I’m tired of writing doom and gloom pieces though. As much as I want things to change, as much there are decisions that perplex me on and off the pitch I hate talking about things being crap.
And while there is a lot that isn’t right, it’s not the end of the world either – as some of the more hyperbolic on social media and internet forums would have you believe.
I’ll admit myself that I’ve found it hard to take of late – but this is what being a Blues fan is about, isn’t it?
For example, when Blues went through that horrific period when they couldn’t win at home under Lee Clark, things looked dark on and off the pitch.
On the pitch the team was journeymen, kids and loanees using what meagre budget the club could scrape together while off it Carson was in and out of court and Pannu was in and out of Spearmint Rhino.
We can’t seem to win now – but I look at the squad and think if someone can knock their heads together things could change. As I’ve said before, I don’t think it’s a case of changing management or players, more of changing attitudes; and having seen Harlee Dean speak to Blues TV I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who sees it.
While our expenditure on players might not have yielded the results the owners have wanted, there is at least an effort to try and improve things in the long-term. The purchase of Wast Hills would mean Blues own their own training ground for the first time since this century and would help ensure that the improvements to the infrastructure there can improve.
The level of expectation between then and now outlines why things aren’t so bad.
Back then it was despair that things would ever change; now it’s just frustration that things aren’t changing for the better as fast we hoped. It’s frustration borne out of the feeling that rather than players being limited by their talent, they seem to be limited by their application.
Thankfully, a lack of effort can be improved upon much quicker than a lack of talent.
The international break has come at a good time for Blues. Hopefully some of the toxicity in the squad can be sorted out, allowing Cotterill and Carsley to do enough on the training pitch to ensure that the toxicity in the stands towards the players wanes too.
Hopefully, come November 18 and the game against Forest, Cotterill will have found a team that will perform to the levels needed for positive results.