Daring to Dream

My reaction last night to hearing Iain Dowie would be our new manager was, like most City fans, a sort of shrug, a frown.

Is this the best we can do? Is he the only one Adam Pearson could convince?

But on reflection this morning I am not so sure. It could prove to be a very astute capture by AP.

Pearson would be the first to admit it is a massive gamble. The biggest since he arrived at a padlocked Boothferry from Premier League Elland Road (ha ha, remember those days Leeds fans?).

If we go down many City fans will not forgive AP for finally wielding the knife and sending Brown Phil on his way.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Watching Soccer Saturday with my dad before the Arsenal game last weekend, Dowie appeared on screen, ‘analysing’ Preston or some such other Championship also-rans.

“Bloody hell, Iain Dowie? Whatever happened to him?” asked my old man. I had little answer. I couldn’t remember his last proper job other than helping the barcodes disappear from the PL last season.

And now look, a few days later here he is, our man, the right hand man to Adam, King of the Tiger Nation.

He is probably best known for his time at Palace. In a strange twist, I experienced much of that initial incredible run the south Londoners went on alongside a good friend who was a Palace season ticket holder.

I remember in particular wins away at Sheffield United and Bradford. The unity of the players on the pitch, the management team on the bench, and the fans in the stands was immense. Dowie’s post-win fist-clenching weird-punch-in-the-air celebration (above) sent the fans crazy. I have to admit I loved it too, City fan or not. The Palace fans knew something special was happening and each win was bringing them closer to their incredible achievement. Exactly the same is called for now during our run-in.

Dowie lifted that Palace team from the relegation places when he arrived to the Premiership in just six months. The turn around was remarkable. With the run of games City now have there is plenty of reason to believe he can recreate some of that atmosphere.

Imagine wins at Pompey and then at home to Fulham next week. Six extra points would go a long way to pulling us out of the bottom three and providing a platform and confidence to stay up. It is possible. We have to believe it can be done.

My great fear is of negativity from ‘fans’ disappointed that we didn’t hire Sven or Mark Hughes or Mourinho or whoever else some of these KC-come-latelys seem to think Hull City are capable of hiring.

We simply are not that attractive an option. A club rooted in the bottom three for almost the entire season. Injuries throughout the squad. No money to spend even if a transfer window was open to allow it.

Let’s be realistic. Dowie is a decent man-manager, a thinking coach who brings a different approach. True, swapping Brown for Dowie is somewhat like-for-like, but the boost of a new coaching team on the training ground may just squeeze enough out of the knackered squad to grasp safety. What he could do long term in the PL, however, would be a different matter. I would have serious reservations. But we’ll worry about that in eight weeks or so.

One thing is for sure – Dowie is here to stay. Pearson has wanted him for years and even if we do go down I am fairly sure AP will stand by his man. It would take some monumentally poor performances in the coming weeks to see him let go after just nine games.

Dowie’s positive, battling outlook may be cemented further still when he picks his new captain. The traditionalists may be saying Andy Dawson, and a fitting reward the armband would be for him after his years of graft, but I have a sneaky suspicion it may be someone else.

The name in the headlines for the wrong reasons last week, but largely forgotten this, is Jimmy Bullard.

Dowie says he wants to play expansive football, pass the ball around. Who is the one quality footballer in the squad? Who is the other crafty cockney at the club? I could be wrong, but it would be a show of intent to give Jimmy the captaincy. We already know he is capable of lifting the squad by his presence alone.

During his first press conference earlier today Dowie said all the right things. He is right to say there is quality in the squad. He is right to say we can go to Fratton Park and win. He is right to say he will bring impetus and a fresh approach to the training ground.

Saying things and then doing them are very different. No doubt sometime after 2pm on Saturday, when his first Hull City line up is announced, there will be some groans around the City enclosure in grim Portsmouth.

He won’t please everyone before 3pm, but three points in the bag at 5pm would go a long way to turning the season around. If he keeps us up he will be instantly loved.

My main fear is that some of the ‘fans’ turn on him and Pearson before we even get that far. This morning’s initial reactions were of disappointment. By this afternoon there was a general realisation that we must all get behind the new man.

Whatever happens we must, as I said on Monday when Brown left, trust Adam and give the new man a chance.

This weekend ten years ago a Jamie Wood goal gave us a 1-0 win at Halifax Town in front of a crowd of 2,500.

Let’s get things in perspective. Most of those ‘fans’ moaning today won’t even know who Jamie Wood is/was (what’s he doing these days? Probably bricklaying or something, it’s all he was fit for).

If you had told me at quarter to five on March 18 2000 that ten years down the line we’d be fighting for Premiership survival I’d have laughed in your face.

Let’s stop complaining, let’s stop pretending.

It’s time to back the team, and our new manager Iain Dowie, and get behind the lads as they go in search of that elusive first away win of the season.

As those brilliant Ian Ashbee ads boomed out in the days before our Premier League dream began: Bring. It. On.

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