Here We Go Again (Part One)

So the Olympic finale is to be put on hold to allow the once-mighty Saddlers to take to the field in the League Cup first round, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.Yes the new season kicks off on Saturday so I really ought to pretend I'm looking forward to it.

Although the Great Escape of 2011 was superb and we still have the ability to stuff it up the big boys from time to time, the past few seasons have been grim. This has been the case pretty much since Dicky Dosh walked away, and I'm not sure that many fans are contemplating anything different for 2012/13.

However for once I'm gonna let my heart rule my head (for the next few days at least) and hope that the following things happen between now and May:

1. We play some better football

2. We see our young players kick on

3. A bond develops between fans and players

4. Some games get to have a bit of a buzz around them

5. The freehold and ownership finally get sorted out.

Better Football – It has been fairly gruesome to watch under successive managers in recent times, so the return of the ROK as Deano's number two was arguably the best move of the summer.

Richard O'Kelly, as you'd expect as a member of those fantastic Buckley sides of the 80s, is noted for being associated with teams that like to keep the ball on the floor and pass it. And, in the next best move of the summer, we welcome the supremely talented Flo Cuvelier back until Xmas.

My spies tell me there've been some encouraging signs in pre-season games so fingers crossed.

Obviously there are going to be times in League One where some 'old-school' defending is required and times where we will need to try to mix it a bit (if we can) and I'd still like to see the addition of a striker who can add a bit of presence up front, but regardless of our final position some good football would go down well. Please.

Young Players – Kids we've produced, kids from local clubs, kids who've lost their way a bit; they're here, there and every flippin where in our new squad. With money so tight this is obviously a direction that Dean, with a background as our Head of Youth, has chosen to take. And why not, it's not as if recent recruitment policies have come up trumps have they? With the right coaching, encouragement and direction, younger players by definition have the capacity to improve and many of our lads will have something to prove.

Easier said than done though, turning that into actual league points will be the hard part.

Fan/Player Relationship – At times during the Graydon era it felt like the players came straight off the terraces, put on the shirt and went out and played with the same passion and commitment as any of us. Apart from a few notable exceptions (Dean Keates. Naughty Boy Troy, Andy Butler, Super Jim) I've not felt as though this has been the case since those hallowed times.

But if our young team try to play some good stuff, play their hearts out and give everything for the cause, then can we really ask for anything more?

Whatever anyone thinks of the quality of the squad, no one can accuse them of being at Walsall for the money can they?

Equally on our part we need to stay off the players' backs. Already the keyboard warriors are picking out their scapegoats for the season. In my book if anyone is playing like they don't care or if they've got an attitude problem then they're fair game, otherwise they're our players, they are wearing our shirt, they are Saddlers and they deserve our support.

Creating a buzz – There will always be fixtures you look forward to, there can't be a Walsall fan alive who's not up for Sunday 14^th October, and certain times of year (e.g. Boxing Day) that jump out.

As the season unfolds there'll also be certain fixtures which develop an importance of their own (think Swindon away two years ago) but wouldn't it be good if 1,2 and 3 above all come together and we start looking forward to games for their own sake?

And a cup run would be nice too.

Change – Whatever way you look at it, the current regime is simply not delivering. I'm fully aware that the exit strategy is going to be anything but straightforward and is fraught with difficulties but for the good of the club it needs to happen.

I'm pretty sure that won't be the last time I mention this in 2012/13.

I'll probably end up disappointed in one or all of the above but if you can't be optimistic before a ball is kicked in anger then when can you be?

Come On You Saddlers!

In the next instalment(s) I'll take a quick look back at the close season and say bon voyage/au revoir/good riddance to the departed.