Posted by RB
on 21/5/2009, 23:41:23, in reply to "Tonight's Meeting"
86.14.216.116
Before anyone asks this is not an alias - I'm using my own initials. My affiliation is not to ATFC but to one player. Because of that I have refrained from commenting throughout the season, even though I have been tempted many times. What astounds me is that a club at this level communicates with its fans, players , and its local community via word of mouth, gossip and rumour. There is no Club News page on its website to give its fans facts. The huge amount of traffic on the current subject of the manager is reliant on fans being in the know from talking to others, presumably starting with a committee member letting something slip off-the-record. The constant lack of facts from the Club has served only to inflame supporters; and to maintain the public perception that the Committee (Ken and Jim excepted) are not only out of touch with their most important public, the fans, but also lacking in football nouse. Appointing a Director of Football showed that, and a certain level of pretentiousness. That role doesn't work in the Premiership, so why would it work (or be needed) at a one (male) team club from a small town at non-league level 4??? I guess that most of the players involved at the close of the season would be interested to continue. How do they find out what interest the Club has in them? Or do they guess and find another club now before it is too late? Several of those players are local - it doesn't sound like the new regime will be locally-minded, which will further inflame the fans. However I would take the fans to task for their insularity about "local" players. Arlesey is a very small place, but the club should rightly have the aspiration to be the best in Mid Beds. "Local" should be considered to be the catchment area of Sam Whit school - the Youth set-up relies on players from that area, so why shouldn't adult players from that area be considered "local"? Dare I say that the "local" area should extend south to Letchworth, Baldock, and even Hitchin - there must be more than the 20 or so good players there that HTFC need in a season, so why shouldn't they play for ATFC? If you only want sons of Arlesey, sell the ground and enter a lower league. I guess that should spark some of the personal abuse that this forum is famous for :-) !!! Seriously I'm just saying get real about how to achieve your aspirations (once you have convinced your committee to listen to you!).
Final point from an objective "outsider". Did Matty make mistakes last season? Yes, I disagreed with as many decisions as I agreed with, but if he was perfect, he would not be at Level 4. Is it short-sighted to sack him? A big fat YES. Is the new man the right man? How the hell do we know? It is impossible to judge in the vacuum of facts created by the Committee. Here's hoping that I might be there next season watching my player - he is good enough,whoever the manager is!!!!
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