Matt Waterfield returns for his second article for Forest 24-7.
I wrote my first article on 17 June, although I didn’t intend it to be my last I’m shocked that here on Friday 14 October, a mere 4 months later things have changed so much.
I guess I’ll start by highlighting some points from my last post... I said I believed us to be a top 6-10 club who had been playing above our station under Billy Davies, well I still believe that, we’ve just found ourselves playing well below ourselves under Mr McClaren. It just shows what good motivation and team morale can do.
I questioned if Mr McClaren would be able to adapt to the division, he certainly didn’t seem able to manage our defence. We all know we’ve gone from one of the best to the worst in ten games. Other than the obvious Left Back issue (which he and the board denied was a priority close season), messrs Morgan, Chambers and Camp look like different people.
Hmmm, then to the signings, this is what I said in June... “[Signing players] to suit the manager rather than suit the situation. Paying too much for players who struggle to motivate themselves against ʻlower clubsʼ. Successful teams in the
division can play football, but theyʼre almost always built on solid (big/strong/decent pace) players”. For this read Greening, Boateng, and Reid. I hoped McClaren would create a greater pull for potential signings, and I was conscious we kept moving in the right direction. I can honestly say I never imagined we take this many backward steps in such a short time.
There are plenty of topics and discussion on what has happened and where it has all gone wrong, so I’m not going to get too involved in that. The forest fans however seemed spit between half wanting McClaren’s head and half wanting the boards. Although I’ve questioned some of the boards decisions and actions, it was Mr Doughty’s money and down to him to do with it as he saw fit. If he believes it costs too much to pay a players wages for a loan, transfer or whatever than that is his prerogative. I very much doubt the fans calling for his head would stump the percentage of their income like he has, let alone the countless lost millions.
There too were voices defending Mr McClaren, I’m sure he was sold different product to what he received, but he saw how the club was ran previously so he shouldn’t have been so naive to think he would get a blank cheque book. There’s
been a lot of talk about ambition too, I want to make a special point about this. As I am lead to believe the wage bill for this year is higher than last year. We may have less players but they cost more. And it didn’t seem to me the cheque book was closed, just that it had it’s limitations and valuation on players. If Mr McClaren correlated ambition to money he had his share. Maybe a definite pre-agreed budget would saved such hassle?
And now for the baying mob, it has got what it wanted and Mr Doughty has stepped down, I think we will see the club have to cut it’s cloth according. For me the mob was like a spoilt child, having a tantrum in the shop wanting Mummy to spend money on that shiny new toy, now Mummy has gone, who’s going to cook tea? Although he still intends to back the club I think budgets will be set and we will have to live much more within our means. The signing of Steve Cotterill for me is the first sign of this.
And so for a final plea, already the social networking sites are awash with disdain toward the new manager. Please everyone, give him a chance. Stop leaving in Forest cuckoo land. Managers like Martin O’Neil and Jose Mourinho were never likely. Lets get behind Steve Cotterill, give the team some backing, help stabilise the ship, finish in mid-table and try to build for FFP and the playoffs next season.
Follow me on twitter @matto_w
Matto_Out
I wrote my first article on 17 June, although I didn’t intend it to be my last I’m shocked that here on Friday 14 October, a mere 4 months later things have changed so much.
I guess I’ll start by highlighting some points from my last post... I said I believed us to be a top 6-10 club who had been playing above our station under Billy Davies, well I still believe that, we’ve just found ourselves playing well below ourselves under Mr McClaren. It just shows what good motivation and team morale can do.
I questioned if Mr McClaren would be able to adapt to the division, he certainly didn’t seem able to manage our defence. We all know we’ve gone from one of the best to the worst in ten games. Other than the obvious Left Back issue (which he and the board denied was a priority close season), messrs Morgan, Chambers and Camp look like different people.
Hmmm, then to the signings, this is what I said in June... “[Signing players] to suit the manager rather than suit the situation. Paying too much for players who struggle to motivate themselves against ʻlower clubsʼ. Successful teams in the
division can play football, but theyʼre almost always built on solid (big/strong/decent pace) players”. For this read Greening, Boateng, and Reid. I hoped McClaren would create a greater pull for potential signings, and I was conscious we kept moving in the right direction. I can honestly say I never imagined we take this many backward steps in such a short time.
There are plenty of topics and discussion on what has happened and where it has all gone wrong, so I’m not going to get too involved in that. The forest fans however seemed spit between half wanting McClaren’s head and half wanting the boards. Although I’ve questioned some of the boards decisions and actions, it was Mr Doughty’s money and down to him to do with it as he saw fit. If he believes it costs too much to pay a players wages for a loan, transfer or whatever than that is his prerogative. I very much doubt the fans calling for his head would stump the percentage of their income like he has, let alone the countless lost millions.
There too were voices defending Mr McClaren, I’m sure he was sold different product to what he received, but he saw how the club was ran previously so he shouldn’t have been so naive to think he would get a blank cheque book. There’s
been a lot of talk about ambition too, I want to make a special point about this. As I am lead to believe the wage bill for this year is higher than last year. We may have less players but they cost more. And it didn’t seem to me the cheque book was closed, just that it had it’s limitations and valuation on players. If Mr McClaren correlated ambition to money he had his share. Maybe a definite pre-agreed budget would saved such hassle?
And now for the baying mob, it has got what it wanted and Mr Doughty has stepped down, I think we will see the club have to cut it’s cloth according. For me the mob was like a spoilt child, having a tantrum in the shop wanting Mummy to spend money on that shiny new toy, now Mummy has gone, who’s going to cook tea? Although he still intends to back the club I think budgets will be set and we will have to live much more within our means. The signing of Steve Cotterill for me is the first sign of this.
And so for a final plea, already the social networking sites are awash with disdain toward the new manager. Please everyone, give him a chance. Stop leaving in Forest cuckoo land. Managers like Martin O’Neil and Jose Mourinho were never likely. Lets get behind Steve Cotterill, give the team some backing, help stabilise the ship, finish in mid-table and try to build for FFP and the playoffs next season.
Follow me on twitter @matto_w
Matto_Out
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