The Kingdom Of Aragon

We have a marked contrast to this pre season compared to last. This year a wave of optimism compared to the collective hangover that everyone connected to the club endured season. It was a hangover that many underestimated as it hurt the players a lot more than maybe we would like to accept and understand.

The new management structure has appeared smarter and wiser and itcertainly feels as if lessons have been learned off the pitch as the biting of tongues has become a jack trait all of a sudden.Contract negotiations, press handling , press announcements in the main have been handled dare one say it professionally and competently.

RM if he does nothing else may go down as the hardest working manager of SCFC there has ever been. It appears that he has assembled a squad that many outsiders are giving aknowledgeable nod too! It is a squad with POTENTIAL yes POTENTIAL there are question marks over it! eg Duffy who an ex manager has said if he does not play regularly it does affect his confidence. A dark warning perhaps of past happenings. It will be interesting to see how RM and GJ go about moulding this squad into a cohesive unit.

The squad for the past few years has had a soft underbelly and the glorious opportunity of2005/06 where points were fritted away unnecessarily is still a sharp painful reminder in many quarters.

Has he bought in the necessary steel to dig out those ugly wins. This will be his and the new squads test. There is no doubt that he has brought in players who are skillful but do they have the will to win on a cold wet night in the north of England.

It does appear at this stage that a good squad has been assembled but only time will tell whether we get to see rattles and toys being thrown out as in previous years as senior pro’s who are not playing start to get the ‘Izzy Syndrome’. His man management will be tested there is no doubt about that, RM is shrewd he understands the ‘Jack’ culture he speaks correctly in the right circles.

A good start if not essential would ease the pressure and Jacks are past mastersof building that up. A positive start will helprelax the squad into the unit that we all want to see.If the work ethics of RM namely professionalism and responsibility can be transmitted to the squad we may well be back to our spiritual home, but lets learn to walk first!

As it stands lots of open quesions and plenty of enthusiasm. RM knows how to galvanise the Jacks he has done it before in far more trying circumstances San Sebastian and Swansea are very much alike the people too are closely connected in thoughts and manner. He knows he has a lot to prove and having said that we are the Chelsea/Man Utd of this league hopefully these words do not come back to haunt him should things not go to the Holy Script!

For me I cannot wait to see Bodde, all reports say he is very hungry, andScotland could turn out to be inspired but again he may end up like the ‘Good Dr’ only time will tell if he can cut it in this league.

Dorus of course is long overdue but not as overdue as that dominant Centre Half we appear not to be able to attract~ will this turn out to be the achilles heel ofElegido

V