Tommy's Timing!

United manager Tommy Wright stated in the media, that we were never in danger of losing at Seaview last Saturday. He admitted that United keeper Paul Murphy had to make a couple of decent saves, but said they were ‘basically’ the kind of shots you’d expect a keeper to deal with. Somehow I’m just not so sure, although I do admit they weren’t of the unstoppable variety. But if we cast our minds back to United’s previous league game, away to Glenavon, our goalkeeper didn’t exactly cover himself in glory on that occasion, by any stretch of the imagination. Then again perhaps our manager was trying to play down the important role our keeper performed last Saturday. Has he at last discovered the secret of man-management? This would be a great asset to the club if he has, but I’ll need a bit more convincing. He already has allowed too many good players to leave the Showgrounds, because he was unable to control their temperament. Two recent case spring to mind, Vinny Sweeney was on United’s books last season, scoring a dozen goals, but walked away in the close season. While Rory Hamill was bought out of his contract, before moving to Dungannon Swifts. Both these players are now starring with clubs who are a long way ahead of United in the race for the Carnegie league title, so it seems to suggest that they are manageable. How galling it would be for United fans if either of these two players were to pick up league winners medals and what a blow it would be to our manager’s self-belief. Now we are told that he’s willing to listen to offers for striker Paul Brown. Would this not be another admission of failure by our manager as he signed the player exactly a year ago, but so far has been unable to get the best out of him? Many questions will be asked of our management team over the second-half of the season and the first one comes this Saturday, when we face Cliftonville, who could be the first team to take six league points off us, having won the reverse fixture at Solitude. But if United are to be a force to be reckoned with, they must answer the call this week and send Cliftonville and former player Vinny Sweeney, back to Belfast, pointless!