Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Monday 19 March 2012

19 March 2012

Miss Guest Diary writes: If you have a smartphone with a dictionary app installed or if you have visited a dictionary website, you will be familiar with being offered the word of the day. Well, I'd like to offer diary readers my word of the day in relation to GTFC: hubris (noun 'excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance').

Does it account for the decision by Shorty and Shouty to leave a very good midfielder on the bench and play a right-back in midfield, leading to the dismal performance on Saturday? Does it account for the decision by John Fenty to have his day in court instead of settling with Boston, leading to far greater expense and bad publicity? Does it account for the assumption by a vocal minority of Town fans that we're going to thrash the opposition every game, leading to the disgraceful booing of the team when they only manage a draw?

I'd like to offer these people a different 'h' word: humility. It just might lead to some better outcomes.

This week sees the first anniversary of Shorty and Shouty's appointment as managers, so I thought I'd undertake a little performance appraisal review. When Neil Woods was sacked last February, Town were eighth in the table and still in with a slim chance of a play-off place. They fell to tenth the following week, but the new managers' first game in charge, by coincidence a draw at home to Tamworth, saw Town rise to eighth again. But three more draws, two wins and four losses saw Town finish last season 16 points adrift of the last play-off spot at 11th in the table.

Currently, Town are ninth in the table and seven points short of the play-offs. Given the run in to the end of the season, with away games against Luton and Wrexham and home games against Kidderminster, Southport and Gateshead - all play-off rivals - I can't see us finishing much higher than last year.

So was it worth sacking Neil Woods and appointing the Boston duo? Sure, we've had some thrills along the way - lots of goals and Hearn hat-tricks and beating Lincoln twice in a week. But there have been negatives too. Not just the 5-0 defeat to Braintree and losing in the FA Cup to Salisbury, but the FA disciplinary charges, the YouTube rant and last week's fiasco in court.

I'm not advocating getting rid of the managers, just pondering the fact that a lot of money and effort have been expended which look like leaving us in more or less the same place as before they arrived.

Tomorrow's game away at Hayes and Yeading will most likely see some changes in the Town team. Coulson has a swollen ankle and Hearn is "icing his hamstring". After Saturday's eccentric decision to play Bradley Wood in midfield, I wouldn't be surprised to see Scott Garner on the wing and Kenny Arthur up front. Good luck if you're going to Woking - at least the weather forecast is good.