MOST IMPORTANT SUMMER EVER ??? The bottom line is

MY VIEW:


MOST IMPORTANT SUMMER EVER ???



The bottom line is that there is no money in the Championship this summer. Apart from perhaps the three relegated clubs and possibly a couple more with very rich owners - all the rest have no money to spend either to buy or ti afford biggish wages.



For various reasons Tan is unable or unwilling to spend any more. Because of this he has lost the only edge or advantage he had over most.


We are now - more or less- on a level playing field with most of the other clubs. Very simply it is a question of which clubs can recruit better to amass the better combination of experience , young talent and loanees .




Good proven players on high wages who are released - will be forced to take massive salary reductions …..

So which clubs can pick them up ? Is the fact that eight (I think) of our higher earning players are out of contract of any advantage ….as it gives us more latitude to operate in the market as well as the ability to cut our wage bill to a low level that Tan can live with ?






Given that Tan Dalman and Choo have practically no knowledge or ability or any real input on which players to recruit - our season rests on the shoulders of one man -


Steve Morison !!!

Will he deliver ? Is he the right man to carry this enormous burden ?


If we fail to make the play-offs ….. what should happen ? Is next season a defining season for our club for a number of key people ?

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

Well said, this rebuild will take more than 5 mins.

This Summer will certainly be another massive test of Steve Morisons credentials, and the rest of his coaching staff. The importance is that lessons are learned, and progress can be made, on, and off the pitch. The last thing we want is another bad start to the season (just like the last three seasons), and end up scratching our heads come October...

It shows the incompetence of previous managers and how they never concentrated on the youth
Although not fully the managers are to blame theres a big fault in recruitment and hierarchy.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

Well I disagree,

We keep saying this every season and you can only ever have so many rebuilds.
We have to really start challenging, because if we don’t watch our crowds be very low next season, just watch.

Fans will vote with their feet.

Huddersfield and Luton, have done it, and they are way smaller clubs than us.
So why can’t we?

We should be def looking at play offs.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

Well I disagree,

We keep saying this every season and you can only ever have so many rebuilds.
We have to really start challenging, because if we don’t watch our crowds be very low next season, just watch.

Fans will vote with their feet.

Huddersfield and Luton, have done it, and they are way smaller clubs than us.
So why can’t we?

We should be def looking at play offs.

No doubt it can be done. But to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

There are much more important things to focus on. Survival of the football club for one. Got a feeling the football pyramid is in for a big reshuffle in the coming years. We don't want to be caught up in a Derby situation.

So for me. Sensible spending and just keep safe. If playoffs happen it's more as a by product than a priority.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

Well I disagree,

We keep saying this every season and you can only ever have so many rebuilds.
We have to really start challenging, because if we don’t watch our crowds be very low next season, just watch.

Fans will vote with their feet.

Huddersfield and Luton, have done it, and they are way smaller clubs than us.
So why can’t we?

We should be def looking at play offs.

No doubt it can be done. But to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

There are much more important things to focus on. Survival of the football club for one. Got a feeling the football pyramid is in for a big reshuffle in the coming years. We don't want to be caught up in a Derby situation.

So for me. Sensible spending and just keep safe. If playoffs happen it's more as a by product than a priority.

The voice of reason, well said

I believe we dodged a bullet this year and it should be enough.We have been financially prudent since Warnock left. NG,Wintle,Moore,McGuiness in addition to snapping up kids that have left other academies.

We bought a lot of those players before SM was made manager so i hope that we have a decent recruitment team nowadays, obviously SM has a major say but I hope we never let a manager buy a player with the recruitment say so.

Of players SM is likely to know or have inside info on Jed Wallace and Mahlon Romeo would fit nicely and probably fit in the wage structure.

We are losing a lot of shocking poor value players, i don't think it will be hard to upgrade the value for money per player and we could easily have a shot at the playoffs. We are not in Administration !!!!!!

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

Well I disagree,

We keep saying this every season and you can only ever have so many rebuilds.
We have to really start challenging, because if we don’t watch our crowds be very low next season, just watch.

Fans will vote with their feet.

