What do people think?

"The club and the manager will not accept relegation as an option and we all feel that there is plenty of football to play and points to be won.

Our director of football Jon Franklin will be taking a more prevalent roll with the first team and over the past 24 hours a number of enquires have been made to strengthen the squad"

Suggests we are sticking with Manager with more assistance from others, although with the greatest respect I am not sure Jon has any more REAL WORLD experience at this level. It also suggests that that the continuing revolving door player policy will continue when I think that actually a decent striker would do the job along with managing and motivating the current players.

Not sure that the club see the problem that we have?

taken from the main website:
"With the recent poor run of results the committee will be meeting with the manager and players this Tuesday to put together a strategy together to maintain our league status.

The club and the manager will not accept relegation as an option and we all feel that there is plenty of football to play and points to be won.

Our director of football Jon Franklin will be taking a more prevalent roll with the first team and over the past 24 hours a number of enquires have been made to strengthen the squad."

The club will do everything in its power to keep us in this division and would ask for your patients and continual support, through what is a difficult playing period."

I have been quite tight lipped about this up until now, believing that either Steve would resign or the board would release him, but no. So now there are even more questions that need to be asked.
1. Why was a strategy not put in place when Mark left and then moreover when Steve took over the post, knowing he was inexperienced and definately not the choice of the fans. He could have walked out at any point.
2. Jon Franklin is the director of football, and therefore in my opinion he should already have a very prevelant role anyway. Why was Steve not getting his assistance before hand, and if in fact, he was, why hasn't it worked?
3. If, as it has been hinted, the players do not have any faith in Steve, and do not pay any attention to the half time team talk, what will make them change their attitude, are we going to give them an ultimatum? more players in and out
4. Relegation IS a very serious, and is looking to be a very likely option. Two teams WILL get relegated. The only thing as far as i can see at the moment that is not an option for those in charge, is sacking the manager. The only reason Mark went is because HE tendered his resignation.
5. Please could someone spell-check these things before they go on the page. With the exception of Liz the Fizz and Steve Hale, none of us to my knowledge are doctors, dentists or anything else from the medical profession, and therefore we are not able to provide any patients. Jon Franklin is going to take a roll (turkey or cheese?) Statements like this make us look like incompetent fools.........or should I say make us look even more.

Players and managers will come and go. I am genuinely gutted that Steve could not do the job, peeved that Greg opted out of being joint manager although he probably did because he saw all this coming and didn't want the grief, but mostly I am disappointed for the people who come to the matches and support the club week in week out, as they will ultimately be the ones that will suffer in all of this, all because no one wants to sack anyone.

completely agree with everything said.

He should have got the help he needed from the start, it's far too late now. Seems a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Who has any faith in him? And more worrying in a couple of weeks who will have any faith in our Committee?(that's assuming that some of us still have at the moment)

Summing up then; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrZRrzfMF3o

I'm not sure about this statement - 1st impressions are too little too late. Things were brought to a head v Fleet and Marlow and things should have been addressed and replacements made then. now w even the statement admits things could be too late.

But at least our complaints have been acknowledged

trimmtrab wrote:

But at least our complaints have been acknowledged

I don't know that it is a case of acknowledging our complaints, more like they have looked at the league table and done some sums. The calls of "Smithy out" have fallen on deaf ears, they have no intention of getting rid of him, they are going to do exactly what VAHT have done with Vale House, paint over it in the hope that all the crap will be forgotten.
20 games: 3 wins, 3 draws, 14 losses. 19 goals scored, 36 goals conceded, 2 clean sheets. 12 points out of a possible 51

Two clean sheets in twenty, that's quite good. I hear Rugby are in a party mood, that was the first clean sheet they've managed in 23 games

This is just so wishy washy. What was needed was decisive action but really nothing changes and because of that neither will the results and in 8 or ten games time we'll make a change but by then it will be too late. There was one thing that was said in the statement that is true and that was that there are plenty of points to play for but based on the last 12 games we won't be bring many back to Haywoods Way!

Right, had a think about it, too little too late.

Something more concrete or positive needs to be sorted out, powderpuff solution imao

Sounds like its going to be a try to paint over the cracks type of meeting tomorrow.Should have called a managerial meeting tonight and sorted it in the only way possible.Nice guy as Smith maybe he should not have any more involvement with the team.He done his best and failed,this is a results business.

what i cant understand here is why is there a meeting with the management AND the players, surely the manager has got to be the one carrying the can.

number 1 wrote:what i cant understand here is why is there a meeting with the management AND the players, surely the manager has got to be the one carrying the can.

I'm a teacher and if my students are not passing exams due to my poor teaching, my boss doesn't call together a meeting with me and the students! Nothing to do with them, it's me who gets it in the neck.

i think just for a second you should all take a step back and realise what you are saying. i am a great believer in everyone having their own opioins but you have all taken this to the extreme. i understand that the football is bad at the moment but to blame and slag off the board and others is out of order i dont think you all realise how people work their arses off to keep that club going and if it wasnt for certain indiviuals there would be no club at all. the statement provided was very adequte for fans to read and you all should be happy that this statement was even done because i know of other clubs who would not give you half as much information as afc does.

i would like to see any of you on this forum step up to the mark and run a football team because i dont think any of you could.

Whilst we all agree without them that there would not be a football club in this town. Some of us have offered help many times and not had it taken up,we have now decided just too turn up,have a drink,and pay entrance.Then try to make our voices heard when needed

It's a results game and I'm not pretending I can manage a southern league football team. Frankly this is the first time this board as been as active. We care and we can see that this manager is not up to the job! The board do a great job but as Mr Fsh has said help has been offered and not really taken up so that's not our fault. All I want to do is go down on a Saturday or a Tuesday and watch a decent team competing , which, until the new Manager took over I did. Everyone can see this isn't working and what is being proposed just is a nothing decision. Steve Smith needs to go and we need a fresh start whist we still have enough games to stay up. Sorry but it's that simple.