Planet Swans ArchivesPeople who have read my ramblings for several years will know full well that when I think it should happen I have no problem in sticking my neck out and asking for a change of manager. But to change things now would just be plain stupidity.
Let’s have a look at it this way. Colin Addison was appointed manager at the Vetch on September 13 2001. Less than four weeks later he watched helpless as Tony Petty ‘sacked’ seven of his first team squad. That alone would have been enough to make many managers walk out. But Addison stayed and he stayed as we, the fans, the players and the management fought a three month battle against Petty. Which, of course we won.
During that time he had to keep a squad afloat that was not getting paid and he had to watch as Stuart Roberts, the Swans player of the season at that point, was given away for nothing. The players were getting some results but I ask how many people would perform at work if they knew they were not getting paid.
And then came the news that fans waited for. Petty was gone, Mel Nurse and his consortium were in. Swansea lost the next two games and then all of a sudden Addison has to go as he has done nothing since he has been here? Basically, you are judging him on two games. OK, he has managed for more but most of them in the face of adversity.
Swansea City have 13 games left this season. Some want Addison to go now, some want him to have one, two or even three more games. Nick Cusack’s name has been mentioned, some say Nicholas could step up. I say, keep Addison in charge.
Cusack will not cut his management teeth with a 10 game fight against relegation and why should he have to? Who knows if Nicholas would stay if Addison went? They are a management team, Curt went with Hollins so if you want Addison out then you should want Nicholas out as well.
But it is all irrelevant. Addison has to stay. It is too late in the season to even contemplate a management change and the guy hasn’t really had a chance to work with anything. What state would we be in if John Hollins was still here. People say Hollins had little to work with that is why he has failed, Addison had nothing.
He got unlucky with the injury to Sidibe when we were on a decent run, he has been denied Smith, Jenkins and Bound moving. Roberts went almost as soon as Addison arrived and people say he has done nothing? In the face of adversity, staying up would be a major success this season.
Give the guy a chance and back him with the rest of the team for those last 13 games. Calls for his head will not help. We are still seven points of the bottom but in a bad run. Changing the manager will not necessarily make any difference so why take the gamble.
Addison must stay and see out his contract and calls for his head at this moment in time are not called for. It’s a football fan’s mentality that the manager must go when you are in a bad run, but I say stick with it, changing it now will not make any difference.
