Kingstonian v Enfield Town

[MbrunoB]

3 hours ago, Barney said:

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.

I'm far from impressed with him lately and I don't even want to consider it again next season.

[Barney]

1 hour ago, 4wembleyfinals said:

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. 

I certainly wasn't struggling to understand MB's view - I was finding it difficult to agree with a couple of posters further back in the thread who were questioning Andy's decision to set an ambitious points target.

[4wembleyfinals]

Barney I had read your comment not knowing that Andy's post intervened between your's about 5hrs ago and my reply. Having reread the sequence of posts I now understand clearly your position. 

Of course targets are set for all manner of situations. But they still have to be considered by the proposer to be realistic. Since A/L has not achieved a pts per match target above 1.3 in his last three years with Chesum FC he rather over egged it a bit.Yes the target of 2pts per match is the least accepted criterion for automatic promotion but rarely for a team in a playoff position. If we win our last 4 games our ratio will be 1.59pts. Roughly a 25% shortfall. Which would not be tolerated by any other business unless you were considering voluntary liguidation.

Edited April 8, 2019 by 4wembleyfinals

[3spirit]

On 07/04/2019 at 15:12, AnfieldTowner said:

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.

 

AnfieldTowner, thanks for your response. The difference between Slough and Enfield in terms of league position,is that Slough are in their first season in the Conference South. Most of the Slough fans just wanted to avoid relegation this season but our managers and squad have been excellent and we have matched most of the teams in this league. Two weeks ago,we beat 2nd placed Woking at their place and even against leaders Torquay away from home,we got to half time unscathed 0-0 but then had a man sent off and lost 4-0. Torquay are a full time side and the best team in our division,so it was no disgrace. Yes,we are very fortunate to have our joint managers,they have been a breath of fresh air since they came to the club and they are great at communication with the fans, and even join in the talk on our fans forum on occasion.

As Behind-the-goal said Andy Leese is not good with communication to the fans.Our previous manager, Steve Bateman,was like that.Perhaps it's just an old school thing.

   

[3spirit]

On 07/04/2019 at 16:09, 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. 

Most managers hype it up. No manager will say to fans at a start of a season, that their team is likely to finish mid table. Even Slough's joint managers over egg what the team will do. If fans thought from the outset that their team was going to finish mid table, a lot of them wouldn't bother going to matches.

I sympathise with the Enfield fans, if the football being played is awful, as I've been watching Slough for over 30 years and we've had some shocking managers in the past. Ironically,one of our more successful seasons,when we were in the Conference,we had to endure the long ball game all season and that for me that was as tedious as hell. I would have rather, we had played some good passing football and finished mid-table but we fans don't always get the choice.

I've been keeping an eye on Andy Leese's signings over the two seasons at your club, and on the player front I think he has recruited well. I know a few people that don't go a bundle on Andy Leese but as a manager he is no one's fool and has steadied your ship, so I would have thought one more season under him would be worth it, as your team has progressed over two seasons under him, and it isn't like he has spiralled your team down to the relegation places but it's not me, that has to watch Enfield !

Anyway, best of luck for the rest of this season and the next.   

[Theodopolous]

To be honest I don’t think we have progressed one bit this season... we had a bigger budget with a better squad and a much weaker league.... one thing AW did get right is our fan base is elderly and not growing .... we can’t afford to drive spectators away because of loyalty ..... it is an entertainment business and youngsters need to be entertained....

[behind-the-goal]

Absolutely Theo! Spot on! If the football is not enjoyable to watch: if the the team fails to achieve;  if the manager isn't capable of having a chat; if he positively alienates youngsters; what is he there for?