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Poppa Out

Alex M said:
Supporters are always a bit emotional and volatile. I've always thought (and stated in these forums) that Popa and Arnold before him did a very good job with what we had and that we should stay with Popovic until the Asian Cup. Both of them had a group of players that on paper should be no more than top 50 but took them to the top 30. We still have a similar group of players in ability but there is no doubt that we have more young players with the potential to rise above that then we have had for 25 years. If those players progress (they haven't yet (apart from Bos & Circati IMO) and start to get experience in the top leagues (experience at a World Cup is fine but is no substitute for week to week at a high level) we stay pretty much where we are.

As to the future so far Popovic has shown no real ability (or maybe its just desire) to change from his favoured defensive or attacking structures. He mostly picks players that fit that structure. He does pick a player or two that don't fit (Irankunda is an example) but that usually means they aren't used to fulfil their potential. That's why even if we win the Asian Cup I think its better all round that we part company with Popovic and than him for his services. He will be able to get a good job in clubland and we can get a coach that can develop a system that suits our players more.
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Popovic was let go by Melbourne Victory and has coached a team to perform less than the sum of its parts in playing the worst football at the World Cup. I suggest that a 'good job in clubland' is a long shot. He's a tactical Neanderthal and shows absolutely no capacity for change.
 
Frankly Speaking said:
Popovic was let go by Melbourne Victory and has coached a team to perform less than the sum of its parts in playing the worst football at the World Cup. I suggest that a 'good job in clubland' is a long shot. He's a tactical Neanderthal and shows absolutely no capacity for change.
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Performing to the sum of our parts would have had us losing every game in the group stages. The squads of our opponents are all more highly valued than ours.
 
Do people really believe Poppa has it in him to add some attacking intent to his style of play? I don't see him changing, that's why it's a thanks for you efforts Tony, but it's time to move on.
 
Behind the eight ball when the FA executive did FA about the appointment of a Uruguayan referee cadre. No outcry from FA, no outcry from Poppa (who was there for 2001 and 2005), no outcry from Okon or Foxe and more importantly no outcry from Isser.

High probability FIFA would have told FA to FO, yet this ref would have been aware he is being scrutinized. Yellow cards would have been out for some of the tackles well before the 105th minute.

Australia needs to instill in our executives some of that South American scrappy mongrel fight instead of the genteel cucumber sandwiches and tea mindset.
 
Frankly Speaking said:
Popovic was let go by Melbourne Victory and has coached a team to perform less than the sum of its parts in playing the worst football at the World Cup. I suggest that a 'good job in clubland' is a long shot. He's a tactical Neanderthal and shows absolutely no capacity for change.
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If he wins the Asian Cup he will have no problem getting a job in Asia somewhere decent. The rest of your post is frankly speaking a rant not based in reality.
 
ClockworkOrange said:
I’m just trying to understand the way you rate managers … having stated Popa is out of his depth.
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tactical sophistication
tactical flexibility
selecting the most effective starting 11
getting the best out of individual players
creating a team that performs as more than the sum of its parts
capacity to respond to changing game situations

none of which Popovic has been able to accomplish at this level

Melbourne Victory let him go, remember
 
Frankly Speaking said:
ACL
12 years ago in a very different football world
and they played horrible football and rode their luck to an astounding extent
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All the AFC Champions League fixtures back then were over two legs though so if Popovic messed things up he was given another chance to make things right which you don't get in a major tournament at international level.
 
rebelliousfeminist974 said:
All the AFC Champions League fixtures back then were over two legs though so if Popovic messed things up he was given another chance to make things right which you don't get in a major tournament at international level.
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That is a major tournament at international level.
I think you mean, you don’t get that in one off knockout games. But your implication is that Popa has been able to adjust when needed.
 
Ainsley Harriott said:
Do people really believe Poppa has it in him to add some attacking intent to his style of play? I don't see him changing, that's why it's a thanks for you efforts Tony, but it's time to move on.
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If you read the forum you find that pretty much everyone here thinks that he doesn't like to change the style of play he prefers his teams to play. Some want him out now, some think we should move on after the Asian Cup. That's about the only difference. I'm not sure I see anyone here advocating he is the right person to take us forward through the next WC cycle. Some just appreciate what he has done for us so far more.
 
zimbos05 said:
You said A-league level. He's never won the A-League. Credit for the Asia Cup for sure, but nothing more. So perennial winner is a bit false
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Tony Popovic has won A-League Men Premier's Plates and the Hahn Australia Cup previously so can still be considered a perennial winner at domestic level.
 
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