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Dynamo Dale earns tribute from Penney
Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date online: 25 February 2010
LATICS LIFE: DALE STEPHENS has been a shining light amid the recent gloom for Athletic.
The cultured central midfielder has made himself a permanent fixture in the middle of the park after first coming into the side purely through an injury crisis.
There was a general feeling that the 22-year-old did not possess the physical attributes necessary to scrap his way through the grittier Coca-Cola League One clashes.
But in addition to his cultured passing — a peach of a crossfield ball pinged 50 yards right into the feet of Joe Colbeck at Colchester was a particular recent highlight — Stephens has heeded boss Dave Penney's advice to add some steel to his game.
At Tranmere, he was even brave enough to get involved in a confrontation with huge centre-back Ian Goodison and he is as happy as anyone to scrap for possession.
And the Leeds game aside, when both men were forced to fire-fight as the home side dominated the play, he and partner Dean Furman appear to have struck up a very useful partnership in Athletic's engine room.
In all, Stephens has had quite an impact after finally recovering from a long-standing hip flexor muscle which affected him badly last term.
"Dale has been first-class," said Penney, who gave a player originally signed by John Sheridan before the start of last season his starting debut at Carrow Road against Saturday's opponents Norwich City.
"Last season he was injured a lot, but he is a young boy who is growing. He is only 20.
"He seems to be doing the ugly stuff well now — the tackling and the work-rate and closing people down — and everybody knows that he can play.
"We have been delighted with the way Dale has come on in leaps and bounds.
"He fully deserves to be in the side."
In addition to the Stephens-Furman axis in central midfield, Penney is equally happy with the other sections of his side's 'spine'.
Centre-backs Reuben Hazell and Sean Gregan have been rock-like lately — with able assistance from ever-improving left-back Joe Jacobson — and up front, while not finding the net too often together, the signs from the duo of Pawel Abbott and Jason Price have offered hope that the chronic lack of goals will soon rectify itself.
The goal for Penney now is to get the wide players functioning.
Deane Smalley, a permanent fixture in the starting line-up since he came into the side at the start of November, and Chris Taylor, on the way back from various knocks and bouts of illness, are not creating enough scoring opportunities from the wings and this is something the Athletic boss is keen to address.
"The two centre-halves have got a good partnership between them, which has been long-established now," Penney added.
"The central midfielders are getting a partnership, too, and Dean and Dale have been excellent. And the two centre-forwards, Pricey and Pawel, too.
"Obviously we need this in other areas, between whoever plays wide right, which has been Deane and Alex (Marrow) now, and also on the left-hand side with Joe and Tayls.
"So they need to come to the party and we need to get more out of them.
"Down the middle we look solid enough, but we need to chip in with goals from out wide."
Comments
"Down the middle we look solid enough, but we need to chip in with goals from out wide." I'd say that we need to chip in with goals from anywhere on the field at present. I honestly think DP thinks that this team is doing alright, and there is no problem with the lack of goals. Please sombody at BP please give him a cup of coffee to smell!!
Dean, Dale,Pricey,Pawel, Alex, Joe,Tayls??? A case of a Manager being overly friendly?? Never happened with Alf Ramsey! And Fabio Cappello is from the same school of thought.
Remember "the wally with the brolly" Mclaren was always using terms like "Stevie T" or "Stevie G" Lamps, Becks etc etc. And in doing that a manager loses any respect of the players.
As for Penneys so called "spine" I would have thought thats what the team lack.
How bizarre? So instead of calling the players Dale and Dean, you'd prefer Penney to refer to them as Mr Stephens and Messrs Smalley and Furman? Perhaps he should throw an "esquire" in there for good measure!
Penney has enough faults but lack of respect with the players is not one of them.
The real problem was under "Shez", where the players referred to him by that name instead of boss or gaffer - or Mr Sheridan. Even Shez admitted that was a mistake he wouldn't repeat after his sacking.
do you not think we had a better SPINE with crossley gregan hazell allot stephens and hughes and windass????????
Latics4Life, good point, however I disagree completely, Dave Penny has no respect from any of the players, countless times he has barked instructions to them only for them to look down their nose at him. At that stage it's time to go, ask Shez.
"Bizarre" is a style of pottery designed by Clarice Cliff! I am merely pointing out that it seems the "Manager" is just a little over friendly with the players, first names follwed by surnames is fine, leave the Joes and Tayls to the team members, the manager needs to be more aloof and professional.
Penney clearly thinks he is building s good side! It makes youy wonder what his aims for the club are? He was wittering about being a mid table side a bit ago. Is thast the highlight of his ambition!
What is wrong with mid table in league 1 when we have league 2 crowds and league 2 finances
Dave Penney is so deluded its frightening! Comments like that justify why i am giving BP a miss this weekend. Would rather keep my season ticket in the cupboard and go on a shopping trip with Mrs Mainstander than watch that drivel.
Darth,it seems that you don't have any ambitious hopes for the club if you can settle for mediocrity. The reason crowds are so low is because of what is happening at the club. It's looking more and more certain that you (Darth)will have a League 2 club to go with your League 2 attendances and finances unless something drastic (or miraculous) takes place soon. I am sure that most supporters don't share your acceptance of the situation.
That's right, Darth, let's look forward, shall we?
Unfortunately singapore i do not own the club, have a spare billion pound and a plot of land in central oldham ready for a new stadium to be erected on.if i did i would not accept league 1 survival.unfortunately as you state the reality is poor crowds and a need for as you put it 2 "something drastic (or miraculous)".Why should we expect anything more
unless there is something i dont know in the pipeline, what i am stating is reality ammypam. as im not the chairman nor do i have anymore than the twenty pounds i invest every fortnight i cant do anything about it either
The only people who can do something about it - can't or won't. It's that simple really. If the TTA haven't got the genuine interest of the club at heart (and we can never tell with all this 'project work' on hold) then the future is bleak. If only someone from the club and/or council would speak out, in a clearly defined statement , just what is going on then the fans will continue to depair.
Every match is getting be a case of Deja Vu!
Have Your Say
Dear Mr Penney,
It's good to see you want some wide players functioning. The fans, however, would like to see them all functioning and appearing interested in actually 'playing' for the club.
Have you thought of taking early retirement? Maybe you should it might help ease the pain of the genuine supporters who do have their hearts in the club.
Yours sincerely,
Dramasingapore
By dramasingapore @ 25/02/2010 12:34:43