Headhunted ex Albion bosses
#1
As we know the Albion hot seat usually ends in failure with a huge number of managers having their ego bruised. Even playing legends like Big Dave and Robson have suffered.
However, how many Albion bosses have been headhunted over the years?
Only ones that jump out are Ardiles to Spurs, Atkinson to Man U, Allen to Saudi, Mowbray to Celtic and Roy to England. Just added Harford to QPR too.
I go back to 75, so that’s 5 from 28 to my counting- shows how few have left on top.
It sure makes life easier when a new manager enters the Hawthorns in this light. For this reason I always feel Atkinson was over rated.
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#2
Atkinson twice, Atletico Madrid.
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#3
(10-09-2019, 08:40 PM)Spandaubaggie Wrote: As we know the Albion hot seat usually ends in failure with a huge number of managers having their ego bruised. Even playing legends like Big Dave and Robson have suffered.
However, how many Albion bosses have been headhunted over the years?
Only ones that jump out are Ardiles to Spurs, Atkinson to Man U, Allen to Saudi, Mowbray to Celtic and Roy to England. Just added Harford to QPR too.
I go back to 75, so that’s 5 from 28 to my counting- shows how few have left on top.
It sure makes life easier when a new manager enters the Hawthorns in this light. For this reason I always feel Atkinson was over rated.

Not sure how you can say Atkinson was over-rated. FA Cup Semi-final, 3rd and 4th place finishes, 3 European campaigns. You might say he "should have done better" with the resources at his disposal. By the same token Mowbray shouldn't have got us relegated, Clarke and Pulis should both have improved on their peak finishes instead of falling back. You can't judge life that way.

What I always say about Big Ron is that every team he ever coached improved under his management - he didn't need to wield a cheque book to get the best out of his players. He may not have been the best in the transfer market (and the club was a mess both times he was in charge) but his motivational skills were far above what we have been used to for most of my time following the Baggies.
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#4
Think we were 2nd when Ronnie Allen left at Christmas 77.
Atkinson was a good manager, of that I’m sure. He actually showed that in 88 when he came back as we were going to get relegated to the 3rd division.
However, Giles brilliant work in 75-77 set us up well.
Atkinson got us to nearly men. We didn’t get 2nd when we should have, lost a semi we were favourites for and kept us the same level of squad as he inherited three years later. His 79/80 season was a huge disappointment, but he did make up for it.
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#5
Big Ron was a infectious charismatic motivator and I for one hold him in high esteem.
The game needs more characters like Ron. Loved the game and his players.
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#6
(10-09-2019, 09:32 PM)Spandaubaggie Wrote: Think we were 2nd when Ronnie Allen left at Christmas 77.
Atkinson was a good manager, of that I’m sure. He actually showed that in 88 when he came back as we were going to get relegated to the 3rd .
However, Giles brilliant work in 75-77 set us up well.
Atkinson got us to nearly men. We didn’t get 2nd when we should have, lost a semi we were favourites for and kept us the same level of squad as he inherited three years later. His 79/80 season was adivision huge disappointment, but he did make up for it.

 He actually showed that in 88 when he came back as we were going to get relegated to the 3rd.

Agree. Atkinson in his second coming got a bunch of clodhoppers playing football.
You could see the difference almost immediately..
I've forgotten who he replaced... Gould?
But, come on, to get the Albion challenging at the top, to develop Giles' excellent team, we'd give our right arms for a team that good now.
We can probably name most of them without trying, even now.... My Robson and Regis of long ago...

I don't believe Albion have ever had a great manager. BFR is the closest since Buckingham.
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#7
(10-10-2019, 10:01 AM)Johnnykayeengland Wrote: I don't believe Albion have ever had a great manager. BFR is the closest since Buckingham.

Interesting point that.

Is it feasible, in the modern era, for a club like Albion to have a genuinely great manager? By that I mean one who achieves 'greatness' while still at the club, as opposed to one who moves on to great things elsewhere. Are the limitations at a club of our size - and the inevitable pull from other quarters - simply too much to allow it to happen?
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#8
(10-10-2019, 01:20 PM)Ossian Wrote:
(10-10-2019, 10:01 AM)Johnnykayeengland Wrote: I don't believe Albion have ever had a great manager. BFR is the closest since Buckingham.

Interesting point that.

Is it feasible, in the modern era, for a club like Albion to have a genuinely great manager? By that I mean one who achieves 'greatness' while still at the club, as opposed to one who moves on to great things elsewhere. Are the limitations at a club of our size - and the inevitable pull from other quarters - simply too much to allow it to happen?

How many clubs in the UK have had a "great" manager in the last 30 or so years outside of the traditional big ones?

6 or so clubs dominate the UK game and European places, so managers in the UK rarely get opportunities at the top clubs. 

I know Big Sam gets a lot of stick for his Real Madrid comments, but had he been managing in Spain or Italy his work at Bolton would have led to an opportunity at a big club - regardless of his stylistic complaints. 

Add to that the longevity of Wenger and Ferguson taking out 2 of the big clubs top jobs for 20+ years and you can see why very few have progressed beyond the middle of the PL.

Pochettino at Saints,Hughes at City, Moyes at United, Rodgers at Swansea, and now Lampard at Chelsea are the only real examples of managers from smaller clubs getting opportunities at big clubs in the last decade or so...  Silva and Koeman potentially at Everton, but even they're far from a top 6 side regardless of what they spend.
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#9
Vic Buckingham - head hunted by a little known club from Holland.

He is the one to blame for all this "entertainment" bollox!
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#10
(10-10-2019, 08:31 PM)SW4Baggie Wrote: Wow, this is still going...

I feel bad for even making a joke!

Whilst you're here, could you outline your view on Aston Villa's historic links to unsavoury right-wing political groups?!
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