There is a strong possibility that part of this forthcoming season is played behind closed doors. Playing behind closed doors is different. Some players may even prefer it, whilst others may lose an edge.
As a team I think it might yet be beneficial. Roots Hall wasn't a pleasant place to watch football last year. Or the year before that. There was a lot of nerves in the crowd on those rare occasions when we were winning and not a lot of patience if we weren't. Players may be freer without the crowd on their back, groaning at every misplaced (or even just backwards) pass. Theo for one surely wouldn't have minded playing behind closed doors last year, so much so that he chose to join Col Ewe which is the closest one can get to that, but he's now in the past. Of those remaining - at least for now - I suspect Harry Lennon won't lose too much sleep if the season starts behind closed doors and he can rehabilitate his reputation without the mindless abuse. It may help Mark Oxley too or even a kid like Isaac Hutchinson whose ability wasn't always appreciated by the crowd.
Most of the kids are not so far removed from u23 football that having to motivate themselves to perform without a crowd there to drive them on is not too distant a memory but having experienced the thrill of a crowd how easy is it to go back? I can see Elvis struggling here though as he seemed to feed off the crowd's emotion and drive him forward. John White should be at an advantage here after his years at Col Ewe.
Then there are the Thursday all-world players. Players who turn it on in training but seem to go missing during games. Maybe Humphrys falls into this category? We've certainly seen glimpses of his ability and I wouldn't be surprised if he regularly dominates training but struggles to replicate that in the intensity of a match situation.
Who do you think playing behind closed doors will help and who will it hinder?
As a team I think it might yet be beneficial. Roots Hall wasn't a pleasant place to watch football last year. Or the year before that. There was a lot of nerves in the crowd on those rare occasions when we were winning and not a lot of patience if we weren't. Players may be freer without the crowd on their back, groaning at every misplaced (or even just backwards) pass. Theo for one surely wouldn't have minded playing behind closed doors last year, so much so that he chose to join Col Ewe which is the closest one can get to that, but he's now in the past. Of those remaining - at least for now - I suspect Harry Lennon won't lose too much sleep if the season starts behind closed doors and he can rehabilitate his reputation without the mindless abuse. It may help Mark Oxley too or even a kid like Isaac Hutchinson whose ability wasn't always appreciated by the crowd.
Most of the kids are not so far removed from u23 football that having to motivate themselves to perform without a crowd there to drive them on is not too distant a memory but having experienced the thrill of a crowd how easy is it to go back? I can see Elvis struggling here though as he seemed to feed off the crowd's emotion and drive him forward. John White should be at an advantage here after his years at Col Ewe.
Then there are the Thursday all-world players. Players who turn it on in training but seem to go missing during games. Maybe Humphrys falls into this category? We've certainly seen glimpses of his ability and I wouldn't be surprised if he regularly dominates training but struggles to replicate that in the intensity of a match situation.
Who do you think playing behind closed doors will help and who will it hinder?
