Sjoke

[Fido]

I think there’s a lot of talent in that Stoke side, but their recruitment has been a mess for a long time.

They’ve gone with proven players with nothing to prove, foreign players that haven’t adjusted and then young players who just aren’t good enough.

On paper their strongest XI should be chasing down a playoff spot... Butland, Vokes, Allen, Etebo, N’Diaye, Woods, Clucas, Ince... these are all players who can play at a higher level, but they just have no hunger.

As DK has said, the club is rotten, it needs a complete overhaul and to start again as lurching from one divergent strategy to the next in a matter of months hasn’t brought any success.

Their next appointment needs to bring that cult of personality the last 3-4 have lacked, and it may need to be Tony.

This is the list of runners and riders from Oddschecker. Apart from Neil (who can't) and Hughton (who won't), it's a depressing list IMO. Ainsworth or Johnson would be interesting, but doubt they'd swap their current roles.


Alex Neil
Tony Pulis
Alan Pardew
Neil Harris
Chris Hughton
Michael ONeill
David Moyes
Mick McCarthy
Jose Gomes
Paul Ince
Markus Weinzierl
Lee Johnson
Darren Fletcher
Tim Flowers
Gareth Ainsworth
Kevin Nolan

There would be no point sacking Jones and appointing Ainsworth. 

I'm amazed the never stuck with Nathan Jones. They stink of a club (like Wolves and Sunderland) who need to L1 year or two to flush out all the shite. Nathan Jones would have been ideal for that rebuild.

Ainsworth must live close to me as I see him quite often in our local and is often at his kid's school's footie matches.