THURSDAY 1st JANUARY
Just my luck! I agree to swap weeks with JB, and miss the chance to write an article on the back of two wins! Instead, I get two poor defeats. So apologies if any of what I write seems harsh, but, following those defeats, I'm not feeling particularly positive....
CCFC are ten points off sixth place, and eight off third bottom (Derby have a game in hand over CCFC, so it could be reduced to five). The words `play-off' are STILL being used more than the word `relegation', but why? If we follow our after Christmas form of the last two seasons ..... well, it doesn't bare thinking about! We are not to good to go down....
The statistics don't lie - CCFC are missing a disgraceful amount of scoring chances. We've scored thirty times in the league, but, if we had the slightest idea in front of goal, it could be nearer 300! A dozen shots went over the bar alone versus Bradford! Add to that shots that went wide of the post, or that picked out the keeper rather than the net, and the statistics make depressing reading.
Norwich were doing well in D1, but missed too many chances - so they signed three strikers! I know CCFC don't have any money (Yawn!), but there must be better available than we currently have? Half-cut Sunday League players show more accuracy than CCFC's current batch of goal-shy strikers.
And why is it that the current strikers (Mr. McSheffrey is exempt from blame, as he doesn't seem to be in the picture) only seem to do well when they come on as substitutes?
I've heard about it, but has anybody actually seen any evidence of Julian Joachim's `frightening pace'? He is supposedly Premiership class. He should be for CCFC what Earnshaw is for Cardiff (22 goals so far), and what Defoe is for West Ham (15 goals so far) - but he isn't. Why? Two goals in nine starts (Plus two sub appearances) is not good enough! (Especially as they came in the same match!). There's been more evidence to suggest that the Loch Ness Monster exists than that JJ has pace in the last 30 months....
As for Patrick Suffo, he doesn't seem to be either a midfield player or a striker! Like Noel Whelan before him, he seems like the ideal player should the rules ever change, and teams be allowed to field twelve players! He looks like a powerful player, yet is brushed off the ball as easily as every other CCFC light-weight! Get them all on the Bryan Robson Guinness and eggs diet!
People are concerned that CCFC might lose Safri, and possibly Mansouri, for the African Nations Cup - I was slightly more concerned that Ken Dodd might call up CCFC's midfield to play his `Diddy Men' in a Christmas panto somewhere! Is it any wonder that CCFC are clueless at throw-ins with so many small players to aim for? Can we have Johnnie Jackson back please? He was tall, and liked scoring (late) goals....
Speaking of useless in the air, for any other team, Andrew Whing's quality crosses would lead to goals a plenty! But, with CCFC not having any player in midfield or attack capable of heading the ball, most are wasted. This problem is obvious to most, but not those that make the decisions, it seems. Please can we sign a DECENT target man?!
While the circumstances that saw Eric Black take over from Gary McAllister were not how anybody would have wished it to happen, it is always interesting to see just what the No. 2 changes - it's a good indication of whether or not the people that make important decisions are/were in agreement with each other! So far, I'm not so sure.....
THURSDAY 20th NOVEMBER
All fairly quiet on the CCFC front - this having no money lark is killing nearly any hope of transfer speculation!
The best way to describe the season upto now would be `average'. Five wins, five defeats, twenty-two goals scored, twenty-two conceded, and twenty-two points on the board! Unsurprisingly, CCFC sit around mid-table(ish). CCFC - the `Ken Barlow' of D1....
Norwich, Sunderland, and WBA (What odds on Hughes to actually score at Highfield Road?!) should be good tests for CCFC - as should Burnley, who we just cannot seem to get a result against.
If CCFC would stop trying to walk the ball into the net, it might just help us beat some of the better rated teams in D1! (And a couple of naff ones for that matter). So might passing to Andy Morrell, which could save CCFC the bother of signing yet another striker....
Christmas is a mere five weeks away (Apologies for mentioning it!), and I would like my presents early please - the unbeaten run to continue, but include a few victories! (I don't get much these days, so it would be nice if CCFC delivered something).
I know people still don't expect us to finish in the play-off places (With the existence of Santa Claus regarded as more likely by some), but how many people had Ryan Giggs down as a vicious player?! In trouble with the FA and UEFA? This is football - anything can happen!
�20 to watch CCFC beat both Gillingham and Sunderland is a great price, and I hope this gesture by CCFC sees a positive reaction from the fans. If they want prices permanently lowered they should show the club that this is an amount they are willing to pay by snapping up those tickets! The mini season tickets (From �75) are a great idea too - far better than socks or chocolates for Christmas!
While the choice of watching Champions League football on TV or our very own CCFC should be a non-contest (CCFC every time!), it seems it isn't. The club should have substantially lowered the prices for the midweek games against Crewe, Wimbledon and Bradford midweek - these games were never going to be sell-outs! �20 for all three matches would have perhaps encouraged a few bums to come off warm seats, and onto Highfield Road's plastic ones!
CCFC past and present, Strachan and McAllister, have been linked with the Leeds job - but why would either take it?! GS has said previously that he will leave football once his Saints contract is up - but, then again, he was once also quoted as saying that he would `walk away from football once the enjoyment had gone', but he didn't! There's no way in Villa Park (Otherwise known as `Hell'!) that he could have enjoyed his last full season at CCFC....
Bill Shankly once famously said `Football Isn't A Matter Of Life And Death - It's More Important Than That'. After the recent off-field problems concerning the boss, I think it's time football was given it's rightful place in the great scheme of things - second to health and happiness!
