Be Careful Out There!

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 14/11/2006

DESPITE all the euphoria over Alan Buckley's appointment and the predictions and proclamations about the future of the Mariners, we have to be careful with our expectations.

Despite his abilities we have to remember he is, like the rest of us, just a human being. He is not a miracle worker even though he works wonders with what he has and, by past results, he doesn't have much.

Now that may be due to the style of play and tactics the team have been playing to and only on rare occasions have they played good football.

That is not Buckley's style. He is a football man and will insist on football being played. But to do that he has to get the players out of their bad habits and get them to play his way.

That will not happen overnight, not even after the display against Northampton. It is going to take hard work and time.

That is why we should not let our imaginations run wild.

It doesn't take Town fans long to find something to moan about and the truth is, our expectations have always been a lot higher than we could achieve and that is a problem.

If it does take time and we have a few bad results during the initial period, it would be a pity if the proverbial moaners and groaners start their barracking of the manager and the players.

This is a time of change for the better we all hope. So we must not allow our high expectations to turn into impatience. We have to stand by the manager and the team during the transition period.

We want to be out of the relegation zone as soon as we can and you can be assured that will be Buckley's first priority and that means he will be thinking along the same lines as us.

From there we need to build and get into the playoffs if at all possible and if we don't, we will be building for the next season. That will not suit some who will be wanting us into the Championship League by right.

But we have to accept what we get. Because whatever it is, it will be a lot better than what we were expecting only a couple of weeks ago with the Conference looking to give us an early bird booking.

Buckley is going to need all his skills to get things changed around and, knowing him, he will be a lot less satisfied than any of us no matter how well we do. You can be certain he is going to be the hardest task master we have seen at Blundell Park for a very long time and the hardest working manager also.

So let us be patient. It isn't easy but it is absolutely necessary.

I think the majority agree that we have got what we wanted and needed.

Now it is our turn.

We have to give Buckley what he needs. Good support, good attendances and a little patience. What he also needs is for the fans to let the knockers in the stand who hurl abuse at every game, know they are not wanted.

Buckley always responded well to the noise of the fans singing and chanting and I heard it for the first time in a long time on the commentary at Northampton.

That is Town fans at their best. Let us keep it that way.

Just remember. Even God took seven days!

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