Utter Exasperation
I want to start this report with an apology. The game was several weeks ago and I was simply too irked to write it before disappearing on a wee mid-season break. As such, my recall, which is poor at the best of times, is likely to fail me on more than one occasion.
What is important is the key point of the game – McInnes got his tactics badly wrong in the second half and cost us two points against a team that will surely sneak into the top six. Peter Houston is inextricably involved with some untoward behaviour and has never impressed me as a manager. Nevertheless, partly through luck, he was allowed to change his team and gain a valuable point on the road.
Of course, when Del travelled to meet his sycophants, nobody had the chutzpah to call for his head. Shame it wasn’t an event for all fans, but when splinter groups are allowed to form you get “trade union” style scenarios. Anyway, the irrelevant can prevent me from destroying Del in face-to-face combat; they can’t change the facts; Wee Deco, stood with his hands in his pockets watching Sheridan handicap us with his apathy and fatigue, yet done nothing to support Fran Sandaza. That is inexcusable and crystal clear proof that he doesn’t learn. Remember the debacle at Tannadice when Deuchar was stripped for 10 minutes? Del cannot react to situations when we are in front.
It’s fine and dandy bragging that he has the balls to change a game we’re losing or drawing, but that’s child play. If we’re losing or drawing, any change is devoid of pressure and therefore the challenge is less. Those close to me know the truth of the following story.
As the teams were shaking hands (an act which still leaves me feeling incredulous) I said to my mannie, “this is a strong team, we could win this.” Of course, we had a bit chuckle when Douglas scored with each of us jocularly announcing, “what do we know, eh?” yet by half time it was clear that our support of the starting eleven was well-placed. It wasn’t the correct starting eleven, of course; Sheridan would be sent home if I had my way. Higgins who starred against Celtic and rattles in the goals for the reserves, deserves a decent run alongside Fran the Man. I can’t fathom David Robertson and Frazer Wright still hasn’t won me over. Nevertheless, Robbo has great skill and Wright was excellent against Celtic so I won’t nitpick too much.
At half time, I sent a few text messages explaining that the game was still alive and we needed a fourth to kill it. Some may have thought I was joking but I wasn’t. Dundee United are a team without morals. The modern game may dismay many, but teams like Hearts, Mixu’s Killie and this lot are the worst offenders in a guilty league. They dive, they feign injury, they use their hands to control the ball, they intimidate officials and they foul our players. They also carry a massive goal threat and have done for several seasons.
For all these well known reasons, we should have pushed for a fourth. Above all, we should have recognised that they were in no-way demoralised by the three goal reversal. For most of the game, they played with their typical arrogance. There was little dissension in their ranks and whatever the internal relationships are, they worked as a team throughout the 90 minutes.
Derek McInnes failed to grasp any of this. He brought the players out at the start of the second half and we immediately looked half-hearted. Yes we had one or two chances to make it 4-1, one gilt edged chance was wasted in spectacular style following a quick counter attack, but predominantly we allowed them to come onto us.
Football is a simple game. We took them in at half time trailing by 3 goals to 1, because we attacked them. Our attack minded approach worked. We scored more than them. Why then, would we change tack? Why would we invite such strong finishers into our own area and why would we try to defend closer to our own goal when we know that off-side decisions are often wrong and we know that they have players capable of scoring from a stramash.
I can’t answer these questions and nor could I ask them of Mr McInnes. I can only conclude that he is a very poor manager who doesn’t understand the game of football. There is no other plausible explanation.
Let’s be clear on this. If we had changed Sheridan for Higgy in the early stage of the second half, we would have won the game and we’d still have the option of playing third substitution if it were required. You know what makes this all the more galling? It’s pretty much what he did at Parkhead. We took the lead and he still had the balls to keep two up front. Following our win at Parkhead I told you all that Del hadn’t learned anything, now you’ve all seen it for yourself.
Incidentally, who still wants Sheridan at this club?
I’m not going into detail about each player, they were all good; we’re lucky to have a great squad at McDiarmid Park and Del must be praised for making good signings. That said, there is a rumour floating around about a comment Derek made at the meet the manager night and it needs clarified. Del allegedly tried to convince our fans that St Mirren star, Stephen Thompson, earns “7 times what our strikers earn”. If he said it like that, he’s not being very honest with you. There is an 8 fold discrepancy between our highest paid striker and our lowest paid striker. Stephen Thompson might earn 7 times what our low paid boys earn, he doesn’t earn 7 times more than our starting strikers.
The clubs pay deals are all vastly different and St Johnstone’s “points” scheme is a great idea. We’re lucky to be run so well. Recent board room changes should bring long-term benefit to the club. There might be a short term pain, but I actually don’t expect it to impact on the books next year.
Speaking of which, lots of ill-educated fans spend all year demanding better players and bigger wages. We hear that you’ve got to speculate to accumulate, odd that such as Brian Souter, Richard Branson, Michael O’Leary et al would generally disagree. Mind you, they’re hardly as successful as the fans who pack the stands at McDiarmid Park....
Geoff and his immediate board have worked wonders over the last few years, but the fact remains that we are in the financial mire. The books may have shown a loss of £209,000 but we are starting this financial year with season tickets down by a third compared to two years ago and an enormous bill for the best pitch outside the Old Firm. Our supporters have disappeared and the blame cannot be laid at the door of our brand of football. Yes, there was a spell of league games last season where we were poor to watch but ultimately we have been good under Del. Results haven’t been great, I believe we could have achieved more with the squad, but does that matter in the grand scheme of things?
We are a small town club, only a tiny percentage of our catchment area actually attend games. Despite this, we are the 8th best team in the country; what an achievement! We have a squad of really good players, many of whom would easily fit into better teams. If you don’t believe me, ask Jim Jeffries if he was happy with Danny Grainger’s capture. We have a club that puts players into schools, gets posters into local businesses, ensures the Lotto is widely represented in the local community, runs training sessions all over the place and ensure that all customer contact is dealt with in a swift and professional manner.
I often wonder if our fans have had dealings with other SPL clubs. I have had reason to be in contact with numerous clubs down through the years, indeed I’m working with two others at the moment. The quality of staff and the commitment to football simply isn’t there in most clubs.
How many clubs are forward thinking enough to ditch large catering firms and bring in a local man? How many clubs have such a successful and varied main board with incredible strength and depth as back-up? How many teams can boast such as Paul Smith? Not only a dyed in the wool enthusiast, but a man who deals with variegated tasks as if it’s no effort. Compare our ticket office to other clubs, our club shop to other clubs. The Muirton Suite is a fine place to congregate. We have the best viewing facilities in Scotland and a purpose built car park which is the envy of many clubs.
There is no excuse for our awful attendances. We must work harder than ever to full the stands at McDairmid Park. Our gross loss for the three years 2009-2012 could easily exceed half a million pounds. Forget about a big money deal for Murray Davidson; that moment has probably gone. Had the Rangers bid been made from a reputable company, it surely would have been considered.
These are tough times for all football clubs, yet we have the ability to make life easier for Saints. Support the club, not with your words but your cash. If you’re buying presents, buy them from Saints, if you’re eating out, try the McDiarmid Park restaurant, if you’re at a loose-end pre-match head to the Muirton Suite, if you’re lonely at the football bring a mate, if you know someone that’s bored, tell ‘em to watch the Saints.
We can’t change the world, I can’t change the manager, but together we can swell the crowd and provide the necessary finances to enable future generations to enjoy watching the local team. If we don’t act, this club could go part-time and the euphoria of winning at Parkhead could be snatched away from our children.
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