Your reading a pre 2010-11 archived article
Welcome to the Sunday version of Sniffer Nose, a punchier version of your favourite occasional column.
Lifting the curse.
Of the various manifestations of Leeds United’s bad luck over the years the most irritating recent one has been the tendency to show the country just how bad the situation was live on tv. Whether it was the two Rotherham humiliations, Histon, Hereford or play-off defeats the habit became one to dread. Now this season, even in defeat, all our live tv appearances have been something to treasure long may it continue. Did someone lift the curse over the summer?
Hillside decay.
Did anyone else notice that the FA started muffling the crowd sound from Boundary Park? Couldn’t see the point myself given the whole country could probably hear our chanting given its intensity! 5500 crowd of which 2000+ were away fans, Oldham Athletic were hardly showing their loyal side. Add the missing stand and general decay of Boundary Park and you sense a club in terminal decline from its PL heights. Good job they have a decent manager at the moment who knows how to work on a shoestring, lose him and I’ll be putting bets on them being Conference within 2 years.
Rusted Iron.
Another sign of a club in decline is the tendency for the media speculation to assume your best players are leaving. Notwithstanding at West Ham United their existing financial issues (no-one will buy them because of the complications of previous Icelandic ownership), having to pay Curbishley (god knows why they didn’t just pay him off last season) and the legal costs of the fall out of the Millwall game riot, non of this excuses the idea they might sell Robert Green for £8m! If West Ham United want to go down, that is a good way to ensure it.
Throwing all the goodwill away.
The media have a tendency to allocate term “good guy” at personalities in football and then sticking with it regardless of facts. This tendency is in full swing at Sunderland presently with Niall Quinn. What I don’t understand is this, the whole of the organised supporter world is up in arms about a potentially illegal banning of supporters by Quinn on loyal Sunderland fans not charged with anything but none of the usual football media outlets are running the story. Justice can’t be served if the media have preconceptions based on Niall Quinn’s reputation, about time they got on the phone to him and asked awkward questions!
Delaying the outcome.
Quiz time, the chairman of a football league club pays off a £2.1m tax bill, at the last possible minute, using money from his group of companies, does that mean a) everything is alright at Southend United now, b) administration has been seen off but the new ground is on the back burner or c) the debt has been transferred from the tax-man to Ron Martin who can pull the plug at any time, or maybe d) all of them at the same time and confusion and instability will reign supreme for a long time to come in Essex! Answer, e) Southend United have paid the price for bad financial management with ambition restrained for the next 20 years!
How about a name change?
Ebbsflett United have been through it all over the last ten years, promotion to the Conference, staying up against the odds, name change, ownership changed to a new “fans” model, Trophy success, excess spending, failure of said “fans” model, loss of ground, decline and now impending relegation. How do they stop the decline and ensure a sustainable future? How about this then? Change your name to Gravesend United and build a local fan base? Just an idea.
Do it for Scotland.
Whether I care if the SPL survives with or without the big two is a moot point but that doesn’t stop me noticing a potential breaking of that Glasgow monopoly. Hiberian, under John Hughes (a manager who got slagged off in the Scottish press for keeping Falkirk up while playing decent football!!) are well-placed to take advantage of Rangers in financial trouble and Celtic in self-critical mode despite being top. I hope all lovers of the game are rooting for Hibs to achieve real success and finish top 2 this season.
Solution in their own hands.
One of the fall outs from the Glasgow Rangers is being run by the banks story was a little, not widely reported comment from John Fleck, the young but bullish Rangers striker. What Fleck said was that the youth section of the club was so good that it would provide the basis of which the club could come out of its present malaise. Normally you wouldn’t give such a comment 3 seconds consideration, but in this case let’s hope a) its true and b) it happens. Usually a crises club sells or gives away its decent young players and instead buys experienced rubbish (the Blackwell model in England), would be nice to see someone do the opposite and invest time in its young players.
Against all odds.
Of course if the SPL does have an exodus of players some of them will find their English level, like Accrington Stanley. Stanley are another club saved at the last minute by funds provided from nowhere, and yet in footballing terms you have to admire what John Coleman is achieving. Mine and everyone else’s tip for relegation this season the mid-table position shows a manager making the best of his resources. Wait a minute, that’s the solution, give Coleman the Rangers job!
Doing it right.
One person who will be touted for all vacant SPL jobs is Owen Coyle, who has done a job with Burnley deserving of high praise. Yes most of us would have dumped the goalie and all of the defence before season started but he had stood by the players who came up. It is that attitude which makes me hope Burnley can stay up, but unlike Hull City don’t then spend a unsustainable fortune on players no better. The PL needs such a model and it needs Owen Coyle to show up the Phil Browns for what they are.
