Who to blame? There can only be one man...
30/12/03 | by Ivan Murfin

It's quiet in our humble abode at the moment - in fact, if anything, the tables have been turned. Last season's euphoria of the play-offs and at the same time watching the sheep struggle to keep adrift of the relegation zone has disappeared, totally.

At the time of writing there are four points between us and them - four lousy points. They, of course, expected nothing else from their team this season: a season to consolidate, a season to blood a new manager and blood young players.

We didn't expect it. We were going for promotion, remember? And that, my friends, has bought a whole new dimension to the sheep's season, a brighter aspect to their dismal position.

Four lousy points! A case almost as if they are saying "if we go down, then at least you'll be accompanying us!" Come March 20th it may even be perhaps one of the biggest Derby matches for years - a six pointer in the relegation stakes.

How did it come to this? Where do we begin to understand! Sales and purchases of players have left us all somewhat dumbfounded and have left the team we all love fearful of being swept down the Trent into oblivion.

It's difficult to pinpoint where it all began to go wrong. Perhaps with the sale of Prutton, but almost certainly with the coming and goings during the late summer and early part of the season.

I for one have in the past slammed the board - and the Chairman in particular - for lack of ambition. However, in these sombre times reflection is a humble pastime.

So who do we blame? Who are guilty of turning the 'beautiful game' into a bloody nightmare? I understand that players left because they wanted better contracts (e.g. Brennan) and others left because they were not wanted (e.g. Lester).

Time and time again we were subjected to the time-honoured excuse about club finances and strict salary caps. Was not Taylor bought into Forest at the expense of this said wage cap being ignored - if so, is it not about time he started to repay his debt?

However, is there any justification to the fact that Taylor is not bagging the goals as he did at Burnley due to the fact that he needs a winger for supply and at Forest we still adopt the pretty, but ineffective, diamond?

Was it not financial restraints that kept us from, at least offering Darren Huckerby , something? Was it not financial restraints and 'set in stone' wage caps that initiated the departure of one of our favourite sons, Marlon Harewood, his salary demands being outside the limits of reason?

This was perhaps the biggest crime that took place in the City Ground this season and there's more to come yet, i.e. Reid and Dawson.

Marlon's return to the City Ground at the weekend was a kick in the face for most Forest fans - didn't you just know he was going to score?

Apparently someone here at the club didn't think that Marlon was worth that few extra quid. Why should they? 12 goals, carrying the attack in the absence of favourite son No 1. Sometimes lazy, sometimes frustrating, sometimes pure magical, but surely worth holding on to?

The excuses: we are a young team, we have a small squad, and how many times this season when looking at the back of the programme have you seen a squad larger than ours? Not many. Yes, we have a young team, but we have also had the options, surely?

Loan players? No not us, we don't do that sort of thing. Except on no-hopers. McPhail - not a no-hoper in the player sense, but in the permanent signing sense, did you ever think it was going to happen? Stewart - a Man Utd future star, but a no hoper in the player sense. Not good enough!

Tactics? What tactics? Constantly playing the diamond, when a centre forward is crying out for his wingman? Reid on the right? Bopp on the left? Williams at the right of the diamond, at the back of the diamond, at the front of the diamond?

Ward, his demented short throws to the back four at one-nil down with five minutes to go, two passes, then back to him again to boot it up field an acre away from a red shirt? The inclusion of unfit players? The inclusion of Stewart, in favour of Jess/Bopp, against the Hammers, on the back of a dismal run of form in the reserves?

So who do we blame? Paul Hart picks the teams, decides the tactics and has the final say on who comes and who goes.

Let Paul Hart speak up and tell us all that he pleaded with the board to keep Marlon Harewood, albeit at the sacrifice of the wage cap. Let Paul Hart speak up and tell us he wanted to keep Jim Brennan. Let Paul Hart stand up and tell us that he wanted to keep Jack Lester (10 goals and counting for the Blunts) and that it was Jack who wanted to go. Let Paul Hart stand up and say that Taylor was worth breaking the wage cap in order to get him to the club.

Next we'll hear that it was financial constraints that forced Forest to sell Reid and Dawson, only two months since hearing Doughty publicly say that no-one would have to be sold this season for financial reasons.

Brian Clough would never have stood for it. He would have stood his ground, threatened resignation, clipped a few ear holes, but he would have got his way. And his team would have proved him right on the pitch. That's the difference between a good manager and Mr Hart.

John McGovern said last week that Paul Hart now has to instil some confidence into the team. How is he going to do that? Maybe drop Reid, play Walker up-front, tie Ward's hands behind his back?

It is you, Mr Hart, that has lost the team's confidence.

We thank you, Paul, for a wonderful season last time round, but in my opinion, it is you who are to blame for the demise of Nottingham Forest and it is with everlasting hope that you will now do your best to help the club find its feet, in the way only you can.

Bon voyage, Mr Hart.

Rant over, we shall now settle down to all the old adages that come with an impending New Year, and I will wallow in self pity with a few sheep fans. Happy New Year!