2nd October 2000   

More Cambridge Reports

PUNCH-DRUNK Athletic are reeling from another heavy blow after hearing that Carlo Corazzin will miss their league match at Rotherham. Club officials, who have seen the team go into free-fall during nine games without a win, were hoping their international striker would be free to play on Sunday. But they have lost a battle with Canada’s governing body and Corazzin, the three-goal leading scorer, will instead play in a World Cup qualifier against Panama. Prior to signing Corazzin in the summer, Athletic reached a compromise with the Canadian Soccer Association over when the player would turn out for his country. 

While other clubs insisted he quit Canada’s team altogether, Athletic said he could play in important games. That was one of the main reasons Corazzin moved to Boundary Park, rather than signing for Gillingham or one of several other interested clubs. Canada can no longer reach the 2002 finals and Athletic, believing the league match at Millmoor was now more important, made a special request to keep him. But Corazzin’s national bosses are faced with an injury crisis and have ignored the pleas of his employers. The consolation for Athletic is that defender Mark Watson, another Canadian regular, is ruled out of the international because of suspension. Athletic have massive problems following Saturday’s home defeat against Cambridge and, for the first time, manager Andy Ritchie has spoken of his heartache (see main match reports). 

As frustration mounts both on and off the pitch, Ritchie admits that the club’s plight is “eating into” him. Athletic have an extra day to find some answers, and also to restore defender Shaun Garnett to full fitness. Garnett is recovering well from a broken hand and hopes to return next weekend, probably wearing a special cast.

IN every manager’s career, there comes a time when concerns are raised and questions asked. After Athletic’s latest abysmal failure, that time seems to have arrived for Andy Ritchie. The man who was idolised as a player and welcomed to the manager’s post with a tidal wave of good will is now under increasing pressure from the fans. Until recently, chairmen, directors and majority shareholders were the bogeymen Athletic’s faithful turned upon when times were bad. Then the players joined that list of targets. Now, following a damning return of three points out of 27, Ritchie is receiving his share of criticism from supporters who, understandably, are distressed by the club’s plight. Whether they are right or not is, in many ways, irrelevant. And hunting for scapegoats has never solved problems. But the meagre crowd staged a walkout on Saturday when Cambridge made it 3-0 to dump Athletic into 23rd place in the second division. Patience is wearing thin. And Ritchie, in his third season in charge, faces possibly the biggest challenge of his football life.

Without doubt, there are those who hold him chiefly responsible for the depressing slump. Others — and they are still in the majority — believe he needs more time. Something, however, must change soon, whether in luck, attitude, funding or personnel. If it doesn’t, the rumblings of discontent will become a groundswell which envelops the club . . . and could sent it spiralling into third-division obscurity. Scoring goals has become as big an issue as conceding them and, against surprise high-fliers Cambridge, Ritchie paired Carlo Corazzin with Craig Dudley. It was the first time they had started a game up front together and, in theory, there was bags of potential. Many successful partnerships are a mix of power and pace and, in Corazzin and Dudley, Athletic had them both. In practice, too, they operated well at times as the Canadian won almost everything in the air while his partner ferreted around him. Ultimately, however, the job of a striker is to strike, to put away a decent percentage of his chances. Athletic’s forwards simply aren’t doing that at the moment and, for all his good work in build-up play, Corazzin’s radar is worryingly out of focus. Athletic didn’t score until it was far too late and, even then, the goal flicked off either a centre-back, Andrew Holt, or Cambridge’s John Dreyer.

It’s all very well blaming the defence for the current ills — and, yes, they did drop yet more horrible clangers — but it’s high time those players had something to defend. Without that back-up, every goal leaked is potentially the one which brings yet another defeat. And the bad news is, Athletic are showing few signs of putting things right. Cambridge, a handy team with a backbone of experience, should have gone ahead after only eight minutes when Zema Abbey, looking suspiciously offside, raced clean through at Gary Kelly’s goal. He negotiated the ’keeper’s lunge, but pondered too long and allowed Chris Lightfoot to clear off the line. Two minutes later, visiting goalkeeper Lionel Perez made a superb one-handed stop from a Mark Innes header, while Athletic continued to have the edge in an open, entertaining half. But they couldn’t make the breakthrough and the clearest chances fell to Cambridge, for whom Jonas Axeldal and Tom Youngs fired wide from good positions. Corazzin squandered his best opening from Paul Smith’s cross and, in first-half injury time, Athletic were punished. They had more than one chance to challenge Youngs as the up-and-coming midfielder skipped his way through the centre.

