Lee Johnson



You keep criticising him for not reaching the playoffs but Jack Ross has reached the playoffs.

He took over Oldham in 22nd and kept them up. In his first full season he finished 15th, and then had them in 9th the next season when he left for Barnsley. Oldham fell back down to 15th after his appointment and continued fighting relegation for the next three seasons before finally succumbing.

Is this a less impressive job than him taking over a team in 5th and finishing 6th just because he'd have a play-off on his record?

He spent just under a year at Barnsley where they were 16th when he arrived. They went backwards and were struggling, yes. He spent a lot of time working with and developing young players during that time. By the time he left them, they were 11th with six straight wins and a JPT final. He signed Alfie Mawson on a free transfer after being discarded by Brentford, who went on to become a £15m player who was called up for England. Again, year on year improvement and an impressive record for developing younger players.

Would it be better if he took over a team top of the table and finished 2nd just because he'd have a promotion under his belt?

Then he went to Bristol City who were 22nd and heading back to League One when he took over. They subsequently finished 17th, 11th , 8th and 12th in his next four seasons. Last season was the only year they went backwards. He also took them to the brink of a major cup final, which would have been their first since 1900 if I remember rightly. He knocked Mourinho out and gave Guardiola a scare, both of whom speak very highly of him.

I know some Barnsley and Bristol City fans have been critical of him on here, but it sounds like sour grapes from Barnsley and most football fans seem to get tired of the managers these days if they hang around long enough. Even Arsene Wenger wasn't immune to that.
I actually agree with what you’re saying on this one :eek:

You’re blatantly from the club mind:lol:
 
I believe Johnson will get you up and at a minimuim make you a lower mid table Championship team. Something most of the other managers I've seen linked with your job wouldn't do, in my opnion. His sound bites are infuriating, his football can be amazing or awful, sometimes in the same game, he is not one of the best English managers around. He is a hell of a lot better than your fans opinions of him though, I don't think you can do any better in all honesty.

He'll play pragmatic football with a bit of flair. He is his own downfall by overcomplicating it at times. There is enough negative comments here already so I've tried to add a few positives.







He took you from 17th the season before, built your squad and left 3 months before the end of the season. Heckingbottom went on to be a massive flop and Johnson had 5 years in the Championship. He definietely put huge foundations in to getting you promoted.

Thanks for the perspective. Hope you’re right that he can get us promoted and maybe working with a sporting director above him will curb some of the overthinking in games.
 
You keep criticising him for not reaching the playoffs but Jack Ross has reached the playoffs.

He took over Oldham in 22nd and kept them up. In his first full season he finished 15th, and then had them in 9th the next season when he left for Barnsley. Oldham fell back down to 15th after his appointment and continued fighting relegation for the next three seasons before finally succumbing.

Is this a less impressive job than him taking over a team in 5th and finishing 6th just because he'd have a play-off on his record?

He spent just under a year at Barnsley where they were 16th when he arrived. They went backwards and were struggling, yes. He spent a lot of time working with and developing young players during that time. By the time he left them, they were 11th with six straight wins and a JPT final. He signed Alfie Mawson on a free transfer after being discarded by Brentford, who went on to become a £15m player who was called up for England. Again, year on year improvement and an impressive record for developing younger players.

Would it be better if he took over a team top of the table and finished 2nd just because he'd have a promotion under his belt?

Then he went to Bristol City who were 22nd and heading back to League One when he took over. They subsequently finished 17th, 11th , 8th and 12th in his next four seasons. Last season was the only year they went backwards. He also took them to the brink of a major cup final, which would have been their first since 1900 if I remember rightly. He knocked Mourinho out and gave Guardiola a scare, both of whom speak very highly of him.

