B, and we’ll still have people on here saying we should’ve kept Pratley, there’s a player in Morgan, and Gilbey is definitely capable of playing in the Championship
The teams down here get bigger and the competition gets harder. I don't think it's been this competitive since when Leeds etc were down here.
Do they really though? Rotherham, Wycombe and Wigan are not clubs that I consider big even if they seem to be the standard now to meet. The teams at the top are no bigger and better than before. We are just getting worse and worse.
Would have been (a) without the Nigel interference. The best we can hope for is (b).
Portsmouth, Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich are massive teams at this level, Wigan are a big club for league one. Derby will be down here next season under new ownership as well. Wycombe are a prime example of teams around us getting better.
Maybe it is just us getting worse, but we're so far off the money getting chucked around by some of these teams, and miles off on points.
Personally, I think if we don't go up next year then there'll be a rethink on the plan. A load of football boardroom and business clichés and it'll be a 3-5 plan to stabilise the club as financially self sufficient as possible and establish as a top league one club edging up towards the championship - a Peterborough, MK Don's type.
Only slightly depressing to think we could end up aspiring to be the next Peterborough.
We can't do that though. Our overheads are miles ahead of the two clubs you metion off the top of my head in 18/19 we lost 10 million MK Dons' total costs were 5 million.
Personally, I think if we don't go up next year then there'll be a rethink on the plan. A load of football boardroom and business clichés and it'll be a 3-5 plan to stabilise the club as financially self sufficient as possible and establish as a top league one club edging up towards the championship - a Peterborough, MK Don's type.
Only slightly depressing to think we could end up aspiring to be the next Peterborough.
We can't do that though. Our overheads are miles ahead of the two clubs you metion off the top of my head in 18/19 we lost 10 million MK Dons' total costs were 5 million.
I'm assuming cost cutting, upper stand closures, reduced match day spend, not employ top comercial directors etc. Roland/ P'borough sell the youth prospect/ polished gem, green ticks on spreadsheets/ loans and frees with odd fee. Ask Roland if we can skip the rent this month.
I'm far from a financial genius (it shows) but I guess we'd have to think and operate "small" in such a scenario.
Personally, I think if we don't go up next year then there'll be a rethink on the plan. A load of football boardroom and business clichés and it'll be a 3-5 plan to stabilise the club as financially self sufficient as possible and establish as a top league one club edging up towards the championship - a Peterborough, MK Don's type.
Only slightly depressing to think we could end up aspiring to be the next Peterborough.
We can't do that though. Our overheads are miles ahead of the two clubs you metion off the top of my head in 18/19 we lost 10 million MK Dons' total costs were 5 million.
I'm assuming cost cutting, upper stand closures, reduced match day spend, not employ top comercial directors etc. Roland/ P'borough sell the youth prospect/ polished gem, green ticks on spreadsheets/ loans and frees with odd fee. Ask Roland if we can skip the rent this month.
I'm far from a financial genius (it shows) but I guess we'd have to think and operate "small" in such a scenario.
Well the academy would have to go, in its current state.
In my lifetime it’s always taken us either one year or three.
Trouble is, to achieve it next year we’ll need to beat Sunderland at Wembley yet again. No chance of automatic promotion with Carlisle (away) still languishing in L2.
Zynex shares are in the bin at the moment too, so I don't see TS selling any more to finance CAFC for the foreseeable. It's going to be a longer slog than any of us wish. For a bright side to look on, our league position excluding the Adkins period is better than 14th so with a bit of squad shaping and a decent second half of the season, the foundations of a decent promotion push next year might be there.
E. Couple of years of mediocrity until TS gets bored/isnt willing to continue throwing significant proportions of his personal wealth at us each year. He struggles to find investors/a buyer without The Valley or Sparrows Lane. We enter admin and sink to league 2.
E. Couple of years of mediocrity until TS gets bored/isnt willing to continue throwing significant proportions of his personal wealth at us each year. He struggles to find investors/a buyer without The Valley or Sparrows Lane. We enter admin and sink to league 2.
E. Couple of years of mediocrity until TS gets bored/isnt willing to continue throwing significant proportions of his personal wealth at us each year. He struggles to find investors/a buyer without The Valley or Sparrows Lane. We enter admin and sink to league 2.
