By Jason McKeown

Mark Hughes is no heart-on-his sleeve McCall or deluded Derek, and his calm personality is exactly what Bradford City need at moments like this

Stuart McCall could never quite practice what he preached. On the occasions a Bradford City team he managed did very well – such as topping League Two in September 2008 – the Bantams legend would highlight the importance of staying level-headed, saying, “We don’t get too high with the highs, or too low with the lows.”

McCall lived up to that philosophy during the high points for sure, but ultimately couldn’t avoid getting too downbeat in difficult moments. Transmitting his gloomy mood onto others, at a point where cool, calm leadership was needed.

Of those who have taken on the difficult challenge of managing Bradford City, McCall is in good company on that. The pressure of defeat has seen many crack. Derek Adams – the very antithesis of McCall – struggled to hold it together in many post-match interviews when in charge of the Bantams last season. The strain clearly showed, as he typically attempted to blame everyone but himself.

And that’s why Mark Hughes’ weekend comments, after back to defeats to high flying Northampton and Leyton Orient, offer some encouragement that we do have the right man at the helm to revive this troubled football club. Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus, Hughes declared, “These two games haven’t been what we wanted but no dramas we’ll work to get back on track. We’ll be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. Everybody knows that.”

Hughes was no doubt unhappy about what he saw at Brisbane Road on Saturday. And inside the dressing room harsh words would have been aired to the players. But to the outside world, Hughes remained calm and rational. Confident in his players’ ability to remain up there. Keen to move on rather than dwell. He rightly talked up the club’s decent league position after 20 matches, which matters more than the last two games. “We’re at the top end of the table and will be at the end of the season,” he added.

No one expects a defeated Bradford City manager to be doing cartwheels, but getting too caught up emotionally with a short-term set back – being too low with the lows – doesn’t help anyone. Walter Smith once said of managing Rangers that “you’re never more than two defeats away from a crisis”, and that’s certainly something we can relate to at Valley Parade.

Football is a volatile sport where moods can change so quickly. The spiral of doom and gloom quickly occurs in these parts. We’re very good at talking ourselves into panic mood, further increasing the pressure on all involved. The manager has to rise above that, and you can argue that we’ve not had someone in the dugout capable of maintaining a calm persona since Phil Parkinson.

More than anything, Bradford City has lacked resilience over the last few seasons. Good starts to the season are not unusual, but when cracks start to show the dam breaks all too easily. Everyone can get sucked in, including the manager. But no club can succeed if it’s always on the edge of imploding. Set backs happen at every football club on the planet. The ones who ultimately triumph are those who quickly bounce back.

That’s not to say there shouldn’t be concerns about the last few results. City have gone from conceding an average of 0.77 goals a game over the first 18 matches to letting in three in each of their last two games. The midfield is struggling to protect the defence, and support the attack. Outside of Andy Cook’s superb 16-goal haul, no City player has netted more than three goals. And only eight City players have got on the scoresheet all season.

When we see Hughes react to the defeats against Northampton and Salford in the cup by fielding largely the same team again, we can point the finger and question his apparent unwillingness to address the problems. He seems to be hoping that players who have suffered a dip in form will suddenly come good again, whilst ignoring a number of solid options in reserve who arguably deserve their chance. When City welcome Rochdale to Valley Parade a week on Saturday, it will have been exactly three months since they won at home.

But still, the league table looks good. City are sixth with 33 points from 20 games. At this stage last season, they were all the way down in 13th – eight points worse off. They’re playing good football that is largely enjoyable to watch, and have a generally likeable bunch of players who are giving their all for the club. There’s not a lot wrong right now.

The defeats of late have been disappointing, especially as they’ve emphatically demonstrated a difference in quality between City and the teams in the automatic promotion places. But overall City are moving in the right direction. We are a good side at this level, with more to come. Hughes knows that, and that’s why he conveyed a sense of perspective.

As fans we can get too low with the lows. It’s part of the rough and tumble we sign up for. But the person steering the ship isn’t panicking. And neither should we.

It’s time to avoid repeating the mistakes of the January transfer window, and there’s reason to believe the club will do much better this time

As the World Cup dominates the screens and attention at the moment, Sky Sports has quietly dropped the latest series of their behind-the-scenes show on Salford City – Class of 92: Full Time. Covering the 2021/22 season and the start of this campaign, the presence of Gary Bowyer as Salford manager means there’s plenty of watching interest for Bradford City fans. But it’s the appearance of another former Bantam who perhaps offers the biggest talking point.

