rcarter1
21-05-2012, 06:57 PM
Hi Folks, I don't post much and for one reason or another am not a regular to Easter Road, but have spent the last 48hrs gutted.
There are two purposes of this post. One is to throw out there the possible reasons for this mess. The other is to consider possible solutions.
My only hope is that if some kind of consensus can be made, that our concerns and suggestions can be taken to the club in one form or another.
Starting with a couple points that few would argue with:
1) Team not good enough - and hasn't been for some years.
2) We're soft touches and have been for a while.
Other points that may be more contentious but I happen to believe are true:
3) player 'power' too strong at the club and has been for some time.
4) Blaming our previous managers (2005+) is too easy, and the problems are deeper than that.
5) Our finances are reasonably well managed in terms of debt/turnover - but is not translating to punching at our weight relative to other SPL clubs.
6) Our youth system is not working as well as it was/could.
The final point is regarding the manager and leads onto possible solutions.
7) Pat Fenlon has made some mistakes with signings, but is not to blame for the extent of our problems - and shows signs of wanting to fight for improvement. Alex Ferguson took a while to get Man United going, and its too early to determine if Fenlon is the right/wrong man. I personally wouldn't want a punt on another random. He feels the pain of saturday, and this should motivate him to get it right. Brian Clough rose to success on the back of a desire to set the record straight and make his mark. If Fenlon wants to set the record straight regards Edinburgh football - then lets see what he can do - he doesn't look like a loser to me.
Im sure are more problems, and the following suggestions for the way forward are only my thoughts. I hope that fans closer to the ground so to speak are capable of driving the club aggressively towards improving it.
As I feel that most of our problems are linked to each other, I believe that the solution(s) should address the whole problem at its root.
1) Pat Fenlon and Rod Petrie discuss the situation. I can only hope that Petrie (who may be a large part of the problem), has the guts and strength of character to see any solutions objectively - and not defend his 'policies' or previous decisions. Pat has enough experience dealing with successful teams - albeit at a lower level, to understand what he needs from the players in terms of basic discipline and spirit. In this regard he should be allowed to freeze out any player at the club that he feels is incapable of coming round to his regime. Thankfully most of the current players are loans going back, or out of contract. Anyone else still on a contract that even resembles a dissenting voice should be isolated from the team, told to find another club or sit out their contract. They should not even be allowed into the ground or any of the clubs facilities.
Deep breath..
2) Fenlon will need to prove himself in the transfer market. God only knows how that works, but clearly our budget is a constraint. I would favour taking all the youth players - put them through their paces in a kind of 'boot camp' type exercise and release all the whiners and slackers. I feel for them considering the job market, but playing for Hibs should be a privilege only given to the committed. With what is left, and with the hope that the experience will have begun the semblance of a 'team spirit', the manager needs to be given a flexible wage budget so that he can fill the team with older/experienced players fitting the description of 'the right people'. As the youth players haven't proven anything, they would be on the low wages. The older/experienced guys could be negotiated with, relevant to each particular situation. If one of these players is a James McPake type figure head and gets more money than the others, so be it. Ultimately players should be chosen to ensure that the higher earners are proven for commitment, aggression (controlled!!), responsibility, as well as ability and experience. This is absolutely vital
as the younger players will respond to money as much as personality/attitude. If the wasters and moaners are the big money boys then this can only set the wrong example.
3) Start the season with some committed performances focusing more on showing the opposition that we won't lie down, and hope the fans respond to this.
Sorry for the length of the post, particularly in light that I am not a regular to the board, but this HAS to be the time to get the club going again.
Yours in Hibeeness.
There are two purposes of this post. One is to throw out there the possible reasons for this mess. The other is to consider possible solutions.
My only hope is that if some kind of consensus can be made, that our concerns and suggestions can be taken to the club in one form or another.
Starting with a couple points that few would argue with:
1) Team not good enough - and hasn't been for some years.
2) We're soft touches and have been for a while.
Other points that may be more contentious but I happen to believe are true:
3) player 'power' too strong at the club and has been for some time.
4) Blaming our previous managers (2005+) is too easy, and the problems are deeper than that.
5) Our finances are reasonably well managed in terms of debt/turnover - but is not translating to punching at our weight relative to other SPL clubs.
6) Our youth system is not working as well as it was/could.
The final point is regarding the manager and leads onto possible solutions.
7) Pat Fenlon has made some mistakes with signings, but is not to blame for the extent of our problems - and shows signs of wanting to fight for improvement. Alex Ferguson took a while to get Man United going, and its too early to determine if Fenlon is the right/wrong man. I personally wouldn't want a punt on another random. He feels the pain of saturday, and this should motivate him to get it right. Brian Clough rose to success on the back of a desire to set the record straight and make his mark. If Fenlon wants to set the record straight regards Edinburgh football - then lets see what he can do - he doesn't look like a loser to me.
Im sure are more problems, and the following suggestions for the way forward are only my thoughts. I hope that fans closer to the ground so to speak are capable of driving the club aggressively towards improving it.
As I feel that most of our problems are linked to each other, I believe that the solution(s) should address the whole problem at its root.
1) Pat Fenlon and Rod Petrie discuss the situation. I can only hope that Petrie (who may be a large part of the problem), has the guts and strength of character to see any solutions objectively - and not defend his 'policies' or previous decisions. Pat has enough experience dealing with successful teams - albeit at a lower level, to understand what he needs from the players in terms of basic discipline and spirit. In this regard he should be allowed to freeze out any player at the club that he feels is incapable of coming round to his regime. Thankfully most of the current players are loans going back, or out of contract. Anyone else still on a contract that even resembles a dissenting voice should be isolated from the team, told to find another club or sit out their contract. They should not even be allowed into the ground or any of the clubs facilities.
Deep breath..
2) Fenlon will need to prove himself in the transfer market. God only knows how that works, but clearly our budget is a constraint. I would favour taking all the youth players - put them through their paces in a kind of 'boot camp' type exercise and release all the whiners and slackers. I feel for them considering the job market, but playing for Hibs should be a privilege only given to the committed. With what is left, and with the hope that the experience will have begun the semblance of a 'team spirit', the manager needs to be given a flexible wage budget so that he can fill the team with older/experienced players fitting the description of 'the right people'. As the youth players haven't proven anything, they would be on the low wages. The older/experienced guys could be negotiated with, relevant to each particular situation. If one of these players is a James McPake type figure head and gets more money than the others, so be it. Ultimately players should be chosen to ensure that the higher earners are proven for commitment, aggression (controlled!!), responsibility, as well as ability and experience. This is absolutely vital
as the younger players will respond to money as much as personality/attitude. If the wasters and moaners are the big money boys then this can only set the wrong example.
3) Start the season with some committed performances focusing more on showing the opposition that we won't lie down, and hope the fans respond to this.
Sorry for the length of the post, particularly in light that I am not a regular to the board, but this HAS to be the time to get the club going again.
Yours in Hibeeness.