The Poolie Bunker

I think about him a lot. I think about how he was the heart and soul of this club, how he was mistreated and how I hope he returns someday under better circumstances. He understands us as a fan base, he is one of us and I think we'd be lucky to have him back as a manager. Maybe we can make it happen one day, whether it's when Raj has gone, or if it comes to a phoenix club. For now, I hope he's doing well and learning a lot from Dave's big juicy brain.

Any body applying for the managers job must realise it’s seasonal work…the season lasting about 20 weeks……..good for someone with a few hours a week to spare……and not too attached to the job.

Oh I couldn't care less who our NEXT manager is. Re Sweeney I'm talking about a post-Raj world.

Don’t hold your breath.

Oh I won't. As my Dad just correctly pointed out, it's very likely that he will continue his upward trajectory with Stockport/Challinor. It's very wishful thinking. Things are just so atrocious at the moment that wishful thinking is all I have haha!

I agree with Darylmore; the club needs more people with the same love and dedication for HUFC as Anthony Sweeney and the fans.

Surely Nicky Featherstone falls into that group too, but just because he isn't performing miracles let's turn our attention to another ex-player and coach, whoever is doing this job having a fully fit squad would help enormously, let's be honest because of our squads distinct lack of depth as soon as we get a couple of injuries we are pants, nobody can do a decent job with this squad untill we have a fully fit contingent.

If Sweeney has any sense he will clear of Pools, he has a wife and family to think about, anyway didn’t Singh sack him ?

Again, this was in a post-Raj scenario. Nicky Featherstone does indeed fall into the same category, but Sweeney has a lot more experience with coaching and has gotten some great results in the past as caretaker. Beating Sheff Wed away in the League Cup springs to mind. I would keep Feaths on as a coach as well in my imaginary scenario, as I do think we need people at the club that get us as fans.

thought he just left for a better offer at a league 1 club and who could really blame him.

Fev is still at the club because for years nobody else wanted him. Don't forget he walked away from the club and out of the football picture for a while rather than accept an offer he was made. He's a mercenary, the same as 99% of players in the game nowadays.

you mean the same featherstone who split the fanbase since he arrived at the club. i always rated him but many others did not.

I understand the point about him leaving for a bit and coming back, I still think calling him a mercenary is harsh. Re Sweeney, he's also a local lad and was here for our most successful period ever. When I originally made the post it wasn't to diminish Nicky Featherstone or any former players and coaches, I just think Sweens is a stand up guy and an excellent coach. It would seem Dave Challinor agrees, and I'd trust his opinion given what a fantastic manager he is. He also warned us about Raj when Raj's stock was at it's absolute highest but oh well.

Fevs needs our full support as he is in a difficult position.
Sweeney would be good but only when we have different owners.
It sounded poor yesterday and this joke of radio coverage must end.

basically only having new owners will be the only thing that could make the difference. thats certainly not nailed on but there is no real future until that happens.

Agree but until then we need to stay in this league at least and a point is a point.

You really did not see the match, Did you.

Very true, and most of us are aware of that fact. After the Solihull game I was daft enough to say how much I was looking forward to watching Oliver and Reid as a front two. Might have guessed neither would be fit to start last night and we'd be back to Desperate Dan Johnson as the only available striker

Hang on a minute - Oliver Reid? That's nearly as good as Hartley Poole

When the scenario Raj ends…… ? Tony will be getting aroused by adverts for stair lifts and retirement homes.
We’re now the Hotel California of football.

Rather depressingly, I'm of the opinion that we won't be rid of Raj until he cashes his chips.

You’re right, we’re in suspended animation…going nowhere and I see no end to this excuse for a football club remaining in the doldrums

Sweeney is far too bright, considerate and honourable a person to return given that he already has personal experience of what the current owner/fraudster is in the process of doing to Hartlepool United Football Club.

he is far too bright to take on the managers job anyway and is better off working behind the scenes as a coach.

Hartlepool United legend Antony Sweeney has emerged as the surprise bookies' favourite to become the next permanent Pools manager according to our ‘local’ paper The Mail.

Dont do it Tony, get a job in McDonalds if you want a change.

What about Steve Howard, the time is surely right now!

TBH i would rather stick with Fevs as he seems immune to the shite that goes on at Pools.
Maybe he gets a "shot" with his yearly flu jab.

I agree, I can’t see what Sweeney would bring to Pools any different from Featherstone.

Coming back under this musical chairs regime would be ill advised given the average life expectancy of managers

It's hard to say whether this is just paper talk or the bookies trying to drum up a bit of interest in a moribund betting market.

Has anyone ruled himself out of this alleged recruitment process? When Lee Catermole is installed as the bookies' favourite we'll know it's a wind-up.

Like most things concerning the club, manager recruitment is a mystery to anyone outside Raj's charmed circle of advisers - who predicted that Sarll, Limbrick or Grayson were coming in?

My guess is Featherstone has been given x number of games to prove himself - but it's only a guess.

he had the chance to do the job before so why would he take it now in the state the club is in off the pitch and leave a coaching job at the league 1 leaders to do it.

Maybe we're missing something here. What if a takeover is in the offing and Our Tony has been approached with the offer of a decent sized contract.
Keep yer powder dry lads.

If was the owner, and I am not, thank feck, then I would give Fevs the remainder of the season.
In fact I would give Fevs the job anyway, he has my blessing.

As for any potential takeovers, I won't hold my breath just yet....

Although we all like to believe otherwise, a 'post-Raj world' is currently about as attainable as Shangri-la, Nirvana, Valhalla, Net Zero or any other flight of fancy that depressed citizens of the 21st Century may conjour up in their troubled minds.

Hard to believe that back in the 60's we kids used to look forward to the 21st Century via the NASA space program, Gerry Anderson's brilliant Fireball Xl5, Stingray, Thunderbirds etc, James Bond 007 and of course James T Kirk & Spock in Star Trek.
I even used to dream of Pools one day beating the Boro and Mackems in the (then) 2nd Division.

No way could I have forseen what a shithouse the 21st Century world would turn out to be with Covid, wild weather, no snow, totally inept politicians, immigrants flooding unchallenged into the country, rampant crime, thousands of manic drivers doing whatever they like on UK roads and HM prisons full to the brim. Worst of all is living in a time when Pools are a perennial non league club run by an equivalent of Dr Evil with no prospect of anything changing anytime soon.

need to get tony blair back to lead the country as when he was in power pools were actually at there best. at least we had football to take our minds off politics,