Originally I was going to call this “All I want for August is…” and stick a photo of Mariah Carey on the front, but then I remembered Debbie Harry and this vinyl cover, and I decided it was a much better option. Picture this then (in no particular order)
Promotion to the Premier League as Champions or in second
No messing abaht as they say. No play off rubbish, it never works out and I would much rather not turn up at all, rather than get to the play off final and suffer through watching Leeds United not bother to turn up as they did at Cardiff, Wembley etc.
One manager this season
Sacking someone after a string of defeats doesn’t work, look at poor Heckingbottom last season, just what did that achieve? Should have just kept with TC.
A decent run in the FA and League Cups
This would necessitate fielding a decent side in the first place (see below). It of course actually means respecting the League and FA Cups for being competitive competitions. Games that the first team players don’t necessarily need to play in, but a decent team made up of first team players, subs and the youth team to dispatch the opposition, duly dishing out the 5-0 victory needed to get us in the next round, being suffice.
Fielding a decent side in the League and FA Cup
Self explanatory. See what opposition you get picked and where the game is being played (home or away and proper pitch or lower league mudbath that a hippo wouldn’t be out of place in) . Pick your best side for the team you are playing to get the result required. Pick a team to play in the competition rather than just entering it for the sake of entering a team. I have been reminded by The Secretary that had Monk fielded a proper side against the Scousers, we might have won that game.
Away tickets allocated on loyalty of the last 10 years
Away tickets are always a hot topic for the start of the season, and will be even more so this season with the promise of a new manager (like last season, and the season before…). Given last years terrible problems for the Bolton game and the following games (until we started losing that is!) , I see this as the only way forward. The last few games last season were testament to how fickle fans can be, noticeably fewer away fans at Fulham, Preston (nearly 7k sell out last season), Villa and Norwich. As far as I and many others are concerned, if you bothered going to the games when we were really poor, you should be rewarded for that loyalty over and aboard those who can afford to pay the extra up front payment. I could go on, but I said enough last season about this.
Appropriate use of our Youth side
We have a good set up, our youth team should be utilised better. They should be brought up through the ranks (given a chance in the Cup games) and not sold off or farmed out to lower league teams.
Sensible decision making when picking the team
It was said that Don Revie used to have copious notes on each team to make sure he knew the best team to play against the opposition. The Championship is mainly full of huge defenders, midfielders who challenge hard for the ball and teams who play “the modern game” of one up front. If the opposition is known for hoofing the ball up to a lone target man, stick two men on the striker. If the midfield is slow and lumbering, put your paciest wingers on and try the trickery. Change the strategy accordingly and have the balls to substitute your players if it isn’t going your way, and do it early. There is no point waiting til 80 minutes and then putting on an attacking midfielder, is there?
Players who can play for 90 minutes (give or take another 5 or 6 mins)
It is a game of 90 minutes plus whatever the ref adds on. 90 minutes a week, and on occasion there might be two games in a week depending on Cup ties etc (use the Youth Team to help out – see above). Take Millwall last season, 3-2 up with 4 minutes to go. Yes we were down to 10 men, but we should have held out for the extra minutes which were added on as a result of The South Stand behaving like children and not giving the ball back.
Less red cards than last season
Carrying on from above, 90 minutes of keeping your head when all around are losing theirs (poetic licence notwithstanding). Reckless and some needless challenges cost us much last season. The rest of the league sussed us out, with sufficient cheating, continual bad fouls, poor ref decisions etc. they could rile us and get the advantage of the extra man by just tipping us over the edge.
Football to be just about 90 minutes (plus extra time) on the pitch
Keyboard warriors / persons with over inflated egos and /or delusions of grandeur and self importance have ruined our last few seasons. It is about what goes on the pitch and that’s what we should be concentrating on. Whilst I am all for freedom of speech and everyone has the right to voice their own opinions, social media point scoring because you get the most hits or views or whatever the latest fad is, takes time away from the most important thing, which is surely supporting Leeds United?
Just one home strip and one away strip
Stop fleecing the poor people who actually want to buy the shirts or are pressured into getting one either by peer pressure or for children to keep them on the straight and narrow.
No winter break EVER
This is England, or Wales if you are a Swansea fan. Just get on with it. Plus what about global warming? It’s supposed to be getting warmer- right? Or were the scientists in the 70s correct in the first place? Is there really is going to be an ice age? We know what this is all about, money spinning games in the Far East and US, just the FA lying through their smug, over paid, white, middle aged, fat cat, dodgy deals dental plan on us (the plebs) teeth.
Football on Saturday afternoons at 3pm
Unless it is a Bank Holiday of course. When was the last time we played at home on August Bank holiday weekend?
