Pass the oil honey

And so we reach the inevitable conclusion of another season of highs and lows, euphoric joy and withering despair, ecstatic pleasure and headshaking anger. Nah, not really, just another bland, colourless and beige season that Premier League treading water affords us.
There are many posts making increasingly sound arguments for a change of manager. There are “some” appealing alternatives, though how realistic those are, even with the temptation of a new stadium, I’m not convinced.
I’ve intentionally stayed away from the site for the last few weeks as I called this laissez faire attitude back in February. It was evident the flip flops were on, safety secured. With such a dearth of attacking options at the club any injury to the front 3 meant we were in Mark Knopfler.
The players can also use managerial uncertainty as a great excuse, allied to the fact we’re safe. Who wants to go in for a 50-50 when it could mean hobbling to the pool bar?
I feel for STH, I really do. But I’m afraid this is the beast that has been created now. Your entertainment needs are vastly inferior to the Sky TV deal, therefore location, location, location is paramount. If you guys moan a bit well, hey ho, see you all next week regardless…..I’ve read some that “long for a relegation battle”, some excitement to cause a rise in blood pressure, anything for the love of god. But I find, as my years advance, I’m less able to deal with such dramatic changes in heart rhythm, as Mrs Harry will testify to.
I find myself increasingly drifting away from the club and football in general. I’ve mentioned this before. But when something has been such an integral part of your life for 35 years, it’s difficult to take. I now rarely follow a game live at 3pm. I’ll check score updates occasionally, but it doesn’t make or break me like it used to.
The news of the £99 u16 season ticket was incredibly good news and may actually be the defibrillator that brings me back from the abyss. To be able to see the game through my boys eyes and enthusiasm may actually reinvigorate that spark in me. I hope so.
But come that day, where will we be? Who will be in charge? What will the team look like? How will it play?
So many questions.
As usual from the back slapping love in media, the “jobs for the boys brigade” or “pundits” as I believe they are called, are circling the wagons around Sam. “Look at what he’s done” they cry. Of course the key word there is “done”. Now I’m still an admirer of Sam (you wouldn’t believe it from my Physio Room posts granted) but I am. Even if I don’t agree with his team, tactics, mind-set. I like the fact he sticks to his guns. Sure he’s stubborn, but so is my Dad. Not sure that’s a fault. Sure he’s arrogant. But to reach that level and stay there, I’m afraid you kind of have to be….
The personal attacks make me defend him more to be honest. I’ve taken a back seat on Twitter as I’m fed up with humourless pictures of him and Nolan. These people have a lot of time on their hands and I feel sorry for them, locked into a virtual world of soulless humour.
Each to their own I guess.
So we’ll meander our way to a less than satisfactory conclusion, safe in the knowledge we’ll be welcoming Sky cameras next year, as Annabelle Creswell receives the HOTY award.
As they lap the pitch, taking the applause of the 35000 who line their pockets they’ll be contemplating a summer of debauchery and shopping, maybe one or 2 will consider it’ll be last season they grace the turf. Some will be on a plane faster than an immigrant with Ebola, some will be straight into a meeting with their agents to begin making waves for a move.
I don’t think we’ll see SingSong back. To be honest I’m not that fussed. He seems to be a very good player when he feels like it. A club like ours can ill afford that. We’re better off with an inferior player who gives 101%. That being the case we really do need 2 very decent midfielders IMO. We need legs and lungs in the middle, decent passing and a few goals would help nicely, but the shape of our side means we need 120 minute style midfielders.
As for the other areas, well, attention is required everywhere, but at least we have a decent backbone for once. It’s been a while since you could name 9 definite starters for us, and that feels good.
So the suntan oil drenched newspapers and tablets will take a pounding with the gossip pages over the next 12 weeks.
I’ll be on hiatus and watch from afar to see where we go next, if anywhere.
I’ll leave you with a quote from Goethe: “The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety”.
Do we dare?
Apparently he who dares.......