The Denis Betts/Stronghold Conundrum - to the doubters... : Tue May 10, 2011 3:54 pm
I posted this on TIW but it will probably get swallowed up by the apocalypse currently unfolding on there - anyway, here's what I reckon:Ok, so - we're cracking on with Dennis Betts as head coach.
Not an announcement we were expecting but to be fair to the club, the only people who were pontificating about the position of head coach were the press and us. The fact that a press conference was called is slightly odd but ultimately the disappointment some feel is a product of their own imaginations.
There are pros and cons to Betts staying on - the pros are that we maintain continuity and there's now a clearly defined management structure in place. The cons are that results and performances have dipped somewhat in recent months.
My initial reaction was disappointment but I've had some time to think about this and actually I think many of us are being unfair. The club is currently embarking on a transitional period of epic proportions. I don't think any of us have any clue on just what is going on behind the scenes to not only change the way we watch and support the club but also to transform it into a completely professional organisation. The sheer logistics of doing that on a small turnover are mind-boggling and when you add into that the juggling of player egos and maintaining of performance that is required, it is a big, big ask.
The Thacks/Netherton/Ford/Gerrard situation was mishandled and I think the club will have learnt from that (at least I hope so) but what's happening on the pitch at the moment is directly linked to the upheaval behind the scenes. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to wise up.
Now I'm not saying we shouldn't be annoyed when we play badly or disappointed when we lose, of course we should, but to use the appointment of a coach who had us flying earlier in the season and is currently working with a squad of players most of whom he probably wouldn't have signed, as an excuse to deny the club support is not only a churlish, knee-jerk reaction, it’s also a stupid one.
Firstly; none of us know what Betts can achieve with a full SL salary cap so us pre- empting future second-rate performances by denying the club money is totally unjustified.
The way some on here talk about the club reminds me of people grumbling about late trains or a dodgy plumber. We’re not paying for a service, we can’t get refunds, there are no guarantees - we’re investing in a project that will live or die by its members’ vision and patience – to demand instant results is ridiculous.
Secondly, as fans, we support the club and accept all the history and baggage that comes with it. We don’t, or rather we shouldn’t, hinge our support on the presence of individuals within that organisation. The idea of withholding support because to something you love because of a few missteps or the appointment of one person is just bonkers.
I’m 31; my experience of supporting Widnes has largely been about disappointment and mediocrity. The idea that we now have an opportunity, as fans, to directly influence the future of our club by bunging them 15 quid a month is fantastic. I will probably attend less than half of the games because I live in London but I know that we’re building for something better and when we get there, I will be satisfied knowing I played my part. Stronghold is a way of harnessing that enthusiasm and I think anyone who has the money and loves the club is crazy not to sign up, regardless of what’s going on right now.
We’ve a phenomenal youth set up and I have no doubt that that will be supplemented with decent SL - level players which will give us the platform on which to build a new empire in the years to come.
In the short term, I think we’ll see an improvement in performances now everyone knows who is doing what and we’ll obviously see more of those fantastic young players. Too much is going on at the club to expect miracles plus we don’t need to win the league, we just want to. Nothing wrong with that but we seem to think we have a right to sweep all before us – we don’t and we should get used to it.
To withdraw support of this idea, of this promise, of this project based on what’s happening now is myopic to say the very least.
I will no doubt be accused of donning the “rose-tinted spectacles” (is that the most over-used cliché on here, I wonder?) but I am genuinely excited about what the future holds for this club and a wobbly 6 months won’t change that.
We’re going up, enjoy it.
