Time for Fulham to pull the plug on Symons

[Admin]

http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/fulham/the_craven_corner_time_for_fulham_to_pull_the_plug_on_symons_1_3957881

Our Fulham blogger has lost patience with Kit Symons after Saturday's 2-1 home loss to Ipswich Town made it six games without a win.

It's hard to understand what is going on at Fulham at the moment.

We play with wingers, yet with two defensive-minded midfielders in the middle of the park. The most creative spark in Lasse Vigen Christensen is wasted out wide and because of the central pairing you have no willing runners. That in turn leaves the strikeforce with no support, and when the ball reaches the final third it's from a long ball that is simply hoofed forward due to the lack of movement.

The defence is simply a mess, there's no other way to word it. Jazz Richards, a loanee from Swansea, struggles to win aerial duels and the lack of intent and desire is apparent. The two central defenders are second to every ball and were bullied in the first half. In fact, to leave Dan Burn and Bryan Ruiz on the bench to start was criminal. You knew Ipswich's Daryl Murphy would get physical as he towers above Nikolay Bodurov, so Burn would have been able to deal with the striker much more efficiently.

The problem is clear – we lack a plan B and there is no motivation from the manager to change things. The ball goes back to the defenders or goalkeeper due to the lack of confidence to carry the ball forward or have someone create space for others. The reception from the home crowd when Ruiz warmed up shows how much he is needed. He's the only player who can remain calm in the final third and pick out a pass, creating more space for others to work in and leading to far more chances.

Sadly, it took over an hour for Kit Symons to clock that we needed something more in the midfield before Ruiz was introduced. It really is a sad time to be a Fulham fan. A club that was a European finalist not so long ago is now turning out heartless performances with no teamwork or commitment.

Every time the ball was hit forward against Ipswich the central midfield pairing were out of the game, leaving the two centre backs vulnerable. If you're going to play with two defensive midfielders then surely your back four should be protected. Time after time, Jazz Richards was caught out and Jay Tabb and co took advantage.

Kit needs to wake up and realise that we are drifting away as a club. There's no passion, communication or a game plan. If we're playing a long ball game then why was Matt Smith allowed to leave? If Ruiz left, who was ready to replace him? There's no answer for either question. We're lifeless and clueless, the club has no direction from top to bottom and it shows. Even Ipswich fans on the journey home apologised that I had to witness the demise of my own club.

As much as I hated the merry go round of last season with our managers, it's time to pull the plug in my eyes. You need experience and passion in this division and we lack both, on the pitch and off it. While Kit is a club legend, his understanding of the game and ability to influence a match are missing.

This could have all been avoided if the club either stuck with Rene after backing him last year, or appointed someone with credibility after Felix was sacked - Neil Lennon, Tony Pulis or Steve Clarke, all of whom would have been a better choice. They would have made us a stronger team from back to front and would have solidified our position this season much sooner, but now we are still looking over our shoulder at relegation.

This may make for a depressing read but the reality is that our club is a mess with or without Felix Magath and this season could even get worse. I sympathise with the rest of the Fulham faithful and I thank the guys and girls who follow our club all over the country.

[The Equalizer]

To quote the legendary Metallica: you know it's sad but true.

[Jonaldiniho 88]

Can't argue with much of his critisms.

[BlackandWhiteFilm]

Keep Kit on as assistant manager (a la Ray Lewington) and keep some level of continuity while hiring an experienced Manager to sort the current mess out.

I agree with the OP, I hated the managerial merry go round last season but I think something has to give.

[Bill2]

Not sure I agree with this but was watching the Man U game tonight and it was interesting that Keogh was commenting about Van Gaall and his formation and there was some interesting parallels between them. VG likes to play a diamond formation same as Kit it had the same result a lot of play but no end product.

[Jims Dentist]

Have to say, yet again, spot on Admin.

[Scrumpy]

Stopped reading once he said that Ruiz should have started! A great player for us, but he had not trained for about a week and was clearly not fit enough for 90 minutes.

