McClaren – Show Me The Ambition

Steve McClaren has delivered a stark message to the board of NFFC, by telling them he needs additions to his squad if he’s to mount a serious promotion campaign.

McClaren has also warned that a failure to make the necessary additions to the squad will lead to a season of struggle and not one where we were supposed to be serious contenders for promotion.

The 4-1 defeat at home to West Ham yesterday, was definitive proof (if any was needed), that the current squad is woefully short in terms of numbers and the quality required to make a promotion challenge. McClaren told the Evening Post. ‘What happens over the next few days will decide whether we can win promotion or not. Absolutely it will, without a shadow of a doubt. What we do now, over the next few days, will determine whether we are good enough to challenge or whether we are scrapping to get into the play-offs. I don’t want that. So, I will be making it quite clear what we need. Deliver it or it is going to be a long season.’ McClaren also asked for the club to show what ambition it had. “Over the next few days, we will see the ambition of this club. That is the key thing we will see. We need to go the extra step now.”

I for one am delighted to hear McClaren say what most fans have been saying for the past two seasons. Chairman Nigel Doughty will argue that he has invested heavily in the squad over that period, but the true facts would prove that his investment has always been too little, too late and never at the right time. The very fact that we have been waiting for nigh on 3 seasons for a left footed full back, merely serves to prove how slow to react the board of this club really are.

The big question now, is will McClaren be backed with the players he wants and needs, or will Mr. Doughty insist that the money he’s put in so far this season is the maximum he will sanction? If it’s the latter, then McClaren’s warning will probably come true. My fear with that, is it could turn out much worse than the manager predicts, if the support from the board fails to materialise, a relegation struggle could be on the cards. Once again Mr. Doughty….it’s over to you Sir.