Rarely does a team win promotion without a blip. You get the odd 100-points and 100-goals season, and we've seen them at this level reasonably recently from Newcastle and Reading, but, to steal a line from Airplane, there are always times when things aren't so good, and right now things aren't so good. Harry Redknapp says QPR are having a blip, and to be fair to him a three game losing run wouldn't even have been considered that in the not-too-distant past. As the popularity of football has increased and the money exploded, so the media coverage of the sport has sky-rocketed to keep pace, and all three things seem to have contributed to a shortening of tempers and patience. The television money available to Premier League clubs, and the threat of being without it after relegation, has created a ludicrous situation at the bottom of that division where even two of the better run clubs â West Brom and Swansea â sacked perfectly good managers at the slightest hint of trouble. Are either better off under Pepe Mel and Garry Monk than they were with Steve Clarke and Michael Laudrup? - See more at: http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...d-it-was-easy-–-preview?#sthash.0dMKGd9O.dpuf
I have to say that this is an excellent piece of writing from Clive that hits so many nails on the head.
"Redknapp has actually seemed a little agitated, and almost interested, at times over the past seven days defending his position – the first time he's been either all season." I was also thinking this about 'Arry. The press touting his failure has seemed to awaken him a little - question is, is it enough and is there any more bite left in him anymore?
We've got to start looking forward instead of backward. Clive's suggestions here are spot on, but just what many have been saying on here for weeks - pick a settled team and 5 in midfield. I think we need to be bolder - a rapid rethink led by Fernandes, Mittal/Bhatia and Beard (and involving fans groups as well - I think they would be surprised to discover we crave stability, progress and style rather than instant gratification in terms of promotion. Some goals would be nice too) on what this club stands for, what the fans should expect from them and the team, what our targets are and the time scales we have to achieve them, and a big statement to fans making all these things crystal clear. Can anyone remember if the board said publicly at the beginning of the season what the objectives are? I may be wrong but I don't think so - this lets everyone off the hook, and in most businesses the shareholders and markets wouldn't let you get away with it. We have a great foundation with the training ground and stadium plans for an amazing future. But we will never see this if we continue with this hand to mouth, short term utilitarian approach to the football. Even if we go up, with the current attitude I can't see how this will change, and certainly not with a manager who's outlook has always been incredibly short term. Someone posted a very good article on H a couple of days ago, which pointed out that, however long he has stayed at a club, the high points have always been in the first couple of seasons, his teams never 'kick on' to a sustained higher level of achievement. There is still a huge well of goodwill towards TF from the vast majority of fans, myself definitely included, he needs to build on this and get a grip of the football side of our club. Identity Style Delivery Here endeth the lesson.
That's an excellent article from Clive and hard to argue with. One thing though...............I only saw brief highlights of the Charlton game...............can someone who saw it all please confirm that we started with 3 at the back and wing backs, as Clive claims? Can't quite believe we did that if true!!
I was at the game and didn't have a clue what it was. Hughes was the only player in the whole right third of the pitch throughout
Cheers mate. I suspect it wasn't 3 at the back, although you never know with Harry! Where's Flyer when you need him?
No, his biggest critic has thrown his rattle out the pram and flounced off into self-imposed exile...
From the streams I had on it seemed that way for periods but was flexible so that it became 4 at back if wig backs didn't get back quickly enough.