Yet they either stood off or ran alongside without a tackle as Youngs advanced into the area and clipped over the diving Kelly from 12 yards. Youngs twice went close just after the break — only a Neil Adams goal-line clearance denied him on the second occasion — while Kelly was forced to bail out his rickety defence with four saves in a six-minute period. With Athletic all at sea, it was no surprise when Cambridge doubled their lead in the 61st minute. This goal was worse than the first as Abbey’s flick should have been dealt with comfortably on the edge of the box. Instead, every Athletic defender waited for someone else to react and Youngs, unable to believe his luck, notched his second of the game after rounding the hesitant Kelly. With nine minutes to go, Cambridge scored again as a left-wing cross reached Alex Russell at the far post. The midfielder, who was clever and inventive throughout, drilled home an angled shot from 12 yards to spark a mass exodus of disillusioned and disgruntled fans. Those who left missed Athletic’s 86th-minute reply, a flicked header which looked to go in off Dreyer after Smith curled in a free-kick. It was precious little consolation for Ritchie and his men. But there is at least one salvation amid all this gloom — things, surely, can only get better.

IN the wake of another defeat, Andy Ritchie has confessed that his emotional ties with Athletic are making a nightmare season even harder to swallow. The manager, who became a Boundary Park legend during his playing days, had to endure the sight of hundreds of fans leaving early as his team were humbled at home to Cambridge. “What’s happening eats into me desperately,” Ritchie admitted. “I love this club, it has been my life for almost 15 years. And there is nothing I want more than to see us stay in this division and then get up into the first. “If I had been a fan, I probably would have walked out myself. They are entitled to their opinion. “And if people think it’s my fault, that’s their prerogative — but this doesn’t hurt anyone more than it hurts me. “We are meticulous in our preparations, but the players have to be switched on for the full 90 minutes when they go out there. “There’s no easy answer when that doesn’t happen and I can’t go to the board and ask for more money because I know there isn’t any to give out. Clubs like ours find it hard to survive. “No-one works harder than us during the week — I can guarantee that.

“We go out and look at players all the time, but we can’t bring them on board very often because of our situation. “We have to get the right player for the right area at the right price and it takes time to do that. “The biggest thing at the moment is the fact that we are missing Shaun Garnett, John Sheridan and Paul Rickers. “Injuries are part and parcel of the game, but they are integral players and it’s causing us a lot of problems. “We need them back as soon as possible because there are too many youngsters in the team and we are missing the experience. “But, having said that, we have to show more spirit and fight when the going gets tough. “There was a lack of bite, which is hard to instil into players if it isn’t already there. “If the transfer system is abolished, it could spell disaster for players, as well as clubs, and they need to realise that quickly.

“If they want to stay in the game they might have to get to a bigger club, but they could find that difficult. “We also have to start defending better, although there’s no talk of us going defensive because we can’t do that anyway. “We will never change our philosophy on the game and if we can reproduce some of the things we did (against Cambridge) we won’t be far away. “We have worked and worked and worked on defending, so there are no excuses there. “It nonplusses me that they don’t do the things we have told them. It’s very frustrating, but we just aren’t being strong enough at the moment.”

TEAMtalk Burnley

Oldham Athletic manager Andy Ritchie has admitted that he would love to keep hold of Burnley winger Paul Smith. Smith was allowed to make the short trip to Boundary Park for a one-month loan 10 days ago and has been in top form in two games so far.
That has prompted Ritchie to go on record as saying that he would like to make the deal permanent at the end of the month.
But the Latics would not appear to have money to burn and would only be able to afford a modest fee and that would lead to Burnley boss Stan Ternent having to perform a delicate balancing act. He is clearly intent on strengthening his squad and would like to clear the wages bill of some of those down the pecking order. But Smith has been with the club since leaving school and has been a big crowd favourite and that could lead to Ternent holding out for a bigger fee. Of the others, the likeliest to move on is Alan Lee as the big Irish striker is on loan at Rotherham and manager Ronnie Moore is keen to add him to the squad. That would leave the gap needed for the introduction of Moore's son Ian to Turf Moor, from Stockport County.

