Our form has followed the same pattern over the past two seasons: we were top for several games and then in middle of the table for the rest of the season. No commitment to going up. Now we have had three gaffers during the new ownership. The present was given the whole summer to create a side. But will still have non-scoring strikers. And mostly dross from the previous season. Now the question. WHO picks the players? as it is clearly NOT the Gaffer. I have been told that this is sourced to Mr K Jackett and Mr A Hesseltine. Hessy has sound knowledge, as a player and manager and I Know that KJ has had previous as a player. SO WHY are they persistently bringing in Injured players who can't play, players with no commitment and players over the top. Why is the man in charge of the games get no input??? As Bonner was selected on his previous form as a Gaffer. But all he is is the man on the touchline who gets all the flack when things go wrong. I have been a loyal supporter for 64 years and like many was very excited when Mr and Mrs G took over, and of the recent news Mr P Scally is to be removed from the club as a director ( Dont get me wrong he saved the club from extinction ) But new blood needs to move on. So who employed Jackett and Hessy??? When will they be removed or allow the Gaffer to have some input into selections as he is the one building the team. Or get rid of the Gaffer and they run the team from the touchline
In who picks the team, I honestly don't know the answer to your question Lenny, I'd like to think Mark Bonner. But then again picking the team from the players supplied to you is another question, who picks them. Three managers now and the same problems still seem to exist. We never have been a club of good fortune but I've said before maybe we need to look deeper than the manager. So for me that would be Mr Jackett. I don't mind Hessy for his scouting abilities. Thus as you have already said, we had new owners, but that comes with a problem in itself, and that would be lack of knowledge of our game which means they have to rely and trust on those around them. I think the first weakness spotted there was when Neil Harris went. Don't get me wrong, I can't speak highly enough of our new owners, I love them. But everything for a few years is going to be a learning curve for them and hiccups have to be expected along the way. I don't think it would help sacking another manager, otherwise we are just going around in circles. We are just going to have to ride through this lack of form, because eventually it will give us a bigger picture of who the grafters are and who needs to go. We have two opportunities to change this, the January window, and the next pre season, sorry to say it but it will take that long and we are all going to have to be very patient, losing our heads now and making rash decisions will just take us directly back to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Personally I'm not sure where that has come from to suggest Jackett & Hess are picking the players. Bonner as far as I am aware is the one who asked for the players and its for Jackett to sort the deals out. In the meantime, Hess' role is to be looking for new fresh talent that may bolster us. Bonner has taken credit personally and publicly for wanting both Aaron Rowe & Elliott Nevitt after watching a lot of Crewe last season. Hess I believe is credited for finding Jayden Clarke from Dulwich and also Marcus Wyllie from Enfield. Questions do perhaps need to be asked about what exactly is being looked at into players before they arrive. Andrews already had a poor injury record before joining us and hasn't done anything to suggest that hasn't continued with us. Unfortunately we appear to have a faction of players that were signed to play a particular way and are perhaps unable to evolve. Hawkins for example can only play as one way as a striker or one way as a defender, we know he won't be doing much ball work on the floor and he certainly won't be running the channels. The ability or willingness to learn from certain individuals doesn't appear to have largely increased this season. Ultimately our best players have been a keeper who has been solid for years in the Cat, Armani Little who is new to the side and Jayden Clarke who was already at the team last season. Can't say that the rest of the new signings from the summer have made a huge impact. Nolan keeps going missing in games, Rowe died in gameweek 3, Nevitt can't stay fit, Euan Williams got suspended for three games then went away with Northern Ireland and came back injured so we've barely seen him, Wakeling seems more adept to playing out wide but his parent club don't want him played there so his game time has been limited and then we have a clearly crocked Bradley Dack on the books, wages perhaps should have been spent elsewhere if it was clear he wasn't going to be anywhere near fit this season.
PegLeg I agree entirely, still have dross from the past seasons and too many players injured and still getting paid. Which leaves us short in all directions, Thought Bonner having had all summer to change things, if it is him doing the selections would have should have done better, hence my thinking there are brick walls in place
Kenny Jackett has stepped down from his position as Director of Football effective immediately due to health reasons. Think that puts that rumour to rest to say who is in charge of player choices.
All the best to Kenny Jackett, I hope his health is nothing too serious and this is just a precaution to protect his well-being by stepping down. Whatever the health concern I wish him all the best and a full recovery. Sometimes we talk football nonsense, we should always remember there is a human being at the end of that. All the best for future Kenny.
Absolutely @brb from what I've seen and read of people who spoke to Hess it suggests Kenny hasn't been at the club/signed off sick for a little while so if he needs to put his health first then he's 100% made the correct call for himself, regardless of the club view. Frankly in Hess you probably already have a ready replacement who can step up to do the Director of Football role, having done it before in our championship winning season. He will certainly have had enough experience of handling player and staff contracts.
