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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Southcoastffc on February 13, 2019, 10:25:02 PM

Title: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Southcoastffc on February 13, 2019, 10:25:02 PM
Two of our old boys helping Sheffield Utd to 3rd place in the championship, 2pts off the automatic places.

"Richard Stearman headed in Oliver Norwood's curling free-kick to give the Blades the lead a minute after top scorer Billy Sharp had a goal disallowed for offside."

With the talent on our books, and allowing for a number of 'high profile' departures we SHOULD/COULD storm it, but will our management team, coaching and otherwise, take it seriously enough?  Whatever happens, the Championship is a far more entertaining, anyone can beat anyone, league.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Woolly Mammoth on February 14, 2019, 12:17:16 AM
I very much doubt it, while this club is run the way it is, if we are going to rely on the judgement of naive unqualified amateurs unable to learn from their past mistakes. We will have very little chance of a quick return, unless the situation changes rapidly.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 07:37:43 AM
Quote from: Southcoastffc on February 13, 2019, 10:25:02 PM
Two of our old boys helping Sheffield Utd to 3rd place in the championship, 2pts off the automatic places.

"Richard Stearman headed in Oliver Norwood's curling free-kick to give the Blades the lead a minute after top scorer Billy Sharp had a goal disallowed for offside."

With the talent on our books, and allowing for a number of 'high profile' departures we SHOULD/COULD storm it, but will our management team, coaching and otherwise, take it seriously enough?  Whatever happens, the Championship is a far more entertaining, anyone can beat anyone, league.

Lots of clubs who have gone down in recent years thought they'd storm back up,too many of them to mention... Hard old league with unpredictable results.
Sat Birmingham went to QPR and hit 4,then on Tuesday they lose at home to bottom side Bolton.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: MrFFC on February 14, 2019, 07:51:10 AM
No it's a very tough league & we won't be as good as we were last season. Wasted opportunity from the club this summer as we came up in style. I'm not usually negative but could be a long time before we get ourselves back in the Premier League it's such a tough league the Championship.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: SuffolkWhite on February 14, 2019, 08:08:56 AM
Storm it no, but there is no telling what will happen good or bad as the squad personnel will change.

If the squad does not change then some payers will struggle in the Champ as they will be rushed when on the ball and will not be able to take their time on the ball, the league is more robust.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.
[/quote

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Sting of the North on February 14, 2019, 09:00:44 AM
Quote from: SuffolkWhite on February 14, 2019, 08:08:56 AM
Storm it no, but there is no telling what will happen good or bad as the squad personnel will change.

If the squad does not change then some payers will struggle in the Champ as they will be rushed when on the ball and will not be able to take their time on the ball, the league is more robust.

I don't think you will have less time on the ball in the championship, I believe that is just a myth. It might look like it because the general player is less talented, but if you can handle the pace of the PL then you'll handle the pace of the championship. My worry would be more on the mental side. Would the players be up for a season of non top flight football?
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: itombomb on February 14, 2019, 09:03:00 AM
The problem is that our squad will be decimated.

We're not 'too good to go down', mainly because of how horrendous our defence is, but compared to most teams that have gone down over the last few years we have quite a lot of player assets. Similarly all the loans will go.

I don't expect any of Mitrovic, Sessegnon, Cairney, Seri, Schurlle*, Vietto, Babel, Rico and Chambers to be around.

On one hand, we should have quite a warchest from sales and parachute payments, and most of the high earners will be off the books, so that gives us a chance to rebuild sensibly. But there is also the risk that we don't reinvest or it all goes badly again.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: itombomb on February 14, 2019, 09:04:14 AM
Quote from: Sting of the North on February 14, 2019, 09:00:44 AM
Quote from: SuffolkWhite on February 14, 2019, 08:08:56 AM
Storm it no, but there is no telling what will happen good or bad as the squad personnel will change.

