Gus Poyet...

[Easy 10]

Let's be honest here, whenever there is anything remotely negative about Poyet we can rely on you (and a couple of others) to get the rose tinted paint box out.

Poyet was neither great nor shit. He was part of a momentum that any reasonable manager would have taken advantage of-probably to the level all of that energy deserved. He screwed up and handed Palace the opportunity which, unsurprisingly, they grabbed and haven't looked back since.

I can't see Hughton doing anything like that should he get us that close.

We were the width of a crossbar and a blinding save away from changing that particular course of history forever.
Then this thread would probably never exist.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Let's be honest here, whenever there is anything remotely negative about Poyet we can rely on you (and a couple of others) to get the rose tinted paint box out.
.

Probably....because I thought he was really good....because we were good.

It's an extemely complicated logic, I grant you. But I find its often a good one for judging a manager.

Again, I imagine you won't jump on the negative posts in this thread, yet you seem to pick up on the positive ones.....despite saying he was neither good nor bad.

Maybe you should even out your "rose tinted paint box" and "gus goggles" references with some new nicknames for the negative comments....seeing as your so balanced?

 

[Man of Harveys]

He was part of a momentum that any reasonable manager would have taken advantage of.

Utter nonsense, with respect. Gus BUILT that momentum.

 

[Monkey Man]

I think the stars aligned, he was exactly the right man at the right time. So many people choose to forget all that now though, because of how it ended.

Quite nicely summarised. I think Gus was the right man all the way through to the point when he decided he wanted to get out, which we all knew would happen one day - I was just disappointed that he didn't handle his own inevitable departure with more class and dignity.

I must be honest and say that the ending did sour my view of Gus and still does, but as time moves on I suspect I'll remember the excitement of those seasons more accurately. Although as others have said, the football wasn't always great and some of the signings were poor too.

Great story though, from start to finish, and one I suspect will be retold and analysed by many of us for years to come, however irritating some people on here find it!

 

[Moshe Gariani]

See this is where I disagree. I think its quite a dangerous assumption to think that "others could have done just as well". You're right in saying that Gus wasn't the SOLE factor in our survival and then total CLOBBERING of L1 - but he played such a huge role in it that I think its impossible to overstate. Bloom could have gone for a "safe" pair of hands, someone tried-and-tested, an experienced manager with a track record of getting clubs promoted. Someone from the established old merry-go-round. But instead he gambled on an eccentric, volatile blabbermouth who'd never managed before in his life and had only ever been a No2. He was the catalyst, and boy did it pay off.

And players don't sign because of stadiums, or season ticket sales. They sign firstly for money, and next on the list is the guy they'll be working for. Gus had an infectious enthusiasm and personality, with a genuine charisma. Players will buy into that, which was, I believe, a BIG factor in the calibre of some of the players we had coming through the door. He then harnessed all of that, designed a style of play, gave the team an identity and instilled the confidence and belief that side needed in order to conquer the division in such style. And he carried it on for another 2 seasons.

Could ANYONE have come in and done that, or better ? Tall order. I think the stars aligned, he was exactly the right man at the right time. So many people choose to forget all that now though, because of how it ended.

I am a great believer that it is generally players who win matches. There are LOTS of good managers out there and many more who would be perfectly capable given an opportunity. Good managers have a knack for recruitment, for looking after their players and for training players to execute simple tactics efficiently.

Poyet was given sufficient budget to keep several top end Championship and some Premier League standard players in his League One team. Chris Hughton would have walked League One with that team - the team would have scored loads of goals and been great to watch. Poyet, for me, was generally exposed at Championship level. What we (and I include myself) previously thought was "effing brilliant" was actually often passing for its own sake and against better opposition EXTREMELY tedious to spectate.

By contrast, Hughton is currently showing that, given similar opportunity to Poyet, he can create a far more attractive Championship team to watch and one that is hopefully going to be more successful into the bargain.

I know who I think is Albion's best manager since Mullery.

 

[Tekanne]

How can you be surpised ? Leeds is a complete CIRCUS of a club now. It has been for years, but Cellino has somehow managed to drag it down to a whole new level of buffoonery. Any football manager with a smidgeon of self-respect and professionalism would not touch that club with a shitty stick (hence Evans's appointment).

