We Are The Reds

Deserves his own thread, deserves all the plaudits for a terrific job under trying circumstances, but most of all... deserves the job full time.

The way he revitalized the playing group, shored up a leaky defence and at the same time had them playing entertaining, attacking football was wonderful to see. But perhaps most importantly, the way he trusted in the kids and they repaid him with some great performances was the most pleasing sign for the future.

Give him the keys Bruce !

Surely he has to be in the box seat; surely.

Local boy to boot!

Absolutely deserves the job full time.

I'm yet to be impressed TBH.


Nah jks vote #1 Carl!

Carl Veart will be announced as Head Coach tomorrow.

Super!



Done ...

So 3 years in now and I'm still 50/50.

Things I love:
- reigniting the SA passion
- promoting youth and SA kids
- giving us stability

Things I'm unsure about:
- what is his gameplan? I can't distinguish what our strategy is when we are on the pitch. What is he asking our players to do and are they doing it? Inconsistent performances to me suggests players don't know what he's asking of them.
- his public speaking. Imo not a great presenter and suspect this would relay into the dressing room. How good is he at getting his message across or motivating players if not a strength of his?
- he's built this squad so it is now his and results don't seem to be improving. Say what you want about funds but I think we have a decent enough squad to play some decent football. If he's happy with the squad and they're doing what he asks of them, then it really comes down to his own shortcomings as manager if we are not getting results.

My overall sentiment is that he is just not cut out for management at this level. Great identifying young talent and giving them a go but doesn't have the tactical nous or leadership to get us playing good football.

Not saying "Carl Out" or anything, I just think he has a lot of learning and improving to do (and as much as I hope he can improve, I'm just not sure he has it in him).

Premature emasculation?

Carl has achieved at a good level for the past three years, while maintaining the youth strategy. (Most managers, when it gets tough just default back to experience.)

Semi-finalists three years in a row.
Year on year improvement in ladder position - 5th, 4th, 3rd.
Best league position finish since we won the league.
Last year his team scored the most goals in a season in the clubs history.
Biggest transfer fee for a player in the club’s history.

For me, Carl has proved the critics wrong. The inconsistency of our performances, individual skill errors, and loss of shape from time to time are the result of our inexperience and youth (forced more on us than planned this year through injuries). I’m still believing for a top 4 finish this season too.

I was certainly proved wrong today!

Love the change of tactic and it seemed to work wonders.

More of the same please!

- his public speaking. Imo not a great presenter

I'd just like to hear him start a sentence with something other than "Yeah look..."

Premature emasculation?

Carl has achieved at a good level for the past three years, while maintaining the youth strategy. (Most managers, when it gets tough just default back to experience.)

Semi-finalists three years in a row.
Year on year improvement in ladder position - 5th, 4th, 3rd.
Best league position finish since we won the league.
Last year his team scored the most goals in a season in the clubs history.
Biggest transfer fee for a player in the club’s history.

For me, Carl has proved the critics wrong. The inconsistency of our performances, individual skill errors, and loss of shape from time to time are the result of our inexperience and youth (forced more on us than planned this year through injuries). I’m still believing for a top 4 finish this season too.

Totally concur. We are far more competitive than we have any right to be and when results have not gone our way, it's because the players have not executed, not because our strategy is deficient.

As to our plan, it has evolved from the old "get it to the wingers and cross it to whoever is standing on the penalty spot", which was brilliantly effective for half a season last year, until the other teams worked that out and cut off the wingers' service to the box. Now it's much more dynamic - play the ball out from the back, work through the press, lob the ball over the opposition backline and then overload the box with the forward 3 and whichever CAM can reach it in time. Isaias is then held back as the CDM to cover breakaways from turnovers. It's a much more sophisticated strategy and it's now working more often than not. We should have beaten the Wallys a week ago away and it was only because we hit the post twice (maybe thrice?) that we didn't come away with the win then.

So we have the right gaffer, with the right strategy, with very strong results behind him. It's now up to our very young squad, which is the second youngest in the league (only the Jest are younger), to execute week in, week out. More often than not, they do too.

- his public speaking. Imo not a great presenter

I'd just like to hear him start a sentence with something other than "Yeah look..."

I think his favourite response is "Yes, most definitely ...."

Change of formation last night was a smash hit. Worked so much better, and looked better. Brought the games of Bovalina, Yull and Jovanovic to a new level.

Mauk has announced he is not returning to his Japanese club and that he'll announce his next step in the very near future.

A part of me thinks the change in formation is to accommodate his return, but we'll see.

Change of formation last night was a smash hit. Worked so much better, and looked better. Brought the games of Bovalina, Yull and Jovanovic to a new level.

Mauk has announced he is not returning to his Japanese club and that he'll announce his next step in the very near future.

A part of me thinks the change in formation is to accommodate his return, but we'll see.

It gives Carl a bit of a problem though in where do Halloran and Nestor fit in this new formation.
I can't see either of them being on the bench for an extended period at this point in their respective careers.