[Fernhurst]

Have you not heard?
We have been putting in double training sessions on tactics which will completely
flummox those dense Den boys and return Kit to the winners circle.

COYW

[Bronaldinho]

That's my article!

There was also a follow up article explaining it a bit more if you haven't seen it:

http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/fulham/the_craven_corner_why_i_called_for_kit_symons_to_go_1_3961158

''It seems my last article has generated a lot of debate over the last few days and I just wanted to clarify the reasoning behind it.

It wasn't meant to be offensive to Kit and it was no judgement of his character, it was simply analysing his ability to be a manager from a fan's point of view. I have a lot of respect for Kit and, considering his background with the club, I want him to be a success. But sadly his inability to react to a game has, in my opinion, become evident.

There have been many games during his reign where every fan in the stadium knows a change has to happen, whether that be a substitution or a change in gameplan and tactics - but Kit has simply stood still and let the game play out, making changes too late and not allowing his subs enough time to make an impact. It was the case in the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at the weekend with the delayed introductions of Bryan Ruiz and Patrick Roberts. In Roberts' case, five minutes doesn't even give the boy enough time to warm up, let alone get the ball and make something happen.

Yes, Symons has a better win ratio than Felix Magath, but, to be fair, most people would after the disastrous start to the season. But it's the fact he remains with the same gameplan every week that annoys me. It's easy to predict and it seems we have no cohesion as a team, just an expensive strikeforce surrounded by kids. Surely that's something Kit and the management staff can work on? More team-based training drills, and team building, perhaps.

Just look at Ispwich, at the start of the season their team cost just £10,000 in transfer fees and, without causing offence, it's a fairly mediocre squad at best. But, what sets them apart from us is they play as a team. Every Ipswich player at the weekend worked their socks off; chasing every ball even though they knew they wouldn't get there and forcing us back at every opportunity. Even Jay Tabb was winning aerial duels and that's like losing an aerial duel with Gimli of Lord of The Rings, just without the beard. It shouldn't happen. We lacked presence and not a single player wanted to put their stamp on the game. That's where it shows that you could spend £1 or £100,000,000, but without the right staff managing the players and creating a team, the price is irrelevant. I'm firm believer that hard work is worth more than individual talent. I'd rather have a team of players that at the final whistle came off bloodied, muddied and knackered as opposed to a few folks who can pull off a few flicks and tricks.

Now, it seems we have lost George Williams on loan to MK Dons, a decision that I simply don't understand. We saw some change in formation against Ipswich with Alexander Kacaniklic and Lasse Vigen Christensen playing out wide, so maybe Symons realised we missed wingers. Then he allows George Williams, a full international wide man, to leave the club on loan to help another team. Yes, it will be good for Williams to go and get gametime in the league below, but that should only be sanctioned if he has no future at the club or we have too many players in that position, and he doesn't fit in either one of those categories. He recently signed a new deal, indicating that he has a long term future at the club, and we are struggling with players who can play out wide, so why isn't he provided with the opportunity to start?

Trying something new is what we need and while we played a more flat 4-4-2 on Saturday, we had our best player, Christensen, playing right wing, not the position where he has won games for us. If George was still at the club, a logical idea against Milwall would have been playing a midfield four of Kacaniklic, Christensen, Tunnicliffe or Parker, with Williams on the other side. Having one defensive midfielder alongside Christensen would allow him to run at defenders in the final third, letting Parker or Tunnicliffe play an anchorman role and solely focus on covering the back four.

Millwall now becomes a massive game, a win eases our fear of relegation but if we do slip up and lose that game, it could be curtains for Symons. But, maybe the reason we haven't pulled the plug already is because the lack of options available. For example, if Kit was to be sacked then it would take time to negotiate a compensation package to take a manager from another club, because out of the managers looking for work, only Nigel Adkins strikes me as a candidate. While Adkins knows this league very well, his most recent job isn't one to write home about, nor does he have the character to provide that sort of passion and fiery character into the players. Roy Keane would have that sort of passion and authority over the players, but his managerial statistics aren't that impressive, which would rule him out. Maybe it would be time for change in the summer and see who becomes available then, but even if it would seem like a good idea to sack Symons based on recent performances, the candidates to replace wouldn't benefit the club... I'm automatically ruling out Paul Lambert, as I've seen more passion and enthusiasm in a prune.''

