I am not being naive at all. The reason I highlighted those two players is because they were in the spotlight on Saturday for all the right reasons. As I say League One and Championship respectively. I came home from Aldershot and watched a team that limped over the line with another point, certainly not a team built for League One. MA makes the comments of smashing L1, he makes the comments of praise in the media, he tells us how lucky we are to have certain players, all his words not mine. If someone pats you on the back then start looking over your shoulder. However, I will not highlight the frailties of his way any further, I will leave that to the Chairman's cheque book to highlight during pre-season. MA has achieved his goal but because of his rotation system then the subsequent ins and outs, he is relying on nothing more now than pure solidarity during the final hurdle. It should not be like that. I could explain further but alwaysright has about summed it up for me. I look at this way, if he proves me wrong next season then and only then will I put my hands up and say I was wrong. For the love of my club, I hope he does but he will never lead me blindly with his psychology. I'm too deep a person for all that stuff.
Ok so maybe niave wasn't exactly the word I was looking, all I meant is that you were missing the bigger picture as I see it, although you do mention the crux of the matter, what is best for the club and success it what best for the club. Martin Allen so far has been good for the club, that facts speak for themselves; last season also rans, this season automatic promotion is on the cards. How he achieves these goals is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned, if a few popular players go then so be it, the club is the important thing not the individuals involved. As for next season, we don't know, it is in the future, all sorts of things could happen, so to judge Allen on assumptions and predictions is a nonsnese. Yes currently we may not have a squad that can compete in L1 but it doesn't have to, it has to win promotion to L1 which it is proving successful at. It is not fair to judge Allen on something that has not happened yet.
I wish people would stop talking as if we've already won promotion. There is a LONG way to go, 8 points clear is not much, it's only 3 games. It's irrelevant how well this team may/may not do in League One, we need to get there first! If we go up, then we have the summer to make any signings required. The main thing for me is that our defense is rock solid (like Pulis' 95/96 team). That is something to build on, should we go up to League One. I only wish the support was as good, and as positive as it was in 95/96.
When we went up in 08/09, the defense was half-decent, and heavily reliant on Simon King. In hindsight our fate was sealed in pre-season when King got injured. In this team however, the defense is solid as a unit and not reliant on one person.
With respect Steve, I refer back to MA again, I thought he was the one that suggested he was building the L1 team this season. I thought it was his words that were not just concentrating on promotion this season but preparing to smash L1 next season. I remember picking up on his comments at the time and clearly stating that he will not be requiring the Chairman's cheque book in the summer. So are we saying despite the endless changes we are still going to be making more in the summer. I guess that is the flair he was talking about. The support is still there but it is just MA makes some questionable statements and people have easily forgetful memories, hence the absence of not referring back to them. I'm sure people will refer back to my comments a lot easier when he smashes L1. Maybe this is all a clever ploy by MA. Maybe Payne and Essam are getting higher league experience for a reason, maybe the players that need to be looking over their shoulders are the one's with us now. Because it don't make any sense to me otherwise, spending more money, when we actually had the required players who are now playing higher league football already!
Taking an stylistic approach from Alwaysright I would like to point out the verb is building... in the future and present tense implying it is an ongoing process and not the finished article
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2013/january/3/allen_on_league_1.aspx “Every player that I brought in can play at League 1; it’s the criteria, simple,” said Allen. Can someone remind of all the players MA has brought in on loan and who he has actually signed in readiness for next season out of his current squad - I'm losing track with all his tinkering? Just so that I can get a better measure of that ongoing process - lol
At last - somebody who realises that I have style ! BSG this one's for you - although don't take the words too literary - I'm not that way inclined. [video=youtube;dJm51jsRoo0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJm51jsRoo0&feature=player_detailpage[/video]
Honest answer - if I manage to get a tan - in my younger days I looked a bit like the guy on the left - with the stupid half grin ( which I haven't lost ) - I think I may still have some shirts like he's wearing
Is there a player that Allen has brought in who isn't capable of playing in L1? I can't think of one off the top of my head. What Allen hasn't said is that "I am not going to need add anymore players in addition to those I have brought in" that is something you had implied, which I can't see. I expect Allen to chop a few more players in the close season and bring in new recruits, hopefully more atacking options.
Give me a list of EVERY player loan or otherwise that MA has brought in this season and I will answer your question. I'll get the ball rolling, Deon Burton, if I have to endure another performance like Aldershot, then he can be released at the end of the season. Now let me think of another one...oh yeah the forward that managed one goal in twelve games, Ben Strevens what happened to that success story? This League One capability is not looking to good so far. Then let us not forget he wanted Wright but he for some reason found Colchester more desirable. Best signings well that would be Nelson, Legge and Barratt and probably in that order. As for midfield and strikers, the only success story I've seen in that department was Cody, can MA really claim that as a personal capture. Also that would not count as a League One signing. How many loans have we got, does this hinder our so called rebuilding this season for next season.
Well you have a good point on Strevens but to be fair to MA also saw the problem and let him go. I think you are being grossly unfair on Burton though, he has chipped in with some key goals and performances (albeit mainly away) this season and we wouldn't be where we are without him. I guess we could go on like this all day with neither of us convincing the other. I feel it comes down to trust, I have belief in what MA is trying to do and am convinced by the progress we have made this season, you are clearly more cynical and less convinced.
Fair points and you have probably hit the nail on the head in that there is a cynical side of me that comes out with MA. I wonder sometimes if it is because he likes his publicity with the media and I am one of the biggest cynics of the media. So it sort of crosses swords with me, especially if I start picking up on certain contexts and then cross that with the psychology and it sets me off on one.
Statement, wants to bring in league one quality players Reality, not possible as they would be in demand by league one teams or be out priced in wage demands etc so personally I'm sure MA has done the best he could with what was available and what he needed to bring in given the out goings etc. I think some of the players that left may have left more through their own choice of not getting regular football than MA getting rid of them
Weston has also been a very good signing. How many matches have either Barrett, Nelson and Legge been m.o.m Just shows they have mostly kept us top of the league, without them we would have dropped in to 6th or 7 th trying to stay in the play offs.
