STUHILL

Read the room Sankey! This is Armageddon. The end of the days.

I think it is likely he has already agreed to join, but we are waiting to announce RVN sacking and Martin incoming, after our last game. Sorry folks, but just a guess.

Totally agree. I actually think he, like Dyche, would be the most likely to get us straight back up from the Championship. But, he would have to get really lucky in the transfer market to bring players in that could make that same style work in the Premier League against far superior opposition. I think he would do better than he did with Southampton, but still fall well short. I think even Dyche would now struggle to bridge that gap too, even with his completely opposite approach. I think if we do go for either Martin or Dyche, then it is short-sightedness from Top and Rudkin, but understandable from a purely short-term financial stance of getting back to Premier League riches at the first chance.

I actually think the Premier League would prefer to give us a points deduction this season and be done with it. We would accept that without a fight. Other clubs would cry foul, but ultimately, everything would be resolved and all parties can finally move on. I have never really bought into this idea that the Premier League and EFL want revenge on us. They likely want this done and dusted just as much as us at this point. Hopefully, Maguire is spot on.

I refuse to make the same mistake I did last time, when I thought Iheanacho would shine in the Championship and become our starting No.9... Daka will be rubbish in the Championship. Sell and get in a new starting No.9

I think it is more of a case that no one wants these overpaid crappy players, so we are stuck with them until their contract finally runs out. Looking at you Danny!

Fair point, but staying down might mean we are there a long time. Best chance is to go straight back up and then use that money to invest in the right players and hopefully stay up, something that I know sounds laughable after this season. I just look at some of the teams that have been stuck in the Championship or even dropped to League 1, and don't want to become that again.

The Championship is absolute dross compared to the Premier League. As bad as these players have been, they will likely look like world beaters down there. Vestergaard looked like prime Maldini last time. That doesn't help us in the long-term with trying to stay up, but it does mean that we really should be bouncing straight back.

We aren't in the Premier League anymore, so it is actually 'One Promotion Manager'. Getting promoted straight back is now the target, and they are looking at Martin as someone who did that just 12 months ago. Yes, you also have to look past next season and think about how we stay up if we do get promoted, but the importance financially of not getting an immediate return, cannot be overstated. I am not necessarily for or against Martin, but I can see the appeal as a Championship club who wants an immediate return. The same can be said of Dyche.

I actually agree. I meant in terms of style of play and the negative reaction that causes amongst a large number of fans. Out of anyone mentioned, Dyche is the one that has the best track record for promotion and keeping a club in the Premier League (mostly) I do think it is more difficult now to get promoted and stay up though, so do we want to attempt it the Dyche way OR take a chance on an unknown. Martin is somewhere in between those two, as although he failed at Southampton in the Premier League, that doesn't guarantee he would again and there is still an unknown of whether he could get it right next time with a different squad and changes. I actually think Southampton, like Ipswich and Leicester, were just woefully unprepared to overcome that ever increasing gap in quality to even teams like Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton etc. Martin is absolutely wedded to his ethos, but that doesn't mean he hasn't also learned lessons from his time in the Premier League. Personally, I'd prefer to go with someone who has been there and done it in terms of promotion, because the cost financially to not get promoted within 1-2 Seasons, could set us back years. But, I also understand the excitement of the more unknown options and hoping we can have both, a promotion and a style and flexibility from a Manager, that fans enjoy and buy into.

People prefer an unknown quantity. It was the same with RVN, who was actually a reasonably popular choice at the time. Martin got a team promoted from the Championship last season, but because he failed in the Premier League (I'd argue almost any manager would with these 3 promoted teams) someone who hasn't yet managed in the Premier League OR got a team promoted, is favoured by many. It doesn't make much sense, but as with Maresca, it can sometimes pay off, and as with RVN, it sometimes absolutely doesn't. Personally, I think both Martin and Dyche would likely get us promoted, but I don't know that Rohl would. However, Martin and Dyche come at a longer-term cost, which is demonstrable with Southampton and Burnley/Everton.

anyone know much about his backroom staff? Guessing they are available too and ready to come in with him. I think RVN biggest downfall was not having his own backroom team with him from day 1.