[snarks]

First article or second, I think you're wrong. I cannot believe the short sighted, narrow minded view that you have taken to a person who has run a highly successful u18 and u21 team.

Suprisingly success in both teams didn't just occur overnight. It took time to pick the right players and nurture those with talent in to the teams, build an environment and team spirit that lead to success.

He is then given the opportunity to take it to the next level. He inherits a team in which there had been no stratigic planning for at least 3 years. A squad which had been decimated by relegation and the acts of someone who turned out to be mad. With no unity, no togetherness and they were playing that way. Key players who would or could have made a valuable contribution at this level, had been moved on or ostracised.

Kit turned that around, fairly quickly got the team playing with a smile, and scoring goal, winning games. To a position where Fulham are looking down on the teams behind them, not looking up from the very bottom, hoping against hope they can win a game or two.

But, and this is the nub, is that good enough for some people, to have a team that was a laughing stock 7 games in to the season to one that isn't now. Clearly not, after 1 point, yes 1 point from seven games there is still an expectation that Fulham should have just marched straight up the table sweeping all aside. Well it may be a shock, but no matter who you are, you still lose games. Confidence having been decimated at the start is still fragile, but it's being rebuilt.

I also remember, there was a clamour to bring back Tunni and Kaka, as that would make a difference, add quality to the midfield, allow the "kids" to develop more whilst the more senior players take the pressure off them. He did as soon as he could showing a willingness to use the resources available. No that's not good enough he should have bought someone, anyone, just to show he has the interests of the club at heart during the last window. No-one has any idea of who, but the fact he didn't is apparently a failing.

Ahh but it's not the fact Fulham lose, it's the manner of the defeat, no plan B I hear you say. So I ask what is your plan B were you the manager, ah yes Matt Smith. So 1 player is your plan B despite the Fact Fulham do not deliver crosses into the box, or play with wingers to draw defenders out of the area to create room for Smith, so your plan B is to put a big bloke in the middle of the front line and hope. I'll stick with a manager that has built successful teams albeit at a lower level than the one he is in.

It's commonly said you need time to build a team, Kit has had 1 transfer window, when to be blunt there was sod all available that would have helped the team with the current setup. Having only 1 Regular player from Last years starting 11 on the pitch this season, says to me that the players purchased previously or bought in to the team, may need time to gel. Ironically the reinstatment by Kit of Hugo and Bryan also saw an upturn in fortunes, as did his decision to use predominantly the same squad/starting 11 in every game.

Ok it's not a straight 4-4-2 but a narrow diamond. Anyone who watched the first few games of the season under Felix, will have seen how easily the wingers were knocked off the ball by stronger full backs who are allowed more physical contact than in the prem. I doubt it's Kit's preferred style, just the best with what he has, the U21 and U18 played a 4-4-2 so why wouldn't he use that when he has the players.

To me it's success from where he started, as I pointed out in a previous post, Mick McCarty first 3/4 of a season left Ipswich in 14th, prior to that they had "name" managers in Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, and prior to that Joe Royal, Tony Mowbray and Jim Magilton. It did them no good, but they all had the one thing that no one seems prepared to give Kit - time.

Calling for his head after less than a season, or indeed saying the end of the season then go, is nothing short of idiocy.

[RaySmith]

Good post snarks - I also think many of the criticisms of Kit are harsh.

He has only been in the job five minutes, and has very well, with the same squad as Magath - some great football, and great results -

but now we are going through a difficult time, in a tough league, but surely we should give the man more of a chance, rather than operating the managerial revolving door once again, after a couple of months.

Would changing the manager yet again do the club any good, or just make things a heck of a lot worse?

