Post by GrizzlyShrew on Nov 30, 2020 10:03:45 GMT 1
The more you look at the upcoming fixture list and the lack of time to recover between games, the more daunting you realise the task is, that Steve Cotterill faces.
Not until the New Year do we get a few clear weeks without a midweek fixture to allow recovery time and training/ planning time. Ironically, now we have progressed to round three of the F.A. Cup, Oxford UTD away has to be re-organised so another midweek game is on the cards. It is full on.
The hope is the injured like Pyke, Clarke and others start to come back into the fold, all be they not match fit immediately.
January gives us an opportunity to rejig the priorities and balance for the squad but given the pressure of fixtures we almost certainly will need a good size squad for rotation all with the plan of consolidating our position in league one as the priority, if this can be achieved another huge rebuild beckons in the summer as only 7 players will still be in contract and I wouldn't bet they will still be here come summer either. One would hope by January 31 SC knows if any others on our current staff should be offered new contracts.
I expect a leaner meaner squad for next season , at the very least much fitter come start of 21/22 season and definitely more balanced towards a system that SC sees us having success with.
It is for all the reasons above BC and RW had no choice but to go with a seasoned professional manager, a rookie I just do not feel would have cut the mustard. So all power to the decision made to bring in Steve Cotterill, he is not a miracle worker and will need a fair slice of luck and good fortune, he started well yesterday getting a result from a dour game which could have gone either way.
No doubt this is going to be a roller coaster season with avoiding relegation as the target. Wins like yesterday will give us confidence, but the league games coming up will be a lot tougher starting with a fresh from having no game this past weekend Accrington Stanley, who have a decent away record, recently beating Northampton away 1-0 and before that won 3-0 at Swindon who we drew 3-3 at home with.
We can but get behind the team and our new Manager who will no doubt announce his new back room team very soon with John Pemberton who was relieved of his Managerial duties at Chesterfield last week (all be it by mutual consent) a likely candidate, as Steve's number two but who knows? Steve is his own man.
More than ever the club needs us behind them in every way and that includes being more positive on the message boards and social media if we are all going to contribute to success and staving off relegation, thus then leaving a platform to build on and springboard towards a promotion push next season, and yes I do believe if we can stay in Division one this season promotion to the Championship will be the number one goal for season 2021/2022 or Steve Cotterill would not have signed such a long contract to see the mission out. He like us all wants another promotion. C.O.Y.B.
Good post