Kingstonian v Enfield Town

[4wembleyfinals]

I can understand that Andy. It will fetch more money than the football. They are already thinking of offering AL manager for life so long as Theo does his strip before each home game.

Edited April 6, 2019 by 4wembleyfinals

[Theodopolous]

It wouldn’t cause a shock 4WF ...Our supporters are used to big cock ups....

[wilson]

Another disappointing result. The above observation about 18th and 11th finishes in the two seasons under the current manager depends on getting some points from the last four games. If we don't it could easily be 18th and 14th or even 15th, and that certainly would not be progress.

I also note other observations about how the budget has increased under the current manager. I recall a post on this forum when he was appointed (can't remember if it was an ETFC person or an outsider offering some advice) but the post suggested that his ability to get budgets increased on a regular basis was well known. So maybe we shouldn't be too surprised at this aspect.

When he was appointed, it was under difficult circumstances with basically an entire team leaving with the departing manager. I suspect that it created a fair degree of goodwill to a manager having to deal with this so close to a new season. I also sense that much of that goodwill has dissipated.

Being 12,000 miles away I get little value for my membership, other than to get up in the early hours of Sunday mornings to hopefully see a good result emerging. All I am seeing is inconsistency - some really good results (particularly early on) mixed with some dire ones. What the Board does about it is, in my mind, largely connected with how ambitious they are. As it stands, I can only see a mediocre future. This season offered a great opportunity with no one team standing out at the beginning.  It's an opportunity lost.

I will continue to renew my membership.

 

[andyetfc]

Just an observation. It wasn't the first time a manager has left a club and taken most of his loyal players with him and it certainly won't be the last. It happens in non league football. It's what happens afterwards that counts and I don't think it's worked out here at ETFC. 

[4wembleyfinals]

What a well balance narrative of the past 2 years from "Wilson" especially from someone so far away. I can appreciate his frustration for, in a small way,  during the period of my incapacity I too look forward to reading the posts on this forum and welcome every result in our favour. But the core of his comment I feel reflects a what a lot have been saying especially with regard to the Board.

I believe the post to which he is referring was from a Cheshum follower.  It was subsequently judged to be invalid because of alleged personal differences between him and our new manager. As a result he became persona non grata on this forum. 

Once again Andy makes a valid point to which I completely agree. This phenomenon is not unigue to football but in every walk of life.

7 hours ago, wilson said:

See post above.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by 4wembleyfinals

[The Crowing Cockerel]

If/when Andy leaves I'm not sure we'll be quite as decimated as when Brad left. I'd expect Sam Youngs (the only remaining ex-Chesham player) to follow him, perhaps Joe Wright too. The old Billericay boys, Johnson, Bricknell & Taafe might stay (particularly if the rumours of BB's 2-year contract are true). Micky Parcell is ETFC to the core so can't see him going anywhere. It would all depend, of course, on who any new manager wanted to bring in/ship out.

So, the first step: thank Andy for his service and wish him well...

[wilson]

Andy et al

I fully understand that managers move and players follow. I wasn't trying to suggest that it was an isolated happening. I was trying to put AL's task when he joined in some perspective. In passing, the Australian club I list in my profile is a club that I was a director of for nearly 20 years, that I am a life member of and of which I have just published a club history. At the end of last season our coach/manager announced that he was moving to another club. The upshot was that every senior player left and we have had to start from scratch - new manager and a totally new team. Talk about deja vu. I will still support Knox City and Enfield Town.

 

[Theodopolous]

Quinton actually started a higher league with a lower league team and got promoted... what an achievement that was ... I was right behind the manager for the first season even defending him against what I thought unfair criticism ... but he’s had time and it hasn’t worked..... to be honest come the end of season if you are a Ryman standard player and live local  where better to play than at our club... best supporters nice ground so why all move on especially if a new manager comes in ... I can see our best players staying especially if they know they will be played in their best positions.. AL has ruined Aaron Greene this season a quality player who hopefully we will see the best of....

[3spirit]

Just an observation from an outsider, I thought Andy Leese would do well for Enfield when he became your manager,as his Chesham team was a successful one over the years and he appeared to be good at spotting talent and he did built a very good side there. At that time he had Jon Meakes working as a coach with him.

By what I've read on your forum, most of the Enfield fans view the football being played as poor and Enfield just don't seem to be consistent enough to challenge for the play off's. Do you think all the blame should be laid at Andy Leese's door, as he now has younger rookie coaches beside him. Steve Wales was Chesham's best player back in the day but I don't know what he like as a coach.

I'm not watching Enfield play week in week out but getting rid of a manager after just two seasons,might not be the best move for your club.Look at Kingstonian as an example.They are on their third manager of the season and have wasted money galore.

I believe to build a team that consistently challenges at the top, season after season,takes time to build. Yes, you can get a flash in the pan manager who gets promoted first season but 9 times out of 10 the team then gets relegated straight back the next season! To me finishing 18th with a hastily put together new squad, and then this season hovering around mid table, after recruiting more new players to your squad, in a division that Andy Leese has only had two seasons to find out about, isn't as dreadful as some of you seem to think.

Nobody wants to watch dull uninspiring football but sometimes building a team to entertain and get consistent results takes time to do.

