We’ve now played 10 games in the League and Kit’s record is: 10 games 3 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses 12 points (goals for 17 against 16) Compare that to his first 10 games in charge last season : 10 games 4 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses 15 points (goals for 20 against 15) That was kind of a watershed period for Kit and he was appointed first team coach (on 29th October) after the 7th game in that series. His record for the next 10 games that season was: 10 games 4 wins, 1 draw, 5 losses 13 points (goals for 15 against 17) On the face of it, in either 10 game sequence, we were doing better last year. And that with what everyone, including Kit, agreed was a depleted team inherited from Magath. This season, with a new and stronger team, the football has undoubtedly been better. Kit is on record as saying that he “now has the tools and no excuses”. However the bottom line is that, results wise, there has been no improvement – we continue to stumble along, game to game, pretty much the same as in his ‘honeymoon’ period of last year and the 13 games after. We see the same mistakes being made on the field as last season; we see the same bizarre substitutions; we same the same lack of tactics, be it in team selection to acknowledge the opposition strengths or in changing the game plan during matches. In essence Kit has learnt nothing from last year’s experiences. We now go into an International break. There are then 6 games before the next International break (w/b 8th Nov); Middlesbrough (A), Leeds (H), Reading (H), Bristol (A), Burnley (A) and Birmingham (H). Forgetting all the hype about how tough the Championship is and how ‘anybody can beat anybody’ (all of which is probably true), if Fulham do not get close to maximum points in those games we can forget a top 6 place (Rigg’s stated ambition). Hit the other end of the points tally and our season is either over or worse still, back to the nerve jingling dog fight of last year. As I’ve mentioned before, Mr Khan is in town about now to see his NFL team perform at Wembley. Presumably he will take time out to review the future for Fulham and hopefully he’s learnt from his own mistake of hanging on to Jol at exactly this juncture in the season. The Club have now had 50 odd games to assess Kit’s capabilities so there can be no excuses on that front. The decision is clear, if Kit’s performance is not up to expectations – as his results indicate - he should go now. Putting the matter on hold until the next International break – or even the January transfer window – in the faint hope that all will come good, smacks of bottling it or some might say, a lack of “ambition.”
Agree Cottager, while we do not need a revolving door policy regarding managers, there comes a point where the axe must fall, and with what looks like a talented squad tactically we are still not gelling. 3 games from now what will the verdict be, as these teams are a step up from our last 4 matches
Mr Khan is touted as a self-made billionaire; an entrepreneur with foresight. Makes you wonder why his business acumen hasn’t been more driven towards the financial potential of promotion this season. Goodness, if worse came to shove, with the inflated Premiership TV money up for grabs next year, he could virtually recoup his original purchase price. Is he not being properly informed by his Club acolytes? An added thought is that clubs being relegated from the Premiership in season 2016/17 will bring something around £100m with them into the Championship. Fulham will have the last of our parachute payments, around £10m. If it’s a hard League to get out of now (upwards that is) imagine how difficult it could be then.
A name has resurfaced. The Sun on Sunday, are suggesting that there are doubts as to whether Kit is the man for the job. Their 'source' suggests that having invested heavily in the squad this summer, our indifferent form isn`t gauged as good enough to reclaim that Premier League status yearned for. And, once again, it's being suggested that we are contemplating making a move for the Hull City manager Steve Bruce. Bruce, they go on to suggest, might be tempted by the Fulham job if the contract and budget was to his liking.
Steve Bruce actually has a better track record of winning promotion from the Championship than Allardyce. He has a good record, in the short term, at keeping teams up once they get there, even if he can go stale if left in a post for too long. Even if Big Sam was still available, I'd prefer Bruce. But for the time being, it's all academic.
It was about this time last year that Bruce surfaced as a candidate for the Fulham post and someone the band of 5 looked at?, but due to Symons doing well as caretaker and getting the post was shelved. I have my doubts on Bruce, I think Ferguson used to help him out a lot with loans, and I didn't really like his early mangerial career in dumping clubs when someone came calling for him, the likes of Huddersfield, then Wigan then Palace then Birmingham, now us? I know David Kidd is a writer at the Sun and a Fulham fan, so I wonder if the rumor surfaces from him, in trying to get Symons out. I guess the thinking is a) Get someone in with a bigger reputation b) Stick with Symons for continuity.
It's now or never ... if the aim is to hit the top six. With the players we have we should be doing better and should be more consistent. Kit says that needs time. What I'm seeing though are the same mistakes as last year being repeated and that's not good enough. The points gap between us and the top is already appearing and soon it will be too late to even play catch-up. You may be right and it is all academic Captain. In which case the Club would seem to be aiming at a year of mid-table stability rather than top six. Likewise and primarily for the reason you say SuperBri - he's likely to be short term. But what are the choices now left on the table? Pearson? Lambert? [We badly missed the boat in the summer with Warburton].
Pearson comes with baggage, Lambert might go for Scotland post if Strachan leaves. At the moment, I haven't seen many outstanding team in this division that I could pick with confidence who will be the automatic teams to go up. So if Khan & Rigg still want to compete there a 3 routes they can go down. 1. Get in a manager who commands respect and can bring in Premier class players on his reputation. (MAF did it with Keegan and Tigana). But Khan will have to put his hand in his pocket and defy FFP. Possible candidates: Laudrup, Donnadoni, Rodgers, Bergkamp, Van Basten, O'Neill (if Republic fail) 2. Get in a young manager who has proved himself, not a novice. Possible candidates: Montella, Dyche, O'Driscoll, Hasselbank, Robinson 3. Stick with Symons and hope he is on the right path to compete for top 6 this season. On his past record Khan hasn't got a Scooby.
Must agree with both you and Cottager ,there are no runaway teams in this division plus the fact we have some talented players why cant we be in the promotion push. And while on the managerial subject could Wharburton be persuaded.
I have major doubts about Wharburton being as good as is made out, I don't think he'd leave Rangers, he seems to be a very lucky manager (a positive) but his tactics are poor, I was suprised how high Brentford finished, and I think even if he stayed Brentford would have been 'found out'.
Sean O'Driscoll is 58 - hardly a young manager! I like O'Driscoll - I watched a lot of his Bournemouth team 15 or so years ago, and enjoyed the way they played. There was a time I would have been happy to have him at Fulham, but I think that time has passed now. Another way of looking at the stats is that we are only 6pts off the play-offs. This division is one where anyone who puts together a good run of form in the second half of the season can very quickly go from nowhere to play-off contenders (and often winners). In other words, the next few games won't rule us out of anything if they go badly, and they won't guarentee us anything if they go well. The stats don't concern me. The question over his tactics and all-round managerial ability is a different matter, and one that I'm not so sure I'd be ready to defend him on. I'm also not so sure that I'm ready to call for his dismissal, but he needs to start proving himself quickly. The last thing he or the club needs is fans turning on him and the team from the stands.
Well with time rolling on it looks as though the Club are sticking with Kit for now. Let’s hope he uses the break to get to grips with one fundamental fact – we have dropped 8 points already in the first 10 games of the season as a result of conceding goals after the 86th minute. The frustrating thing is, like all the mistakes being made, that is not new. I can’t believe it’s down to a lack of physical fitness. Is it poor substitutions? A lack of mental fitness/concentration? Determination? If so, these are issues that bring his coaching ability into question.
