A closer look at the Walsall manager

Walsall blogger Mark Jones takes a closer look at Dean Smith as the manager continues to settle into the hot-seat after his appointment last week.

Surprised and a little bit intrigued was my immediate reaction to hearing that Dean Smith had been upgraded to the role of permanent manager - but only on a temporary basis - last Friday.

Surprised because of the timing of the appointment, four days after the public disclosure that there were 90 applicants of all shapes and sizes for the vacancy.

Intrigued because of the fairly large hint, made at the same time, that the board were probably going to give Dean a few more games as caretaker before considering his role. Chief executive Stefan Gamble's interview - the full seven minute plus one - on the BBC iPlayer backs this up.

Of course, not all of the club's directors were at the Focus Meeting though.

To say the reaction from fans was underwhelming wouldn't exactly be far of the mark. I wonder how many Saddlers have typed in the words 'I've nothing against Dean Smith, but ' in online discussions over the last few week?

The big problem for Dean is that the club's recent history isn't exactly on his side.

Out of our last six managers he's the fourth former player and the second successive former captain. None of the other three have exactly been a roaring success.

As a player he was a popular figure with the fans, a local lad who was a no nonsense performer who always seemed to care about the club. A bit like the recently departed Martin O'Connor.

As a manager he has the advantage of knowing the club, having been promoted from within. Just like Jimmy Mullen.

Dean has also been given a limited time span to keep the club in League One. Like Kevin Broadhurst – only with the club in a much much worse position.

The new boss isn't on his own though, while temporary staff take charge of the youth team, behind the scenes there is club physio Jon Whitney helping out and the returning Chris Nicholl, the manager from over a decade ago who turns up to pretty much every home game anyway.

It is kind of fitting that the current backroom team now reflects the threadbare, make-do-and-mend squad we've put up with throughout the season.

In many ways there's nothing to lose for Dean, as he's inherited a situation just short of impossible anyway. We probably need an absolute minimum of nine wins with a few draws thrown in just to be in contention for the final run in.

And have you seen exactly who we face in the final run in? If the answer is no, take a deep breath and sit yourself down before you do.

It won't be Dean's fault if we do end up going down. Performances have improved already, as have tactics and player selection, effort and commitment. But, unfortunately, results haven't and we're all paying the price for the appalling dross that was the first-half of the season.

What I can't understand is what happens come the end of the season? If we somehow survive then Dean will probably get the freedom of the borough let alone the permanent permanent job. If we finish bottom, relegated before the clocks go forward, he will be relatively blameless.

There are in-betweens though, we could do everything to enable a great escape and still be unlucky, or we could just get slightly better and finish 22nd. What happens to Dean then?

As I have said before, I'm more interested in the long term. I would be interested to know Dean's ideas about where he feels he could take the club, what he could achieve and the kind of support he feels he'd need to get us there.

I've got nothing against Dean Smith at all - just as long as he doesn't turn out the same as his predecessor.