The appointment of Gary Megson at Bolton never really sat comfortably with the Reebok faithful. He was seen by many as a poor man’s Sam Allardyce and was always going to face the sack eventually, it was simply a question of when. Sammy Lee was almost the polar opposite in terms of response and reputation - Little Sam was exactly the man that the Trotter’s fans wanted to steer the ship after Big Sam jumped overboard and swam to Tyneside (to a doomed and sinking vessel). It was just unfortunate that he lacked the tactical nous to ever last beyond that honeymoon period.
Now that Megson has gone, Phil Gartside is left to make another huge decision. It seems to me that he is set to make the best one since tempting Allardyce from Meadow Lane in 1999, and possibly even one that usurps that. Allardyce took Bolton to the dizzy heights of the Premiership, followed by a League Cup final, a sixth placed league position equal on points with the soon-to-be Champions League winners Liverpool and the knockout rounds of the UEFA cup. However, if, as is looking increasingly likely, Gartside gets his man and Owen Columba Coyle does come to Bolton Wanderers, this will be a massive coup.
Coyle rejected Celtic in the summer, citing that the Burnley “adventure” was still his to build. However, recent comments about the size of his budget lead us to believe that he is perhaps ready for a challenge which has the potential to reap greater rewards than survival, one that he believes Bolton can offer. And, if Bolton is his home by next week, he will be a wonderful acquisition for the club, the chairman, the fans and the town. Owen Coyle knows how to run a club like Bolton - a tight budget but with some room for manoeuvre. He will be popular with the fans as he tends to play expansive football, knows the importance of creating a fortress and most importantly, he was an incredibly popular player with the Trotters in the early 90s - he even scored the first goal in Bolton‘s famous 1995 First Division play-off Final comeback. Finally, as Burnley, a north-west town not dissimilar in size or stature to Bolton, can testify, he is a likeable man who’s footballing philosophy is capable of bringing a community together.
Phil McNulty has written a great blog on this subject, but for my money he has concentrated too much on what a strange decision this would be from Coyle. I disagree- the Burnley boss can be confident enough in his future as he has the potential to be one of the League’s top managers, to take a small step to Bolton rather than waiting for a giant leap to a “big club”. He is widely respected and can rest assured that many chairmen will wish that he had been available to them later in the year, when the inevitable managerial merry-go-round continues.
Showing posts with label Reading FC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading FC. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Where has the magic gone?
The first week of any year often brings similar traits. Ambitious resolutions, an annual detox after a boozy Christmas and the 3rd round of the oldest competition in the world, the FA cup. Historically this is one of the biggest dates in the football calendar and provides fans with drama and expectation, as lower league and even non league clubs have their opportunity to hit the back pages with a giant killing act. Ronnie Radford, the 1988 crazy gang- it’s the magic of the FA cup. Any football fan is familiar with the cliché. However, as I rose this morning never have I been more uninspired by a Saturday afternoon line up. Filled with a feeling of emptiness, it reminded me of the frustration felt when an international friendly breaks the mould of a pulsating premier league season. When 17.45 came I was even less inspired.
Credible home draws for Nottingham Forest and Reading against Birmingham and Liverpool respectively will leave both clubs happy, while cash strapped Coventry will be delighted to take Pompey back to the Ricoh Arena. Nevertheless, such results do not represent the archetypal upset we’re accustomed to at this time of year. Mr Mancini avoided a potential banana skin in his first taste of the FA cup away at struggling Middlesbrough, while every other premier league team progressed with relative ease on home soil. Hull and Blackburn crashed out in the all premier league clashes, not that they’ll care one iota. So as I look forward to the return of the premiership I’m left wondering, where has the magic of the FA cup gone?
Firstly, I do believe the draw undoubtedly played a key role in the insipid events of this afternoon. As the big boys entered the competition many of them were given attractive home draws against lower league opposition, while the top flight affairs of Wigan vs. Hull and Villa vs. Blackburn didn’t exactly leave the mouth watering. Unfortunately, it’s more than that and I fear the FA cup is in danger of losing its importance.
No longer is it about football for the so called giant killers. Reflecting on today’s games, I would have loved to have seen Sunderland travel to non league Barrow and find out if they’ve got a backbone. Likewise Stoke. However, in today’s business it’s about money and the smaller clubs would rather go away, pick up their pay cheque and take a hiding than challenge the opposition on the pitch. This is maybe not true of the players or fans, but certainly is of the management and boardroom. The mentality towards the FA cup has changed; I even doubt Reading wanted to win today’s game against Liverpool. Happy to go to Anfield. Content to go out.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the change in attitude towards the competition; it has been gradually devalued over the last decade. Today attendances were as low as they’ve ever been for the 3rd round. Many people will point to Manchester United’s withdrawal in 2000 as a turning point, although I do not necessarily hold this view. Maybe the belief in the romance has waned? In 15 years only Pompey have broken the mould of a ‘big’ four winner. So after a busy Christmas period whereby every team had heavy league expectations to fulfil, managers view it as a chance to rest players for a game that doesn’t matter.
And there holds the sad truth, the FA cup no longer matters. For the small clubs it’s about money and for the bigger clubs there is too much more at stake. I hope tomorrow provides more twists and turns in the form a big upset at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge but I won’t be holding my breath; for now, the magic has gone.
Credible home draws for Nottingham Forest and Reading against Birmingham and Liverpool respectively will leave both clubs happy, while cash strapped Coventry will be delighted to take Pompey back to the Ricoh Arena. Nevertheless, such results do not represent the archetypal upset we’re accustomed to at this time of year. Mr Mancini avoided a potential banana skin in his first taste of the FA cup away at struggling Middlesbrough, while every other premier league team progressed with relative ease on home soil. Hull and Blackburn crashed out in the all premier league clashes, not that they’ll care one iota. So as I look forward to the return of the premiership I’m left wondering, where has the magic of the FA cup gone?
Firstly, I do believe the draw undoubtedly played a key role in the insipid events of this afternoon. As the big boys entered the competition many of them were given attractive home draws against lower league opposition, while the top flight affairs of Wigan vs. Hull and Villa vs. Blackburn didn’t exactly leave the mouth watering. Unfortunately, it’s more than that and I fear the FA cup is in danger of losing its importance.
No longer is it about football for the so called giant killers. Reflecting on today’s games, I would have loved to have seen Sunderland travel to non league Barrow and find out if they’ve got a backbone. Likewise Stoke. However, in today’s business it’s about money and the smaller clubs would rather go away, pick up their pay cheque and take a hiding than challenge the opposition on the pitch. This is maybe not true of the players or fans, but certainly is of the management and boardroom. The mentality towards the FA cup has changed; I even doubt Reading wanted to win today’s game against Liverpool. Happy to go to Anfield. Content to go out.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the change in attitude towards the competition; it has been gradually devalued over the last decade. Today attendances were as low as they’ve ever been for the 3rd round. Many people will point to Manchester United’s withdrawal in 2000 as a turning point, although I do not necessarily hold this view. Maybe the belief in the romance has waned? In 15 years only Pompey have broken the mould of a ‘big’ four winner. So after a busy Christmas period whereby every team had heavy league expectations to fulfil, managers view it as a chance to rest players for a game that doesn’t matter.
And there holds the sad truth, the FA cup no longer matters. For the small clubs it’s about money and for the bigger clubs there is too much more at stake. I hope tomorrow provides more twists and turns in the form a big upset at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge but I won’t be holding my breath; for now, the magic has gone.
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