So how did we get to this position? The last time I posted on here was after our epic midweek journey to Truro, after which I praised Forster for seemingly turning the tide and continuing to prove me wrong, as we extended our winning streak to 6 matches before Christmas, and had looked like we were well and truly back in the title hunt. However, like most of his reign which was marred by extreme lengths of inconsistency, we managed to lose our following 5 games included a few embarrassing losses over Christmas to our tinpot friends over the other side of Kent.
In those two games against Tonbridge I actually felt we were pretty unlucky to get zero points out of them. Although I had no complaints with either result, I felt we could and should have got something from their place if it wasn't for our defence having an absolute shocker with Hook and Watt being brought into the side with injuries keeping out Huke and Walker. Then on New Year's Day and Crabble we should have been a good 2 or 3 goals up at half time as a mixture of ill-luck and fine goalkeeping from Worgan preventing us from scoring. But then a shockingly naive tactical subsititution by Forster gave them the upper hand in the 2nd half as our midfield was complete overrun after taking off Cogan for the ineffective Willock, and we could have no complaints with their last minute winner.
But if we felt any sort of grievances for not getting anything out of those two games then we certainly did not go the right way about rectifying it in the following games. What followed next was a home game against relegation threatened Staines, who had conceded 6 goals at home to Maidenhead only the previous week. But we could only manage 1 meaningful shot on target during the whole 90 minutes as we succumbed to a feeble 1-0 loss.
Our next trip after that came in the form of play-off hunting Farnborough, where we would look to get back to winning ways on the road after suffering our first away defeat in over a year. Instead we'd find ourselves witnessing one of the most disgraceful and embarrassing first halves in DAFC history as we went 5-0 down at the break. Our defence was undoubtedly hampered by Forster bringing in a 17 year old loanee from Gillingham the previous night and throwing him straight into the deep end, obviously having a lack of trust in Tom Axford after Sessegnon picked up an injury against Staines.
Billy Bricknell netted a brace in the second half to give the scoreline a more respectful feel but in truth the game could have finished about 10-4 to them.
The game that sealed his fate was a bitterly cold Tuesday night in Dorchester, a team who occupied a relegation spot until that evening. For the many of us travelling the 400 mile round trip expecting to see a reaction after previous performances we were sadly fooled, as we would face another loss in a similar vein to the Staines defeat. One paltry deflected shot that went straight to their goalkeeper was our only shot registered on target in the whole 90 minutes as we slipped to a 1-0 defeat. And it was somehow an even more toothless display than what we saw at Farnborough.
But what really took the piss in that final game and was certainly the last straw for many of us was his substitution. Danny Webb was red carded for two silly yellow cards. But with us chasing the game what does Forster do? Takes off a winger (Modeste) and brings on Steven Watt in an admission that he would rather lose 1-0 rather than go for it and get caught out on the break. And that really was a total fucking piss-take and was the first time Dover fans properly turned on him during a game, with the substitution earning a chorus of "you don't know what you're doing" from behind the goal.
And before I have to hear the "Dover are fickle" shite from supporters of smaller clubs, during this awful run our fans had remained patient throughout. Despite being 5-0 down we sung all the way through Farnborough and we kept urging the team on at Dorchester. But that really was the final straw with Forster as far as I and many others were concerned, a clear indication he was cracking under pressure.
So come the Friday news had emerged that Forster had been placed on gardening leave as the board had run out of patience. Knee jerk reaction?
Not at all, in my opinion. I have seen all bar 1 competitive game of the Nicky Forster era and I have seen little over that period to suggest that he was going to become a successful manager for us. Here's why I think the decision was the correct one to make;
- He was very naive tactically and seemed to show little signs of learning from his mistakes. At various points last season he played a 4-2-4 and we ended up getting swamped in midfield and losing games because of it. Our FA Trophy exit this season was attributed to his arrogant substitution of bringing on Terry Dixon for a late run out when the game hadn't been won yet, and with Rance off the field we were overrun in midfield. Yet he repeated the same mistake vs Tonbridge and we were punished once again.
- Our points per game record this season would put us on course to miss out on the play-offs again. With the squad, budget and resources at his disposal that is just simply not good enough.
- Mismanagement of good players. Moses Ademola, a right-side winger/striker was brought in to sort out are left-side problem. In the few appearances he's made he's looked very ineffective and we spent money on him. Likewise with Calum Willock. 20 goals in the BSP last season yet has looked completely unfit and overweight most of the time since joining us when he should be bullying teams at this level. Their previous pedigrees show they are clearly capable of performing for other teams, so why are they not for us?
- Our home form has been quite simply dreadful during his reign, I believe our win percentage has been lower than 30% over it. No wonder why our crowds have dipped so low under him. Loss of revenue and it can be quite hard to win fans back if they've got out of the habit of attending for a long period of time.
