On Dale, I think an underrated element of our summer business and management has been how we’ve managed the continuity from last season. It would have been very easy/tempting to start the new season with all the flashy new toys we’ve brought in in the summer and chuck them all in, on the basis that the squad last year was, on paper, one that just about scraped 6th in the league below. But we haven’t done that.
In our last game, even with Moore out injured, we still started nine players who could have lined up for us last year (Kioso and Phillips, I think, the exceptions). The quality coaching, to coach those players into a system, and continuity has been a key part in our relative success so far this season. I think over the course of the season we’ll slowly phase in the likes of Ter Avest, Dembele, El Miz and possibly the likes of Nelson, Ingram, Sibley and Phillips into our strongest XI, but I think there’s a lot to be said for showing faith in the players who got us to this level and who obviously possess the traits that Des values in players.
It sends a strong message to all players that, if you’re willing to put a shift in and contribute to the side, you’ll get a chance, which I think is so positive. Bombing players like Dale out at this stage, as some seem to be advocating, would be a mistake, I think.
