Brewster is the man for the job

[Kirishima]

Alex, I think you are partly correct but I dont think people at the club want Brewster out for the same reasons as other clubs.

Differences -

Brewster is having his second bite of the cherry, none of the other managers, bar WS, are. It worked at Stoke, its not working here. To employ somebody who decided to move on elsewhere and made a hash of it is fine, but its a gamble because the fans wont trust his loyalty, he is not an ICT man, and as Highlanders we put loyalty high up on the agenda.

There seems to be some shenanigans, hearsay or not. Players speaking back, incoming mate of Brewster Byrne, who is popular with who?, a revamp of the squad that has left it threadbare and out of sync, players out of position, Marius saga,

Home record has been abysmal, its all good and well getting points away from home, but tell to season ticketholders who give up their saturday to be bored and tormented in the cold and wet.

I think the ICT case is unique

[Scotty]

Sorry but its common knowledge that Brewster handled Wyness situation in the proper way. Negotiations done. Contract on the table ready to sign. Not signing till I get more money. Not got more money to give. Contract withdrawn. Blame the agent not the manager.

Rankin gets too big for his boots. Asks to leave. Is allowed to leave. End of.

Ian Black has a disagreement with his boss now and again. Doesn't mean a jot. Most people have disagreements with their boss.

I don't blame Brewster for the Wyness situation - my understanding is that the agent asked for more money at the end and got told where to go. Whether that situation could have been salvaged is anyone's guess. Only those involved know for sure.

If thats the story with Rankin, then fair play, I agree with that too although some of the other stories set the scene a little differently. Tough or Naive ? I guess it depends on which story you believe.

With Black, I think we all know he needed to be calmed down a bit and for the most part he seems to have done that (and become a better player in the process). Perhaps Brewster's psychology on that front worked too ?

Marius situation - nothing to do with Brew - it was all above his level.

So these things cant be used as pointers to get rid in my mind .... my biggest bugbear is what I have been going on about for a while now .... CONSISTENCY. We need some and we dont have any. If he can find a way to make us more consistent (and no, that doesnt mean winning every game, it means competing in them all and winning or losing on merit) then I will be far more inclined to move towards the "pro" camp.

[ICTJackson]

Whether we like it or not Brewster is the manager and should be supported while he's doing the job. Yes I may call for his head in a moment of sheer frustration after a bad defeat but I can also accept that these things are part and parcel of the game. I always said lets see where we are mid season before judging him and so far I see us competing at the same level as seven or eight other teams around us.

Our fans want Brew out. Hibs fans want Mixu out. Dons Jimmy. Bairns Yogi and so it goes on. Why? Because too many have the Rangers / Celtic mentallity. If we dont win every game we're sh!te and if we go four points adrift our season is over. Get a grip people, its a game of two teams, both of whom want to win.

I don't think my expectations are unreasonable. I expect us to finish 9th MINIMUM because I believe we are a better team than Hamilton, Falkirk and St. Midden. So far we have managed at least 9th every season in the SPL. So that is not unreasonable. I expect us to play an attacking style at home. We are a better team when we play attacking. I expect Brewster to be able to get the best out of the players. So far this is not happening. We have some very talented players at this club, yet often we flatter to deceive. Yes, the players have a certain responsibility but it is the managers job to motivate the players. Only 3 times this season have we played as well as we know we can do. Until we come close to playing to our full potential, then I will not be satisfied.

[Grabe]

John Rankin asked to leave because when Brewster came back he never played him for the first ten games and was told he could leave, then he played and done well and Brewster changed his mind and wanted him, but Rankin was already readt to leave especially after the way Parky was treated.

I believe Dennis was ready to sign a contract, then after a poor game (cant remember v who) he was told it was off the table.

And as for players shouting back at him, it was never so apparent as wednesday night, Black, cowie and Hastings. Seems like discontent to me!

