First Half gone.......

Well now that 2013 is out the way it’s about time we had a look at how we’ve got on? Not been the success we hoped it would be so far. Yes ok, we started the season off fairly well. Our style of play under Paul Ince is far removed from the heady days of Ollie, but that was expected, the latter being a “one-off” who got us to the promised land of the premiership.

Initially under Ince our defence certainly been improved and we were managing to win games without setting the place on fire. Unfortunately our initial optimism has died a slow death and our lack of goal scoring has been our undoing. December was the worst run of games for a long time. Out of the six games we played we managed to lose five and draw one, that against a poor Leeds Utd side. We conceded 12 goals and only managed to score 3; this gave us a -2 goal difference. We‘re the only side in the top ten who now have a negative goal difference. Yet a few months ago Ince seemed to be answer to our post Ollie problems although some fans weren’t that convinced. Now the clamour for Ince to go has gained momentum leading to a couple of confrontations between Ince, Alex Rae and some fans, not dissimilar to the latter days of the Ollie era when he started to criticise the fans for not getting behind the management and team. Ince and co, are now saying the same thing. What they forget is, fans of a football club are there for life and they’re passionate about it. Unlike most present day managers, who come and go and move on as regular as clockwork, most without as much of a sideways glance when departing.

I wrote the above paragraphs before the result of our visit to Sheffield Wed was known. I am sorry to report our December 2013 hangover has continued to gather pace with a dismal 0-2 defeat. It was touch and go before the kick-off whether or not the match would go ahead because of the very wet weather. Like most fans I was hoping it would go ahead, but after the poor performance and result I now wish it would have been abandoned. So now, our goal difference has gone deeper in the red with a -4. Post-match comments by the manager were the players made silly mistakes, which led to us chasing the game. He also said he was without 4 to 5 players to choose from, but they should be available soon. At least Ricardo Fuller played yesterday but without much success.

As I write we are currently in 12^th place after 24 games, won 8, drawn 8, lost 8 (7 defeats during December & yesterday).

The main sources of the fans anger at the moment are split between Karl Oyston & Paul Ince. The former for not financing new players and the latter for not having a clue how to manage himself and the players (this is because of his 5 match stadium ban for assaulting the 4^th official in the tunnel). The fans new chant goes along the lines of We used to attack, We used to attack, now we play with 9 at the back. Even fans that verbally attacked Ollie for leaving want him back. Normally I too join in the criticism of KO for his lack of signing new players, but for once I’m glad he has held back with the current manager.

Why? Well his past managerial record has not been anything to shout about apart from his only successful period with Notts County. I remember reading Lord Alan Sugar’s autobiography, especially the bit about when he was chairman of Spurs. He describes how a host of well-known experienced managers signed and some pocketed back handers in the process, players who were past their best and some who never reached that level at astronomical prices. He eventually turned the club’s finances around and took a bigger role in the signing of players but it took time. I know KO comes in for a lot of criticism (including from me) but I can see it from his perspective. Like I said manager’s come & go, but he like us are there for a lot longer. His reluctance to sack managers is something which is very rare in today’s football business and I don’t see him moving Ince out just yet, but that might change if things on the field don’t improve. After all he still has his loyal lieutenant Steve Thompson to call upon as a stop gap, or maybe this time give him a long term chance at managering the club.

We now go into the second half of the season, one which in the past hasn’t been a happy time for us. Our premiership season went downhill and resulted in relegation after Christmas 2010. Unlike when Simon Grayson achieved the “Perfect 10 wins” for us, we now might be in for the “Disastrous 10 loses” under Paul Ince.

So, not a lot to be optimistic for at the moment, despite some fans saying we’re still only 4 points away from the play-off places, yeah right, dream on I say. The only reason we’re 4 points off is because the teams above haven’t capitalised on our bad form enough.

Anyway Happy New Year to everyone and you can always follow me on Twitter these days. Brian@truetangerine  

lnce