What a christmas present from the Motherwell board to Jim Gannon: sacking him, with their reasoning that he had "refused to sign a new contract". They say that the desicion is not football related, but is it really a coincidence that his firing came after 4 straight defeats? Still, even after this poor run they're on course to better last season's 7th placed finish. The relationship between board and manager seemed strained right from the off however and it's more than possible that John Boyle (Chairman) anticipated him resigning and opted to sack him first in an effort to save face if you like.
Why is this so interesting? Well, not only is this a case of a manager being sacked far too early into his reign by an intefering chairman, but Gannon also showed a huge amount of loyalty last season by staying loyal to Stockport when they started suffering from extreme financial problems. Only when he had actually been made redundant did he leave - despite having many oppurtunities to do so before hand.
Just three months prior to his departure and with Stockport really struggling, he was intervewed for the vacant managerial position at Brighton, who are quite frankly a richer club with more potential, yet he choose to stay loyal to the club he loves.
I think that's the key point: he absolutely adored Stockport, having spent 10 years their as a player, and then 4 as a manager (where he had done a fantastic job and is still held in very hard regard by the County fans). His whole attitude whilst at the club was one that is sorely lacking in a lot of managers who see career progression as their sole of objective - Steve Bruce, yes I do mean you. In fact although Gannon had refused to speak to the media for the latter part of season in protest against the way the club was being run, he did seem genuinely upset at being made redundant. I would assume that rather than being dissapointed for personal reasons (having lost his job), he was far more upset to see the club he loved going downhill. If it was up to him, I'm sure he would have stayed on reduced wages to help the club out.
In a strange way his behaviour at Stockport reminded me of a certain Steve Coppell. Granted he was slightly before my time at Palace, but he certainly seemed to have similar characterisitcs to Gannon in the sense a lot of his motivation for managing the club was that he absolutely loved it. Not once has he managed a "big" club and the reason for that is not his ability - it's because he's always been satisfied at the club he's at, feeling no real need to further himself. Had he resigned after getting Reading to 8th in the Premiership, I'm sure he could have got a bigger and more well payed job, but he didn't because he loved the club.
It is a shame that examples of loyalty from managers are quite rare. I suppose in the cut and thrust business that it is, perhaps certain managers believe they have to leave clubs to further their careers as there won't be any second chance. However, there are some managers that manage teams they love and want to do well not just to make themselves better managers but because they love the club they're at. The more managers there are in the game like that, the better football will become.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Sunday, 27 December 2009
A Day to Remember at Selhurst
Boxing day, arguably the best day in the football calender. With christmas lunches finished, presents opened and carols sung, the attention is turned well and truly back to the game we all love. A home fixture always helps, and Palace got that with a match against Roy Keane's struggling Ipswich town.
What an atmosphere! we love you we love you we love you... the Holmesdale fanatics put the frankly abysmal 1,500 odd travelling tractor boys to shame. I don't think I've ever seen them make so much noise, and hopefully there'll be a few videos to prove it. Why was it so good? Well, having shit away support helped - seriously there were 10 Palace fans singing at one point, and we were louder than Ippo. However, the main reason has to be the sensible behaviour of the stewards/police (i.e. not becoming aggressive as soon as the HF celebrate a goal). I think yesterday showed that a responsible attitude from the security at football matches is needed when dealing with ultra groups and that a bit of leeway can actually make games safer. By that I mean that a high police presence such as Middlesbrough at home tends to cause more problems than a low police presence such as yesterday.
Anyway that's by the by and january comes calling (bye bye Victor). He was the difference yesterday and the Ipswich players were visibly shitting themselves everytime he got the ball. He's destined for great things and I join all Palace fans in wishing him the best of luck at his new club whoever they might be.
On the positive side, Speroni made a mistake yesterday, his first in about a year and a half. But seriously he's shit stay well clear, you can do better.... ah fuck it he deserves a Prem move, but what we love Jules is his whole attitude. Not once has he complained about the money, being left out of the side, our shit football at times. No, he's got on with it, and whatever he chooses to do now, he will forever have the admiration of the selhurst park crowd.
Whatevfer happens in Jan i'm sure the fans will continue to turn out to support the boys. It's not an easy time at SE25, but the more we can keep up yesterday's atmosphere, the more the team will benefit.
What an atmosphere! we love you we love you we love you... the Holmesdale fanatics put the frankly abysmal 1,500 odd travelling tractor boys to shame. I don't think I've ever seen them make so much noise, and hopefully there'll be a few videos to prove it. Why was it so good? Well, having shit away support helped - seriously there were 10 Palace fans singing at one point, and we were louder than Ippo. However, the main reason has to be the sensible behaviour of the stewards/police (i.e. not becoming aggressive as soon as the HF celebrate a goal). I think yesterday showed that a responsible attitude from the security at football matches is needed when dealing with ultra groups and that a bit of leeway can actually make games safer. By that I mean that a high police presence such as Middlesbrough at home tends to cause more problems than a low police presence such as yesterday.
