Dagenham & Redbridge are trapped in an inescapable cycle of constant false dawns interspersed among more frequent mediocrity, tumbling towards the same predictably depressing conclusion unless we finally sack the perennial failure who is perpetuating it. The man plagued by the same unaddressed problems as when he first set foot in the club amid a backdrop of wrongful hope three years ago, stating desires to improve a club culture he constantly dissociates from in terms of self-declared managerial properties, but has only served to worsen. Pound for pound, Peter Taylor extracted more from the team and that's really saying something, while we also suffered far fewer humblings like Daryl McMahon has. The odd one happens in football, but the frequency at which they do here alludes to deep-rooted problems. Following a now-customary collapse at home to Barnet in his first full season at the helm, he stated that the club has 'felt sorry for itself' in the two years preceding his arrival but he would not let that happen. After all, it supposedly contravened everything he stands for as a manager. Yet it has done so at intermittent periods ever since, each time eliciting a regurgitation of that same sentiment. Later on that very campaign, after a 3-1 defeat to a Notts County side reduced to ten men one of whom was a 5'10'' central midfielder in goal, McMahon pinpointed the embarrassing evening as indicative of how far we were away from challenging. We are no nearer now, a whole two years down the line. If anything, there have been more of those disastrous performances than ever before, with the Dorking Wanderers debacle probably the worst of them all and, even at a club which notoriously perseveres with managers beyond their shelf-life, it seemed a point of no return. However, it wasn't, so you have to wonder how bad things have to get before enough is finally enough. That he was even still in tenure at that stage was undeserved in itself, as the 5-0 defeat against Notts County a month earlier should have been the end. Cue more condemnatory comments questioning the character of the side, which by now had long lost their effect if ever there was any. Just when rock bottom is reached, though, we always manage to unearth an uplifting result from somewhere to convince ourselves that we have turned a corner after all. In this case, a stunning victory at Chesterfield, with the team looking comparatively transformed. You wonder whether he really has lost the dressing room like the previous match suggested. Then, either straight away or after a brief mini-spell if we're lucky, it is always back to square one. Always back to this. Which is where we find ourselves at the minute. Just three weeks ago, while winning against Bromley at half time, we were in the wonderful situation where another unanswered goal would have elevated us to fifth with games in hand. Four defeats from the next five outings later, the team have collapsed in a manner quite remarkable even by its own notorious standards of doing so. The latest, a midweek defeat to Eastleigh, feels significant not for being any worse than the others but in that it elicited another damning post-match assessment, the kind that might force players to buck up their ideas were it not the umpteenth time we've heard the like. The angle this time was that too many treat playing for Dagenham as simply a job instead of the passionate craft it should be, alluding to a lack of desire. Difficult to disagree with, except he has had a ludicrous amount of time to tailor this squad to his supposed vision by retaining and recruiting the personnel to suit, especially when you consider what the managers of Woking and Barnet have managed to achieve in a significantly reduced timeframe while on a lesser budget, not to mention Southend United whose staff aren't even being paid. There is absolutely zero excuse for us to be so far behind. When you look into our tactics, though, it's not hard to understand why we are. Formations are still continually tinkered in the hope of stumbling upon a solution that doesn't necessitate square pegs in round holes. Whichever he chooses will always hinge upon a soon 35-year-old in Myles Weston without whom there is no creativity whatsoever.
He's signed centre halves Manny Onariase and David Longe-King for actual money but both are being shown up by someone who has only played twenty career games there having been converted from another position. Meanwhile, our right-back is also our best option on the other side, plus our liveliest midfielder Mo Sagaf is either dropped or the first to be taken off. I could go on forever, but it's just a mess. So where to now? The play-offs aren't beyond reach however may as well be because we will suffer far too many of these before now and the season's end, though will win the odd game by virtue of individual ability to paper over the cracks and ultimately keep the manager clinging on some more. Therein lies the nature of the cycle. Here's retrospectively the most agonising part, though it doesn't feel so at the time despite most people knowing what is coming next: we will almost certainly find a result against Scunthorpe United or Aldershot Town in the next seven days, maybe even both - which, let's be honest, should be the case - but it won't be long before we're back here and the cycle repeats. Again. And again. And again. The famous definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong while travelling the country supporting the boys every week, but it's never felt more gruelling. With a sub-1000 home turnout midweek, others are clearly acting upon the same feeling.
5 Comments
Graham Hill
15/2/2023 09:17:27 pm
I agree wholeheartedly it’s time we let the board no what we think of the manager n get him out of our club a new head with new ideas
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Craig williams
16/2/2023 07:16:08 am
Absolutely spot on couldn't agree more
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Simon Hanning
16/2/2023 11:31:56 am
Joel you write with great passion and obvious love of the club. I haven’t been involved for 3-4 years now since my dad resigned from the board. When the new owners came in I hoped that it would be the kick up the bum that was needed but sadly that’s not happened. Their is one common thread throughout, and it’s not the manager. Back in years gone by the club was run by a group of directors that knew their onions in terms of football knowledge, knew when the time was right to let go of a manager, when things were not working on the pitch. They also had a good understanding of the fans, and would look to build on the family and feelgood atmosphere that was generated by good fa cup runs, pushing for the league, great atmosphere in the stands/bars and a group of hard working and honest players, staff and board members that cared greatly about the club. It seems to me mr Thompson has a lot to answer for in ruining that, and it seems his way of working, mainly for his own interests has now spread throughout the club. It’s sad to watch and dissapointing that the owners can’t see that’s where the negativity has started from. I have not seen one fresh new idea, one good football decision and no plan to bring the fans back to being part of what was once a fantastic place to be on a Saturday afternoon. One day I hope to come back, and I hope I get to bring my dad back too, changes need to start from the top (the owners) and hopefully that goodwill returning will also spread to the players and success once again. Well I hope anyway!
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Jamie Harding
16/2/2023 10:04:25 pm
Agree with all of of this, one thing the irks me is why didnt the board get rid of steve thomspon? The man nearly lost us the club. Changes need to be made starting from the top. I will npt be spending another penny at the club until then.
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Simon
16/2/2023 10:28:37 pm
In my opinion, they didn’t get rid of him because he had already done his divide and conquer political moves which meant all that was left on the board was him and his close friends, no one would argue with him, which has meant he has had a nice easy run at everything with never a question asked of him. He trod very heavily over some of the nicest people regularly and in effect forced them out. Which was very sad to see, not only to my dad, but to some other people that had in effect given over a large part of their lives in being part of the club. He does however turn on the ‘I’m a nice guy’ routine every time the new owners turn up. I’m just surprised after all the money they have put in that they havent seen that he was the reason for the rot setting in originally, as businessmen surely they can see that? I mean they are the ones that should be asking of him to improve the mood around the place, get the fans on board (not drive them away with his anger issues) and more importantly be advised rightly on the football side of things, have a look at the Uk board members and I bet they wouldn’t know a good player from a bad one, let alone a manager. I am advised though he can pull a good pint from when he was the barman at the club back in the day. Not sure that has given him or his ‘mates’ the know how on a good player mind.
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