Tuesday, March 07, 2006
They keep on coming....
Another thriller from the programme for ECFC v Southport 4/3/06
We’ve had a lot of home games this season – home draws all the way through the FA Trophy, a home FA Cup game and of course the regular Conference matches. Normally, as I’ve been back in Exeter for this season, this would be a great thing. However, home games have come to mean one thing to me now: I have to write an article. In fact, I’ve become so confused about writing it that I managed to convince myself that I’d written something for last week, only to turn up to the game, open the programme and see that Mike Blackstone (our esteemed Editor) had had to find something to fill my half-page. (Sorry Mike.)
I remember a conversation I had in the pub with a few fellow fans at the start of the season when I first mentioned that I was going to write for the programme. A sheet of paper was produced and ideas were written down. I think we had around 20 of some description which would have been more than enough. Unfortunately, that piece of paper didn’t make it home with me and I’ve been struggling ever since! I’ve never been much of an ideas man, hence the attempt to use a committee. I may have to reform it.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining too much though. While I am currently going through a bad spell with ideas (which has coincided with City’s poor league form – coincidence? I don’t think so), it is nice to see something you’ve written in print in the Grecian. And I get to feel like I’m doing my (small, 600 word) bit to help out. At least, when I don’t forget to do it!
While I’m doing my small bit for our club, one man has finally admitted defeat at another (tenuous link!). Florentino Perez has resigned from his post as Chairman of Real Madrid after the club failed to win any trophies for the last 2 years. He was the man who started the “Galactico” era at Madrid – the philosophy being that the club would buy the most famous, expensive players in the world, thereby guaranteeing success on and off the pitch. Players such as Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Beckham all signed during his tenure.
However, Real’s results demonstrate that football is not about having the best individual players in the world, it’s about creating the best team in the world. While Real focused on glamorous attacking players, they forgot that you need a solid defensive platform on which to build. They have been unfortunate with the signing of Woodgate (who makes a massive difference to their defence when he actually plays), but they left it too long to look for a world-class centre back.
What can we take from Madrid’s misfortune? Splashing the cash is not always the way to solve the team’s problems. We’ve experienced the aftermath of reckless spending and don’t want to go down that route again. While it may be frustrating to see the side struggling, all would not necessarily become sweetness and light if we paid £100,000 for a new player. We have to be patient and let Inglethorpe build the best team he can within the confines of his budget. Obviously we need to maximise that budget, but not at the expense of our existence. Once bitten, twice shy? I certainly hope so.
I believe ECFC can get back in the league and can do it without mortgaging our future. I also believe we can do it this season. So lets do our bit and get behind the lads.
We’ve had a lot of home games this season – home draws all the way through the FA Trophy, a home FA Cup game and of course the regular Conference matches. Normally, as I’ve been back in Exeter for this season, this would be a great thing. However, home games have come to mean one thing to me now: I have to write an article. In fact, I’ve become so confused about writing it that I managed to convince myself that I’d written something for last week, only to turn up to the game, open the programme and see that Mike Blackstone (our esteemed Editor) had had to find something to fill my half-page. (Sorry Mike.)
I remember a conversation I had in the pub with a few fellow fans at the start of the season when I first mentioned that I was going to write for the programme. A sheet of paper was produced and ideas were written down. I think we had around 20 of some description which would have been more than enough. Unfortunately, that piece of paper didn’t make it home with me and I’ve been struggling ever since! I’ve never been much of an ideas man, hence the attempt to use a committee. I may have to reform it.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining too much though. While I am currently going through a bad spell with ideas (which has coincided with City’s poor league form – coincidence? I don’t think so), it is nice to see something you’ve written in print in the Grecian. And I get to feel like I’m doing my (small, 600 word) bit to help out. At least, when I don’t forget to do it!
While I’m doing my small bit for our club, one man has finally admitted defeat at another (tenuous link!). Florentino Perez has resigned from his post as Chairman of Real Madrid after the club failed to win any trophies for the last 2 years. He was the man who started the “Galactico” era at Madrid – the philosophy being that the club would buy the most famous, expensive players in the world, thereby guaranteeing success on and off the pitch. Players such as Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Beckham all signed during his tenure.
However, Real’s results demonstrate that football is not about having the best individual players in the world, it’s about creating the best team in the world. While Real focused on glamorous attacking players, they forgot that you need a solid defensive platform on which to build. They have been unfortunate with the signing of Woodgate (who makes a massive difference to their defence when he actually plays), but they left it too long to look for a world-class centre back.
What can we take from Madrid’s misfortune? Splashing the cash is not always the way to solve the team’s problems. We’ve experienced the aftermath of reckless spending and don’t want to go down that route again. While it may be frustrating to see the side struggling, all would not necessarily become sweetness and light if we paid £100,000 for a new player. We have to be patient and let Inglethorpe build the best team he can within the confines of his budget. Obviously we need to maximise that budget, but not at the expense of our existence. Once bitten, twice shy? I certainly hope so.
I believe ECFC can get back in the league and can do it without mortgaging our future. I also believe we can do it this season. So lets do our bit and get behind the lads.