If the squad does not change then some payers will struggle in the Champ as they will be rushed when on the ball and will not be able to take their time on the ball, the league is more robust.

I don't think you will have less time on the ball in the championship, I believe that is just a myth. It might look like it because the general player is less talented, but if you can handle the pace of the PL then you'll handle the pace of the championship. My worry would be more on the mental side. Would the players be up for a season of non top flight football?
Yeah, you're more likely to be kicked in the Championship because the refs are so bad, but the speed of the PL is next level. Players are almost all athletically better as well as technically better.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
Don't think anyone really storms the championship that often. Top team usually gets 90 plus and getting sixth is getting progressively harder by a point or two over last half dozen years.

We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Fernhurst on February 14, 2019, 10:34:01 AM
The thought of losing Sess makes me feel queasy, but lose him we will.

We will be stuck with our unflinching support for our team and some good luck and steady steering will be required to prevent us falling straight through.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Fulham76 on February 14, 2019, 10:51:06 AM
We'll barely have a squad to put out by the time the likes of Sess, Mitrovic, Cairney, Seri etc.. have been snapped up. Schurlle & Rico will be gone as well. Yet another big rebuild will be required in the summer unfortunately.

Add to that our new manager will need to find his feet, as I don't imagine Ranieri will still be here.

I actaully see us being in big trouble again next season & if I could take mid-table safety now, I would.


Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Sgt Fulham on February 14, 2019, 11:07:48 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.

With our squad as it is we would win the championship no doubt. Mitro, Sess, TC all done it once and the new players would be insane in the Championship. However, realistically we are going to lose all 3 mentioned and a lot of the good new players. TK is going to have to get a hole in one if we want to get promoted in a season, and I fear that won't happen. What I'm most worried about is who our manager is going to be.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 11:27:16 AM
I would hope somebody is going to lock TK into a room and forcibly tell him how the next three to four years is going to have to go. Deep foundations will be required so a Norwich/WBA style, (steady as she goes),would be infinitely better than the Villa one where tons of money thrown at it clearly is'nt working. The Bristol City model is also quite good. Play good football, be as one with the fan base and put faith in youth across the whole set up. Leeds need to go up but an implosion is always likely and they must be on an average of a manager a season. Another model to avoid.
If we look at who we came up with the success at Wolves is down to some savvy recruitment but also the players buying into the project and respecting the coach. That would be a nice change. Some knock Cardiff but if their squad and ours were competing in one of those corporate team building exercises I know which team would storm it.
Examples of good governance are all around us so I hope the Board members man up or SK is that somebody in the locked room. To avoid the current debacle repeating itself for a third time, lest we forget Magath, I would settle into a four year rebuild and take the Championship by the goolies with a defence, a midfield and a strike force worthy of the name................. and the badge.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Woolly Mammoth on February 14, 2019, 11:34:26 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.

But the question is, will Mitro Sess and Babel still be registered Fulham players. Plus have you seen the level of defending at Fulham recently.
Lots of hard work to be done to repair the damage inflicted and self inflicted on our team and club, and of course a lot will depend on who is the Manager.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Horsfield_No9 on February 14, 2019, 11:38:44 AM
My concern will be not getting dragged in to a relegation battle. It seems clubs coming down from the Prem are more likely to get relegated again than trouble to top of the league. Consolidation I think is a reasonable ask, we need a 2-3 year plan to get back. Would never put money on us going straight back up.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Twig on February 14, 2019, 11:56:17 AM
We won't have half our current talent on the books. Who knows what we will tear up!
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Milo on February 14, 2019, 12:05:49 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 11:27:16 AM
I would hope somebody is going to lock TK into a room and forcibly tell him how the next three to four years is going to have to go. Deep foundations will be required so a Norwich/WBA style, (steady as she goes),would be infinitely better than the Villa one where tons of money thrown at it clearly is'nt working. The Bristol City model is also quite good. Play good football, be as one with the fan base and put faith in youth across the whole set up. Leeds need to go up but an implosion is always likely and they must be on an average of a manager a season. Another model to avoid.
If we look at who we came up with the success at Wolves is down to some savvy recruitment but also the players buying into the project and respecting the coach. That would be a nice change. Some knock Cardiff but if their squad and ours were competing in one of those corporate team building exercises I know which team would storm it.
Examples of good governance are all around us so I hope the Board members man up or SK is that somebody in the locked room. To avoid the current debacle repeating itself for a third time, lest we forget Magath, I would settle into a four year rebuild and take the Championship by the goolies with a defence, a midfield and a strike force worthy of the name................. and the badge.