[TWFL]

First article or second, I think you're wrong. I cannot believe the short sighted, narrow minded view that you have taken to a person who has run a highly successful u18 and u21 team.

Suprisingly success in both teams didn't just occur overnight. It took time to pick the right players and nurture those with talent in to the teams, build an environment and team spirit that lead to success.

He is then given the opportunity to take it to the next level. He inherits a team in which there had been no stratigic planning for at least 3 years. A squad which had been decimated by relegation and the acts of someone who turned out to be mad. With no unity, no togetherness and they were playing that way. Key players who would or could have made a valuable contribution at this level, had been moved on or ostracised.

Kit turned that around, fairly quickly got the team playing with a smile, and scoring goal, winning games. To a position where Fulham are looking down on the teams behind them, not looking up from the very bottom, hoping against hope they can win a game or two.

But, and this is the nub, is that good enough for some people, to have a team that was a laughing stock 7 games in to the season to one that isn't now. Clearly not, after 1 point, yes 1 point from seven games there is still an expectation that Fulham should have just marched straight up the table sweeping all aside. Well it may be a shock, but no matter who you are, you still lose games. Confidence having been decimated at the start is still fragile, but it's being rebuilt.

I also remember, there was a clamour to bring back Tunni and Kaka, as that would make a difference, add quality to the midfield, allow the "kids" to develop more whilst the more senior players take the pressure off them. He did as soon as he could showing a willingness to use the resources available. No that's not good enough he should have bought someone, anyone, just to show he has the interests of the club at heart during the last window. No-one has any idea of who, but the fact he didn't is apparently a failing.

Ahh but it's not the fact Fulham lose, it's the manner of the defeat, no plan B I hear you say. So I ask what is your plan B were you the manager, ah yes Matt Smith. So 1 player is your plan B despite the Fact Fulham do not deliver crosses into the box, or play with wingers to draw defenders out of the area to create room for Smith, so your plan B is to put a big bloke in the middle of the front line and hope. I'll stick with a manager that has built successful teams albeit at a lower level than the one he is in.

It's commonly said you need time to build a team, Kit has had 1 transfer window, when to be blunt there was sod all available that would have helped the team with the current setup. Having only 1 Regular player from Last years starting 11 on the pitch this season, says to me that the players purchased previously or bought in to the team, may need time to gel. Ironically the reinstatment by Kit of Hugo and Bryan also saw an upturn in fortunes, as did his decision to use predominantly the same squad/starting 11 in every game.

Ok it's not a straight 4-4-2 but a narrow diamond. Anyone who watched the first few games of the season under Felix, will have seen how easily the wingers were knocked off the ball by stronger full backs who are allowed more physical contact than in the prem. I doubt it's Kit's preferred style, just the best with what he has, the U21 and U18 played a 4-4-2 so why wouldn't he use that when he has the players.

To me it's success from where he started, as I pointed out in a previous post, Mick McCarty first 3/4 of a season left Ipswich in 14th, prior to that they had "name" managers in Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, and prior to that Joe Royal, Tony Mowbray and Jim Magilton. It did them no good, but they all had the one thing that no one seems prepared to give Kit - time.

Calling for his head after less than a season, or indeed saying the end of the season then go, is nothing short of idiocy.

Superb post. He needs TIME. He's not been so effective in the U21s etc by pure luck, he's a decent manager. Yes he needs to improve but that will come, he will learn.

[Two Ton Ted]

First article or second, I think you're wrong. I cannot believe the short sighted, narrow minded view that you have taken to a person who has run a highly successful u18 and u21 team.

Suprisingly success in both teams didn't just occur overnight. It took time to pick the right players and nurture those with talent in to the teams, build an environment and team spirit that lead to success.

He is then given the opportunity to take it to the next level. He inherits a team in which there had been no stratigic planning for at least 3 years. A squad which had been decimated by relegation and the acts of someone who turned out to be mad. With no unity, no togetherness and they were playing that way. Key players who would or could have made a valuable contribution at this level, had been moved on or ostracised.

