the club

[WhiteJC]

I was going to post this in answer to Peabody's thread "I wish I knew" but my answer got too long and rambling as an answer to his question so I thought I'd inflict it on you as its own topic!...

I must admit to having my mind changed, I was pro-Jol, at least to start with, perhaps because I felt that he was the man MAF really wanted when we ended up with Mr Ambition?

However towards the end of last season my loyalty was sorely tested, the defeat to Reading at home convinced me that Jol isn't the manager/coach I'd hoped he'd be, perhaps I was/am looking for a Roy replacement but with a bit of Dutch flair?

I'm now of the opinion that there is something really "not quite right" about the managerial setup at the club, Jol is not to blame for that however he is the "public face" and therefore the man who most of the ill feeling will be aimed at.

In reality we had a good transfer window, did some good early signings, Scott Parker is a very good addition however the inactivity at the end of the window left me feeling that we'd missed out! Fickle I know, when I think about it I will also admit to being disappointed that we kept some players, I'm sure you can guess the ones I'm thinking of?

Another thread started by KingstonWhite asked about the clubs expectation/ambition, I think these two threads are asking the same question? but coming at the issue(s) from slightly different directions.

Do I think Jol will go in the near future? No
Will he get the team playing the type of football we all want to see Fulham playing? If I'm honest, no but I really do hope I'm proved wrong

There's an expression "he's lost the changing room", its my belief that the management of the club "have lost the supporters"
Too many things have happened/not happened, starting with the shock, well very surprising to say the least, departure of MAF, who was "one of us", I think that we all, supporters and staff, are in a sort of mourning for him going. To my mind we've lost a "steady pair of hands" and the lack of involvement has left me in a quandary.
Has Khan bought Fulham to boost his Jaguars outfit? probably, not sure that this is a bad thing but I do kinda feel like a step-son.
I don't understand why the fans haven't been asked about the MJ statue, I know it was "a gift" from MAF and while he was in charge I could, grudgingly, accept it. MAF is gone, I know he "joked" about cutting off Khan's moustache, Khan did say that he'd consult with the fans, why hasn't this happened? I can't see the majority saying to keep it, can you?

The siting of the camera in the middle of the Johnny Haynes stand, what's happening about that? it wasn't there on Saturday so has it been agreed that it won't return? or wasn't it there because BT weren't showing the game live?
Khan also said that the redevelopment of the riverside stand was "key", planning permission was given in 2012, since then not a word.

the offal website doesn't reflect the clubs colours, unless we're changing to red and cream? I know its not important to most people, but as a web designer it grates, the only good thing I can say about it is "at least it's not blue"

a few years ago I asked Mackintosh about getting Fullers to sponsor the club, his reply was that he wouldn't be able to put the "London Pride" logo on the kids shirts, a reasonable argument I thought, have a look at this seasons kids shirts!

I think what I'm trying to say is that I'm disillusioned and currently Fulham doesn't feel like "my club" any more and I don't know what I've done to deserve this?

[MJG]

A lot of sense written there and would love the club to give an answer to some of those points.

[Fulham Tup North]

I was going to post this in answer to Peabody's thread "I wish I knew" but my answer got too long and rambling as an answer to his question so I thought I'd inflict it on you as its own topic!...

I must admit to having my mind changed, I was pro-Jol, at least to start with, perhaps because I felt that he was the man MAF really wanted when we ended up with Mr Ambition?

However towards the end of last season my loyalty was sorely tested, the defeat to Reading at home convinced me that Jol isn't the manager/coach I'd hoped he'd be, perhaps I was/am looking for a Roy replacement but with a bit of Dutch flair?

I'm now of the opinion that there is something really "not quite right" about the managerial setup at the club, Jol is not to blame for that however he is the "public face" and therefore the man who most of the ill feeling will be aimed at.

In reality we had a good transfer window, did some good early signings, Scott Parker is a very good addition however the inactivity at the end of the window left me feeling that we'd missed out! Fickle I know, when I think about it I will also admit to being disappointed that we kept some players, I'm sure you can guess the ones I'm thinking of?

Another thread started by KingstonWhite asked about the clubs expectation/ambition, I think these two threads are asking the same question? but coming at the issue(s) from slightly different directions.

Do I think Jol will go in the near future? No
Will he get the team playing the type of football we all want to see Fulham playing? If I'm honest, no but I really do hope I'm proved wrong

There's an expression "he's lost the changing room", its my belief that the management of the club "have lost the supporters"
Too many things have happened/not happened, starting with the shock, well very surprising to say the least, departure of MAF, who was "one of us", I think that we all, supporters and staff, are in a sort of mourning for him going. To my mind we've lost a "steady pair of hands" and the lack of involvement has left me in a quandary.
Has Khan bought Fulham to boost his Jaguars outfit? probably, not sure that this is a bad thing but I do kinda feel like a step-son.
I don't understand why the fans haven't been asked about the MJ statue, I know it was "a gift" from MAF and while he was in charge I could, grudgingly, accept it. MAF is gone, I know he "joked" about cutting off Khan's moustache, Khan did say that he'd consult with the fans, why hasn't this happened? I can't see the majority saying to keep it, can you?

