“We recognize where we are as a football club, that we want to be competitive in this division (League Two), season after season, and that’s what we’ve been.”
Poorly chosen words or just the plain truth. It infers, the sole aim is to be competitive in League Two.
Mat Sadler clearly has the ability to take us higher, the fact he has taken us to the top of the league, two seasons running confirms that. We ask the question, If he is the manager who has done that, how can he fail so miserably in successive seasons?
Option 1 – The advanced tactical knowledge of the teams in League Two work us out and despite masterminding a rise to the top of the division, the manager is unable to adapt until the close season. Given Sadler is a still relatively inexperienced manager some errors are expected, but how can a team go so, Jekyle and Hyde. Last season a Walsall team on the slide miraculously outplay an in-form and significantly better financially backed Chesterfield in both games, then play like strangers against a less capable Wimbledon side.
Option 2 – The conspiracy theory – Mat Sadler is awarded a new contract with Walsall 12 points clear at the top of the division and is told that keeping Walsall in League Two is the objective. Landing in the playoffs after a massive dip in form was very close as a George Hall goal threatened to take us up on the last day, when Bradford had failed to win as expected, thankfully, the late injury time goal saved the blushes. The dazzling money from a trip to Wembley wet the appetite and the Walsall teams form suddenly returned to outplay Chesterfield and bag the prize. Wembley money secured, Walsall didn’t turn up against Wimbledon and a single goal was enough.
My Ramblings
These are just my ramblings, but the conspiracy option 2 makes more sense than option 1. I understand with the way finances in the game have gone, Walsall maybe cannot compete financially in League One, but as a fan of the underdog, it would be great to have a go and try, rather than accept your lot accept League Two is now your level.
I am sure most fans would rather get promotion and then have the underdog struggle. Even if we came straight back down, we would still have the memory of the promotion success.
Most fans realize now that Trivela are unlikely to fund the team to sustain league one football, but getting up to league one and having a go against similar sized/backed clubs, like Wimbledon, Burton, Mansfield, Exeter and Stevenage, would be a great challenge.
Then there is the additional revenue from the bigger clubs like Bolton, Huddersfield, Reading, Plymouth, Luton and Barnsley which would swell the coffers, as well as our better players getting significantly better offers for League One v League Two players for the expected cash in moments.
My Message
Don’t hold Mat Sadler or the team back, strive to achieve and see how far it can take you.
The Manager
If Mat Sadler is doing everything in his power and ability to get Walsall promoted with the resources he has available to him, then his time has been up for a while.
Transfer Windows
Every football fan is a footballing genius. That is obviously not correct, but talking about Kemar Roofe as an option when we fail to bring in a quality striker, is equally total rubbish. Kemar has had a great career but hasn’t played consistently for over two years and had been a free agent for 8 months before joining Walsall.
The statement on 25th Feb confirming his departure was a surprise to nobody, but the timing of the press release, “Walsall are “not closing the door” on injured striker Kemar Roofe,” was merely an act to stifle the “Where are the strikers?” questions.
None of the Walsall Fan base were particularly fans of Josh Gordon and opinions on Levi Amantchi were mixed, but to release them out on loan when we were light on strikers is a strange one. The loss of Jonny Stuttle affected us and with Daniel Kanu they would have been a strong pair of young strikers to call on, but when Jonny got injured why did Walsall still allow Gordon and Amantchi to not only go out on loan but then in January remain on loan with a distinct lack of striker options.
