Fan Blog, Headley's Blog
Keep the faith or cut the losses?
Published by Simon Head on February 8, 2010
The title of this blog pretty well reflects the dilemma facing Gillingham FC chairman Paul Scally this week.
Despite backing his manager, Mark Stimson, with funds to secure a quartet of new loan signings, it would appear the team’s away form has barely been altered.
The club’s embarrassing FA Cup exit to Accrington Stanley put the pressure firmly on Stimson and prompted a written wrist-slapping from chairman Scally in his programme notes.
This weekend’s latest away failure, a depressing 4-0 defeat against Brentford, a fellow promoted side with whom the Gills shared two 1-1 draws last season, has seen the pressure cranked up another few notches.
It would be fair to say Stimson has failed to win over the Gillingham faithful since his arrival from Stevenage Borough two years ago. Despite guiding the side to promotion last season, a significant proportion of the club’s fans simply don’t rate the Essex-based manager, who has been rather too critical of his own team for some fans’ liking in recent weeks.
There seemed to be an element of resignation and desperation in the voice of the Gills manager after the Brentford defeat. It sounded very much like a man who had reached the end of his tether. He had a pop at his players, at the referee and at the opposition manager. He claimed his preparations for the match were “Premier League level” and criticised his players for failing to carry out his gameplan. In short, he sounded like he was looking to blame anyone but himself.
Now the attention turns to the club’s chairman. Clearly words have been said between Scally and Stimson previously and with Gillingham’s winless streak away from home currently standing at 15 games many fans, including those who initially backed Stimson against the critics, have run out of patience. But the crucial opinion is Scally’s.
He won’t want to fork out for a settlement to remove Stimson from his post, but can he afford not to? Does he cut his losses in the search for a solution to our problems, or does he keep the faith with his beleaguered manager in the hope that he can get enough points to stay up and then transform the club in the summer?
GILLINGHAM’S AWAY RECORD UNDER MARK STIMSON (ALL COMPETITIONS)
Season 2007/2008 (League One): Wins 2, Draws 4, Defeats 12
Season 2008/2009 (League Two): Wins 11, Draws 5, Defeats 9
Season 2009/2010 (League One): Wins 0, Draws 3, Defeats 13
TOTAL: Games 59, Wins 13, Draws 12, Defeats 34
A week ago Stimson earmarked the next three games as winnable. We’ve been stuffed in the first one. Now we have Tranmere Rovers at home before travelling to Yeovil next weekend. Anything less than four points would, in my eyes, represent failure. By Monday next week we may have a better idea of what’s likely to happen at Priestfield. Two defeats will almost certainly force Scally’s hand.
With our away record showing no signs of improving, we can only look at Tuesday’s match with Tranmere as a must-win. Draw and the knives will be out. Defeat is unthinkable.
I initially backed the manager, but I’m beginning to wonder whether a change might be necessary now. With the manager openly criticising the very players he needs to perform, I fear Stimson is hanging himself out to dry. Backing his players, generating a sense of collective responsibility (remember England in Euro 96?) and forming a tight-knit, cohesive unit who will all fight for each other, the fans AND the manager would surely be the way forward now.
But can that happen with the current incumbent? There’s an increasing feeling at Priestfield that the answer may be no.
Simon Head
Click here
You must be logged in to post a comment.