As the fallout of another weekend of action drew to a close, much of the musings broadcast over the phone-in’s and message boards are from disgruntled fans who have self-diagnosed problems with their side. Patience is a virtue, but a virtue which is sadly lacking from the hyper-critical who wish for immediate remedy.

What fans do not appear to understand is that there is no quick-fix to solve the failings of a football team. It’s not like putting new batteries into a remote control or a working pair of spark plugs into a car. Simply removing one component of a side and replacing it with a perceived working part does not necessarily guarantee an end product, yet continually fans yearn for change in the hope that change for change’s sake will improve fortunes.

This is a common and age old criticism of football fans, and one which is unlikely to appease any time soon. All across the football spectrum from park sides to those competing at the highest level, there is a demand for constant improvement, and more often than not, that improvement is perceived to only come about through an altering of personnel.

Following their insipid midweek draw to Benfica, Manchester United fans rained in to express their dissatisfaction about the champions current midfield pool and a whole host of names were launched forward as finite examples of who would make the Reds better. Similarly, Chelsea fans reeling from their loss in Leverkusen felt Andre Villas-Boas needed to recruit in several areas, whilst Manchester City fans were bemoaning the lack of quality cover in the Citizens full-back berths.

Of course, the desire to chop and change runs much deeper than simply team affairs. Ask the natives of Blackburn and Sunderland whether they should keep faith with their managers and you will be hit with a resounding response, and even an Everton fan spoke at pains about the need for Bill Kenwright’s regime to be usurped by somebody, anybody, for the supposed better of the club.

Similar discussions rage all across the footballing pyramid and still the attitude remains the same despite absolutely no evidence that change represents an unequivocal chance of things actually improving. It seems that in an age where results speak volumes, there is increasingly little tolerance to indifferent form or fortune with no chance of redemption. If somebody isn’t doing their job, get ‘em out.

Click HERE to head to PAGE TWO…