What do you mean "With the team we have"? It's not exactly a team of expensive international superstars. Many of them couldn't get a game at their previous clubs.
By League 1 standards this is an All Star team, made up of lots of the best players from last season, signed for 6-figure sums in many cases. Some (Stephens, Green, Wiggins) were wanted by Championship clubs. This team should be up there come the end of the season, anything less than the play-offs is a failure.
Firstly, the squad is one that Mr Powell has put together. So praise of its abilities is by extension praise of his ability. Secondly, much and all as I'm happy with the squad that was put together, there were no massive signings. It was nothing like Southampton's squad building. What it was was a team of young, up and coming players who hadn't yet made the step up to the Championship. With that comes risk - risk that they just won't perform or will lose confidence. Over a season we will see if the risk was worth it, but I think the squad has improved overall since last season when wages were almost definitely higher. The last myth that I'd like to argue with is the 'we were on course for playoffs last season' one. Parkinson would've had us finish 8th at the very best. After his sacking, the entire top 6 went on a 14-16 match streak where they all got around 2 points per match. There was no way we were going to keep up with that. I understand the frustration with Powell. I can't see the reasoning behind dropping Hayes. I can understand houndal's annoyance at the statement re: Solly, and I get fed up at times with how slow he is to make substitutions. I suppose all we can do is see how he bounces back from it. If we get 8 wins and 4 draws from every 13 match run, we'll be fine.
There were rumours about some players being wanted by Championship clubs but that means nothing, none of them have proved themselves at that level. Hamer was 3rd choice keeper, Morrison couldn't get a game Solly had hardly any first-team experience; Hayes wasn't first choice Kermit was a failure at Leicester Waggy's an Academy product Cort couldn't get a game. Hardly Harlem Globetrotters.
Well I wouldn't have sacked Parky for starters. At the time I wanted Tisdale or Ronnie Moore. Billy Davies perhaps now. But I'm sure Chrissy will be here for a while as I do expect us to challenge. If we don't go up he will be out though - Slater has made that clear. I'm just saying I can't see Chrissy ever becoming anything more than a Paul Ince or Roy Keane type; Success here and there but on the whole ****. I would love to eat my words though.
But that's my point in essence. Football management is full of people who have been a success here and there. I mentioned Allen, Pardew, Wilson...the list is endless. Ince and Keane both got teams promoted but struggled in the top division. Does this make them bad managers? Whether someone is a 'good' manager can change in the space of a dozen games, and there are many qualities that a manager has to have. It seems to me that Powell has the personality and drive to succeed. He seems to have the support of the squad. He has proved he can make result changing substitutions. He has also shown naivety...but this is to be expected, surely? We have very high expectations of someone pretty inexperienced. Accept a few bumps along the way...?
CP is obviously well-liked and respected by most people in the game. He had five years as Secretary of the players' union. Not an easy job with all those prima donnas and scumbag chairmen and agents but he did well. So he can cope with the administrative aspects and he is a natural diplomat and enthusiasm promoter. If we don't get promoted or damn near promoted, or if we get promoted and struggle, I can see him becoming "General Manager" with a more experienced (and perhaps more ruthless) coach (of Chris' choice) in charge of the team. That could work. But it may not come to that. He could go on from strength to strength as he is. It is only 15 days since we deservedly won away at Sheff Utd. How much could go irreversibly wrong in that time? And we still have four loan options left up our sleeve whereas some of our promotion rivals have already used three or four. With Chris' contacts we might get some useful loans, not the rubbish we have been landed with for the last four years. He can pick a player alright. Getting the best out of them, hmm ...
we are going through a bad patch and...still top. Thought dropping solly a bad move and the ousting of waggy too though most on here were screaming for Green to start. He looked good preseason but pre season means nothing. Hopefully solly and waggy will be back next week and we will get back on track. This thread shows again the fickleness of our fans to be honest.
