We have had better financial support this season than at any time in our history and have recruited some excellent players. So why has it all gone wrong? The squad is stronger in all areas than when Pearson was last here but we have not knitted together as a team and I don't know what he can do to turn things round. There is a missing ingredient and I can't identify it. Sacking Sven was, in my opinion, daft. When that happened we were higher up the table than we are now and the change destabilised the squad. He should have been allowed to see the season out. I think his strategy would have worked. Now we are faced with an uphill struggle. We have changed manager far too many times. Give us stability, please. But if Pearson is not near the top of the table by next October/November he will probably be sacked too and the whole dismal cycle will start again.
Please spare me talk of "we can still make the play-offs". If by some fluke we won them this team would be relegated next season.
Where has it all gone wrong?
posted on 24/3/12
Answering which bits don't fit woul open up a whole load of discussion that we have been through many times before during this season. Best left unsaid now, I think and leave it to NP in the close season.
The bits just don't all fit together as they should.
posted on 24/3/12
This season went wrong when we STARTED with Sven, the longer he stayed the longer it would have taken a decent manger like Pearson to sort it out!
posted on 24/3/12
I was beginning to worry, but no need, TrueBlue's knee jerked at last, and Sven got his usual scapegoating.
For every action there an equal and opposite, etc, so let me observe that if our decent manager crosses his fingers, squeezes his eyes tight shut and wishes very hard, he may even get us back at the season's close to where we were when Sven was binned.
posted on 24/3/12
Don't worry, you give up and cry in your beer, I still believe!!
posted on 24/3/12
"This season went wrong when we STARTED with Sven."
Even if that's the case (not saying it's what I think) it doesn't make the decision to sack him any less misguided. We'd have been better off giving him the rest of the season to see what he could do - his contract was due to be up then anyway. All we've achieved by making a knee-jerk sacking followed by a knee-jerk reaction to bring NP back is, well, I'm really not sure what we've achieved. It all could've and should've been far better handled.
posted on 24/3/12
When Sven was sacked we were 2 points off the play offs and 13th in the table.
If we'd have held on for another minute at Blackpool we'd have been 3 points off the play offs and 10th in the table. As it is we're 11th and 5 points off the play offs.
It's all speculation, of course, but I don't think we'd have been any better off under Sven. He'd have had to handle things like Abe and Fernandes wanting to leave just the same and we were as inconsistent then as we are now.
The only worry for me is that we've not improved under Pearson as much as hoped. He needs a pre-season and a chance to build his own squad. The end of next season is the time to judge.
posted on 24/3/12
What and give him another transfer window to blow more money on panic and ill judged buys!
The owners realised their mistake and made a very brave decision to correct it, whether Pearson was the correct second decision is another question.
I believe he is the right man to build a platform for a sustained period of success and hopefully I'm right a second time!
posted on 25/3/12
I don't get peoples argument about our league position and how far off the play offs we were with Sven! The league table was so bunched as it was too early anyway! Ok we were 2 points off the play offs but only 9 points from relegation, by the same token we are now 5 points from the play offs but 20 from the bottom 3 which in my opinion makes the league position argument under Sven floored! Only thing it does proove is that he was sacked at a time when a few wins could have made all the difference.
posted on 25/3/12
I totally agree Jimi, I have used your same arguments myself. I was simply using this old argument to debunk the theory that we were so much better under Sven, which clearly wasn't the case.
If we have learned anything it is that sacking the manager doesn't create instant success. We must give Pearson time.
posted on 25/3/12
Peason should have all of next season so long as we are not below mid table by Christmas! Successful teams come from stability in the management and a good squad! We have the good squad they just keep being coached by someone else twice a season!