Time For A Change.......Really?

[Greenfinch]

Wow, what a result at Leiston, well done Mark, the players and everyone involved.Not hearing too much nowadays about the above subject,and of course everybody at the time was entitled to their view,I thought some of the comments were a bit harsh, but we move on.
Since then Mark has built a young talented team, he has bought in loan players a lot earlier to bring stability, through injuries, and put points on the board to give us a good start to the season.Yeah, I know that some out there are 'craving' for promotion and ambition lacking, but without going into a lot of my annual whys and reasons, this is where we are, so just enjoy the football in a friendly, community and home loving fans.
I hope Mark can keep this squad of players for next year, and am sure we will be up there for the playoffs, or more, meanwhile, it would be great if we can win at Cheshunt on Tuesday, get to the final,and bring the cup home. It would be fantastic for the players, the fans, and the town itself, but most of all for Mark, his dedication, loyalty and hard work throughout the season would be the icing on the cake.

[DarrenW]

Agree on all counts.

Keeping the squad together is key now as looking like a stable top half team this season and perhaps higher next season.

The 16/17 squad took a couple of years to come good and can see similar with the current team.

[MichaelD]

If you are going to flirt with the playoffs, as a club you should be ready, or have plans in place, for the next step. However unlikely promotion might be. To do otherwise is to blunt the ambition of the management and players. I don't believe Mark Burke doesn't want promotion.
Although many might not like the idea, additional financial input would be required. As the change of ownership at Peterborough Sports illustrates, success brings change.

[Freddie Cardy]

"That response from Mark was exactly how it is and will remain how it is as long as he is in charge. He doesn’t want to be in the play offs and he definitely doesn’t want to win the play offs".

Happy to put this question to Mark on Tuesday if you really believe that!

[DarrenW]

Happy to put this question to Mark on Tuesday if you really believe that!

[DarrenW]

"That response from Mark was exactly how it is and will remain how it is as long as he is in charge. He doesn’t want to be in the play offs and he definitely doesn’t want to win the play offs".

Happy to put this question to Mark on Tuesday if you really believe that!

As an aside - is there no one else on this forum capable of critical thinking anymore?

Or maybe people want to keep the positivism with the results and actually support the team and the volunteers that keep the club running? Paying through the gate perhaps not so much judging performances on the radio.

Alternative is respond to someone who seems content to put the mockers on things all the time while contributing little if anything in the way of support for the club? 2 games this season is it?

Shame we're not Tamworth seem to promote them well enough.

[SimonP]

I cannot comment on whether or not club management actively do not want to get promoted as I do not have the depth of relationship with the individuals in question or powers of telepathy needed to make such a judgement (although that is clearly not stopping some people here). But I think the encouraging thing this season has been the strength in depth of the squad. Even though DFG & Daniel both have brought a skill level that would clearly not be out of place at a higher level which they are likely to move onto, I think we are more balanced as a team than we have been for a considerable time. One thing I do think it is worth stressing is that characterising our success or failure in terms of one person, Mark, does seem to ignoring the work of what seems to be a much broader management group. The recruitment of Finley, Jack, Ashley, Toby & Bradley has pushed us on to a different level to where we have been for the last few seasons. I do not have a feel for who does what in terms of player recruitment and frankly am happy to be ignorant and just focus on the good football that has been played this season and hope we can build from there. As for the original "Time For A Change" thread it did indeed have lots of engagement, in my own view it created more a lot more heat than light but given where we were last season it was a discussion that people were going to have.

[Mr Refreshment]

"As an aside - is there no one else on this forum capable of critical thinking anymore?"
Did I really see this?
I find it both condescending and insulting.
I would comment more if I did not have to wade through some of the posts that make War and Peace look like a short story.
Then perhaps my intellectual capacity and ability to think critically is limited.

[DarrenW]

I cannot comment on whether or not club management actively do not want to get promoted as I do not have the depth of relationship with the individuals in question or powers of telepathy needed to make such a judgement (although that is clearly not stopping some people here). But I think the encouraging thing this season has been the strength in depth of the squad. Even though DFG & Daniel both have brought a skill level that would clearly not be out of place at a higher level which they are likely to move onto, I think we are more balanced as a team than we have been for a considerable time. One thing I do think it is worth stressing is that characterising our success or failure in terms of one person, Mark, does seem to ignoring the work of what seems to be a much broader management group. The recruitment of Finley, Jack, Ashley, Toby & Bradley has pushed us on to a different level to where we have been for the last few seasons. I do not have a feel for who does what in terms of player recruitment and frankly am happy to be ignorant and just focus on the good football that has been played this season and hope we can build from there. As for the original "Time For A Change" thread it did indeed have lots of engagement, in my own view it created more a lot more heat than light but given where we were last season it was a discussion that people were going to have.

Interesting points you make but drawing the similaraties from the very successful squad of 2016/17. He recruited most of them players 2 or 3 years prior and ironed out the creases with recruitment.

I personally think with all those players leaving we did have a successful 2018 with the cup run but after that pretty much all of the 16/17 squad had moved on.

He and Parks are great at building a young squad and these thing's dont happen over night. They are both great at keeping a squad together for a few years. Dont hear of many players leaving? The dressing room is good.

Keeping this squad for next season is crucial as could be a successful season.

[MichaelD]

Even if Mark Burke did challenge the limitation of the budget, it is unlikely extra money would become available. The only way the budget is going to increase, it seems, is by additional investment in the club by another person.