Babbel Sackwatch Thread

[wendybr]

7 hours ago, mack said:

Merrick is a massive boom/bust cycle manager.

He's managed 13 A-League seasons and I'd say he's only managed to put together good seasons back to back once, with MVC in 2008/9 winning the League & Grand Final then 9/10 finishing 2nd in the league before losing the Grand Final on penalties to SFC (note, despite two good seasons in a row, he never actually won either of the trophies in the second season).

Look at some of the massive drops in win rate he's had. 06/07 from 66% to 28% in 07/08. At Wellington he managed to get to 50% in the 2nd season then plummeted back to 25% then got sacked 8 games into his 4th season there. At the Jets 55% in his first season, down to 37% next year then 18% this season when he got sacked. And remember that with the Jets he still only finished 2nd in the league, massively behind SFC, and then choked in the Grand Final after the Victory's VAR failure goal, at home.

Merrick's highs have gotten lower and lower over the course of his managerial career, while he reached new lows with the 18% win rate this season. Even Babbel didn't get as low as 18% last season. Yes, ownership problems are partly to blame for this Nix & Jets collapses, but it's not like Lederer & JT are immune to making mistakes that impact on the football team. Arguably Babbel is only here because they made a mistake with how they handled sacking Gombau because Riera didn't like him (among other less obvious issues, like failing to stop Popa leaving right before the season started to go to a nothing club in Turkey).

You're  a hard man Mack.

I'll leave further discussions to those more expert here.

But re that 9/10 season tho, altho Merrick won no silverware, and finished behind Sydney in the League and GF, his Victory team was better than SFC.

Besides, you seem to write off a manager who took his team to 2nd place in the League and to a loss on penalties in that second GF.

Too harsh to see that as an eg of boom and bust I think.

Merrick also mentored Muscat, as I recall, and so left a legacy of success at the Victory....sort of.

Surely, his successes with the Victory count for more than stints with low budget clubs later, where he still had his achievements (eg reaching the GF and getting ripped off in 2017).

The suggestion to try to get Merrick to support a floundering Babbel is a great idea....dependiing on the club's willingness to spend $$, and on his interest in being in Sydney.

My 2 cents worth....he shouldn't be dismissed as an option.

[Smoggy]

If not Merrick then we need someone of his HAL experience somewhere within this club right now i feel..I wouldnt want Merrick as manager either but must be a place for someone like him.

 

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Smoggy

[StringerBellend]

8 hours ago, matty said:

Thanks mack, was losing it listening to calls for Merrick to take over. Gee we must be desperate huh, sad, sad times

We are desperate 1 win since the derby Including a bunch of games against other teams outside of the 6 

Edited January 6, 2020 by StringerBellend

[StringerBellend]

Oh and I get Merrick is long term answer, I’m not looking long term we need to salvage this season, before our crowds fall to sub 10k and the only finals games at new parra are the other lot 

I’ll take the boom bust manager now, long as we get the boom 

Edited January 6, 2020 by StringerBellend

[papersun]

23 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

Oh and I get Merrick is long term answer, I’m not looking long term we need to salvage this season, before our crowds fall to sub 10k and the only finals games at new parra are the other lot 

I’ll take the boom bust manager now, long as we get the boom 

I think we're already getting sub 10k crowds, just not officially.

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, papersun said:

I think we're already getting sub 10k crowds, just not officially.

For the growth of this club, with new stadium and new SW Syd team starting next season this is a disaster. After 3 disastrous years at SoP the last thing we needed was a season like this, not when there was a clear opportunity to get the first 2 seasons vibe back.

The club have missed an open goal and are wasting the novelty of the new stadium...criminal. It doesnt matter where you play, if the entertainment and results aren't there then you are ****ed.

How desperate for change are we right now, just how bad is this 'crisis' if you want to call it that. People say they dont want someone like Merrick involved right now but we are fast going down the shitter as a club and lack experience to put right.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Smoggy

[wanderersfanatic]

100% and the powers that be are.. 😴😴😴😴

[matty]

3 hours ago, StringerBellend said:

We are desperate 1 win since the derby Including a bunch of games against other teams outside of the 6 

Yeah we're desperate for a win, for success, not just desperate. 

Btw, my understanding is that Merrick doesn't have his heart in it anymore. Probably needs a long break. 

[StringerBellend]

1 hour ago, matty said:

Yeah we're desperate for a win, for success, not just desperate. 

Btw, my understanding is that Merrick doesn't have his heart in it anymore. Probably needs a long break. 

That wouldn’t surprise me, hard gig at the Jets with no funds 

[mack]

8 minutes ago, StringerBellend said:

That wouldn’t surprise me, hard gig at the Jets with no funds 

McKinna said they've spent the same amount the last two years that they did when they made the GF.

[BoyFromTheWest]

3 hours ago, mack said:

McKinna said they've spent the same amount the last two years that they did when they made the GF.

Which makes Merrick's achievement that year quite stunning, really!  I'm not advocating him to take over from Babbel but he should be a person of interest to a club who needs A League wisdom from someone who has had success.  In the coaching ranks at the moment there is only Popa, Corica and Merrick who have won a Championship - and none of the others are on the scene.  Just saying.

