I am not a manic depressive. I find that the way to avoid mood swings between total despair and insane optimism is to look at the task ahead with realism and set achievable targets. We have only a weak chance of staying up now. Before the Newcastle game, I had thought that all 8 matches through to Bolton away were winnable and needed to be won more often than not. Since then we have beaten Wigan and drawn with Villa and lost the rest each by the odd goal. In each of the defeats we have played well in patches and should have picked up all 3 points. Last season we would have done. Simply because we played with a belief that we would win and never stopped trying. Sadly our last 8 games are a complete nightmare and so while my heart hopes for a miracle, my head tells me that the damage has already been done.
The immediate task is to rebuild team spirit and morale. Those who do not want to pull together should be relegated to the subs bench and reserve team immediately. Those willing to roll up their sleeves for the fight ahead should be given every encouragement even if we end up 3-0 down in future games. Some of them may be (are clearly?) not good enough in the long haul. However provided they all give the same commitment to their team mates and to us for the remainder of the season, I for one will be grateful. If, by a miracle we do stay up that's great. However the emphasis for me has to be on laying down the foundations now for a successful return to the top flight next season.
That means stability throughout the club, and a team that plays together consistently from here on in. And no I don't want to see that newly found morale destroyed in the close season by another spending spree. The players we now have should be good enough. I for one would impose a "one in one out" rule for transfers in the summer.
The immediate task is to rebuild team spirit and morale. Those who do not want to pull together should be relegated to the subs bench and reserve team immediately. Those willing to roll up their sleeves for the fight ahead should be given every encouragement even if we end up 3-0 down in future games. Some of them may be (are clearly?) not good enough in the long haul. However provided they all give the same commitment to their team mates and to us for the remainder of the season, I for one will be grateful. If, by a miracle we do stay up that's great. However the emphasis for me has to be on laying down the foundations now for a successful return to the top flight next season.
That means stability throughout the club, and a team that plays together consistently from here on in. And no I don't want to see that newly found morale destroyed in the close season by another spending spree. The players we now have should be good enough. I for one would impose a "one in one out" rule for transfers in the summer.

