London Senior Cup: Dulwich Hamlet vs Wingate & Finchley, Tuesday 19th November

[Christian Burt]

On a broader thought, once you reach the standard of NLS there are only a finite number of footballers good enough (and, within reason, local enough) who can perform at the required standard.
Your next issue to overcome is enticing them in - not too much of a problem with our wage bill and the chance to turn out in front of 2500+ every home match.

Where the club might have got a bit excited is the decision to go full time. With that finite number of footballers who are capable, you've then decreased your circle a fair bit for those who have a commitment to work/study outside of the game.

Perhaps going full-time is a long strategy, and these are the initial bumps whilst everyone - on the pitch and off - gets used to it.

 

[Lucy Fur]

On a broader thought, once you reach the standard of NLS there are only a finite number of footballers good enough (and, within reason, local enough) who can perform at the required standard.
Your next issue to overcome is enticing them in - not too much of a problem with our wage bill and the chance to turn out in front of 2500+ every home match.

Where the club might have got a bit excited is the decision to go full time. With that finite number of footballers who are capable, you've then decreased your circle a fair bit for those who have a commitment to work/study outside of the game.

Perhaps going full-time is a long strategy, and these are the initial bumps whilst everyone - on the pitch and off - gets used to it.

oi! This is Urban, your well reasoned and considered points aint welcome round here!

 

[editor]

Perhaps going full-time is a long strategy, and these are the initial bumps whilst everyone - on the pitch and off - gets used to it.

 

[Christian Burt]

That second GIF reminds me of going away matches in the back of Amin Haque's white van.

 

[tonysingh]

That second GIF reminds me of going away matches in the back of Amin Haque's white van.

Now there's a blast from the past.

 

[Nivag]

That second GIF reminds me of going away matches in the back of Amin Haque's white van.

He wasn't driving this one as well was he?

 

[liamdhfc]

The club does seem to be increasingly run as a ruthless commercial venture at the moment with fairly little regard paid to whats going on playing wise, and an awful lot of criticism aimed at the thousands of people who turn up to watch a team lose at home to a bunch of loanees whilst playing the awful, turgid football. The players can't be exempt from criticism though, to suggest that they look exhausted and flat due to three morning training sessions is stretching it a bit. That's not much workload for a semi-professional athlete, unless they spend the whole time doing hill sprints or something. Saying players look like they are lacking confidence is very often an excuse for lack of work-rate, urgency, and individual leadership. I'm not saying that the management is exempt from blame but the players aren't exactly producing odd moments of individual brilliance at the moment, just looking around for others to take on that responsibility. They could also show a little bit more connect with the club. The bottom line is that this run of form could easily last until the end of January, in which case we'll get relegated. That's just how it happens.

Although no longer involved on a day to day basis, I am not sure how the club is "a ruthless commercial venture" when it has the lowest ticket price in the league and amazing value season tickets, reducing prices for minor cup competitions, regularly donating small amounts to other organisations through matchday activities and offering kids and parents free entry and opportunities for children to be mascots without any charge.

It is a business that will look to make the most of the opportunities that come from having a crowd at a match, which is why food operators are now linked to the club and do not just pay a pitch fee.

If there was "fairly little regard paid to whats going on playing wise" then I am sure the investment in a new team would not have happened. The manager is allowed to manage with minimal interference and I believe has been given the resources required to have a successful season on the pitch. Would you rather the owners/directors tried to control the playing side?

The manager has a track record of success over a 10 year period and so why would anybody not leave him to manage and I am sure there have been meetings discussions about under performance. However, if a change of players, trimming a squad, looking for fresh impetus doesn't work I am sure the manager will come under pressure in due course as relegation is not an option for anyone. Would you rather that people off the pitch got involved with on pitch affairs?

What other connect would you like the players to have with the club? They come to the bar after every match and, on Saturdays, I believe they are not allowed to leave before 6.30. They are very open to conversations if approached. The only options for the club in terms of addressing form are (in no particular order):

• Stick by the manager and the players and hope they can improve their form
• Adjust the squad by releasing/transferring players and bringing others in within the same budget
• Throw more money at it
• Change the manager