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Search forCrewe Alex: Keep our key men fit, and team can deliver play-off drama for supporters
Saturday, August 09, 2008, 09:30
A WHILE back, the thought of a new season would be enough to send a shiver down my spine and send me in to a state of anxiety.
However, Steve Holland's positive summer recruitment drive has seen a renewed sense of optimism come flooding back among Crewe's loyal hardcore.
While the scars of a truly awful season last time out are still visible, they are beginning to show signs of healing and the future looks bright under Holland's stewardship. That means fans should be able to look forwards with anticipation rather than trepidation.
We came within a whisker of relegation to the Football League's basement division in Holland's first year in charge, but with a year of management under his belt, and with technical director Dario Gradi fading in to the background, this is his big year to prove the doubters wrong.
He can't accuse the much-maligned board of not backing him, as they have backed Holland to the hilt. They have parted with the best part of £500,000 to strengthen a squad which has been neglected over the years.
The spending may appease supporters in the short term, but they will be keen to see a return on that substantial investment and it is imperative the team hit the ground running in what should be a tight division.
Holland has invested in match-winners – a proven League One target man in Calvin Zola and a decent goal-scorer in Anthony Elding.
Their addition to the squad has seen the attacking options beefed up, despite Nicky Maynard's departure to Championship outfit Bristol CIty.
Zola is the key to our season. If we can keep him fit, we could be in for a decent run in both the league and cup.
He can be a bit of enigma, going from the sublime to the ridiculous, but he demonstrated in the 4-0 pre-season victory over Premier League new-comers Hull City just how effective he can be.
His performance in that friendly was awesome. That is the level we need to get from him week-in, week-out and hopefully he can find a level of consistency that he couldn't seem to find at Tranmere. He has all the ingredients to be a top player and if he can't prosper at Crewe, then he never will.
There were a few raised eyebrows when we splashed out 200,000 for a player with a terrible injury past and a poor goalscoring record, but I'm confident he can become a firm favourite with the fans.
We are never going to find the finished article and he is the best a club of our stature could hope to attract.
This could be an inspired signing and while calling him the Adebayor of League One may be a bit far fetched, he definitely has potential which can be worked on.
Zola and Maynard could have formulated a lucrative partnership, but I'm confident we have enough left in reserve now our top scorer from last season has left the club.
The signing of keeper Steve Collis is arguably as important as the capture of Zola. While the club would have been happy for Ben Williams to sign, the vast majority of fans are delighted we have been able to bring in an experienced keeper.
Williams had his critics and was, perhaps, over-criticised at times, but it was probably best for all parties that he moved on. In Collis, we look to have a keeper who can command his area and who looks accomplished at taking crosses.
To be successful you need a good spine and in Collis, captain Julien Baudet, Irish midfielder Michael O'Connor and Zola we have the basis of a decent spine. If we can keep that quartet fit, then I can see us having a good season.
On the back of a decent summer and a couple of encouraging pre-season results it is easy to get carried away. While I feel that this summer has been a step in the right direction, we are still light years away from being promotion contenders.
Despite the sterling efforts of the management team there are still a few areas of concern. A long-term partner for Baudet needs to be found. Chris McCready and Danny O'Donnell have yet to convince us that they are up to the task.
The midfield appears to be strong in numbers, but lacks any real depth. The loss of Tottenham youngster Jake Livermore in the friendly (broken leg) was untimely and when the games begin to come thick and fast I worry the quality is not there.
The gap in midfield may be plugged by another loan player unless one of the youngsters from the academy can come good. James Bailey looks likely to be one to spring from the pack and don't be surprised if he becomes a regular on the team sheet.
On paper I feel we have the makings of a decent squad and Holland now has to prove he can make the transition from coach to manager. Steve and his players need to start working as a team.
A good start is imperative. In the harsh world of football management his every move will be scrutinised. The money he has spent will add yet more pressure as people's expectations have been raised for forthcoming season.
The fans believe in him and will back him. He has much to prove, but ultimately he needs to become a winner. Drop the nice guy attitude, get stuck in and roll his sleeves up. It won't be a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination.
A solid start with us hovering around mid-table around Christmas time with a view to making a late dash for the play-offs is what I would expect from this season. If we can do better than that, it will be a bonus.
On the other hand, a bottom-six finish would represent a massive underachievement for the team.
MAIN MEN: New striker Calvin Zola (main picture), skipper Julien Baudet (top right), keeper Steve Collis and midfielder Michael O'Connor (opposite page) will provide a strong spine to Crewe's line-up this season. However, keeping them fit will be crucial to the team's success.
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