And then what happens?
We lose our big derby against Bromley and all give up?
Zynex shares are in the bin at the moment too, so I don't see TS selling any more to finance CAFC for the foreseeable. It's going to be a longer slog than any of us wish. For a bright side to look on, our league position excluding the Adkins period is better than 14th so with a bit of squad shaping and a decent second half of the season, the foundations of a decent promotion push next year might be there.
A - Spine of the team is here, just need to better consistency of the wings back and bolster the squad. I don’t think TS will make the same mistake as last summer.
E. Couple of years of mediocrity until TS gets bored/isnt willing to continue throwing significant proportions of his personal wealth at us each year. He struggles to find investors/a buyer without The Valley or Sparrows Lane. We enter admin and sink to league 2.
And then what happens?
We lose our big derby against Bromley and all give up?
Whilst watching Sutton fly up the divisions. We'll be number six in the south London boroughs before you know it.
Ten players out of contract at the end of the season. Four players loan spell ends.
That's 14 players who need to be replaced. Now is question is do we fancy Sandgaard replacing them with enough quality to push for promotion. Personally I don't but that's just me.
Ten players out of contract at the end of the season. Four players loan spell ends.
That's 14 players who need to be replaced. Now is question is do we fancy Sandgaard replacing them with enough quality to push for promotion. Personally I don't but that's just me.
Doubt it's just you mate. Track record so far is patchy bordering on shambolic. I've lost confidence in the recruitment process.
E. Couple of years of mediocrity until TS gets bored/isnt willing to continue throwing significant proportions of his personal wealth at us each year. He struggles to find investors/a buyer without The Valley or Sparrows Lane. We enter admin and sink to league 2.
And then what happens?
Mass rejoicing at the prospect of visiting new grounds.
Ten players out of contract at the end of the season. Four players loan spell ends.
That's 14 players who need to be replaced. Now is question is do we fancy Sandgaard replacing them with enough quality to push for promotion. Personally I don't but that's just me.
Regardless of what you think about TS as an owner, this is a tough ask for anyone.
I think our history in recent years is one mistake after another made by different people. Opportunities to push on as a club have been there and have been spurned time and time again. The latest being the summer transfer window where we entered this season in a chaotic position. Sandgaard is not responsible for 99% of this but he is responsible for recent messes. The delay in sacking Bowyer would be another where we missed out on a play off place by goal difference. Even the delay in sacking Adkins could be put forwards. Not appointing him but sometimes something is going towards the edge of the cliff and is clearly unstoppable so waiting too long can cost you.
That isn't to say he won't be our saviour, and I feel much better than I have for some time that he owns the club. But I will feel confident when I have sufficient evidence to be confident. So the best I can be is cautiously hopeful. I am waiting for the next disaster and I imagine a lot of fans are. When that feeling is removed we may actually be on the right path.
Zynex shares are in the bin at the moment too, so I don't see TS selling any more to finance CAFC for the foreseeable. It's going to be a longer slog than any of us wish. For a bright side to look on, our league position excluding the Adkins period is better than 14th so with a bit of squad shaping and a decent second half of the season, the foundations of a decent promotion push next year might be there.
all asset classes are having a rough time, so the share price has room to head back up when the market heads back up
I'd like to see a bit more strategy in the recruitment process.
There are two distinct ways to achieve promotion ... you build a team with the specific purpose of getting you out of the Division you are in. So, proven, competitive players, probably looking for one last payday before retirement. But such a squad will then need an almost complete re-build once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan A.
Alternatively, you try to find good younger players with the potential to improve. Good enough to get you to the top when supplemented by some seasoned campaigners, and good enough to compete at the higher level as they continue to improve. That type of squad will then probably require the addition of only three or four more players once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan B.
Some kind of hybrid approach is also possible, but those are the two distinct extremes.
Now ... I'm delighted that we are picking up young players from clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham ... but, as loans, this feels like short-termism to me. While John and Castillo may make a difference to the way we play, they are not going to turn this mid-table League 1 squad into a promotion-chasing team this season. So, they don't fit with either of the two approaches that I've described.
