I love Claude

[TheLittleBigMan]

He's been brave enough to play youth players from the start, 3 of which have been called up to the senior squad for England. People cry out for prem managers to do this. He has taken us from flirting with relegation post title win to pushing for europe. But so many fans turn their noses up at it. I can't believe the lack of support the poor bloke has had from us. We don't even try. No song no support for him and I think that's piss poor. The players often talk about the unity in the dressing room, which is a part of our reputation and yet it's not to be seen anywhere in the stands since his arrival. 

A new training ground and stadium expansion is on it's way and we look like a solid prem team now. This should be exciting times for us all.

 

I think some folk need to get a grip. Up the foxes.

[UPinCarolina]

If he was English and talked a little louder in press conferences, half of the criticism would melt away.

[Poznan34]

4 minutes ago, UPinCarolina said:

If he was English and talked a little louder in press conferences, half of the criticism would melt away.

Sadly, this is true. 

[DerbyshireFox]

2 hours ago, La-li-lu-le-lo said:

Over the last few days I’ve taken time to reflect on recent ongoing and tried not to let the red mist distort my thinking.

 

All in all, when you look at things Puel has done a good job, yes, I said it a good job.

 

Look at what we’ve done since we lifted the premier league trophy..... we’ve recruited poorly, and that is why we appear to be stagnant, not because of Puel, because of our recruitment. Matt Piper said something very true yesterday, we don’t know what was said in the decisive meeting that landed Puel the job, but I imagine it was something along the lines of compete, but we’ve got to rid the club of the dead wood.... that’s where I think he’s done really well, he’s not been afraid to do so.... look at some of the big earners we’ve had... Musa, Slimani, Silva and Iborra to think of the top of my head, none of which have made a positive impact on the squad. Slimani’s attitide stunk, Musa was a huge mistake and neither Silva or Iborra particularly set the world alight, do they really offer more than Mendy or N’didi? So if the brief was to cut the wage bill, which may mean isolating the players the club want to shift then fair enough, you may as well get by not using them at all.

 

I like how much be pushes youth, Chilwell is where he currently is due to Puel, there are some like Gray and Diabate who haven’t shone, but what other choices do we have? The squad really lacks quality and until we ship off the bigger earners whom we are frankly carrying at the moment, we won’t be able to bring anyone meaningful in so I respect Puel for his persistence, he does make some daft decisions at times, but I think that is purely down to his recourses, he is trying new things with the same faces, sometimes it will work, others it won’t. 

 

The fact were in the top the top ten after what has happened is a miracle, and again, it’s mainly down to Puel that we are there, his calm “boring” personality probably helps the players stay relaxed.

 

I was originally a Puel in, then I admit I fell into the Puel out brigade, but now reflecting on 2018, I actually think he’s done a cracking job with what he’s got and I am more than happy with our position. We may not finish seventh, we might just do it but either way I think Puel needs time, due to not being able to shift these players he hasn’t had an opportunity to really sink his teeth into the transfer market yet, so let’s just get through this season get behind the lads and Puel, and try and help push the club on to attempt to gain that seventh place! Do you think Vichai would want the fans to be bickering and arguing between one another? Even if you really, really don’t like Puel, support the badge, support the club you fell in love with following the first click of the turnstile... Our football club has given us more than any of us ever could wish for over the last few years, so let’s get behind the lads and push on...

 

Up the fvcking foxes! 

well said

[Guest Bob Hazels shorts]

2 hours ago, La-li-lu-le-lo said:

Over the last few days I’ve taken time to reflect on recent ongoing and tried not to let the red mist distort my thinking.

 

All in all, when you look at things Puel has done a good job, yes, I said it a good job.

 

Look at what we’ve done since we lifted the premier league trophy..... we’ve recruited poorly, and that is why we appear to be stagnant, not because of Puel, because of our recruitment. Matt Piper said something very true yesterday, we don’t know what was said in the decisive meeting that landed Puel the job, but I imagine it was something along the lines of compete, but we’ve got to rid the club of the dead wood.... that’s where I think he’s done really well, he’s not been afraid to do so.... look at some of the big earners we’ve had... Musa, Slimani, Silva and Iborra to think of the top of my head, none of which have made a positive impact on the squad. Slimani’s attitide stunk, Musa was a huge mistake and neither Silva or Iborra particularly set the world alight, do they really offer more than Mendy or N’didi? So if the brief was to cut the wage bill, which may mean isolating the players the club want to shift then fair enough, you may as well get by not using them at all.

