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Where do we go from here?

Discussion in 'Gillingham' started by itstimupnorth, Jan 10, 2022.

  1. itstimupnorth

    itstimupnorth Well-Known Member

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    OK, I'll have to do my best to express my feelings in language that is permitted on this board, and not the language that I'm sure will be used when I meet up with other northern Gills at Wigan in 10 days or so.

    But the honest answer to the question I have posed is "*****d if I know"

    There can be little doubt that the club is in deep crisis with a Chairman who has been alienating fans in their thousands - which when you've got a fan base of only a few thousand is not a good plan, and a now departed manager who adopted tactics that neither the fans, nor more importantly, it seems the players could comprehend which means that we now find ourselves in the situation of being effectively 8 points from safety because of our appalling goal difference, having only scored 18 goals and accumulated 18 points in 24 games so far this season (0.75 points per game), and probably needing at least 32 points from the remaining 22 games (as near as damn it 1.5 ppg - double what we've achieved so far). I forget where the comment originated, but any prospective manager being interviewed for the job and questioned whether he would be able to keep us up should respond that the impossible can be done at once, miracles take a bit longer.

    I have long argued that under the present circumstances (= ownership) any thought of Championship football is pointless. Even if by some miracle we had achieved it, the resources and finances of the club would have meant that we would have been terminally uncompetitive, and demoralizing relegation would have followed. As it's turning out we're almost certainly going to get the demoralizing relegation without troubling the Championship. I can only think that Scally's apparent obsession with the Championship was because he would have found it easier to sell the club for a higher price as a Championship side rather than a L1 side.

    However the Chairman appointed Evans with a target to achieve Championship football. Granted that covid has been a significant factor in causing probably most clubs to re-assess their financial situation over the past couple of years, but even without covid I think the dream would have become a nightmare.

    So maybe (I can still dream) this is an(other) opportunity for a re-set, and to put the club back on a more competitive footing, both from a football and financial viewpoint. You so often hear of clubs that have appointed ambitious young managers - and I'm talking L1 and L2 clubs here - with a view to playing a modern style of attractive looking football, while at the same time developing young players. Like it or not we need to develop and sell players if we are going to able to survive, let alone compete, even at L1 / L2 level. For too long managerial appointments seem to have been made on the basis of familiarity (Hessenthaler, Pennock, Lovell) or long experience and track record (Ternant, Allen, Taylor (2nd and 3rd stints), Evans). Unfortunately even the experiments with Edinburgh and Stimson didn't work out in the longer term either, but at least we saw some short term progression on the coaching side under them. No, I can't offer any names, but I'd welcome someone more in the Edinburgh / Stimpson mould than the Allen / Evans methodology.

    Another question is whether we should cash in now on the 3 players that would generate some income - Oliver, Tucker and Dempsey. All are out of contract in the summer. The counter to that is that they are 3 of the key players we'd need to have any chance of staying up, but if relegation is accepted as being inevitable (privately within the club, rather than publicly) then a new manager might as well start the rebuild now, without players that he won't have next year anyway. Reportedly offers have been received for those 3, but all fell short of the valuations that Evans put on them. The gamble therefore is whether the possibility of L1 football next season, and the financial rewards that will bring, is greater than the income generated from the sales of those players, plus L2 income.

    Maybe, by the time I see my next match at Wigan, things will have become a bit clearer. However I'm grateful that it's a game I can get to by public transport, which means I don't have to make any limitation on pre-match alcohol intake. Dry January?? B*****ks.
     
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  2. brb

    brb CR250

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    I'm in agreement with your thoughts itstimupnorth.

    Dempsey is more or less going whether we like it or not, I guess. I think the time has now come for Tucker to move on, IF the opportunity arises for him, maybe at a better L1 club that can develop him ready for the Championship. Oliver does not fit for my personal style of football.

    The most memorable time from mangement in those listed, was without doubt Edinburgh, outside of winning a trophy, otherwise the natural would be MA. Edimburgh showed what we could do with the young players, anyone remember Sheffield United, the first home game of the season, at home 4-0 victory, of course you all do... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33744300

    Just look at a few of the players in that team, where the hell did it all go wrong! We had a certain John Egan in that team, why Manchester United ever paid £80M for Maguire is beyond me, I think they chose the wrong player there and I still believe that today.

    So we've gone from L2 Champions, along with setting our L1 campaign a light in 2015, to the miserable place we are today.

    Covid certainly has done us no favours, now we need to pick up the pieces and start again, oh my, I really hate L2 football, can't they just put us straight in the National League.

    I know, I'm crazy, but no more crazier than people that talk of dry January's. What he said in the previous post, with horns on mate.
     
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  3. brb

    brb CR250

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    #3
  4. brb

    brb CR250

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    Club official update: https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2022/january/club-update---10.01.22/

    The Football Club can provide an update to its supporters ahead of Saturday's game at home to Burton Albion.