Good post!
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 12:20:00 PM
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on February 14, 2019, 11:34:26 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.

But the question is, will Mitro Sess and Babel still be registered Fulham players. Plus have you seen the level of defending at Fulham recently.
Lots of hard work to be done to repair the damage inflicted and self inflicted on our team and club, and of course a lot will depend on who is the Manager.

I agree with regards to Mitro and Co, but a defence of Bettinelli, Chrisite, Odoi, Le Marchand and Bryan would be just fine in the Championship. And thats the bare minimum, may potentially include Mawson too.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: toshes mate on February 14, 2019, 12:40:35 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 11:27:16 AM
I would hope somebody is going to lock TK into a room and forcibly tell him how the next three to four years is going to have to go. Deep foundations will be required so a Norwich/WBA style, (steady as she goes),would be infinitely better than the Villa one where tons of money thrown at it clearly is'nt working. The Bristol City model is also quite good. Play good football, be as one with the fan base and put faith in youth across the whole set up. Leeds need to go up but an implosion is always likely and they must be on an average of a manager a season. Another model to avoid.
If we look at who we came up with the success at Wolves is down to some savvy recruitment but also the players buying into the project and respecting the coach. That would be a nice change. Some knock Cardiff but if their squad and ours were competing in one of those corporate team building exercises I know which team would storm it.
Examples of good governance are all around us so I hope the Board members man up or SK is that somebody in the locked room. To avoid the current debacle repeating itself for a third time, lest we forget Magath, I would settle into a four year rebuild and take the Championship by the goolies with a defence, a midfield and a strike force worthy of the name................. and the badge.
A top post from you and one I would recommend as a sensible outline of what may start the ball rolling in the right direction once again.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 12:54:09 PM
Quote from: Sgt Fulham on February 14, 2019, 11:07:48 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.

With our squad as it is we would win the championship no doubt. Mitro, Sess, TC all done it once and the new players would be insane in the Championship. However, realistically we are going to lose all 3 mentioned and a lot of the good new players. TK is going to have to get a hole in one if we want to get promoted in a season, and I fear that won't happen. What I'm most worried about is who our manager is going to be.

Now where have I heard that before,quite a few teams have gone down,better sides than us,and thought they'd win it...lol
And some have even gone and got relegated again.
No way I'd put money on us bouncing back.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Camel Club on February 14, 2019, 01:03:54 PM
Too many people underestimate just how competitive the Championship is and (assuming we do go down this season) I wouldn't be surprised if we had a season comparable to the one Stoke are currently experiencing.

That said, there is no point in being in the Premier League just for the sake of it. This season has been the biggest non event in my 46 years of supporting Fulham and, after the euphoria of the second half of last season, unless the lessons are to be learned off the pitch (as they should have been after our last relegation) there would be no point in promotion. 

We could not have been promoted at a better time than last season. Everything was perfect for us to return to the top flight, knowing that if we didn't go up the squad would in all likelihood be broken up and the manager headhunted by an existing Premier League club. Sounds stupid but I was actually slightly relieved we didn't go up the season before as I would have expected the sort of season we're having now.

