Since I posed the questions I suppose I should have a "gut guess" at answering them.
Q1-What did Bolton really think going into this last game? Did he expect the possibility of a 100 point thrashing or did he expect the kids to put on a bit of a show?
I’m thinking that he probably approached the game with the view that we’ll “Play the kids and they’ll give an effort.” In the very back of his mind he may even have been holding out the hope of an upset win. He was more likely expecting about a 4-6 goal loss with good contests and pressure. I don’t think he would have been expecting the third quarter effort and would have been disappointed by that performance. The task ahead of him would suddenly have loomed a bit larger.
Q2-Has that result influenced the selection process for upcoming games?
Unless we’re absolutely devastated by injuries I doubt we’ll see so many young players playing at once. They’ll be rotated through, but even so most will end the season with about a dozen games under their belts.
Q3-No doubt youngsters will benefit from game time… but is that more beneficial when you’re surrounded by more experienced players?
I think that’s a given. I use the example of Marc Murphy and the treatment he received in his early years compared to Joel Selwood’s introduction to senior football. Selwood was surrounded by a group of mature talented players Murphy was battered from pillar to post with very little if any support from his team-mates. Which player has the better chance of reaching his potential?
Q4-What do the senior players feel about being surrounded by such a young group? How do they feel about carrying an extra burden with the knowledge that they may not be around to taste any success?
Simpson will soldier on. He will be a Carlton player until his demise (career wise). Gibbs, Murphy and Kreuzer are a different proposition. While success may elude them at Carlton there may be an opportunity to experience it with a move to another club. These players are probably looking at a final big pay day in the process. The choice for them comes down to… stay at Carlton and help guide (carry) the youngsters for another season or two, or become a part of a side where everyone is carrying a fair share of the weight... possibly (probably)for a bit extra coin. For the professional footballer it seems an easy decision…it may be a bit harder for someone who feels the ties to the club a bit stronger.
Q5-How do experienced fringe players feel about being passed over for selection to get games into kids? The message for these guys is “You’re finished!”…how does that affect team dynamics? They may not be the future but they are the “here and now” and as such can be a positive or a negative influence depending on how they’re managed.
This is a tricky one to manage. A single disgruntled player probably won’t have much of an influence. A group of half a dozen can be a greater concern. If the choice is between an experienced player and a youngster for a spot in the side, and there is not a very clear difference in ability, you can make a good argument for giving the younger player game time. It’s an argument even the experienced player can see and accept. But if the older player is busting a gut week after week and constantly giving up a place to a player just to get “games into them” you create a problem. Bolton says the team is picked on form. It has to be, and the selections need to be seen as fair. Older players will feel the inclusion and younger players understand that selection needs to be earned. It sets a standard.
Q6-Despite comments to the contrary, wins don’t seem to be important at the moment and it’s all about development. But how long can folk hold the faith while that process occurs?
Many hard core, rusted on, passionate supporters will wait as long as it takes. The problem is that there is a wide range of supporter commitment and the “hard core” make up only a fraction of that support. Even within that group you will get the constant slipping away of support as success fails to materialise. How patient are some folk now compared to this time last year? No doubt there are a few who were committed who are now beginning to have a few concerns. Now factor in sponsors, kids who look to follow a successful side, potential members, fringe supporters and… the old “boogie men” (hopefully a nearly extinct breed) who look to exert power and influence at the club for their own self-gratification and are just waiting for things to go pear shaped so they can step in. You realise that this is not really an “As long as it takes” operation!
Q7-How good a match day and tactical coach is Bolton. He has wraps on him as a developer of character. What’s he like as a developer of footballers.
This is a “wait and see” one. A coach may keep a player who is being beaten on his opponent for what we feel is too long but at this stage it may be more about finding out the character of the player and how he responds and fights back. It’s a learning experience and with a few of these going on it may affect results in the short term. As for tactical nous…we probably need to wait and see over the next year or so how Bolton responds in closer encounters.
Q8-Are we asking too much of Weitering and Cripps…both appear to be hampered by injuries that aren’t serious enough to stop them from playing but what’s the mental toll of continuing to push the injured body?