[L_G]

John Rankin asked to leave because when Brewster came back he never played him for the first ten games and was told he could leave, then he played and done well and Brewster changed his mind and wanted him, but Rankin was already readt to leave especially after the way Parky was treated.

I believe Dennis was ready to sign a contract, then after a poor game (cant remember v who) he was told it was off the table.

And as for players shouting back at him, it was never so apparent as wednesday night, Black, cowie and Hastings. Seems like discontent to me!

Pretty much my understanding of events - Dennis was made the scapegoat for a poor team performance. (I do think that his agent had tried to add something on at the last minute (without Dennis's knowledge) and this gave the club the get out they were looking for and withdrew the offer). Very poorly handled IMHO. I know that Dennis and his family were settled and wanted to stay in the area, so he was happy to sign on the terms agreed.

Edited November 15, 2008 by L_G

[Alex MacLeod]

Without seeming to defend Brewster the same Dennis hasn't exactly set the heather on fire at the Midden

[Jay_7]

celtic1caley3 - you've highlighted the un-merited abuse managers get- well done.

Brewster demonstrated his ability to manage ICT in his previous spell, and kept them where they strive to be when he arrived and steadied the ship last season.

In his previous spell he showed he can discover new players by signing Vigurs and Wood from Elgin. He also brought Conway to D.utd and he is one of their best performers. On his return he secured the services of Duff, Vigurs and Wood which can only be good for the long term as they are all good players.

Currently we are only 3 points off the top six.

RIG your right lets put this topic to bed and get behind the management and players'.

In his previous spell ay ICT, Brewster got the team fit. Nothing more, nothing less. He had inherited a team that already worked well together and he improved their fitness. This proves nothing other than his undoubted ability as a fitness coach. His goals also helped - Something he can't do now.

On the flip side of his "ability" to find players (I'd call it luck) he also signed Djebi-Zadi from a German amateur team and chased Barrowman for a ridiculous length of time. So far I have seen little evidence to justify the length of time we chased him for.

[SMEE]

Even IF my views of Brew werent tainted such as they are, my patience with him would long since have elapsed........many moons ago. This is a results game. We are underacheiving under his leadership

[finmack]

It is time for Brew to go. As a player you could not fault him, As a manager he has done absolutely nothing.

[Kingsmills]

Few if anyone questions Brewster' ability as a player. He may just about have been the best uncapped Scot of his generation. Added to that was the fact that he had experience of playing overseas and had worked under a number of competent managers both at home and abroad.

Further, the man was clearly very fit and self motivated managing to keep playing, and playing well, in the most challenging position on the field into his 40's.

All of that pointed to a man with some potential as a manager and a coach. I for one welcomed his initial apointment after John Robertson departed for Hearts.

The initial signs were encouraging and results began to flow but, with the benifit of hindsight, in my opinion, that positive impact was as a result of us having Brewster the player rather than Brewster the manager. That was demonstrated when he left and Charlie Christie, a man with no previous managerial experience, took the club to it's best ever league position with our highest ever SPL points total including a clean sweep of victories after the "split" whilst, at the same time, managing to to play atractive, positive and entertaining football.

At the same time as Charlie Christie was achieving this with players with enthusiasm but somewhat limited ability, Brewster was guiding more inately talented and vastly better paid players at Tannadice to the verge of relegation. Who seriously doubts that if the late Eddie Thomson hadn't dispensed with his services United would have gone down.

Since Brewster returned ICT have played poorly, players such as Rankin and Wyness have depated as a consequence of Brewster's lack of ability as a man manager . There's a strong susgestion that Donald Park went back down the road for the same reason. At the same time what we are witnessing on the field does not indicate that he's learing from his numerous tactical and coaching errors both here and at Tannadice.

As for him being "intelligent and articulate" he might well come across as such in private, I've never spoken to him in person and can only go by his media interviews which strike me as the least cogent and articulate of any current SPL manager and that's saying something !

Brewster may well be a decent, nice man. I'm sure that he is doing his best to manage our club but I have to say that I've seen little or nothing to suggest that that best is good enough.