TEAMtalk Oldham

Latics boss Andy Ritchie has pledged to stick with his attacking policy despite his side's slump to second-bottom after just one win in 10 games. Ritchie insisted: "We won't be changing our philosophy because there is no point in us going defensive.
"Anyway, we are not good enough to do that." Facts certainly back up that point because the Latics have conceded a massive 22 goals - the joint worst record in the country. The big problem is up front where the goals have dried up despite plenty of opportunities. Ritchie added: "We just can't find a cutting edge at the moment and it is costing us. "We could have been 4-0 up against Cambridge and we have got to learn to finish off sides." Cambridge had four shots on target on Saturday and scored from three of them. The Latics also had four on target but they had double the number of efforts off target. Ritchie added: "Nothing seems to be going our way. "It works for us on the training ground, but for some reason we just don't seem to be able to do it when it matters -- out on the pitch."

The Latics expect to be boosted in the near future by the return of defensive strongman Shaun Garnett. The big centre-back has missed six league and cup games after breaking three bones in his hand in last month's defeat at Wrexham. He is due to return to hospital on Thursday to have a pin removed. Boss Andy Ritchie said: "The specialist has said Shaun can train and play with a special plaster cast to protect the injury. "He has been working very hard with the physio and should be fit enough to return.
"We desperately need him back." Garnett has been pencilled in for an immediate return in Sunday's re-arranged fixture at Rotherham. Fans are reminded that the game kicks-off at 1pm.

Latics look set to drop striker Mark Allott into the reserves in a bid to get him back on the goal trail. The 22-year-old was joint-top scorer last season but in this campaign he has netted just twice in 14 league and cup games. The Latics second string play Rotherham at Stalybridge Celtic's Bower Fold ground on Tuesday night and Mark Hotte will return after injury. Wales under-21 striker Matthew Tipton could also be given a run-out. Definitely in the side will be teenage keeper Jonathan Campbell. First choice David Miskelly is on duty with the Northern Ireland under-21 squad and Campbell will be needed on the bench for the Latics second division game at Rotherham on Sunday.

Oldham have set the dates for their opening Manchester Senior Cup fixtures which kick-off against Manchester United.
The Latics kick-off the competition by taking on last year's champions at Bury's Gigg Lane ground on Thursday October 12th. That game will be followed by the visit of Bury to Boundary Park on October 18th, with both matches kicking off at 7pm.

Official Latics Web Site

Keeper David Miskelly has now joined up with the Northern Ireland U.21 squad for their games against Denmark on Friday 6th October and away to Iceland on Tuesday 10th October.

This means Miskelly will not be able to provide goalkeeping cover on the bench for Latics First Team game at Rotherham on Sunday 8th October or appear for the Reserves in their Avon Insurance League game at Barnsley on Monday 9th October. However he will be back at Boundary Park in time for the Manchester Senior Cup tie against Manchester Utd at Gigg Lane on Thursday 12th October - kick off 7 pm.

Also away from Boundary Park this week will be striker Carlo Corazzin who is required by Canada for their World Cup qualifying game against Panama on the 9th October. This obviously means that Carlo will also be missing for the Rotherham game on Sunday 8th October.

Campbell - Hotte - Smith - Jones - Futcher - Pluck - Salt - Walsh - Tipton - Allott - McLaughlin
Subs: Sugden - Haining - Doran - Wright - Hall

"NOT good enough". That was Roy McFarland's verdict and warning despite his team's 3-1 victory at Oldham. "It was a patchy performance," he said. "We gave the ball away when we were not under pressure, we weren't really with it in the first half an hour, and we didn't take half of our chances again. "When we went 2-0 up we eased off, and Lionel Perez had to make a very good save then to stop Oldham getting back into it. "When Oldham got a goal just before the end, which couldn't make any difference to the result, Lionel was furious at losing the clean sheet. That's the attitude we need throughout the team. "I was delighted to seem him react like that, because it shows he doesn't want to give a thing to the other side.