Kit turned that around, fairly quickly got the team playing with a smile, and scoring goal, winning games. To a position where Fulham are looking down on the teams behind them, not looking up from the very bottom, hoping against hope they can win a game or two.

But, and this is the nub, is that good enough for some people, to have a team that was a laughing stock 7 games in to the season to one that isn't now. Clearly not, after 1 point, yes 1 point from seven games there is still an expectation that Fulham should have just marched straight up the table sweeping all aside. Well it may be a shock, but no matter who you are, you still lose games. Confidence having been decimated at the start is still fragile, but it's being rebuilt.

I also remember, there was a clamour to bring back Tunni and Kaka, as that would make a difference, add quality to the midfield, allow the "kids" to develop more whilst the more senior players take the pressure off them. He did as soon as he could showing a willingness to use the resources available. No that's not good enough he should have bought someone, anyone, just to show he has the interests of the club at heart during the last window. No-one has any idea of who, but the fact he didn't is apparently a failing.

Ahh but it's not the fact Fulham lose, it's the manner of the defeat, no plan B I hear you say. So I ask what is your plan B were you the manager, ah yes Matt Smith. So 1 player is your plan B despite the Fact Fulham do not deliver crosses into the box, or play with wingers to draw defenders out of the area to create room for Smith, so your plan B is to put a big bloke in the middle of the front line and hope. I'll stick with a manager that has built successful teams albeit at a lower level than the one he is in.

It's commonly said you need time to build a team, Kit has had 1 transfer window, when to be blunt there was sod all available that would have helped the team with the current setup. Having only 1 Regular player from Last years starting 11 on the pitch this season, says to me that the players purchased previously or bought in to the team, may need time to gel. Ironically the reinstatment by Kit of Hugo and Bryan also saw an upturn in fortunes, as did his decision to use predominantly the same squad/starting 11 in every game.

Ok it's not a straight 4-4-2 but a narrow diamond. Anyone who watched the first few games of the season under Felix, will have seen how easily the wingers were knocked off the ball by stronger full backs who are allowed more physical contact than in the prem. I doubt it's Kit's preferred style, just the best with what he has, the U21 and U18 played a 4-4-2 so why wouldn't he use that when he has the players.

To me it's success from where he started, as I pointed out in a previous post, Mick McCarty first 3/4 of a season left Ipswich in 14th, prior to that they had "name" managers in Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, and prior to that Joe Royal, Tony Mowbray and Jim Magilton. It did them no good, but they all had the one thing that no one seems prepared to give Kit - time.

Calling for his head after less than a season, or indeed saying the end of the season then go, is nothing short of idiocy.

:plus one: My view entirely.

[Admin]

First article or second, I think you're wrong. I cannot believe the short sighted, narrow minded view that you have taken to a person who has run a highly successful u18 and u21 team.

Suprisingly success in both teams didn't just occur overnight. It took time to pick the right players and nurture those with talent in to the teams, build an environment and team spirit that lead to success.

He is then given the opportunity to take it to the next level. He inherits a team in which there had been no stratigic planning for at least 3 years. A squad which had been decimated by relegation and the acts of someone who turned out to be mad. With no unity, no togetherness and they were playing that way. Key players who would or could have made a valuable contribution at this level, had been moved on or ostracised.

Kit turned that around, fairly quickly got the team playing with a smile, and scoring goal, winning games. To a position where Fulham are looking down on the teams behind them, not looking up from the very bottom, hoping against hope they can win a game or two.

But, and this is the nub, is that good enough for some people, to have a team that was a laughing stock 7 games in to the season to one that isn't now. Clearly not, after 1 point, yes 1 point from seven games there is still an expectation that Fulham should have just marched straight up the table sweeping all aside. Well it may be a shock, but no matter who you are, you still lose games. Confidence having been decimated at the start is still fragile, but it's being rebuilt.

