I must confess to not being too deceived for most of this season, despite our unexpected success leading up to the Christmas period. We have been punching above our weight for much of the time, have had some good luck with other results going our way on occasions, and in GC, we found ourselves a manager that found a way of instilling an attitude in the team of simply not knowing when they were beaten, which allowed us to grind out many equalising or winning goals that simply wouldn't have been scored in previous teams. For that, I give GC full credit, he got a mediocre team at best, to overperform, and that's an achievement in itself. When he chose to abandon Rovers in the middle of what was looking like being an extraordinary season, the team seemed to lose that belief and grittiness that had served them so well, and we have reverted to being nothing more than a middle of the table team that immediately lost the momentum of winning points that he had created in the team. Its such a shame that he chose to walk away when he did, and to be honest, I find the whole scenario unfathomable. I don't think he has bettered his own career prospects, and he has well and truly shafted our season, in my opinion. Whoever replaced GC was going to struggle to regain some kind of momentum in the team, and I fear our new manager may have to wait some time to achieve his first victory in the league.
I have to say I agree with a 99.9% of that. GC did an extremely good with a low budget (apparently). From his 1st game last season to his last game this season, his form with us was top 6. He did a remarkable job without a doubt. But he shafted us and for what? A team in a lower league in a relegation battle when he just beat Ipswich away and his excuses were completely false. They way he left has made me hate the guy. Well you all know how I feel about him. But what I disagree with in your comment was the part about the team losing their grittiness and belief. When GC left, I didn't see us lose belief and that grit in the next game away at Plymouth with JD in charge and we certainly didn't lose it against Peterborough with KM in charge. I think that we have a thin squad because we have 8 players out injured, 9 now with Jaakkola. All these injuries has meant that we have pretty much had to start with the 9 or 10 of the same players in the last 5/6/7 games, which were all played in a short period of time So it was only a matter of time that we would struggle with fatigue. New manager yesterday had only been in charge for 9 days. Just 9 days and it was already his 3rd game. He's had no chance to put his idea's across in training and actually coach players, which is what he is best at doing and he's had no chance to freshen things up in the squad and had to use tired players. Issue is we have another 3 games coming quite quickly. Sunday against an inform Coventry in the cup, then Stevenage midweek in the cup - which would have been good to rest some players but the rules of that competition says we cant rest many players. Then Doncaster at the weekend. Still not much time on the training. Good thing is they are all home games and its just 1 league game. We need to stick with the players and the new manager during this tricky time.
Can't the point of having a Squad when you have to play players who are out on their feet, carrying knocks when fit players are on the bench or not included because some body sat in an office thinks it's a good idea to run players into the ground for a second rate cup competition
Another example of plan 'looking good on paper', dreamed up by out of touch people at the top. Having said that, whilst I can see the problems with knocks, strains and injuries, I am constantly reminded of a bloke I used to work with many years ago. Thinking back, he must have been in his 30s then, and he worked permanent early shifts in a warehouse, 5.30am to 2,00pm. It was physically demanding work, and this chap had a wife and a couple of young children. He would go to football training two evenings a week, played for a team every Saturday afternoon, and turned out every Sunday morning in the Downs Sunday league. I don't remember him ever being off work sick, and always think back to him when I hear professional players earning shed loads of money, moaning about having to play two games a week now and again. Todays professional footballers don't know they're born!
I think a few players, including JCH are struggling with injuries even though they're playing. The thing about management at this level is that you pretty much have to manage what you've got, and I was a bit worried when the new manager had a Clough moment and slagged off the players after the Dons game. Hopefully things will click back into place in the cup game.
Totally agree about us having no option but to make the best of what we've got, that's always been the cross we've had to carry, and no indication of anything changing anytime soon! As our new manager is apparently more of a proven coach than a manager (from what I've read), I just hope his expectations of our teams individual ability aren't going to hamper the method of play he wants the team to adapt. Football seems so damn complicated nowadays, I miss the days when every team lined up with 2 full backs, 3 centre backs, 3 forwards and 2 wingers. I know I'm showing my age now! There was none of this 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-5-2 or all that nonsense, reverse swing diamond formations changing to a parallel vortex countermove if the other team make a substitution within the first half - hells bells! There's no wonder some players don't seem to have a clue what they're meant to be doing. I think the European style of play that has taken over our game nowadays stifles players individual abilities and inventiveness, because it is so important that they stick to the tactical game plan. I watched a documentary some time ago that showed the pre - match preparation that a non - league team were making before an FA cup tie, and you needed a degree in algebra to make head or tail out of it! Needless to say, they got slaughtered, probably because the players were blinded by science, rather than being left to play their normal game.
On paper Garner is probably the best coach we've had at the club. He is a coach not a manager but coaches can become good managers by learning from managers and Garner has been under some very good managers. However I like the fact that his main quality is the ability to coach and his man management skills. I can only see improvements ahead. May be bumpy to begin with but we'll hopefully get there!
