Morning all. We all knew Jewells time was up and we should have got rid earlier but when MM came in his initial style of play reminded me very much of the days of RK. It was back to a philosophy of aim for 0-0 with a very unadventurous set up. The Major difference was with RK, this idea failed and we normally lost 1-0 but with the MM we looked secure and would often sneak a 1-0. It really wasnt inspiring football and although I knew what he was doing was what needed to be done I often found coming away from PR a let down. Although I have always liked MM in the past and was not against his appointment, our previous false dawns and the memory of the Keane era of this style of play made it very difficult for me to draw on sense of enthusiasm. I will always be a Town fan and would never consider giving up my support but I was going through the stage of enduring rather than enjoying our matches. Over the last few weeks, since the threat of relegation has become less of a reality we have seen a Town team play with intent and a bit of a swagger. We look entertaining and can compete. I can even see us enjoying a promising season next year. Other than the failure of Cresswell a at WB against Hull and a few dodgy loanees (Mclean especially) I am struggling to see what MM has done that you can really question. We can now .. Play defensively when required and look safe ... Play open and entertaining football when it is sensible to do so. ... rule out stupid mistakes that cost us the match (we used to see them on a weekly basis) ... get a bunch of very average footballers playing and competing with some of this leagues better teams. Not that long ago, Smith was seen by some as not good enough for anyone above conference level, now he is being talked as of a potential premier league player. His change of form has been the most impressive but the likes of Loach, Chambers and Murphy are unrecognisable from the liabilities that wore these shirts at the start of the season. Hyam was doing well enough under Jewell but under MM he looks like he has been playing regularly at this level for years. Our back 5 (with Hewitt rather than Stearman) are under contract and could be the makings of our team for 5 years to come. Midfield needs a bit of work doing to it and possibly an addition up front but the picture looks a million times better now than it did at Christmas and you would have to put that all down to MM. Lets hope the board gives him sensible backing in the summer. Hopefully a few wasters (you know who I mean) will disappear and a few sensible additions will be added to the mix. The championship is never easy but next seasons is currently feeling like it could be very enjoyable.
Good post TB and welcome back where have you been? We have been in this position before, where a manager has a good run and we look with enthusiasm towards next term... only to be underwhelmed again. However this time round, I think MM has finally addressed the issue of balance.. Something PJ never achieved and we finally have a solid basis to build on I also think MM will have the sense of gradual change rather than the annual upheaval we have endured for the past 3-4 years... This is a massive summer for ITFC and I think we all have more faith in the manager to have a positive impact on the squad than ever before.. I think that securing some of our current loans on permanent deals as well as adding 2-3 new faces will see us as a steady championship side and ultimately be able to go through a whole season without such erratic peaks and troughs in form that we have seen so much of in our recent history. It's a big summer but we're still very much a 'work in progress' but under Mick it seems as if we are likely to be going about it in the right way
Good post TB... I think the first thing that happened was simple common sense. We were a complete shambles at the back with Higginbothom and Chambers all over the shop and full backs ending up on the wrong side of the pitch at times in PJs last month or two, although we did look quite decent on the ball at the time. A bit of common sense there and as you say cutting out stupidity and it's allowed the players to gradually compete and then eventually outperform the opposition. I think PJ did well with the players he brought in and it wasn't a Bosingwa situation with lack of effort so it's not like a couple of years ago when the players were partly to blame, it was just pure and simple a shambles at the back.
