Ooooh, Rene! The View From South Texas

Discussion in 'Fulham FC News and Notes' started by HatterDon, Dec 1, 2013.

  1. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2006
    Location:
    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    I am so pleased that Jol is no longer associated with our club and I'm more than ready to stand strong behind Rene. I have no idea what he's going to do with the present squad, and I have no idea who he's going to sign -- or try to sign -- in January. I WILL say this, though. I think that we're about 75% certain to be relegated regardless of what he does, and I'm okay with that ... IF

    ... there is a turnaround in how we play and how we approach the game. Over the last year or so, with only a few exceptions, Fulham's play has been a blight on the reputation of the Premier League. If we had kept Jol and if we continued to play like 11 dead men walking, our relegation would have been met with a combination of joy and relief by other clubs and by television audiences around the world. It sickens me that this might have happened.

    If Rene can get our guys playing in a more positive manner and once again make Craven Cottage a fortress again ... if Rene can have 11 players fighting until they drop and doing it in every match that remains in what may be our last season ever in the Premier League, then I will sing his praises to the bitter end.

    Every one of us who has any dash of reality in us knows that -- sooner or later -- Fulham will be relegated. When that time comes, be it May 2014 or May 2030, I want EVERYONE to be sad that Fulham no longer graces the league, that a beautiful football ground will no longer host Premier League football, that fun-loving and friendly supporters no longer cheer opposing goalkeepers and perform creative chants. I want EVERYONE to hope that somehow we'll be back in the league to provide that extra something that we've contributed over the last dozen or so years.

    As long as Jol was here, as long as we were playing heartless, toothless football, our relegation was always to be celebrated by anyone who values good football. With Rene, we have a chance to go down in style or ... and this IS possible -- to survive to the general relief of football as a whole.

    If that happens, I'll be the first to say, "Oooooooo, Rene!"
     
    #1
  2. pettyfog

    pettyfog Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2005
    Yep.
    It will happen.
    But not this year, if he has any managing capability at all.

    Perhaps, or rather .. likely; at the end of season it will be 'Don't walk away Rene!'
     
    #2
  3. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2006
    Looking at the difference in advanced stats for Southampton last season under their two different managers gives me hope that we can still turn this thing around.
     
    #3
  4. AggieMatt

    AggieMatt Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2008
    Location:
    Alamo City, Texas
    We're only 3 pts adrift, so if we do all the things you're asking for, we won't be relegated.
     
    #4
  5. SoCalJoe

    SoCalJoe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2006
    Location:
    Walnut, CA
    A couple years ago Timmy posted a study on what happens when a new manager is appointed. If I remember correctly, there is usually a spike in performance in first 5-10 matches then a leveling off to where it was before. Getting rid of MJ was essential, but what the club does or does not do in Jan. is just as important. This can't be a wait until the final day of Jan. and spend 2 million pounds window. Here is the schedule for the next 10 matches thru end of Jan.

    Home v Spurs; a draw would be fantastic, but a loss is realistic
    Home v Villa; a MUST win
    Away to Everton; a loss at Fulham's house of horrors is a guarantee.
    Home v Citeh; see Spurs
    Away to Norwich; need to get at a result here or at Hull
    Away to Hull; see Norwich
    Home v Spam: a MUST win
    Home v Sunderland; ditto to Spam
    Away to Arse; try not to get embarrassed
    Away to Swansea; hope Swansea has a Europa game that week

    If the lads can get 10-14 points combined w/a good window there will be hope.
     
    #5
  6. nevzter

    nevzter Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 5, 2007
    Location:
    A City by a Bay
    awesome - nicely done, sir.

    and a fine write up, however, I don't think we're quite to 75% down at the moment.
     
    #6
  7. SteveFakeBlood

    SteveFakeBlood Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2010
    Location:
    Broward County , FL (from DuPage County, IL)
    For a while there, I didn't understand Don's hatred of Jol. I still don't know if it was actually his tactics, but regardless, he hasn't been able to inspire the squad whatsoever this year and so the last month I have understood the hate and am happy to see him replaced by Rene. The thing is Rene's tactics are fairly similar, it's just a matter of Jol having lost the dressing room. Jol's first two years as our manager were fine and our Whites were actually watchable. We were incredibly Fulhamish and we never knew whether we'd get a 3-0 win or a 3-0 defeat, but at least they had the ability to describe. This year they've been predictable and dull. Even the Swansea game which was far from our poorest performance this season looked pretty bleak. A combination of focusing on my three college football teams being 35-1 and constantly being busy on weekends with either training workshops or out of town have not left me much time to watch Fulham matches and I guess I haven't been missing much.

    The head scratcher to me is that we're THIS bad. On paper we should be in our usual safely mediocre 9th-12th range. Yeah, I know we're old and slow- but we do have players with class in them- it's just been seriously lacking this year.

    I still don't think we can talk seriously about relegation until February- but we definitely need to shed some of these contracts at the window and get the younger guys on the pitch more. Why not start Kaca and give Dembele some run outs at the end of games, especially when Bent and Berbatov aren't contributing much? I'm just rambling, but I'm glad we have a new manager.... I've got plenty to be excited about now sports-wise, but I miss being excited about Fulham...

    ~ Steve
     
    #7
  8. timmyg

    timmyg Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2006
    Welcome back Steve!

    Rich over at CCN has wondered the same too. Sure, we're bad on a pts level; and the advanced stats bear out an even bleaker tale. But there's something key missing as to why. Teams of this experience and talent-level (regardless of how depleted or "past it" or whatnot we may be) do not perform as awful as Fulham have without some major elephant in the room. There are certainly anecdotes available, but James Grayson summed it up best on a tweet the other day: "Fulham simply had no control over what happened on the pitch."
     
    #8
  9. AggieMatt

    AggieMatt Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2008
    Location:
    Alamo City, Texas
    Players play faster when they are in the right position, know where they're supposed to go and what to do. It's very simple, but it likely speaks to the dropoff in actual v perceived quality so far. It's why the sum of Roy's Fulham teams was greater than it's parts. I do think they live on past laurels to an extent, but they shouldn't be this bad.

    That write up Tim mentioned by Rich is one of his better ones. Here's the link:

    http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/martin-jol-sacked-reaction/
     
    #9
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