dan
Junior Member
Posts: 84
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Post by dan on Nov 20, 2018 16:15:02 GMT
Was thinking about this recently. One thing I would definitely say has improved is recruitment. Cassidy and Romian have been brilliant, running their socks off. Powell is improving with every game, as is Walton. He is a great organiser and the defence looks a lot more confident. This could also be down to Smith, who has looked class so far. I have very few criticsms of Jay and what he achieved at the club what nothing short of spectacular, especially in the space of time. But, his transfer business has to be questioned from last summer and this one. Most players have ended up in the National League South, or at Dover (and look where that's got them!).
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Post by hammerstone on Nov 20, 2018 16:53:14 GMT
For me one of the biggest changes has been the better more positive mindset of the players.
Under Jay, having conceeded that deflected goal against Wrexham heads might of dropped, and all of a sudden despite leading we are clinging on to rescue a point and seem greatful for it rather than thinking we could of won the match.
Recruitment has been spot on. If you look at the players Jay signed for us compared to the ones HW has signed, the quality is a different class.
Haven't got many negatives really. Could we score more? Possibly. Could our strikers be more of a goal threat? Maybe. But that will come now we've patched up the slow puncture that was our defense/midfield. I was sad to see Jay go, but even the most staunch supporter of him would admit we've looked a harder to beat team, more organised, fitter, and above all more competitive.
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Post by Nick on Nov 20, 2018 17:25:52 GMT
dan mentioned 5 new signings that are better than those players the club has let go. I would add Rob Swaine to that list, not that we've seen much, but he is good.
Then there's the new more intensive training regime and sports science input, resulting in a fitter and stronger team. Only half a negative because there's still some way to go in improving the attacking threat, but for sure it's work in progress.
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Post by 61666 on Nov 20, 2018 17:29:19 GMT
Amen to the above and credit not just to Harry, but the two Mr Lewis. Had long felt that Jay was operating with the same level of backup staff as he started with in Ryman days and while that may not be entirely fair, there is no doubt that Harry has brought a proper team with him, not the rather homespun group of Jay's time. The Lewises are key factors behind both the mental and physical fitness improvements which are ever more apparent in the team. Whatever scouting methods Harry employs are likewise a lot better (could be budget a factor here) on what went before and we can only ponder on how things might have been had Jay left at the end of last season and Harry been given a full pre-season to prepare. Remain a big fan of Jay and all he did for the club, but evidence is mounting that he maybe should have moved on earlier. There again, if Harry had come in sooner, we might now be challenging for promotion and a whole heap of other issues would be occupying the owners!
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Post by Bernie on Nov 20, 2018 18:11:38 GMT
Without wishing to piss in the well, we are still one point above relegation. Cup runs and a sturdy looking defence are great, but now we need a few wins to pull away from danger. I'm certainly more optimistic of that happening now, than before HW arrived.
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Post by daveu on Nov 20, 2018 18:27:11 GMT
While we have undoubtedly improved under the new regime, there are a few points in Jay's defence. Clearly more funds have been made available not only on the playing side but on the management team as well. Did Jay ever have access to a sports scientist, and fitness coaches came and went. Harry undoubtedly has a good backroom team but I doubt they come cheap, and are certainly better than we could have afforded under the old budget.
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Post by sword65 on Nov 20, 2018 20:39:48 GMT
Since Jay has left the chips from the pie shop behind the town end have become 10% crisper, the portion of mushy peas is larger and the gravy has a touch less salt and a bit more onion and tastes so much better. On the negative side the sweet shop has stopped selling those little ufo shaped sweets with sherbert fillings, I am sure Jay would never have allowed that.
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Post by jdl on Nov 20, 2018 22:00:56 GMT
Since Jay has left the chips from the pie shop behind the town end have become 10% crisper, the portion of mushy peas is larger and the gravy has a touch less salt and a bit more onion and tastes so much better. On the negative side the sweet shop has stopped selling those little ufo shaped sweets with sherbert fillings, I am sure Jay would never have allowed that. Rather bizarrely, this is true - at least the bit about the chips. I've also noticed that the sun sets a lot earlier under Harry, and it's colder.
