Fan Blog
The change we need – but with the same manager
Published by Gills365 on January 25, 2010
Guest blogger Harry Monk shares his views on the managerial situation at Gillingham.
November 20th, 2004. Location: Gresty Road, Crewe. From the away end, chants of “Hessy, sort it out” ring out, such is the discontent in many of the travelling Gillingham fans. Three days later, Andy Hessenthaler resigned from his management duties, citing that “he felt he had taken the team as far as he could.”
For all of the bravado and passion that was present so frequently when he was on the pitch, there was no hiding from the crisis that his Gillingham side were in. Despite collecting five useful points within the three weeks prior to the Crewe encounter, the league position of 23rd said it all. 12 defeats from the previous seventeen games inflicted an irreversible lack of amassed points which ended up costing the club their place in the Championship.
From here, the decay of Gillingham FC accelerates. Neale Cooper, who had played and managed just seven games in his footballing career south of the M1, was an unmitigated disaster but still boasts a solid record in northern England and Scotland. Ronnie Jepson was a safe pair of hands, but his limited tactical ability was easy to see. His two full seasons in this league resulted in just three away wins each campaign. His resignation was a positive, however the time taken to find, appoint and get his successor working was fatal. Thank goodness that only one season in League Two was endured.
Mark Stimson will never be liked by certain supporters. Ever since his appointment, his desire for change has caused a small section of the crowd to jeer him repeatedly. While Jepson was playful at Priestfield, the current manager is more serious and intense. These two things combined and thus spilled over last April, following the shocking display against Barnet. His tactics were poor, the substitution of Richards for Barcham more so and his post-match comments particularly foolish. Yet the hideously aggressive, almost vigilante abuse labelled in Stimson’s direction at full-time were ridiculous, considering that the side was still in contention for automatic promotion, and five points ahead of the teams outside the play off places.
The atmosphere in the Priestfield for the visit of Colchester on Saturday was equally as nervy, and had Kevin Lisbie have converted his last minute chance, frustrations could have easily boiled over, like they did nine months ago. Despite the performance, a point and clean sheet against a team that have won more than they have lost away from their Ikea-inspired stadium should be welcomed. The home form remains strong, though the small handful off boos at full time – triggered by the poor away form – risks ruining the ‘fortress Priestfield’ tag.
Whereas Hessenthaler could not fall back on home form in November 2004, Stimson can. Because of this, he has time (admittedly decreasing each week) to address not only the results, but the performances away from home. Because of the unwanted sequence of results, the lack of away points, let alone victories, has become mental. No longer is there a vibrancy in the players or the supporters on the road, however much either set would deny it. It lingers in the mind everytime a Gillingham player touches the ball. The players don’t want to play their own game, for fear of misplacing a pass or knocking it out of play. I don’t think the passion is lacking – instead it’s the belief that things can be done if you dare to work hard and give it your best shot.
I’m not some Stimson- über fan, yet I want him to succeed. The away form is down to him. He needs to tell the players to go out and play, like they do at Priestfield. Furthermore, he must make sure they don’t wane in a battle situation. They need to be brave, they need to show some mental strength, they need to be made of sterner substance. Win ugly if needbe. Salvage a point by scoring a goal that deflects off a knee. It can be done.
As for the manager, do anything to avoid a managerial dismissal. Scally sacking him would only bring instability, and if Stan Ternant cannot stave off relegation having been given from December to perform the Houdini act, giving someone four months to implement their ideas and footballing mantra, in a team besieged by injury and with a pot of pennies for transfers is no recipe for progress.
For all the discussion that can take place in the Blues Rock Cafe or people posting on internet forums, I am yet to see anyone list a name of someone who could take this team further than Stimson. Hessenthaler may be doing well at Dover; then again Stimson had a good record in non-league football. Dover currently have the second best home record in the Blue Square south division, but only the 11th best on the road. Also, before he quit as manager in November 2004, his away record read one win, two draws and seven defeats. He struggled to stop the slump in results. He struggled to address the lack of confidence in the players. A distinct lack of ideas was present on the pitch for 90% of the games he oversaw that season. Could he be trusted to rectify the things he failed to do in late 2004? I’m not convinced.
Peter Taylor’s appearance at Priestfield on Saturday has got people clamouring for his return, much like they were in autumn 2007. This, remember, is the Peter Taylor who oversaw eleven games in League One with Wycombe at the start of this campaign, amassing six points and losing seven fixtures. His recent management record is hardly awe-inspiring too. Leicester City – sacked. Crystal Palace – sacked. Stevenage Borough – short term contract not extended. Wycombe Wanderers – sacked. Yes, he achieved promotion in his season as manager down here. But those who suggest that he loves the club may be misguided; ten management roles in fifteen years lead me to suggest he’s a journeyman. And arguably an over-rated one at that.
Martin Allen had two good seasons at Brentford – just like the manager incumbent at Gillingham achieved at Stevenage. His last foray into management at Cheltenham, a club similar to Gillingham in terms of squad size and available resources, ended in relegation from League One last season. Two away wins and ten defeats at home hardly inspires confidence.
Micky Adams? Ask Brighton fans how he fared there last season.
The biggest worry is that Stimson is sacked, and Mr. Scally opts for the cheap route. He did it before with Jepson. And look where that ended up. With a UEFA Pro License-holding first team coach at the club in Mark Robson, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the Chairman could give him the job. Having such a qualification, as it were, enables the former Charlton and West Ham midfielder to manage a club up to Premier League level, which suggests that he has plans to go a couple of steps higher than the first and reserve team coaching positions he’s held at The Valley and Priestfield. Despite the License, he has never managed a team, which represents a huge gamble. For the qualities of Nigel Pearson at Leicester, there is a Brendan Rodgers at Watford and Reading, Chris Hutchings at Wigan and Glenn Roeder at West Ham. More so, placing him in charge of a team so bereft of belief and inspiration on the road seems as logical as Fabio Capello picking Dennis Oli to start upfront in South Africa.
Of course Mark Stimson has his flaws. Some of them are pretty big; his success in the transfer market seems evenly split between hit and miss. Departing players have said his man-management skills are poor. And although his interviews are often candid and honest, sometimes he says the wrong words, allowing for some pretty unflattering headlines. Give him his dues, though. He cleared out the rot that Jepson had left him. He bought in Garry Richards, Curtis Weston and Josh Gowling. He achieved promotion on a shoe-string, taking us to that glorious day beneath the Wembley Arch in May last year. He’s been given next to no money to strengthen the squad, and still the home form is up there with the best in the division.
This club should not change for changes sake. It should only alter the present if the future will herald improvement. And that applies not only to keeping Stimson in charge, but ensuring that the manager addresses the problems he faces.
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