Tommy Wright


50yrs a Saint
 Share

Recommended Posts

Owen Coyle had a bad summer in 2007 but his three signings at the end of the window (Irvine, Quinn and Deuchar) strengthened us and we were on the right track again.

His record in his final 11 games was 7 wins, 3 draws and 23 goals scored, 9 conceded.

He needed a fresh challenge and the split worked for both parties but he was instrumental in where we are today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Enckelman was an international goalkeeper who'd played over 50 times for Aston Villa. Definitely a big name signing for us at the time and certainly not the sort of CV our signing targets normally have.

He was probably more famous for conceding a goal that should never have counted in the first place, directly from a throw in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

McInnes left Saints four years ago but Mannus, Mackay, Anderson, Millar, Craig and Davidson (and Wright until age caught up) are still a key part of our side. That says a lot about McInnes I think. Tommy Wright has clearly done better with Saints though as results on the park prove.

I also think Wright would be gone in a minute if Hearts or Aberdeen wanted him, in addition to the Old Firm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Unquestionably. McInnes built a great team and his signings were really good.

 

It's all to easy to measure great management by success on the park. But if that was the case, Sandy Clark would be one of the top three managers in our history. Wright's legacy can only be properly measured at the end of his time here.

Wright will be our best ever manager by virtue of what he's achieved, regardless of how he leaves us IMO. A couple of extreme examples here, but Brian Clough got Nottingham Forest relegated in his last ever match with them. They've struggled to varying degrees since, but he's still their best ever manager. Alex Ferguson was an incredible manager for Man united but he left the squad in a bit of a sorry state for Moyes to pick up when he left.

Having said that, if Wright was to go to Dundee United, that would certainly tarnish him a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i suspect hed be more so sought after than Del

On what basis?

He's got better odds of going to Uts than DM, but that's because he's viewed as a more realistic target than DM

Having pushed Celtic to the third last game of the season last year and topping the table now by 4 points having played 9 games, I reckon DM's interest would be higher than TW's

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Enkleman played in The Greatest League in the World. I'm surprised he conceded any goals at all up here.

Well he managed fine, remember the cup semi v Motherwell?  That was just one example, he eventually lost his place in the team for making one error too many.  I accept that in his prime he was good but he had left those days behind by the time he came here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well he managed fine, remember the cup semi v Motherwell?  That was just one example, he eventually lost his place in the team for making one error too many.  I accept that in his prime he was good but he had left those days behind by the time he came here.

It always surprises me with keepers - Banks being another example.  Towards the ends of their careers they tend to remain brilliant shot stoppers but seem to make more errors and get worse at reading the game.  Logically it should be the other way around.  Enckleman's decision making was at times suicidal.  Brilliant keeper though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Given Aberdeens resources they should be up challenging and winning cups.

What Tommy Wright has achieved with far more limited resources is far more impressive.

All Del has done is get Aberdeen operating somewhere near their natural potential imo.

We've seen over the years that a number of provincial clubs are capable of winning cups.

Often the "luck of the draw" plays a part.

You did great in winning the Scottish cup, but did so having only played two premier league sides. One was us which you did well on the day, the other is against Utd, who you've had in you back pocket for a number of years. I actually had you as favourites for the final.

 

Last years league, you must have been on reflection pretty poor, having only scored 34 goals in 38 games. Your defence kept you competitive. Indeed only St Mirren scored fewer goals than you guys. You finished the season with 0 goal difference

This year you have upped your scoring rate, but are also conceding at the same and are still goal difference neutral.

So the question you should consider is are St Johnstone improving or not year on year?

I would suggest that the most improved team this year so far appear to be Ross County, with Utd and ICT having regressed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you might be at it here..

Europe 2 seasons in a row and a cup win.

the same as aberdeen who have a far bigger budget.

As Rik says, all McInnes has done is got aberdeen to where they should be.  It was the complete failures of his predecessors over the previous 20 years that make him seem so outstanding to aberdeen fans just now.  He's done a good job, but look at players they can sign: Shinnie, Maclean.  They can cherry pick the best players from other clubs, same as the old firm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you might be at it here..

Europe 2 seasons in a row and a cup win.

the same as aberdeen who have a far bigger budget.

As Rik says, all McInnes has done is got aberdeen to where they should be.  It was the complete failures of his predecessors over the previous 20 years that make him seem so outstanding to aberdeen fans just now.  He's done a good job, but look at players they can sign: Shinnie, Maclean.  They can cherry pick the best players from other clubs, same as the old firm.

they are getting these players ahead of other teams because they are spending money. 

Is this boy another incarnation of that boy fae the cooncil?

Edited by Pat McGroin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

McInnes left Saints four years ago but Mannus, Mackay, Anderson, Millar, Craig and Davidson (and Wright until age caught up) are still a key part of our side. That says a lot about McInnes I think. Tommy Wright has clearly done better with Saints though as results on the park prove.

I also think Wright would be gone in a minute if Hearts or Aberdeen wanted him, in addition to the Old Firm.

Anderson wasn't signed by Del, was he? Likewise, Mannus didn't even play under him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've seen over the years that a number of provincial clubs are capable of winning cups.

Often the "luck of the draw" plays a part.

You did great in winning the Scottish cup, but did so having only played two premier league sides. One was us which you did well on the day, the other is against Utd, who you've had in you back pocket for a number of years. I actually had you as favourites for the final.

 

Last years league, you must have been on reflection pretty poor, having only scored 34 goals in 38 games. Your defence kept you competitive. Indeed only St Mirren scored fewer goals than you guys. You finished the season with 0 goal difference

This year you have upped your scoring rate, but are also conceding at the same and are still goal difference neutral.

