New Manager

[Old Man Andrews]

Is Strap allowed to continually use someone's nationality in a negative context? It's a bit weird.

[Lower West]

He's done better but he's never really been on anyone's radar and they're are better managers we could have gone for.

Stepping into the unforgiving arena of the Championship isn't the place to cut ones teeth. Nothing is his track record to suggest he's stayed long enough anywhere to have actually built anything.

[From Despair To Where?]

Is Strap allowed to continually use someone's nationality in a negative context? It's a bit weird.

Joorabchain's family left Iran in 1979 when he was 8, after the revolution and he grew up in Britain. He has British citizenship.

[Ranty McRantface]

He's done better but he's never really been on anyone's radar and they're are better managers we could have gone for.

Stepping into the unforgiving arena of the Championship isn't the place to cut ones teeth. Nothing is his track record to suggest he's stayed long enough anywhere to have actually built anything.

Yep. This is another reason why I would be underwhelmed by this appointment should it happen, but let's see what happens.

[Pepe the Horseman]

A Portuguese sports writer on twitter has put up some detailed thoughts, including "in terms of defensive organisation, Rio Ave is quite possibly the worst team in the league". Just baffled by this appointment, I can't see a single positive. Hope I'm proved wrong, but will be surprised if he even lasts the season.

[Old Man Andrews]

I'm deeply concerned about this appointment, worries me on every level.

[KC Royal]

+1 Obviously once in post and at games he gets the same backing anyone would. But I'm not impressed and expect to be saying 'I told you so' in April/May.

You told who so?

I think we’re all in agreement on this one for once.

Us three certainly, but there seemed to be a few getting their knickers moist about him when he first got suggested. Maybe my perception is way out.

You can count me in as well. I'd even go as far as to say that i'd be shocked if we stay up now.

[blueroyals]

What a disaster of an appointment

[Sutekh]

Expecting a press conference to be called tomorrow unless he’s got a flight into Gatwick.

Utterly bizarre appointment.

Like everyone I cannot see this ending well.

His material record doesn’t grab you. He’s not a ‘name’.

The media should be asking NH what on earth is going on and what there is about him that makes them think he will keep the club up.

So now we have a couple of months at least for Mr Gomes to acclimatise to the country let alone learn about what is probably the most competitive league in the world.

God knows what January will bring when the window opens in 10 days or so. The usual disaster probably.

But then it might work and he’ll be the greatest coup ever. So all we can do is get behind him.

[Old Man Andrews]

What a disaster of an appointment

Far too soon to be throwing these statements out there, we simply don't know which is part of the problem. I just don't think this is this time to take risks.

[Hound]

What a disaster of an appointment

Far too soon to be throwing these statements out there, we simply don't know which is part of the problem. I just don't think this is this time to take risks.

Yep agreed. He has experience and is well traveled

But still...

[Victor Meldrew]

As others have said, this is a really strange appointment.
He has certainly been around and hopefully he has learned something along the way.
If this had been May with a full pre-season I could understand it as he would have 3-4 months to suss the existing players but with just a few days to go to the new transfer window and a massive number of players to assess within just over a month as to their ability to play at this level and in the way that the manager wants them to play.

I am never quite sure when posters say that they are going to" back" a manager as if they have some daily input-I'll just say that I hope he turns our fortunes around and keeps us in the Championship, something that Clement didn't look as though he was doing.

Do we think he will be paraded at the Middlesboro game wearing a Father Christmas outfit and asking us to believe in him?

[Simon's Church]

Still though, at least we got rid of gourlay.

[andrew1957]

What a disaster of an appointment

Far too soon to be throwing these statements out there, we simply don't know which is part of the problem. I just don't think this is this time to take risks.

Yep agreed. He has experience and is well traveled

But still...

And barely lasts more than 12 months in any job!

[Eaststandman]

Michael Palin has the same qualifications!

[Franconian Royal]

I’ll back genome on this one. I won’t hold a grudge for the whole time. I’d like him to get a bigger chance than Clement got. I’d like to hope that he has a bit of cash to bring someone in.
I just feel we might have done better looking at Ainsworth. Ok, he’s not experienced in the chump, but looking at Jose’s CV, surely Ainsworth should’ve got a look in. Only time will tell whether this was a good idea or not.

[Zip]

With January looming we need a new DoF urgently.

[Simon's Church]

With January looming we need a new DoF urgently.

At this rate it'll probably be Ali Dia

[royalp-we]

Baffled if this happens.

There’s literally a dozen out-of-work managers with experience of either clawing teams away from relegation, or gettting teams promoted in the EFL... and we appear to poaching this guy who is contracted to another club, whilst not actually achieving much at all on his record.

Naturally, I hope he does well.

But if this happens I really question wtf has happened to this football club.

[tmesis]

A Portuguese sports writer on twitter has put up some detailed thoughts, including "in terms of defensive organisation, Rio Ave is quite possibly the worst team in the league". Just baffled by this appointment, I can't see a single positive. Hope I'm proved wrong, but will be surprised if he even lasts the season.

I genuinely can't see any reason at all for this other than back-handers being involved.

Either that, or Nigel Howe really knows nothing about football, except for the business side, and has just been completely taken in by Joorabchian.

There's absolutely nothing in his long an unrelentingly mediocre managerial career that makes him viewed as anything other than a mercenary stop-gap manager. There is no reason at all for us to be remotely interested in appointing him, let alone be willing to buy out a compensation clause to get him.

He reminds me of all those cheap foreign signings we made, where you'd agree they looked a terrible prospect, but hoped they be given a chance and succeed.

He just seems like Paulo Hurtado in manager form. I think we are doomed.