Cod Almighty | Diary
Which one's Bashful?
24 April 2019
It was great to get that win on Monday, fully deserved on the balance of play and greeted with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for last-ditch relegation-saving goals.
Thunderdiary was equally ebullient when Joe Grayson steered in Charles Vernam's super cross which sparked those wild celebrations. Considering it was a dead rubber, that level of excitement was surprising, but given Town's run and the time the goal was scored, it was probably justified.
Mixed in with this was the thought of a missed opportunity. Carlisle were no great shakes, the usual mix of play-acting and thuggery with one of the fattest professional players I had seen since those early Conference days. Yet a win would have seen them in a play-off spot and it does seem a shame that we couldn't put another little run together when it mattered.
Come to think of it, there haven't been many outstanding visitors this season. My old man reckoned Cambrdge were good value, Forest Green purred on the opening day and Tranmere weren't as bad as their 5-2 defeat by Town suggested.
Jolley seems to have shared this frustration recently, with some more entertaining interviews as the cracks began to appear. He's obviously pissed off with the high expectations from some fans and rightly narked about the low budget. But in among it all, I reckon he knows this year could have been different.
The manager lamented several times to John Tondeur on Saturday about missing seven "important or senior players". I reckon he's talking about Öhman, Collins, Whitehouse, Cook, Embleton, Welsh and Thomas. The latter two have been a source of particular frustration because in Jolley's first full season as a manager he's fallen foul of two rookie moments.
John Welsh? Experienced, highly thought of, will run the midfield like a Bishop or a Frecklington. Ticks all the right boxes. Except that these types of signings are always a little risky and obviously so it proved.
Wes Thomas? A player who apparently has an attitude problem and doesn't take kindly to being confronted.
Things is, what will make Jolley a better manager is not more money or more staff, although those are helpful. What will make him a better manager is time. Time and experience. Getting the Swedes in is one thing, blooding youth another positive (and three new professionals today is a major step forward). But managing mardy men or being a bit more careful when signing experienced players will undoubtedly help Jolley become the manager we all want him to be. Let's hold on and see how that goes.