Where it went wrong - Warts and all. My ranting and musings.

[philthefluter]

0) In the immediate short term we should NOT Rush a new manager

There will be people available or become available that will be the right man (see below point). I believe we need to focus on the elements of this seasons squad that we can keep and be effective in League One. Make no mistake, we have been saved in previous years by teams collapsing. This is our year for it. I believe all players on loan should be recalled and all players here on loan sent back unless we have no cover.

Its evident that most of the current first team should be released. Heres who stays for me; Camp, Price, Wood (Good for a lower league), Broadfoot, Newell, Taylor, Frecklington, Smallwood, Yates, Clarke-Harris - someone get in this lads head and tell him to just run at them. Ill never forget the Leeds goal when he looked destined for bigger things.

Everyone else can be released or paid up. If Blackstock ever gets fit then assess if hes worth it next year - he could be a real asset at League One if he finds his feet. Possibly Mattock on a reduced wage and larger appearance bonus. Lad has talent, just no legs to go with it.

If we cant find the right man now, lets get a short term man in. Heck, even Ronnie at this point and I dont think that its all about "passion" lets not forget, Ronnie got us in this same position back in 2004/2005, though with less of a backing than our current manager it must be said. Still "passion" alone didnt save us then, it wont now.

1) Recruit a manager with proven records of managing clubs in League One & Two

A man who can motivate and coach effectively working with smaller resources but getting success, not just taking over a team and squad built by someone else (Atkins) and hoping to get promoted. Id go with Russell Slade to be honest and id get him in soon We should have appointed Wilder, years ago. Paul Cook would be another excellent choice - he would have got Chesterfield up had it not been for them selling every asset at the club. He knew what was happening and thats why he left. Failing that, id actually take a look at Nigel Clough (who got a lot of undue stick) or go and poach Fergusson from Doncaster.

It doesn't have to be someone to raleigh the fans, the fans will do that on their own.

The club has recent success and good reputation for those who get it right. We will attract some good candidates.


2) Hire a new commercial manager / aim for new revenue through innovation.

Its clear the clubs commercial profile is not being pushed hard enough when our main sponsor is Hodge Clemco, who are tiny and should not have the funds to sponsor as they do a Championship club. But they do. AES would be a good bet to tie in with the stadium and to be fair, the owner is a miller. Infact, hes probably our next chairman due to the growth they were seeing recently. Either Way, progress has stalled and I do think some new blood would help.

Progress must be made on retail or something else in that space, running a car boot sale doesn't cut it at this level. A gym, a pub, more retail spaces, restaurants, a hotel - whatever it is lets get on with something and see if it flies. Start with low risk and move from there - no one wants to be in a no mans land which the ground is as its not on a footfall area of the town centre.

Its easy to say all of the above I know, but still something has to change and change quickly otherwise we will become a mini Darlington, reliant on one man.


3) Commission the training ground

The land at Brinsworth - Tinsley has been owned for years, get it developed with a training ground on most of it and get some planning permission for houses on the rest of it, wouldn't be hard given the area. Id rather us spend £3-4 million on this than on signings to be honest.

Failing this, get planning permission for the hole lot of it and sell it to a developer to raise funds. Roundwood was only ever a temporary fix and yet its been allowed to stay on as our training facility. Facilities DO matter when attracting players at this level with several options. Yes the ground is as a good as any in this league (and better than most) from a newness and quality point of view, but its not enough.

TS wanted to establish the club as a championship club. A decade or two in that league is how you do it from a standing and reputation stand point (see Ipswich) but the facilities must be at that level too. Essentially, the groundworks and processes must match the level too, not just the league position.


4) Forget youth & youth loans

I've heard enough about developing youth. Where are Crewe exactly? The club has four big, big problems locally that will sap up local talent due to better identification and better facilities to persuade players to go there. Not to mention large fan bases in some cases. Academies with proven records of developing top players. Yes, Im talking Leeds, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and especially Barnsley nowadays.