The siting of the camera in the middle of the Johnny Haynes stand, what's happening about that? it wasn't there on Saturday so has it been agreed that it won't return? or wasn't it there because BT weren't showing the game live?
Khan also said that the redevelopment of the riverside stand was "key", planning permission was given in 2012, since then not a word.

the offal website doesn't reflect the clubs colours, unless we're changing to red and cream? I know its not important to most people, but as a web designer it grates, the only good thing I can say about it is "at least it's not blue"

a few years ago I asked Mackintosh about getting Fullers to sponsor the club, his reply was that he wouldn't be able to put the "London Pride" logo on the kids shirts, a reasonable argument I thought, have a look at this seasons kids shirts!

I think what I'm trying to say is that I'm disillusioned and currently Fulham doesn't feel like "my club" any more and I don't know what I've done to deserve this?

:plus one:

[Sammyffc]

 :plus one: :plus one: :plus one: :plus one: :plus one: :plus one: :plus one:

[epsomraver]

A lot of sense written there and would love the club to give an answer to some of those points.

:plus one: lot of sense there John.

[LBNo11]

...some good points there WhiteJC, and there are more previously pro-Jol fans who are bewildered and frustrated by any real signs of progress or apparent game plan.

Yesterday I spoke to a few people who fit the above description who would normally argue the toss with me - and without me having to engineer a discussion on the subject their resolve is being sorely tested.

Your last sentence rings painfully true for me too...

[Artful Dodger]

Spot on JC but I would add that if we were winning, we wouldn't notice a lot of the points you raise though, the fickle bunch we are.

Whilst I agree that Jol isn't responsible for the takeover and the MJ statue, he is still responsible for the performance of the team. It would have been nice to get one or two more players and Khan could have won the fans over with by giving Jol £20m to spend, but overall, I wasn't too unhappy with Parker, Bent, Stek, Boateng and Amo. The issue still comes back to the fact the quality of football is going backwards, we're on MOTD last every week for a reason (and have been for abuot 18 months) and Jol is responsible for that.

Whether the Club as a whole understand the dissilusionment of many fans, I don't know, but it certainly feels that as the anger about the performances grows, the club is more distant than ever.

[chiefo]

Great post WhiteJC. I too would like answers to these. For some time now, and I don't know if this is down to Ali Mac, but the info / dialogue from the club has been very limited imho. Seem to be the arms length approach. Now of course I don't want to know all the whys and wherefores as if I were a shareholder but surely we're at least stakeholders and therefore entitled to a bit more communication?

Need to feel the love man and Jols expectation comments yesterday are not helping.
A bit much I guess to expect to beat the likes of WBA at home, or like you say the Reading game, can add QPR away to that list and many more.

Read the Super Macs article that was on web few weeks ago about expectations and tell me who had / has it right Mr Jol.

[Burt]

This resonates quite strongly with me...

I have always been on the page of giving Jol a decent chance because:
- He needs time to manage a transition in tactics.
- He needs time to manage a transition to the personnel within the team.
- He comes with strong credentials.
- Chopping and changing managers at the first hint of trouble is the modus operandi for our neighbours, not us. Stability is good.

But as last season progressed and as we enter the new one, this loyalty is getting tested because:
- We have a decent squad, but that doesn't translate to what we see on the pitch.
- This is now by and large Jol's team, so the "transition" argument is not as strong as it was last season.

We should have buried WBA yesterday, and if we are to have a decent season they are the sort of team we should be beating at home. We saw the same thing last season.

I really don't know what the issue is. Has Jol lost his touch? Is he used to being more "hands-off" with a bigger-club infrastructure under him doing the nitty gritty around coaching and tactics? Or are we genuinely just around the corner from it all starting to come together?

I don't know...

All I do know is that if things haven't picked up by Xmas then I will definately have a foot in the Jol Out camp.

[RidgeRider]

 :plus one:

pretty much sums up my feelings as well and the timing of my switch from being pro-Jol to worried

[Peabody]

Well said, I wish I could express myself as well as that, it sums up my feelings perfectly, though I won't go as far as saying "Jol Out" because I truly believe in the saying "the King is dead, God save the King", if that makes sense.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Wow what a great post, which offers many real issues for me with the club at the moment.

The website was the latest which really got my back up, I honestly cannot understand the marketing team at Fulham who thought it would be a good idea to have red and white / creme, it is so far from our brand it's untrue.

We are relegation candidates after failing to beat wba at home, I am really really worried this season unless changes are made

[Berserker]

I'm convinced that changes will be made if we don't improve and start winning soon. This obviously is just my opinion but i can feel it in my water

[YankeeJim]

When he came in talking about sexy football I was excited but after watching the lads concede ANOTHER late goal, the luster has gone off that bald head. A coach is responsible to fix problems at the club. Jol has done nothing about the late goals or the poor performance on dead ball situations. He forever has the ball brought up the middle for a team that has no one to run onto a through ball. Bent might be the exception but as yet, we haven't seen it. Roy fielded boring teams but one could see the plan and you certainly had to admire the organization, fitness and effort. While Jol can win me back if he can get this group to play together, I fear he doesn't have the know how.