The Phoney War

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http://blogs.soccernet.com/fulham/archives/2011/12/the_battle_behind_the_scenes.php



The Battle behind the scenes


Posted by Phil Mison 3 hours, 58 minutes ago


Another miserable awayday for Fulham fans. While defeat on the road is something we have come to accept - it's no less palatable when we so cravenly contribute to our own downfall

Even after a decade in the top flight, our proud football club is still forced to walk along the Premiership precipice for large parts of any given season. A couple of times we've plunged off the edge, only to be held up by the thinnest of ropes from falling into the crocodile pool below.

We fans, as long suffering as any down the years, try to keep our expectations realistic, reign back our emotions, rarely lament the lack of trophies garnered over time, and doggedly keep making that pilgrimage down to the riverside in the hope that one day our boat will come in.

You could make a fair case for saying, the definition of an optimist is being a fan of Fulham. I'm not one for lachrymose self-pity myself, most Fulhamites of long standing like me cast sympathetic eyes over the other three divisions - having endured plenty of cruel hard times among them - and give thanks for a fixture list that gives us the chance to test ourselves against the elite.

The bitter history of perennial under-achievement never allows us to get above our station. There's one maxim you often hear from the lips of successful people, especially sportsmen. 'Am I lucky? Sure, and the harder I practice the luckier I get.' In football success comes with impeccable preparation. Nurturing a disparate group of young men - and big egos - and blending them into a cohesive and effective unit is a rare skill akin to leading men in battle. In recent times the old Wimbledon team embodied a unique esprit de corp in the 80's that enabled them to win an F.A. Cup and regularly turn over the big boys.

The current Fulham set up sees the side facing an uncomfortable period of transition. That has not been helped by three changes in management since May 2010. For Fulham to stave off the spectre of relegation in 2012 we are again in a familiar position of needing to improve in the second half of the season - and a club as small as ours needs EVERYONE pulling in the same direction.

Following the latest surrender to an average (and promoted) side in Swansea Jol is asked directly post-match why Bobby Zamora was not selected, the manager preferring to have the slight figure of AJ up front. His response finally makes clear the Dutchman has destroyed the harmonious squad he inherited. "I need players to give 100%, on the pitch and in training. I decided Andy deserved to start today, so Zamora was the one to miss out." That decision - inexplicable on what Andy offers the team away from home, where he has recently started as a sub anyway, was made on Thursday. Zamora was told not to bother turning up Friday at the training ground.

At the Liberty from the minute the team sheet appears it is clear Jol has put his personal agenda to assert his authority ahead of the paramount need of the club - that is, to put his best available side into the field in pursuit of points. This is the raison d'etre for every manager in the league. It is nothing less than every long-suffering supporter deserves at the end of his working week when he shells out considerable sums to turn up and cheer on his team.

The hard core contingent at the Liberty today were short changed, again, condemned to another appalling 45 minutes of clueless football in the first-half, and left with a long and miserable journey home after seeing a point tossed away. Surely everyone had their hearts in their mouth as Dempsey waited on the penalty. Why was he nominated? The run up telegraphs the direction, he never finds the corner, it's just power. The usual awful journalism calls it a 'fantastic save.' It was anything but...it was however, an awful penalty.

So our manager felt AJ deserved his place over Zamora because of his attitude? But he's not willing to sign a new contract and is off in January. His contribution today? Zilch. The gaffer thinks Dembele is the bees knees, he's better than Raul in his prime! His impact on the game today? Zilch. Young Frei in five minutes produces a potential game-changing run to put Dembele's contribution in game after game fully in perspective.

Having already unsettled the back four, landed us with a burn-out at left-back (so lucky not to concede a 1st half penalty), confused the squad with his tactics and burnt all our summer dough on a luxury midfielder (when we were crying out for a winger and another striker), all I can say is, with Bobby now tagged the fall guy, your January replacements had better be gold-plated Martin.

Most signficant news of the last week? Not the Liverpool win, nor the new plans for the Riverside, it was the club diktat demanding players make no more contact with the press. Yes, a gagging order. When you read that, it's obvious all is not well in Camelot.

A sad day, and not just for the Swansea surrender. West Brom fans can start looking forward to welcoming Bobby to the Hawthorns. Meanwhile, if effort is all Jol requires, I'll be at the game Wednesday with my boots happy to take just £25 grand per month.
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