What Speed should do to get people on side.

[flynnfan]

there's been a lot of questioning of this appointment, and rightly so, but then Speed appears to be an intelligent and likable bloke who seems capable of winning the doubters round. Obviously, results will be the biggest factor here, but there are other things I reckon he could and should do to get the Welsh public and press behind him:

-Keep Flynn involved. even if it means demanding the FAW give him a massive pay rise. Brian Flynn cannot be lost to Welsh football.

-Go to lots of games featuring Welsh players. be seen to be seen at lots of games, if you know what I mean. don't move to spain like toshack! go to 3 or 4 games a weekend.

- Pick and stick with the younger players. I want to see the likes of King and Allen given chances now, not Stock and Crofts.

-No recalls for retired players. What exactly would be the point of a Savage recall be when it could hinder the progress of the likes of King, Allen, Collison etc?

-Get Rushie in as a forwards coach. Ched, Church, Vokes and Morison could well benefit from having him involved.

-Go to loads of FAW roadshows to meet the fans.

-Express a desire a see competitive intrnationals back in north Wales. I'm sure as a Gog he'd be keen. plus, it would carry favour with the hardcore gog supporters.

-Have the occasional peek on apostle to see what we're saying!!

[ericyoung]

Really good points here flynnfan. I really hope this works out for us. My feelings about Speed are mixed. I think it's probably the wrong choice although I'm sure they have their reasons. Also, I can't look much beyond Speed's 85 caps, his quiet and committed hard work as Wales captain, his turning up for friendlies, and his willingness to play out of position for Wales to fill a hole. We should all now get behind him, and hope he instills this attitude into the current crop of players, who are at a stage in their careers where they could either follow his example, or follow the example of uncommitted senior players like Koumas and Parry.

[rhys]

He isn't my ideal choice but I'm starting to come round to it. Hopefully he can start to get players turn up for every game. No one seemed to respect Tosh and I'm sure it will be different under Speed.

Gary Speed's barmy army!

[ericyoung]

I suppose he can always play the "I always used to turn up" card!

[cilmeri]

There's been talk that this is also a "name" appointment for marketing, but I'm baffled as to who will suddenly decide that because Speed is manager they'll go to games. He's not a name like Hughes, Rush even Saunders.

Then is it a football appointment, and given his record at the Blades you'd really hope not. No idea why we're going for him.

[Deleted]

Dec 14, 2010 13:37:27 GMT cilmeri said:

There's been talk that this is also a "name" appointment for marketing, but I'm baffled as to who will suddenly decide that because Speed is manager they'll go to games. He's not a name like Hughes, Rush even Saunders.

Then is it a football appointment, and given his record at the Blades you'd really hope not. No idea why we're going for him.

We know that, but the FAW dont- they think that appointing the next most well known player after Giggs will inspire the rugby supporters to get back in the stadium like it was Italy in 2002 all over again. They really havent got a ****ing clue.

What will get people back is cold, hard results. To see us competing at the business end of our qualifying groups. If Speed manages to achieve that frankly it will not have been because of the FAW as they are only interested in bums on seats and money in the coffers. Results are very low down in their list of priorities and its a disgrace.

[scoop76]

Dec 14, 2010 11:44:27 GMT ericyoung said:

I suppose he can always play the "I always used to turn up" card!

... unless the person holding the other cards mentions that he pulled out of an away qualifier in 1995 to go on honeymoon? Or that as captain he retired less than halfway though a World Cup qualifying campaign?

That aside his attendance record was excellent.

[scoop76]

Whatever happens I hope Speed gets everyone pulling in the right direction. First tasks - to make sure Bellamy is involved for the remaining qualifiers and to award Jack Collison his first competitive cap.

[bellamyforever]

guys you call yourselves fans? gets behind the fucking team and our new leader gary speed for fuck sakes,
!!!!!!!

[bellamyforever]

rhys, whos your ideal choice then ? lars lagerback ? who qualified a team who have always been in pot 2, and had larson and llunberg etc.
get a grip

speed all the way

best news of the season

[rhys]

If you're saying that Speed was your first choice then you're lying.

I'm backing him now and hope he does well. Time will tell...

[youngdragon]

He wasn't my first choice but he is our national team manager and I will back him 100% percent. Just like I did with Toshack

[caradocevans]

He needs to up his glamour rating - maybe start a relationship with Marina from Marina and the Diamonds. He's no Ryan Giggs that's for sure. Can't see the plastics deserting Sky TV to watch Speed's Wales. But hey, it's a better choice than Lawrie meat and potatoes Sanchez or Chris Zzzzzzz Coleman.

