I was casting around for a catchy title for a quick article suggesting that given the ploddingly awful start to the season he has presided over, that Andy Leese might be in danger of using his last chance up later today at Hitchin. Just to make sure I didn't accidentally re-use an old article title I typed "last chance" in the "Blog Search" function. Quite a depressingly large number of articles spooled out from this operation. Some blasting the last chance to buy chips at the game and some dreading the very real possibility of us having played our last game. The Blog algorithm did not distinguish between the two extremes or care a jot. It just blandly listed dozens and dozens of articles where we bemoaned the end of something to do with the Poppies. Christ, we love a good wallow don't we?
A similarly gutless defeat today to Hitchin to the one they inflicted upon us midweek and it would be difficult to see how Leese could survive. All season we have looked less fit, less incisive, less skilful, and less interested than the teams lined up against us. And that includes Hullbridge in the Cup where, 8 times out of 10 with the respective performances of the two teams, they would have won comfortably.
Our lack of fight this season is the biggest difference between last season and this. For all of Lee
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| Andy ponders who to blame this week |
Glover's managerial limitations you rarely felt his teams hadn't given their all. This season you seriously wonder what passes for player training. There's little evidence that defending, attacking or fitness feature highly on the list of activities on Tuesday and Thursday nights.
We can see we have some reasonably good players. But it's hard to point at any that are performing at more than 75% of their ability or capacity. Personal pride should drag more out of them. Being properly coached and managed should bring the rest out. It's currently looking like both are sadly lacking.
At the moment the Club are backing Leese with ongoing player acquisitions - the latest being the questionable resurrection of Leon Clarke who hasn't played this season for anyone. It means he's available for the FA Cup, but doesn't speak well to his fitness. Surely a desperate, last-gasp gambit for the Management? But, what if this doesn't work either? How much time do you invest in a situation that shows no real sign of improving?
More to the point, does the club's newly-formed Management Committee structure actually have a facility for hiring and firing? Right now are they scratching their heads over how to go about this most painful of footballing duties? And what of Leese's 2-year contract? What kind of hefty pay-out might that entail. A performance or result this afternoon anything like our last encounter against Hitchin and we must surely find out.
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