Often Partisan

Why Andy Watson must go

As expected, Blues are now finding out which backroom staff are prepared to make the trip across the Expressway to follow our former manager into employment on the dark side. It’s been revealed in the Sunday Mercury today that Andy Watson doesn’t want to go, as he has reservations about the repercussions of crossing the second city divide.

People talk about how continuity is important for us; and I have seen some suggestions on some forums that Birmingham City keep Andy Watson on when a new manager is appointed. I have to say, I disagree. Blues offered loyalty to McLeish, and after having that shoved back in their face it’s time to sweep clean the old regime and start again with a fresh canvas. That means Andy Watson has to go too.

In the article it mentions that our outstanding goalkeeper coach Dave Watson is ready to follow McLeish to Villa, and as much as this disappoints me as I think we will lose Foster too because of this, I’m willing to accept that he has to go. If we’re to hire a new manager, then we have to trust him to bring in his own staff and do things his own way. It might be uncomfortable for some of the players but that’s life. They get paid enough to do a job and if they’re not professional enough to be able to do it for someone else, then the exit door is there for them too.

Essentially what I’m saying is that as much as people are doom-mongering about the fate of the club, it’s time we all moved on. If that means a year of transition, a year of rebuilding and sorting out the mess the club currently finds itself in, then so be it. In honesty, it’s going to hurt the owners more than I if we don’t get promoted, because it’s going to cost them big time. I’d much rather the club stopped the short-termism of yo-yoing between the top two divisions and worked on a long term plan to get us promoted and then properly establish the club in the top flight.

For me, that means changing the policy of recruiting players to bring in more young guns with potential; actively working to bring through more players from the academy and changing the club so we’re not so dependent on Sky revenue. I’m tired of seeing Blues sign players who are on the downswing of their careers; who come to us with promises of riches yet look so obviously like we’re their last payday. Obviously, that doesn’t apply to all – some players like Bowyer and Ferguson I think really did their best for us, but the frustration of seeing skillful players like Bentley and Hleb last year underperform for us really hurt.

I’m guessing if Watson decides he doesn’t want to go, it’s going to cost us to get rid of him. So be it; Pannu and co have shown a principled stand in the last week that they’re not going to let the football world dump all over them, and I applaud them for it. Let’s get a new managerial team in, let’s get on with it. Tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis as they would say in ancient Rome – Times change and we must change with them.

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18 Responses to “Why Andy Watson must go”

  • hammy says:

    new managers seem to always want to bring in their own coaching staff, and hughton wont be any different…..(note i specifically say hughton, cos thats who we all want!) ;)

    so as we say in birmingham…”watson, yow can bugga off”……….

  • Blue nose gord says:

    Andy watson, yes can go. BUT, Dave Watson, im sorry, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP HIM!! He’s developed joe hart & now foster, hes an unsung hero at blues & our keepers like butland are key & Dave watson is integral on that development KRO

  • Helmet says:

    Why would we let Fozzie go to the vile porkers? If I were Pannu I’d sell him to Brighton or Leyton Orient first.

  • DARREN says:

    Hammy,

    A sizeable section of Blue-noses want Curbishley and whats all ” yow” about?
    Were from Birmingham not yam yams from the black country.

  • qb_blue says:

    Poor old Andy Watson, I say. A man of principle who doesn’t want to leave the club for our bitter rivals just because the manager did, has done nothing wrong but will get slung out of the club to accommodate the new manager’s henchmen. C’est la vie.

  • Merill says:

    Hughton is who we all want? Not really I want Curbishley and know lots of others do too. I don’t see why if it was say Hughton why he wouldn’t want to work with Andy Watson. What you have to remember is that Hughton has been a number two for years so therefore he’s got no loyalty to anyone else he’s never had an assistant before even in the Newcastle job he didn’t really have one. He was forced to work with Mike Ashley’s London mafia.

  • Smiffytheblue says:

    A new manager will inevitably bring in his own men. However, at least Andy Watson has shown some degree of honour and intelligence to not immediately follow the ginger whinger – but remember the wonderful Eric Black – stayed at Blues until Bruce called for him at Wigan (and we got thumped by Pompey in his one match overseeing the team!) – I am sure that the GW will call for both Watsons and that Jonah Peter Grant. That doesn’t bother me, although keeping Dave Watson would be advantageous – what bothers me is when we see our better players (Foster, Dann and maybe Johnson) pulling on the most Vile of shirts to represent the scum of Birmingham. If our board do that to us I will never trust them ever again. If they have to be sold sell them to Stoke, Liverpool, Arsenal or Spurs – not ever, for any price, to the Vile.

  • Wingman Blue says:

    Keep Andy Watson. If Chris Hughton (it has to be him) doesn’t want him, fine, but the players know him, and he’s already shown himself to be a man of integrity and not afraid to tell his buddy since The Dons, “…You’re on your own on this one, chum…!” We desperately need some continuity and integrity has been all too obviously absent. Keep him.

