Anthony Hudson (FAT Technical Director | Thailand)

In a friendly. Against, not Mexico B, but somewhere between a Mexico A- and a Mexico B+

But is a promising step in the right direction - we'll see what the USA match brings

If we back up for the second game I think we can cut him some slack... if we show it in the Confeds then I think we say, fair play we were wrong.

I would like to see whether he has the courage to play that way in a competitive game where we are the favourites and you are under pressure to get a result.  It's actually easy to play like that where there is nothing riding on the match and you have nothing to lose if you get beaten.  The first couple of qualifiers will be interesting.

Probably also worth noting that conditions over would have been far better than in the islands.  Much easier to press without the humidity.

That's true, but I also have some concerns with focussing on a strategy that you cannot play in half your qualifiers and is heavily weather dependemnt

I have no issue with dropping the pressing side of the plan in the Islands, that is certainly not realistic. I think the issue was what we did with the ball, and the conditions aren't an excuse to hoof and hope.  If we tried to use the ball like we did against Mexico I don't think people would have had the same issues.

The other issue was his duck and weave when asked. He didn't say "Well, we weren't as good as we hoped, but we got through and will be aiming to be better", he said " All the criticism has been wrong" or words to that effect. 

This probably annoyed people a little more than necessary.

Yes he never owned those performances which was half the problem

For the Island qualifiers Hudson will face some pressures from European club managers re likes of Reid & Wood not getting called up. Probably esp from West Ham re Reid, who lets face it is injury prone (lower back/hamstrings), and Hammers may end up in relegation dogfight all this season. It's important that AH has a good relationship with the club managers re his big gun players, and also with the players themselves, re managing their workloads etc.

Suspect that maybe partly why Hudson was so keen to get Durante back in the mix. AWs should comfortably be able take care of the Island teams without hauling Reid on a 2 day plane ride across the world to get his shins kicked in Honiara. Fans need to be a bit realistic about likes Reid not always being available. It's his club that pay his sizeable salary, and keep his wife happy in their Essex mansion.

Should still be able to field a quality first eleven from A League players (esp now Rojas is back at Victory), Boxall in South Africa, plus USA based guys - who will have completed their MLS/USL seasons by November.

I'd rather see all our best players available when we play quality friendlies, like these 2 games and also obviously the Confeds Cup. It's those games that will be better judge of AWs progress as opposed to belting Fiji by 5 goals.

I also have some sympathy for AH giving away caps to youngsters. There is very little depth in most positions (excusing say goal keeper) - so if he can discover a diamond in the rough/some kid who takes to international water straight away that's a massive bonus. It's an unfortunate fact, but it's highly unlikely that his first choice eleven will all be fit and available come WC playoffs verus 5th placed South American team next year (just as Reid was injured and missed the Mexico playoff games in 2013). Football players get injured, or their sisters schedule weddings at bad times.

If Hudson can develop a gem, all power to him - though suspect from now he will settling more on a first choice 11 or 23.

that's a fair call about the availability of Euro players and the fact that we'll never realistically have our first choice team on the on the pitch with the injuries from the demands of the northern hemisphere schedule.

Tomorrow's game is very important for the wider squad to step up as he'll likely give Winston 60 mins max (even without a niggle) so I expect Durante to start and Boxall to replace Reid at that stage. He'll probably also start Cameron and swap out with Lewis.

I'd like to see TAHW and Ridenton get some game time as we aren't well stocked in the DM department. 

I'd suggest Hudson puts out a first team for the first 60-70 with a view to be winning at half time and then roll the younger guys out once the pressure is off and he can justify any subsequent goals with "it's just a friendly ".

This. No reason for him to play not a good style of football from day one. Basicly all the OFC games are wasted because of the hoofball and no tactics for this kind of obvious and plannable conditions.

I've got no problem with adjusting the style of play to suit the conditions. But don't come out and say you dominated games when you didn't, and claim you only changed the style for one of the games in the Nations Cup. Because neither is close to the truth.

So, when we come down to it, the issue with Hudson is not his coaching chops or his qualifications. It's that he's a bullsharkter.

I've got no idea about this coaching ability. But I've heard he runs good sessions.

