Post by contradiction on Jan 1, 2019 20:34:00 GMT
Have seen quite a few comments from the make believe football managers of the forum since DC has departed, along the lines of:
-Just play players in their natural positions
-Stop changing the team
-Football is a simple game, just do these two things and thats how you win games
I have had a nagging worry about the line of 'football being a simple game' - and have been thinking a lot about it and it came to me earlier:
If it really was that simple, then why do 21 of the 24 league one clubs fail to get promoted each season??
Anyway, a few observations from recent weeks:
If DC had played THD or Martin at left wing, the make believe forum managers would have castigated him. I think its time to put that one to bed, as DC didnt really do that did he.
Personally, I think Coughlan has done a great job so far. However, we have been here before. Mcghee saved us initially, so did John Ward. The initial impact of the change was enough, but the following seasons when they were appointed permanently were disasters. Similar thing happened with Gary Thompson - an inital surge that trailed off. Going back further, Dennis Rofe turned it round at Trumpton after succeeeding Martin Dobson by being pragmatic and playing a direct style, but when appointed permanently it all went pear shaped. And who can forget Big Mal where we looked like premier league for 4 games then imploded?
So, anyone saying football is a simple game as the reason to give the job to GC needs to re think.
That said I have no idea if he is the answer long term, todays game shows there is lots of work to do. I think being pregmatic is likely the way to go and give him the job till the end of the season but this is anything but simple or clear cut decison as football isnt that simple. Its not so much when you are winning, its when you lose a few that you find out. Thankfully we havent had to face that yet, so we dont know, and lets hope that continues for a while.
So its not simple and Im glad its not my shout. Simply coming up with a way of playing that accomodates Sercombe & Lines clearly our most creative players whilst not leaving us open in the middle is perplexing enough, (noticed Sercombe ended up on the left today, no surprise at all to be honest as Lines was on the pitch) and I guess thats why formations often change, and I wish GC luck if he is appointed, which I think he dereves to be short term.
