Friday 6 May 2016

And Now The End Is Near....





And we do indeed face the final curtain as far as this awful season is concerned. Despite assurances to the contrary the owner, CEO and chairman have learned from their mistakes and they haven’t listened. 


There have been so many opportunities to rescue this wretched season but stubborn refusal to listen or even acknowledge where there has been error has led to where we are now.  


We have a better squad of players than most teams in the Championship. As I’ve remarked before I haven’t seen one team at The Valley that has really impressed me. I’ve never felt there’s been a team that we’re not capable of beating. After all we’ve beaten 3 of the teams in the top 6 and after tomorrow that could be 4 out of 6. 


You’d have thought that Mr Murray with all his experience would have been able to point the owner in the right direction. Maybe he’s tried but I’ve seen no sign of it. If he has then he ought to come out and say so. 


Look at Rotherham United. The Millers were 6 points adrift of safety with 16 games to go when Colin took over on 11th February. They were subsequently 9 points clear of safety with 5 games to go. Says it all really. 


None of us has needed hindsight and even the most myopic of CEOs ought to have learnt enough by now to know what was needed. Even if you didn’t you have only to ask !  


On to our final game with The Clarets then and they are to be congratulated for their achievement in getting straight back into the Prem. I admire that they didn’t overspend when they were there before and didn’t splash a load of cash when in the Championship. Very much a team effort and one that largely mirrors our efforts in 1999-2000. 


A little disappointing to see that some of their parochial fans are moaning about our protests. We’re trying to save our club from destruction and whilst I understand there is a title at stake it would serve them well to see the bigger picture. Brighton managed that and their need and desire is no less than Burnley’s. 


As has been the case for many months there’s little point in previewing the game, looking at potential formations, examining the opposition etc. That has all become secondary to the greater need and that of course, is to remove the people have managed to take our club to the brink. 


God knows how Riga will motivate himself to select a team and send it out to put in a performance and try and win a game of football. I assume that will be down the professionalism with which he operates and that too of certain players who still wear our shirt with pride. 


I suspect that this is the last time that we’ll see Jose Riga in S.E. 7 but with these fools in charge who really knows ? We can be certain that it’ll be our last sighting of the majority of our squad as Katrien fulfils on at least one promise…..that of selling our players on so that we can delight in seeing them turn out for Premier clubs. 


The exodus is going to be massive and probably on a scale that we’ve not seen before. It may make the clear out that Erith & Belvedere suffered when players left to join Tooting & Mitchum many years ago seem insignificant. 


They will be missed to a lesser or greater extent. Those we won’t miss are those who should never have been recruited or simply haven’t stepped up to the plate this season. 


Some will leave and move on to bigger and better things and as is the way will be a reminder on a regular basis of what could have been. 


Even with the adjusted figures of ticket sales it’s unlikely that The Valley will be as full for some while as it will be tomorrow assuming Roly stays. It promises to be an even more depressing season next term…….that really doesn’t bear thinking about. 


I’m off on a pub crawl in the Metropolis post match tomorrow. After this season I’m going to need that and I doubt I’m the only one who’ll be seeking solace in alcohol ! 


Come On You Reds !



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