Re: quay v bangor city
Posted by:
essentialspeed (IP Logged)
Date: 11 November, 2007 18:52
The problems created by the mass exodus preseason have been referred to many times through these pages. As many of you have acknowledge the timing of these problems meant that there was no time to recruit ‘big’ (experienced) L of W players and consequently your team had to be built from scratch. Anyone observing the first training session would have been even more pessimistic than many of you have reason to be at the moment.
Having witnessed some success in the past, you will be aware that winning consistently at this level is very much dependent on the number and quality of your ‘big’ players: players that can dominate their individual opponent and then contributed to either (a) collective domination as did Bangor and Cefn Druids or (b) skilled teamwork domination as Rhyl and New St’s.
In my view, we started with only one such player with the remainder at varying but early stages of their value as L o W players. Because of transfer regs’, as coaches, our short term objective must be to develop whoever we can from our squad into those ‘big’ players we need. At this stage there is no other option.
Commitment to training (Conditioning is my role), and some ‘live’ performances, has suggested to me that we have a chance, but the players need time; time they were not given by your departing ex-heroes. Lack of experience at this level means they are experiencing a steep learning curve during which players will experience inexplicable dips in form and effect. Ideally we should be able to rest a player going through a bad time in a quality reserve team setup. Unfortunately that option is not available to us either.
Rash, sometimes degrading comment about players going through those bad times or over emphasizing performance by substitutes replacing them with the game dead, lacks the objectivity that these players need as they try to retain your league status.
Having been with the number of L o W clubs, I have seen these dips before (you don't have to look too far down the road to find a league club going through a similar crisis), and, as ‘wivey’ points out, CQN have been here before and regrouped. ‘Belle view boy’ may remember Jim Smith & Barry Roberts successful struggle, in the leagues formative years, to hold league status with local players. Look at them now!
In the short term Jim and Andy have had to accept the limitations and constantly reassess current playing strength and potential. They are constantly trying to identify if we can help players to make a greater contribution to the team effort as they also seek to retain your league status. They took this on knowing it was no easy ride and, as you have identified there is no easy answer. ‘Redd hall’, although I suspect you are somewhat ‘tongue in cheek’, there is no smooth way back from relegation as many North Wales originals can testify.
Yes the January transfer a window may provide a gem, and not just a reject a looking to do just enough until a better offer comes along, but in the meantime, as, ‘OG’ says, we need to be an attraction for that ‘gem’.
Since September I have felt that as the players adjust to the training regime; travelling; L o W demands etc., we will have a good second half to the season. I still believe that, despite the dejection we were all feeling; supporters’ management and players alike.
Perhaps for once everybody was united albeit in dejection!! Surely we can retain that unity, support the players and together pull this around. If you are TEAM supporter, (not just the supporter of an individual), the few detractors amongst you will help by taking up the ‘wivie’ challenge, of ‘getting behind (ALL (my emphasis)) the players we’ve got’. Even though at times they may struggle, I know that as individuals they have the desire to compete and win at this level and, in patches, we have seen that they can play a bit. It’s up to us to give them the rest of the tools to do the job.
Plenty more battles before the war is won.
‘Quayhead’ you’ve got it right ‘it’s a confidence thing’.