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There is a lot riding on the success of the Neil Lennon project at Wanderers and that is why the manager must act quickly to remedy the first real crisis of his year in charge at the Macron Stadium.
It is easy to list the mitigating circumstances for why the Whites find themselves third bottom of the Championship with 10 games gone, having won just six times in 2015 to date.
Horrendous injuries put an abrupt end to Lennon’s honeymoon period at the start of the year and continue to deprive him of key men like Zach Clough and, until recently, Darren Pratley, David Wheater and Dorian Dervite.
Shrinking finances mean more and more gambles are being taken in the transfer market, each signing being drawn out to the nth degree as every penny is accounted for.
And continuing speculation over the ownership of the club is also taking its toll. Eddie Davies wants to sell but the prospect of extra investment has been dangled like a carrot in front of the manager for too long.
The vast majority of Wanderers fans take all of the above into consideration when judging the first 12 months of the manager’s reign and while the first cracks have appeared in what was previously unequivocal support from the terraces, it is still overwhelmingly in his favour.
Lennon also has the full backing of Phil Gartside and, presumably Davies, although the Isle of Man-based owner is highly unlikely to convey that to the paying public.
Of course it will boil down to results, as any manager knows. As Wanderers resume duties after the international break there is a block of six games before another period of reflection, and Lennon won’t want to be anywhere near the bottom three by the time that break comes around.
When the Northern Irishman first burst on to the scene last October with victory at Birmingham City he brought with him the passion and intensity that people perceived had been missing through most of his predecessor Dougie Freedman’s two-year stay.
His appointment was, and remains, a bold statement of intent. This was a manager with a major reputation for winning trophies in Scotland and an unashamed ambition to reach the highest level south of the border. In those early days it seemed a matter of whether the club could hold on to his coattails long enough to reach the same destination.
Brentford, Cardiff, Wigan, Huddersfield, Millwall and Blackburn were all vanquished by the end of 2014 by which point some fans were dreaming of a play-off push.
Since those heady days good times have been few and far between. Injuries decimated the squad in the New Year and once the post-Liverpool FA Cup fervour had died down, the hard work really began.
His budget continually being scaled back, Lennon has increasingly had to take risks in the transfer market. January’s business was hit and miss; for every Adam Le Fondre a Simeon Slavchev.
In the summer he was at least able to concentrate on some key positions – Ben Amos replacing Adam Bogdan, Derik Osede for Matt Mills, Gary Madine stepping into the target man role of (a fit) Craig Davies. All were recruited without spending a penny.
The net was cast far and wide for free transfers and loans like Prince-Desire Gouano, Francesco Pisano and Jose Manuel Casado, leaving the squad boasting cover in all but one crucial position.
A chronic lack of goals at the start of the current campaign highlighted what Wanderers are missing, what they have missed for some considerable length of time.
Le Fondre briefly plugged the goalscorer gap last season but the money that would have been involved to bring him back was way beyond what Lennon had at his disposal for all of his summer recruits.
We asked how many times Owen Coyle and Dougie Freedman could go back to the loan well and get away with it? The lack of funds at Lennon’s disposal mean even that avenue is difficult, particularly in the domestic market.
If Wanderers are to attract investment, which seems a must if they are to ever return to the Premier League, then Lennon’s managerial pedigree and reputation is a major selling point.
Regardless of his CV or character Lennon knows he must get results if the fans are to stick with him and the team. His squad, whilst diminished in quality, is still capable of more and that is what makes the current situation all the more frustrating.
Lennon remains a born winner. Now he has to prove it.
Source
It is easy to list the mitigating circumstances for why the Whites find themselves third bottom of the Championship with 10 games gone, having won just six times in 2015 to date.
Horrendous injuries put an abrupt end to Lennon’s honeymoon period at the start of the year and continue to deprive him of key men like Zach Clough and, until recently, Darren Pratley, David Wheater and Dorian Dervite.
Shrinking finances mean more and more gambles are being taken in the transfer market, each signing being drawn out to the nth degree as every penny is accounted for.
And continuing speculation over the ownership of the club is also taking its toll. Eddie Davies wants to sell but the prospect of extra investment has been dangled like a carrot in front of the manager for too long.
The vast majority of Wanderers fans take all of the above into consideration when judging the first 12 months of the manager’s reign and while the first cracks have appeared in what was previously unequivocal support from the terraces, it is still overwhelmingly in his favour.
Lennon also has the full backing of Phil Gartside and, presumably Davies, although the Isle of Man-based owner is highly unlikely to convey that to the paying public.
Of course it will boil down to results, as any manager knows. As Wanderers resume duties after the international break there is a block of six games before another period of reflection, and Lennon won’t want to be anywhere near the bottom three by the time that break comes around.
When the Northern Irishman first burst on to the scene last October with victory at Birmingham City he brought with him the passion and intensity that people perceived had been missing through most of his predecessor Dougie Freedman’s two-year stay.
His appointment was, and remains, a bold statement of intent. This was a manager with a major reputation for winning trophies in Scotland and an unashamed ambition to reach the highest level south of the border. In those early days it seemed a matter of whether the club could hold on to his coattails long enough to reach the same destination.
Brentford, Cardiff, Wigan, Huddersfield, Millwall and Blackburn were all vanquished by the end of 2014 by which point some fans were dreaming of a play-off push.
Since those heady days good times have been few and far between. Injuries decimated the squad in the New Year and once the post-Liverpool FA Cup fervour had died down, the hard work really began.
His budget continually being scaled back, Lennon has increasingly had to take risks in the transfer market. January’s business was hit and miss; for every Adam Le Fondre a Simeon Slavchev.
In the summer he was at least able to concentrate on some key positions – Ben Amos replacing Adam Bogdan, Derik Osede for Matt Mills, Gary Madine stepping into the target man role of (a fit) Craig Davies. All were recruited without spending a penny.
The net was cast far and wide for free transfers and loans like Prince-Desire Gouano, Francesco Pisano and Jose Manuel Casado, leaving the squad boasting cover in all but one crucial position.
A chronic lack of goals at the start of the current campaign highlighted what Wanderers are missing, what they have missed for some considerable length of time.
Le Fondre briefly plugged the goalscorer gap last season but the money that would have been involved to bring him back was way beyond what Lennon had at his disposal for all of his summer recruits.
We asked how many times Owen Coyle and Dougie Freedman could go back to the loan well and get away with it? The lack of funds at Lennon’s disposal mean even that avenue is difficult, particularly in the domestic market.
If Wanderers are to attract investment, which seems a must if they are to ever return to the Premier League, then Lennon’s managerial pedigree and reputation is a major selling point.
Regardless of his CV or character Lennon knows he must get results if the fans are to stick with him and the team. His squad, whilst diminished in quality, is still capable of more and that is what makes the current situation all the more frustrating.
Lennon remains a born winner. Now he has to prove it.
Source