So the question you should consider is are St Johnstone improving or not year on year?

I would suggest that the most improved team this year so far appear to be Ross County, with Utd and ICT having regressed

Surely it's the points column that determines how poor or good we've been, rather than goals scored or goal difference? I would certainly have liked us to score more goals last season, but we'd just lost Stevie May and adjusted to that by becoming incredibly difficult to score against.

At this point of the season I think it's hard to say whether we've improved or not, but from what I've seen I'd say we're on the road to improvement. We're better up front than we were, with Cummins and Sutton providing options we didn't have, McLean recapturing his old form and O'Halloran getting better all the time. The defence hasn't been up to last season's standards, but after a poor start I think we're on the way to cutting out those errors and will soon look more settled at the back. On top of that we have stronger options to choose from all across the park.

Not sure about the other teams but my expectation is that, if we carry on doing our usual thing - plugging away and picking up points while no one else takes much notice of us - then we'll be right up there in the top 6 and possibly looking at Europe again come the end of the season. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Hamilton, Ross County and Dundee all spend much of the season above us in the league, only to tail off when it matters. I wouldn't be surprised if Hearts start to tail off a bit as well. United are hard to call because so much now hinges on who they appoint as manager. ICT I think will finish comfortably mid-table-ish. 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anderson wasn't signed by Del, was he? Likewise, Mannus didn't even play under him.

Both points are obviously correct. Anderson was arguably going nowhere at Saints before McInnes took over though and it was hard to drop Enckelman when he was playing well in the few months between Mannus arriving and McInnes leaving. He still identified him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you might be at it here..

Europe 2 seasons in a row and a cup win.

the same as aberdeen who have a far bigger budget.

As Rik says, all McInnes has done is got aberdeen to where they should be.  It was the complete failures of his predecessors over the previous 20 years that make him seem so outstanding to aberdeen fans just now.  He's done a good job, but look at players they can sign: Shinnie, Maclean.  They can cherry pick the best players from other clubs, same as the old firm.

I'm not "at it", honestly.

Your correct that Aberdeen are "where they should be" given our current budget, but I also acknowledge we are helped by Hearts and Rangers not being competitive in our league.

Will both our teams fare so well in the coming years? It's a genuine question.

Incidentally, our signing policy is purely on available free players with the exception of McLean who we paid a modest fee for and is part of an investment they expect a return on.

This summer we signed Shinnie (ICT) and Quinn (Ross County) from other SPFL clubs

In the winter we signed McLean

In 13/14 we signed Flood from Utd

In 12/13 we signed Hayes (ICT) and McGinn (Celtic)

So the team has been built up over a number of seasons, certainly we are not in Celtics financial capability

they are getting these players ahead of other teams because they are spending money. 

Is this boy another incarnation of that boy fae the cooncil?

We are able to pay more wages due to our higher turnover and the recent reduction of debt.

We still operate within a strict financial budget though and would sell if the right offers were received.

Not sure who the "cooncil boy" is, just genuinely having a discussion / debate in the lead up to the weekends game with you guys 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wright will be our best ever manager by virtue of what he's achieved, regardless of how he leaves us IMO. A couple of extreme examples here, but Brian Clough got Nottingham Forest relegated in his last ever match with them. They've struggled to varying degrees since, but he's still their best ever manager. Alex Ferguson was an incredible manager for Man united but he left the squad in a bit of a sorry state for Moyes to pick up when he left.

Having said that, if Wright was to go to Dundee United, that would certainly tarnish him a bit.

Wonder how fans would view tommy if he went to tannadump. Luggy was called a judus for going there & he was a dyed in the wool Arab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Having said that, if Wright was to go to Dundee United, that would certainly tarnish him a bit.

I really can't see Wright going to Utd. It would be like Butcher leaving ICT for Hibs.

He is doing a very good job though and you would expect him at some point to be tempted elsewhere. Right now, I could envisage him taking over Northern Ireland after the European championships, with Michael O'Neil getting an offer elsewhere

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not "at it", honestly.

Your correct that Aberdeen are "where they should be" given our current budget, but I also acknowledge we are helped by Hearts and Rangers not being competitive in our league.

Will both our teams fare so well in the coming years? It's a genuine question.

Incidentally, our signing policy is purely on available free players with the exception of McLean who we paid a modest fee for and is part of an investment they expect a return on.

This summer we signed Shinnie (ICT) and Quinn (Ross County) from other SPFL clubs

In the winter we signed McLean

In 13/14 we signed Flood from Utd

In 12/13 we signed Hayes (ICT) and McGinn (Celtic)

agree mostly free transfers, but that simply reflects the finances of Scottish football just now.  There's not many teams pay a transfer fee outwith celtic.

Aberdeen can still lure other clubs' top players when their contacts expire with their superior finances, as your list of players shows.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

agree mostly free transfers, but that simply reflects the finances of Scottish football just now.  There's not many teams pay a transfer fee outwith celtic.

Aberdeen can still lure other clubs' top players when their contacts expire with their superior finances, as your list of players shows.  

I don't think anyone denies that.

Individuals do not make a team though, that needs to be molded by the management team.

 

Back to players though, I note McGinn is contracted until 2017, same with O'Halloran.

Could we see McGinn move on with O'Halloran an able replacement with SPFL experience. He'd only be 26 by then :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tommy must have made a few bob, and he's not as young as he was. Does he really want a year in charge of Aberdeen or 6 months in charge of Millpeterbarrowwednesday just for short term gain? He'll probably want to retire to Norn Irn and some gentle TV punditry. Pound to a penny his game plan is to stay at Saints until the Norn Irn gig comes up, and use that as semiretirement. He's already our greatest ever manager - another cup and he'll be getting a stand named after him.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share