Laid in The Gutter Looking at the Stars.

 

“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”

Since his appointment in late August Phil Parkinson has hardly breezed into the club, instead he has swept through the club like a tornado. Changing matters both on and off the pitch that he identified as problems that were holding the club back in its progress. The dynamics of the playing staff have changed drastically immediately upon his arrival he brought in a left winger after identifying a lack of genuine pace and threat in the side more signings have followed, both a mixture of permanent and loan signings. The news breaking from the club this week regarding new training facilities that the club are investing in will hopefully put to an end to the days of the weather stricken pitches at Apperley Bridge and the excuses that follow.  It was said that during the premiership days the training facilities were an ‘in’ joke amongst the incoming players. Peter Jackson upon his appointment last year immediately harboured back to his playing days and how he himself had trained and changed in the very same changing rooms all those years ago. The fact that Phil Parkinson has been allowed to make these changes then, gives a clear insight into just how highly he is rated by the powers that be at Valley Parade. The former Colchester, Hull and Charlton boss upon his appointment was seen as the ideal after the previous managers flaws were readily pointed out by disillusioned fans. The club legend option of Stuart McCall was branded too ‘inexperienced’ and ‘naïve’ as with all managers his tactics were questioned; his decision not to appoint an experienced right hand man was again condemned. However on a side note, it is of interest to note that Stuart did appoint an experienced assistant manager at Motherwell and now sits proudly in third place in the S.P.L .

His successor to the City hot seat former England manager Peter Taylor fared no better in his conquest to bring success to the club. This time instead of his wealth of experience benefitting the club he was quickly turned on by the masses. No matter how many times he would go to the press recollecting on the time he handed David Beckham the England captaincy, his boring, unadventurous style of football left the fans cold. After the unanimous praise poured onto Taylor during his early reign, Mark Lawn is now quick to point out just how bad an appointment that turned out to be. The departure of Jackson after a promising pre- season full of promises to bring the good times back through attacking football, with a team of hungry young players quickly disbanded and Jackson left the club under a cloud of mystery in late August.

Parkinson  then hopes to have the ‘ideal’ of both experience and fresh ideas then. His reign so far has brought about mixed results; performances have improved however points tallies have not. Looking towards the end of the season and towards next, it’s likely to be a period similar to any of the last five; a mass of players deemed not good enough and a group of players with similar strengths and weaknesses will arrive. The hunt will certainly continue for the illusive ’20 goals’ a season striker that every team in the football league craves. The decision not to sign Paul Benson from a mixture of apparent failed medical and dispute over his price looks likely to haunt the club as he has received rave reviews from Swindon Town fans so far. A positive aspect to Parkinson’s signings so far have been in the sense that the majority are here with a view to a longer stay, one example has been the signing of Ricky Ravenhill a player who after an average at best debut has quickly won the hearts of fans through his committed displays. Other players such as Will Atkinson and Howarth will have to improve if they are to warrant an extended stay at the club. However, Parkinson in his judgement of the players that were brought into the club by his predecessors seems quick to freeze them out of first team contention Guy Branston was quickly farmed out on loan despite his improving displays after a poor start to his city career. It looks likely that he will again be shown the door on return from injury with Lincoln City rumoured to be interested. Although his wages of to which the Torquay chairman was astounded by, may put an end to that. It looks likely that Parkinson thinks Branston’s wages could be better allocated elsewhere and the signing of Matt Fry after his release by West Ham may push the former captain a place further down the pecking order. Fry a young player who Parkinson signed at Charlton has signed and is reportedly a left sided centre back that can fill in at left back. The type of utility player, that Parkinson seems favour after the signing of Marcel Seip earlier in the season. Decisions will need to be made about the injury prone Simon Ramsden and Michael Flynn, two players that on their day are as good as any in league 2. The demise of the development squad and the shifting out of players frozen out of the first team picture such as Stewart and Williams may indicate that Parkinson will cut down on numbers and go for a squad of more ‘quality’ players next term. The signing of the illusive striker will be one that is likely to provide the difference as to if the Bantams will continue to flounder in the bottom reached of League 2 or flourish and flirt near the more prosperous parts of the table. One thing is for certain and that is the next few months will provide for interesting viewing for the Bantams faithful in one way or another.

A.F.C WIMBLEDON VS BRADFORD CITY - SATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 3PM.

Underground, overground, wombling free,
The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we.

 

In a week where any City related news has seemed to relate to issues off the pitch rather than matters on it, City face a tough away trip to face League Two newcomers A.F.C Wimbledon.