Anyway, I see the usual revisionists are out in force again on a Gus thread, rewriting history because they can't get over the sour ending. We were fantastic under Poyet, it was three and a half years where the club progressed and grew out of all recognition from the pitiful level it had sank to. A new stadium on the horizon and TB's backing never guaranteed that would happen - certainly not at the rate it did. Gus got it right, brilliantly right on the pitch for us. His infectious enthusiasm, belief and charisma helped land us some truly memorable players, and the spine of the squad he built stood us in good stead long after he'd gone.

Yes his ego eventually took over, but he still gave me some of the best years (and games) I've ever had as a supporter of this club. Calling our promotion "unexciting" and bemoaning a style of play that swept us from the arse-end of L1 to the brink of the PL is the sourest, sourest of grapes. He's one of the best managers we've ever had, probably THE best bar Mullery. Deal with it.

Absolutely 1000000% this.

 

[Don Quixote]

Poyet's league 1 side was probably the greatest ever. We were a class above.

 

[symyjym]

I am a great believer that it is generally players who win matches. There are LOTS of good managers out there and many more who would be perfectly capable given an opportunity. Good managers have a knack for recruitment, for looking after their players and for training players to execute simple tactics efficiently.

Poyet was given sufficient budget to keep several top end Championship and some Premier League standard players in his League One team. Chris Hughton would have walked League One with that team - the team would have scored loads of goals and been great to watch. Poyet, for me, was generally exposed at Championship level. What we (and I include myself) previously thought was "effing brilliant" was actually often passing for its own sake and against better opposition EXTREMELY tedious to spectate.

By contrast, Hughton is currently showing that, given similar opportunity to Poyet, he can create a far more attractive Championship team to watch and one that is hopefully going to be more successful into the bargain.

I know who I think is Albion's best manager since Mullery.

Poyet's tactics were to bore the opposition into making a mistake, then hang on to dear life in our half if we went ahead. We were known as the draw specialists and our shots on goal stats were mainly depressing. This may work ok throughout the season, but it won't get auto promotion and does not instill the right mentality when push comes to shove in playoff games.

I don’t think he would have ever got us out of this league.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

See this is where I disagree. I think its quite a dangerous assumption to think that "others could have done just as well". You're right in saying that Gus wasn't the SOLE factor in our survival and then total CLOBBERING of L1 - but he played such a huge role in it that I think its impossible to overstate. Bloom could have gone for a "safe" pair of hands, someone tried-and-tested, an experienced manager with a track record of getting clubs promoted. Someone from the established old merry-go-round. But instead he gambled on an eccentric, volatile blabbermouth who'd never managed before in his life and had only ever been a No2. He was the catalyst, and boy did it pay off.

And players don't sign because of stadiums, or season ticket sales. They sign firstly for money, and next on the list is the guy they'll be working for. Gus had an infectious enthusiasm and personality, with a genuine charisma. Players will buy into that, which was, I believe, a BIG factor in the calibre of some of the players we had coming through the door. He then harnessed all of that, designed a style of play, gave the team an identity and instilled the confidence and belief that side needed in order to conquer the division in such style. And he carried it on for another 2 seasons.

Could ANYONE have come in and done that, or better ?

Eddie Howe? He could have, with a tiny stadium to boot. I agree with you Easy but I really think there are better managers than Gus. He will aways be remembered for his transformation of the playing side but everyone new the success would come to an end with him as he would move on to "bigger" projects. His attitude at the end sullied the bro-mance most of had with him and to justify this break up most like to remember the tedious football that was served up on occasions. Would I like to erase the memories of Gus's tenure? No it was an exciting period in our history.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Some of us recognized a good stitch-up on the HR and employment law a**e-saving front when we saw one.

After all, we've all done it: cobbled together lists of ammo to be used against people that we just don't like as employees any more. Obviously that isn't enough of a reason to give, so you dredge up all sorts of minor things that normally get ignored but that come in handy when it's been decided that their face doesn't fit any more. That's exactly what happened to Gus.