For the cameras decide to focus on Tom Elliott during the first episode of the new series. They talk about the difficulties Elliott is experiencing since his move to Salford from Millwall in January 2020. The narrator explains how Elliott has endured significant injury problems since he signed, restricting him to just 14 appearances (0 goals) over 2020/21. This campaign is proving little better for Elliott, who continues to be blighted by injury, lacks form and ultimately is struggling for confidence. “When I came here from the Championship, everyone was saying ‘he’s going to rip up this league’, but I did my shoulder, did my groin,” Elliott tells the cameras. “I just want to kick on and get full fitness.”

It’s revealed Elliott is one of Salford’s highest paid players and insinuated they need a striker they can rely on to be fit and firing, especially with their play off hopes fading. When later in the show Elliott is shown to be injured again – he misses another month of action – Salford act. Bowyer brings in Matt Smith in the January window, and Elliott is made surplus to requirements.

“My injuries have set me back a lot”, Elliott reflects on his career, before conveying his disappointment at leaving Salford. “I didn’t think there was a chance I was going, I thought (Smith signing) was competition. But I spoke to the gaffer and it’s not likely I will get the minutes I want. It is what it is.”

So Elliott heads out on loan. We all know his destination, and how badly it turned out for him at Valley Parade. No goals from two starts and five sub appearances for Bradford City. After picking up yet another injury, 11 minutes into February’s home defeat to Harrogate, Elliott missed the rest of last season. He is currently without a club.

Watching Elliott’s difficulties at Salford on the documentary, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of sympathy for the player and anger at the suckers who signed him. What, really, were we thinking in bringing Elliott in on loan last January? Did we do any homework on his recent injury problems? Or was it just a lazy signing?

I think we all know the answer, as we did with the arrival – that same window – of Nathan Delfouneso from Bolton, who was similarly ineffective. Everyone knew we needed more goals and to take some of the burden off Andy Cook, and yet the poor recruitment in the striker department finished off fading play off hopes and consigned City to another mid-table finish.

But that was then, and things are different now, right? You certainly would expect that to be the case this January, following last summer’s arrival of Stephen Gent as head of recruitment. There was a notable improvement in the calibre of players brought in during the close season, and a feeling that at last City were recruiting wisely. So far, that opinion has largely held up. Not every summer signing is working out, but given 17 players were brought in that’s to be expected.

Those in the know say that Gent is a huge asset to the football club. Someone who City are very lucky to have. Middlesbrough were apparently loath to let him go and there is some expectation that Gent will one day move onto bigger and better things.

Crucially, we can be confident that Gent has spent the last few months planning for the January window. Watching lots of players, trying to find those gems who can address the weaknesses currently in the City team. He will have a list for Hughes. Answers to the questions that the manager is struggling to solve. It means there should not be a repeat of last January’s scramble around in the bargain bucket for players who are well past their prime.

Standing is set to return to Valley Parade, but the club and supporters need to come together to end this fragmented matchday atmosphere

I’m guessing you haven’t read the minutes of the Bradford City Supporters Trust’s recent meeting with the club. 20 years on from the Trust’s formation, it continues to struggle to recover its reputation after the ill-advised involvement and defence of Edin Rahic during his final days at the club. So I read them for you to save you the time. And one item of note are plans to bring safe standing back to Valley Parade in the near future, in a similar way to a number of Premier League and Football League clubs.

As someone who misses the old standing Kop, this sounds brilliant. But the proposed location of the standing area is less inspiring. The club are planning to trial 800 railed seats in the North West corner, the current home of the so-called atmosphere section.

Nothing against the lads and lasses in this part of the ground, who do their best, but the atmosphere at Valley Parade has become too fragmented by them moving out from the back of the Kop. There’s now two groups of vocal fans chanting during games (those who stayed in the Kop and those who moved). The whole atmosphere has suffered. It was a worthy experiment, but it’s failing.

Introducing safe standing in this part of the ground suggests a long-term commitment to keeping the atmosphere section, and with it the unintentional continued splintering of City’s home support. In recent years we’ve gone from being one of the most atmospheric grounds in the country to one of the most muted. Bringing in safe standing in the Kop would be fraught with difficulties, not least from fans who’ve had the same season ticket for years and who wouldn’t want to stand or give up their spot to make room for such a section, but surely it’s worth a wider dialogue across supporters?

Safe standing/railed seating is potentially the most significant change to Valley Parade since the Premier League days. We need to make sure it’s a positive move that boosts the matchday experience – and improves the level of backing the team receives.

Categories: Opinion

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