If the game manages to survive the frosty conditions, it will be the Bantams first return to league action since the disappointing loss against an injury stricken Bristol Rovers side. It will also be the second time the Bantams have faced ‘The Dons’ this season with both sides recording a victory each. The F.A cup game remembered as the date where Ross Hannah scored his first Valley Parade goal. The Dons, a newly founded club built in 2002 have enjoyed a staggering rise to prominence since the days when a group of supporters, no longer agreed with the values represented by M.K Dons and broke away creating a new club more suited to what they saw as their traditions and values. Currently sat in 15^th place and eight points above Bradford, the Dons have made a steady if unspectacular start to their life as a football league club. Manager Terry Brown has built the Dons into a hardworking team, inspired by talisman striker Jack Midson who has netted on fifteen occasions so far. He is one that the Bantams back line will have to keep in check on Saturday if they are to come away with a positive result.

On the other hand, the Bantams come into the match on the back of a week where the club have publically given comments on Referees, that could possibly land them in trouble from higher figures. Phil Parkinson’s comments on the decision to postpone last week’s fixture against Crawley Town, however correct they were deemed to be, were nothing compared to joint chairman Mark Lawn’s comments.

 The fitness of the officials we’ve seen is absolutely atrocious. They are nowhere near play

Mark Lawn

Again, he clearly has a point in his words. The decision to go on record publically with these comments however is questionable. The comments are likely to work in one of two ways, hopefully from the football clubs point of view, the higher authorities will take notice and not deploy first year referees on the Bantams as the inexperience some show is definitely evident in the way some games at Valley Parade have been officiated over the last few years. The second thing that could happen is that the club may be fined and nothing will happen in terms of refereeing standards; referees at the end of the day are only human and to find a referee that is perfectly consistent is likely to be a fruitless search.

Moving back to on the pitch affairs, in the week of the birth of Charles Dickens it is great to see the return from injury of Luke Oliver. The lanky defender is without doubt one of the leading contenders for the player of the season award so far. The turnaround in Oliver’s career has been a joy to see, in the past his obvious link to Peter Taylor made him a target for sections of the Bantams faithful and to see a player who was barracked at certain away games last year, now have his name sung out loud and proud must be a great feeling for someone not often accepted by supporters of his previous clubs. Parkinson is challenged by the suspension of Rob Kozluk although he has various options at his disposal. The most likely change may be a positional change from left back to right back of Marcel Seip which will enable an opportunity for Robbie Threlfall to force his way back into contention. The other change that was rumoured was that Andrew Davies could be switched to right back with Bullock continuing in the centre, again only time will tell.

The midfield is starting to be clogged up due to the amount of options Phil Parkinson has he can take his choice from any of four wingers and any of four central midfield players due to the return of Flynn. Up front, Nahki Wells could lose his place to newly signed Deane Smalley as Parkinson looks to improve the Bantams away form which has heralded just one win all season.

This is of course if the weather does not bite first, resulting in the referee postponing the game. I’m sure Parkinson would have something to say about it if he did.

Capello Resigns As a New Idol Is Craved.

Fabio Capello, yesterday resigned as England’s national team manager leaving the F.A with a gaping hole to fill before this summer’s European championships and England’s upcoming friendly match against Holland at the end of the month.

The legacy Capello has left and his overall impact he has made, upon improving the state of the nation’s footballing affairs could certainly be deemed questionable. Appointed in the wake of the disastrous reign of Steve Mclaren, Capello brought new hope to a country disillusioned after England’s spectacular failure to qualify for Euro 2008. His background and C.V could not be argued against. His achievements in the field of management are first class. Wherever he has managed trophies and titles have swiftly followed, the former Real Madrid, Juventus, Roma and AC Milan boss walked into the job complete with a glittering career that boasted nine top-flight titles in two countries and a European Cup. His suitability to becoming a manager of a national side was never likely to result in a harmonious fit. Simply, his qualities didn’t fit the part time role he put himself in for strict, disciplined and old school in his methods. He was exactly what the nation wanted after Mclaren’s reign of tracksuits and ill-discipline. He was in short the ‘safe’ option the people wanted.

 A promising start was made to his career as England’s figurehead as England topped their qualifying group during the World Cup group stages. Positive press surrounded the Italian, with hope that England would conquer past found flaws and bring home the trophy the nation craved more than forty years since the last. The disappointment and anger that followed after a World Cup campaign that brought home not a trophy; but just how far England’s team was behind other countries, was hard to take for the nation credited with the honour as the founders of the ‘beautiful game’.

