How can we not get promotion ?

[Woolly Mammoth]

Scott Parker is the least of our worries, he will deliver if he gets the right support from the D of F.
Every managerial appointment is a gamble, and a certain amount of risk. There are other issues that concern me more, for example, better quality defenders being recruited.
However, on Saturday in our last friendly v West Ham, we will be tested I imagine all over the pitch. So we may learn a little more about where our team is at, and how organised and prepared we are to date. Scott Parker can look after himself, and with the support of the club will look after the team.

Blind faith. There's not really anything to suggest any of that is true. If anything, his tenure from last season works in the opposite direction.

Every managerial appointment is indeed a gamble, but giving the job to someone whose never managed, has no experience at any level really is a much bigger gamble than someone with a proven record.

I'm supportive but I'm more worried about Parkers lack of experience in tough times than our backline to be honest.

More Adam Faith for me. The club have in the past brought in experienced managers, for example, Felix Magath and Claudio Ranileri and I know which one out of the three I would prefer.

That's fair.

My comment is merely suggesting, a reason we might not go up is the inexperience of the manager. Personally, I'm happy we gave him a chance, but its not without risks. (And yes, I do appreciate, even experienced managers can be a risk but it is reduced)

I am sure one way or another we shall be a lot wiser in due course, but to a certain extent a manager is only as good as the players he has at his disposal. Scott Parker has the advantage of playing and coaching in English football over his whole career, and that for me actually reduces the risk.

[WindyCity]

WE are so much stronger than the team 2 seasons ago, with more players to come.

Other teams aren't sitting on their hands.  Other clubs are getting stronger, etc.  If FFC is relying on current backline defense, with no upgrading, I can easily see a mid to lower table season, and obviously no promotion.

More players to come?  I, along with many others on this site, will believe it when we see it.  (And if acquired, hopefully the 'right' type of player(s) that fill a need.)

Only one more pre season game left.  Season will start before you know it.  Important to get off to good start.  And, still waiting for 'more players to come'.

[Jim©]

Let's be honest, we all thought we'd be starting with  a frontline missing (3 from) Mitro, Sess, Babel, Schurrle, AK and possibly TC behind them. We're actually starting a division lower with a frontline that is arguably much better placed to cope with the lesser quality.
Same goes for the back line- Bryan and Christie are good performers in that division, Ream was our Player Of Season.

I think we're well set, the big question is how SP will perform (and pleased that Gray is alongside).

[filham]

I don't mind if this is an unpopular opinion, but my biggest reservation on this, is on Scotty P being inexperienced and an unknown. Could well work, but its a gamble with the squad we have.

MacDonald was a newcomer as was Adams so I am less concerned about this because any manager is gamble even an experienced one. I think Scott has as good a chance as anyone (other than Slav) but the squad remains against him and that is perhaps where his inexperience will count against us.

TK has to get off his hanmds and find us full backs and another center back.

We might weigh up the sum of our team's parts, but whether they will amount to more or less than that sum will decide our final position.  Seems deliciously uncertain.

So true and we will have to wait for a few matches to pass to make a judgement on that.

[..FOF..]

The big audacious goal or objective should be to get that No 1 automatic promotion.

To prevent overconfident, the management should place MEASURABLE KPI or Key Result or whatever you call it these days to track progress and identify which area needed help before it gets worse.

We simply cannot go in thinking mid-table or just surviving or even a playoff.

Want a Big Goal?

Four wins and Two draws from first six games
1. Barnsley
2. Blackburn Rovers
3. Huddersfield Town
4. Millwall
5. Nottingham Forest
6. Cardiff City

And, don't play new players (those after Knockaert) until after first international break.

THAT would be overconfident:)

Key Result or KPI should be placed every quarter in a season to collect data to measure, reflect upon it and then improve in the next quarter.

Asking for 4 win and 1 draw by picking numbers from the air adding to it being the start of the season, that could backfire on the motivation of the team.

Maybe we should aim for Norwich's results last season for first six games : 1 win, 2 draws and 3 losses (WBA, Sheffield United and Leeds), it worked out of in the end.

I'm not sure you get how this work.

The Goal/Objective is annual. Set for the end of the campaign in May.

The KPI or Key Result is set quarterly, every 2 months or so for a football team.

In order for you to say how many wins, losses or draws in the first quarter, you have to back it up with numbers.

At the start of the season those numbers are scarce.

So we need to measure with data during the friendlies;

* maybe our defence's % of high ball intercepts was low and that is what we should focus on in training during the 1st quarter

* maybe Mitro and other attackers cannot score and that should be a red flag to do a last minute deal for a striker.

[The Rational Fan]

So we need to measure with data during the friendlies;

* maybe our defence's % of high ball intercepts was low and that is what we should focus on in training during the 1st quarter

* maybe Mitro and other attackers cannot score and that should be a red flag to do a last minute deal for a striker.

As a sub Britt Assombalonga scored a goal every 70 minutes last season (i.e. 5 goals in 14 subs), it would be awesome if we could get him for the price of a top championship bench player.

[..FOF..]

So we need to measure with data during the friendlies;

* maybe our defence's % of high ball intercepts was low and that is what we should focus on in training during the 1st quarter

* maybe Mitro and other attackers cannot score and that should be a red flag to do a last minute deal for a striker.

As a sub Britt Assombalonga scored a goal every 70 minutes last season (i.e. 5 goals in 14 subs), it would be awesome if we could get him for the price of a top championship bench player.

Ah yes, now we are getting somewhere:D

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

Re: How can we not get promotion ?

Don't worry Rog, we will find a way!

:0)

[We Are Premier League]

A friend of mine played for a team with a bonus structure that was partially based on the points earned in each month, to keep motivation (incentives) up on dark Tuesday night in November...

[The Rational Fan]

Fans should not deluded themselves losing Seri, Anguissa and Sess to gain Knockaert and Calv is not a step forward. If we go up we needed a strong spine and now any game Cairney is missing we will be crap, look at 17/18 for supporting evidence.