I also remember, there was a clamour to bring back Tunni and Kaka, as that would make a difference, add quality to the midfield, allow the "kids" to develop more whilst the more senior players take the pressure off them. He did as soon as he could showing a willingness to use the resources available. No that's not good enough he should have bought someone, anyone, just to show he has the interests of the club at heart during the last window. No-one has any idea of who, but the fact he didn't is apparently a failing.

Ahh but it's not the fact Fulham lose, it's the manner of the defeat, no plan B I hear you say. So I ask what is your plan B were you the manager, ah yes Matt Smith. So 1 player is your plan B despite the Fact Fulham do not deliver crosses into the box, or play with wingers to draw defenders out of the area to create room for Smith, so your plan B is to put a big bloke in the middle of the front line and hope. I'll stick with a manager that has built successful teams albeit at a lower level than the one he is in.

It's commonly said you need time to build a team, Kit has had 1 transfer window, when to be blunt there was sod all available that would have helped the team with the current setup. Having only 1 Regular player from Last years starting 11 on the pitch this season, says to me that the players purchased previously or bought in to the team, may need time to gel. Ironically the reinstatment by Kit of Hugo and Bryan also saw an upturn in fortunes, as did his decision to use predominantly the same squad/starting 11 in every game.

Ok it's not a straight 4-4-2 but a narrow diamond. Anyone who watched the first few games of the season under Felix, will have seen how easily the wingers were knocked off the ball by stronger full backs who are allowed more physical contact than in the prem. I doubt it's Kit's preferred style, just the best with what he has, the U21 and U18 played a 4-4-2 so why wouldn't he use that when he has the players.

To me it's success from where he started, as I pointed out in a previous post, Mick McCarty first 3/4 of a season left Ipswich in 14th, prior to that they had "name" managers in Roy Keane and Paul Jewell, and prior to that Joe Royal, Tony Mowbray and Jim Magilton. It did them no good, but they all had the one thing that no one seems prepared to give Kit - time.

Calling for his head after less than a season, or indeed saying the end of the season then go, is nothing short of idiocy.

Good post, although I strongly believe the buck stops at Millwall for Kit. If he has the 'potential' that most are saying, then I expect a reaction from both him and the team on Saturday. Another under-par performance, and no win in 7 isn't good enough, and if the guy ends up leading us to division 1, then the above is really irrelevant.   

[MJG]

I just posted this on http://www.vivaelfulham.co.uk/articles/two-weeks-is-a-long-time-in-football-20-572.html#sthash.iFK11NVc.dpuf

But seems to fit in with the discussion in this thread:

-------------------------


The next 14 days quite possibly will shape this club for the foreseeable future.

We enter a run of fixtures which could either set Kit Symons up to secure Fulham in the Championship and with it his tenure of manager or he may be lucky to still be in charge come the Derby home game next week.

The fixtures:

Millwall (A) 22nd
Wolves (A) 8th
Derby (H) 3rd
Watford (A) 5th
Bournemouth (H)  2nd

Currently we find ourselves in 19th place with 35 pts from 31 games and 5 pts clear of Millwall who occupy the last relegation spot. The Championship is so close that we also are only 3 pts behind Leeds in 13th place. In fact from 9th to 20th is separated by just 9 pts, backing up what most of us have seen this year, that this league is full of team s who are pretty much all the same.

I do feel our position is slightly false given that we started with just 1 point from first 8 games. This basically means you have no real room for error as the season progresses. Even just 6 pts extra from that run of games would have found us in 10th/11th place at this time. We are at best a mid table team 10-14th would be our normal position this season.

It's true that when Kit took over he turned things around very quickly and we had a great first dozen games under his leadership. We were getting results and high in form table which was possibly better than we should have been achieving.

On Christmas day we were 13th on 28 pts after 22 games. 9 pts clear of 22nd and 10pts short of 6th position in the play offs. Now because of the start we had I have always though the play offs were a long shot. We would have had to play like one of the top 3 clubs for 38 games (after the 8 game start) to make the playoffs anyway. But there was a feeling we could give it a  go and end up just short, but at the same time building momentum for the new season challenge of 2015-16.

