Paul Merson is a manager who rightly or wrongly has been under pressure regarding keeping his job for over a year now. Until now supporters have mainly vented their feelings on internet message boards and on unofficial walsall site editorials. However in the last week or so a large number of Walsall fans have upped the stakes and actively started a Merson Out campain with avengence. Firstly there were Taxi for Merson, etc chants at the end of the Huddersfield match. I thought it was just a few, doing the usual anti merson chanting, but it was the building up of the storm. As i think there are a majority of Walsall fans that will not sing negative songs during the game. I dont think the Anti Merson feeling is now in the minority, as previous campains have been.
The Evening Mail have been bombarded with letters regarding Mersons position. These are availiable for viewing at http://icwalsall.icnetwork.co.uk/sport/thesaddlers/tm_objectid=16262338%26method=full%26siteid=60240%26headline=crisis%2dat%2dsaddlers%2d%2d%2dyour%2dviews-name_page.html . Likewise E-mails have apparently been sent to Roy Whalley and Jeff Bonser at the club. Fans have been phoning up radio stations in their numbers. Not just the local ones but Talksport, 5 live ... anyone that will listen. Of course Radion WM has been the main reciever of such calls and im sure Paul Franks will have a field day on the phone in shows on Friday night and Saturday after the match against Doncaster.
I have no problem with fans making their feelings known, after all it is OUR money that keeps the club going. Without us turning up the club is nothing. But i would just like to point out that there is a time to protest and a time not to. I would hate to see protests during the match on Saturday. This will do nothing for the players. It will not help us and it will give Doncaster added confidence. After the game, thats fine.
We currently Lie only 4 points below the play-offs and only 3 points from the relegation zone. I know this is a make or break point of our season. This is why Saturdays game is vital. The next 4 games are so important to our season. It can determine whether we are in the promotion hunt or looking over our shoulders and having another long unenjoyable season. Over the next 4-5 games these 4 and 3 points from either end will grow. The league will become more spread out.
I can understand people saying they would of taken the loss against the MK Dons to pile the pressure on. OK not my personal view as i take every point we can get, but i just hope we get behind the team and we dont have a further negative effect on their performance.
Merson has said from day one that the fans will get him the sack when the time is right. But before going all out protesting lets think who at the current time is availiable to come in and take over should Mr Merson depart. There is no point in getting rid of a manager and then not having someone who will take us forward rather than maintain our current plight or take us further down. I have the opinion that if Merson did depart then Staunton or Kinsella would take over. I dont want this and i am sure this would not leave us in a better position. A couple of weeks ago Pullis was availiable, now however he is at Plymouth. Im sure a manager like himself would get the best out of our players currently at the club and would install discipline and respect amongst our playing staff. What im saying is Bonser has always had someone lined up in recent years when chopping his manager. Maybe Bonser already feels it is the right time for a change, but will not act until a new manager is lined up therefore not leaving us in limbo.
There is no doubt about it we should have more points than our 17 points from 14 games make NO doubt about it, it is relegation form. You could say we are lucky to have even that return!! Thanks to the Rotherham Goalie!! The really worrying thing is i cannot see Rotherham, Bristol City, Hartlepool, Gillingham and Tranmere being in these positions come the new year. Problem is i dont see us going on a decent run at the moment.
The next few weeks will shape our season saddlers fans!
The Evening Mail have been bombarded with letters regarding Mersons position. These are availiable for viewing at http://icwalsall.icnetwork.co.uk/sport/thesaddlers/tm_objectid=16262338%26method=full%26siteid=60240%26headline=crisis%2dat%2dsaddlers%2d%2d%2dyour%2dviews-name_page.html . Likewise E-mails have apparently been sent to Roy Whalley and Jeff Bonser at the club. Fans have been phoning up radio stations in their numbers. Not just the local ones but Talksport, 5 live ... anyone that will listen. Of course Radion WM has been the main reciever of such calls and im sure Paul Franks will have a field day on the phone in shows on Friday night and Saturday after the match against Doncaster.
I have no problem with fans making their feelings known, after all it is OUR money that keeps the club going. Without us turning up the club is nothing. But i would just like to point out that there is a time to protest and a time not to. I would hate to see protests during the match on Saturday. This will do nothing for the players. It will not help us and it will give Doncaster added confidence. After the game, thats fine.
We currently Lie only 4 points below the play-offs and only 3 points from the relegation zone. I know this is a make or break point of our season. This is why Saturdays game is vital. The next 4 games are so important to our season. It can determine whether we are in the promotion hunt or looking over our shoulders and having another long unenjoyable season. Over the next 4-5 games these 4 and 3 points from either end will grow. The league will become more spread out.
I can understand people saying they would of taken the loss against the MK Dons to pile the pressure on. OK not my personal view as i take every point we can get, but i just hope we get behind the team and we dont have a further negative effect on their performance.
Merson has said from day one that the fans will get him the sack when the time is right. But before going all out protesting lets think who at the current time is availiable to come in and take over should Mr Merson depart. There is no point in getting rid of a manager and then not having someone who will take us forward rather than maintain our current plight or take us further down. I have the opinion that if Merson did depart then Staunton or Kinsella would take over. I dont want this and i am sure this would not leave us in a better position. A couple of weeks ago Pullis was availiable, now however he is at Plymouth. Im sure a manager like himself would get the best out of our players currently at the club and would install discipline and respect amongst our playing staff. What im saying is Bonser has always had someone lined up in recent years when chopping his manager. Maybe Bonser already feels it is the right time for a change, but will not act until a new manager is lined up therefore not leaving us in limbo.
There is no doubt about it we should have more points than our 17 points from 14 games make NO doubt about it, it is relegation form. You could say we are lucky to have even that return!! Thanks to the Rotherham Goalie!! The really worrying thing is i cannot see Rotherham, Bristol City, Hartlepool, Gillingham and Tranmere being in these positions come the new year. Problem is i dont see us going on a decent run at the moment.
The next few weeks will shape our season saddlers fans!