Gary Megson is charged with taking Sheffield Wednesday into the ChampionshipAs I sit here watching Scotland vs. Ireland in the Six Nations - it's a rugby tournament you don't really need to concern yourself with too much - I am seeing the ball getting booted as far down the pitch as possible.
This act reminded me of a man who has somehow found a way back into the world of football - despite being a bit of a tit and a mediocre manager. I give you the one, and only, Gary Megson.
Ah Megson, you irritatingly dull, worm of a man. How could any club appoint you to guide their team to glory? The only explanation that I can give is that the man who offered him the job was Milan Mandaric.
The chairman of Sheffield Wednesday is not the most liked man in the game, and hired and has fired 8,125 people during his footballing lifespan. Despite half of them coming at Leicester, it's still an impressive achievement.
Back to Megson who, I have no shame in admitting, I'm not a huge fan of. This is the man who was manager of Nottingham Forest when they were relegated to the third tier of English football.
The same man, despite everyone thinking that Forest would storm away with the League One title, could only manage to turn them into a struggling mid-table outfit.
He left the club closer to the relegation zone than the play offs and if you think that it was because Forest were a bit crap back then - which they were - then consider that his replacements took 28 points from a possible 39 and only just missed out on the top six.
Sheffield Wednesday, that proud and noble club, are now being managed by Gary Megson. What makes it a strange decision is that Megson's last spell in this division ended miserably at a club very similar to Wednesday.
Forest were the big guns of League One and were considered a major scalp by most clubs - despite being a shadow of their former selves.
The Owls are in a similar scenario and, although they are not the only scalp in the division - see Southampton - they still harbour aspirations of promotion.
Since taking charge at the start of February, Wednesday have played five league games and, up until the weekend, they had failed to win any of them. Fortunately, they recorded their first victory under Megson on Saturday.
That means the Owls have picked up five points from their last five games, currently sit 16th, and are 12 points behind MK Dons who are 6th. At the end of January though they sat in 12th and were just five points off the play offs.
Poor form saw Wednesday part company with boss Alan Irvine in JanuaryMandaric sacked Alan Irvine because he felt that he wasn't the man to get them promoted and yet he has hired a man who is taking them further down the table and further adrift of the play offs.
All of this will be very disconcerting for the Hillsborough faithful, not only because they would like to see their club moving up the table but also because they are now being subjected to anti football.
Megson was hounded out of Bolton because his style of football was rubbish. Although the results were good in the beginning, when you set your teams out to play like that you have to keep getting good results because you have no room to manoeuvre with fans. Win ugly, great. Lose ugly, goodbye.
The same problems will follow Megson around for the rest of his managerial career. It was a bad appointment, but not only for this reason. The man is not a very good manager.
Two promotions with West Brom - followed by two dismal seasons in the top flight - and a good spell at Bolton aside, he has achieved the square root of naff all. Sacking Irvine was a big mistake but hiring Megson is an even bigger one.
I'm biased because I want to see people like Megson leave football for good. He brings nothing to the national game and, no matter what people say, fans want to see their team at least trying to play nice football.
We know that no matter who you are, there is always a time and place for the long ball, but passing football should always be Plan A. He doesn't know any other way.
Ian Holloway used to set his teams up to play route one football but, since joining Blackpool, the man has been a slightly annoying revelation. He went away from the game and realised that long ball football invites pressure onto you as manager and as a club.
Blackpool leak goals for fun, but that's because they have a League One defence. They are playing attractive and, at times, breathtaking football though. Megson and several other long ball merchants should take notice of what he has done.
Sheffield Wednesday have had a rough time of it lately and, at the start of the season, many felt they were going to go straight back up.
However, it seems as if they are destined to be in League One for another year at least. Megson will not, I repeat not, guide any club - let alone Wednesday - out of that division.
"Two promotions at West Brom and a good spell at Bolton aside" and he has achieved nothing. Take away any manager's successes and what are you left with - surprise, surprise - their failures.
ReplyDeleteSince Milan Mandaric took over at Hillsborough, Wednesday played 6 league games under Irvine - Won 0, Drawn 2, Lost 4. Goals For 8, Goals Against 19. i.e. 2 points from 6 games.
Megson has had four games in charge, all away from home, 1 win, 1 draw, and 2 defeats. The draw against the team who would be at the top of the league if they had beaten us. There was nothing fortunate about the victory at Carlisle.
Irvine relegated Wednesday from the Championship. Wednesday were in freefall in League 1 under Irvine with relegation a more likely scenario than promotion. Gates were down. Yet you say "sacking Irvine was a big mistake".