Maybe this goes back to the Ol' Alex Dyer Debate... Sir John you make some very good points; I could spend my life working out how someone with say Pardew's track record can still go and get a job at ease. Maybe some managerial appointments are based on context and circumstance more than ability ie Chrissy being a legend, the board wanting to win the fans over and bring back the 'Old Charlton' etc. A point that still no-one has touched on is the handling of Rob Elliot. That, for me (and without knowing the whole story...), was shocking man management by Chrissy - very naive. As a small sidestep, we've got so many eloquent and thoughtful posters on this forum - everyone always impresses me with their input; If Ponders is reading, I wonder how the idea for a fanzine is coming along??
I'm going to have to take exception to that to be honest - there is nothing fickle about saying this since day 1.
As a professional writer, Kish, I appreciate your bullet-point style to open this thread. Very concise and fluid. Houndal is another who utilises the technique nicely. The fanzine idea remains on hold for the immediate future. I am working on some big assignments for the next 4-6 weeks, but then I shall review the possibility. Yesterday was so disappointing because CP set us up to be attacked. Our system played into their hands and played to their strengths. We should have bossed the game and showed them up to be the upstarts that they are. We were tame and tepid, and CP's changes were bemusing. For me, Waggy, Solly and Hayes have been very good this season - Solly in particular - but now they find themselves bench-warming. CP has to swallow his pride and revert to the starting eleven against Sheffield United. Then make changes accordingly as the game demands - as he did against MK Dons and Sheffield United. In my opinion, CP is the right man for the job - for now! I am not happy with Alex Dyer and never have been. He is a clown and out of his league. Keith Peacock needs to get back on the touchline with CP. A win against a rapidly improving Carlisle will restore order and see us on our way to another unbeaten run. If CP's tactics are lacking, the players are good enough to mount a challenge off of their own backs. COYR!
Peterborough were definitely interested in Green, and Watford came in for Wiggins. Morrison played most of the games in the Leicester team that won promotion from League 1 08-09 BWP was one of the division's stars at Plymouth, and would have gone to Reading in Jan were it not for his knee. Cort, Hayes, Hamer and Kermit were all further down the pecking order at Championship clubs. Hayes has good goalscoring form in this division. Hollands, Stephens and Taylor were key players for Bournemouth, Oldham and Exeter. Jackson is one of the league's most talented players. No other League 1 club would have dreamt of signing Mikel Alonso. For my money, the squad we have is quite close to being a League 1 dream team.
Kish, You are right you have lost my support - re Parkinson. The solid fact is he was and is something nasty you tread in. He couldnt get us promoted with an ex championship side. He has zero motivational skill, zero man management skill and zero tactical skill. In short he (at Murrays behest) almost took us into oblivion, something he is currently amply showing at another mjor Div2 side he will send into the Conference. All he was ever good for was as an advert for Evian. I just wish Powell wouldnt sound like him!! I like the squad Powell has bought in - after all he inherited Parkinsons wasters (ex BWP) We all make mistakes - It just seems Powell isnt learning by them.
I would have been happier with an experienced No 2 alongside CP, seeing Lennie guiding Freedman at Palace to 8th at the moment is a bit painful, as they (sadly) seem a good combination, the personable club favourite, with the old hand to give him advice. I had hoped Lennie might try and sabotage them last season! CP does sometimes seem very timid when it comes to substitutions, I worry about the lack of Plan B when things aren't working (as they weren't on Saturday). And the decision to play Morrison at RB not only demoralises the excellent Solly, but effectively kills the Charlton career of Francis, and must dent the morale of Hughes, so there might be a few morale issues on the right hand side this week.
Morrison has played RB many times before. When I saw the team announced, I don't think I was as surprised as others... Whilst solly has been excellent, he knew Stevenage would be a threat more aerially, thus put a bigger/stronger guy in the side. It's not only CP that does these sort of things as a manger, yesterday redknapp dropped defoe and I'm sure fergie will do similar over the course of the year.
