Should we not get promoted, Do we have a serious problem?

[Andy S]

With Kalas, Piazon, Norwood, Ojo, Mitrovic & Target returning to their parent clubs and possibly losing Bettinelli, Fredricks, Sessegnon, Cairney and our manager Slavisa, all of which there has been speculation about, could we have a disaster about to happen as it would cost more than Betts, Sess and Cairney would bring in to adequately replace these players?

[MJG]

With Kalas, Piazon, Norwood, Ojo, Mitrovic & Target returning to their parent clubs and possibly losing Bettinelli, Fredricks, Sessegnon, Cairney and our manager Slavisa, all of which there has been speculation about, could we have a disaster about to happen as it would cost more than Betts, Sess and Cairney would bring in to adequately replace these players?

yes we do in some ways but I see it as end of one story and almost a year zero for the next chapter.
But we do have some assets we can cash in and even without certain names listed we can give it another go. I personally don't see Joka staying if we don't go up but of course I hope he would.

[SuffolkWhite]

If we could keep joka then no, as he will have cash from player sales......But he will have to rebuild and that could take a whole season so it's whether he wants another project for two seasons potentially!?

[Carborundum]

Turning it on it's head, if this lot aren't good enough to get promoted, then perhaps we would have a serious problem if all their services are retained.

Perhaps the decision point is whether the manager wishes to continue with high possession / split centre backs / one up top football.  If yes, a lot of the current players are fit for purpose.  If no, then changes will be necessary.  All of which rather depends on who the manager is.

[Lighthouse]

We only need to look at Reading or Sheffield Wednesday to know that play offs one season or two could mean nothing the next. Yes we could lose our best players and we will lose the loan players. We could lose the Coach. But we are in a better position than when we first came down. We have learned not to put all our stats based eggs into one basket case. It will be a huge set back but this is Fulham. We just try again.

[St Eve]

Yes it would be a disaster

[filham]

With Kalas, Piazon, Norwood, Ojo, Mitrovic & Target returning to their parent clubs and possibly losing Bettinelli, Fredricks, Sessegnon, Cairney and our manager Slavisa, all of which there has been speculation about, could we have a disaster about to happen as it would cost more than Betts, Sess and Cairney would bring in to adequately replace these players?

If we get promoted these players would probably stay knowing they have a better chance of playing Premiership football with us than with a new team.

[Twig]

Absolutely certainly we do. Multiple problems; player retention, finances, managerial, .... plenty to worry about. But we will hopefully not go there. COYW.

[Milo]

Would set us back 2-3 seasons to have a team as good as now most likely however I still think that we would challenge for a playoff spot.

We have ORiley, Edun, S Sessegnon all come in.

[bill taylors apprentice]

If we don't go up its a problem.

But it would be a bigger problem if we didn't start a fresh.

[Facts Not Fiction]

Our players are perfect for SJ style of football.

If we don't go up, I reckon he'll go. A squad rebuild may be necessary.

[Southcoastffc]

Turning it on it's head, if this lot aren't good enough to get promoted, then perhaps we would have a serious problem if all their services are retained.

Perhaps the decision point is whether the manager wishes to continue with high possession / split centre backs / one up top football.  If yes, a lot of the current players are fit for purpose.  If no, then changes will be necessary.  All of which rather depends on who the manager is.

I don't think that's the issue.  The issue, IMO, is the failure of the board, Kline et al, to give the coach the resources he needed for the beginning of the season.  We didn't really start playing until mid-November.

[HV71]

I have been trying not to think about it........" all good things come to an end " and all that. As MJG rightly says - it would be the beginning of a new chapter-  which is the way with all genuine football fans who stick by their team. The downside is that this current book is a real page turner and the next one might just be a dog (Felix style) without the cheese jokes and about as riveting as Mein Kampf.
Believe it or not it's not the winning I would miss but the style of play . We are associated with a style now - we have a personality that I for one would really miss

In Joka I trust !!!!
Carry on ponsing !!! - please

[Jimsbeerbelly]

I raised this earlier in the season, but, got shunted from a great height, for being negative. I'll give my point of view again, for what it's worth though.

Downsides

1) No Parachute payments next season, so, an asset or 2 will need to be sold to a) fund the first team, and b) support salaries. Looking at the squad, it'll have to be either Cairney or Sessegnon, however, I feel we'll lose both, one for funds, the other wanting Prem football.

2) Kalas, Targget, Piazon, Norwood, Ojo, Mitrovic all go back. Hope in hell of getting Mitrovic full time in the Championship, would you want Piazon and Kalas back after 2 x failed attempts at promotion?

3) Cairney and Fredericks will want Premiership football. Cairney has expressed this, he's 28 now, Fredericks hasn't signed a new deal, and will see where we are next season.

4) After such a successful season, Jockanovic maybe prised away by a Prem outfit. Money talks at the end of the day.

Upsides

1) You may well get the best part of 50M for Cairney and Sessegnon in the summer, enough to help rebuild the first team you'd hope.

2) Would you want Kalas, Piazon, Norwood and Ojo back after 2 failed attempts at promotion? Gives us a chance to get in some fresh faces.

3) Fredericks, Cairney, Sessegnon can all be replaced, sorry, but everyone is replaceable.

4) Tony Kahn & Co. are now learning fast on how to run a football Club. An early, successful window, will have as back at full strength.

5) Jokanovic, I'm convinced he'll see out his contract, so we'll have him for another season, at least.

However we look at things, this season will bring FFC many obstacles, however, we all knew not that going up, would, bring some of the things I've mentioned about.

Part and parcel of dealing with those, will be how much our owners have come along this season, and learnt from their mistakes. 

Yes, they'll be casualties, but, it also gives us a clear slate to go again.
 

[..FOF..]

With promotion, we would also have a serious problem of chopping and changing to build a team that can go into the top 6.

Joka will have his work cut out no matter where we are by the end of this season.

[KJS]

Yes it would be a disaster

Why? It wasn't last season

[HatterDon]

As long as the majority of our first team squad are loanees, we're always going to be "in trouble next season." There's going to be significant turnover in our squad whether we go up or stay in the Championship. As a result, it's going to take Joka or whoever replaces him until at least November to get a cohesive game day squad. That was the story this season and the last, and it will be until we have the FPP shackles taken off us as Premier League residents.

[RaySmith]

Gutting - but Fulham will live to fight again.

[MJG]

Yes it would be a disaster

Why? It wasn't last season

and it was predicted by some that it would be.

[Twig]

Yes it would be a disaster

Why? It wasn't last season

Are you seriously asking this question? The circumstances are very different now. Our parachute payments have ended, compare our current laonees with last year, our manager is ever more sought after shall I go on?