Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest 2016-17 - Keep it simple stupid!
17/01/17 18:16 Filed in: Sport
Being a Nottingham Forest fan is rarely easy. I’m still paying for the 80s and patiently waiting for something to cheer about. Nothing like the Clough years. That’s something not once in a lifetime but once ever! Just anything to cheer about would be great. It’s been about 30 years now and hopefully the wait will finally be over. I have been patient because I know I was spoilt but I’d love my son to see something to validate the curse I put upon him.
The 2016-17 season showed some promise when compared to the previous few. At least there would be a fresh start so the whole season would be attacked. A new manager, Phillippe Montanier, the first foreign manager in our history. As usual the season was full of hope bolstered by the emergence of the supremely talented Oliver Burke and potential takeover after a few years of mismanagement - how wrong could we be? Not one but two failed takeovers whilst the club was stumbling around like a drunk on Friday night, the shock sale of Burke and the unimagined incompetence of Montanier proved the perfect storm that leave the best result of this toxic equation being survival from relegation rather than anything any better.
The most frustrating thing was it was all too obvious. Within 10 minutes of watching the undoubtedly talented Hildeberto Pereira make his debut at right back it was obvious that he should be playing further up the field and the talismanic figure of Eric Lichaj returned to his rightful berth but you had faith, you hoped this was just a blip or, better still, a flash of genius. Nothing could have been further from the truth unfortunately. Montanier made mistake after mistake, however charming and decent he undoubtedly was as a person, as a manager he was left sadly wanting. It was painful to watch week after week. Team selections were consistently a matter of shock and awe and when he was finally put out of his misery after his stay was extended by a delayed, aborted takeover, it became obvious that we also let fitness go to new depths in training too. However much grace he did it with he made a royal mess of the Forest squad and trashed the season with panache.
Time still to discover just how bad his influence will have been. Whilst relegation remains a possibility it surely cannot happen now can it? If only he had stuck the basics of the game though it would never have entered into the equation. Next time though, there’s always next time right?
The 2016-17 season showed some promise when compared to the previous few. At least there would be a fresh start so the whole season would be attacked. A new manager, Phillippe Montanier, the first foreign manager in our history. As usual the season was full of hope bolstered by the emergence of the supremely talented Oliver Burke and potential takeover after a few years of mismanagement - how wrong could we be? Not one but two failed takeovers whilst the club was stumbling around like a drunk on Friday night, the shock sale of Burke and the unimagined incompetence of Montanier proved the perfect storm that leave the best result of this toxic equation being survival from relegation rather than anything any better.
The most frustrating thing was it was all too obvious. Within 10 minutes of watching the undoubtedly talented Hildeberto Pereira make his debut at right back it was obvious that he should be playing further up the field and the talismanic figure of Eric Lichaj returned to his rightful berth but you had faith, you hoped this was just a blip or, better still, a flash of genius. Nothing could have been further from the truth unfortunately. Montanier made mistake after mistake, however charming and decent he undoubtedly was as a person, as a manager he was left sadly wanting. It was painful to watch week after week. Team selections were consistently a matter of shock and awe and when he was finally put out of his misery after his stay was extended by a delayed, aborted takeover, it became obvious that we also let fitness go to new depths in training too. However much grace he did it with he made a royal mess of the Forest squad and trashed the season with panache.
Time still to discover just how bad his influence will have been. Whilst relegation remains a possibility it surely cannot happen now can it? If only he had stuck the basics of the game though it would never have entered into the equation. Next time though, there’s always next time right?