No we haven't "all done it" and what you describe doesn't amount to gross misconduct either. Any decent employee representative or employment lawyer would take your "secret black naughty book" management approach to the cleaners.

 

[Surf's Up]

Poyet's tactics were to bore the opposition into making a mistake, then hang on to dear life in our half if we went ahead. We were known as the draw specialists and our shots on goal stats were mainly depressing. This may work ok throughout the season, but it won't get auto promotion and does not instill the right mentality when push comes to shove in playoff games.

I don’t think he would have ever got us out of this league.

That's a bit harsh given that he came within a hissy fit of doing just that!!

 

[BensGrandad]

How is the manager at Real Zaragosa doing as Gus has always said he will go back there one day.

 

[Surf's Up]

That's a bit harsh given that he came within a hissy fit of doing just that!!

sorry .... that should be Came within a hissy fit and one error of judgement (letting Murray go to Palace) of doing just that!!

 

[BensGrandad]

How is the manager at Real Zaragosa doing as Gus has always said he will go back there one day.

Just checked 3rd in Segunda Division so no chance there yet for him.

 

[Easy 10]

Eddie Howe? He could have, with a tiny stadium to boot. I agree with you Easy but I really think there are better managers than Gus. He will aways be remembered for his transformation of the playing side but everyone new the success would come to an end with him as he would move on to "bigger" projects. His attitude at the end sullied the bro-mance most of had with him and to justify this break up most like to remember the tedious football that was served up on occasions. Would I like to erase the memories of Gus's tenure? No it was an exciting period in our history.

Eddie Howe had long-standing links with the Muff going back to when he was a child. Not sure if that would've transferred easily to ourselves, particularly at the age of 31 when he was made manager there. But its conjecture, we'll never know. I certainly don't regret the decision Bloom made in appointing Gus. Anyone who does is, I think, being churlish.

I don't think we could have had a better manager than Gus at that particular time. We walked League One, and came within a whisker of the PL, yet so many people seem to think that promotion to the PL should have been a gimmie that season, when there were (and are) clubs bigger and richer than BHA that have spent years trying to clamber up to that level. We nearly did it at the 2nd attempt.

Yup, his attitude sullied things in the end. But for me, that doesn't wipe out what went before.

 

[Bwian]

Utter nonsense, with respect. Gus BUILT that momentum.

No he didn't. He was one part of it. Could he have achieved what he did without the new stadium going up on the horizon? Without Bloom's money? Without the support of most of Sussex? Not denying his PART in it all but to say he built that momentum on his own is a nonsense.

 

[Easy 10]

No he didn't. He was one part of it. Could he have achieved what he did without the new stadium going up on the horizon? Without Bloom's money? Without the support of most of Sussex? Not denying his PART in it all but to say he built that momentum on his own is a nonsense.

I'm sorry, but a building site 5 miles away does not provide momentum on a football pitch. ESPECIALLY at bloody Withdean.
And its not like Bloom threw millions at the squad that season either. We were still getting Holroyds in.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Yup, his attitude sullied things in the end. But for me, that doesn't wipe out what went before.

I loved the Gus years. But it is hard to see how the team were the best prepared for the play-offs knowing the manager wanted out. We had a fantastic opportunity (even taking into account beating Watford would have been very difficult) but it seems we were not best prepared for the biggest games for the club in a couple of decades. We still came close - but not all eyes were focused on the prize. There is the PB factor (nothing is straight-forward) but it was a massive lost opportunity and Gus must take his share of that.

It may not wipe out what went before. But for me it is certainly tainted.

 

[BensGrandad]

There can be no denying the positive impact that Gus had on us. We were struggling on the pitch and at the time he was exactly what we needed to complement the buzz with TB taking over and sorting out the stadium.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I bet Gus feels like a right prat now seeing us atop the Championship and him being linked with Swindon.

The disappointing thing is that whilst the Palace play-off defeat was short-term heartbreak the Albion longer-term future was very exciting, what with the new Academy and the full development of the stadium to 30,000 capacity. As Oscar showed the following season, Brighton were very much still a promotion contender.

The fact he never bought into the club in the medium and long-term is the most disappointing thing, and is the reason why IMHO he could never be manager here again.