From a personal point of view I always found LP always very modest and prepared to have a quick chat before most matches, as he did with a lot of other fans. I felt that with him at the helm the Club had most certainly taken a turn for the better, albeit it was a slow process. As fans we always want things to change straight away, but after the damage caused over the previous years by the leech, impatience by us fans was always going to be a problem that would have to be expected by both sides.
The pandemic has obviously had a disastrous effect on the Club’s progress both this season and last. The way we were playing before the season was curtailed last year I could really see us making a late charge for the play offs. One side does it every year and emerges from the pack, and I do truly believe that Walsall could have been that side. Once Covid hit we lost all of our momentum.
Since LP took over we were starting to pay fees for players, albeit no doubt quite modest ones, but there was a clear sign that our transfer policy was changing. The recent rumours about Adebayo and Hearts over the past few days shows a change that would have had a different outcome a couple of years ago. So there are positive signs there.
I for one believe Pomlett needs time to deliver what he has promised, after all he can’t perform miracles whilst Covid is still here. I fear that this next 12 months are going to be possibly the most difficult time that the Club has had to face and now is not the time to start to criticise and questioning LP’s desire and intent to move the Club forward. Obviously more than ever the Club needs are unity and support which we have all given so far.
I am as frustrated as any about our overall performances and the much logged criticisms of DC, which are all valid. I am sure that Pomlett is equally if not more frustrated than we are. Let’s hope that by the start of next season we can see fans back and the Clubs other commercial revenue streams start up again. Then we can all start questioning where we really are, and how we are moving forward, unfortunately no doubt still in League 2.
Let us suppose that I am persuaded by the argument against LP. The question I would have to then ask is, “OK, what’s the alternative?”
And that’s where we hit a wall.
The not appearing to be able to compete in the league is an interesting one. I think the accounts will make very interesting reading when they are finally published. We have very little detail about the financial transaction between LP and JB and possibly won’t ever know, but I suspect LP may have used a proportion of his own money and some of the clubs to agree the price with JB. This will be via loans/Finance/draw down basis turnover.
If turnover slumps you struggle to make payments, add the rent to the leech and this will in theory create the issue in playing budgets as money would have to be diverted.
Your last paragraph mentions DC and that would be my answer to the question asked in the thread.
Our majority shareholder and chairman nailed his colours to the mast straightaway when he “owned” the appointment of the manager, stating that he was his appointment, he brought him to the club.
In my opinion the appointment has, so far, been shown to be at best a disappointment and I feel sure that if he had appointed a manager in his previous business life who didn’t produce results to the expected level action would have been taken. I understand that circumstances are partly compromising the chairman’s ability to act more “normally”.
I think last season was a missed opportunity for promotion, as a manager should be able to organise/gel a team/squad of players more quickly than having to wait for his seemingly standard second half of the season eureka moment. We could and should have been in Northampton’s position when the season was terminated. To my mind almost exactly the same has happened/is happening again this season, where we find ourselves out of the top seven when we could/should be in it. I think it’s largely poor management of resources, allied to some admittedly shocking defending at times. Should the season be curtailed early again we would only have ourselves to blame for the slow burn.
I recognise that even despite of all this we could in theory get promotion this season, be that by way of the play offs or even automatically, but that says more about the division as a whole. I believe that the reason we are where we are is because the manager doesn’t appear capable of consistently making the right selections and in-game decisions.
The chairman has obviously been compromised by the virus but I don’t think that the manager can have the same excuse.
So to answer the question, the chairman has given us this manager and we’re all having to live with the consequences.
I sincerely hope that the manager does something to change my opinion of him and justifies the chairman’s public faith in him.
As a club in my lifetime we’ve been mostly a 3rd division side with the odd flirtation and near miss of a higher level than that are we saying now that we are happy to tread water in league 2 the fourth tier ? Maybe I’m reading this wrong but I think we should be expecting better than that and that’s all we are getting this team will not go up this season it’s got mid table written all over it I hope I’m wrong but remember me saying this at the end of the season if I’m not and next season could be worse if things don’t change.If you were around in the early 90s you might see the trajectory we are following and I never thought we would be in that place again
Well,he’s done nothing has he basically? Oh…apart from getting rid of the leech,which not so long ago was number one on every Walsall fans list of t to things that were preventing them from either going to watch or enjoy watching matches. I think a lot of fans have forgotten the feeling they had the day it was announced.
We have no divine right not to follow that trajectory again, though. The damage which put us in the 4th tier was done before Pomlett’s stewardship commenced (and Clarke’s, for that matter).