This season will have been an absolute waste of everybody's time if we get relegated because it would have been so completely and utterly avoidable. The rationale behind player recruitment has to change fundamentally if we aspire to ever be an established Premier League club again. Mr Khan has done some wonderful things for our club and I believe his affection for Fulham is both genuine and sincere but he has to make possibly the hardest decision of all if he is to realise his dream of Fulham dining at the top table for years to come.

Give me the cut and thrust of the Championship any day over what we have had to endure this season unless we miraculously survive and change happens. There's still a chance of survival but that would require the manager to cut loose and put his faith in some of those who got us here.  Putting Tom and Ryan's names.on the team sheet would be a good place to start.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Southcoastffc on February 14, 2019, 01:13:59 PM
I started this thread largely because I'd noticed that 2 of our journeyman rejects - Norwood and Stearman - were responsible for Sheffield United's victory last night and Sheffield U are in 3rd place, only 2pts off automatic.  I know Utd have done well in recent seasons before falling away  but it shows how well-organised, motivated limited resources can make a mark in the championship. (Viz Cardiff 😠)  Even if we lose Mitro, Sess, TC (apart from loanees Schurrle, Chambers, Rico) we should still be able to mount a strong challenge BUT I fully agree with Sgt Fulham. What worries me most too is who our manager will be. If it's Ranieri I wouldn't bet 10 pence on our doing well.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Robbie on February 14, 2019, 01:54:06 PM
Ridiculous OP. Most of the team we have now will be gone. As per when we went down last time ... expect mid table at best for two seasons.  See where we get to after then.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Southcoastffc on February 14, 2019, 02:13:54 PM
Quote from: Robbie on February 14, 2019, 01:54:06 PM
Ridiculous OP. Most of the team we have now will be gone. As per when we went down last time ... expect mid table at best for two seasons.  See where we get to after then.
I think that if you read the OP you'll see it was a question.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.



Seeing that team in print just made me cry.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: JimOG on February 14, 2019, 03:06:32 PM
 Betts, Steven Sessegnon, Scott Dann, Mason, Bryan, Cisse, Zambia as dom is a decent platform - then comes the difficult part the creative Funnily enough Mark vice could be a real handful (or another complete waste of space)
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: MJG on February 14, 2019, 03:43:31 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.



Seeing that team in print just made me cry.
Why?  7 of that 11 paid their dues in getting us promoted last season as part of the squad.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: aaronmcguigan on February 14, 2019, 03:51:04 PM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 10:47:13 AM
Quote from: Mince n Tatties on February 14, 2019, 08:29:28 AM
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on February 14, 2019, 08:10:19 AM
We went for absolute diatribe to play off contenders in the space of 1 year.

The Championship may be competitive, but the quality can be shocking. Get a decent manager in, and you'll go up.

Quality shocking?
Any of the top 6 at the moment would stuff us.

Have you seen the level of defending in that league?

Mitrovic, Babel and Sessegnon would rip them apart.

Mitro ,Babel and Sess are all capable of performing in this league. There are worse squads and poor defences ahead of us in the league which we are not scoring against not beating.
I doubt we would be near the bottom but a team like ours playing football the way we do, with the present mentality and decisions being taken at this club from board level to pitch level, you can rule nothing in or out
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 04:39:15 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 03:43:31 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.



Seeing that team in print just made me cry.
Why?  7 of that 11 paid their dues in getting us promoted last season as part of the squad.


Indeed they did but with the exception of Button and from time to time Stefjo none of them set our collective worlds on fire. Indeed if there was such a FoF award for bringing fans to tears would Fonte not be right up there with Soares and Sigurdsson? I will hold my hands up and admit I have never seen Jozabed play but I have not seen him mentioned in any dispatches for a long time. That eleven, as those selected for the first game of next season, are going to need one heck of a summer. Not impossible but it will take a better head coach than we have now and it cannot really wait until July to start.

Damn I'm off again.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Statto on February 14, 2019, 04:58:35 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 03:43:31 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.