I know some Barnsley and Bristol City fans have been critical of him on here, but it sounds like sour grapes from Barnsley and most football fans seem to get tired of the managers these days if they hang around long enough. Even Arsene Wenger wasn't immune to that.
I'm sorry but what you describe is just underwhelming. Jack Ross did ok - he was close but seemed to lose his nerve. I was interested in the views of the Bristol City fans as their view is a club like Sunderland should walk League One. A bit like the quote from Denis Smith when asked if he thought he'd get Sunderland promoted and he said 'if I felt I couldn't get a club like Sunderland promoted I would feel like I was in the wrong profession. Your list of achievements sounds like empty spin, talking someone up who has had a very unspectacular career to date. You have listed his Bristol finishes like its something to be proud of - are the owners really saying it may take us 2 or 3 seasons under this gent to go up? Really, is that where we are?

For me personally I have been going since 1974 and I have had a season ticket since 1990. I have backed the club like many others but everyone, you included, have to accept that the current owners have made an utter hash of things. The Parkinson appointment was a predictable shambles. Looking at Lee Johnson's career to date, despite you rather desperate attempt to talk it up, its not very impressive - we've seen his lists of finishes, we know his win rate. Its poor mate. Now he may surprise us and unexpectedly improve but if we don't get up this year I'll pack it in. Its no fun following Sunderland. The fans don't identify with the owners - they have sold off a whole team of local talent. The treatment of John Cooke, the way they handled the season tickets. And now trying to talk up what is another uninspiring appointment. I just don't enjoy it and am struggling to be proud of following Sunderland. That's sad but I'm sure many, many Sunderland fans feel the same and this appointment may well be the last straw for many others. Lets hope I'm wrong but there you go.
 
Thanks for the perspective. Hope you’re right that he can get us promoted and maybe working with a sporting director above him will curb some of the overthinking in games.
He likes to play with false 9's so that'll probably be ideal for you seeing that (your fans words not mine) your strikers are absolute gash.
 
Some of the comments on this thread are outrageous, considering you know nothing about him. A young English coach, under 40, keeps a League One yoyo club in a relatively strong position for 4 years in a row, in the division above. Not a lot of managers have done that, and dozens have tried. You can't compare his win % with a manager that's played lower league football, it doesn't make sense. He's done better in the Championship than almost every manager that has been linked.

With that being said, I am SO glad that he has left us.

How often did he use 442 for you's? Generally his main tactic?

I'm not a fan of it but this board has been demanding it for years so should keep them happy if he does.

Think he's an ok appointment personally.
 
I'm sorry but what you describe is just underwhelming. Jack Ross did ok - he was close but seemed to lose his nerve. I was interested in the views of the Bristol City fans as their view is a club like Sunderland should walk League One. A bit like the quote from Denis Smith when asked if he thought he'd get Sunderland promoted and he said 'if I felt I couldn't get a club like Sunderland promoted I would feel like I was in the wrong profession. Your list of achievements sounds like empty spin, talking someone up who has had a very unspectacular career to date. You have listed his Bristol finishes like its something to be proud of - are the owners really saying it may take us 2 or 3 seasons under this gent to go up? Really, is that where we are?

For me personally I have been going since 1974 and I have had a season ticket since 1990. I have backed the club like many others but everyone, you included, have to accept that the current owners have made an utter hash of things. The Parkinson appointment was a predictable shambles. Looking at Lee Johnson's career to date, despite you rather desperate attempt to talk it up, its not very impressive - we've seen his lists of finishes, we know his win rate. Its poor mate. Now he may surprise us and unexpectedly improve but if we don't get up this year I'll pack it in. Its no fun following Sunderland. The fans don't identify with the owners - they have sold off a whole team of local talent. The treatment of John Cooke, the way they handled the season tickets. And now trying to talk up what is another uninspiring appointment. I just don't enjoy it and am struggling to be proud of following Sunderland. That's sad but I'm sure many, many Sunderland fans feel the same and this appointment may well be the last straw for many others. Lets hope I'm wrong but there you go.

There's a lot to cover there and I'm sorry you feel that way. Some of the frustration is understandable, and the club as a whole from top to bottom has to do more to get supporters back onside. It hopefully starts here with the next manager, if that is Lee Johnson.

