by JBG » Thu Oct 30, 2003 12:57 pm
Here are the reasons why I feel that Strachen is NOT the man for the job:
1). He has never managed a big club. Fair enough, he played for UTD, but could he handle the massive pressure and levels of expectation? At Southampton and Coventry staying up is a bonus. There's a big difference in the pressures of staying up and being expected to go out and actually win Championships.
2). He has never had much money to spend. How would he spend it? How do we know that he wouldn't blow it like Houllier, Evans and Souness?
3). No experience of managing Superstars. With all due respect to James Beattie, he's no Owen or Gerrard. How would Strachen handle guys playing reguarly for England and earning over 50 grand a week?
4). No European experience: he never played much in Europe as a player, and the only time he managed a side in Europe his Southampton side were quickly eliminated. Even if he got us into the Champions League how would he fair against the likes of Juventus or Bayern Munich in tight, tactical games?
5). He is not known for tactical ability: while his Southampton side work their socks off, his team rarely "outhink" opposition teams.
6). Man management of foreign players: do people not forget how he handled the Delgado affair?
There are countless more reasons against Strachen but the above says it all in my opinion.
Jolly Bob Grumbine.