Talking turkeys

From the Rage Online newsdesk Tuesday, April 23rd, 2002  

This is the first Rage Online comment for some time. Not because we haven’t had anything to say, but because what could one possibly say that would do justice to the shambolic displays that we’ve been subjected to this season, which started so full of promise in the new stadium.

For the first time we can remember we are glad that the football season has ended and we can look forward to a footy-free summer. A time to rest, relax, recuperate, recharge our batteries and try to find some of that pre-season optimism that will be buried a lot deeper than normal this time round.

In terms of actual playing performances this season was probably slightly better than our division two relegation season, but this was at a much lower standard and without most of the key culprits for our previous poor performances. With Steve Anthrobus, Peter Fear, Matt Murphy, Lee Jarman, Andy Linighan Ian McGuckin and others not on the roster United should have had a much stronger squad to face the challenge of the new division. There was also the misplaced hope that Mark Wright would prove to be the right man to lead United back up the league.

These factors, along with the undoubted inferior standard of opposition, is what makes it all the more disappointing that United should have had such a disastrous season. So the crunch question has to be whose fault is it?

Firoz Kassam, as chairman, ultimately carries the can, but that would be harsh. He has invested money in Sam Stockley and Paul Moody, and given both Wright and Atkins scope to bring in new players. Kassam appointed both managers, but can’t be expected to take the blame for their failure to provide the goods on the pitch.

The players themselves have to take responsibility for their own performances. Clearly some of them have been playing at a level above their ability, whilst others have been played out of position or whilst clearly unfit. That’s not to say that some of them have performed at anything like the standard that would be expected of them, at least not consistently. Too many have been found wanting, or have not been up for the fight, but have been happy to take a substantial wage packet just for turning up.

Ian Atkins came in at a difficult time, changed things around and, initially, enjoyed some success. He certainly appeared to have a good grasp of the problems at the club and initially won over sceptical fans with his straight and perceptive interviews. Unfortunately Atkins was never able to get the team to perform to capacity, especially away from home, and his obsession with bringing in new defenders when other areas clearly needed strengthening was very frustrating for the supporters. But Atkins inherited a demoralised and directionless team, with players who had been bullied into submission by a succession of over-disciplinarian managers and coaches.

Rage Online firmly believes that the seeds for this worst ever season were sown by Mark Wright and Ted McMinn. Wright insisted on a rigid formation that clearly didn’t suit the players at his disposal. He insisted that his players go in hard, resulting in the worst disciplinary record in the division at that time. His inexperience meant that once he had dug the hole, he was unable to climb out of it and he alienated some of the players who were most likely to be the ones to do well in this division. McMinn caused constant conflict within the squad due to his sergeant-major coaching methods, something that many players hoped had vanished with Malcolm Shotton.

There were, of course, many other mitigating factors for United’s dismal showing this season. They were starting from a very low base-mark and were clearly coming into the season still shell-shocked from the previous three appalling campaigns. The chopping and changing of players, for a variety of reasons, couldn’t have helped bring any cohesion to the side, and the weight of expectation may also have had a negative influence. But, at the end of the day, these were obstacles that could and should have been overcome, and we feel that it is the fault of Wright and McMinn that they weren’t.


This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2002 at 12:00 am and appears under Comment. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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