Two Weeks To Save Ourselves

Quite where we go from here I do not know but it’s a desperate situation.

We got what we wanted mid-week. Holland went and the club promised a proven manager. Whilst they search for one Dario has taken charge for the short term. Even so, there is no quick fix for us.

Whilst the first half of today’s game against Stockport was a even, if rather dull affair the second half was our worst nightmare. A goal within a couple of minutes for Stockport set the record and from that moment on it was only ever going to end in defeat.

We saw it so many times under Holland and it shone through again today. The complete implosion by the team once the opposition take the lead. There was nothing following County’s goal; no heart, no passion, no fight, no belief.

I don’t know if I can completely blame Holland as I don’t believe there aren’t players in this team there for the free ride. There’s no throwing tea-cups at Crewe, just the softly softly approach that sees too many players happy to see the club crumble without a second thought.

Today’s defeat puts us well out of reach. It’s the worst start by a team in this division since Oxford in 2000, and to put it into context: this time last year we were having a good laugh at the expense of Vale who only had 12 points. They were doomed weren’t they?

How we’ve got to where we are today is a tough one. It’s a series of unfortunate mistakes. The lack of foresight to replace Dean Ashton, the lack of willingness to spend money in the Championship, the poorly executed hand over of the management from Dario to Steve Holland and the most devastating of all was acting too late in dropping Holland.

He should have gone a month ago, still 8 or 9 games without a win but still in touch with safety. We hung on too long, hoping that win was around the corner but it never was and still isn’t.

Now is the biggest decision the club have to make. Who will manage Crewe Alexandra in 2009?

Names have come and gone from David Platt to John Barnes and Stan Ternent to Nigel Clough, but who fits the mould? Who do the club want? We’ve no clues yet, even if all rumours point towards Nigel Clough at present.

It’s going to take a brave man though. For many we’re already down, the whole of the footballing world will look at our situation and have us dead certs for relegation. Remove your rose tinted glasses and you’ll see the same.

The next manager may well have to take relegation to League Two and with that will come fan pressure to get us back up. Huge fan pressure. Something we only saw down the road a couple of months back with Vale and Sinnott – mid-table was unacceptable in League Two for Vale and Sinnott was gone.

The club have got to appoint right. Someone who will not only have a good crack at keeping us up but also make us promotion certainties in League Two if it comes to the worst. It’s got to be a strong manger, a leader, one the players respect and one who will keep peace in the dressing room.

There are managers out there for us but we’ve got to move swiftly. Our situation may well be dire but it’s far from beyond repair. It’s not worked under Holland and Dario, no matter how long his caretaker stint is, can not turn it around if he’s not looking far into the future.

We need a leader now, one who has his 3/4/5 year plan and who is ready to kick start it now.

We can’t expect it for Tuesday but after Tuesday we have 10 clear days. Ok, the FA Cup 2nd Round a week on Wednesday but I couldn’t care less if we lost – I want the three points from Cheltenham instead!

The club have got to work over time these next two weeks. Get that short list drawn up and get talking. We’re desperate for someone to save us!