The new regime weren’t in the same position to bounce straight back as the last time we were at this level, to start with (support levels having a carry-over of being in the second tier two years prior; Fox, Dann, Gerrard, Roper, Wrack etc. already on the books). That reset season wasn’t over when Covid hit. When it became apparent that further adjustments were needed to get us closer to the third tier, we were 9 month deep into the financial impact of the pandemic, and priorities had changed.
We simply cannot judge the current situation on precedents of the past. We started the pandemic at a lower ebb, thanks to the Whitney/Keates/Bonser years, and all of our income streams will have been on their arse for a calendar year plus, by the time this is over. It’s a completely different animal now.
I think he’s doing alright in very challenging times.
I’d love to listen in on his Sunday morning calls with Darrell though. From the outside their conversational styles would appear to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Quite obviously the past 12 months has been difficult for every football club. Would be utter stupidity to ignore that. Operationally therefore too soon to judge.
He appointed a Manager who all of us at the time (I think?) were pleased to see come in - and has backed him and continues to do so.
Unfortunately that appointment has not worked out and as a businessman, I expect him to deal with the failing product - that business is providing to its customers - in the summer.
I don’t know the bloke/woman you are asking the question but I’ll take a guess on his/her behalf. Probably like most of us who post on here, a lifetime of dedication. That would include continually putting money in the club as well as being a small part of the soul that is what a football club actually is. As we have seen so clearly over the past 9 months or so, football really is nothing without fans.
That’s not to say I agree about Pomlett, far too early to judge especially given the circumstances.
Yes it’s been bargain basement this summer in terms of loans but summer 2019 DC was given a decent budget to get in two of his promotion winning players at Bristol Rovers (from a division higher), Lavery who also had many loans higher up the league and Guthrie…
Yes they’ve failed but it shouldn’t have been impossible for DC to get to 7th place either last season or this with what he has to work with.
I do feel a bit more transparancy at times would be good though.Take the Rico thing recently. Whether there’s even a sell on clause still is shrouded in mystery. I assume other clubs come out when deal is done and state what the future sell on clause is.
However just looked back at obvious case with Ollie Watkins a few years back and seems Brentford personally requested to Exeter to keep quiet about it (was 15%) so shows it’s not always straight forward to bring into public domain:
Ultimately LP will be judged on how long it takes to get the club out of league 2…in the right direction.
Things were bad when the club were relegated to league 2 but it’s not good if club are in for 3-4 year spell here as we’ve seen many clubs then fall into non league eventually once they became part of furniture so really need to get out by end of next season imo and that will be tough ask.
Darrell Clarke should’ve been a really good appointment as manager but been a huge disappointment so far so shows how hard it is to get in a decent manager at times even if they’re overflowing with promotions and coaching badges. Sometimes there’s always an element of luck as there wasn’t much to suggest Ray Graydon would’ve been that much of a better manager than Chris Hutchings for example under the previous tenure but one was on a different planet to the other despite Hutchings managing two different teams in the premier league.
What has Pomlett done for the Fans…
Engaged with us on a level never known and most of us like him 10/10
What’s he done for the Business
Again took on a tough job and walked in to a terrible situation with Covid 10/10
What’s he done for the football
Nothing any better than Jeff did. Maybe worse given the lack of a big picture And strategy from a football point of view. 3/10
He has the final say on signings I’d be asking Clarke why they are poor why hasn’t he signed a gk and why do we keep signing Substitutes ??? And I’d be cheeky and ask what we do at training in general because it looks like we don’t do a thing
Don’t think the recruitment of DC’s two “mates” as well as Guthrie has been missed at all.
It’s a constant bone of contention on the forum, that they continue to eat up a significant chunk of the budget, whilst producing very little or in some cases nothing, over an 18 month period.
There have been numerous signings, the vast majority of them utter dross or completely unnecessary. As I said in my earlier Post, LP backed the Manager, no question.
It’s not always someone’s fault when things don’t work out as planned.DC looked like the ideal candidate, we collectively applauded the appointment. But it hasn’t worked - and will never work - so I expect LP to replace the Manager once football returns to “normal”.
His broom hasn’t been strong enough, a lot of deadwood and reminders of Jeff exists everywhere you look.
The 2 people in charge of operations are still in their position when in 99% of businesses if had they performed as they have for us, they would have been the first out the door. We desperately need fresh ideas and impetus behind the scenes; it’s not too late Lee, get rid of these 2 clowns now - ready when fans are back.
I still can’t quite believe they are still there tbh.
