TheBunnyBellEnd
Member
- Joined
- 26 Sep 2008
- Messages
- 337
- Player
- Jimmy Harvey
After the Stockport game I was on a high and felt that the feel good factor was back among supporters and that relations with the club and ourselves had improved. I felt that this season would be one to learn from the lessons of the last and begin to stabilise what was in many parts of last season a joke. I actually found myself having hopes of a comfortable mid table finish and had the prospect of watching a team who would be able to compete with at least some of the teams in our division next season.
I have to say tho folks a good few weeks on from that day in May I now think we are going to be in serious trouble again this year. There are number of reasons for this in my own humble opinion:
1/ The budget- Slashed again this year after having been one of the lowest in the league. Many out of contract players will be out of our price range however will be within budget of many clubs in our division. As a result we are left to sift through what is left. We either have to look at young players, old journey men who have at some point had a connection to the club or young loanees from other clubs in higher leagues. We simply cant lure enough adequate talent here to be able to compete. (The exception to this rule is Ladabie)
2/ The lack of coaching staff. I have more coaching staff at my under 8s team than we do. Again budget constraints seem to be the key here, however I wonder how many other clubs in League 1 operate with only one coach/assistant manager, a keeper coach and a physio? That is about it. Correct me if I am wrong but I am sure Parry came out the other week to talk about a change in transfer policy were we will bring kids through or buy them young to sell them on at a profit. How in gods name is that supposed to work when there is noone running the academy?
3/ The management. I like Les and was one of the people who said he deserved a chance. However I said this on the basis of him having good people behind him such as Allison. He is another to have now left, leaving us with only Shaun and Les. We are pinning our hopes on someone with 6 months of managerial experience and someone who has only coached at youth team level. (This to me is no different than having Digger and Trigger at the helm) No experience and very little tactical know how. Les has the 433 and nothing else in the locker, what happens when by October teams have already figured us out?
4/ How much can you physically cost cut till there is nothing left to cut? Areas of the ground will be closed next season and I am sure more budget cuts will be on the horizon. I very much doubt the supporters would get behind another Les Aid so we can count out anyone like Andy Robbo coming back. I just feel that we are like a business that is slowly getting wound down.
There are my points I am sure many of you will disagree and say, pre season not over yet wait and see. But surely some of you must be looking at what other teams are doing and be wondering to yourselves why arent we doing much. At the moment we would struggle to put out 11 players. I appreciate how hard Les must be working to bring new faces in but as I have said its beyond what he can do as he cant offer enough to entice people to come. We will be playing friendlies as we did last season with a mix of kids, first teamers and trialists many of us have never heard of. Les has even stated that we are bringing in some foriegn lads to have a look at. We will get dangerously close to the start of the season as we did last year and be scrambling around for players.
To me it simply looks like the club is dying and I may seem like the prophet of doom here but I really think we will end up going down. Ian and Admin remember this post for next May, if I am wrong (and I hope I am) gladly beat me about the head with it and ban me for life from the forum. That my friend is how convinced I am that things are simply going to lurch from bad to worse for us over the next few months.
I have to say tho folks a good few weeks on from that day in May I now think we are going to be in serious trouble again this year. There are number of reasons for this in my own humble opinion:
1/ The budget- Slashed again this year after having been one of the lowest in the league. Many out of contract players will be out of our price range however will be within budget of many clubs in our division. As a result we are left to sift through what is left. We either have to look at young players, old journey men who have at some point had a connection to the club or young loanees from other clubs in higher leagues. We simply cant lure enough adequate talent here to be able to compete. (The exception to this rule is Ladabie)
2/ The lack of coaching staff. I have more coaching staff at my under 8s team than we do. Again budget constraints seem to be the key here, however I wonder how many other clubs in League 1 operate with only one coach/assistant manager, a keeper coach and a physio? That is about it. Correct me if I am wrong but I am sure Parry came out the other week to talk about a change in transfer policy were we will bring kids through or buy them young to sell them on at a profit. How in gods name is that supposed to work when there is noone running the academy?
3/ The management. I like Les and was one of the people who said he deserved a chance. However I said this on the basis of him having good people behind him such as Allison. He is another to have now left, leaving us with only Shaun and Les. We are pinning our hopes on someone with 6 months of managerial experience and someone who has only coached at youth team level. (This to me is no different than having Digger and Trigger at the helm) No experience and very little tactical know how. Les has the 433 and nothing else in the locker, what happens when by October teams have already figured us out?
4/ How much can you physically cost cut till there is nothing left to cut? Areas of the ground will be closed next season and I am sure more budget cuts will be on the horizon. I very much doubt the supporters would get behind another Les Aid so we can count out anyone like Andy Robbo coming back. I just feel that we are like a business that is slowly getting wound down.
There are my points I am sure many of you will disagree and say, pre season not over yet wait and see. But surely some of you must be looking at what other teams are doing and be wondering to yourselves why arent we doing much. At the moment we would struggle to put out 11 players. I appreciate how hard Les must be working to bring new faces in but as I have said its beyond what he can do as he cant offer enough to entice people to come. We will be playing friendlies as we did last season with a mix of kids, first teamers and trialists many of us have never heard of. Les has even stated that we are bringing in some foriegn lads to have a look at. We will get dangerously close to the start of the season as we did last year and be scrambling around for players.
To me it simply looks like the club is dying and I may seem like the prophet of doom here but I really think we will end up going down. Ian and Admin remember this post for next May, if I am wrong (and I hope I am) gladly beat me about the head with it and ban me for life from the forum. That my friend is how convinced I am that things are simply going to lurch from bad to worse for us over the next few months.