I'm hoping 2021 will be a much better year for all of us. This club is a massive opportunity for the next manager.
 
hi chaps
first things first i hate that black and white rubbish to along with the sports direct fat controller and the bald headed chap on mod[good start i hope)
hope i can give you a little piece on little lee. He was very marmite with are fans to be fair he stabilised us as a championship club but sorry to say that was about it.he is a manager that thinks to much and worry's more about the opposing team than your own, yes we had a good cup run when we beat man u and run man c close but to be fair that was it, after that the football was as bad as have seen in my 40 years. Only one other manger i would just put behind little lee would be tony penis lol .i did not rate as a player as all he done was pass the ball backwards and i new that would be his management style and i was right. He likes to talk some rubbish after the game will always throw the players under the bus hence we would have bingo calls on are forum to see who could pick the side as it change every week hence the nickname streaky lee win five lose five.i really though you would have took a punt on steve cotts as he is a hero to us best football i seen down the gate when we romped it and as straight talking as you get ,got the best out of the players and was truly shafted when sacked. What i mean by shafted is he did not get anywhere near the money little lee had of uncle steve to slash up the wall on some rubbish. Sorry i expect srewsbury to start climbing the table and hopefully push them gas heads down another spot.

on another note a good thing with covid you loyal support have not got to travel to the gypsy site on the north side of Bristol ,since you been there last they have put up another tent so you wont get wet and added a few more deckchairs and picnic tables you chaps must be gutted

good luck boys hope you do come back up way to big to be in that league
 
Pretty much all of the time, our fans hated it as it is apparently an outdated formation that nobody uses anymore, what do we all know ay?

Aye I thought so. Probably why he has good and bad patches.

Like I say that should help some on here as so many demand it on a weekly basis.

It's not for me personally but if we play well I can cope with it. At least it won't be a back 7 like we've been accustomed to lately.

Our weakest areas are attackers and cm imo so might take a while to adjust.
 
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I'm sorry but what you describe is just underwhelming. Jack Ross did ok - he was close but seemed to lose his nerve. I was interested in the views of the Bristol City fans as their view is a club like Sunderland should walk League One. A bit like the quote from Denis Smith when asked if he thought he'd get Sunderland promoted and he said 'if I felt I couldn't get a club like Sunderland promoted I would feel like I was in the wrong profession. Your list of achievements sounds like empty spin, talking someone up who has had a very unspectacular career to date. You have listed his Bristol finishes like its something to be proud of - are the owners really saying it may take us 2 or 3 seasons under this gent to go up? Really, is that where we are?

For me personally I have been going since 1974 and I have had a season ticket since 1990. I have backed the club like many others but everyone, you included, have to accept that the current owners have made an utter hash of things. The Parkinson appointment was a predictable shambles. Looking at Lee Johnson's career to date, despite you rather desperate attempt to talk it up, its not very impressive - we've seen his lists of finishes, we know his win rate. Its poor mate. Now he may surprise us and unexpectedly improve but if we don't get up this year I'll pack it in. Its no fun following Sunderland. The fans don't identify with the owners - they have sold off a whole team of local talent. The treatment of John Cooke, the way they handled the season tickets. And now trying to talk up what is another uninspiring appointment. I just don't enjoy it and am struggling to be proud of following Sunderland. That's sad but I'm sure many, many Sunderland fans feel the same and this appointment may well be the last straw for many others. Lets hope I'm wrong but there you go.

Don't be surprised if he wins five or six on the bounce and then, just when you're beginning to think you've misjudged him, doesn't win for twelve.
He's got one job this season, getting Sunderland promoted.
 
So far the main issue I’ve seen from people is his win percentage compared to Cowley’s, kind of ignores that Cowley’s wins are from a way lower standard.

Not saying Cowley is bad or anything, just that they have both had different challenges at pretty big gulfs in quality in terms of the leagues they were in.
 
I can only go on when we came up against BCFC in the Championship. I’m fairly sure if they would have beat us they would have gone top or 2nd maybe. We just about scraped a late win and I was very impressed with the football they played. They bombed after that. I really don’t know how this appointment will go. It will be shit or bust but I wouldn’t write him off. Think they sold Webster too which would have made a difference. The Bristol lad on here will probably know more.
 

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