Your comments regarding Mr Mandaric border on being libellous - I trust you can back up your comments.
From your self indulgent rant the comments you ascribe to Megson you previously attributed to Holloway. Holloway has changed his approach, why can't Megson. Megson, in a recent interview was asked his preferred style of football. His answer was "Manchester United's style - but to play like Manchester United you need players like Manchester United".
Presumably when Blackpool appointed Holloway you would have said - Holloway will not, I repeat not, guide any club - let alone Blackpool - out of that division.
Your comments 'despite being a bit of a tit', and'has a habit of being a bit of a dick' would be more appropriately applied to yourself.
What a load of utter, obnoxious bile.
ReplyDeleteAs a Hillsborough season ticket holder I feel justified in saying, you geniunely don't know what you're talking about.
Megson certainly wasn't my first choice but he's put some backbone in the team and got us keeping clean sheets, he's also Wednesday through and through. He also secured us our first win since mid December and two clean sheets in two tough away games so not sure how you can say he's taking us down.
No we're not going to get points for pretty football but neither do any other teams.
You've obviously tried to copy some more well know football bloggers by being controversial but have failed miserably. Can i suggest you stick to talking about what you know, sweet f'all.
Turls:
ReplyDeleteLooks like this article is making a bit of an impact!
I haven't said that he hasn't changed things around at Wednesday.
He may have added a backbone and given you your first win since December.
All I was expressing was that I don't think he is the right man for the job.
So no-one plays pretty football in League One? Not a single team? Wow.
I know it's been a while since I regularly attended games in that division but I didn't think the quality had dropped that much.
You then go on to state that I reckon he is taking you down. Do I? If anything, by saying he will not guide the club out the division, I'm stating that they won't get relegated.
Mind you, I wouldn't let the facts get in the way of a good rant.
I admit that when you remove a manager's successes, all you are left with is their failures. It's clever that.
But when you consider that Megson has managed 9 teams...
He failed at Norwich (collecting 24 points from 27 games), did averagely at Blackpool, Stockport and Stoke, did well at WBA.
He failed miserabely at Forest and didn't have much time at Leicester (although he didn't do that well there).
He had a brief patch of impressiveness at Bolton, which eventually ended in misery.
By my calculations, that's achieving good things at 1 and a half clubs out of 9. Not very good in my eyes, but you may disagree.
As for the libellous comments, I'm assuming you are referring to the bit where I claimed he had "hired and fired 8,125 people during his footballing lifespan."
I officially retract the comment for all those who believe that the comment was written in a purely factual manner and not as a joke.
I automatically think that people are able to acknowledge that this is a football blog that doesn't take itself too seriously but I reckon we might have to add a little disclaimer at the top to reiterate the ppint.
Holloway changed the way his team plays and he was successful with it. Are you trying to claim that Blackpool's team is equal to Man Utd's in playing terms?
No? Then why has he succeeded to play good football with lesser players?
I thought you needed the best players in the land to play attractive football, or so Mr Megson would have you believe.
If Megson changes his style of play, I will gladly hold my hands up and admit I was wrong. I will also apologise to the man, IN PERSON*!
* NB I won't apologise to him in person because I doubt he'd want to speak to me again.
To play the way Manchester United play also includes the bit which you so conveniently forget to put in your comment i.e. Manchester United play attractive football AND GET RESULTS.
ReplyDeleteThey are currently four points clear at the top of the table, Blackpool have played attractive football and are four points from relegation and have won two and drawn one of their eleven league matches this year. In addition they were defeated by a Division 1 Team in the FA Cup.
Again you try and deflect attention from your inaccurate comments/statements by making further spurious comments, e.g. where does it " ... go on to state that I reckon he is taking you down"?
Your comment "Mind you, I wouldn't let the facts get in the way of a good rant." is one of the few points you make with which I wholeheartedly agree. You most certainly do not let facts get in the way of a rant by you.
I note your attempted disclaimer - two points: 1) why did you feel the need to highlight the comments about Mr Mandaric, and 2) do you really think that it was a joke?
You will apologize to (Mr) Megson in person if he changes his style of play. Wow - that really is something for him to look forward to. How many times have you seen Wednesday play under Gary Megson?
"Looks like this article is making a bit of an impact!".
