Time to get real

[petebterrier]

As the subject of this post says, lets get real. The club is in the entertainment business. I am afraid that after yet another disappointing performance at home that we will be down to gates of 7000 next season, and on the breadline financially again. I have had a season ticket for 26 of the last 30 years (4 off for university in the 'sarf') and I am seriuosly thinking whether to get one next season. Would not of had one this season if I am honest but for the cut price deal, after the disappointment of last season under Andy Ritchie.
One friend was thoroughly satisfied with the Cheltenham game, all the rest were in despair. Lukas Jutkawhatever has got to go. I can not remember a worse player in the last 30 years - even worse than Donis. Tom Clarke looked out of his depth all game.
Got to question the tactics and team selection of the gaffer. So realistically, what can we expect next season given that this campaign is a write off already? Some want the season ticket price to go up, but with the manager standing there with a straight face ???and telling us Jutkoblahblah is worth a place in the first team I can not see how they can - who is happy to pay to watch him up front? - it is like starting with 10 men? I know he has no future with us, so why loan him in and send Broadbent out - give our own players a go first eh?

[downatthepharm]

The same Broadbent who cant get a game at conference north level. The grass isnt always greener...

[petebterrier]

Two points, he could hardly be worse, and presumably he will be back next season, which Jutkowicz won't (I hope).
Only advantage I could see would be to get rapport going with Novak at Gateshead. What I was really getting at was to question whether Clark recognises a good player when he sees one. Have you seen anyone worse than Lukas J recently?

[Deleted]

Mar 23, 2009 13:42:35 GMT 1 petebterrier said:

Two points, he could hardly be worse, and presumably he will be back next season, which Jutkowicz won't (I hope).
Only advantage I could see would be to get rapport going with Novak at Gateshead. What I was really getting at was to question whether Clark recognises a good player when he sees one. Have you seen anyone worse than Lukas J recently?

To be fair, on paper Jutkiewicz has a cv better than any other striker at the club (bar Boothy who is probably in the final weeks of his career) - 19 year old Premier striker, already commanded a £1m fee, we lacked a big centre forward - he is a big centre forward.

Also, he has only cost us his wages and this way we can send him back if he isn't what we want (which he isn't!).

Pilkington and Ainsworth are both players with a lot of potential - the only 2 he has paid a fee for. Pilkington looks leagues above a lot of players in this division.

The time to judge him on transfers is when he can freely make transfers in the summer.

[petebterrier]

I believe we have to have stability - all the most successful teams take time to build - I recognise that fact. I like what Clark has to say, it sounds controlled, and considered. Pilkington is settling in niceley after a slow start, Aisworth is lightning quick, and hopefully will get better at getting his head up - but does get brushed aside a bit too easily (not the finished article yet - I think his best may be a couple of years off yet)
What about all the histrionics on the touchline though - Clark needs to control himself there just as much as in a press conference. Imagine playing for Cheltenham and seeing the opposing manager waving his arms like a lunatic and looking more frustrated than Wayne Rooney on a bad day - you would get a big lift from that wouldn't you? He has also got his L plates on, and I am worried that we end up with a Rubery situation, where the business plan called for 18000 home gates to break even because we signed a load of players on massive wages who were not necessarily better than we already had. Time to keep the faith I suppose, but it will only stretch so far for a lot of folks.