Capello, will walk away from his duties; reputation slightly dented, his pockets heavier than ever before (his six million pound salary a year will see to that) with the evidence suggesting that ignoring all the flaws found and rightly pointed at him throughout his reign. His win percentage of 66.7% stands up against his predecessors quite comfortably and is in fact the most successful England manager of all time.

This leaves the football association wondering who to turn to next, odds on favourite Harry Redknapp, seems the likely choice and would certainly fit the new found hypothesis that an England manager needs to be just as much a psychologist as a tactician. Redknapp is resounded as a man who gets every last inch from his players.

The Nation Waits.

Bradford City - Reflections On a Stagnant Season.

Positivity -  Measured or moving forward or in a direction of increase or progress.

Positivity is a term not often closely associated with following Bradford City, as we sit in our fifth and a half year in the basement division of the football league and as the cold winds of change blow through the stands of Valley Parade. I decided to have a look at some of the issues and events of the past six months and why maybe there are signs of light flickering at the end of a dark, dismal tunnel full of nothing but misery and crap Referees.

The transfer window has slammed firmly shut and it seems like a perfect opportunity to assess and reflect on a turbulent six months for the Bantams. Since Phil Parkinson replaced Peter Jackson in a cloud of mystery and rumour, a lot has changed at Valley Parade in the time that has lapsed since. Firstly whilst looking at on the pitch matters, the dynamics of the playing squad has changed dramatically. The squad that Parkinson inherited before the Johnstones Paint Trophy game against Sheffield Wednesday is almost unrecognisable to the eleven that now 'grace' the weather stricken pitches of League Two. The impact of Phil Parkinson's signings have had varying appraisals on the pitch depending which fans you may talk too; with some voicing the opinion that the summer signings by both Archie Christie via Peter Jackson and Jackson alone have looked better than Parkinson's. The validity of this argument is one that’s hard to conclude with a definitive answer; football is a game where people can watch the same game and draw conclusions that are wildly different to the person sat behind or to the side of you. One person that definitely didn't believe in the signings made in the summer is Chairman Mark Lawn who it is said dismissed Jackson's assemble as the worst squad in the league. The much heralded development squad, the masterpiece creation brought to the club with Christie's arrival in the summer seems to have disbanded with Parkinson citing that the DS in its current form was not a model that could work successfully, due to the amount of time the small band of coaches and medical staff could spend between members of the first team squad compared to the development squad. This has again split opinions between fans and even players, Michael Flynn went on record earlier in the season, raising the point that he thought the costs involved with the development squad could be put to better use by making them available to the first team manager to put towards an extra player, who could help to improve the first team squad instantly and not potentially in a few years after they have received sufficient work experience elsewhere as part of Christie's University of learning philosophy. Obvious points and concerns raised by fans tends to point towards the lack of long term planning by the club, with many putting forward the often debated issue of short term loan players as a reason as to why the idea of a successfully working squad of youngsters that are ready to step into the team in the absence of recognised first team players, would be more beneficial than simply improving other teams players by giving them opportunities to either flourish or make mistakes in Bradford's first team. An immediate concern to the hierarchy at the club presently is the lowly position the Bantams currently occupy in the League Two table; whilst performances and the organisation of the team has certainly improved under Parkinson, the points tally acquired is one that needs to be improved rapidly. The return to both form and fitness of Mclaughlin after the poor performances of Matt Duke and the signings of Seip and in particular the superb Andrew Davies have helped to plug a defence leakier than the proverbial kitchen sink in the early weeks of August. Davies after an abysmal start to his VP career has lived up to his higher league pedigree and flourished as the leader at the heart of the Bantams defence; surely it would be unrealistic for fans to dream of him staying with club beyond the end of his loan spell. Unwanted and unloved at Stoke he is unlikely to be short of offers from championship clubs offering far greater wages than the Bantams could ever offer at this present time. It is rumoured the club pay about a tenth of his current wages. The additions of Ravenhill and Reid are two that have caught the eye, Reid on his day and particularly away from home is a match winner, with his pace alone giving the team an outlet which no other winger at the club possesses. Up front it is nice to see one of Jackson's signings, Nahki Wells develop and push his way from fifth choice striker in pre-season to James Hanson's most effective strike partner and if he can continue to replicate the form of December and January then there is hope that the remaining months of this season and next can be a much more positive and ultimately, prosperous one for the Bantams.