Who wants promotion?

Fulham 442 · June 18, 2020, 04:27:48 PM

The last two times we were promoted to the EPL were vastly different. The first time we bossed the Championship and already had a premier league team in place and hit the ground running when we got there which is why we stayed up. Last time we lost a lot of key players immediately and our defence was always a bit suspect. Added to that we had our disastrous recruitment policy with a hotch potch of players randomly bought which Slavisa was supposed to make a team out of. If the Khan's have learned their lesson this time around and realise that we need to recruit, and recruit well, rather than the previous scattergun approach then fair enough. I just don't want to be completely and utterly humiliated like we were last time. After all who wants to see their team battered on a regular basis? I appreciate we can see a better quality of team coming to the Cottage but I want to compete with them, not admire them as they blow us away!

Milo · June 18, 2020, 05:58:53 PM

Same old debate really. It's an interesting one.

I much prefer Championship but I know opinion is divided.

fulhamben · June 18, 2020, 06:44:53 PM

I haven't enjoyed the football much this season, and don't see it getting any better if we go up. Plus I hate var, but for the sakes of the owners I hope we do go up, just so they get some money back and continue to invest in our club. Football imo is going to get hit really hard over covid for years to come and I want a multi billionaire to keep stewardship over us to help us live at ease.

Arthur · June 18, 2020, 06:46:09 PM

If it ever gets to the point where we've been in the Championship for as many seasons as Leeds and Forest currently have, I doubt there'd be anybody who'd be happy at the prospect of our missing out on promotion.

fulhamben · June 18, 2020, 06:51:49 PM

Quote from: Arthur on June 18, 2020, 06:46:09 PM
If it ever gets to the point where we've been in the Championship for as many seasons as Leeds and Forest currently have, I doubt there'd be anybody who'd be happy at the prospect of our missing out on promotion.

true, but im sure the dreadfulness of last season is still fresh in every bodies mind, coupled with the fact that our current team isnt as good as the one that got promoted under slav. maybe it will be better if we go up, or maybe it will be just as shocking or even worse than last season. time will tell. i still think brentford will win the play offs anyway

Jims Dentist · June 19, 2020, 12:05:36 AM

Quote from: Holders on June 18, 2020, 09:32:54 AM
Any team being promoted this season through the play-offs will be at a disadvantage through having less time to recruit because of not being aware of which league they're going to be in until around mid-July. Contingency planning isn't the same.

Was talking exactly this last night.

Jims Dentist · June 19, 2020, 12:46:26 AM

Am really enjoying The Championship with us as one of the favoured teams.
But for the overall good of our club, the best option is promotion this season.

There are unlikely to be fans in grounds until 2021 at the earliest so Championship revenue will be limited.
In The Prem, TV revenue should still exist.
Being a yoyo club for a few seasons would be a good financial option.
The down seasons are painful, but without the parachute payments we could slip into mediocrity or worse. That is unless we found ourselves a Chris Wilder or similar.

St Eve · June 19, 2020, 01:03:49 AM

Of course we want promotion

The Rational Fan · June 19, 2020, 01:26:40 AM

I am happy to be a "yo-yo club" but don't want to be a "pure championship club", as I can see FFC getting nearly relegated to league one on a QPR or Hull budget.

I hope we get promoted this season to buy a few "younger yo-yo quality players" to the squad like Mat Cash, Harrison Reed, John Swift, Eberechi Eze, Jed Wallace and Karlan Grant. Fulham needs to build a squad that if it gets relegated again can win the championship first go, because Wolves and Sheffield United have shown only a quality settled squad can stay up, while Aston Villa and Fulham have shown newly created squads take 3/4 of a season to come good.

DevonFFC · June 19, 2020, 07:51:13 AM

Promotion for me.
Regardless of Outcome once in the prem, the financial security it can offer in worst case scenario

RaySmith · June 19, 2020, 08:14:28 AM

If you're talking about being in the Championship for good, never challenging for the Prem, then you're talking about mid-table mediocrity, not holding onto your top players, who will surely be ambitious, without any hope of improvement in the future or goals to aspire to.