 

I like how much be pushes youth, Chilwell is where he currently is due to Puel, there are some like Gray and Diabate who haven’t shone, but what other choices do we have? The squad really lacks quality and until we ship off the bigger earners whom we are frankly carrying at the moment, we won’t be able to bring anyone meaningful in so I respect Puel for his persistence, he does make some daft decisions at times, but I think that is purely down to his recourses, he is trying new things with the same faces, sometimes it will work, others it won’t. 

 

The fact were in the top the top ten after what has happened is a miracle, and again, it’s mainly down to Puel that we are there, his calm “boring” personality probably helps the players stay relaxed.

 

I was originally a Puel in, then I admit I fell into the Puel out brigade, but now reflecting on 2018, I actually think he’s done a cracking job with what he’s got and I am more than happy with our position. We may not finish seventh, we might just do it but either way I think Puel needs time, due to not being able to shift these players he hasn’t had an opportunity to really sink his teeth into the transfer market yet, so let’s just get through this season get behind the lads and Puel, and try and help push the club on to attempt to gain that seventh place! Do you think Vichai would want the fans to be bickering and arguing between one another? Even if you really, really don’t like Puel, support the badge, support the club you fell in love with following the first click of the turnstile... Our football club has given us more than any of us ever could wish for over the last few years, so let’s get behind the lads and push on...

 

Up the fvcking foxes! 

Some interesting points.

 

His pushing youth is a myth. I've followed Chilwells and Hamza academy career obvious to all they were going to break through.

 

Chilwell made his debut 2 years before Puel arrived at the club. Hamza a couple of months before and was hardly instantly recognized by Puel. Just been awarded a contract that was increased by Top as stalling signing as way below expectation and he let him know that. Fact

 

Signing a player who has never cost anything previously in Ghazzel @ 26 for £12m is hardly 'pushing youth'

 

Its not just Puel. The entire management structure looks unsuitable.

 

Nobody needs telling to get behind the team. Getting behind a inept manager that continues to baffle is more difficult.

 

Only his actions will change my mind, not blind loyalty

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, kingfox said:

I said so many times in the summer that getting rid of Slimani would be a stupid decision.

 

He isn't the best but he gets you goals, last season in the seven games he started he scored five goals.

 

The way Claude wants to play though a target man is out of question, we badly need a striker, I'd prefer a target man but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets someone in similar to Vardy.

But you don't know the reason why they got rid of him or the ramifications of keeping him. Therefore you cannot say whether it was a stupid decision. It's guesswork.

[Fox92]

2 hours ago, Marshall Cockney Fox said:

I think the real benefit of his tenure will be appreciated once he's moved on.  The football can be dire at times, but the future with young talent looks bright.

I have thought this before. I think he'll go down as a "builder" and someone will take his squad over.

[m4DD0gg]

5 hours ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

You know over this last 6 months or so I have felt like a schizophrenic babbling nonsensical brain fart of a man thinking of why I just can’t decide if as fans we just need to grit our teeth and give Puel 18 months to 2 years or so to see how his vision pans out or get rid of the boring fvcker 

 

Fvck it let’s just get behind the lovely French dynamo and give him our 100 per cent support. The Newport result still rankles as does the Man City league cup QF result this year and last however let’s hope there are more signs of progress in the future as Puel shapes the squad etc

 

Long Live King Claude. 

feel sorry for you

[Countryfox]

2 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I have thought this before. I think he'll go down as a "builder" and someone will take his squad over.

 

I’m happy with that ...    once it’s built, boot him out and get some ageing genial Italian in and win the league ! ...   

