What Has Gus Done?

[StonehamPark]

Now let me state this now. I love Gus, think he's a great manager and I'm glad to have him on board.

In the past 2 seasons he's done a fine job, took us from fighting off relegation in L1 to solid status in the Championship as well as picking up a few decent players in the process.

Now here's where I get a bit lost. He's widely regarded as our best boss for many years, he's touted as a great manager and he seems to have been given 'idol' status by many on NSC.

Finally here's the questions.
Is he a great manager who has worked wonders and should be retained at all costs.
Or, has he arrived in the right place at the right time, with Falmer finally sorting itself out and Bloom getting his cheque-book out?
What has Gus done?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The manager may not actually realise it, but he has had the single biggest leg-up of any rookie manager in the recent history of the professional game in this country, bankrolled by a wholly supportive chairman. He'll never get a better shot at management. Neither will anybody else. Wherever he goes next, he'll not get such an easy ride. Hope he copes.

 

[El Presidente]

I think he has done a good job. Stabilised things when he took over, promotion
in his first full season, highest position in over twenty years in his second full season, along with a couple of good cup results against Premiership opposition.

This season we could push on.....slightly. To date this has manifested itself in more attacking play (145 shots in 8 matches, an average of 18 per game, compared to 409 in 46 matches last season, an average of 9 per game).

That doesn't give him God status, we have no right to be top six given our finances or experience in this division.

 

[Seasidesage]

Saved us from relegation. Won us the Championship the season after. Produced an attractive side who had a tilt at the play off's last season and signed a number of quality players which have strengthened us no end over the summer. He is clearly useless and has to go, as we haven't scored for Four games, despite the fact that we are still in touch and have 3/4 of the season to go...Seriously, what is the matter with some of you?

 

[StonehamPark]

Saved us from relegation. Won us the Championship the season after. Produced an attractive side who had a tilt at the play off's last season and signed a number of quality players which have strengthened us no end over the summer. He is clearly useless and has to go, as we haven't scored for Four games, despite the fact that we are still in touch and have 3/4 of the season to go...Seriously, what is the matter with some of you?

I think you may have opened the wrong thread. Re-read everything.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

You cannot see what Gus has done for us until we get there,from this side of the equation any old fashioned manager would do,when we go up,with Gus,we will through him and his style of play,stay up.

 

[blue2]

He has given Brighton a style of play that is at times a total joy to watch at other times it's a bit frustrating however I think this is a better team than last year in a tougher division look at who he has brought in Bridge, Bruno, Kusiset or what ever his name is and next year it will be an even better team.

this is a long term project and I think Gus will lead us into the prem not sure when but I really do think he is the real deal

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

this is a long term project

Sorry, but there's no such thing in football nowadays.

 

[Seasidesage]

I think you may have opened the wrong thread. Re-read everything.

Short of a crystal ball, how would you know? All I am saying is he has done little wrong since he arrived apart from a bad October. In fact he has done a great deal right. Frankly I have no wish to read any of the drivel the anti Gus prats have come out with. If we haven't scored by Christmas I may re read it

He has done as well as anyone could've to this point and a CF apart, has assembled a promotion chasing squad for a very reasonable amount of money compared to other clubs at this level...

Too soon to say great but heading the right way...

 

[Ernest]

Doesn't Gus realise we have to be top in October ?

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Sorry, but there's no such thing in football nowadays.

There is when it comes to us,we i hope will agree hope to avoid the 3rd tier of English football forever more,to establish at very worst Brighton as a Championship level side.

We really have no excuse ever to return and that takes long term planning and sustained implementation of ideals to make certain it never happens.

 

[StonehamPark]

Short of a crystal ball, how would you know? All I am saying is he has done little wrong since he arrived apart from a bad October. In fact he has done a great deal right. Frankly I have no wish to read any of the drivel the anti Gus prats have come out with. If we haven't scored by Christmas I may re read it.