It has not quite worked out like that and in 9 games since Christmas day we have only picked up 7 pts and are bottom 3 on form for those games. We had a bad run at the start of the season and now with a long second bad run we are paying the consequences of that start. We have no room or breathing space and need to kick start a decent run of results again.

So what about Kit? I have backed him from day one and pushed for him to get the job. Initially despite some of the performances we were getting the results, but now we are getting neither and many frustrations about Symons and his selections, subs, loans (both in & out) and general body language as well has turned a large proportion of fans against him. I think the majority want him to do well, because that means we do well, but also we don't really want yet another change of manager, we need some stability.

But of course it's a results business and we are 4 league games without a win coming up to these 5 games against 4 of the top 8 teams in the league.  And all those 5 have beaten us already this season.

It makes the game at Millwall massive for Fulham and Symons. Here is a team on a terrible run of form at home, the crowd on the back of the manager. And now we arrive, Fulham who seem to do clubs a favour whenever they find themselves in a sticky position. Well that needs to end tomorrow, the players and manager need to find something to get a win or at worst a draw. If we rollover and get our belly tickled without much of a fight then I don't see many fans sticking with Symons and I hate to say it one of those may be me. It's not about being fickle, it's about possibly realising that you made a mistake and try to limit the damage done by doing something positive about it.

I hope we get the win, we need it, but we then have the four tough games coming up. But if not whats next? I reckon Symons would still be in charge for Wolves and would become the real must win game of his management career so far. Fail and as I wrote earlier I can't see how he can be in charge for Derby. The club would have to have someone on speed dial ready to come in, we have no one at the club who I believe could take over in the short term, even for a game if I'm really honest.

Even If we win against Millwall it might not be enough for Kit by the end of these five games. You could easily see us lose the next 4. At the end of these games we have ten left, for me that's the absolute minimum that a caretaker manager needs if a change was to be made. I truly believe only 2 wins in the next 5 saves Kit Symons from vacating the Managers chair and leaving through the revolving door.  And then its keep those fingers crossed that a new man can keep us up and we regroup in the summer.  More than 2 wins and I'm pretty sure we will be home and dry for another season in Championship. I'd like Symons to still be in charge for that but I wonder if he will really need to end the season well to keep the job, or has he just always been the understudy doing the previews before the real star comes on ready for opening night in August 2015?

It's down to Kit Symons now to look at himself, realise he needs help and make a call to bring an older head into the dugout with him. It's clear it's not happening this week, has he left it too late? Has he even thought about doing it? If not I have a feeling he will look back and regret it.

@1966mjg

[Domino 1879]

Good reasoned argument MJG.  Really hope Kit gets a result for us tomorrow.  We need points and that will hopefully bring back some confidence that we appear to have lost. 
But longer term I'm not convinced he has the management skills to get us promoted, which is Shahid Khan's stated aim.

[hovewhite]

I was happy for kit when he got the job,and what happens next thankfully is not down to us,but what is needed v millwall is a reaction backed up by a performance in the form of winning the game as any other result says to me we are in trouble and its a big game for kit as I believe he will be under massive pressure not only from us but khan also,and we all know khan has a twitchy trigger finger.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

It is not only down to Kit, the players also have to step up their game. The senior players have hardly showed leadership on the pitch and the eleven have got to start playing for each other rather than leaving it for someone else.

[Logicalman]

Snarks, great post in reply sir.

Bronaldinho, whereas I can see your reasoning, and your passion (great posts by the way - I wish you would include your blogs on here as well), I believe you have taken a very narrow view of the position Kit was placed in, and without appreciating the full context when that occurred, though it is understandable.

I agree that time is running low for us as a club in this division, and unless we do get our act together then we are in for a second shock in two seasons. I do not agree that those alternatives you mentioned would have done better if they had been selected in September/October, it cannot be proved either way, though the argument does hold more water than some that believe their grandmother could do a better job!!

Again, great posts and both Bronaldinho and Snarks should be commended on their posts.

[Forever Fulham]

Best thread in days.  Thank you all.