Danny Kick It?

During the summer, when Brighton tried to lure Danny Wilson away from us, I was among those extremely relieved when it was announced he would be staying put.

I think it is a generally held belief that this is Wilson's 'make or break' season with us. Few managers get more than three seasons at any club to be successful in the job they have been brought in to do (in Wilson's case, promotion to Division One). I certainly would not expect Danny to be with us next May if we fail, at the very least, to make the play-offs this year. Danny must have known this, the board must have known this and most fans certainly feel that this is the case. But despite the knowledge that the pressure would be well and truly on to deliver if he remained at City, Wilson stayed. How much of this decision came about through Danny's desire to see the job through, and how much of it came through persuasion from the board is open to debate. But whatever the influences were on Danny staying with us, I for one was very glad that he did.

I am sure many of you are now expecting a 'however', and you would be right.

However (told you) I am, for possibly the first time, starting to have serious reservations about Danny's ability to take us up to the First Division. I accept completely that his task has not been helped by the financial time-bomb that has finally blown up in football's face. But as this is a situation that has affected every club not just us, I suggest that the playing field has remained fairly even for all concerned.

Danny knew the financial restraints when he arrived. No-one attempted to pull the wool over his eyes and tell him there was millions to spend. But I am not convinced he has used it all wisely Danny HAS had cash to splash, all of which has been shelled out on forwards apart from £25k for Robin Hulbert. And he has been looking to bring in a (sorry I'm going to have to say it) commanding central defender since Matty Hill was in nappies. Finally, after far too many months spent searching, he has brought in Tony Butler on a month's loan. I do not know the terms of this deal, but I hope and pray it is a wise piece of management that allows us to extend this loan period should Butler prove to be a more than useful addition to our squad. The unpalatable truth is that we are a 'small', lower division club with limited funds available and as such our manager has to be a wheeler-dealer in the transfer market. This is something that, despite many claims about his many contacts within football when he came to us, Danny has thus far failed to be. This is a basic requirement of a manager in Division Two and I am concerned about Wilson's transfer dealings, not only in terms of players he has brought in, but in terms of those he hasn't.

Off-the-field activities aside, for me the more obvious causes for disquiet concern Danny's match day decisions. His dubious tactics and substitutions are starting to become a thing of legend at City, and while the predictability of his thinking makes for amusing comments on the terraces it is a matter that is starting to trouble me greatly.

Wilson seems intent on leaving substitutions too late in a game. Liam Rosenior - to name but one - is never going to improve and fulfil his potential if he is only given five minutes at the end of every game. Brentford was a case in point. Aaron Brown was once again flattering to deceive and the crowd were constantly looking over to the bench for signs of activity as we petered out in a game we looked certain to win. No changes were made and eventually Brown got sent off when if the crowd had been in the manager's seat he would have been withdrawn by then anyway. It may sound like hindsight, but it was blindingly obvious at the time, and such 'lucky' decisions turn games.

As at Brentford, Plymouth went ahead through a penalty when we looked destined to pick up at least a point away from home. Wilson's changes in this game were baffling to even the most tactically unaware of supporters. Choosing to throw on forwards and deplete our midfield was only ever going to produce one outcome. Our already minimal supply dried up and we ended up conceding a second goal. The crowd all knew it, yet Danny seemed unaware that this would be the inevitable consequence of his substitutions. That for me is very worrying.

In terms of personnel, again I have misgivings over certain aspects of Danny's selections. The midfield has not been firing so far this season, and we have failed in most games to get any sort of consistent supply to the attack from this area. Tommy does the midfield tackling and holding role superbly and this should be the ideal platform for us to set up forward movement, but it's not happening. Wilson's first choice midfield partner for Tommy is Joe Burnell and while I think most of us agree that Burnell is a good player, he is not the ideal foil to play alongside a ball-winner like Doherty. It seems to be a generally held belief among fans, me included, that Burnell is too similar in style to play alongside Tommy. Again, the fans can see it yet Wilson seemingly does not, which does not fill me with confidence.

A conundrum for nearly all fans in the selection of City's midfield is the continued - almost to the point of being ludicrous - manner in which Simon Clist is being ignored. Now I do not know what the relationship is between Wilson and Clist but surely, whatever the problem is, Danny has to be big enough to lay it to one side when making his selections and pick the best players available to him in each position on match day for the good of the club. We have players in the midfield department who could potentially be an improvement on Danny's current first choice eleven, yet they are overlooked. Hulbert, Clist, Cleverley and Rosenior are all players with attacking skills, yet we persist with Aaron Brown and Joe Burnell, who have so far offered us little in terms of supply to the forwards or getting forward themselves. Aaron's suspension will, I hope, be an opportunity for these other players to get their chance, as I cannot believe that Tinnion is ready for 90 minutes week-in week-out just yet. However, it is Wilson's dogged refusal to play certain players despite extreme circumstances and his insistence on not playing people in their strongest positions that is starting to cause me more than a little consternation.

If a manager is going to stick to his guns, then I suppose there is an argument for commending his bravery for having the courage of his own convictions. But similarly if it goes wrong when the fans have been crying out for changes he has to accept the repercussions. The continued selection of Brown and Burnell, in the face of disappointing attacking displays, over other players who aren't getting their chance may work out for City - in which case Danny can turn around and say 'I told you so'. But if the midfield performances continue as they have been then Wilson is leaving himself wide open to deservedcriticism. “Brave”, “stubborn”, call it what you like, but I am starting to wonder what thought process lies behind Danny's team selections.

Having said all that, I still desperately want Danny to be our man. Whether this is born out of an appreciation of what I belive he can do, or whether it is more to do with the fact that I really don't want us to go through the upheaval of bringing in someone else who needs three seasons to turn things round, I 'm not sure. But I want to be proved wrong and have my doubts silenced.

There seems to be an unfounded element to Wilson, that he is a 'big' manager who we are fortunate to have at such a 'small' club. Maybe this perception has bought him more time than would be the case for others. But unless he starts delivering results that time is going to start running out very soon.

edson