Of course, if a loan player makes an impact this season, and is able to come back next season as an integral part of a young, developing squad, that's fine ... but, unless that player is then on a permanent deal, you haven't really achieved what you set out to do. That player's development will continue elsewhere (eg Gallagher, Maatsen).
Ask yourself too ... which of the current squad fulfils the requirements for Plan A or Plan B?
Aneke coming back on a three-year + deal? Is he Championship standard? If not, then he is part of a 'Plan A' approach ... but not if he is on a long contract. Lack of strategic clarity, to my mind. Confused thinking.
Jaiyesimi ... another long deal. Championship standard?
You can make up your own mind about any player, but our recruitment strategy smacks of opportunism to me. Our eyes light up when a player becomes available, but we don't look at how that players fits into the plan because we are not sure what the plan is.
My advice? Most of the current squad don't cut it. Let's focus on youth development. Fewer loans. Let's really scour the market (not in this window, but between now and July) to find the real young talent. The Kirk experiment didn't work, but that's the right kind of approach, to my mind. Permanent deals.
Then supplement with a few older heads ... but older heads on one-year deals, not three+. And older heads with something still to prove ... not the Gunters and Watsons of this world.
Not easy, I know. If it was, everyone would already be doing it. But clarity of objective is where it begins ... and we don't seem to have that yet.
Everyone seem to be assuming we won't get relegated this season.
Seriously, stating the obvious here, this season is a write-off, so what happens in the summer is crucial. Based on nothing other than being an optimist, I'm going for option A.
I think we have more players than we give ourselves credit for who will be good assets for next season. As first team and squad players. There are gaps though and with some we probably need to be ruthless. Morgan for example is probably at last chance saloon. Dobson and Gilbey on the other hand are as good midfielders as we have had for a while.
Ten players out of contract at the end of the season. Four players loan spell ends.
That's 14 players who need to be replaced. Now is question is do we fancy Sandgaard replacing them with enough quality to push for promotion. Personally I don't but that's just me.
This.
Is one thing replacing 2 or 3 players that will get you promoted but needing to replace a full team could be very costly. And it's not done by taking up your quota of loans every season. Powell's record breaking squad didnt have many (if any) loan players, especially not 18 & 19 year old kids who haven't played a league game between them. Different times maybe shows what can be done if you know who your targets are early on.
I'd like to see a bit more strategy in the recruitment process.
There are two distinct ways to achieve promotion ... you build a team with the specific purpose of getting you out of the Division you are in. So, proven, competitive players, probably looking for one last payday before retirement. But such a squad will then need an almost complete re-build once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan A.
Alternatively, you try to find good younger players with the potential to improve. Good enough to get you to the top when supplemented by some seasoned campaigners, and good enough to compete at the higher level as they continue to improve. That type of squad will then probably require the addition of only three or four more players once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan B.
Some kind of hybrid approach is also possible, but those are the two distinct extremes.
Now ... I'm delighted that we are picking up young players from clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham ... but, as loans, this feels like short-termism to me. While John and Castillo may make a difference to the way we play, they are not going to turn this mid-table League 1 squad into a promotion-chasing team this season. So, they don't fit with either of the two approaches that I've described.
Of course, if a loan player makes an impact this season, and is able to come back next season as an integral part of a young, developing squad, that's fine ... but, unless that player is then on a permanent deal, you haven't really achieved what you set out to do. That player's development will continue elsewhere (eg Gallagher, Maatsen).
Ask yourself too ... which of the current squad fulfils the requirements for Plan A or Plan B?
Aneke coming back on a three-year + deal? Is he Championship standard? If not, then he is part of a 'Plan A' approach ... but not if he is on a long contract. Lack of strategic clarity, to my mind. Confused thinking.
Jaiyesimi ... another long deal. Championship standard?
You can make up your own mind about any player, but our recruitment strategy smacks of opportunism to me. Our eyes light up when a player becomes available, but we don't look at how that players fits into the plan because we are not sure what the plan is.
My advice? Most of the current squad don't cut it. Let's focus on youth development. Fewer loans. Let's really scour the market (not in this window, but between now and July) to find the real young talent. The Kirk experiment didn't work, but that's the right kind of approach, to my mind. Permanent deals.