Yes. It’s the circumstance we find ourselves in that these two guys are being asked to shoulder responsibilities that would be taken up by 24-25 year olds at other clubs. I think Cripps thrives on it but I suspect he’s been battling against injuries in recent times. Weitering is a slightly different concern. A few folk have made mention of it, but he seems to be a bit out of sorts. I don’t believe it’s a courage thing but more a confidence thing. No doubt after his season last year he’s getting more attention. He’s been off the field a few times this year after knocks. The things I’ll be looking for in the next couple of weeks will be his approach to the contest. Does he go when he should or is there that momentary hesitation? Is he standing back off contests? When he does attack the ball is it with purpose and confidence. When he does have the ball is he instinctively choosing good options and is his disposal effective (all were features of his game last year)….and just basically does he seem to be enjoying his football.
Q9-We’ve seen some “flashes of brilliance” by a few of the young fellows (e.g.Fisher’s goal) but does that necessarily indicate a champ in the making? I remember a “weave and dodge” from Boekhorst in one of his early games that had us a bit excited, but nothing much has come of that….yet. These guys will develop at different rates. Some won’t meet expectations others will exceed them.
It’s a bit of a lottery isn’t it? Some of the early green shoots may turn out to be a bit weedy and we won’t know in the short term. But the good thing is that as the weeks go by we will start to get a better idea of strengths and weaknesses. Development of players has been a huge problem for us and it’s important that we start to get lots more hits than misses in this area.
Q10-Can we hold the group together? Players like Cripps and Weitering, should they continue their development, will attract decent offers down the track. Will we be at a stage where some of the burden has been shouldered by others and they’re happy to stay.
This could very well be the key. A club that struggles for season after season will not be an attractive proposition for talented players. Such players have to shoulder an extra responsibility for little reward other than personal satisfaction. On the other hand a group who are committed and unified and focussed on working together for improvement and success will be more likely to stay together. On the surface this approach looks to be a real strength of Boltons. In some respects he may be quite happy to see the end (or movement) of older players so that “His” group can grow together and work towards that goal free of old influences. Being a part of that will be a big factor in retaining players.
We’ll probably end up with a massive salary cap problem because of all the talent but that’s definitely preferable to the alternative.
Q1-What did Bolton really think going into this last game? Did he expect the possibility of a 100 point thrashing or did he expect the kids to put on a bit of a show?
I’m thinking that he probably approached the game with the view that we’ll “Play the kids and they’ll give an effort.” In the very back of his mind he may even have been holding out the hope of an upset win. He was more likely expecting about a 4-6 goal loss with good contests and pressure. I don’t think he would have been expecting the third quarter effort and would have been disappointed by that performance. The task ahead of him would suddenly have loomed a bit larger.
Q2-Has that result influenced the selection process for upcoming games?
Unless we’re absolutely devastated by injuries I doubt we’ll see so many young players playing at once. They’ll be rotated through, but even so most will end the season with about a dozen games under their belts.
Q3-No doubt youngsters will benefit from game time… but is that more beneficial when you’re surrounded by more experienced players?
I think that’s a given. I use the example of Marc Murphy and the treatment he received in his early years compared to Joel Selwood’s introduction to senior football. Selwood was surrounded by a group of mature talented players Murphy was battered from pillar to post with very little if any support from his team-mates. Which player has the better chance of reaching his potential?
Q4-What do the senior players feel about being surrounded by such a young group? How do they feel about carrying an extra burden with the knowledge that they may not be around to taste any success?
Simpson will soldier on. He will be a Carlton player until his demise (career wise). Gibbs, Murphy and Kreuzer are a different proposition. While success may elude them at Carlton there may be an opportunity to experience it with a move to another club. These players are probably looking at a final big pay day in the process. The choice for them comes down to… stay at Carlton and help guide (carry) the youngsters for another season or two, or become a part of a side where everyone is carrying a fair share of the weight... possibly (probably)for a bit extra coin. For the professional footballer it seems an easy decision…it may be a bit harder for someone who feels the ties to the club a bit stronger.
Q5-How do experienced fringe players feel about being passed over for selection to get games into kids? The message for these guys is “You’re finished!”…how does that affect team dynamics? They may not be the future but they are the “here and now” and as such can be a positive or a negative influence depending on how they’re managed.
