The Neal Ackroyd Column

Monday 24 December, 2001

Dark Christmas in Bantamland

Another one who braved the cold of Highfield Road - until tonight, I was another one who defended Jim Jefferies on the basis that no money had been available, but tonight (and following on from last weekend), I've lost all sympathy for Jefferies, and the sooner he leaves the club, the better for everyone.

Today the team (loosely termed, as that was no more a team than a bunch of 11 strangers rounded up together) were obviously rudderless. They were obviously split. They knew their manager was going, and proved they couldn't care less.

If Jefferies is going, why did he stay in charge for this game? If the rumour is correct that we refused to accept his resignation on Friday at the same time as Billy Brown's, why is this the case? Surely it would have been better for all concerned to allow Jefferies to go as well?

Then there is the rumour that the squad is split between the Jim Jefferies camp and the Stuart McCall camp - well, the signs are there that any team spirit we did have (and until very recently, I believe there were still signs of team spirit) completely disappeared tonight. The McCall/Jefferies incident of last week certainly appears to be the catalyst that led to the situation we are now in.

Team selection reveals a serious problem. I'm sorry, but the only player we have that prevents our midfield being completely over run is Stuart. The current midfield was non-existant at Man City, and worse, much worse, tonight. For those who saw the game, either there, or on TV, can you remember us putting together more than about four passes? And for certain players, especially Lee Sharpe and Juanjo, do you remember them finding another City player at all?

What was worse was for 40 minutes, Coventry were as bad as us. We met a family friend before the game who is a Coventry fan, and he was telling us that there were rumours of disquiet in their squad, much the same as there is at City. They had lost three on the trot, hadn't scored in goodness knows how long. Then Ashley Ward gets an open goal from two yards out and somehow manages to clear the bar by a good five foot - the closer he seems to get to the goal, the worse he becomes (you would actually bet on him to chip the keeper from 30 yards, but a tap-in from two yards, forget). The ball then goes up the other end, a complete defensive disaster (oh, there is a surprise), and Hughes shows how a man out of form can slot the ball home (as opposed to Ward, who, apparantly, is currently in form). The first goal was going to be the one that destroyed the moral of the team that conceeded it - true to form, it was City's moral destroyed.

The less said about the penalty, the better - apart from did Stephen Caldwell have a bet that there would be a goal on 47 mins, because he made damn sure he was going to give away a penalty whatever.

Then there was Juanjo's reaction at the final whistle - what on earth was all that about? We had just watched a team that showed us absolutely nothing, managed by a guy that seems not to want to be in charge, and he has the cheek to tell the 100 or so loyal supporters who wasted £50 or more each, on the coldest Sunday evening, and two days before Christmas, to shut up. Every single one of those players out on that pitch got what they deserved for the most spineless, gut wrenching performance in many a year, although sadly to say, a large number of performances over the last 12 months have been pretty close. The fans are just sick to the back teeth of it.

Whether before today you were in the Jefferies should stay or should go camp, I think that you now have to agree it is best for all concerned that he goes. What happened today shows that Jim Jefferies doesn't want to be manager of Bradford City. If GR did refuse to accept Jefferies resignation on Friday, then Jefferies made damn sure with the way the team went out tonight, that it was impossible to keep him employed. Problem is, the recriminations could now continue for months. If there is a pro-Stuart and a pro-Jefferies camp, then the pro-Jefferies players aren't going to be too keen on McCall being boss. If there is a pro-Stuart camp, any other manager coming in is going to have to deal with that. And whoever the next manager is, an obvious dressing room split needs sorting, and fast.

The second half of the season being better than the first? On the evidence of the first two games, not a hope :-(

As for replacements for JJ? Well, I think Barnsley have snapped up a good un in picking Parkin from Rochdale - sadly, we're too late. I would prefer to see someone who has done a lower division apprenticeship. Mansfield are doing okay, how about their manager (and bring Chris Greenacre with him!)

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