After winning League 1 in the last seconds last season, winning promotion back into the championship, we knew we was going to have a difficult season to stay up, many of us said we would be happy finishing just above the relegation zone, a position in which we occupy today, however many seem unhappy at this, slating the squad and calling Dickov's head. There is still games to be played and points to be won, I for one will be happy if it finishes as it is, but why has this season been so difficult, for the players, the owners, the manager and us fans.
Well to answer these questions I think we need to take a look back to last summer and pre season.
Pre Season
With Brian Flynn stepping down from management and Rob Jones concentrating on playing, a new manager was needed. John Ryan and board gave the job to Ex Premiership striker and at the time, Oldham manager Paul Dickov. There was many rumors about with different names including Appleton, Saunders and many more, however Dickov was one of the few that I didn't mind, he was a great player, and still a young manager, his managerial record was hardly world class but it wasn't too bad. Paul came in and was seemingly promised 40 million pounds to build his squad. Now I don't wish to talk about the saga that followed in dept, but to be promised this would allow us to bring in players such as Sharp, Dunne and Ireland, all of which are top quality Championship players if not Premiership.
However this money didn't come, however, Paul still managed to bring in players such as Ross Turnbull, Mark Duffy, Harry Forrester and Khumalo. For this you have to give Paul and staff great credit, to whilst most of these players didn't have championship experience, they were all exciting prospects.
To put this in perspective, maybe this is like saying to a building 'build me a house on this millionaire road that is just as good as the rest' and only giving the building 250000 to do it with. The building, Dickov has still done a good job.
With Brian Flynn stepping down from management and Rob Jones concentrating on playing, a new manager was needed. John Ryan and board gave the job to Ex Premiership striker and at the time, Oldham manager Paul Dickov. There was many rumors about with different names including Appleton, Saunders and many more, however Dickov was one of the few that I didn't mind, he was a great player, and still a young manager, his managerial record was hardly world class but it wasn't too bad. Paul came in and was seemingly promised 40 million pounds to build his squad. Now I don't wish to talk about the saga that followed in dept, but to be promised this would allow us to bring in players such as Sharp, Dunne and Ireland, all of which are top quality Championship players if not Premiership.
However this money didn't come, however, Paul still managed to bring in players such as Ross Turnbull, Mark Duffy, Harry Forrester and Khumalo. For this you have to give Paul and staff great credit, to whilst most of these players didn't have championship experience, they were all exciting prospects.
To put this in perspective, maybe this is like saying to a building 'build me a house on this millionaire road that is just as good as the rest' and only giving the building 250000 to do it with. The building, Dickov has still done a good job.
The pre season is supposed to be a time where the manager builds his squad and prepares for the season ahead, however it was these events that certainly interrupted this.
Injuries
Once again, injuries have played a massive part in making this season difficult. If you think back to last season, when we won, we wasn't always playing well but we had leaders on the pitch that got us through the game, most importantly Rob Jones. Unfortunately Rob's season is pretty much over, after what is a bad injury. And despite Dickov and board bringing in excellent players to replace him such as Meite, Rob has been massively missed. In the start of the season people questioned if he was good enough for this league, but what Rob brings to the team is leadership and unfortunately after watching on saturday, no one seems to do this half as good as Rob. We also need to remember when Rob first got injured this season around christmas when Khumalo was also out, we played with 2 centre backs 19 years of age. We certainly missed Rob then.
Once again, injuries have played a massive part in making this season difficult. If you think back to last season, when we won, we wasn't always playing well but we had leaders on the pitch that got us through the game, most importantly Rob Jones. Unfortunately Rob's season is pretty much over, after what is a bad injury. And despite Dickov and board bringing in excellent players to replace him such as Meite, Rob has been massively missed. In the start of the season people questioned if he was good enough for this league, but what Rob brings to the team is leadership and unfortunately after watching on saturday, no one seems to do this half as good as Rob. We also need to remember when Rob first got injured this season around christmas when Khumalo was also out, we played with 2 centre backs 19 years of age. We certainly missed Rob then.
But it is not just Rob that we have missed, summer signing Harry Forrester has been virtually not seen all season, and will not be seen on the pitch until next year. He was signed with potential, and the type of player that could make a fair bit of difference. Unfortunately picking up injury during pre season and only featuring for a hand full of games before picking up further injury has ruined his season.
Another player who has been injured for the majority of the season is David Cotterill, whilst not actually being injured, he has suffered from lack of confidence throughout the campaign, maybe a mental block at this level. Self admitted, he has not been at his best this year and despite often coming under alot of stick due to not working hard on the pitch, he was a major part in our promotion last season. Cotts got the most assists in League 1 last year and scored some beauties! Unfortunately he hasn't been able to continue this form this season and we have missed it. He is the type of player that doesn't need to do an awful lot all game before doing one thing magnificently which could win us the game.
Now injuries do happen, and to replace then Dickov has brought in good loanees this season, however we have been unlucky with some of these. Reece Warbara played a few games whilst still injured, Yun Suk Young returned to QPR injured, after been brought in to replace injured James Husband. Macheda, seemed to of brought his scoring boots however picking up an injury he returned to Manchester, unfortunately he left his boots at home when he returned to us.