I think you are overestimating the Championship. Faes and Veste looked like absolute world beaters down there. I’d still get rid of both though.

He will get us back up, but looks like another appointment that majority of fans aren’t happy about. I think he is a better option than RVN for the championship, as he knows the league well and how to get promoted, but we likely could have done better if looked abroad on this occasion. Ah well…

Of course it would be Russel Martin... He will likely get us back up too, but fail miserable again once up there.

Can they deduct us points for next season? Surely, it has to be applied now. Or have they purposely timed this to be decided once we are considered a Championship club and hit us for the start of the season down there.

I spotted him saying his goodbye in the stands. Must have had to be somewhere

Some people trying to rewrite history suggesting he wasn't that good for us in the Championship. He had a wobble towards the end, but was generally fantastic for us and often our best player. If RVN does go, which is likely, then I don't know if we would find a better CM at that level going into next season. However, I don't really know the full story of this falling out, and he may have not only fallen out with the Manager, but also the club, so it might be best to get what we can for him if he wants out. A new manager may give everyone a clean slate though, and personally, I'd prefer we kept him if he is as motivated as he was in his first season for us.

If the club was in a better position and not such a mess, then I would be more ready for this.

I think we need someone that has already managed in the Championship. Someone who has a backroom staff ready to go from day 1, and also has a good knowledge of decent players that he has worked with or has had scouted at previous clubs, so we can get our business done early with a lot of outgoings needed. We need a complete rebuild, but a streamlined one, so we don't languish in the Championship for more than a season or two. I think style of play and entertainment factor has to come second for the time being. I suspect it will be Russel Martin as can't see Top going for Dyche, even though he would likely get us promoted. Personally, I think it is too much of a risk going with a Richie Wellens or someone from abroad who hasn't managed in England before. We really have to get promoted at the first or second time of asking, otherwise I can see us being stuck down here for years.

I don't want someone to come in who needs time to assess the squad or acclimatise to the Championship. I want someone who knows our squad already and knows what is needed to get us promoted and is capable of resetting the club, has an established backroom staff ready to go and is confident and controlling enough to takeover much of the decisions from Top and Rudkin. I'd say there are a few out there that offer that, but they are the names that some bulk at in favour of someone abroad, such as Dyche or Martin. I don't think we would get as lucky again if we went a Maresca type route. RVN was a wildcard in that sense and it has been a disaster. I think we need a Pearson style appointment aka an arrogant so and so who will not take any crap from the players or the DOF, and someone with the dreaded word "experience"...

Never felt more detached from this club as I do now. However, I am hoping this will actually reset my mindset and hopefully with a new Manager and more players leaving, I can embrace the next chapter of this amazing club. I hope Vardy goes to America now. Don't want to see him in the Championship with someone else.

If he walks, they don’t have to pay him compensation I’m guessing? he would get 1% admiration back from me if so

We had a lot of success under Rodgers doing it his way. You could argue, it was exactly when Top and Rudkin started taking back some control from Rodgers, that things dramatically fell apart, in regards to the transfer market at least. I’m not a fan of Rodgers though and can see his part in the downfall too. I still feel we need a new direction and leader, and the likeliest way we can do that, is through a control freak Manager that has enough experience and confidence, for Top and Rudkin to take a back seat.

The reality is, Top and Rudkin are unlikely to be going anywhere. Therefore, we need a Manager who will take the whole club by the scruff of the neck and control as much as possible. There aren’t many out there, but Dyche is one of them. Pearson is another, but he has his own battle going on. Moyes was another but we got RVN. I would feel a lot better if we got a Manager in that took away as much power from Top and Rudkin as feasible, with the attitude of “It’s my way”. Give him a budget, let him bring in an experienced team across all departments, and Top take a step back and let this Manager reshape the club. Something has got to change, and it won’t be Top and Rudkin, so let’s get a Manager that has the arrogance and experience, to steamroll them both.