Lets not forget that performances and playing style in previous friendlies have also been patchy at best. I recall us looking alright against South Korea but awful against Thailand and Myanmar for instance.

The criticism of Hudson goes back a lot further than the nation's cup. Yes, the Mexico game was a good performance, but even if that's how we play from now on that doesn't discredit the criticism he received up until this point.

but that's how this forum works - when a situation changes, everyone is suddenly wrong even though they were right at the time

Not to mention the classic knee jerk reaction which has been in full swing on here since Sunday afternoon.

I've had a change of heart with Hudson, prepared to give him my support, it looks as if the players are. 

I can also forgive the earlier games as it takes a while for ideas and systems to be imbedded... it doesn't happen instantly.

One of the biggest factors that suggests he is adaptive would be Rojas who started against Mexico but was a bit player in Oceania... Rojas did / didn't suit the style needed at the time.

the weekend's game was great. The hard part is to back it up. As someone mentioned we did well in prior matches only for the following match to be very flat and lacking the intensity required.

I really hope the guys don't sit on their laurels as they finally have some good press and fans on the bandwagon. 

During all five friendlies vs Asian opposition (China and Thailand Nov 2014, South Korea Mar 2015, Myanmar Sep 2015, Oman Nov 2015) an intent to press was clear, but not executed anywhere near as well as on Sunday. Mostly because it was *too* hectic and also because it left the two centrebacks exposed.

Calming it down somewhat, having wingbacks (who naturally start higher up the pitch) and putting an extra man back at all times to cover for when the press is broken were big factors in why it worked better on Sunday.

During all five friendlies vs Asian opposition (China and Thailand Nov 2014, South Korea Mar 2015, Myanmar Sep 2015, Oman Nov 2015) an intent to press was clear, but not executed anywhere near as well as on Sunday. Mostly because it was *too* hectic and also because it left the two centrebacks exposed.

Calming it down somewhat, having wingbacks (who naturally start higher up the pitch) and putting an extra man back at all times to cover for when the press is broken were big factors in why it worked better on Sunday.

I've just watched Thailand get smashed by Iraq here in Thailand and can't understand how we managed to play so poorly against them.  The squad that just played against Mexico was actually weaker then the side we put out, excepting Reid, in Thailand.

Are we starting to see what Hudson was talking about?

I'm hoping that the Mexico result isn't just a flash in the pan and that we will see the same against the US as well as the WC qualifiers in November.

Had we kept Emblin would we be in a better place now?

[redacted]

Wow what a touching story.

Still don't like him.

No one is saying you aren't entitled to your opinion, just thought I'd offer one from someone inside the camp who can give a different perspective than the conjecture all through this thread.

Current AW may ask his missus to hush, before attending her next morning tea!  He may not care for his thoughts to be all over the interweb!

Interesting gossip though on AH's relationhip with senior AWs. Hudson's a young coach. Must be only just older than some of senior pro's himself. It's just common sense that his man management skills will get better with experience.  If an old head like current AW, who will have been exposed to many different gaffers over the years, rates Hudson's technical expertise that's a good thing.

Still he could give his likeability a boost and not hang out with that worm Tony Veitch.

That should be treated as privileged. You should have made it 'I spoke with an AWs wife.' to make it a bit more ambiguous. You've probably put **** in a spot with your comments.....

I'd agree, but it's not like he's said anything overly controversial.

.

Fair call, will remove.

I'd leave up Nelfoos, as is a very valuable insight into AWs camp - and a more knowledge assertion on AH's ability than 95% of us would ever know. Just suggest edit as per Vader's comments.

His name is all over this thread now, not worth losing my source!

Its probably enough to say that the AWs players like Hudson as a coach and want him to hang around and that he has shown a willingness to the squad to learn from his mistakes.

Maybe a mod can sensor it? Would love to have more insights.

As one of his loudest critics here, I need to congratulate Hudson on the teams performance on the 'tour'.  Not for the results (even though they are great), but for how we played.  We actually put into practice a lot of what he has been talking about since he took over, and I hope it continues as it is incredibly positive.

Yes he certainly has earned praise especially when we have all been so quick to give it out. 

For the meantime, he can rightly say he told us so.

Fixed!