Doug O'Kane, relegation form and next season

First and foremost, very best wishes to Patrick Cryne who is uppermost in our thoughts at the moment.

Doug paints a pretty worrying picture inside the back page of the 'Chron' today. We know about the contract situation re Marley and Josh, and they have already attracted attention. But he feels that Davies, Yids, Roberts and McDonald have also put in performances that will not have gone unnoticed. He speculates that Lee and White may well be released for differing reasons. And Hecky has already stated that he does not expect any current loan players to return. Potentially we will need a massive new draft in the summer, but as yet we still don't have a CEO to help recruit them. And if we succeed, there will be precious little time to get what will probably be a band of new recruits from League One up to Championship speed. On top of all that there is the possibility that Hecky will also attract interest. There are still 8 games to go, but at the moment our last 10 games have yielded just 7 points (from 30). So as it stands, we would be carrying relegation form into next season. There is of course still time to address all of these issues. But at the moment there are plenty of challenges ahead, and it's only being a realist - not a doom monger - to recognise them.

 

Yet people will still argue we are well run.

Really worried we will be next season's Rotherham. If we lose Hecky I will have to think long and hard about renewing. Or as another poster might say, I will need to ruminate for an extended period of time, considering all the variables and assessing whether or not this would be a viable investment, in terms of both the financial expenditure and the diminishing levels of enjoyment which present themselves on the field of play. Or summat like that.

 

It's also realistic to look at our remaining fixtures and sense the possibility of ending the season in fine form. Very tough games with Wednesday and Newcastle look to be bookended by half a dozen games against sides we've comfortably out-performed this season.

I appreciate our recent form in terms of results is worrying. But having seen every game in this run, we've been in every game and could have doubled our points tally with a bit more luck and better decision making in either box. In my totally uninformed opinion.

U23s are on Oakwell this afternoon. It's free. Lovely day for it.

Enjoy your Friday.

 

Think people are more concerned with where we go once the season is over and we have about four decent contracted players.

 

Seems pretty fair to me . Some choppy watters ahead .

 

Analysis seems about right to me. Momentum cannot be underestimated we need to try and sort our form out.

 

I know where I'm going. Poland. And Rome. Possibly Sorrento.

 

Snap! I'm going to Poland, tomorrow. Managed to get the timing right this time so I don't miss any home matches. Back in time for the Owls fixture.

 

Already been to all those places.

 

Aye, we've done Rome before but fancy doing it at length this time.

Tell me about Sorrento..

And I remember you telling me about Auschwitz a year or so ago. Any tips on that would be appreciated too.

You going anywhere this summer?

 

I concur.

 

Be prepared to be moved to your soul. Horrific images, a totally humbling and mesmerising place.

The images of kids no more than 5 being walked to their deaths did for me. I openly wept at it. I'm welling up thinking about it.

In terms of actually getting there, there are loads of tours going from Krackow. If you have the driver we had you'll enjoy the journey to it. Fancied himself as a bit of a tour guide but most of what he was pointing out was irrelevant such as "hospital, big hospital", "ambulance", Polish word "ambulanz".

 

If you are going anywhere near Krakow then the two places that you should not miss are the concentration camp nightmares of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the salt mine at Wieliczka. The first is for obvious reasons and I hope that you go when it is not overrun with tourists. Most are respectful and quietly go about their business, reeling from the horrors building by building, but there is always the chance of kids having a bit of a lark and enjoying the day off school. Everyone should visit somewhere like this at least once in their lives. Seeing it on TV documentaries or dramatic reconstructions doesn't prepare you for the reality.

The salt mine is fascinating. You travel deep underground on a guided tour (multi-language tours available). I always thought salt just came out of sea water. I was wrong!

 

Can't remember much about Sorrento as I was only three!! The advice seems to be give Naples a wide berth though.

Following on from Redstar, you can get a taxi to Auschwitz from Krakow with entrance to the camp and a guide for about thirty quid. I think you need to allow at least six hours for this - getting there, taking the tour and getting back. We went to both Auschwitz and Birkenau but the bulk of the time was spent in Auschwitz. The way they do it, you have a headset which the guide speaks into so you spend most of the time in your own world and not really interacting with other people on the tour. It's a strange thing to say that I would say it's an essential visit but obviously you won't enjoy it.

 

Thanks for the three posts above from yourself, POR and Redstar. It's something the missus has always wanted to do. I think we're doing 3 nights in Krakow. Looking forward to the experience, and the cheap ale.

Any tips on exchanging money either here, or over there? Advice appreciated.

 

I'd do it over here, rates don't seem as good there.

Krakow itself is great. Cheap ale, decent grub, good bars, nice folk, plenty to do

 

Cheers, pal. Appreciate that.

 

I'd echo what Redstar says. I would also say that - and this might seem a strange thing to say - but you will melancholy after you've been to Auschwitz. Make sure you go out on the night and have a good sup and don't feel guilty about enjoying yourself. You'll know what I mean once you've been.

 

I'm going to Madagascar in the summer. It's so ******* expensive I fully expect to be able to bring it home with me after.

 

It's what I've been told by everyone who's been there, mate. I'm quite a strong person but we'll see. I know the missus will struggle though.