into one of the best teams in the world or did Pochettino transform a average club into a major player in the Premier League? Nobody knows for sure.

Relatively speaking, appointing Pochettino again should be a good case study.
 
Gutter Boy said:
They need to pair him with the right DoF.

They need to get Paul Mitchell, Ramon Planes, Dan Ashworth, or who ever Poch want to work with - in asap now.
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They wont. They will screw him over and Lange and vin will still be there when Poch goes. Thats if we don't get relegated
 
thfcsteff said:
I think the owners feel it's the play they had to make from the moment they came in. In fact, I wonder if they were happy to putter along with Frank knowing Poch would come in the summer until the situation got as bad as it did? That's something I don't know. One thing...with the ST prices being announced before the end of the season, they are going to need a big, fat, cheap hit...Poch allows them that.
Click to expand...

I 100% believe it was the plan if/when Frank didn't work out (I don't think anyone anticipated Frank would be so bad here)

The question is will we be able to announce anything pre end of season?

My feeling is (provided we survive), it will be Poch, and the owners will make a splash signing, be really interesting if the total spend is what it was for Ange or more (especially as we will have some outgoing). The concern is who makes that call on the marque signing? don't trust Lange/Vinai and Poch himself wasn't great at picking who to buy.
 
Honestly, I cannot grasp this obsession with a Poch return as being based on anything but nostalgia and wishful thinking!

His record since leaving us has been less than average... he had the lowest win rate at PSG over the past decade despite having a team brimming with talent... even coming second to Lille, for crying out loud.

If he comes, he will insist on control over transfers - as he tried to do at Chelscum before being sacked. Only this time he will be in a position of strength. And that gives me apprehension.... we all saw what that meant with us when the purse strings were loosened... Ndombele and Lo Celso mark 2 anyone? Not to mention the rumours of concerns at Chelscum that his training methods were "tactically primitive" or "antiquated". Didn't manage to win any CONCACAF silverware either...

Hope I am wrong because it is clear that VV and Lange will be appointing him mainly because of fan clamour...
 
Mabspurs said:
Honestly, I cannot grasp this obsession with a Poch return as being based on anything but nostalgia and wishful thinking!

His record since leaving us has been less than average... he had the lowest win rate at PSG over the past decade despite having a team brimming with talent... even coming second to Lille, for crying out loud.

If he comes, he will insist on control over transfers - as he tried to do at Chelscum before being sacked. Only this time he will be in a position of strength. And that gives me apprehension.... we all saw what that meant with us when the purse strings were loosened... Ndombele and Lo Celso mark 2 anyone? Not to mention the rumours of concerns at Chelscum that his training methods were "tactically primitive" or "antiquated". Didn't manage to win any CONCACAF silverware either...

Hope I am wrong because it is clear that VV and Lange will be appointing him mainly because of fan clamour...
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For the current ownership it is a fast route to a free hit in the instant 'feel good' stakes.
 
Mabspurs said:
Honestly, I cannot grasp this obsession with a Poch return as being based on anything but nostalgia and wishful thinking!

His record since leaving us has been less than average... he had the lowest win rate at PSG over the past decade despite having a team brimming with talent... even coming second to Lille, for crying out loud.

If he comes, he will insist on control over transfers - as he tried to do at Chelscum before being sacked. Only this time he will be in a position of strength. And that gives me apprehension.... we all saw what that meant with us when the purse strings were loosened... Ndombele and Lo Celso mark 2 anyone? Not to mention the rumours of concerns at Chelscum that his training methods were "tactically primitive" or "antiquated". Didn't manage to win any CONCACAF silverware either...

Hope I am wrong because it is clear that VV and Lange will be appointing him mainly because of fan clamour...
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I disagree about the wanting control of transfers. He never seemed that interested in it. Remember when he arrived he brought his two old DoF with him (Mitchell and Planes). I think he prefers to leave that part to a specialist, just like he delegates opposition scouting.

Things went wrong when Mitchell fell out with Levy, Edwards got poached and Planes went back to Spain. And Levy replaced all 3 with Hitchen, who had no real qualification or as it turns out ability.
 
Gutter Boy said:
I disagree about the wanting control of transfers. He never seemed that interested in it. Remember when he arrived he brought his two old DoF with him (Mitchell and Planes). I think he prefers to leave that part to a specialist, just like he delegates opposition scouting.

Things went wrong when Mitchell fell out with Levy, Edwards got poached and Planes went back to Spain. And Levy replaced all 3 with Hitchen, who had no real qualification or as it turns out ability.
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Can I jog your apparently short memory and take you back to July 2019:

"I am not in charge and I know nothing about the situation of my players. I am only coaching them and trying to get the best from them".

"Maybe the club need to change my title and description... Today, I feel like I am the coach".

"At Tottenham... there's not the freedom that Pep [Guardiola] and [Jurgen] Klopp have at Emirates Marketing Project and Liverpool... Pep has total control of the plan at City"
 
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