Forum | Burley v KMcK by flykickingbybgunn

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Burley v KMcK 21:20 - Dec 13 with 1246 views

Burley v KMcK

It's always difficult to compare managers of different teams at different times and circumstances.

George Burley had the advantage of working with Bobby Robson for many years. He was brought up in the Cobbold/Robson years. As Blue as a stick of blue rock with ITFC written all through it. And we honour him for it. I remember him when he first broke into the first team looking more like a quire boy than a footballer. He took a championship team to European qualification twice, raising the team (I don't know the numbers but assuming it was mid table championship to 5th in the Premier League) 27 places in the pyramid.

George 1 Keiron 0.
But. As we all know, not all places are equal. The difference between 10th and 5th in the PL is considerable and much, much more than 10th to 5th in the Championship.He had to be cute with his signings (as, to be fair all ITFC managers have to be) (Are you listening Mr Keane ?)

Keiron worked under Murinho who was a protege of Robson and took on a team in a dispirited club that had done worse than tread water for two decades. He inherited some players that were not up to scratch.
However he was handed modest funds to improve. He was backed not only by the owners but also by Mark Ashton in recruitment. Two jobs that in previous existence would have been done by Alf, Bobby and George mostly single handed. Meaning that they would have instigated the search, watch and financial arrangements. In 3 years he has taken us up from mid League 1 up 39 places in the pyramid George 1 Keiron 1

But under this criterion Bobby, who took over a lowly 1st division club and only raised it to 2nd (about 17 places)(twice) 3rd (3 times) would not be considered. But for this time Bobby is above argument.

This is about G v K. I have to say that for me the jury is out.
George undoubtedly benefited from first season bounce. Keiron has not. Probably because of the increase in difficulty in the modern PL. Meaning we have had to buy in experience and skill that we did not have previously. George had the benefit of players that were able to step up, perhaps because it was not quite so high to climb.

I would say on the balance of probabilities KMcK is edging it for the moment.

But I am willing to be proved wrong.

But I hope not

COYB

[Post edited 13 Dec 2024 21:24]

Burley v KMcK on 22:51 - Dec 13 with 1143 views

Marshalls_Mullet

They don't need to be ranked.

They have both been great.

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Burley v KMcK on 23:17 - Dec 13 with 1110 views

mikeybloo88

Burley v KMcK on 22:51 - Dec 13 by Marshalls_Mullet
They don't need to be ranked. They have both been great.

But Burley so far is better...proven he can do it at the highest level

Burley v KMcK on 23:41 - Dec 13 with 1065 views

MattinLondon

Burley v KMcK on 23:17 - Dec 13 by mikeybloo88
But Burley so far is better...proven he can do it at the highest level

He proved to have one very good season in the PL and that’s about that at the highest level. Got there, all was great but then brought badly and it ended up badly.

Burley v KMcK on 23:45 - Dec 13 with 1047 views

Marshalls_Mullet

Burley v KMcK on 23:41 - Dec 13 by MattinLondon
He proved to have one very good season in the PL and that’s about that at the highest level. Got there, all was great but then brought badly and it ended up badly.

You can never take away that 5th place finish in the PL.

An incredible achievement at the time, and still is.

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Burley v KMcK on 23:58 - Dec 13 with 1029 views

Miaow

Burley v KMcK on 23:45 - Dec 13 by Marshalls_Mullet
You can never take away that 5th place finish in the PL. An incredible achievement at the time, and still is.

Only four points off 2nd.

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Burley v KMcK on 05:57 - Dec 14 with 939 views

Blue_Heath

DIfferent eras yes but what Burley did first season up was remarkable when you look back at it. We could have finished third that season. Year we got promoted we spent very little compared to what KMcK has spent although I appreciate signings for reasonably big money the following year didn't work out well although I still unlike many thought Finidi was great, Sereni not so.
That said It took Burley several years to get us up. KMcK did it twice in a row.

Both great mangaers but likely both legacies will be they got us relegated from the prem. Really hope KMcK can get us back up and establish us, time will tell.

[Post edited 14 Dec 2024 5:58]

Burley v KMcK on 06:20 - Dec 14 with 914 views

PioneerBlue

I’m not going to compare but Burley started with a championship level team and won a PL managers manager of the year away after qualifying for Europe. KMcK has been well backed and galvanised a group of players to make double promotions. They are both star boys for me.

Now back to fighting for our PL survival.

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Burley v KMcK on 08:12 - Dec 14 with 834 views

BloomBlue

Burley at the moment.

Football has changed a lot especially with money, but KMcK did get promotion via an automatic place, and Burley didn't do that.
But Burley got us to 5th and at the moment we're in a relegation position.
Burley failed to keep us in the Prem after that one (amazing) season.
So if KMcK avoids the relegation failure of Burley over the next 2 seasons then that would make him better than Burley.

Burley v KMcK on 11:26 - Dec 14 with 746 views

algy

"modest funds" "Modest Funds!" MODEST!!!!!! In the context of League One far from modest and when he joins he inherited players bought in a few months earlier who are still playing for us now and had the funds to bring in players in the windows to save our season which was drifting away on January during our mid season slump (not blip)
Tell the fans of the team that actually won League One that year, or the team that finished just 2 points behind us that our funds were MODEST.
Last season was a different matter and KM deserves massive credit for that but League One, don't exaggerate what he did. Without the funds his excellent coaching would not have been enough to get us promoted.

[Post edited 14 Dec 2024 11:41]

Veni Vidi Participatur. Now we can get back to competing.

Burley v KMcK on 11:44 - Dec 14 with 706 views

HighgateBlue

Burley v KMcK on 11:26 - Dec 14 by algy

[Post edited 14 Dec 2024 11:41]

Absolutely right on all counts.

Kieran is a hero, and one of the greatest young coaches in European football right now. He has so many fantastic attributes: Intelligence, level-headedness, communication skills, analysis, coaching. The list goes on.

However, in League One he finished second with the highest budget. That I'm afraid is the cold light of day talking.

[Post edited 14 Dec 2024 11:45]

Burley v KMcK on 12:40 - Dec 14 with 632 views

SE1blue

Burley v KMcK on 11:26 - Dec 14 by algy

[Post edited 14 Dec 2024 11:41]

Agree with all of this.

And the ironic thing is, for both Burley and McKenna the thing they’ve found hardest is investing to go to the next level.

Both were/are hugely successful when able to find a team that clicks - even when that team is comparatively cheaper than the opposition. Unfortunately, injuries and introducing new players is making McKenna’s first PL season almost mirror Burleys second, for pretty much the same reasons.

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