The Mangerial Merry-Go-Round, VAR and the Ugly Side of Football – Talk the Football League Col
- Sam Greasley-Machin
- Aug 23, 2019
- 5 min read
Kick it Out logo, credit; WikiCommons (Joseph2302)
The past week has seen it’s first casualty of the managerial sack race, what seems like constant 24 hour talk of VAR and the ugly side of the beautiful game, all covered in this weeks edition of the Talk the Football League column.
We also cover the latest on the devastating stories coming out of Bolton and Bury and what may be with their futures, along with unexpected, excellent starts in the three EFL divisions.
Managerial Sack Race
The past week has seen the first casualty of the managerial sack race as Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert was the first of the season to face the chop following his sides Friday night defeat to Fulham. The Terriers axed the German after accumulating 15 loses in 19 matches, with only one win.
In reality the young German manager was brought in to replace Wagner in the Premier League and any results obtained in the league above should have been a write off on his record as the Yorkshire side never looked like staying up. The newly relegated side had a tough start with loses against Derby and Fulham, games going into the season they wouldn’t necessarily be expected to win. Three games wasn’t enough time, the squad had hardly changed over the summer and they lost their best player in Aaron Mooy – there was always going to be a transition period, one longer than three games needed to see an instant change in fortunes.
Mark Hudson has stepped in as caretaker manager and one of the potential replacements is Sol Campbell, another passenger of the managerial merry-go-round after he mutually agreed to leave Macclesfield Town.
VAR logo, credit; WikiCommons (C records)
VAR (sorry)
It’s the talk of the town, tv, twitter and tiny hamlets in the middle of no where. It’s everywhere! Fortunately the Football League is yet to suffer its hands of death and hopefully won’t for a long time in the divisions.
The fact of the matter is all Premier League clubs voted for it and the constant talk about it is boring, it’s only two game weeks into the league above and VAR has already been talked about to death. It’s here to stay and the constant berating won’t change it, that said it’s elating it’s not taken it’s hit on the EFL.
It’s sad to see VAR killing the game for fans in the stadium (as if prices hadn’t ridiculous already) but it’s impact would be greater on the Football League in stadiums that aren’t full of tourist fans but fans supporting their local side. There is some hope that it perhaps won’t be in the divisions for a while, especially with it’s costs. The most foreseeable use is in the play-offs in seasons to come, but let’s all hope by then it isn’t in the same format it is now. Perhaps offering the touted system of giving each side three contests to decisions per game, one per half – that would be much better if the EFL is ever to suffer in its name.
Racism
The beautiful game has an ugly side, racism. Simply there is no place for it and never will be, it’s beyond words how disgusting it is to discriminate people on anything level. Yet still some idiots, a small minority, insist on plaguing the game we love.
This weekend saw Reading striker Yakou Meite subjected to abuse following his sides 3-0 victory over Cardiff. This is one of a number of incidents in the EFL this season already, following incidents involving Theo Robinson (Southend), Bambo Diaby (Barnsley), James McClean (Stoke) and Cyrus Christie’s (Fulham) sister. Reading very much dealt with this in the right way by not even giving the time of day to the keyboard warrior, but it needs addressing.
Kick It Out produced a report that concluded last season reported racists incidents increased by 43% to 272 cases. One reported case is too much and we as the fans have a duty to kick it out, if you hear something in the stands, see a post on social media or a comment in the pub we as fans need to pull together and make sure we do the right thing and make sure they know they are not accepted in any aspect of our sport. Leaving it to the authorities won’t see any change, it’s up to us fans to step up and stand for what’s right. Kick it Out, but not just out of football but society in general. Not in my game!
Bury’s Gigg Lane, credit Geograph (Martin Thirkettle)
Bolton and Bury
The sad stories of Bolton and Bury continue this week, but by next week it could be the end of Bury. Owner Steve Dale has declined an offer to save the League One club who face expulsion from the league on Friday should the EFL not receive the evidence of funds they require. Bury have already had their first six games cancelled and kicked out of the Carabao cup.
What is happening to Bury is nothing short of disgusting, the EFL aren’t helping the situation and should have NEVER seen the club get into this situation. Dale is clearly hanging onto something behind the scenes and will happily seen the death of a club for it, a vile man who has lied, lied and lied again. People like him shouldn’t be in football and more so the EFL should have learnt from previous situations at other clubs to one not allow it and two now know how to prevent it, but they haven’t.
Things aren’t much better at Bolton with another game called off and now Phil Parkinson has gone. His tactics may have not been to every ones taste but the manager turned up to a club without players, an owner, his wages and much uncertainty over the future. Sure he didn’t need the money but he didn’t need to show up for work for five months without payment, he did it for the love of the game and it’s people like that football needs more of – if only the owners of Bury and Bolton could take a leap from his book.
Excellent Starts
It’s still the opening stages of the season but already there are sides defying the odds and starting the campaign off in an excellent fashion. In the Championship it has been the turn of Charlton to do just that, despite being relegation favourites, they find themselves unbeaten with two wins and two draws. Much of that has been down to the exploits of star man Lyle Taylor with four goals in as many games, who was imperative they kept over the summer. Lee Bowyer’s side may not have had the toughest start but for a newly promoted side every game is as hard a test as the next. Neil Harris has also seen a good start for Millwall who have only lost once at the hands of Fulham in a season they might have been expected to be near the bottom.
In League One Coventry are the eye catchers so far, despite losing their star striker Conor Chaplin and not even having a home ground they have kicked off the season well boosting the same record as Charlton. Gareth Ainsworth Wycombe have also started off well and certainly look to be a side that will be competing at the top come May.
While in League Two it is Forest Green Rovers with a surprise start, the newly promoted side find themselves seventh and in good stead for the season despite only just arriving in the football league. However, it remains to be said it still is the very opening stages of a long season and these teams could very much be at the other end of the table within weeks let alone months, but the initial signs are promising…
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By Sam Greasley-Machin
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