[SheppyFox]

I love you aswell Claude  

[Stadt]

Some of the ways he's described "awful" and "inept", he's neither of those, I don't particularly like the bloke but the worst criticisms you can fairly level at him are that he's average or maybe slightly worse. If he was an awful manager we wouldn't have finished 9th last season and sit 7th currently. We're a boring but resolute side.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

1 hour ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Read the whole opening post bud I make it quite clear I feel like a schizophrenic with him as manager so yes there has been some progress but at times I do get very frustrated with him

 

for the record I have been married twice engaged 4 times and have 5 children with 3 different women so I do change my mind every now and again.  

You greedy so and so.

[mozartfox]

2 hours ago, UPinCarolina said:

If he was English and talked a little louder in press conferences, half of the criticism would melt away.

Not if he spoke like Sir Sean Dyche.

[RumbleFox]

"Bonjour ladies"

[RumbleFox]

49 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Some of the ways he's described "awful" and "inept", he's neither of those, I don't particularly like the bloke but the worst criticisms you can fairly level at him are that he's average or maybe slightly worse. If he was an awful manager we wouldn't have finished 9th last season and sit 7th currently. We're a boring but resolute side.

Good post.  I know I am annoying in the sense that I defend Puel to the hilt and pull up those criticising him but you have summed up here exactly why.  I am completely fine with constructive criticism but the hyperbolic nature of the slagging off he gets on here really does annoy me.  As you rightly point out, he can really only at worst be described as "average" or "defensive".  The rest is silly school ground talk.  X

[steflcfc]

Agree with a lot of the posts regarding Claude.

 

Whether your Pro/Against Puel, the fact is, this squad away from our strongest 11 is very weak.

 

That’s without Benaloune, Kasputaka, Slimani rotting away,

 

We also house players who the jury’s still out as they have been bit part players like Silva (dealt a rough deal, and never recovered, Iheanacho, Iborra (now in Spain) 

Gray (needs to become more consistent)

 

We have a big chunk of wages just going down the drain.

 

Puel is slowly trying to plug the gaps in the squad with good signings in Ricardo, Evans, Maddison and Mendy back in the fold, whilst attempting to filter out the deadwood away from the club.

 

As we know it will be extremely hard to move on a few of these players on to hopefully allow some new younger players who will fit into Puels way of thinking.

 

Untill new arrivals in the summer he is trying to get the best out of the players he currently has at his disposal (like any manager will have to)

Im sure he knows our weakness like creativity and wingers being consistent and also that we have a great spine to the squad in Schmeichel Chilwell Ndidi Ricardo Hamza and Vardy 

 

Give him time and a few transfer windows to sort the squad out  (which all managers require) and we will start to see what he is really trying to achieve at this club.

 

 

[funkyrobot]

5 hours ago, daddylonglegs said:

i admire his stubbornness but the guy is a complete idiot sometimes. Like proper head in hands at some of his decisions. 

Bit harsh on the OP mate

[SystonFox]

People keep rattling on about this Man City league cup QF match like it was Claude’s fault James Maddison can’t take a penalty..... 

[La-li-lu-le-lo]

1 hour ago, Bob Hazels shorts said:

Some interesting points.

 

His pushing youth is a myth. I've followed Chilwells and Hamza academy career obvious to all they were going to break through.

 

Chilwell made his debut 2 years before Puel arrived at the club. Hamza a couple of months before and was hardly instantly recognized by Puel. Just been awarded a contract that was increased by Top as stalling signing as way below expectation and he let him know that. Fact

 

Signing a player who has never cost anything previously in Ghazzel @ 26 for £12m is hardly 'pushing youth'

 

Its not just Puel. The entire management structure looks unsuitable.

 

Nobody needs telling to get behind the team. Getting behind a inept manager that continues to baffle is more difficult.

 

Only his actions will change my mind, not blind loyalty

 

Him pushing youth is not a myth at all, you’re just choosing to pick on the point because you don’t agree. Chilwell’s Use was sporadic prior to Puels arrival, as was Gray and Hamza nothing bar a debut. He could quite easily have stuck with Fuchs and not give Chilwell a sniff, equally he could have not bothered persisting with Gray or bring Hamza into the more serious games. It’s clear he chooses our youth over the likes of Iborra and Silva.

