d70g
New Member
Been thinking about what the future may hold under Bassett – if he gets the job on a permanent basis, or even if he’s just caretaker for a few weeks. Hope to heaven he succeeds; but that nagging doubt won’t go and hide in the corner…and can think of at least eight reasons why I’m nervous…
1. Reliance upon long ball tactics of negligible effectiveness and minimal entertainment. Reading play neat, attractive, successful football.
2. Reliance upon out-dated tactics in an era where football evolution has been rapid in the past ten years. (If you don’t believe me, just watch a game featuring successful British teams of a previous generation and today’s teams – the game is faster, far more skilful, and tactically far removed from the days when hoofing the ball forward could compensate for lack of skill).
3. Football managers (and coaches, Mr Wilkinson) have a shelf life. Bassett may have been an expert at getting teams promoted on minimal resources a few years back, but the game is very different now. Old Big ‘Ed may have worked wonders in the late seventies at F*rest on a relatively small budget, but by the early nineties the game had changed and Clough hadn’t- hence the final relegation season.
4. Bassett’s previous spell in charge was pretty hideous (albeit having metaphorical hands tied behind his back after succeeding a manger with zero tactical brio and an appalling record at signing players.)
5. City have become to look like a club who need a new broom, new input, a degree of passion and long-term planning. If Bassett stays in charge I doubt it’ll be for next season – if we are going to get a new manager in it makes far more sense to do it now whilst there’s still time to turn the season around.
6. The Martin Keown fall-out still reeks and having Bassett at the helm pretty much scuppers any chance of Keown having an impact. You don’t bring a successful veteran player into the squad to help with coaching, only to jettison him a few months later.
7. There’s still rumours of player unrest – even if isolated, can Harry unite then dressing room?
8. Are the eleven he’s going to put out be radically different (both in terms of personnel and tactics) from MA’s days in charge?
1. Reliance upon long ball tactics of negligible effectiveness and minimal entertainment. Reading play neat, attractive, successful football.
2. Reliance upon out-dated tactics in an era where football evolution has been rapid in the past ten years. (If you don’t believe me, just watch a game featuring successful British teams of a previous generation and today’s teams – the game is faster, far more skilful, and tactically far removed from the days when hoofing the ball forward could compensate for lack of skill).
3. Football managers (and coaches, Mr Wilkinson) have a shelf life. Bassett may have been an expert at getting teams promoted on minimal resources a few years back, but the game is very different now. Old Big ‘Ed may have worked wonders in the late seventies at F*rest on a relatively small budget, but by the early nineties the game had changed and Clough hadn’t- hence the final relegation season.
4. Bassett’s previous spell in charge was pretty hideous (albeit having metaphorical hands tied behind his back after succeeding a manger with zero tactical brio and an appalling record at signing players.)
5. City have become to look like a club who need a new broom, new input, a degree of passion and long-term planning. If Bassett stays in charge I doubt it’ll be for next season – if we are going to get a new manager in it makes far more sense to do it now whilst there’s still time to turn the season around.
6. The Martin Keown fall-out still reeks and having Bassett at the helm pretty much scuppers any chance of Keown having an impact. You don’t bring a successful veteran player into the squad to help with coaching, only to jettison him a few months later.
7. There’s still rumours of player unrest – even if isolated, can Harry unite then dressing room?
8. Are the eleven he’s going to put out be radically different (both in terms of personnel and tactics) from MA’s days in charge?
