by WestYorksRoyal »
23 Jan 2024 12:50
morganb Summary of Southampton ex CEO Martin Semmens comments on Selles (on TalkSport):
Lots of style but lacking substance (experience) - good communicator and a nearly man (almost getting results against big teams). Good relationship with players.
I don't like conflating substance and experience; they are different matters. "Substance" for an inexperienced manager is the ability to learn on the job.
I'm torn tbh. With Pauno, his 7 wins and 1 draw in 8 didn't count in the reckoning, so can we do the opposite and exclude the dire run of 1 point from 8 between our Bolton and Wycombe wins?
He's inexperienced and that was undoubtedly costly in the circumstances; that run looks likely to relegate us and would not have happened with an experienced manager. So I don't think it's controversial to say his appointment was a mistake, though Bowen probably didn't envisage the circumstances being this bad. Perhaps he thought mid table this season followed by promotion challenge next season was fair had the club been run well.
At the same time, the squad was young and learning too, and I think he was let down by experienced players like Hutchinson and Dean who should be bringing on field game management in situations such as Orient and Shrewbury away. He has learned since then; we've been much better with the new formation. And having gone through what he's done, that will help him improve as the manager. To change now would leave us with the downside of his inexperience without the potential upside.
It's irrelevant anyway really. He's here while Dai stays. I guess the question is, if we got good owners in, would Selles be the man to lead the project on the pitch? Even if he starts from L2?