Wheel turns full circle

"WE HAVE turned a corner" is a phrase football managers love to use. It contains the promise that future horizons will be brighter, now that the long-standing problem has been halted.

In Athletic's case, the apex has in recent times been blocked solid by an inability to score enough goals.

A couple of seasons ago under Dave Penney, the post and pre-match talk was often of the team desperately needing a ball to fly into the opposition net off someone's backside to begin the metaphorical 90-degree turn.

And last term, new man at the helm Paul Dickov saw his charges manage to score no more than twice in 11 games, in a too-long period of latter-season misery.

A lack of goals was preventing Athletic from steering towards a new, less frustrating path. This season, though, Shefki Kuqi's arrival — as dramatic as a new sheriff riding into town in an old made-for-TV western — has helped solve such woes.

Nine in 19 matches was the tale of the tape as last season ground to a disappointing halt; this term, the opening 21 fixtures have brought with them 30 goals.

But Athletic are now faced with a new barrier to step around: the conceding of sloppy goals. Crewe's strike a week last Tuesday originated from a quick throw-in and it is a lack of concentration at key moments which is plaguing efforts to really get the campaign motoring.

Statistics also suggest that Athletic need to turn a corner — by improving their responses to corners.

Andy Bishop's header for Bury from an in-swinging Peter Sweeny delivery in Athletic's last league game was the SEVENTH occasion this season that Athletic have conceded a goal from a corner kick.

As a percentage of the overall tally of goals against (30), it is remarkably high (23-per-cent).

Even more so, when at the other end, Athletic have netted only two of their goals from corners (seven-per-cent).


SCANDINAVIAN fans are being encouraged to make Athletic their 'second' team in England. A fleet of fans arrive from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland to visit Premier League matches in the North-West area and Athletic hope to attract them to Boundary Park.
On production of a passport, they can gain admission for £5, as well as a 20-per-cent discount in the club shop.

"When I was working recently in Scandinavia, I saw how vast the interest in English football is," said Athletic director Mike Newton.

"There are huge numbers who come over for Manchester United, City and Liverpool games, many of which are on a Sunday, and we would like them to come and watch us on the Saturday.

"We are a traditional club in a traditional stadium and can offer our guests from Scandinavia a chance to see the type of good, old-fashioned game that has largely gone away elsewhere in England."