Anyway that's by the by and january comes calling (bye bye Victor). He was the difference yesterday and the Ipswich players were visibly shitting themselves everytime he got the ball. He's destined for great things and I join all Palace fans in wishing him the best of luck at his new club whoever they might be.
On the positive side, Speroni made a mistake yesterday, his first in about a year and a half. But seriously he's shit stay well clear, you can do better.... ah fuck it he deserves a Prem move, but what we love Jules is his whole attitude. Not once has he complained about the money, being left out of the side, our shit football at times. No, he's got on with it, and whatever he chooses to do now, he will forever have the admiration of the selhurst park crowd.
Whatevfer happens in Jan i'm sure the fans will continue to turn out to support the boys. It's not an easy time at SE25, but the more we can keep up yesterday's atmosphere, the more the team will benefit.
Friday, 25 December 2009
Merry Christmas Everyone!
So here it is, Merry Christmas. Shows where my priority's lie when my first thought of the morning was "football tommorow", with it then slowly dawning on me that old JC was celebrating his big day. But I think it's fair to say that the next month or so is an absolutely vital period for every single club in the UK, what with a whole load of fixtures, and the dreaded opening on the transfer window. Fuck me it's not going to be a good January for us Palace fans - especially if the rumours of us going into administration soon are to be believed (and there really is no reason to doubt them).
Victor will go there's no question about that. Inconsistent for the past 2 years, for the past month he's looked like a world beater - and there's no doubt the talent is there. A facebook group entitled "Victor Moses for the England World Cup Squad" may be a little premature, but I don't think anyone would begrudge him a move to the Premierleague. Or even abroad if these ridiculous tabloid reports actually have any credence.
Another man who you would be truly delighted for if he got a big money move would be one of Palace's greatest ever keeper, Julian Speroni. Another Palace blog, powertothepalace, wrote about how his attitude both on and off the pitch is one to admire in this time of players seeking big money moves. Not once has he complained about the (relatively) low wages he's on, not once has he asked to leave the club. In fact, he regularly talks about how much he loves it as SE25, something shown by his interaction with fans before and after matches. Touch wood, I think he'll stay.
As for Stevenage, whom I should be seeing against AFC Wimbledon (weather permitting), well again the rumours are a little worrying. Wilson, Roberts and Odubade to Peterborough is utter bull, but Scotty Laird to Oxford is a realistic proposition. He's the best left back in the league, and if a good enough offer came in, he could be tempted to jump ship to what is undoubtedly a bigger club.
Us Palace fans know a thing or two about losing players, but not since the dark days of before Jordan have things been this bad. Other clubs know that we can't afford to reject any decent offers and therefore will look to take advantage, whilst bringing in new players will be virtually impossible for us.
It is therefore vital that we get as many points as we can on the board before the inevitable mass exodus starts. Whatever other Palace fans may tell you about Warnock's style of play, he's worked a minor miracle at the club if you consider that he hasn't spent a transfer fee in 16 months. If there's one man you would trust to keep the club in the league at this difficult time, it's Warnock, but even with him in charge it's certainly a worrying time
Victor will go there's no question about that. Inconsistent for the past 2 years, for the past month he's looked like a world beater - and there's no doubt the talent is there. A facebook group entitled "Victor Moses for the England World Cup Squad" may be a little premature, but I don't think anyone would begrudge him a move to the Premierleague. Or even abroad if these ridiculous tabloid reports actually have any credence.
Another man who you would be truly delighted for if he got a big money move would be one of Palace's greatest ever keeper, Julian Speroni. Another Palace blog, powertothepalace, wrote about how his attitude both on and off the pitch is one to admire in this time of players seeking big money moves. Not once has he complained about the (relatively) low wages he's on, not once has he asked to leave the club. In fact, he regularly talks about how much he loves it as SE25, something shown by his interaction with fans before and after matches. Touch wood, I think he'll stay.
As for Stevenage, whom I should be seeing against AFC Wimbledon (weather permitting), well again the rumours are a little worrying. Wilson, Roberts and Odubade to Peterborough is utter bull, but Scotty Laird to Oxford is a realistic proposition. He's the best left back in the league, and if a good enough offer came in, he could be tempted to jump ship to what is undoubtedly a bigger club.
Us Palace fans know a thing or two about losing players, but not since the dark days of before Jordan have things been this bad. Other clubs know that we can't afford to reject any decent offers and therefore will look to take advantage, whilst bringing in new players will be virtually impossible for us.
It is therefore vital that we get as many points as we can on the board before the inevitable mass exodus starts. Whatever other Palace fans may tell you about Warnock's style of play, he's worked a minor miracle at the club if you consider that he hasn't spent a transfer fee in 16 months. If there's one man you would trust to keep the club in the league at this difficult time, it's Warnock, but even with him in charge it's certainly a worrying time
Thursday, 24 December 2009
What the F**K!!!
