The start of the new Eircom season and I am filled with hope that this year Shels squad will perform to its full potential and run away with the title.
Three games into the new season, and Shels record played 3, won 0, lost 0, drawn 3, pathetic!
Am I the only fan who believes that the root of the problem is Pat Fenlon? Last season I was dismayed at the tactics employed with such a talented squad. Go 1-0 up and it was 10 men behind the ball, Crowe or Byrne left alone upfront, hold what we have, then with 10 minutes to go an equaliser and suddenly we have to throw everyone forward. Quality teams go one up, then try to get a second to kill off the game, the players don't make up the tactics, it comes from the manager.
European teams control the game by controlling the ball, they pass the ball forward and make the opposition chase, then they play a 10-15 yard pass into the danger area for the strike, we have players who can competently carry the ball out of defence Hawkins, Harris & Ollie will all hold the ball and carry it forward, instead we see long hit and hope clearances from the back, which just result in throw ins or ball given away. Statistically in any game I doubt Shels ever have more than their fair share of the ball, to make it significant we need 60:40, and that means holding the ball until it can be used creatively.
Now anyone who knows me will tell you I was never a Wes fan. I lost count at how many times he lost the ball near halfway while trying to beat one to many, and we were immediately under pressure. I hated the way a small man would get himself booked or sent off squaring up to players twice his size with half the talent, he should have been walking away and leaving it to Rogers or Hawkins to sort out later off the ball. I hold up my hand and say I was wrong! He was the creative midfielder who made things happen, and openned the spaces & played the killer passes that put Jayo #1 season after season. Now he's gone and how we are missing him, Ndo is brilliant, he has great football skills and is super strong but he lacks the killer pass, and Bobbie Ryan will be the creative player but he needs that final polish so that its either a shot or a killer pass, not caught between the two.
If you want evidence of how Fenlons system destroys talent, look at Alan Moore! I couldn't believe it when he first arrived. I knew nothing about the guy, suddenly Shels had this super player who dominated every game, he held onto the ball for long periods, he was strong, he scored goals and he had the brain of a player who had played at a high level. With Moore, Hoolihan & Byrne you knew Shels would score goals, the football was exciting and Shels won consistently. Six months on and Fenlon had coached the enthusiasm out of Moore, now he wasn't the outstanding player in the league, he had been cloned into an Eircom journeyman, what a waste of proven talent.
Am I the only Shels fan who feels that Fenlon has had his chance? He took us to the third qualifying round of the Champions league granted (1 win in 6 games), but there was no building on that success, and the next year Champions league and Eircom mediocrity, and this year has started even lower.
I call to true Shels fans to make your voice heard "Fenlon your time is up!".
When they ask you who we want instead be ambitious lets get a real coach with a love for the game, and proven talent, lets get Brian Kerr to coach Shels and lets get the full potential from that talent squad.