You are one self-important, arrogant know-all.
regarding your comments about Megson, AKA God, only playing 'long ball' and that good passing should be plan A. All you have to do is look at Paul Sturrok, he joined sheff wed in a very similar position and said ' you dont get out of this division playing pretty football' and he got us promoted! Lots of managers play long ball because its effective so why you say that load of tosh about having to play short passing, surely the aim of the game is to win and that means by any means whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteYou also mention Gary Megson doesnt help the national team, well Gary Cahill came up under Gary Megson and he's the only good young centre half england have, in an interview, Cahill thanked Megson for the work he has done with him.
Overall this post looks like you personally dont like Megson or you want to try and get a reaction from fans. These comments suggest the latter although you seem to be very harsh on Gary 'The Ginger God' Megson.
This article doesn't deserve a response but I feel I have to say it is the biggest load of shit I have read on the internet.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm intersting article and comments recieved back, ok lets go, Firstly the Man Utd issue, has anyone forgot Frguson was one game away from the sack at Man Utd, Holloway what did he achieve a t plymouth ? Yes blackpool play attractive footbal, but so did Doncaster Rovers last season under the same Shaun o Driscol. It isnt rocket science to see at hillsborough that we need a good wide man opposite to jj, we have a good back four in ostemboor buxton hinds beevers in my opinion, becuase buxton is very good at centre half. Midfield when fit osbourne coke miller johnson. up front im not in favour of morrison his commitment is there but his pace has gone. Megson has to add to the tools we have and he wil without doubt get us out of this division he absolutley loves the fans and the club, he is back home now amongst his own, at bolton he did a fantastic job, they would be in administration if it wasn't for him, every manager has to go though a learning curve, hence one game ferguson from the sack, o driscoll 3 years at donni, cmon for christs sake this bloke has instilled some level of gratitude back to the players to give back to the fans, we are not a mickey mouse club built on hotels ect like our smelly friends across the city, as megson said You dont choose Sheffield Wednesday ,,,,, Wednesday chooses You. So this article has now base for anything other than someone who doesn't like Megson. yes he has made mistakes and im sure he would be the first to admit it, but you learn by your mistakes, so to the author of this article did you hear the support sheffield wednesday gave at Birmingham, we made them look like muppets, so if and when we are unsatisfied with megson we and we alone will let him know, not some journalist who has no idea of our clubs fan base or its fans so one last comment shssssssssssss
ReplyDelete"Everybody Hates Gary" - clearly not true as seen by the response to this rubbish
ReplyDelete"Sacking Irvine was a big mistake" - why? what has he ever actually achieved - what was his record at the time of sacking?
The "Long Ball" game you try to dismiss. Clearly you have no actual understanding of the concept. (and yes I read that other rubbish you wrote in the other Blog). You forget that Sheff Wed was one of the clubs that successfully used the system before - under Sturrock and well before that under Howard Wilkinson. The only problem with long ball is that the higher up the league you go the less effective it is (As it depends on chances the opposition let you have and the higher up the league the better the defenders - fewer mistakes!) To compensate for this you need better players or to adjust your style (Holloway) . In Wilkinson's day we got better players - Chapman,Marwood etc and were as I remember in the top 7 those years.
Gary Megson has done what was required and was not the raging failure at Bolton that some would have you believe (I do not pro-port that he was a world beater either but he was far better than Sammy Lee!)
Wednesday fans will defend him. He was one of the players under Wilkinson and he has talked a good fight since arriving. Getting the players to acknowledge the fans, making them fight for the ball. Telling them they keep their places if they win! Not worrying too much about the opposition rather concentrating on how good we can be - all attribute that Alan Irvine didn't appear to share and all good footballing sense.
No - not everyone hates Gary just as not everyone knows what they are talking about!
In defense of Alan Irvine the stats show that with a 42.37% win rate he is the 6th most sucessful manager in Sheffield Wednesdays history. Definately the most sucessful in the last 21 years (you have to go back to Howard Wilkinson to better him with 44.70%) so maybe sacking him was a mistake.
ReplyDeleteHowever Gary Megson has got the fans behind him and the team, something Alan Irvine seamed unable to do so hopefully Wednesday can go onwards and upwards with Gary at the helm
How did this load of crap blog get into the News Now feed- this bloke hasn't got a clue what he's on about!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, it would seem the public have spoken and you really don't know what you're talking about.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to type does not make you a journalist.
If you'd taken time to read the comments rather than just respond you'd have seen that no one said there wasn't pretty football in League 1, just that you don't get any more points for winning pretty. Equally you suggest Megson is taking us further down when the evidence would be he's stopping the rot.
As I said before obnoxious bile.
The public being a bunch of irate Wednesday fans?
ReplyDelete