Merson - I Don't Know My Best Team

No Cliue
By Neil Ravenscroft
September 27 2004

The reason for all of the chopping and changing in the squad was revealed yesterday, along with the news that we can forget promotion this season.

Team Talk are reporting a quite extraordinary statement from Walsall manager Paul Merson today. Despite the pre season programme, he has said that, 11 games into the season, he still does not know what the team's best line up is.

Merson has been chopping and changing on a regular basis this season, in a display that would put Claudio Ranieri to shame, but has now admitted it's because he is struggling to recognise his best blend of players.

"I don't know what I am going to get from one minute to the next at the moment," said Merson. "The most frustrating thing is that I do not know what my best side is."

The lack of a settled side and a poor run of results has left Merson's pre-season boasts about winning the Championship at the first attempt look decidedly rash

He added: "If I could go back three months the one thing that I would say now is that my first year in the job should probably have been about consolidation and bringing the youngsters through. Then we could see what happens after
that in the future."

The question is, by admitting that he still doesn't know what he's doing in terms of team selection, and having already built up the fans' (and the owner's) expectations by promising promotion, will he have much of a future at the club?