The Tanner Report

“Are we heading for oblivion?” and “I watched a horror movie …” were two of the messages I received after the Bournemouth debacle. Let me say straightaway that the Cherries were extremely good just as the last two teams to put five past us – Derby and Watford – were.

When a team is inconsistent it’s harder to select a winning one.  The defence has been porous all season but played well against Derby and Watford in the last  two games so you can’t blame Kit for staying with it. Scott Parker and Bryan Ruiz played so well against Derby that they had to play against Bournemouth but we were overrun in midfield. I spoke to Ivan Conway post-match and he thought any of our five strikers – MacCormack , Rodallega, Woodrow, Smith and Dembele would get into the Brighton side.

Alan Curbishley returns for a second spell. He fell with Meulensteen and Wilkins last time without ever knowing what was expected of him. Now he must bring consistency to the team and greater organisation to the defence. Inevitably suspicions will form that if this bad run continues it will be arrividerci Kit, Curbs will take over and yet another appointment process for next season. On one hand you could say that it’s like President Lincoln, or more latterly the Conservarive Party, replacing its generals till the right man; on the other, you could argue that 6 managers/ coaches in two seasons reflects chronic decision-making and generates total confusion in the group. Inevitably comparison will be made with al Fayed who appointed Kevin Keegan, Jean Tigana and Roy Hodgson, three of the most successful managers in Fulham’s history and Chris Coleman and Mark Hughes, who more than held the fort. When a manager was not up to it – Wilkins, Sanchez and Bracewell – he acted decisively and swiftly to terminate their tenure.

I fear that until we have such correct, inspired and informed decision-making and hands-on leadership our decline will continue whoever is at the managerial helm.