Claudio Fannieri

Yes you could often hear that in his pre and post match interviews especially after the January transfer window when he was frustrated and said he had been lied to by none other than JR

Maybe just maybe you can love the club, the players, a lot of good people behind the scenes whilst thinking the guy who is in charge of the football operation is a complete liability and preventing the club from fulfilling its potential. therefore when he spoke with Ruud maybe he was honest, wonderful club, great owner, however the DoF is out of his depth, so if you join push for a change.

Fair enough I missed that one about Rudkin.

I don’t recall him mentioning Rudkin just singled out Top as an amazing and special person.

Bloody hell pal, Cooper was a disaster, we should have been pummelled in every game under him but for exceptional goalkeeping, poor finishing and massive lashings of luck we could and should have conceded 3/4/5 in most games. What the first 16 competitive games have shown me is that the need for a manager to have a defined tactical plan, expect the highest standards and be prepared to explore every minute detail to get us organised is absolutely critical, you cannot wing it at this level. I honestly believe whilst Ruud has a massive challenge at hand I think we will see a marked improvement.

Easy out for Top is too reshuffle the organisation Rudkin to stay with King Power racing and bring in a new DoF, Rudkin’s race is run here, he is now out of his depth, the game is moving on and he is getting left behind and his limitations, lack of standing and reputation within the game is exposing us now. we need an experienced and forward thinking operator to come in and freshen everything up with the aim of becoming a progressive club again, Rudkin and the club have become stale & stagnant. Key for me was last week, Enzo was full of praise and admiration of Top and yet no reference to the DoF speaks volumes and especially when he continually called for more football experience and know how to be recruited.

I don’t think so, I think the issue is since Cooper was appointed the club has a group of uninspiring coaching staff who in reality are league one level, after Enzo last season to this clown show, it’s no wonder they are demoralised, we look like a disorganised rabble on and off the pitch. Ruud will raise the standards and expectations and that will get a reaction and an improvement, just got to hope it’s enough to get results and drag ourselves away from danger.

The issue is like Cooper who was nothing more than a PE teacher, Dawson is a supply teacher who is expected to come in, inspire, and organise a premier league professional football team, with negative, boring and unimaginative tactics and tactical set up, this is in the result of the club hiring yes men rather than people like Enzo who challenged the players and board for the highest standards, at least with Ruud he will bring in proper experienced top level coaches and he will raise the expectations at all levels of the club. The appointments in the summer stink of certain people protecting there position by not wanting another Enzo to expose the shortcomings. Really think Ruud will have a clear out and Rudders will also be on his radar to up his game or I think he will be placing demands on Top to bring in a DoF fit for a premier league club with world class training facilities.

Wonder if he already knows he will be replaced and just thought feck it I am going out in a blaze of glory

Interesting that on social media a lot of reporters are making reference to the Rudkin out chants, I don’t know why but I have a feeling there will be a Percy bomb in the next 24/48 hours saying he is leaving at the end of the season.

The one positive is we had so many of our better players sat on the bench or due back from injury in next few weeks. The team selection was madness and has been a common theme since that goon Cooper came in and has been carried on by his clueless pals who have been adamant not to pick our strongest line up. Baffling and hopefully with a semi competent manager and coaching staff we will see a massive improvement without implementing major surgery and just applying a bit of common sense.

Wouldn’t be shocked if Ruud gets rid of them all and starts again, absolutely honking, Cooper and his cronies have set us back so much in such a short space of time. Honestly can’t see any of the past regime staying on, I believe Rudkin got some shit from the away fans is that right?

Hardly a shock, a team devoid of any defensive structure and tactical plan, go out and look a disorganised rabble under the previously sacked Managers deputies, my honest opinion rip it up and start again with a complete new backroom staff, Cooper and his merry men have managed to completely destroy what Enzo had built, no structure, no direction, no leadership and feck all in way of a tactical plan. It’s literally pub league stuff. Coady’s interview was telling, said they need organisation, discipline and leadership, sounds like Mike Bassett has been running the club for the last 5 months. The decision to hire Cooper has done so much damage however I have a feeling Ruud if he can bring in some good experienced coaching support will get this lot organised and firing, but he has one hell of a job turning this around. The only positive is he has seen the reality of the situation and hopefully identified where we need immediate improvement.

