What has gone wrong

[MikeSB]

I said that they have to play the kids, simply because this is the Crewe way and there is no other choice, especially considering the large bulk of the money available that has been spent on the academy, meaning there are fewer funds left to bring in players from elsewhere. Obviously, in the past these youngsters matured more quickly and had a greater impact when introduced. I think that Artell is doing the best job he can under the present circumstances. He is an inexperienced manager who is still finding his feet. With the number of injuries we have to key players, lady luck has not been on his side. He kept us up last season and this did not look possible when he took over in January. Yes, he is still on trial, but deserves longer to prove himself. The last manager had three and a half seasons to get things right, when it all went pear shaped. I am not proposing that Artell is given that long to get things right. But to call for his head now is, in my opinion, premature.

I agree Mick, its not him....as said just now, Mourhino couldn't succeed with this squad. I prefer ex players as managers anyway and KL has loads of experience and so it is down to the quality of the players. DA himself cannot understand why the players heads go down and they play so different in two halves? I suppose academies can do the football coaching bit but can't instil the toughness and ruthlessness that is needed and one downside of what was a successful academy is they all think they are future PL stars and even the Chronicle this week unfortunately gave the game away by saying the next STARLET coming off the production line has just signed a contract....Mmmmm, we will see or maybe we won't if we go NL? All fancy football boots and all with Agents hey? Mmmm again!

[alexthe great]

I agree that Artell is in an unenviable position and I believe it would be difficult to attract a better manager with having the constrictions of having to play academy prospects who are clearly not ready. Also his and the club in general is hampered by two emerging players refusing to extend their contracts and by doing so possibly denying the club a worthwhile transfer fee in reward for their football education, probably going for a tribunal fee with a greater reward for them personally.It is because of attitudeslike this I personally believe that the academy is finished with no chance of recovering the cost of running it, having said that I hope that i am wrong

[itwasin]

I agree that Artell is in an unenviable position and I believe it would be difficult to attract a better manager with having the constrictions of having to play academy prospects who are clearly not ready. Also his and the club in general is hampered by two emerging players refusing to extend their contracts and by doing so possibly denying the club a worthwhile transfer fee in reward for their football education, probably going for a tribunal fee with a greater reward for them personally.It is because of attitudeslike this I personally believe that the academy is finished with no chance of recovering the cost of running it, having said that I hope that i am wrong

As i said 4 years ago the Academy has had its day its like a Brick around the 1st Team neck, look at the past players its produced A.J was at the club over 9 years Produced nothing! Saunders at the club for over 5 years Produced nothing? Miller the same now we have Cooper scored 4 goals in the last 12 months who would want him? maybe Leek town.
But when you have a Director saying the Academy is more important than the League Position,you know this club has One foot in the Grave like most of the Directors. Most of the players that have moved on from Crewe do tend to improve so that tells you something about the set up its to easy at Crewe.

[ruocul]

I feel that alexmick`s post is completely misleading. He makes it sound as if we have no alternative and we have to play our young boys. That is basically untrue. We have other players and the team could easily be changed. IMO the team I suggested earlier in this thread would have high prospects of being a vast improvement. At the very least we would have a midfield, something we do not presently have.

Our manager has more or less picked the same team apart from the odd change in the defence, and similar with the forwards. In the last 14 games we have lost 11. From a possible 42 points we have gained 7. How in total fairness can anyone say he is doing a good job, and that it is not his fault.

[ruocul]

Mike if you are going to comment on our current team at least have the decency to attend two or three home games. You are basing your arguement on what McGarry and Morse are saying on RS.

One of their favourite comments is "we are inconsistent" Mike we have lost 11 of the last 14 games. Is that inconsistent? No it is absolutely consistent. The 2 games we won the opponents did not turn up. Did RS ever say that?

Their latest comment is "I cannot understand why our team cannot play 90 minutes" . Mike if only 1 of our central midfielders is playing in our half of the pitch what is going to happen? At halftime all the opponents manager has to tell his players is "they have virtually no midfield so just run straight through them" And that is what happens, and that is why we are losing all the time.

If I am correct is our manager selecting the right players? Has he got the tactics right?

But do you ever hear any of this from the RS commentators? No, and you have to ask why not.

As I say attend and make your own assessment. Because you will not get that from RS.

[alexmick]

[QUOTE=ruocul;38706711]I feel that alexmick`s post is completely misleading. He makes it sound as if we have no alternative and we have to play our young boys. That is basically untrue. We have other players and the team could easily be changed. IMO the team I suggested earlier in this thread would have high prospects of being a vast improvement. At the very least we would have a midfield, something we do not presently have.

Our manager has more or less picked the same team apart from the odd change in the defence, and similar with the forwards. In the last 14 games we have lost 11. From a possible 42 points we have gained 7. How in total fairness can anyone say he is doing a good job, and that it is not his fault.[/QUO

Not misleading at all, roucul..... just my opinion and what I truly think about proceedings at the Alex. I have said that there are no others to choose from, because that is all we have. He is playing the pick of the kids and the pick of what experienced players he has at his disposal. We have three on the injury list who would be worth a go if they were fit, but a apart from that, the ones left out are no better than what he picks to play. There is no money left to improve the squad after the £750,000 spent on the academy is taken into account. I have stated earlier, that the academy should be retained, but scaled down, as we are not producing enough quality either to enhance the first team or to sell on for a substantial fee. I didn't say Artell was doing a good job (he did last season - he kept us up) and that he has to take a certain amount of responsibility for where we find ourselves, but he is doing his best under the circumstances. It is the club 'model' that needs changing. PS I also outlined a team that was little different from your own.