- Refusing to take responsibility for poor performances. Criticizing his players after the Farnborough game is hardly going to motivate the players for the following game, is it? Like Hayes, everything seemed to be everything's fault but his own.
- With the constant excuses for mediocre performances I don't think he had a proper winning mentality that successful managers have.
I think over the course of time he has assembled a better squad of players than Martin Hayes did, but in terms of league record, his was actually far worse than his predecessor. And our cup record under NF has been piss-poor, whereas under Hayes we reached the 3rd round for the 1st time in our history.
What Forster did do well was keeping us winning away from home for so long. This led me to believe he would eventually find out the answers at home but he never managed to find the solution long term. And once the away luck ran out, we crumbled. Completely crumbled.
I have no doubt Forster was passionate about his managerial role and desperately wanted to succeed. In the long term I wish no ill harm on him and if he finds another position elsewhere then good luck to him. He can use the "I was third when I was sacked" card to get himself into another position which is another reason why it was a good time to get the chop for himself. Some people have wrongly conveyed this as a unfair sacking, clearly from people who have no idea of the ins and outs of our club.
What I don't understand though is why some fans were and still are so defensive of Nicky Forster whereas Hayes was turned against much more rapidly. I know that Hayes became more of an enemy by constantly critizing the fans, dismantling our popular squad of players one by one etc. But under Forster a lot more people became tolerant and patient of shite performances. Why?
There seems to be some sort of stigma that Nicky is some really nice, thoughtful, charismatic bloke of the people, which I don't quite understand. I think it's probably because he was a public figure on twitter (which I found pretty unprofessional as a manager, If I'm honest) and if you licked his arse on there enough you'd get a response from him saying "cheers pal !". I never really saw this kind, loving, warm side that some people seem to suggest. Wasn't this the same bloke who allegedly rang up Kevin Harris and bollocked him for being too critical in his match reports, leading him to quit? And the same one that Mikhail Ruiz didn't speak particularly high of in his leaving interview.
I just don't understand why he's got away such scot free of criticism from fans whereas Hayes got quite vilified. Baffling.
......And now I'll move onto his successor. When the Forster announcement was made two words instantly sprang to mind in "Terry Brown", with the ex Aldershot, AFCW and Hayes manager seeming like a perfect fit for the job. Only problem was the issue of how we could afford it with having to pay off another manager with us already well over budget for this season. And it was soon made clear that it wouldn't be a "big name" which seemingly ruled him out and a controversial return for Andy Hessenthaler, who some fans would have considered selling out their morals to have him back, myself included.
But instead it would be another former Dover manager Chris Kinnear who was actually the intended man, and his arrival was announced on the Saturday. Obviously a pre planned appointment, as was Forster at the time.
It wasn't one at all I was expecting but one that I am pretty pleased with. Chris managed us from 1985-1995, overseeing us win the beazer homes premier title two times, only to be denied promotion the first time round thanks to corruption by the Bath City director on the conference board. By the end of his reign we had transformed from bottom of the southern premier league to a consolidate conference outfit. After leaving for personal reasons, he joined Margate and also consolidated them as a conference national side after winning promotion from the ryman league. But then their financial problems kicked in and he eventually left them. And after rejoining them last season he has took them near the top of the ryman premier this season on limited resources. He will be assisted by young Jake Leberl, a defender who has had two previous spells with the whites. I spoke to him after our pre season friendly in the summer and he's a very friendly and pretty articulate bloke, who has a real fondness for the club. 20 years ago he was watching the CK's sides on the Crabble terraces. Now he is assisting him here. Great stuff.
So I think this appointment looks like it could finally be a solid one which will could consolidate us long term.
- Although football has obviously changed and evolved since when he first left 18 years ago, he is somebody who knows the non-league and local scene very well. Our three most successful managers; him, Bill Williams and Hessenthaler have all fit this bill.
- He will bring tactical astuteness and will build a side at being solid at the back. Our home form should hopeful vastly improve if his previous sides are to go by.
- He will probably trim the huge squad side down, it's become far too bloated by his two predecessors.
- Interest levels have increased from old-time fans who will eager to return up the Crabble slope. This appointment has seemingly got all the fans onside.
I'm not saying this appointment will definitely become a success. I was fairly pleased with the previous two after all. But this certainly looks like a far more sensible and suited appointment for us at this moment in time and I for one can't wait for a fresh start and to perhaps start enjoying match day experience again.
I've seen criticisms that he's football style is too agricultural but to be honest, I couldn't care less if it is. Winning football > all else. And I've heard this long ball tag is completely overstated anyway. We need players that have to work hard and poor performances no longer tolerated. That is the important thing.
And then of course there is the 'you should never go back' rule that some people seem to abide by. I think club returns should never automatically be written off because some have failed. This one will go probably go either way, but it's one I am feeling positive about.
So see you all on Saturday for the visit of Truro. Let's get Crabble rocking again, no more excuses. COYW
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