Would fans really like this.

fulhamben · June 19, 2020, 08:25:32 AM

Quote from: RaySmith on June 19, 2020, 08:14:28 AM
If you're talking about being in the Championship for good, never challenging for the Prem, then you're talking about mid-table mediocrity, not holding onto your top players, who will surely be ambitious, without any hope of improvement in the future or goals to aspire to.

Would fans really like this.

we didn't hold on to our best players even when we were a prem team so that's a mute point

Andy S · June 19, 2020, 08:40:23 AM

I think lockdown has softened a few brain cells here. We started the season with an ambition to go up. Let's not give up with 9 games to go. All the way up for me and then take a few scalps with us

General · June 19, 2020, 08:41:58 AM

I'd rather go up. Doldrums or not, we had that for a while in the premiership under MAF but watching the best teams, managers and players for me counts for a lot, having the likes of berbatov play for us, duff, Murphy... babel and schurrle...

I A) don't think we'd make the same mistake again in our recruitment policy and B) would take the odd night like our first win over Chelsea, Diop screamers against man ute, or our 3-0 wins under Hodgson against utd and be part of the conversation than not be... plus I think the Khan's are, when they get it right, more willing to invest in the squad and so I'd imagine we'd start being a more established team and possibly even one that may push on and perhaps even get into the Europa League again.. now those dreams and matches.. wouldn't swap them for the championship at all. Time to be courageous.

Twig · June 19, 2020, 09:50:11 AM

Promotion every time, simples. Any other strategy is ultimately going to result in a slow decline.

epsomraver · June 19, 2020, 10:47:36 AM

Quote from: sunburywhite on June 18, 2020, 10:51:47 AM
I am more than happy in this league, at least all teams have a chance to beat each other

0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg 0001.jpeg love it, who wants the prem where on the media we get little coverage, go to matches hoping that we only lose 2 or 3 nil, yep, championship for me

St Eve · June 19, 2020, 01:19:01 PM

Alternatively we could write the season off and lose every game. Then we could be the Man City of the first division. Guaranteed wins every game

WindyCity · June 19, 2020, 02:52:59 PM

"Who wants promotion?"

I absolutely do, no hesitation. I know this particular topic comes up from time to time on this site, but I just can't for the life of me understand how any sports fan would/could be happy playing at lower levels rather than strive to be the best and position oneself to compete at the top level. There is no question in my mind that EVERY footballer out there wants to play at the leagues' top flight. As a fan, yes, it can be difficult getting stomped on by big clubs with great players. But as a fan you should be happy with a mid table finish or battling to stay up. You take pleasure in that occasional win/draw v a top four. You can feel very satisfied with a top ten finish.

Yeah, I'll take my lumps in the prem. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Jims Dentist · June 21, 2020, 10:43:01 PM

Quote from: The Rational Fan on June 19, 2020, 01:26:40 AM
I am happy to be a "yo-yo club" but don't want to be a "pure championship club", as I can see FFC getting nearly relegated to league one on a QPR or Hull budget.

I hope we get promoted this season to buy a few "younger yo-yo quality players" to the squad like Mat Cash, Harrison Reed, John Swift, Eberechi Eze, Jed Wallace and Karlan Grant. Fulham needs to build a squad that if it gets relegated again can win the championship first go, because Wolves and Sheffield United have shown only a quality settled squad can stay up, while Aston Villa and Fulham have shown newly created squads take 3/4 of a season to come good.

WOW T.R.F. I completely agree ( unusual for us)!!

Whitestone · June 21, 2020, 11:47:48 PM

Promotion, absolutely. What's not to like about that. Surely we have to be ambitious and let's not forget we had some of our best years during our last 13 year stint in the Prem.

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Who wants promotion?