Last night we learnt that Khumalo got taken off injured playing for South Africa against Brazil, he has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
It's Raining
Good form can give the whole squad a boost, and after a run of good results, the last thing you want is what happened at Charlton. After 3 games unbeaten picking up 7 points we took a 3-0 lead at the valley, only for the game to be 'controversially' called off with the scores at 3-1. Also with Paul Keegan being sent off for 2 bookable offenses. Now if you were at the game, you would off seen the Charlton ground staff working extremely hard to try and get the playing surface playable, in fact, they was working so hard that Theo Robinson and James Husband needed to help them. Now I can accept games do get called off, and this cannot be helped, but it certainly knocked our team a bit and we only picked up 3 points in our following 6 games. What is especially annoying is how when the game was replayed, the scores would be 0-0 however, Paul Keegan still had to serve a suspension. Now I would accept if the F.A rules said that the scores would be 0-0 and Paul's suspension is forgotten about, or we pick up where we left off with the scores at 3-1 and Paul serving suspension. We received a double punishment, and it wasn't even our pitch. What is worse, as SOD's law goes, Charlton beat us when the game was replayed...
Good form can give the whole squad a boost, and after a run of good results, the last thing you want is what happened at Charlton. After 3 games unbeaten picking up 7 points we took a 3-0 lead at the valley, only for the game to be 'controversially' called off with the scores at 3-1. Also with Paul Keegan being sent off for 2 bookable offenses. Now if you were at the game, you would off seen the Charlton ground staff working extremely hard to try and get the playing surface playable, in fact, they was working so hard that Theo Robinson and James Husband needed to help them. Now I can accept games do get called off, and this cannot be helped, but it certainly knocked our team a bit and we only picked up 3 points in our following 6 games. What is especially annoying is how when the game was replayed, the scores would be 0-0 however, Paul Keegan still had to serve a suspension. Now I would accept if the F.A rules said that the scores would be 0-0 and Paul's suspension is forgotten about, or we pick up where we left off with the scores at 3-1 and Paul serving suspension. We received a double punishment, and it wasn't even our pitch. What is worse, as SOD's law goes, Charlton beat us when the game was replayed...
John Ryan
Again, i'm not going to get into this in great detail, it has been discussed many times and we still don't know what officially happend. John Ryan is a hero, it is a great loss that he is no longer chairman, however, I feel the club is still safe with the current owners. My main concern is how the politics in the board room will of had a bad effect on the team, making the season even more difficult, it would of been better if both parties agreed to either wait until the close season, or shut up about the matter and try not to distract the team. We all saw the negative effect it had on us fans, i'm sure it affected the players too. I would of loved to give John Ryan a hero's exit and thank him for how he has saved the club, but the manner of which it was done, it is very hard to do that.
Again, i'm not going to get into this in great detail, it has been discussed many times and we still don't know what officially happend. John Ryan is a hero, it is a great loss that he is no longer chairman, however, I feel the club is still safe with the current owners. My main concern is how the politics in the board room will of had a bad effect on the team, making the season even more difficult, it would of been better if both parties agreed to either wait until the close season, or shut up about the matter and try not to distract the team. We all saw the negative effect it had on us fans, i'm sure it affected the players too. I would of loved to give John Ryan a hero's exit and thank him for how he has saved the club, but the manner of which it was done, it is very hard to do that.
That is all I will say on the matter, yes John Ryan is still a legend, but the politics should of been kept away from the squad better.
Lack of Goals
I've seen a lot of people slating Dickov's formation. Especially away from home, now whilst I can see it hasn't been working hence the bad away form. I can understand Dickov, we don't score a lot of goals, and goals need to be scored to win games, therefore Dickov goes for the win because if the team plays defensive and a mistake is made and we go 1-0 down we will struggle to get back into the game so Dickov plays to score the first goal, however due to whatever reason, we haven't been scoring enough. And for the people slating his line up against Bournemouth, I'm sure Dickov like most of us, was expecting a win.
I've seen a lot of people slating Dickov's formation. Especially away from home, now whilst I can see it hasn't been working hence the bad away form. I can understand Dickov, we don't score a lot of goals, and goals need to be scored to win games, therefore Dickov goes for the win because if the team plays defensive and a mistake is made and we go 1-0 down we will struggle to get back into the game so Dickov plays to score the first goal, however due to whatever reason, we haven't been scoring enough. And for the people slating his line up against Bournemouth, I'm sure Dickov like most of us, was expecting a win.
After reading this, I just hope a number of fans understand just how difficult the current season has been so far, it is not doom and gloom as a couple of good results and we could be safe from the drop, remember we can beat anyone in this league on our day, we have proved that this season, and no doubt we will spring a few shocks too.
Let's not get on the players backs or demand Dickov out, they are all trying to do what we want, and that is to stay in this league, so as supporters, we should be doing our bit, get behind the boys!
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