Quite simple really.

Actually it's not - this is longer than I had initially intended (so it's not spell or grammar checked) ! Anyway, here goes...

'Fans' was the wrong word - if he had said "True Supporters" he would have been closer to the mark.

We had this discussion the other day. A supporter, by very definition, supports. That includes when things don't go right - something I would accuse almost every football fan, but especially of us this season, of failing to do. In fact, a true supporter, at a basic level, tries to encourage when things aren't going well, in order to improve performance. I really can't understand the nature of football fans who are happy to cheer when things are going well (when the team doesn't need support), but aren't so happy to encourage when things aren't. (when they do need supporting)

It was suggested (by DoY IIRC) that the army approach of discipline works better than the molly coddling approach; attempting to justify this, somone suggested that our performances had been better with the poisonous atmosphere. To a certain extent I agree, however believe that the ideal approach is somewhere in the middle. But if the discipline and abuse method is the case, then 2 questions come to mind :-

a) Why do people sing songs at the football to generate an good atmosphere ? Your customers don't sing songs to you to get you motivated at work. Why not sit in silence and create the s**te atmosphere, if it works better ?

b) If the shouting abuse method works, why do players always ask for the fans to get behind them, and refer to a decent atmosphere as a 12th man ? Surely they should be asking the fans to whistle and jeer at all opportunities ?

Going back to this afternoon, I can't say for certain, but my own interpretation of what he meant was that the board, management and players KNOW that this season hasn't been good enough, given the highly raised levels of expectation piled on the club following the previous two seasons. Let me repeat that - they KNOW it hasn't been good enough. They don't need the supporters to tell them that.

As a result, they appreciate the fact that people are not only :-

a) appreciative of the efforts put in by all this season, despite falling short of expectations

b) willing to show their support in the times it hasn't gone to plan. I'm sure a qualified psychologist will correct me if wrong, but (to me) knowing that people are there to support you makes you more determined to repay their support next time round.

That's what I *think* he meant. Poorly worded, yes, poorly timed, yes.

Having said that, I would still propose that this season has still been better than some in fairly recent memory, and that the heightened levels of expectation following the championship and a season in the Premiership have worsened the sense of disappointment and failure this time around, especially within the fans.

I would also suggest that, looking around this board since final whistle...or since August in fact...that one or two of the contributors should quite phrankly (see what I did there ) get off their high horses for once.

And once again, let me reiterate...I believe Worthy has had his time here, however I understand and accept the board's reasons for keeping him on for now.

I don't believe the board are totally oblivious to the views and feelings of the fans, that Worthy has a 'job for life' and all the other bollocks spouted on here regularly; in fact I wouldn't be surprised if the board have already set out the success parameters and milestones for next season already, and that he is under no illusion that the team had better hit the ground running next season or he will be out of a job come next October.

Hey, I'm not admitting to knowing all the answers. I just try to see it from more than one side.

Posted By: Arganth on May 1st 2006 at 00:02:58

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