"It was encouraging that we could win 3-1 away when we were not at our best, but we need to aim at a higher standard than that to stay with the leaders in the division. "Oldham have been having a hard time, but they put us under pressure in the first half when we were fortunate that Lionel was on song, as well as our centre-backs, Andy Duncan and John Dreyer. That's the best they've played." There was praise also for Tom Youngs, who scored two goals to take his tally for the season to six, a record which McFarland agreed is likely to attract interest from bigger clubs. "That's something we'll have to face," he said. "It's good that it happens because if our players are doing that well it probably means we are being successful as a team. "Tom has that knack of getting into scoring positions and is a very cool finisher. His first goal with defenders snapping at his heels was expertly taken."

A TOTAL tactical team change transformed Cambridge United from anxious, toothless strugglers into overwhelming winners. With eight minutes to go before half time a point from a goalless bore looked the most they could hope for against lowly Oldham. Midway through the second half they were two goals up, could have had four and were swarming all over the panic-stricken home team. Manager Roy McFarland abandoned what seemed an over-cautious use of the sweeper system, reverted to the usual 4-4-2 formation, and saw his side slot straight into a higher gear leaving the Latics trailing way behind. The original idea had been to counter Oldham's use of wing-backs, but despite taking only three points from their previous eight matches the Lancashire side soon showed they could play that system better than United. Full-backs Tom Cowan and Steve McAnespie pushed further forward than they had in the Worthington Cup match at Portsmouth, where United hardly created a scoring chance, but that only allowed Oldham to catch them out continually on the flanks. And with the powerful presence of Ian Ashbee withdrawn from midfield to centre-back, the Latics, far from used to dictating a match this season, found they were the ones with the possession and territorial advantage.

Had ex-United striker Carlo Corazzin been a little sharper on his return from injury McFarland's men could have been a goal or two down and chasing the game after a worrying half an hour. United did manage to create one clear opportunity, which Zema Abbey, who looks as though he might need a break, squandered in the ninth minute with a weak finish after getting past the keeper, but that was a rare threat. Fortunately, the manager was not afflicted by the stubbornness or wounded pride which can sink a side in those circumstances, and gave the signal to switch back to plan A. The reward was immediate: three scoring chances created in the next eight minutes and a crucial goal seconds before the half-time whistle. Oldham, who must have gained a false impression of United during most of the first half, hardly knew what hit them after the break. From the moment three minutes after the restart, when Tom Youngs was only inches wide with a spectacular header from an Alex Russell cross, until four minutes from the end, when the home side fluked a goal which was no consolation at all, their penalty area was a shooting gallery.

Jonas Axeldahl had a shot cleared off the goal-line by a defender after a 49th minute corner, and four minutes later goalkeeper Gary Kelly had to make a brilliant save to tip Tom Cowan's 25-yard thunderbolt over the crossbar. There was just a two-minute respite before an extraordinary bombardment softened up the Latics' defence for their inevitable destruction. Axeldahl found Youngs, whose drive was blocked by the keeper, Ashbee rammed in a 20-yarder which struck a defender, then Youngs forced another point-blank save from Kelly. Oldham's cumbersome back three was shot to pieces, and it was no surprise when Youngs, too clever for them just before the break, was too fast for them as he slotted home his sixth goal of the season in the 62nd minute. "They were a bit slow," said the Mildenhall youngster with considerable under-statement. "We could have a few more in the second half. I should have got my first hat-trick. I seemed to be getting stuck on two goals." Hardly a problem to worry about, but he looks sure to claim a match ball soon as game by game he develops into one of the most dangerous attackers in the division, ghosting through from the right or left flank to startle then embarrass defenders with his pace and skill.

McFarland still saw plenty for his team to improve on, despite their second-half dominance, Lionel Perez, a first half inspiration, needing to make one important save in the second as his team relaxed too much after their second goal. Not that the travelling fans were complaining as they tried to make their support heard over the increasing booing of the disgruntled Latics supporters. Russell's superb strike eight minutes from time was the signal for a mass evacuation of the home stands, despite the drenching rain, and those left could hardly be bothered to cheer their thoroughly vanquished team's late own goal.