We promise so much as a team, but sadly deliver so little. Oh for the day the team finally "clicks" or "gels", and all the players produce their best performances in the same match - is it asking too much ? I honestly think Guy has got to drop Johnny Ertl to the bench, as he really isn't up to it at the moment. Appoint someone else as captain - what about Sonny Bradley ? - and choose players on current ability and recent form, not based on their past reputations, and for pete's sake get rid of our useless keeper John Sullivan before his dreadful errors relegate us before Christmas ! The Trust say income is well above expectations, so we must surely be able to find the money to finance the signing on loan of a decent young keeper from a club in say the Championship. Perhaps we could loan out Sullivan to a team in the Skrill Premier League. 3rd eye is quite right when he says Guy desperately needs a 'mentor'. Someone like David Pleat or Neil Warnock would be ideal. They would have the necessary contacts in the game to assist us. I'm sure that Steve Allen is an excellent Physio, but it was him who recommended John Sullivan to Guy, based on the fact that he knew him from his days at Charlton ! Why didn't Alan Knight take a good look at him in a practice match or two before we signed him as a player ? Unless things improve quickly, we are likely to hit rock bottom, literally. Good God, I hope I am wrong..............
I really think you will be wrong Wooperts - we might skirt around the lower part of the table a bit, but I don't think that will be for long. The biggest problem I see with the players is that none of them so far have the ability to be leaders yet - Johnny Ertl has to be more forceful and organising because at the moment they are falling to pieces. I wasn't at the game on Saturday but was listening on Pompey Player and apparently after the first goal the players were squabbling with each other. Ertl should have stepped in and put a stop to all that. It's worth remembering that Simon Eastwood was terrible for his first 20 or so games last season then came good. How I wish we could get Stephen Henderson back - he's just kicking his heels at Wet Spam. But maybe sending Sullivan out on loan and getting a loanee in might be the best move. My biggest problem is that Guy is surrounded by rookies. Letting him appoint Steve Allen as his assistant was jaw-droppingly crazy.
Very true. We need to start managing our expectations a bit. None of us want to be kicking our heels in League Two, but let's be realistic. We are spending the next couple of years paying our debts to former players; money that might otherwise be available for the transfer market. If we get promoted NEXT season we'll have done well.
Good to hear, Qwerty - it's a shame we had to let him go on the cheap. Still, needs must as they say.