I have to say that I am genuinely frightened that Hamilton will string a couple of victories together under their much more experienced and competent manager then this club of ours could be in very serious trouble indeed !

Edited November 16, 2008 by Kingsmills

[The Mantis]

I agree with Kingsmills!

Further, we have to play Hamilton and the Midden 3 times each.

Hamilton may be limited as was pointed out on another thread, but nobody's gone to their place yet and given them a doing. Limited players can still get fired up when it matters.

Brew v Billy Reid in a one-off game to decide who takes the drop? I know who I'd back.

Edit: Feck me, they're beating the tims. Mind you only 15 mins gone. Final score about 1-4 I would imagine......

Edit: 1-1, Nakamura pen and the Accies down to 10 men before half time. Oh well, make that 1-6 then.....

Edited November 16, 2008 by The Mantis

[thebigyin]

Hey up FootyFanatic are you craig brewster? You must be either that or you've being going to a diffirent ground from me.

[Joonya]

One of the commentators on the radio yesterday kept saying John robertson was the loudest person in the stadium, and on a few occasions the commentator was lost for words as he was busy concentrating on what JR had to say.

Now I don't know if he was cheerng on Hearts, or ICT, but I would far prefer him to step in NOW than to allow Brew to continue draggin this club further down the table.

We have beaten every club in this league, and know we can take the game to anybody. The league is tight this season, which would seem like an Ideal season to string some results together (there we are again with the consistancy) and perhaps finish in the top 6.

We need someone new before the new tansfer window. someone to look further afield then over the bridge and to their former colleagues, and bring in some new faces and get our beloved club climbing the table.

[Pele_Is_God]

So you reckon JR is a better boss?

[CaleyD]

I can say without any doubt that Robbo would have been cheering on ICT.

[andrewt]

I would say that almost anyone is better than brewster

[Pele_Is_God]

Yeah he proved his worth after leaving us right enough.

[CaleyD]

I'd say that Robertsons 2 Cup Semis, a decent showing in Europe and 5th in the League with Hearts showed him in a slightly better light than what Brewster (didn't) achieve at Dundee Utd.

[Pele_Is_God]

Fair enough, still don't think he would improve us.

[CaleyD]

He also got ICT out of the 1st Div, and not too many would argue with the fact that this is the toughest league to gain promotion from, and he did it on a shoe string budget by getting the best from the players he had available to him.

[Pele_Is_God]

I presume your a fan then

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

The bottom line is that he is a tactical nightmare, he is making one tactical and selection mistake after another and he appears to have very poor man management skills.

It actually really worries me that many posters on here can see the mistakes that he is making but he cant !!!

[CaleyD]

What's not to like about the guy?

Aside from the things I've already mention.......

I like his style, he had ICT playing good football and although he was no stranger to sitting back an using the counter attack stuff or hoofing it, these weren't the only tactics he knew and deployed them only when he felt it necessary.

His contacts in the game alone would be worth having him here and he's been around long enough to know how to deal with contracts etc which would allow us to ditch the DoF giving us an extra ?50k a year to play with.

He's without a doubt a fan of ICT.

He actually has a pair of balls, evidenced by the way he stood up to Sutherland and the Board in regards to our promotion to the SPL....to paraphrase, he basically told them they had better do whatever was in their power to get us into the SPL or find a new manager.

He was/is well liked by both players and fans. I don't remember any other manager who came close to Robbo when it came to doing/promoting contact and communication between the team and the fans....and thanks to that you could actually understand what he was doing, even if you didn't always agree.

And as an added bonus, he's local and I believe he's available.

[Pele_Is_God]

There's no doubt he would take the job if offered it.

[CaleyD]

So other than the fact he left ICT to go elsewhere, can you come up with any reason you wouldn't want him back?

Some might say that to ignore him would be tantamount to cutting off your nose to spite your face and I really don't think we can afford to do that.