Good luck Speedo.

[quetzal]

I'm 100% behind Gary Speed. Flynn would have been my choice but now that its Speed I will back him because I love the Wales national Team of Football and nothing will ever change that. The King is dead, long live the KING(Gary Speed).
P.S. He hasn't lost a match yet!!!

[ericyoung]

I'm 100% behind Gary Speed.

That's the spirit. C'mon!!

[bale-droed]

i wasnt to sure at first. but lets be honest is there anyone else who deserves our backing as much as him?

the answer is no. he is a legend

gary speeds barmy army!!

[newaddingtonwelsh]

the best choice that was avaliable except f Flynn that is but he is vital in his current role, the most successful welsh managers England/Hughes in recent times were from north wales

"Gogs are Gods"

[idiot]

he shouldnt have to do anything to get people on his side.we should just get behind him

saying that,im dissapointed at the appointment,i would have liked to have seen them take a chance on lagerback,something different to the tried and tested

nevermind

i wish speed all the luck in the world

[flynnfan]

Yeah, I agree we should get behind the team whoever is manager. I even thought that when Bobby Ghoul was in charge! Just seems to be a lot of cynacism around and I wanted to point out a few practicle things Speed could do to counter that.

There are some real plusses with Speed. One is that he doesn't seem to have offended anyone in Welsh football. Both Toshack and Savage rate him! Hughes rates him, Bellamy is his old team mate (club and country) and I'm sure respects him, I'd imagine John Hartson doesn't mind missing out too much to his old mate... And the younger players who don't yet know him personally will most likely have a huge amount of respect for him consdiering his playing record. Joe Allen said something yesterday about him being a player he always looked up to. And even though he was a good pundit for Wales games, he was always fairly measured in his comments and gave praise where it was due. I can't remember him having a go at any of our players a la Toshack...

Good luck Speedo.

[gareth]

Not my 1st choice but still excited what new things he can bring. In particular our top players turning up to games and turning up on the pitch. Bring on rep ireland game!

[marsvolta]

good luck speed!!!.if we cast our minds back to when tosh was in charge there was a lot of welsh fans calling for tosh to be sacked and replace him with the speed/flynn combination that we have got now.

speed has my backing,as would whoever the FAW appointed.even if it was they likes of sanchez or rush i would still give them my full backing.

[welshwizard79]

Ive never been over excited when a new Welsh manager has been appointed cos its usually after a failed start to a campaign like with Hughes left and obviously Gould era was a disaster so its mostly when Welsh football is on a downer. I wanted Lagerback in to try something different, but if its an ex player I would have rathered Speed over Coleman as he is well respected and is young enough to use common sense in squad selection. Toshack is gone lets get behind the team and Speed now...

[Deleted]

Speed as a player, I felt, never actually delivered as much as he should have or promised. But average players can make good managers.

His plus point is that he accumulated so many caps and his level of committment is proof that he had great respect in playing for Wales.

I can't help feeling though that the boxes he ticks more than Flynn, Lagerback etc is that primarily, he is a yes man who looks good on TV (ideal for Jonathan Ford).

If he starts to turn things around, nobody will be more pleased than me but I won't hold my breath. The hope is that with the great crop of kids we do have, is that we start to build momentum early in his reign which snowballs.

[thedon]

Can't believe that people are on his case already and he hasn't even played a game yet,He has shown his commitment as a player and to take a pay cut and leave a club job shows me his passion for wales,I have great respect for him doing that and it is a great honour for him personally,You could see the pride he had during that press conference.

I wouldn't have chosen him personally,I weanted flynn,However,Now that he has been chosen i am behind him and wales 100% and hope that he can deliver us to the promised land of a major tournament,you never know,Fingers crossed.

[welsho]

Dec 14, 2010 10:32:38 GMT flynnfan said:

there's been a lot of questioning of this appointment, and rightly so, but then Speed appears to be an intelligent and likable bloke who seems capable of winning the doubters round. Obviously, results will be the biggest factor here, but there are other things I reckon he could and should do to get the Welsh public and press behind him:

-Keep Flynn involved. even if it means demanding the FAW give him a massive pay rise. Brian Flynn cannot be lost to Welsh football.

-Go to lots of games featuring Welsh players. be seen to be seen at lots of games, if you know what I mean. don't move to spain like toshack! go to 3 or 4 games a weekend.