Just to point out to you and any others that may get the wrong message, this is in no way an anti-Gus thread. It's simply asking the very fair question;
Did he arrive by luck at the right time or has he really grafted, earned the respect and near idol-status that's been shown to him.
No need for hostility in here, this is a safe place.

 

[bhawoddy]

Sorry, but there's no such thing in football nowadays.

This is very true. There's no way bloom will accept mid table mediocrity for the next, say 4, years even though he emphasised at the beginning it's a 5 year plan. I sincerely hope this doesn't happen of course, but I don't see the current tactics of 4 5 1 working with the current crop of players. He wants, will continue, to persevere with what he believes to be the correct style of play and we will see just where that takes us. Not everyone will accept or agree with his methods, personally I don't think it works at all with the current players we have, but that doesn't mean it won't work with newer,better players in time. He seems reluctant to want to change formation no matter what players he has available which is kind of stubborn but he obviously believes that even if it doesn't work for a period of time, it will work in the long haul. Only time will tell during his reign as manager as to whether this concept will work.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Just to point out to you and any others that may get the wrong message, this is in no way an anti-Gus thread. It's simply asking the very fair question;
Did he arrive by luck at the right time or has he really grafted, earned the respect and near idol-status that's been shown to him.
No need for hostility in here, this is a safe place.

If he had spent £5m last summer (he did) £3m last January (did not) and £7m this summer(did not spend over £0.5m?) perhaps many moaners would have a point-as this is not the case i say he has grafted,been lucky with having a blank canvass to work with,but when Gus has oil colours to work with instead of water paints,then we can criticise.

 

[Official Old Man]

We play like Barcelona! I watched Barca last night score 5 but ship 4. Great game to watch. And yes, at times our style of play is the same. Simple pass to someone with the same colour shirt. Try and move forward. No long balls. Down the wing, into the centre, back of the net! Simple. I'm not a manager nor football expert, I just want my team to win. Anyone know how to get Messi to sign for us.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

The manager may not actually realise it, but he has had the single biggest leg-up of any rookie manager in the recent history of the professional game in this country, bankrolled by a wholly supportive chairman. He'll never get a better shot at management. Neither will anybody else. Wherever he goes next, he'll not get such an easy ride. Hope he copes.

I also believe in this, however he is very likeable to the majority of fans and may get a smoother ride than most managers until he keeps the negative home tactics up and loses our home form and any chance of straight promotion.
I know people will say but we are only 4 points off top spot, But Brum,Ipswich and Boro were all very beatable at the AMEX with a positve line up.

I wonder how much Gus may regret those games come the end of year.

Yes, he fallen nicely on his feet and IMO should be trying to ride on the crest of the AMEX wave to the Prem and i can only see doing that with a positive team playing at home.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I think he has done a good job. Stabilised things when he took over, promotion
in his first full season, highest position in over twenty years in his second full season, along with a couple of good cup results against Premiership opposition.

This season we could push on.....slightly. To date this has manifested itself in more attacking play (145 shots in 8 matches, an average of 18 per game, compared to 409 in 46 matches last season, an average of 9 per game).

That doesn't give him God status, we have no right to be top six given our finances or experience in this division.

Sums it up pretty well for me.

 

[cloud]

The thing is, we have so many players on one year contracts/loans, that if we don't get promoted this year we'll have to go through the whole scouting charade again. Except next time we won't have as much momentum.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I tell you what Gus has done.

He has opposition teams changing their style of play both home and away to counter us,the managers of these teams praise us and our style of play highly,fans of other clubs and the media praise Brighton and our style..

This has never happened in my time of supporting the club and all this on less than £5m on fees in this division-

I would love to see what Gus could do with the spending power of some of the teams in this division-

Walk it? With their money Gus could have us crawl backwards to win the title.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

The thing is, we have so many players on one year contracts/loans, that if we don't get promoted this year we'll have to go through the whole scouting charade again. Except next time we won't have as much momentum.

Exactly, the momentum is with us so why can't we try and be positive at home