  • beegeeblueboy says:

    I dont disagree on continuity, but our coaches need to be able to follow the style of the manager. Having followed a defensive manager can he embrace a more attacking style.

    Whilst he is here is he also not a viper in the bosom potentially agitating players to go over to the dark side where he will reside after he expects the heave ho?

    If he’s not going to walk I would sack him and let him serve his notice out on gardening leave, probably three months perhaps longer,and if he wants to join the dark side earlier he has to pay for the privilege.

  • Kevin Boulton says:

    Hammy & Wingman Blue, sorry I don’t agree about Houghton. He seems a nice bloke but he didn’t get fired for nothing. The owners up there saw something that wasn’t right. Remember this guy has been a No 2 all his career and found himself in the job be default – he never built the squad or signed hardly any of the players. We need someone to rebuild Blues, we have been relegated and its safe to say we will lose most of our best players (have you seen how small the sqwuad is now after the loanees wnet back the players out of contract left?). It would be a big gamble to put such a big job in from of CH. I’m with Darren and Merrill, I think Curbishley is the man. He did fantastic at Charlton, got them promoted from the Championship, kept them in mid table for years without any relegation battles. He rebuilt them on and off the pitch. He then performed a miracle at West Ham keeping them up with a last day win at Man Utd. He’s the experienced manager we need, plus their is a bonus with him being an ex-Blues player. It would be mad to overlook him for a gamble on someone younger!

  • Lee b13 says:

    Dave watson coached and improved england’s number 1 and number 2 he dont want to shuffle off to endure another season’s dross with HIM and the vile and would be the continuity the club need at this turbulent time. Though I would prefer Mr Curbishley im not discouraged with hughton nor mattao and hope they can persuade some of our better players to stay and that none end up at the scum. That may be more down to the board and so far Mr. Pannu can do the talk the coming weeks will tell us if he can do the walk ! Its a nervy and testing time for all blues fans but if you look at the calibre of manager that blues can choose from and what the scum ended up with its the only tangible bright light we have. As Ive said before the outlook is gloomy but it aint good night quite yet and even if it was we wouldnt care we’d still be shitting on the vile on the way ! KRO SOTV

  • Bazzathebluenose says:

    My first choice for manager is Roberto Di Matteo who inherited the Baggies when they had no pace in the squad just like we don’t. He has the experience of winning the Championship and he was still getting the Baggies playing nice stuff in the Premiership with fast pacy players. Their board panicked and sacked him when he hit a lean patch and frankly I think they got away with it. I suspect Albion were about to turn the corner anyway but that is by the by. I wouldn’t mind Curbishley for all that but Hughton is a risk. I would keep the back room staff who want to stay if the manager feels he can work with them and I would definitely keep Dave Watson. He must not be allowed to go through traitor’s gate after he who should no longer be named now he has turned to the dark side.

  • John Carter says:

    Both managers were sacked from promoted teams at around the same time. They weren’t any good the first time around so what makes them worth a second shot? Blues should pick a foreign manager, be adventurous! Don’t just look at English managers who are out of work. Why not a Russian or Spanish manager? It would bring some excitement to the club. Most of the managers Blues have been linked with wouldn’t have a chance if we were a Premiership team and we will be a Premier League club in 12 months so Blues have to pick a long term replacement and the only candidate we’ve been linked to who has this kind of experience is Alan Curbishley. I hope there are other candidates though who’ve had interviews with Peter Pannu.

  • Daniel Jindrich says:

    Both managers were sacked from promoted teams at around the same time. They weren’t any good the first time around so what makes them worth a second shot? Blues should pick a foreign manager, be adventurous! Don’t just look at English managers who are out of work. Why not a Russian or Spanish manager? It would bring some excitement to the club. Most of the managers Blues have been linked with wouldn’t have a chance if we were a Premiership team and we will be a Premier League club in 12 months so Blues have to pick a long term replacement and the only candidate we’ve been linked to who has this kind of experience is Alan Curbishley. I hope there are other candidates though who’ve had interviews with Peter Pannu.

  • Luke says:

    Curbishley destroyed West Ham with over paid players with no heart.

    Boa Morte is the best example of this.

    The club in many ways are still paying for his failures.

    Lets remember he built Charlton as part of a double act until the manager moved on and then he did do an excellent job – I just fear he is no out of touch with the players we should be aiming for – cheaper younger players from the Championship and League one.

    In many ways he is the same as Di Matteo and Hughton – he had success with one club, he has just been around for longer.

    I personally thing Di Matteo (if we keep our current defence and keeper) – he has an eye for attacking players and tactics and we already have a strong back line so we dont really need to develop this.

  • Bluenose John says:

    If Andy Watson stays it will be because the new manager wants him and he should be backed. If not he will get a pay off and provide he does not follow A**x M*****h to wherever he ended up good luck to him.

    I would be happy with either Hughton or Di Matteo as the new manager. Whoever comes in will have more goodwill and a longer honeymoon period than whathisname in Witton is going to get. Still, at least that is a marriage where both sides deserve each other.


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