At Slough,the club I support, our joint managers have been at our club six years, and we hope to keep them for a lot longer yet, before them our previous manager stayed for 5 seasons [one season probably too many but still did a reasonable job that season]. It appears to me the difference between Slough and Enfield is that Slough are enjoying their fruits because of their stability,on and off the pitch, whereas Enfield [a club known as historic name in non-league football] have become impatient for success and have not got stability.

It may be, that you have the wrong manager to build the dream team you want but I think you may also be underestimating what another couple of seasons could do for his team, and you fans. If Andy Leese could get your team to say another 7 place leap in his third season, so from 11th to 4th position, would you not be happy with that? As surely you will be challenge for the title within the next two seasons. Sacking Leese means you've got to start all over again,which means back to the drawing board.

[AnfieldTowner]

Thanks, 3spirit, for an interesting and well reasoned view.

Pleased to hear about the stability at Slough Town and sounds like you're very happy with your management team. I see that they too started from scratch by taking most of their squad with them from Godalming Town at the outset and achieved promotion in their first season! I believe you've had another promotion since which won't have harmed their cause.

Remarkable to see that Slough are also 11th in the league with an identical points tally to us and an identical record this season of 15 wins, 10 draws and 13 defeats - though you've scored a lot fewer goals. Slightly surprised if the good people of Slough are satisfied with that, particularly as you're not scoring much more than 1 goal per game? Admittedly you are at a higher level than we are.

 

[The Crowing Cockerel]

The trouble is, 3spirit, that Andy Leese has made a rod for his own back by setting targets. He will not reach his target in the league this campaign - 2pts/game and a place in the play-offs. If he'd said that he had a 4-year plan and the club/fans bought into it, well that would be a different matter. 

[4wembleyfinals]

That is the crux of most peoples annoyance CC. We didn't set the targets AL did.

If I said to a client, on behalf of my firm, that he would receive an opinion on a problem in writing by a certain date woe betide me if I failed. Blaming  my staff for my failure would not have endear me to them very much and it would have destroyed our working relationship. This to me is AL's biggest failure.  I say this based on what I have read on this forum. It has been suggested that AL has said to supporters on several occasions that the players do not follow his instructions. An admission that, if true, would have been best kept to himself.  

[behind-the-goal]

It's really interesting to read 3Spirit's post. On the one hand it's heartening to read about the love of the club from miles away. However, that geographical distance also insluates from the soul-destroying reality of having to watch an Andy Leese team, and attempting to have a meaningful conversation with him. Having to watch Enfield is not pleasant nowadays, and that has been covered very well recently. What has been mentioned less often, if at all, is how awful Andy is at communicating with the fans. Whatever Brad did after he left he was BRILLIANT at chatting to US! My sons loved him, even if we lost a game, Brad would be be there, on the pitch or in the bar. And he would TALK to us. Properly. Not just that  he would sign programmes, have photos taken, and REMEMBER my sons' names. That meant SO much! We would leave the Donkey Dome talking abiut how nice Brad was even if we lost. Andy makes it clear that he can't even be arsed to talk to us. 

[behind-the-goal]

It's really interesting to read 3Spirit's post. On the one hand it's heartening to read about the love of the club from miles away. However, that geographical distance also insluates from the soul-destroying reality of having to watch an Andy Leese team, and attempting to have a meaningful conversation with him. Having to watch Enfield is not pleasant nowadays, and that has been covered very well recently. What has been mentioned less often, if at all, is how awful Andy is at communicating with the fans. Whatever Brad did after he left he was BRILLIANT at chatting to US! My sons loved him, even if we lost a game, Brad would be be there, on the pitch or in the bar. And he would TALK to us. Properly. Not just that  he would sign programmes, have photos taken, and REMEMBER my sons' names. That meant SO much! We would leave the Donkey Dome talking abiut how nice Brad was even if we lost. Andy makes it clear that he can't even be arsed to talk to us. 

[behind-the-goal]

By the way, I should mention that neither if my sons have any interest in watching ETFC now, specifically because of Andy. Of course, they have no interest in tactics and formations etc., but they understand if someone wants to talk to them. Suffuce to say that I've stopped going due to the lack of decent  football and my sons don't want to go due to the lack of decent communication. 

[Theodopolous]

BTG... your sons are not the only ones to have no interest in tactics or formations ... i’m sure Andy Leese thinks tactics are little mints .....

Edited April 8, 2019 by Theodopolous

[MbrunoB]

16 hours ago, The Crowing Cockerel said:

The trouble is, 3spirit, that Andy Leese has made a rod for his own back by setting targets. He will not reach his target in the league this campaign - 2pts/game and a place in the play-offs. If he'd said that he had a 4-year plan and the club/fans bought into it, well that would be a different matter. 

EVERY manager will say what their targets are and will exaggerate them. Do you expect any to say they will have a poor season and don't hope to win many games?

[andyetfc]

Objectives should be realistic and achievable.

Edited April 8, 2019 by andyetfc

[Barney]

I don't think it was an impossible target, and as MbrunoB says, I'd much rather we aimed high and failed than set a much lower target and achieved it - surely that's showing more ambition?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not impressed with how things are going of late, but I struggle to agree with this particular line of criticism.

[4wembleyfinals]

Barney I too have struggled with understanding MB 's views. It is obvious from his cryptic posts that he adopts an air of disdain of those of us who desire change which makes me wonder whether he has an underlying vested interest in the status quo. Something which seems widely prevalent these days.