Seeing that team in print just made me cry.
Why?  7 of that 11 paid their dues in getting us promoted last season as part of the squad.
I make it 9 who were actually 'part of the squad' at some point last season. And yet only 3 were consistently chosen for selection. So I think that rather undermines, rather than supports, the case for those sorts of player being good enough to get us promoted.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: MJG on February 14, 2019, 05:10:10 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 04:58:35 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 03:43:31 PM
Quote from: ScalleysDad on February 14, 2019, 02:44:20 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 01:11:40 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 09:11:24 AM
We will have a very decent championship defence but beyond that is where the questions get asked. Personally would look at a full two year rebuild and sell at least three of the main assets this summer.

If we take the "rebuild" approach I will stake my house on us not coming back up under the Khans' ownership.

Tony's track record suggests that letting him build a team from scratch with a budget of £30-40m will get you something along the following lines with goodness knows who as manager:

Button
Odoi Kalas Sigurdsson Soares
Cisse Johansen Jozabed
Ayite Fonte Kebano

That team for me wouldnt make the play-offs and in any case, I don't see us having anywhere near that sort of budget. The budget will be half that at best.

Then of course factor in the usual impact of all these players being thrown together in early August with no pre-season

And of course in the highly unlikely event we come back up, we need another complete "rebuild" like we had this year, and we know how that story ends.

The "rebuild" approach will give us, at best, 4-5 years of championship mediocrity before the Khans get bored and sell up.



Seeing that team in print just made me cry.
Why?  7 of that 11 paid their dues in getting us promoted last season as part of the squad.
I make it 9 who were actually 'part of the squad' at some point last season. And yet only 3 were consistently chosen for selection. So I think that rather undermines, rather than supports, the case for those sorts of player being good enough to get us promoted.
seven of them made twenty or more apperence, two were not even available and one was a loan and another hardly used. As past of a squad the majority are clearly good enough to be part of a squad to go up... Because it did.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: f321ffc on February 14, 2019, 05:45:54 PM
Tear up the Championship? If that idiot Clownio is still in charge (and I have a feeling the Khans will make the same mistakes as last time we went down) the squad we would have left would have trouble tearing up a newspaper .
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: filham on February 14, 2019, 06:03:12 PM
We have no idea at this moment which players will be with us at the start of next season nor who our Head Coach will be;
How can we possibly predict our fortunes.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Statto on February 14, 2019, 06:38:23 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 05:10:10 PM
As past of a squad the majority are clearly good enough to be part of a squad to go up... Because it did.
Not sure I follow that reasoning. "They are good enough to be part of a squad to go up... Yes but only if the other part of the squad is much better." In the same way that Dan Burn and David Button are good enough to be "part of the squad" in a decent PL team. But what if those players are the spine of your team?
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: MJG on February 14, 2019, 06:42:13 PM
Quote from: Statto on February 14, 2019, 06:38:23 PM
Quote from: MJG on February 14, 2019, 05:10:10 PM
As past of a squad the majority are clearly good enough to be part of a squad to go up... Because it did.
Not sure that logic makes sense. "They are good enough to be part of a squad to go up... Provided the other part of the squad is much better." In the same way that Dan Burn and David Button are good enough to part of the squad in a decent PL team. But what if those players are the spine of your team?
if I thought they would be good enough as a main team I would have said that
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: DevonFFC on February 14, 2019, 07:39:23 PM
No, we will Be lucky to finish in the top half
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Sting of the North on February 14, 2019, 10:13:15 PM
Quote from: DevonFFC on February 14, 2019, 07:39:23 PM
No, we will Be lucky to finish in the top half

Luck has very little to do with it.
Title: Re: Will we tear up the Championship?
Post by: Twig on February 15, 2019, 04:51:59 PM
I think we all understand that DevonFFC meany lucky as in fortunate.  And sadly I fear he may be correct.