This is a tricky one to manage. A single disgruntled player probably won’t have much of an influence. A group of half a dozen can be a greater concern. If the choice is between an experienced player and a youngster for a spot in the side, and there is not a very clear difference in ability, you can make a good argument for giving the younger player game time. It’s an argument even the experienced player can see and accept. But if the older player is busting a gut week after week and constantly giving up a place to a player just to get “games into them” you create a problem. Bolton says the team is picked on form. It has to be, and the selections need to be seen as fair. Older players will feel the inclusion and younger players understand that selection needs to be earned. It sets a standard.
Q6-Despite comments to the contrary, wins don’t seem to be important at the moment and it’s all about development. But how long can folk hold the faith while that process occurs?
Many hard core, rusted on, passionate supporters will wait as long as it takes. The problem is that there is a wide range of supporter commitment and the “hard core” make up only a fraction of that support. Even within that group you will get the constant slipping away of support as success fails to materialise. How patient are some folk now compared to this time last year? No doubt there are a few who were committed who are now beginning to have a few concerns. Now factor in sponsors, kids who look to follow a successful side, potential members, fringe supporters and… the old “boogie men” (hopefully a nearly extinct breed) who look to exert power and influence at the club for their own self-gratification and are just waiting for things to go pear shaped so they can step in. You realise that this is not really an “As long as it takes” operation!
Q7-How good a match day and tactical coach is Bolton. He has wraps on him as a developer of character. What’s he like as a developer of footballers.
This is a “wait and see” one. A coach may keep a player who is being beaten on his opponent for what we feel is too long but at this stage it may be more about finding out the character of the player and how he responds and fights back. It’s a learning experience and with a few of these going on it may affect results in the short term. As for tactical nous…we probably need to wait and see over the next year or so how Bolton responds in closer encounters.
Q8-Are we asking too much of Weitering and Cripps…both appear to be hampered by injuries that aren’t serious enough to stop them from playing but what’s the mental toll of continuing to push the injured body?
Yes. It’s the circumstance we find ourselves in that these two guys are being asked to shoulder responsibilities that would be taken up by 24-25 year olds at other clubs. I think Cripps thrives on it but I suspect he’s been battling against injuries in recent times. Weitering is a slightly different concern. A few folk have made mention of it, but he seems to be a bit out of sorts. I don’t believe it’s a courage thing but more a confidence thing. No doubt after his season last year he’s getting more attention. He’s been off the field a few times this year after knocks. The things I’ll be looking for in the next couple of weeks will be his approach to the contest. Does he go when he should or is there that momentary hesitation? Is he standing back off contests? When he does attack the ball is it with purpose and confidence. When he does have the ball is he instinctively choosing good options and is his disposal effective (all were features of his game last year)….and just basically does he seem to be enjoying his football.
Q9-We’ve seen some “flashes of brilliance” by a few of the young fellows (e.g.Fisher’s goal) but does that necessarily indicate a champ in the making? I remember a “weave and dodge” from Boekhorst in one of his early games that had us a bit excited, but nothing much has come of that….yet. These guys will develop at different rates. Some won’t meet expectations others will exceed them.
It’s a bit of a lottery isn’t it? Some of the early green shoots may turn out to be a bit weedy and we won’t know in the short term. But the good thing is that as the weeks go by we will start to get a better idea of strengths and weaknesses. Development of players has been a huge problem for us and it’s important that we start to get lots more hits than misses in this area.
Q10-Can we hold the group together? Players like Cripps and Weitering, should they continue their development, will attract decent offers down the track. Will we be at a stage where some of the burden has been shouldered by others and they’re happy to stay.
This could very well be the key. A club that struggles for season after season will not be an attractive proposition for talented players. Such players have to shoulder an extra responsibility for little reward other than personal satisfaction. On the other hand a group who are committed and unified and focussed on working together for improvement and success will be more likely to stay together. On the surface this approach looks to be a real strength of Boltons. In some respects he may be quite happy to see the end (or movement) of older players so that “His” group can grow together and work towards that goal free of old influences. Being a part of that will be a big factor in retaining players.
We’ll probably end up with a massive salary cap problem because of all the talent but that’s definitely preferable to the alternative.