Setanta misses the point with Bolton Wanderers season review
Monday June 8th, 2009
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The Sky wannabes let Gary Megson off the hook
It’s the time of year when newspapers and websites fill empty space with reviews and analysis of the season just passed. Most of them are hardly worth reading, especially when you’ve had a season as dull and uneventful as the Wanderers have.
One section from Setanta’s end-of-season Bolton Wanderers review jumped off the page, though.
To be fair, most of what Setanta said about Bolton’s season was spot on: Jussi Jaaskelainen as player of the year, Gary Cahill as young player of the year.
They also picked the right two players for worst signing of the year and biggest disappointment: Johan Elmander and Danny Shittu. They just got them the wrong way round. As I wrote the other day, Elmander was far from a total disaster, he just didn’t live up to the record signing billing. Shittu, on the other hand, was a disaster from start to finish.
The bit that really stood out, though, was the signing of the season award, which was given to Mustapha Riga.
Now, for all that Riga may have won some affection from the fans, it’s difficult to see how anyone could argue that he had a significant impact – if any – on the campaign.
As the Setanta review points out, he managed just two starts, and aside from the odd trick and turn of pace, he did pretty much nothing.
The point here is that after impressing with the signings of Matt Taylor, Gary Cahill and Gretar Steinsson during his first transfer window as Bolton Wanderers manager in January 2008, Gary Megson failed to with pretty much all of his signings during the 2008-09 campaign. The fact that Riga won this award shows that none of them set the world on fire – indeed several of them failed to even manage a spark.
So why did Setanta not point out Megson’s failings rather concocting some lame argument for Riga?
All of which once agin begs the question: Do you trust Gary Megson with your season ticket money?
Have your say in the comment box below…
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6 Comments to Setanta misses the point with Bolton Wanderers season review
You can clearly see he is not a premiership player, so you can only lay the blame on the person who signed him.
However, I thought Danny Shittu did a good job when he was drafted into the team, played with passion and commitment (unlike a good few players). He had a little run in the side and played well, and as soon as AoB came back he was ousted unfairly. If any player who was poor, it as to be Fabrice Muamba, who would have been dropped if he was not Megson signing, but having wasted 5 Million on a player who can’t pass, shoot or control a ball how could he (megson) possible leave him out.
HeywoodWandererJune 8, 2009
I agree with Riga, he’s had a shocker, but as he has dreadlocks and a name that rolls of the tongue he seems to have become a fans favourite. Mark Davies has been a good signing though, he looks like our most creative midfielder and good value for money
Manny RoadJune 8, 2009
Shittu had one or two decent games but made far too many mistakes and was torn apart by anyone with any pace…
Mark Davies could be a good signing. Too soon to tell yet.
MixuJune 8, 2009
Manny Road are you talking about Shittu or AoB!!!! Your account seems to apply to both!!!
Manny RoadJune 8, 2009
I’m not saying Andy O’Brien is a world beater, I just think he’s better than shittu. In an ideal world both would be replaced.
PedroJune 9, 2009
Well Setanta obviously know nowt about football anyway. I believe they are selling SPL coverage for a £5 and Des Lynham for 50p!
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June 8, 2009