Finally, Midlands Today recently asked `which ugly Midlands building should be pulled down'. Despite a number of emails suggesting Villa Park, they rather disappointingly haven't read this suggestion out ... yet! It seems such an obvious choice too....
THURSDAY 16th OCTOBER
Today is one of the most important days in the history of CCFC, and, with the Tories planning to vote against the new stadium (Something I hope the people of Coventry will do to them come the next elections), it could be one of CCFC�s blackest days. The rest of this column is written presuming CCFC DON�T go out of business overnight�.
I commented at the start of the season that Highfield Road needs a new hero � and in Andy Morrell it looks as if they�ve got one! (Hands off, Wolves!). His work-rate is phenomenal, and he scores goals for CCFC too! That in itself is a rarity, as, normally when CCFC buy a player that is a proven goalscorer, they stop once they�ve signed on the dotted line for us.
CCFC have four very winnable games coming up (Number one is hopefully safely stored in the bank after last night!), and there is a real need to get into the winning habit - ASAP! The bottom three is far to close, and could be one of the spaces CCFC occupy by Saturday evening.
We�re already 14 points behind the leaders, and 9 points behind sixth place. And, while not many supporters believe CCFC will finish in the play-off places (Or above!), there�s not a lot of point bothering to turn up on matchdays if you don�t set a top six finish as your target�.
The defence needs to improve immediately - or be improved! Staunton, Konjic, and Shaw are all to slow, and seem to drop off to sleep far too often (A sure sign they�re getting old!). Maybe it�s time to bring Davenport back in? His England U21 call-up can only have boosted his confidence. It�s time Warnock became the player we thought we had signed too�.
In goal, Shearer needs to make the six-yard box his own, as he is guilty of staying on his line far too often - I can only presume his boots are to heavy! CCFC�s goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson (Why isn�t it Steve Ogrozovic?) has tipped Shearer to have a `bright future�, but I would rather he had a bright `now�!!
Attendances continue to disappoint, so it�s time the club addressed the problem. Fans have made it clear they are not willing to pay the current prices to watch D1 football, and leaving the seats empty should NEVER be an option. The excuse that dropping the cost of a match-day ticket might upset season ticket holders is not good enough! I�m sure season ticket holders would rather see a full ground than worry about whether or not they got a better deal.
Mike McGinnity said in a radio interview at the end of last season if it could be proved half-price season tickets would double the attendances, he would consider it � I think the club should have gambled! And, if they weren�t willing to gamble without evidence to support that fact, why didn�t they try surveying the City? (And beyond!). There is a willing audience out there, but not at current prices.
Presuming the club survives, its time to bring McSheffrey in from the cold. Joachim (Injured again) and O�Neill were given another chance after 10 decent minutes for the reserves � McSheffrey has actually gone out on loan, played week in week out, and has started scoring for fun again.
Finally, congratulations to England for surviving what must have been an uncomfortable experience in Turkey. While I don�t agree with violence, if it�s true that Rooney did belt Alpay, hats off to the man! It�s been a long time since a player so consistently wound up everybody so often � including his own supporters! As I said, I don�t agree with violence, but sometimes�.!
THURSDAY 11th SEPTEMBER
It hasn�t taken long for the pre-season optimism, that had replaced the early pre-season pessimism(!), to move onto something in-between�.
CCFC ended last season with four dismal performances (and more!), and took one point from 12. This season we have had four decent performances - including playing two sides off the pitch - and have managed two points from 12. Makes you wonder whether all the "ins" and "outs" of the summer were worth it! Pessimism, be gone!
While I have no doubt that CCFC will improve on last season (To fail to do so would mean we would more than likely be off the D1 "treadmill"), some of the same old failings are already rearing their ugly head. Please! Please! Can we break with what has almost become a CCFC tradition, and actually start putting some chances away? I�ve got my goal celebration worked out already�.
With Andy Morrell hardly a youngster anymore, giving him only 10 minutes to (not) score, before deciding Ravanelli might be the answer instead, seems slightly unfair! (Should the rumours prove to be true). It�s not as if he has age on his side, and can afford to sit in the reserves for a few years! Morrell scored for fun last season, and only needs decent service to do the same at CCFC. He at least deserves to be given the chance to fail�.
Another "tradition" that needs changing is Gary McAllister taking every set piece, as his statistics last season speak for themselves - one "trademark" free-kick versus Colchester (Though his "trademark" now seems to be not doing much with set pieces!). In his absence, others have been forced to have a go, and they�ve shown they might just be a better option! I still favour Konjic just leathering it! It worked for Brian Kilcline....
Not signing Craig Burley, which would have allowed McAllister to watch the game from the sidelines - with a view to coming on and over-turning any deficit, or making a small margin of victory into a huge one! - was a mistake. I know the club are broke, but sometimes you just have to go that extra yard to get success.
One player whose contribution has been minimal so far, but who expect to be a big hit with CCFC fans, is Claus Jorgensen. Goals from midfield is another of CCFC�s past failings, and he could be the man to change that when he finally gains proper match fitness and is given a chance.
Quite what Jorgensen has done so wrong already to be behind Keith O�Neill in the pecking order (KO�N was selected ahead of CJ, who then replaced him versus Notts Forest), I do not know! Having managed a full seven minutes this season, O�Neill has made his contribution, so it should be Claus�s turn next�.
We�ve already given some of the promotion favourites an eight to ten point lead, and to let them get out of site this early in the season would be foolish! It�s time to "do a Sunderland" � finally win a league match, and not bother looking back after that�.
S. WILSON, 122 GRANGEMOUTH ROAD, RADFORD, COVENTRY, CV6 3FE. ENGLAND.
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