Luke Williams - The Real Deal

[newquay]

It's a bad look going on about Martin, it's your mind that needs adjusting and no one else's at this stage.

If he was such a fraud then he wouldn't be doing such good things at Soton.......excuses are just that.
He has gone and the reality is, he didn't do anything great but he wasn't anywhere near as bad as some have/still make out.

Great 3 points today so let's just enjoy the present.

Fully agree Daps.

Hence why this thread is all about Luke.

Luke has been chucked in the deep end and is on an upward trajectory, climbing steadily, assuredly correcting the wrongs from our previous, self induced slump.

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

The manager we thought we were buying 2+years ago

The antithesis and proper antidote to Martinball

But you loved Martin . And his balls

 

[newquay]

But you loved Martin . And his balls

Eh ?
Saw right through him from the moment he ditched Piroe, along with many of our brightest biggest stars.

Back on topic - Luke, your thoughts, the real deal we thought we were buying 2+ years ago ?

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

Many forget that his form for the final 2-3 months he was here was playoff form knocking on auto promotion. Of course the half a season with 3 wins should also not be forgotten but things did look like they were starting to click at the end of the season.

He f*cked about to try to satisfy his own ego for that period 21 game period before admitting the folly of his tactics and actually playing to our strengths. Don’t give him any credit for being stubborn at the cost of our club’s progression

 

[Dillwyn the Dog]

A lot of petulance and lack of understanding.
He did OK in his time here with what he had to deal with and squad at hand.

It's an open book discussion with no real solid back up do prove or disprove........just individuals who want to portray their own opinion as fact.

Poor form to bring his name up after a great result and 3 points today.

Individuals just like you.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Fully agree Daps.

Hence why this thread is all about Luke.

Luke has been chucked in the deep end and is on an upward trajectory, climbing steadily, assuredly correcting the wrongs from our previous, self induced slump.

You are aware that Dick Muff was manager in between Martin and Williams, right?

 

[bakajack]

He f*cked about to try to satisfy his own ego for that period 21 game period before admitting the folly of his tactics and actually playing to our strengths. Don’t give him any credit for being stubborn at the cost of our club’s progression

Oh I am absolutely not defending RM during that half season period. Some of the football we watched during that time was truly dire, almost as bad as some of the worst that had been served up by Duff.

The only direct comparison for me so far is that both RM and LW started with a fixation of three at the back and wingbacks. One insisted on it with us at all costs despite the lack of personnel to make the system work while the other took a few games but has now seemed to have adapted his playbook to account for what he has to work with.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Oh I am absolutely not defending RM during that half season period. Some of the football we watched during that time was truly dire, almost as bad as some of the worst that had been served up by Duff.

The only direct comparison for me so far is that both RM and LW started with a fixation of three at the back and wingbacks. One insisted on it with us at all costs despite the lack of personnel to make the system work while the other took a few games but has now seemed to have adapted his playbook to account for what he has to work with.

That just doesn't add up. Martin switching to 4 at the back was a large part of why we went on that long unbeaten run at the end of last season. Now granted, yes, it took him long enough, but the fact he did it eventually means it's not true to say he didn't also "adapt his playbook" (to use your phrasing)

 

[bakajack]

That just doesn't add up. Martin switching to 4 at the back was a large part of why we went on that long unbeaten run at the end of last season. Now granted, yes, it took him long enough, but the fact he did it eventually means it's not true to say he didn't also "adapt his playbook" (to use your phrasing)

There were two occasions when RM switched to 4 at the back.
Both of them happened to be when he was under serious pressure over his job.

The first time we had a strong run going and then when the pressure was off he switched back to wing backs and it coincided with our 23 game streak with only three wins (two against 10 men)

The second time was at the end of that streak when the pressure was ramping up on him again and it coincided with our strong run at the end of the season

 

[cadleigh]

Returning to the main point in Newquay’s original post, do I think Williams is ‘the real deal’? (I presume that’s a deliberate dig at a poster on another forum who made an arse of himself by proclaiming a previous manager was ‘the real deal’…)

I would say that for me it is too early to tell. Both Sheehan and Duff coaxed decent performances out of this current squad, and one (or arguably two if you regard Plymouth as a decent performance even though we lost) swallow doesn’t make a summer.

He seems like a smart and decent bloke, but likability has never been at the top of my list of criteria for successful managers. I would almost certainly have disliked Michael Laudrup if I had ever got the chance to speak to him, but I loved the way his teams played.

Having said that, I really hope he is the manager we’ve been looking for since Potter left, and I am glad you have such solid faith in him. Fingers crossed you are right!

 

[Swanjaxs]

Aye early days, but we comfortably beat a more than useful side on thier own patch yesterday.
Let's see what Tuesday brings...

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

lol

Martin is mentioned as he broke everything good we had, built his CV at our expense, and fecked off to the highest bidder

And it was feared Luke was Martin's cling-on, early doors.

Luke is far better than that.

Grow up.

How could he have simultaneously broke and yet built something? He was fine, but hamstrung with average players.

 

[LeonWasTheDogs]

Returning to the main point in Newquay’s original post, do I think Williams is ‘the real deal’? (I presume that’s a deliberate dig at a poster on another forum who made an arse of himself by proclaiming a previous manager was ‘the real deal’…)

I would say that for me it is too early to tell. Both Sheehan and Duff coaxed decent performances out of this current squad, and one (or arguably two if you regard Plymouth as a decent performance even though we lost) swallow doesn’t make a summer.

He seems like a smart and decent bloke, but likability has never been at the top of my list of criteria for successful managers. I would almost certainly have disliked Michael Laudrup if I had ever got the chance to speak to him, but I loved the way his teams played.

Having said that, I really hope he is the manager we’ve been looking for since Potter left, and I am glad you have such solid faith in him. Fingers crossed you are right!

I’ve seen nothing yet to confirm he’s the real deal, but it’s early and I’m fully behind your last paragraph.

 

[newquay]

He's clearly operating at a different level to his recent predecessors.

The way in which he's inculcating his playing philosophy, helping and coaxing the players (and staff) to learn on the job, to learn the hard lessons the hard way, pushing the boundaries - the learnings are broad and deep - just like the way in which he stretches the pitch, out wide and front to back.

He talks about learning the 'actions' and ensuring the right actions are clearly understood and repeated until 2nd nature. Getting back on the bike (literally) seems to be his way of inculcating his values and the 'actions' - gets them back in training bright and early the morning after the matchday - even the long trip to Hull.

It's definitely paying off. Most fans I know are now looking forward to the rest of this season and enjoying the exponential rise and departure from the old, stupidly self indulgent, misguided ways.

.

 

[Jacket]

A bit premature after his first win. Bit like the reports of McBurney coming home.