- Pick and stick with the younger players. I want to see the likes of King and Allen given chances now, not Stock and Crofts.

-No recalls for retired players. What exactly would be the point of a Savage recall be when it could hinder the progress of the likes of King, Allen, Collison etc?

-Get Rushie in as a forwards coach. Ched, Church, Vokes and Morison could well benefit from having him involved.

-Go to loads of FAW roadshows to meet the fans.

-Express a desire a see competitive intrnationals back in north Wales. I'm sure as a Gog he'd be keen. plus, it would carry favour with the hardcore gog supporters.

-Have the occasional peek on apostle to see what we're saying!!

Agree with all your points Flynnfan. The Rushie suggestion in particular is a good shout, altho he obviously wouldn't have a lot of time with them, but he'd be a good mentor.
I just disagree with the starting premise, we should be starting on side, hopefully he won't go and p*** us off!
As an appointment, I think it could have been a lot worse. It's a gamble sure, and I would have probably played it safe and gone for the experience of Lagerboy, but I'm more excited about this. C'mon

[saints19]

I'll back Speed as manager because he's our manager, same as with Toshack and Flynn before him. I'd never abuse the manager - he's only doing his job. But that doesn't mean we can't be pissed off at the FAW for appointing Speed when he is so inexperienced and when we had many candidates with more impressive CVs.

[Deleted]

Dec 14, 2010 21:08:26 GMT thedon said:

Can't believe that people are on his case already and he hasn't even played a game yet,He has shown his commitment as a player and to take a pay cut and leave a club job shows me his passion for wales,I have great respect for him doing that and it is a great honour for him personally,You could see the pride he had during that press conference.

I wouldn't have chosen him personally,I weanted flynn,However,Now that he has been chosen i am behind him and wales 100% and hope that he can deliver us to the promised land of a major tournament,you never know,Fingers crossed.

Sorry mate, but I have to take issue with this idea of 'passion'. If Speed is so passionate about managing Wales then why did he not apply in the first place? Why did he cite "lack of experience" for not stepping up to the plate? So 18 games and 9 defeats for Sheffield United later and he suddenly has that experience? Please.

Seems to me this is a get out appointment for all parties. Sheffield United have disappointingly not stated any public intention to try and hang on to their man and according to rumours Speed saw the Wales job as a way out as he didnt want relegation on his CV. So he contacted the FAW through a 3rd party during the interview stage last week letting them know he was interested- this is to an extent corroborated by the odds dropping overnight last week on him getting the job.

At least the guys who turned up for interview wanted the job for the right reasons, I think we are kidding ourselves if we think Speed would be our manager if he had had instant success at Sheffield United and I suspect that, if he is successful with us, he will jump ship to get into the club game just the same as Hughes did.

[thedon]

Storm,I respect your point of view,however,you have already trashed the guy and he hasn't been in the job less than a day,he has been given no chance whatsoever,all that has been sited so far is coulda woulda shoulda,lets give the guy a few games before we judge him,if your not satisfied after a few games then by all means state your dis-satisfaction,until then give the guy a break and stop worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future or might have happened if such and such had happened,he is the manager of wales,clean slate,no games played yet,lets wait before we whinge.

[Deleted]

i dont mean to knock speed as wales manager- just pointing out that i dont think it was just love of wales that inspired him to take us on.

I cant hide my initial disappointment that we had a manager with lagerbacks experience & passed him by. I would love to know why he didnt impress at interview. But given the faws penchant for appointing people with no international experience its not a surprise.

Good luck to speed, i hope he gets a good backroom staff & brings in ratcliffe as a defensive coach.

[cilmeri]

Dec 14, 2010 18:53:46 GMT newaddingtonwelsh said:

the best choice that was avaliable except f Flynn that is but he is vital in his current role, the most successful welsh managers England/Hughes in recent times were from north wales

"Gogs are Gods"

Where was Yorath from then? Let's not boil this down to north v south (I'm a gog btw)

In general there seems to be a lot of trepidation about the appointment (which I share). I think it's purely because we are in general a bit of a shambles at the moment, so it's difficult to get excited about anything, but also we have such a potential world beating core developing and coming through that the appointment was crucial in order to try to maximise that potential. Personally I think we could've done better, but hopefully he proves me wrong and can get the best out of these young players.

(Goes to start off his savings account for a trip of a lifetime to Brazil......)