Wow, did not expect that when he signed on!!! I wonder if a relegated club has ever been so optimistic!?!?! Next season could be sensational if he manages to convince a good number to stay! We need a feel good season like 09-10 again, remember that run we had towards the end of the season where we scored 3+ goals in about 7 consecutive home games?!
With Rafa, new players and the roof off SJP with the noise we will be formidable. As long as he stays.
"Chief scout Graham Carr, however, will leave the club after six years and an announcement on the 71-year-old’s retirement is expected." My expectations: Lose, Rafa and most of our first team. Gain, Warnock and most of the Rotherham first team. If this piece is true AND we can go into next season with the kind of team we COULD have then I may be joining Tash in the spunkfest. My guess would be that for Rafa to stay he would have talked to some of the players too about whether they are up for the challenge and got assurances from Ashley that players will not be sold on the cheap - they can go if they aren't up for it and the price is right and perhaps, just perhaps, Rafa has been told he can use some of that money. But... to repeat My expectations: Lose, Rafa and most of our first team. Gain, Warnock and most of the Rotherham first team.
ps. I'll be buying Football Manager for the first time in about 5 years. If that Hull team can make the play-off finals then surely we can do something.
Both Sheff Wed and Hull are shocking. Certainties for relegation next season whichever goes up. Derby and Brighton were far better sides and likeltly far more capable in the PL if they had gone up.
Yeah, they were surreal games. The teams I wanted to win in each both lost, which is a shame as it means we need to play them next year!
Well if the Daily Mail write a sensational headline then it MUST be true. Right? Maybe? Hope it's true but I'm still waiting for the usual NUFC bombshell to hit, so not getting my hopes up. If/when it is confirmed as official then (and only then) I might feel more positive.
They did state at the bottom line of the article that if another club were to come in and offer him something in the 11th hour, it could scupper the deal. Until its announced and all confirmed I remain hesitant, but then again it's hard not to be excited.
I seem to remember all of us SAFC fans been beside ourselves with hope and excitement at the thought of Martin O'Neill coming.....we all know what happened to that.
I do think once O'Neill couldn't get his right hand man due to some unfortunate circumstances, things were never really right. Reminded me of Clough without Taylor.
I certainly wont assume that everything will be amazing under Rafa, but I do believe with him in charge we will come straight back up, not just because of his tactical awareness but also because of the way the players have shown instant improvement under his charge and how he can get the players up for a game even with nothing to play for. There's tactical awareness and motivation there, and I think Rafa would enjoy a new type of challenge rather than having the pressure of taking a top flight title chasing team, and go into a lower league and meet some real ****ing fans for a change!