 

As for Ghezzal it’s clear the club aren’t in a position to keep spending silly money on overrated players, such as Slimani.... he is hardly a financial burden and given the fact we needed depth and Puel had some success with Ghezzal doesn’t make it much of a gamble.

 

Evidently people do, be booing hissing a jeering during a game has never been productive, no matter how toxic the atmosphere. The hatred generated towards Puel has been largely thanks to the Southampton fans, whose bitterness towards him was transferred to us thanks to their incessant moaning, so portions of our fans had already made up their minds.

 

The facts are, we’re seventh, yes the football isn’t great but is that a great surprise when we probably have 13 players worth playing? Our issues won’t go away by appointing a new manager, they will go away with patience and an overhaul with a better recruitment policy. 

 

Weve made several shocking mistakes since sacking Claudio, mistakes we need to stop repeating, if Puel has a summer window and still we’re struggling then you make the decision to chop him, keep sacking managers will just keep the wheel spinning, and nothing will change, just someone else given 6 months to drastically change everything.

[David Hankey]

2 hours ago, UPinCarolina said:

If he was English and talked a little louder in press conferences, half of the criticism would melt away.

Claudio was softly spoken and look what he did for us. Empty tin cans make the most noise!!

[ourla]

We slid away last year after looking in contention for Europe.

 

He/we need to do better this time round.

[fuchsntf]

6 hours ago, daddylonglegs said:

i admire his stubbornness but the guy is a complete idiot sometimes. Like proper head in hands at some of his decisions. 

You poor soul...to judge another person an idiot,when your not even within those working realms.

Why ever despair on other people's descisions,that might for others be the right ones...Just read the opposite contradicting opinions on

this forum...some willing to chop off the hands holding the head....

[vanity]

6 hours ago, daddylonglegs said:

i admire his stubbornness but the guy is a complete idiot sometimes. Like proper head in hands at some of his decisions. 

Claude is a fool. He ignores contemporary norms of the profession, refusing to provide supporters with the basic thinking behind his decisions, leaving us alienated, angry, and shouting for his head.

 

And the most galling bit is that it is all wholly preventable.

 

If Claude didn't manage our club, it would almost be amusing watching this stubborn, recalcitrant SOB move station-to-station, repeatedly succeeding on the field and then getting fired anyway. As a Puel-in fellow, I'm not going to pretend he will change. He won't. All I can hope is that he puts us in good shape for his successor, and that we keep the same style when we hire our next coach.

[Grebfromgrebland]

Puel should use a voice digitiser like Stephen hawking!

[fuchsntf]

37 minutes ago, La-li-lu-le-lo said:

 

Him pushing youth is not a myth at all, you’re just choosing to pick on the point because you don’t agree. Chilwell’s Use was sporadic prior to Puels arrival, as was Gray and Hamza nothing bar a debut. He could quite easily have stuck with Fuchs and not give Chilwell a sniff, equally he could have not bothered persisting with Gray or bring Hamza into the more serious games. It’s clear he chooses our youth over the likes of Iborra and Silva.

 

As for Ghezzal it’s clear the club aren’t in a position to keep spending silly money on overrated players, such as Slimani.... he is hardly a financial burden and given the fact we needed depth and Puel had some success with Ghezzal doesn’t make it much of a gamble.

 

Evidently people do, be booing hissing a jeering during a game has never been productive, no matter how toxic the atmosphere. The hatred generated towards Puel has been largely thanks to the Southampton fans, whose bitterness towards him was transferred to us thanks to their incessant moaning, so portions of our fans had already made up their minds.

 

The facts are, we’re seventh, yes the football isn’t great but is that a great surprise when we probably have 13 players worth playing? Our issues won’t go away by appointing a new manager, they will go away with patience and an overhaul with a better recruitment policy. 

 

Weve made several shocking mistakes since sacking Claudio, mistakes we need to stop repeating, if Puel has a summer window and still we’re struggling then you make the decision to chop him, keep sacking managers will just keep the wheel spinning, and nothing will change, just someone else given 6 months to drastically change everything.

that sir..is a great post...   

to many (thankfully minority). Have little patience,and do not recognise the long haul neccitated from poor,or just indifferent  previous investments..

and this vile undeserved attack over Ghezzal...!!