Having missed out on the play-offs by a single point in the 2018-9 season, many expected Stevenage to put up a decent account of themselves in a campaign cut short earlier this year. But is Alex Revell the man with the right ideas to get us back on the right track in the 2020-1 season? Of course, we’re never going to have a budget that will match some rivals in League Two. In that sense, we’ve always been trying to punch above our weight.
But to sit bottom of fourth tier as the season ended is clearly nowhere near good enough; not least with Boro’ losing the last eight games in a row and not winning since January.
— Stevenage FC 🔴⚪ (@StevenageFC) July 13, 2020
Alex Revell: A manager with fresh ideas
Obviously, there’s a whole host of reasons as to why the club are in this position. And fans understandably have individuals they want to blame. But the reality is the club now need to be looking to the future. While he didn’t make the instant impact that he wanted to after losing his first two games in charge, keeping former striker Alex Revell in charge makes a lot of sense; Revs initially appointed as caretaker back in February.
The 37-year-old is new to management. But this brings fresh ideas and he importantly understands what the club is about – even if results didn’t go his way initially. Now, however, everyone should be able to see the problems run deeper at Stevenage right now. Revell spoke about bringing that community feel back to the club and he also stressed the importance of planning for the long term. It goes without saying that this hasn’t happened recently, with the constant changing of managers not helping anyone.
Whether Stevenage are playing in the National League or not is irrelevant, they have been a mess in the past 12 months and a solid structure is needed – and Revell can help on that front. They need a clear philosophy and an approach that will encourage players to sign and develop; something that wasn’t really there. Again, it may take time and those who want to see Boro’ top of the latest football betting odds for promotion or favourites to reach the play-offs may be disappointed.
A time to adapt
Yet, the current situation has shown that football clubs need to adapt and like most lower down the pyramid, Stevenage are no different. Essentially, this needs to have sharpened minds and it must signal a change of approach.
💬 Alex Revell on positives from Saturday’s match, Kennedy’s return to the fold & expecting 100% commitment from his players ahead of tomorrow’s clash. 👇
— Stevenage FC 🔴⚪ (@StevenageFC) February 28, 2020
There are alternative options out there who would offer more experience than Revell. But we need a dynamic, young and hungry person to spark the revival we need. There’s no denying Revell has the passion and drive to succeed. While he has a big job on his hands, he could thrive after a full summer working with the group; making much-needed changes to the squad that’ll see him put his own stamp on the team.
Ultimately, the past year has been entirely forgettable for Stevenage. We have to be bold and brave as we look to build a better future. Sticking with Revell could be a smart move in the long run.