    The club can confirm that Chairman Paul Scally met with senior members of staff, and a number of senior players, at the stadium this morning at 0830 before addressing the entire squad at 0930 to discuss the week ahead.

    There, it was unanimously agreed that the Chairman should try and bring someone in to help on a short-term basis, to run the game on Saturday, and everyone was happy for Steve Lovell to come in and offer his support.

    He met the team at the training ground, and he will assist as much as he can while a permanent replacement is found.

    Steve will be assisted by Alex MacDonald; they will prepare the team ahead of Saturday’s visit of Burton Albion.
     
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  5. itstimupnorth

    itstimupnorth Well-Known Member

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    I guess something had to be done.

    Unlikely to make any difference to the outcome of the season, although reading between the lines it seems the players might now be a bit more happy
     
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  6. Resurgam

    Resurgam Top Analyst
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    Just wondering how this will affect your loan signings. Will they go back to their parent clubs or will they stay with you for the rest of the season?
    Obviously I am interested becuase of the 2 players that are on loan to you from us.
     
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  7. brb

    brb CR250

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    Not sure how it will affect the loans mate. After the way Charlie Kelman appeared to be treated, I'd doubt QPR will be sending anymore loans our way. I believe Adshead is still out injured. Things have not gone well this season under Evans, I'm just glad he's now gone and we can hopefully start to sort out this utter mess.

    I certainly looking to seeing some changes under the temporary manager. Although we are not flush for choices.
     
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  8. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    Well as far as we are aware Adshead has still got a broken foot and is doing his rehab with you. I would imagine now that would be the end of any chance of him returning as he won't be fit until the end of the month and we need players now. As for Dickson-Peters I can't see him going straight back as we still desperately need strikers. He will actually probably fit the system our caretaker manager will implement for the next couple of weeks.

    If I was Chelsea though, I would be looking at bringing Cumming back. He deserves to be playing much higher up than us.
     
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  9. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    Chelsea should leave Cummings with us. If he goes elseware would he be starting games on a regular basis like he is here. The others not bothered as long as can be replaced
     
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  10. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    I would argue Cumming's talents would be far worthy of a team higher up League One or even in the Championship. He's made more saves than any other keeper this season but also has a very high save percentage. Of course we would all love him to stay, but he's a bit too special for a team fighting relegation in the third tier.
     
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  11. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    Teams higher up the league probably already have decent goalkeepers so won't need him unless injuries. So very likely stay at Gills. Hopefully bring someone else in from Chelsea
     
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  12. Lord Sondes Clock

    Lord Sondes Clock Active Member

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    A team like MK Dons?
     
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  13. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    Oh no. Bad news
     
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  14. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    It seems I was wrong about Cummings. Maybe Mk are thinking of signing Cummings on a permanent deal in summer
     
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  15. WINDYROG

    WINDYROG Well-Known Member

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    Sadly, it goes to show the regard (or lack of) that Gills are currently held in.
     
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  16. alwaysright

    alwaysright @ Very Angry Camel

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    Tim - re your question - apologies for my 'late' reply -- which is -- League 2.
    Today ( first 30 minutes ), was much, much better than for several weeks.... We played good football, passing and moving quite quickly.... We then seemed to start to crawl towards half time.. We lost a lot of early 'intensity.' Dempsey, particularly, showed why we have missed him....

    ..... So - what happened in the 2nd half ?... It wasn't as if Burton suddenly became World beaters... For some inexplicable reason, the defence ( in particular - and chiefly Jackson and Ehmer ), were really poor, and extremely negative - and resorted to hoofball.---- well, we all know where that's got us this season !....... I also wasn't overly impressed with Oliver..... I felt that it might have been better to have played Kelman and Dickson-Peters up front..... That might have given our defenders the hint to keep the ball on the grass..

    Gills have horrible deficiencies in the defence.... The quality in several other psitions is not much better than League 2...... and I will get the chance to test my theory in a few months time.
     
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  17. brb

    brb CR250

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    Jackson needs binning off, sorry I was being extremely kind today, but I wouldn't care if he never wore a Gills shirt again. Well done to the rest of the team, but Jackson please do me a favour and LEAVE! I'm being polite, but I can't promise I will be so polite next time, you lazy sod.
     
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  18. The Gills PegLeg

    The Gills PegLeg Up yer Harris

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    Andy Woodman current odds on favourite. Seems sources in and around the club seem to think it's only compensation with Bromley that needs to be agreed.

    Personally not a choice for me but there we are.
     
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  19. brb

    brb CR250

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    I guess the chairman is doing a bit of forward thinking for a change, be handy for when we are in the National League.

    Joking aside, if it is Andy, then best of luck to him, he's going to need it.
     
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  20. gioblues

    gioblues Well-Known Member

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    We have a new favorite for the managers job.
    Who?
    Well Marc Bircham
    Who?
     
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