Be challenging for Europe with an squad of late 20s high earning low or negative profit margin players
Or
Happy with midtable, but and equal chance of Europe and relegation by buying untested young but technically gifted, fit and motivated players...
No clue. Technically we've been doing the second option the last couple of years under Silva, most notably last year.. but we didn't look that bad and were closer imo to europe than relegation.
A domestic Cup Final with a mix of young and old would be heaven.
it's a good question but the answer is not simple. I think for teams like ours, experienced as the backbone is the way to go but with a few younger players sympathetically introduced.
For me stability is the name of the game and remaining in the top flight. I do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division. there are many teams now languishing that had the odd moment in the sun, coming back is much harder.
What my objection at Fulham has been is that we genuinely had an opportunity to kick on and do a bot better, organically, but on three successive seasons the opportunity was missed.
I would love to win a cup regardless of the age of the players but not if it means relegation within the next year or so afterwards.
Quote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
Quote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 01:56:43 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
I want to watch my team play football in the premier league long term.
If you win a trophy and then go back to the dross of losing to Torquay away, what is the point of that?
playing in the best league against the best players week in week out is the point.
Of course I want to win things but we don't support Fulham for that because if winning trophies was the point you would support Arsenal or Liverpool or Man utd. I want what is best long term for my club and stability in the premiership is that.
Quote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 02:35:22 PMQuote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 01:56:43 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
I want to watch my team play football in the premier league long term.
If you win a trophy and then go back to the dross of losing to Torquay away, what is the point of that?
playing in the best league against the best players week in week out is the point.
Of course I want to win things but we don't support Fulham for that because if winning trophies was the point you would support Arsenal or Liverpool or Man utd. I want what is best long term for my club and stability in the premiership is that.
It's not a binary choice. You could argue that getting into Europe or winning something would immediately improve the standard of the players willing to join us, in turn improving the chance of remaining in the division.
I want Fulham to win something in my lifetime (apart from the Intertoto of course).
Quote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 02:35:22 PMQuote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 01:56:43 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
I want to watch my team play football in the premier league long term.
If you win a trophy and then go back to the dross of losing to Torquay away, what is the point of that?
playing in the best league against the best players week in week out is the point.
Of course I want to win things but we don't support Fulham for that because if winning trophies was the point you would support Arsenal or Liverpool or Man utd. I want what is best long term for my club and stability in the premiership is that.
I'm not surprised by this. You'd be happy to finish 17th ten years in a row I'd imagine. I reckon Fulham have the least ambitious fan base going for a club of it's size.
This season I would be happy with stability after the changes with exciting football to watch. Let him get his feet under the table and then push on next season.
A balance of both. The former is extremely risky as the squad is aging and that's very dangerous - we can go from challenging for Europe to relegation in a season or two. We've been running a fairly old squad for a few years. Raul and Harry Wilson (and, before them, William) leaving will help with the average age.
Teams like Fulham, without unlimited budget and without the legal permission from FFP to spend big, have to make smart investments in young players. And they also need some experience around that youth to help it develop.
::scarf::
A good mixture of both please...
::thumb::
COYW
I'd be delighted with a top ten finish. That's all I'm hoping for.
Quote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 03:02:58 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 02:35:22 PMQuote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 01:56:43 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
I want to watch my team play football in the premier league long term.
If you win a trophy and then go back to the dross of losing to Torquay away, what is the point of that?
playing in the best league against the best players week in week out is the point.
Of course I want to win things but we don't support Fulham for that because if winning trophies was the point you would support Arsenal or Liverpool or Man utd. I want what is best long term for my club and stability in the premiership is that.
It's not a binary choice. You could argue that getting into Europe or winning something would immediately improve the standard of the players willing to join us, in turn improving the chance of remaining in the division.
I want Fulham to win something in my lifetime (apart from the Intertoto of course).
Agreed it's not a binary choice but the question was asked in a binary way and it's how I chose to answer.
I have this argument with my youngest and he thinks a day in the sun would make i worthwhile but looks at Leicester, is that worth it.
I do understand the idea but I love being back in the prem and that needs securing above all else imo.
For me, where Silva missed a trick over the last two seasons was not bringing in young players when we had reached 40 points. I could handle not getting into Europe if we saw several young players playing who are going to be the future of Fulham.
Obviously I would like to win something but we haven't got the mixture of youth and experience,if you look at our kids on loan their has been no standouts only king who still needs to improve and if we do get loanees from spain remember their not ours can be recalled and meanwhile tete,Robinson,Anderson,goalkeeper and berge get a year older we are waisting time and getting left behind don't the owners realise this it seems such a waste.
I really can't understand why anyone would support a football club and not want them to progress.
If the owners when they bought the club set up the academy long term to produce premier league standard kids and a scouting system where we bought young and sold for big profits with which we buy 2 sell 1 within 15 years we are in a strong position and this question would not have to be answered.
Quote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 02:35:22 PMQuote from: Jim© on July 08, 2026, 01:56:43 PMQuote from: Andrew on July 08, 2026, 01:29:12 PMI do not want to win a cup or get onto Europe if that affects our ability to stay safe in the division
Incredible statement. What's the point then?
I want to watch my team play football in the premier league long term.
If you win a trophy and then go back to the dross of losing to Torquay away, what is the point of that?
playing in the best league against the best players week in week out is the point.
Of course I want to win things but we don't support Fulham for that because if winning trophies was the point you would support Arsenal or Liverpool or Man utd. I want what is best long term for my club and stability in the premiership is that.
Each to their own, but as long as we were still at the cottage, I would be very happy to have a Wigan or Birmingham-esque fate if it meant we could have that one day out where it was all worth it and we won something.
I don't go to Fulham to watch their premier league opponents.
What needs to be understood is that winning becomes a habit in the same way
losing does.
Winning a domestic cup gives you a winning
Mentality and is a stepping stone to Europe, putting Fulham on the global map. Fulham becomes more attractive to better players.
Attracting quality players takes the club up another tier.
It becomes a domino effect and winning becomes a habit.
A mentality is crucial and rubs off on
all players and coaches.
To feel that mid table mediocrity or Premier Division survival flirting with relegation is acceptable is nothing but tunnel vision, and recipe for doom and misery.
Players would like to win something even if it a coconut to show something from their football career.
Clubs that stand still will most definitely get overtaken.
Watching your favourite team get beaten is one thing.
Watching your favourite team get beaten time and time again playing mediocre football is another.
If the first team win Silverware it spreads through the club and Academy's and sows the seeds for further success.
To think otherwise is a food for the Grim Reaper.
.....swing on a star?
Would love to win a major trophy. Ourselves and maybe Brighton must be the most famous, established clubs in the country to have never won a major trophy. Intertoto doesn't count!
Quote from: Jules on July 10, 2026, 08:22:32 PMWould love to win a major trophy. Ourselves and maybe Brighton must be the most famous, established clubs in the country to have never won a major trophy. Intertoto doesn't count!
Intertoto gave us European qualification though
Quote from: Jules on July 10, 2026, 08:22:32 PMWould love to win a major trophy. Ourselves and maybe Brighton must be the most famous, established clubs in the country to have never won a major trophy. Intertoto doesn't count!
It counts in my books. Regardless of what you think of the competition we did win it one time.