Alex Neil from the Accie's

[The Great Mass Debater]

I joined a Hamilton Academicals forum to ask their opinions on Alex Neil. Will keep this thread updated as responses come in. Just one so far

I'll be very surprised if he plays at all for you guys. His prone-ness to injury has been an issue for the last couple of seasons, if not longer. He did a hamstring in his last outing.

The style of play is what everyone is saying, apart from the WUMs posing as accies fans on your fans' forum. His team plays a high pressing, tempo game, based on quick passing and an attacking mentality. If you check out the highlights you will see that when the ball comes into the box, there are frequently 4 players in there waiting. This is because he uses his midfield to move forward fast. There is long passing of course, but no 'hit and hope' nonsense.

And thanks for the commiserations

I fear he will take one or two of our players with him too. Andreu, Crawford or Hendrie. If so, at least they don't end up with one of the ugly sisters.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

We are a club who prides ourselves on developing football talent- Players, managers, etc.

I think all the Accies fans wish Alex all the best as he has been a fantastic loyal servant to the club and should have played at a much higher level. For a young manager his team has been the best I have ever seen in the hoops for 25 years and my dad says he has never seen a team like this one in his 50 years of being a Accies fan.

I do hope that this will start a good relationship between the clubs. As others have said i think he will buy some of our young stars and raid the SPFL and Champion ship for other good players.

One thing in particular that i think is his strength is his signings and eye for a player, #22 Toney, Scotland and Jesus are all down to him. Thus far no duds I hope that we may see a few lones from norwitch our way.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

As a player he was / is regarded as one of the best midfield players in Scotland and when fully fit would boss games and be hugely influential. He is also a snarling angry guy, prone to daft booking on the pitch which belies his skill and total commitment to slick passing football.

But...you won't be signing Alex as a player as his best days are probably behind him due to persistent injuries and fitness, he lasts about an hour these days.

He commands huge respect at Accies both as player and manager and has been influential in the development of players you'll be familiar with like James McCarthy and Janes McArthur, they played all their Accies career with Alex on their shoulder, helping, advising, protecting.

His teams play fast, attacking, high energy football. He likes to break at pace and flood the midfield. Most often plays a 4-1-4-1 formation. At Accies he has control over everything from first team all the way through the youth setup and his Accies team is full of young guys he has been pivotal in bringing through the ranks.

He has managed Accies through the most successful period in the clubs history and delivered results which will never be forgotten.....ever.

We are all absolutely gutted to lose him but everyone wishes him well if this happens.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I'm interested to see that your club has had quite a Scots connection over the years, both in terms of players and managers. And you've got Gary Holt as first team coach, am I right? So AN could be part of a fine tradition.

And yes, some fine developing young players on loan would be fine, thank you

 

[Canaryboy]

That Crawford player is a winger I believe, we need some of those! 

 

[Canaryboy]

I'm interested to see that your club has had quite a Scots connection over the years, both in terms of players and managers. 

Which club hasn't? :lol:   

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

He does have a point though

Which club hasn't? :lol:   

He does have a point though, particulalry under Grant it felt like being Scottish was a pre-requisite! Or have some loose Celtic connection...

 

[CanaryNath]

Compensation agreed, according to BBC

 

[Yellow Fever]

I like the idea of a connection with the Accies where loan deals for some of our talented young players could give them SPL experience. The player I'd like to see come is Tony Andreu, a French ACM who has scored 25 goals in 53 games for the Accies.

 

[Din]

This is another good forum if you want opinions on Alex Neil. It's a general Scottish Football forum, however there are a lot of Hamilton fans on there.

This is the thread on Alex Neil in there:

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/220043-alex-neil-to-norwich/

The overall response seems to be very positive.

 

[Andy]

This is interesting, apparently our new Neil wants complete control

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-neil-insists-wont-take-4944828

Might not be too happy with McNally's football committee then.

 

[Canaryboy]

This is interesting, apparently our new Neil wants complete control

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-neil-insists-wont-take-4944828

Might not be too happy with McNally's football committee then.

Is it just me or does he sound less than keen with this sentence? Sounds like a way to talk your way out of a job, imagine going to an interview and pulling out this line.... 

"I’m not going to uproot my family and move down there for an extra 20 quid"

Also a bit of an odd thing to say considering he's the manager of bloody Hamilton, perhaps he has been reading Norwich forums and seen us all call him the 'cheap option' and is now wondering whether we're gonna put him on minimum wage  :blink:   

​I think what he was trying to say is that he wouldn't take the job solely for financial reasons to earn a few quid, that everything else has to be right too, such as the control of transfers? 

 

[Monty13]

He's been headhunted though, so I think he means what he says and fair play to him. Seems a really strong character, I think that's good but it may ruffle feathers above as well as below, we are all well aware of the Lambert exit rumours.

 

[Boyerboy]

I think that there is still a lot of misunderstanding about the football board. I was surprised by Iwan's comments which were contrary to everything that the club and everyone connected says about the function of this committee.

It is clear that the committee does not run the manager. It splits the club into different functions and ensures that issues such as Colney and what the players eat and who coaches the under 7s are dealt with. It provides report backs and support.

What Alex says in this interview is that he wants control of the first time. Tick!! Always clearly the manager's role. To repeat; other roles are to take care of non first team matters and support the manager.

He also wants control of transfers. There is no suggestion so far that Adams did not have that. Any manager will have a scouting team to find and scrutinise targets. Any manager will need authority from the Board or CEO to purchase players. No manager is given a cheque book and told to do what he wants.

Unless Alex wants to appoint the cleaners and groundsmen, I can't see a problem nor can I really understand what Iwan was so exercised about.

 

[Canaryboy]

I've always sensed that Iwan Roberts has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to Norwich.

 

[cityoldboy]

Agreed. He always has a lot to say and generally there seems to be an issue

with him not being given a chance to manage especially when gunny and NA

have had a go at it.

 

[Fenway Frank]

The full quote -

“What has to happen is, when we discuss things, I’ve got to be happy with what the job description will be and what my role will be, in terms of how much power I’ll have,” he said. “Because here at Hamilton the bottom line is I’ve got the decisions to make, I’m the decision maker and whatever comes or goes is through me. The bottom line is, if I’m a manager I’ll manage. I’m not going to be going for someone to tell me what to do — there’s no point in me going if that’s the case. My description of a manager — and this is nothing to do with Norwich, just my description — is he is the guy that manages the team and any players that come or go. He’s the guy that makes the decision whether they come or go.”

The ambitious Neil admits it will be a massive decision to cut his ties with Hamilton and head south.

“It’s the full thing, the package has got to be right. I’m not going to uproot my family and move down there for an extra 20 quid,” he said. “And I’m not going to go down there to be dictated by someone else who will tell me what to do. Money has never been my biggest motivator. It’s important because you want to provide for your family, but my biggest motivator is I want to do well. I’m a competitive person and my teams have got that edge. They want to win and don’t give in and that’s what I’d always expect. You’re focused on the game, your team and wanting to win.”

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

This is interesting, apparently our new Neil wants complete control

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-neil-insists-wont-take-4944828

Might not be too happy with McNally's football committee then.

Respect his stance really. He wants assurances of what he's getting into and he wants backing. He has a good set-up where he is, he needs to be tempted. Its a massive upheaval moving such a distance, the guy just wants it to be right for him and his family. I would feel the exact same way. Hope this isnt a hiccup

 

[CanaryNath]

Confirmed.

Neil is our new manager

 

[lyb]

The more I learn about him, the more excited I am by this. I can think of another club that did well with an angry Scot in charge that nobody had ever heard of...