Replacements For Steve Bruce? - Candidates With List Of Positives and Negatives

[The Situation]

Who would you like to see come in and replace Bruce if he was to go, and why? My choices, in order of preference, along with positives and negatives for each choice, would be:

1) Rafa Benitez

Positives:

Has a winning pedigree having won La Liga twice and a UEFA Cup with Valencia, along with a Champions League and FA Cup with Liverpool.

Seems to do well in cup competitions so we might well improve a lot in those with him in charge.

Tactically excellent, and makes very good game changing substitutions, in contrast to our current manager.

According to a radio interview he has been studying 8 (IIRC) clubs in England who might change manager early in the season, identifying their strengthens, weaknesses etc. I'd imagine we were one of those 8, so therefore he'll already be ahead in terms of preparation etc.

Would consider working with smaller clubs in England as he states so on his own website.

Negatives:

Hasn't managed a smaller club for over 10 years, so perhaps it would be a harsh reality check for him (and us) afterall.

Likes to spend money and it seems Ellis has reigned in the big spending reigns, with us selling to buy over the last couple of seasons.

Hit and miss in the transfer market.

2) Louis Van Gaal

Positives:

Very experienced manager who has managed some of the best sides in Europe, but who also has the ability to get the most out of what he'd see as a limited bunch of players as evident by the job he did at AZ. It also shows he'd be willing to consider the job.

Very flexible tactically and is able to read a game very well. He has played different formations everywhere he's gone and prepares his teams excellently. Like Rafa, he'd be on another planet tactically from anything we've ever seen.

Is very good with working with young players and has been the reason the likes of Muller has gone on to be doing as well as he has. With the positive vibes coming from our academy with Knott, Laing etc they'd have a big chance.

Hasn't been out of the game for too long, although that could be seen as negative too with him needed a rest to refresh himself etc.

Negatives:

Has won just about everything there is to win in the game at club level (apart from the Premier League), could he get motivated for a club like us?

Can fall out with players at the drop of a hat. It seems like if you cross him you have very little or no chance to redeem yourself.

It takes a while for him to stamp his authority on a team, usually results start coming together in the second season.

Would our players be intelligent or good enough to grasp his philosophy and tactical approach?

Very blunt with the media. While it might not be a negative as such it won't do him or the club many favours.

3) Mark Hughes

Positives:

Has done well with clubs in or around the same stature as us in his career, guiding Blackburn to the top 6 and European football, along with numerous cup semi-finals and Fulham into the top 8 last season.

Decent in the transfer market with a small budget. Examples being Bentley (£500,000), Ryan Nelson (free), Chris Samba (£400,000) and Stephen Warnock (£1.5m) and at City he signed Kompany and Zabaleta on lower priced deals.

Seems to get the most out of players, as Bentley and Warnock have done worse since leaving Blackburn and Santa Cruz scored almost 5 times as many goals under Hughes than he did any other season in his career.

Negatives:

He doesn't stick around too long and left Fulham deciding not to extend his contract in the hope of getting the Villa job, so if he does well with us and another team that take his fancy start getting interested he could well jump ship.

His style of management doesn't appeal to everyone, with some referring to him as a ''distant figure''.

So there's my shortlist of 3. What about you?

[karlm14]

Steve Bruce

[Empire]

Not sure anyone with the negative of "won everything in the club game" can be considered a target for Sunderland.

[Masterplan]

1. Martin O'Neill
2. Martin O'Neill
3. Martin O'Neill


I don't need to list the positives, they are obvious to anybody who understands football.

[tynevalleyblackcat]

4 Steve Bruce

Positives

Geet cheep

Negatives

Tactically clueless in a way that makes my 16 your old daughter look like like Brian Clough.

[Arkle]

Originally Posted by Masterplan

1. Martin O'Neill
2. Martin O'Neill
3. Martin O'Neill


I don't need to list the positives, they are obvious to anybody who understands football.

Direct football
Dodgy transfer record
No longer wants to be a manager

Perfect!

[Richie K]

Originally Posted by The Situation

So there's my shortlist of 3. What about you?

Nah, i'd be shit mate!

[Vagrant]

Originally Posted by Masterplan

1. Martin O'Neill
2. Martin O'Neill
3. Martin O'Neill


I don't need to list the positives, they are obvious to anybody who understands football.

Anyone in particular you want mate?

[The Situation]

Originally Posted by Empire

Not sure anyone with the negative of "won everything in the club game" can be considered a target for Sunderland.

He went to AZ Alkmaar after managing Barcelona and the Dutch national team. Not as unrealistic as you think, IMO. Perhaps he'd like to manage in the Premier League before he calls it a day, I was just questioning his potential motivation at a club such as us.

[BamBistOe]

Don't want another manager, I really don't think it would help at all right now. think Bruce will turn it round and come good this season, sooner rather than later preferably.