You cant "give youth a chance" when that youth isnt your own. You carry all the risk and non of the reward. Developing some Premiership clubs 18-19 year olds can work, if you get a guy who is top marks within their academy, but usually as we all know and can see this season, its someone with the flashes of ability but perhaps a misplaced attitude with a lack of responsibility. A good time served manager with many, many connections would help here. Sure, youth loans can work to give a little boost and some fast pace in the good times when your pushing hard, when you are up against it you need men. We all liked Vukic in League One, but I wouldn't have wanted him for a relegation scrap.


5) Focus on a seasoned pro in every other position

Sounds odd, but id go for a 28-32 year old player in every other position, two or three at the back, one in the goal, two in midfield at a least one up front on the field at any one time. This is purely a tactical thing but the more experienced players will help the team hold its shape, especially under pressure.

I really liked KJ's idea of a leadership squad within the squad, key players who know the club and are well versed in the game. These lads can lead by example, if not by wearing an armband and organising on the field. All our best teams have done this when you look into it.


6) A degree of honesty and realism

TS has been brilliant for the club, hes talked the talked and for much of his time he has walked the walk. Now though, it isnt as simple as it was. We cant do, without very good planning and a bit more budget, what we have done in other leagues. It simply isnt in us at the moment. We therefore need a Chairman who once again does what he says he is going to do, because right now the past 3 years have a wiff of if being just hot air.




So thanks for reading the essay guys, venting over.

Excellent post Citizen..... One small criticism.... the retained list doesn`t mention Ward or Ball !

[Citizen Erased]

Excellent post Citizen..... One small criticism.... the retained list doesn`t mention Ward or Ball !

I think ward will be gone in January, probably for the £400,00 mark knowing us.

I personally see him as worth at least £500,000 right now, even with a short contract left, I believe it ends this summer?

If we go down he will leave.

As much as I like Wards work ethic and the fact I think he would be excellent for league one, he isnt an out and out goalscorer and never will be. Dont forget, hes been the only striker playing most of the season and as such has had more opportunity to be the scoring threat than before.

Ball - could be a good player long term and may well be the central defender ive talked about in the middle of an experienced two as part of a back three - and I think we need 3-5-2 next season as well. So far though he has been less than capable in this league and in the games ive seen first hand he's been slow to react to danger and not very sharp.

[Citizen Erased]

Well, since writing this post things haven’t changed, a month or so later.

I find this very disheartening and the silence from the big wigs at club is deafening and tells a story or two.

To be fair, I don’t know what they could say. It’s abundantly obvious this season is a write off and anyone who would say otherwise should remember we would now need, in effect, promotion or play off form from the team that’s struggled to keep up relegation form. Yes, what we have right now is worse than relegation form, it’s shambolic.

No clubs chairman will come out and say we are focusing on next season, which would signify us giving up. It’s just not commercial or good practice and will go against Mr Stewart’s grain big time. That being said, I’ve seen about 200mins of effort and skill this season and we are now in January – the outcome is obvious.

It is plain to see from the lack of movement already that we aren’t signing players this time around that will be to build a squad, I now expect 3-4 academy types in who may be available come the summer. What a pointless exercise this is as ultimately it benefits the parent club only, might as well give our own blood a go. Even if they are dross, it’s our dross and they can be forgiven. Sure we need bodies in, but as has been proved this season loan signings seldom give a monkeys about the clubs fate.

Bringing in Warney till the end of the season as is now being reported works for me. There is no one decent about that can do the job (Slade maybe?). Managers will be waiting for us to be weeks out or just relegated before taking over and no worthwhile player will want to come. A player in League One or top end League Two will be looking at a move to us as a move to a League One club right now, they’d do better to wait until the summer.

Save as much money as we can between now and the end of the season whilst blooding our youth and picking a consistent team is a must, even if we are getting beaten.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Where it went wrong?

When we fluked past Leyton Orient in the play off final.

We weren't ready for the promotion.

We had no infrastructure behind the scenes at the club to effectively compete. We were and still are a club trying to punch above its weight.

[mellowmiller]

Where it went wrong?

When we fluked past Leyton Orient in the play off final.

We weren't ready for the promotion.

We had no infrastructure behind the scenes at the club to effectively compete. We were and still are a club trying to punch above its weight.

And based on that assessment there is absolutely no point in building a squad to get us back up next season as the scenario you describe will be exactly the same.
Not a lot to look forward to at the moment.