The Richard Micallef Column

Monday 08 July, 2002

For once, we actually need to apply short-termism

Pre Forum

I'll admit I was not singing from the rooftops when it appeared the trio of Prof Rhodes, Rhodes Junior and GR appeared to be back in charge at VP. Relieved was the best word to describe my feelings, however. It got me thinking, "where have the debts magically disappeared to??" and "if we get the players back, won't we be back at square one??" Nevertheless, things seem to be stabilised, which is what we need right now.

Post Forum

I went to the forum, and left feeling though no clear path had emerged as to how we can get out of the current crisis. The news that everyone would have been sacked on Friday if it were not for this CVA was, to me, horrendous news. I look at GR and the consortium, and despite no major objections to them appearing to come back in charge, I cannot help but think, "How could we be in such a mess in the first place??"

There are reports out that we could be about £20 million in debt. If so, I feel people are within their rights to question what the hell has gone wrong.

When you hear that out of 29 bidders all but 1 were rubbish, you wonder at the amount of interest shown in us. If people like Ken Morrison (richest man to come from our city, yet shows no interest whatsoever like a certain modern artist) won't help us out now, they never will. They've had their chance, they didn't take it, so they can go to hell. If there was no better offer than the DR/JR/GR one, then fair do's. We have to accept it. Theres no point saying "I'll find summat else to do on Saturdays." Would people like that be supportive if Stan Collymore were to be in charge (he might even appoint himself as manager?

As for the PFA, their tune has completely changed from that I heard a month ago. They have now decided to help us out, when a month ago they wanted us hung, drawn and quartered. Gordon Taylor may well be sticking up the players rights, but the thing is, they have all played at the top level in England and Scotland, and played well I must add. Last season we were subjected to disgraceful and embarrassing performances (Stockport away, Sheff Weds at home to name but 2 out of about 20), and quite frankly, there are plenty of players who have let themselves, the club and the fans down on more than one occasion. Those players don't get any sympathy from me. It's all well and good that Gordon Taylor argues for his players, but we deserve more than them simply turning up on Saturdays.

Enough of them. My other concerns are of matters on the pitch. The new season starts in a month, and we have an even smaller starting squad than we did last season. At least then we actually players of a certain position- right back, strikers, left wing. Now we are threadbare, the squad has no strength in depth, and from the performances of last season, what grounds have we to be excited? Whereas last time, it took 3 or 4 injuries to put us down, one or two injuries this time, and we'll be crippled.

I think this will be another season of consolidation, if we are not in the bottom 6 or 7 for most of the season. I don't think we'll see any more than a few signings before the Wolves game, and even then, they will not be big names or will go straight into the team. It will be a matter of wheeling and dealing, trying to keep our heads above water, and just trying to think of short term benefits to try and control the future of the club. Just when we were all planning for the future, afew months later we're back to square one.

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