The way I read it, it sounds like the basis of the article has come from someone within the club, the way it reads it sounds like someone a little disgruntled at Rudkin and Tops relationship and how that projects across the club. it doesn’t mean that Top hasn’t stepped in over the last 7 days and gone above Rudkin to sack Cooper and also hire RVN, it also doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship hasn’t become fractured as a result of the hiring and firing of Cooper where their was clearly differing opinions. Whilst the underlying sentiment of the article is correct, the dynamcis may well be very different as a result of the last week or so, Top has clearly stepped in and taken control which clearly demonstrates that they are not aligned on some pretty major decisions.

I would imagine he has met the squad this morning and overseen training and there will be lots of photos on social media of him watching them train which will be posted following the official announcement.

I honestly cannot see Whelan and Rudkin surviving after the last few weeks, both have overseen absolute shitshows on their sides of the business. Maybe explains Top seemingly taking a more visible role.

I think he was always Tops preference along with Potter, Rudkin got his way with Cooper and with it being a disaster, Top stepped in, made the decision to sack Cooper and then pulled rank, took control and brought in the man he wanted. Now just hoping this spells the end of Rudkin’s time here.

I am genuinely excited about it yes it’s a risk but every appointment is, I am getting similar vibes to Enzo, Pearson etc reckon the players will be buzzing and be all give the place a real lift and build on the discipline, structure and style that Enzo implemented. Like Enzo and NP there will be bumps in the road but genuinely think this is the type of appointment we need to make if we want to reestablish ourselves as a forward thinking football club.

I think it’s Ruud and the players know it is but it is being kept away from the media until all the formalities are completed, remember is not just the manager but all his backroom staff as well. Announcement tomorrow I reckon.

I did wonder whether Potter had decided he was finally up for it and it has caused a rethink

Is that because our main target has rejected us or because someone new has thrown their hat into the ring?

Too be fair it’s quiet full stop, I think given Sundays news and the fact not one media outlet had an inkling prior to the announcement suggests that the club have closed ranks for this process.

He has managed 152 games he is hardly wet behind the ears, he is a veteran in comparison to Enzo who had a mere 13 or so games under his belt.

RVN is not a novice, he has been a manager and most importantly he has earned his stripes as a coach and. assistant manager as well so he is very well rounded across all facets, managing PSV isn’t a gimme so he clearly has something about him. We have always done pretty well when appointing ambitious managers with a point to prove and with the hunger, desire and ambition of progressing their careers, Little, McGhee, O’Neill, Adams, Pearson and then Enzo have all been successful examples of this, yes there were also times when it hasn’t delivered what we hoped but overall it has been a good strategy for us. if we want to be a progressive club again then we need to have progressive managers rather than the tired set in their ways journeymen that we could have gone for as the safe perceived options. These types of managers have a limited shelf life and as shown with Cooper very quickly their methods and effectiveness become outdated. We are potentially recruiting a manager who has managed a top club in Holland, delivering some success and coached/assisted at major tournaments with the Dutch national team, he is far from a novice.

I really don’t get the negativity with RVN he has managed PSV and did pretty well there and has been Assistant Manager of Man United and Holland plus had numerous coaching roles including the youth teams at PSV, he is a very good fit for a club that has invested in its academy, has world class training facilities and for me this is an appointment very much like Enzo, yes of course it’s not the safe option but it’s exciting and he has a far higher ceiling and potential than some of the other people we were being linked to. I think he will be a very rounded and forward thinking appointment and one that won’t be afraid to use some of our more talented academy prospects along the way. This is a breath of fresh air after the disappointing and underwhelming recruitment of Cooper.