[StringerBellend]

3 hours ago, mack said:

McKinna said they've spent the same amount the last two years that they did when they made the GF.

In that case he made the grand final with a team paid buttons, think what he could do with our squad 

 

[DamnedUnited]

I thought the sacking of Merrick mid stream would make it obvious that doing the same to Babbel was insane. Except for Iran there is no crisis. Sacking Babbel doesn't prevent catastrophe it creates it. I was at a loss to explain how terrible we were last game but the sacrificial lamb trick rarely works. Enough of the quick feel good fixes. 

[ZachMercer]

Sven-Goran Eriksson's CV appears to being shopped the Newy. If they did pull the trigger on babs, it'll be interesting to see what names appear.

[Burgerman]

Babbel won't be sacked unless we suffer a derby embarrassment, sad to hear Merick may have lost some passion but can't blame him after so many years in our amateur league. 

[tardotz]

I would be very disappointed if I applied for a job and the company goes to the media saying I applied. I know they are doing it to show they are in demand but I think it is pretty low.

Edited January 8, 2020 by tardotz

[Smoggy]

18 minutes ago, Burgerman said:

Babbel won't be sacked unless we suffer a derby embarrassment

A derby embarrassment is more than possible.

[Matto97]

I really don't understand how anyone can still be defending keeping Babbel... we're going to end up with the wooden spoon the way we're going. I'll take an interim coach to steady the ship and take us off the bottom of the table before getting someone permanent at the end of the season and letting them sign their own players over Babs seeing out the season to a rock bottom finish, trying a new formation every game, playing Muller through the middle, having Meier wander around the pitch like a lost puppy dog, not use any subs and swear at the officials and media after the game instead of accepting responsibility for his terrible game management. The team look lost on the pitch and devoid of ideas to penetrate a set defense, the back 4/ back 5 are still leaking stupid goals like crazy every game, there have been no signs of improvement at all and we are actually looking worse and worse. He needs to go. 

[wswtragic]

How do I change my vote  ?

[Upthehill]

19 hours ago, DamnedUnited said:

I thought the sacking of Merrick mid stream would make it obvious that doing the same to Babbel was insane. Except for Iran there is no crisis. Sacking Babbel doesn't prevent catastrophe it creates it. I was at a loss to explain how terrible we were last game but the sacrificial lamb trick rarely works. Enough of the quick feel good fixes. 

Couldn't disagree more here. If a manager is causing problems with the squad (for instance being told by your senior players to get the fu/ck of your arse and do some coaching) all your are going to do is continue to poison the well further.
The mistake Newy have made is that they don't have a succession plan in place. 
The world of football plays host to season turns arounds every year. And they almost always start with a sacking. Sacking Babbel certainly will not make our situation worse. Bringing in a competent coach won't make our situation worse. 

Within 3 weeks we are going to be stone cold bottom of the table. If people are ok with that, fine. I know lots of us here sure as **** are not fine with being dead last.

[Burgerman]

3 hours ago, Smoggy said:

A derby embarrassment is more than possible.

Yeah i can feel a flogging will bring an end, so he has 3 games to do something or I'm calling round 18 will be babbel sacking 

[Smoggy]

2 hours ago, wswtragic said:

How do I change my vote  ?

Dont worry..another fresh vote will be out soon. Perhaps straight after the derby.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Smoggy

[Smoggy]

37 minutes ago, Burgerman said:

Yeah i can feel a flogging will bring an end, so he has 3 games to do something or I'm calling round 18 will be babbel sacking 

Thats what i think also. A poor run of results leading in to the derby, followed by a derby flogging would be too much.

Babbel still has a chance to turn this around between now and the derby.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Smoggy

[StringerBellend]

1 hour ago, Smoggy said:

Thats what i think also. A poor run of results leading in to the derby, followed by a derby flogging would be too much.

Babbel still has a chance to turn this around between now and the derby.

We have 1 home game in the next 4 and play 3 of the top 4. Not an easy run although 3 games are in NSW.

Wellington Away (4)

Perth Home (3)
Sea Bogans Away (10)
Sydney Away (1)

Nothing about our last performance says we will get anything in the next 2 games. 

That trip to Kogarah isn't looking much fun is it?

 

[THEWANDERERSPOST]

For anyone who wants to know how broken our club is listen to the first 5 seconds of this video the club posted.

 

[TheSweeper]

Obviously a political statement by Dylan .

[TheSweeper]

Also **** our club for promoting this Herbalife MLM bullshit . If you want some electrolytes just go to the chemist and buy some for 10 bucks .

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, StringerBellend said:

We have 1 home game in the next 4 and play 3 of the top 4. Not an easy run although 3 games are in NSW.

Wellington Away (4)

Perth Home (3)
Sea Bogans Away (10)
Sydney Away (1)

Nothing about our last performance says we will get anything in the next 2 games. 

That trip to Kogarah isn't looking much fun is it?

 

Im not going to Kogarah.

[StringerBellend]

5 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Im not going to Kogarah.

I am I don’t know why I do it to myself but I do

[DamnedUnited]

Kogarah will be the pre semis highlight of our season. Cannot wait.