It was always going to be an internal appointment for me

We needed someone who:

a. Knew the club,
b. Knew the players,
c. Knew what we needed transfer-wise
d. Knew the market we were shopping in and the funds available.

I was rather surprised when Stephenson went as well as Roeder because there simply isn't time nor money for a new manager to come in and feel his way around and make anything other than last-second panic buys before the transfer window closes. Hence we needed someone with a head start on all of that. I guess Gunny is it.

Oh, and I saw Crooky do well at Northern Spirit as an assistant/manager - a side which was financially and otherwise a total shambles. By the time he went to Newcastle I'd gone, so can't really comment. As for Sydney, that is a poisoned chalice if ever there was - a sort of Antipodean Newcastle Utd. Chippy will do fine.

Posted By: Iwan Husarmi, Jan 21, 16:57:17