Divided We Fall

Many, many words have been spoken over the last 24 hours about the defeat at QPR last night. Those that were there have left those that weren’t in little doubt as to the quality of the performance and many fans have expressed their suggested course of action – replacing the manager.

Others have made the comment that the manager should stay but he should be man enough to change his tactics to play the way that we want to play (‘we’ being the collective term there for these supporters) and others have said that it is clear that the players don’t want to play for the manager. In other words that could be terms as not wanting to play for Swansea seeing as that manager was employed by Swansea?

On top of that there has been much said about divides in the camp to add to the divides that clearly exist on the terraces on this subject and there were of course the shouts of ‘Jackett Out’ and ‘One Roberto Martinez’ last night at Loftus Road.

None of these things are actually doing us any favours as we look for that magic formula that will bring us the success that we all crave this season. Kenny Jackett remains the manager until he or the Swansea board decide different, the players remain here and paid to play for the club until the manager or the board decide different and the tactics stay the same until the manager (someone is bound to add ‘or the board’) decide different. Our opinion counts for little at this moment in time and rightly so.

It is clear from the words uttered by Rangers boss Ian Holloway in tonight’s Post that Kenny Jackett has spoken to him about what he has done at the club. Holloway indeed slams the Swansea fans for the chanting last night and states “As a manager you’re only as good as your players, and it seems to me hearing the songs about Lee Trundle and Roberto Martinez that there are some at Swansea who will never put a foot wrong in the fans’ eyes.” suggesting that Jackett has sounded out the opinion of the experienced (and successful) Holloway on his actions in recent weeks at the Vetch. Many could argue that Holloway has a point as some players are definitely overlooked on the critcism front when things go wrong.

However, all fans will tell you that they have the right to voice an opinion, a point that Jackett himself concedes “Things don’t happen overnight when you got to a new club, but I’m not going to turn round to the supporters and say this or that. They have their feelings and they will air them”

What is interesting is the debate over a divide in the dressing room and it appears clear that this rumours may be substantiated. We have the comments by Lee Trundle in the Post last week together with the comments that Alan Tate wished the fans to be aware of via an unnamed source on the web site a week or so back. Add to that Martinez’s refusal to say what went on between him and Jackett and you have for a situation that will never benefit the football club. This situation needs to be resolved and quickly or the relegation dog fight will beckon again whether we play current tactics or change them for the better. Fact of the matter is, no matter what people think of the previous management regime, we spent 80% of the last six months of the season playing the same game and I don’t recall the ‘hoof’ phrase coming into play there.

The comment about ‘the players don’t want to play for Jackett’ worrying as well. Sacking him is not necessarily the solution to this problem if indeed it is the case. What if they don’t want to play for the next manager, or the one after that. Do we keep using that excuse as a reason to get rid of the manager? Something has to give and at the end of the day whilst the board keep their faith in Jackett surely the players have to play in his style?

Pretty football got us nowhere last season and it is hard to argue that it would get us somewhere this season. Someone rightly pointed out today that as October turns to November and the wet(ter) season in Swansea kicks in then how can you play attractive football on the floor. Jackett openly said while he was at QPR that he wanted the ball played from front to back as quick as possible and then the midfield can come into play as they pick up the knock downs and the like. Therefore we need the midfield and the controlling player like Martinez does not fit into that game plan. This is different to the ‘hoof and hope’ scenario that most of our fans seem to think we are playing.

I firmly believe that we need to stick with Jackett for now and see how the season develops. Writing this off now as relegation is madness with 42 games to go – another 10 matches and the cause is not lost by any means. However, what we do need is a united front. The fans will never all agree but the manager and players have to pull together and work in the same direction and not pull against each other. If that continues to happen there will only be one loser – you and me.

Something needs to change within the set up between players and manager but remember, that doesn’t automatically mean that the manager is wrong