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1 week until the transfer window opening
Where are we at with one week left until the transfer window is opening?
Well, we have a head coach and roughly 15 players in the squad.
We have yet to announce a coaching staff that will help Sadler throughout the season. And we still wait to get our first new player announcement done. Also, we haven’t received any information regarding the contract status of the players offered new contracts.
What we have had the last few weeks are two open letters from Ben Boycott and information relaying the pitch, which look like it is progressing lovely.
Sadlers responsibility
The coaching staff is much down to Sadler to sort out since he is the one who will work with them. It was a while back the club said it progressed and it stood between two choices. Either those two have rejected the approach or they are on holiday because it has been silent since.
In this article from Bescot Banter, we see Sadler talking about wanting an assistant manager who will challenge his decisions.
Play on the front foot
On the player front, I suppose there is work done in the background between Sadler, Jordan and Boycott to try and find the right players with the right attributes and character.
I’m pretty sure the coming weeks will be more fueled with news than the gas-starved weeks that have gone by since Sadler was appointed as the new manager.
We are seeking players who like to play on the front foot, I guess that would be 90% of the player base. When I played football everyone wanted to play attacking football but not so many were interested in getting back to defend. Jokes aside, I believe in Sadler and his companions to find the right players.
The quest will be to make them play as a team and produce results. It is what is shown on the pitch that we all will judge them about. Come August, we need a well-gelled team that can perform well on the pitch. All we ask for as fans is to be entertained by the team out on the pitch. If we can play good football the people will come back to Bescot and the team will be supported in the best possible way in over a decade.
Am I a proper supporter?
Many deem me as an armchair supporter, not a real supporter or proper fan due to the fact I’m not watching the games on-site or travelling to every away match. I try to support the team in the best possible way I can. Every match I travel to will is equivalent to the price of the cheapest season ticket. I’m not fond of throwing that sum every time I want to watch the team play. I will pick the games that I can afford to go to. If I had the finances to be able to fly over and watch every game I would, without hesitating.
I would even consider moving to England just to be closer and able to watch matches live and be closer to the Saddler family both home and away.
My hope the coming weeks
In the coming weeks, I hope we have a coaching staff in place. Especially, since the pre-season starts soon. A well-planned pre-season will set the foundation for the coming season. It is important to have the backroom staff in place before then.
The players offered new contracts has to make up their mind. We have to know what players he will have at the start of pre-season. Also, we need to get new players in as soon as possible for them to gel nicely before the season starts. Getting the core of the team to play as many friendlies together as possible is vital for them to start gelling.
I wish to see the club taking action early in the transfer window. Hopefully, we’ll see some action from the club within 1 week or two.
Give our youngsters the opportunity
I would also like to see more of the U18 players getting a chance to show their abilities in pre-season. I think it is important to have the ambition to get as many of our academy players into the first team as possible.
If we can produce and give them the chance we will see the result of this further down the line. Then young players can see they can get a chance at Walsall, and use the club as a springboard into professional football.
The only way to compete with the bigger clubs around by sweeping up all the young talents is to make sure to give our young players the chance to succeed. The coaching staff and we, the fanbase, have to support them, and let them fail without getting on their back. We need to be more supportive of our younger players, and not think they are the finished article or world stars just because they are included in the match squad.
We need to be realistic and supportive to help them develop. No one grows as a human or player if they are under constant abuse or negativity.
Allowed to make mistakes
The young players must have the feeling they are allowed to make mistakes otherwise they will never be able to find their highest potential. I do not want our young talents to avoid doing the unexpected out on the pitch because they are afraid to get abused or shout at.
Some players are written off if they miss their first pass, tackle or scoring chance. We have to stop judging a player at the first attempt and let them have time to settle and let them do mistakes if the intent was good, support them and see them grow.
Where are we in 1 week or two? Only those on the inside will know.
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