By King Kurt
April 3 2005

After starting off so brightly, Merson's managerial career has come off the rails. His side are without organisation, belief or hope. Paul Merson began his Bescot tenure shortly after the goal difference relegation from the Championship. Despite relegation, I was not alone in applauding Jeff Bonser on Merson’s appointment.

In all honesty Merson was like a breath of positive fresh air after the previous negativity. Despite his managerial inexperience there was a belief that he could succeed. The way he inspired the side in his caretaker role towards the end of the previous season also suggested that he was the man for the job.

He inherited a squad of players that we believed would be challenging at the right end of the table. The only notable departures from the side that had battled unsuccessfully the previous year were Jimmy Walker, Ritchie and Samways.

On paper, promotion was easy. Replace the departures with suitable quality and we should have been there or there abouts.

Sadly, the warning signs were flashing as early as pre season. Although pre season games shouldn’t really be used as a yardstick for the up and coming season it was clear for even a blind man to notice all was not well.

A mixture of startling results, changes in playing style, formation and personnel left fans somewhat confused. The majority just accepted that the gaffer was experimenting and there was no need to be truly alarmed.

So, despite a poor pre season there was still an air of optimism come the season start.

Merson’s Saddlers came out of the blocks all guns blazing with a gung ho attacking style of football. Goals were flowing for fun.

After the 3-2 opening day victory against Vale the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth was creditable (despite throwing away a 2 goal lead). Unfortunately the visit to Boundary Park was to set the tone for the rest of the season. Saddlers again took a 2 goal lead and looked to be coasting. Unfortunately they came back from Lancashire having been given a 5-3 hiding.

Despite our inability to defend Merson announced to the world that we were the best team in the league and promotion should be within our grasp.

The dreadful results continued to arrive with alarming regularity. The defeats to Doncaster, Chesterfield, Brentford and Huddersfield then had Merson announcing we were still good enough for a play off spot. At this point, fans started to believe that the gaffer was beginning to lose the plot. Even the Bescot boardroom were apparently concerned as rumours surfaced that Merson had been given a two game ultimatum to turn things round.

Newly appointed coach Onoura was made the scapegoat and Walsall turned in a good performance to beat high flying Colchester, played excellently to bring a point back from Wrexham and were simply magnificent when they defeated runaway leaders Luton Town. Surely the corner had been turned.

Merson’s Saddlers then went completely off the rails with a home defeat against Bristol City, away defeat to hull and the rather embarrassing humbling at the hands of Slough in the Cup.

Saddlers never recovered.

Performances have deteriorated and are currently at levels we never thought possible.
The team are totally disjointed, disorganised and playing without method or belief.

The manager’s claims that we would win the league were gradually tempered into the belief we would win a play off spot. This was subsequently watered down into a rallying cry for the last play off spot. Since then we have been told that we should survive in this league.

Quite frankly, this is not good enough. We are a shambles.

Since the departure of Bescot hero Walker, Merson has employed 5 goalkeepers between the posts in 8 months. Mark Wright has been employed at right back when quite clearly he isn’t a very good defender.

All season Merson has tinkered with the formation and playing staff in order to find a winning formula. He has not succeeded. Unfortunately he has stuck with some of the senior players who have continually let him down.

Whilst we are a disorganised rabble on the pitch the off the pitch organisation is no better. We have had coaches appointed only to be sacked a few months later. Player coaches have been appointed, discarded and then made team captain. Another coach was employed and scarpered off to Forest and heaven knows what happened to the assistant manager who went awol mid season.

So, in total disarray, we are just above the relegation trap door. We have Merson in charge, no assistant manager and no first team coach.

Worryingly, this isn’t April the first. This is how a so called professional club is being run.