So back from India after a 2 week cricket tour , and I though all the wierd shit was over. As brilliant as it was, being offered an "omlette" (don India accent please) about 50 times on a night-train was pretty fucking annoying, and the fact we got beaten by a team whose best player was a 10 year old in one of the matches was embarrasing to say the least. Then again, he is tipped to be the next Tendaulker. Prithvi Shaw is the name.
Got back to England yesterday knowing nothing about anything football related, expecting the usual shit results for Palace, and the general predictiability of the Premier-league. Alas, how wrong could I be? Granted, we only managed 1 point from 2 games, but talk about a good finish from Victor. What a goal it was, and people are already talking about it as a goal of the season contender - although Maynor Figueroa may have something to say about that. The BBC's description of:
"Maynor Figueroa put Wigan back in front after the break with a quickly taken free-kick from his own half"
doesn't do it half the justice it deserves in what was a fantastic peice of thinking and skill. Beckham-esque if you like!
And then there's Sparky being sacked: Hardly a surprise, although very strange timing - and Mancini coming in: Again very unsurprising and if the rumours are true, Henry could be on his way to Eastlends along with wait for it... Younus Kaboul? Can I blame City for getting rid of Hughes? Not particularly: they've spent a shit load of money and are still struggling to get into the top 6. I'm not saying they should finish top four this season, but they should certainly be doing better than they currently are.
United also lost in hilarious fashion to both Aston Villa and Fulham which brings their title credentials under serious scrutiny. I guess the fact not having any fit defenders didn't help, but a 3 - 0 defeat for United is almost unheard of and will no doubt dent confidence within their ranks. The only down side to their recent slip up is that it was once again Bobby Zamora who was the oppositions tormentor with what has to be was an excellent Performance. If he gets called up the England squad, I'm supporting Germany. Fucking Brighton reject. On a side note, that Hodgson is doing a fooking fantastic job ain't he.
I guess one thing has stayed the same: Liverpool whose shit form has continued. Benitez is surely on his way out soon - with the "we've only got 2 decent players" arguement waring thin. Mascherano, Johnson, Kuyt and others would walk into the vast majority of Premiership sides. It's a non-sensical arguement in my opinion.
There's no two ways about it, we're fucked financially. Really in the shit and January is always the worst month of the year as a Palace fan. Moses will go for sure - possibly to Barcelona according to some rumours out recently, although more likely to someone like Spurs or even Arsenal. Then there's people like Ambrose and Speroni who we really can't afford to let go from a footballing perspective, but can't afford to keep them in a financial sense. Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to February already!
Who said football was boring!!
Got back to England yesterday knowing nothing about anything football related, expecting the usual shit results for Palace, and the general predictiability of the Premier-league. Alas, how wrong could I be? Granted, we only managed 1 point from 2 games, but talk about a good finish from Victor. What a goal it was, and people are already talking about it as a goal of the season contender - although Maynor Figueroa may have something to say about that. The BBC's description of:
"Maynor Figueroa put Wigan back in front after the break with a quickly taken free-kick from his own half"
doesn't do it half the justice it deserves in what was a fantastic peice of thinking and skill. Beckham-esque if you like!
And then there's Sparky being sacked: Hardly a surprise, although very strange timing - and Mancini coming in: Again very unsurprising and if the rumours are true, Henry could be on his way to Eastlends along with wait for it... Younus Kaboul? Can I blame City for getting rid of Hughes? Not particularly: they've spent a shit load of money and are still struggling to get into the top 6. I'm not saying they should finish top four this season, but they should certainly be doing better than they currently are.
United also lost in hilarious fashion to both Aston Villa and Fulham which brings their title credentials under serious scrutiny. I guess the fact not having any fit defenders didn't help, but a 3 - 0 defeat for United is almost unheard of and will no doubt dent confidence within their ranks. The only down side to their recent slip up is that it was once again Bobby Zamora who was the oppositions tormentor with what has to be was an excellent Performance. If he gets called up the England squad, I'm supporting Germany. Fucking Brighton reject. On a side note, that Hodgson is doing a fooking fantastic job ain't he.
I guess one thing has stayed the same: Liverpool whose shit form has continued. Benitez is surely on his way out soon - with the "we've only got 2 decent players" arguement waring thin. Mascherano, Johnson, Kuyt and others would walk into the vast majority of Premiership sides. It's a non-sensical arguement in my opinion.
There's no two ways about it, we're fucked financially. Really in the shit and January is always the worst month of the year as a Palace fan. Moses will go for sure - possibly to Barcelona according to some rumours out recently, although more likely to someone like Spurs or even Arsenal. Then there's people like Ambrose and Speroni who we really can't afford to let go from a footballing perspective, but can't afford to keep them in a financial sense. Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to February already!
Who said football was boring!!
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