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Post by daveu on Nov 20, 2018 22:26:37 GMT
The run out music has definitely gone downhill since Harry came in.
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Post by jdl on Nov 20, 2018 22:58:28 GMT
Was thinking about this recently. One thing I would definitely say has improved is recruitment. Cassidy and Romian have been brilliant, running their socks off. Powell is improving with every game, as is Walton. He is a great organiser and the defence looks a lot more confident. This could also be down to Smith, who has looked class so far. I have very few criticsms of Jay and what he achieved at the club what nothing short of spectacular, especially in the space of time. But, his transfer business has to be questioned from last summer and this one. Most players have ended up in the National League South, or at Dover (and look where that's got them!). I think the difference between Jay and Harry is that Jay concentrated on team spirit, whereas Harry takes a much more detailed and scientific approach. Jay's approach worked well in the lower leagues, but his teams were dependant on the ability players brought with them - there didn't seem to be much in the way of developing those talents or sorting out the problem areas. If Jay could assemble a good team that worked well together, we did well, if he couldn't, then there seemed to be no way he could get more out of them. But Harry doesn't just pick players; he moulds them to play the way he wants and to do their job in the team. I don't suppose he worries too much about whether or not they like him, or even each other. He expects them to do the job they are paid for, and expects team spirit to grow out of this and the success it will bring. He also makes much more use of scientific and technical assistance. And he prepares for each game with great attention to detail – not just team tactics tailored to the opposition, but even down to individual coaching. Jay's teams could be good or they could be disappointing, but Harry's team feels more consistent. Game by game, there is a feeling of progress and improvement. As to whether or not we should have changed managers earlier, don’t forget that Harry was only available because Tamplin had one of his sulks and threw all his toys out of the pram. When people look back on the Great Billericay Farce, they may very well conclude that the only thing of any worth that Tamplin did for football was to sack Harry.
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Post by jdl on Nov 20, 2018 23:02:25 GMT
While we have undoubtedly improved under the new regime, there are a few points in Jay's defence. Clearly more funds have been made available not only on the playing side but on the management team as well. Did Jay ever have access to a sports scientist, and fitness coaches came and went. Harry undoubtedly has a good backroom team but I doubt they come cheap, and are certainly better than we could have afforded under the old budget. Good points, but they are based on the assumption that Jay could have done as much with more money. And it appears that it was Terry's opinion that he couldn't. It pains me to say this, but I think Terry was right.
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Post by Bernie on Nov 20, 2018 23:28:04 GMT
The run out music has definitely gone downhill since Harry came in. Although we've now started running out facing the Springfield End and now have to win the toss to face the Town End in the first half. For those of us who like to stand behind the opposition goalkeeper, it's a moment of existential angst trying to guess which end to stand.
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Post by Sennockian69 on Nov 21, 2018 5:08:51 GMT
The run out music has definitely gone downhill since Harry came in. Although we've now started running out facing the Springfield End and now have to win the toss to face the Town End in the first half. For those of us who like to stand behind the opposition goalkeeper, it's a moment of existential angst trying to guess which end to stand. Fortunately I am more sanguine than that and have adapted to the national league conventions.
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Post by sword65 on Nov 21, 2018 9:33:51 GMT
I think once thing that has definitely changed is the noise level especially from the Elvis end. I remember Jay on many occasions pleaded with fans to make more noise as it was too quiet. I have to admit I am not s fan of drummers at football games especially if they stand three feet away from me but our current Ginger Baker does at least know how to tap out a rhythm instead of just the same old single whack note.
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Post by Bernie on Nov 21, 2018 9:39:39 GMT
Although we've now started running out facing the Springfield End and now have to win the toss to face the Town End in the first half. For those of us who like to stand behind the opposition goalkeeper, it's a moment of existential angst trying to guess which end to stand. Fortunately I am more sanguine than that and have adapted to the national league conventions. No, this is crucial. I have places I like to stand and arrive early to get them. To have to move ten seconds before kick off is one of the worst things in my life. This is more important than managerial and player changes.
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