Lincoln City
12th : Integrity-less McCall leads Bradford again
By theimps.tk
July 28 2009
Stuart McCall will aim to guide Bradford City to promotion again during the coming season, but his record as Bradford City manager leads several people to believe he is not the man to take Bradford a step closer to returning to a division they believe they deserved to be in. 12 months ago I dared to suggest that MOOOOHASSSIVE club Bradford City wouldn't win promotion during the 2008/9 season. The message boards of both Lincoln City and Bradford were flooded with Bradford fans saying I knew nothing about football, that I spoke bollocks and I should relish watching Bradford win promotion........and despite all of that, I was right in saying that Bradford wouldn't win promotion......and now the team that have the manager with the integrity of a Big Mac are aiming for promotion again, probably about to fail. Then again, my prediction of Lincoln finishing 2nd last season shows that I can get it wrong just as often as I get it wrong.
Now, firstly let me explain the integrity thing. With a few weeks to go, Bradford had turned a race for the Playoffs into a struggle to even make the top ten. Stuart McCall then guaranteed that he would leave if Bradford didn't make the Playoffs. Now he was certainly putting himself in a difficult position and the pressure was really on. As an outsider I was looking at the situation and I even said "I bet anything he takes it back."
It turned out to be an empty threat as he stayed, conveniently "receiving many letters" allegedly begging him to stay. Now, for all we know he could have received those letters or made it all up as a get-out-clause type excuse to save face. However, I think he realised he'd made a mistake as soon as he said it and took the promise back, in my eyes that shows a lack of integrity.
A lot of Bradford fans seemed to think that the amount of fans they had would make a big difference in this division. After selling clubs for a third of their normal prices, little over 4% of the city of Bradford decided to go and watch the football at Valley Parade, not that that stopped their fans gloating about attendances. One of their fans infamously posted an article on his/her website about how Rochdale had not disclosed the correct number of Bradford fans into attendance, forcing Rochdale to release this statement.
The argument raged on for a few weeks between fans on nationwide forums, such as this thread, one poster (look for post 50, post number on the right of the comment) quite clearly stating his belief that the attendance figures were fiddled with. The sad state of affairs was that they didn't seem to be focusing on a 3-0 defeat to a promotion rival, they were more focused on trying to point out they had more fans than Rochdale did.
Despite my initial prediction last season, it did seem for a while that Bradford would actually make the Playoffs and a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers on February 14th left them in 5th position. Reports from other fans on League Two forums (TFF for example) suggested that Bradford hadn't really played overwell on an often enough basis to be considered genuine and long term contendners for promotion. They subsequently failed to win all but four of their remaining sixteen games, not only seeing them fall out of the promotion race, but even struggle to finish in the top ten. The eventually finished in ninth place, surely a failure for a side guaranteed to win promotion.
The players they've let go have not really been replaced. Barry Conlon is a proven goalscorer at this level, whereas his replacement Gareth Evans only scored six outfield goals last season. Graeme Lee is a defender capable of playing at a higher level and he's been replaced by Simon Ramsden from Rochdale. Paul McLaren also left for Tranmere and was replaced by Steve Williams from Bamber Bridge and James Hanson from Guiseley. However, Bradford did complete the fairly decent signing of Zesh Rehman.
They managed to keep hold of Michael Boulding, still a decent player at this 
level, and even Omar "I'm the only genuine prospect that Bradford have" Daley (right) has also stayed. Looking at the squad, they appear to be the only two players really capable of changing a game in favour of the Bantams, especially Daley. In our games against Bradford over the last two years, it seemed a case of if you want to stop Bradford, stop Daley.
Bradford are not a squad capable of promotion. The sooner they realise that it takes more than big numbers to win promotion the better. Don't get me wrong, they're not a bad side and there's not a chance in hell they'll be anywhere near the bottom of the table, but I'd be prepared to put a good amount of money on Bradford not even making the Playoffs, just like last season.....by the way, where's my money Kyle?
I think they could even potentially make the Playoffs, but only if McCall leaves. Not manager who can expect to make the Playoffs will have a record of losing more games than he wins. If Bradford aren't in, around, or above the Playoff places by Christmas then I can see McCall leaving and potentially being replaced by a manager who knows how to win promotion out of this division......a certain manager from Sincil Bank could be the obvious choice as he'll be out of a job by Christmas as well.
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28/07/2009 23:35
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