Cod Almighty | Diary
Pot or cup, you'll get slated either way
31 January 2017
Wicklow Diary writes: Decisions. Are you good at making them? I'm terrible. A PhD in procrastination. Driving into an empty car park brings on paralysis. I used to think it was fear of making the wrong decision but laziness seems to play a part too. Let me know if this strikes a chord with you: tea. I'm on my own. Should I make a pot or just a cup?
I make a cup, it's just me, who needs the hassle of emptying and scalding the pot. The first couple of mouthfuls hit the spot and I realise I should have made a pot. Now I can't enjoy the rest of the cup because I know I'm going to be left wanting more at the end. To top it off, the git in my head who told me not to bother with the pot is now calling me a prat for not making the pot.
Today, despite club statements to the contrary, several decisions will be made and a darn sight more important than just tea quantities. John Fenty may have one to make on the future of Omar and both their respective wallets. Several players are considering the out door. In Marcus's opinion most of these won't have to worry about today's deadline because he expects their destinations to be the dark, windowless depths of the Conference.
It's a slightly annoying narrative that MB has persisted with. The one where he inherited players without the "technical ability" (I like to call it simply "not shitness") for the lofty heights of the fourth division. I'm calling bullshit on this. The squad had some faults but it wasn't like we were mired in a relegation fight when MB was appointed. We were in the play-off positions until Cheltenham took advantage of Hurst's leaving his body in BP while his brain went to Shrewsbury. And we gave Big Club Bolton a bit of a runaround too.
It's a dangerous narrative. Put aside the adage that springs to mind about the bad workman and his tools; it puts the manager in a corner. Now that he's assembled his squad, they will need to deliver.
One of the decisions today will be made by James McKeown, or Mr January on the decimated Official GTFC 2017 calendar. Indeed, judging by the weekend interviews, his decision has been made. It hasn't been confirmed as I type, but Shrewsbury appears to be the destination.
Jamie Mack made the decision to go all-in when he joined Town. Living and having his family in GY makes him a hero and a bit of a collector's item in itself. The census people will be putting that through the computer twice. Why, Mr McKeown? Everything's meant to be rubbish there. Why not get digs or clog up the Humber Royal breakfast buffet like the rest of them? Or at least commute from a safe distance. And when he wasn't clocking up almost unmentioned Batch-like appearance numbers and clean sheets, he was probably pitching up with fellow diamond Shaun Pearson to help at an event at a local school or the hospital.
There have been other decisions since his initial signing in 2011. Should he stay or should he go? On a number of occasions his stock was high enough to get a move to higher ground – but he chose to stay here at a couple of feet above sea level, perhaps to the detriment of his development.
A year before the tears of Wembley joy and his euphoric gallop to the bench, McKeown was the embodiment of all our frustration and emotion. He led a crazy sort of group therapy as numbed thousands stood and watched him beating the turf in tears of disappointment, all of us trying to come to terms with the bitterest defeat. Again he was out of contract but chose to stay and fight with the rest of us. Or rather, for the rest of us.
It's comparatively easy to become a legend if you play up front. You miss a few chances and no-one remembers because you stuck one in the onion bag every couple of games. For a goalkeeper, as we've seen with Jamie Mack, years of great performances are forgotten and you can get booed for a random blooper. That has to hurt. The manner of his dropping has to hurt too. He was in decent form and the manager wanted to "take a look" at Deanooooo. Suddenly, it's "seeya, I've taken my look and you're number two".
No way am I going to knock Jamie Mack for looking to leave. Staying and fighting for his place sounds straightforward – but I think that once again, the rules are different for a goalie. As he said when interviewed at the weekend, if he spends six months on the bench and then MB signs someone else, who will want to sign a fourth division back-up? His stock will only decrease. And good goalies need to be decisive, after all. Anyway, without wishing to blame Paul Hurst, I imagine the transfer request came after interest from outside.
If he wants to leave, I trust that it is the same guy wanting to leave as who stayed all these years. For him personally I wish him well: he deserves it. On a selfish level, I would like him to stay. Not just for his goalkeeping skills and being an all-round community good guy; the self proclaimed Big Fat Goalie has one of the biggest and naughtiest grins since Danny North.
That's it, no ins and outs to confirm. The reserves match v Rotherham at BP today is off with a view to protecting the pitch for the weekend game against Luton. No such consideration at Newport. They share with the egg chasers and their place has the look of a right cabbage patch. And they wore their white away strip at home to "boost sales" of the kit. Criminal. We visit there in two weeks, so be prepared to pack your wellies and a decent pair of glasses if we wear our grey kit versus their white.