Friday’s game against Barrow was the final straw for large portions of the fan base. Social media channels were full of frustration, anger, and sadness, as the realisation hit more than ever, that the club are in freefall, and only drastic change can turn it around.
Fans turning away
The fan base is angry at what the club has become, and without being able to express those feelings at the game itself, they took to social media to try and get their feelings heard. The fans want change. The appointment of Brian Dutton has not worked. The team look out of sorts and Dutton has not helped this. The formation changes, questionable line-ups, and substitutions have shown he is not ready.
The side have fallen massively, and given the displays of late, fans are starting to question whether they will be spending their money on season tickets for the 21/22 season. The number of people saying this, has gone from isolated individuals, to large portions of the fanbase. A lot of fans are rightly angry, leaving Leigh Pomlett and the board with big decisions to make, and not a lot of time to make them.
Pomlett cannot afford a big drop in season ticket sales, especially with the club in the financial position they are in. They also cannot afford to sink even lower, and fall out of the football league. Walsall fans have backed Pomlett, kept their money in the club, backed the various schemes, and now feel betrayed by the way the club are falling. That feeling of betrayal will drive numbers down. Action is needed.
Dutton experiment needs to end
The view on Dutton is clear, he needs to be replaced as Manager of the team. It is not working. Tactics change from half to half, and players who had looked brighter this season, have faded, and look lost. The confidence in the team has gone, and it has gone from an experiment to desperation.
After the game, a poll was posted on our twitter feed, with four options of what the fans would like to happen with the manager position. The poll ended with 57% saying they would get like Dutton to leave the club for good, meaning a fresh start for the management. 32% did however, say they would like him as an assistant to an experienced manager.
Dutton is a nice person, and many have spoken about not wanting him being ruined by the situation at the club, however it almost seems inevitable. Dutton continuing in the role, as it all stands, will see fans turning their backs on the club, and the position in the league slipping too.
Much has been made of him as a coach, and how good he could become. However he has not worked under many managers, as a coach. This is the main reason that some fans would like him to stay at the club, to work under someone else, and grow under them, and learn a different way of doing things, other than what he experienced with Clarke.
What to do?
A big change is needed to salvage something from the season. It is not easy to just ‘go out and get someone’, and the club may not have the funds for several good targets. But the way the fans are turning, the club have to do something fast to keep them happy.
It has come to the time where pressure is really building on Pomlett to get a long term successor, before any more damage has been done. It won’t be easy, and will cost the club to do so, but the benefit of it would massively outweigh the costs.
The inevitable drop in season ticket sales, merchandise sales, and other income streams will be playing a big part in the boards decision, as will the clubs league position.
The further down the table, the more difficult next season will be.
Future issues
There is the obvious fear of relegation, and all the issues that would bring with it, but there are major concerns even if the club remain in League Two.
Finishing in the bottom third, as a team that are looking poor, will not help with trying to retain the better players. With every player that leaves this summer, comes the need for a replacement. However will the targeted players want to join a club in decline? Or would they rather join a different League Two side, with more optimism and promise about their season.
The same goes for a manager. Darrell Clarke wanted a rebuild, which is what attracted him to the club in the first place. It didn’t work, and now he seeks a rebuild in Port Vale. What manager would be after such a rebuild, for a side lacking funds, and unable to even push for a mid table finish?
Time for players to step up
Despite everything going on behind the scenes, the players need to step up. They have shown that they are better than they are being at the moment, and it has to change. Several may want to leave at the end of the season, but with a change potentially ahead, they should be playing to prove themselves.
Walsall have been in this position before, and the worry from the fans is that a repeat of the situation that saw the club relegated out of League One, could happen again. Confidence is low, and quality is low, but there is talent there that can shine. This is something that the board need to decide quickly. Dutton is not getting the best out of the side, but a new manager may do, or at least be able to evaluate the squad, before the summer reset button is pressed.
Monday’s announcement, and the decision that is being made, is the biggest in Leigh Pomlett’s stint at Chairman, and one that he has to get right. Another wrong decision could see the club even worse off, and with a fanbase that are sick of repeatedly being hurt.
What was the matter with the walsall players against barrow it was very very poor performance yet Brian Dutton said in his interview that the players were confident and positive, no walsall fan saw that in that performance. Some poor passing team looked disorganised had about a good ten minutes spell in the game, 4 away games now we lose those 4 and we will be in big trouble, the decision Leigh pomlett makes now is massive for walsall football club so for me I want to be watching league 2 football next season so let’s hope we can secure that sooner than later whoever is charge off the team.
The games against Southend and Grimsby are huge. The side need to improve or else they will follow the Barrow result
Although dutton ain’t doing to good ..the players have to take some blame all they are doing is proving that they ain’t even league 2 standard.
Let’s get back to basics…442 two up front two wingers and attacking full backs and let see where it takes us….play the players in their natural position.
4-4-2 was the best formation for Gordon and Lavs last season. Would massively help putting them back in that
I am so sad that the team I have followed since 1960.i think selling adebayo and jules was the last straw for clarke although pomlett wouldn’t admit it. If we go down that would be unthinkable and my fan days would be over as far as watching games. I’ve supported the club through ifollow,but it will be the end for me. Although Roberts is a good shot stopper his all around goalkeeping skills are poor. When you look back he’s cost us lots of points. Rose came in did nothing wrong and was injured and hasn’t had a chance since. Drastic times, a director of football what is that going to achieve. Absolutely nothing. Say our prayers time guys.