Key weekend for morale

Roger Graham 1551 - 1551 • Published 19 Jun 2009 14:00

GREENOCK face a big weekend in an attempt to salvage something from what has rapidly become a season in downward spiral.

Beaten five times out of six in the league, their targets can now be summed up as achieving some sort of respectability in the table alongside a decent Scottish Cup run.

Undoubtedly the club has suffered from a plethora of international call-ups this season, with more to come, but that alone does not explain the poverty of Greenock"s performances.

Twice a virtually full-strength side has gone down in league games, first against newly promoted Aberdeenshire at Mannofield then last Saturday at home to a moderate Watsonians team.

Watsonians, with professional Delmont and Chalmers each hitting centuries, won almost effortlessly against a Glenpark team sadly lacking in every department of the game. Their top order batting was found wanting - number seven batsman Keenan Bowers saving face with a fine 71, aided by good tail-end knocks from Ryan Begley and Dougie Wylie - their bowling was as inconsistent as it has been all season, while their fielding was way below the standards set in recent years under the tutelage of Tony Judd.

There is a collective malaise about this current side, definitely not helped by a lack of any continuity, and it is troubling the support. At maximum strength Greenock can field six international cricketers, including recently retired Craig Wright, plus Under-19 cap Willie Rowan. Dewald Nel has played once, is injured, and will be lucky if he plays half a dozen games for Greenock this season. But results are way short of an indication of the ability of the team.

The work ethic, and the spirit, which have characterised Greenock sides over the years have been absent. That comes from pulling together. I don"t know how much practice is done in the nets during the week, but there has been little evidence of it on a Saturday.

Tomorrow the side travel up the motorway to Clydesdale, desperately needing a morale-boosting win. Then, on Sunday they are again on the road, this time to Stirling in their opening Scottish Cup tie.

These are games in which, on paper, Greenock would normally be strong favourites. Right now few would put money on them with any confidence.

Greenock are the best supported club in the country. There is a growing discontent, however, to the extent where an increasing number of people believe the affinity between team and support is being eroded. When folk don"t care too much whether their team win or lose, then something is wrong.

No one tries to play badly, no one wants to lose, but in such circumstances the only way up is by going back to basics and hard work.

The game itself is in need of reform. Some, notably Cricket Scotland, believe a return to regionalisation is the answer with subsequent play-offs.

A growing number of clubs, however, appear to favour the idea promoted by Jimmy Lepick, former president of Greenock, of an elite league which would have the best players meeting each other regularly, arranged around international demands.

Some rattles are going to be thrown out of prams before next season begins. Meanwhile Greenock"s immediate priority is to restore some self-respect on the field. The ability is there. It is now a matter of character and some sheer hard graft.

Tweet

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 19 Jun 09

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.

Follow @greenocktele