Then supplement with a few older heads ... but older heads on one-year deals, not three+. And older heads with something still to prove ... not the Gunters and Watsons of this world.
Not easy, I know. If it was, everyone would already be doing it. But clarity of objective is where it begins ... and we don't seem to have that yet.
Comments
Maybe it is just us getting worse, but we're so far off the money getting chucked around by some of these teams, and miles off on points.
I'm assuming cost cutting, upper stand closures, reduced match day spend, not employ top comercial directors etc. Roland/ P'borough sell the youth prospect/ polished gem, green ticks on spreadsheets/ loans and frees with odd fee. Ask Roland if we can skip the rent this month.
I'm far from a financial genius (it shows) but I guess we'd have to think and operate "small" in such a scenario.
For a bright side to look on, our league position excluding the Adkins period is better than 14th so with a bit of squad shaping and a decent second half of the season, the foundations of a decent promotion push next year might be there.
Four players loan spell ends.
That's 14 players who need to be replaced.
Now is question is do we fancy Sandgaard replacing them with enough quality to push for promotion.
Personally I don't but that's just me.
Track record so far is patchy bordering on shambolic.
I've lost confidence in the recruitment process.
That isn't to say he won't be our saviour, and I feel much better than I have for some time that he owns the club. But I will feel confident when I have sufficient evidence to be confident. So the best I can be is cautiously hopeful. I am waiting for the next disaster and I imagine a lot of fans are. When that feeling is removed we may actually be on the right path.
There are two distinct ways to achieve promotion ... you build a team with the specific purpose of getting you out of the Division you are in. So, proven, competitive players, probably looking for one last payday before retirement. But such a squad will then need an almost complete re-build once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan A.
Alternatively, you try to find good younger players with the potential to improve. Good enough to get you to the top when supplemented by some seasoned campaigners, and good enough to compete at the higher level as they continue to improve. That type of squad will then probably require the addition of only three or four more players once you are promoted. Let's call this Plan B.
Some kind of hybrid approach is also possible, but those are the two distinct extremes.
Now ... I'm delighted that we are picking up young players from clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham ... but, as loans, this feels like short-termism to me. While John and Castillo may make a difference to the way we play, they are not going to turn this mid-table League 1 squad into a promotion-chasing team this season. So, they don't fit with either of the two approaches that I've described.
Of course, if a loan player makes an impact this season, and is able to come back next season as an integral part of a young, developing squad, that's fine ... but, unless that player is then on a permanent deal, you haven't really achieved what you set out to do. That player's development will continue elsewhere (eg Gallagher, Maatsen).
Ask yourself too ... which of the current squad fulfils the requirements for Plan A or Plan B?
Aneke coming back on a three-year + deal? Is he Championship standard? If not, then he is part of a 'Plan A' approach ... but not if he is on a long contract. Lack of strategic clarity, to my mind. Confused thinking.
Jaiyesimi ... another long deal. Championship standard?
You can make up your own mind about any player, but our recruitment strategy smacks of opportunism to me. Our eyes light up when a player becomes available, but we don't look at how that players fits into the plan because we are not sure what the plan is.
My advice? Most of the current squad don't cut it. Let's focus on youth development. Fewer loans. Let's really scour the market (not in this window, but between now and July) to find the real young talent. The Kirk experiment didn't work, but that's the right kind of approach, to my mind. Permanent deals.
Then supplement with a few older heads ... but older heads on one-year deals, not three+. And older heads with something still to prove ... not the Gunters and Watsons of this world.
Not easy, I know. If it was, everyone would already be doing it. But clarity of objective is where it begins ... and we don't seem to have that yet.
Seriously, stating the obvious here, this season is a write-off, so what happens in the summer is crucial. Based on nothing other than being an optimist, I'm going for option A.
Is one thing replacing 2 or 3 players that will get you promoted but needing to replace a full team could be very costly. And it's not done by taking up your quota of loans every season. Powell's record breaking squad didnt have many (if any) loan players, especially not 18 & 19 year old kids who haven't played a league game between them. Different times maybe shows what can be done if you know who your targets are early on.
Goes hand in hand it what I've just posted above.