Huddersfield and Luton, have done it, and they are way smaller clubs than us.
So why can’t we?

We should be def looking at play offs.

I agree we should be looking at the playoffs but to actually reach them will probably be a step too far.

This is as big a rebuilding job as Mackay had in his hands. He took two FULL seasons plus a pile of transfer cash to get us up.

Without the money I think we have to be more patient.

However, it has to be about steady progression over each quarter of the season and then further bigger improvements after each transfer window.

To be fair, based on the points per game under Morison we would be around the playoffs this season and that’s including the first two months where he had to play with the players he inherited and had got us into that mess !!

So for me, let’s be ambitious but realistic and, most of all, be patient.

..... to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

But that is what many fans want to happen.

Shoot for the moon and then say it was the least we should hope for as a big (sic) club but fail and have a great big moan about who was to blame all along.

A rebuild is the best thing that could happen at just the right time. Less money everywhere and us with many out of contract. Perfect.

I'm not sure we can say that we have had such a rebuild in many, many years, every recent manager has been papering over cracks in the team with experienced players in order to get out of precarious positions.

I don't think failing to make play offs next year would be seen as a failure.

Rebuild is happening, we can't change that, need to theb consolidate our Championship position. Give the youngsters more experience. And most importantly, keep finances in the black.

To flip it as a positive season I would say would be flirting with the playoffs. A bit of hope. Few good games. But ultimately fall short and finish about 10th. Whilst we watch other clubs implode and worry about point reductions and FFP.

I'd take a mid table finish all day long, rebuilding takes time and if we can do it without the fear of the dreaded drop then great. My only concern would be if we get a few good youngsters coming through, they'll be sold on very quickly for bladders.

A restructuring of the football pyramid was mentioned by somebody on this thread and I totally agree.
I think the bottom 2 divisions will become regionalised and possibly part time leagues due to financial constraints.
The Premier league always has the possibility of a break away with Europe again because of money.
That leaves the Championship where we are,and let's face it it's a decent division to be in.
Therefore we need to make sure we are financially secure, keep blooding the youth and remain solid.

..... to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

But that is what many fans want to happen.

Shoot for the moon and then say it was the least we should hope for as a big (sic) club but fail and have a great big moan about who was to blame all along.

A rebuild is the best thing that could happen at just the right time. Less money everywhere and us with many out of contract. Perfect.

I'm not sure we can say that we have had such a rebuild in many, many years, every recent manager has been papering over cracks in the team with experienced players in order to get out of precarious positions.

Everyone should have dreams and want to do well, not just be another club in the division.

You should always look to do well and go out for a win and look for promotion if not no point competing.

..... to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

But that is what many fans want to happen.

Shoot for the moon and then say it was the least we should hope for as a big (sic) club but fail and have a great big moan about who was to blame all along.

A rebuild is the best thing that could happen at just the right time. Less money everywhere and us with many out of contract. Perfect.

I'm not sure we can say that we have had such a rebuild in many, many years, every recent manager has been papering over cracks in the team with experienced players in order to get out of precarious positions.

Everyone should have dreams and want to do well, not just be another club in the division.

You should always look to do well and go out for a win and look for promotion if not no point competing.

On that, I 100% agree; if no ambition, what is the point...?

I want to see the club I support in the highest league and it is doable; so long as we push in the right direction and with a plan

Stagnation is not an option; it would stink!

..... to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

But that is what many fans want to happen.

Shoot for the moon and then say it was the least we should hope for as a big (sic) club but fail and have a great big moan about who was to blame all along.

A rebuild is the best thing that could happen at just the right time. Less money everywhere and us with many out of contract. Perfect.

I'm not sure we can say that we have had such a rebuild in many, many years, every recent manager has been papering over cracks in the team with experienced players in order to get out of precarious positions.

Everyone should have dreams and want to do well, not just be another club in the division.

You should always look to do well and go out for a win and look for promotion if not no point competing.

On that, I 100% agree; if no ambition, what is the point...?

I want to see the club I support in the highest league and it is doable; so long as we push in the right direction and with a plan

Stagnation is not an option; it would stink!

Exactly and Spot on Chris


To many of our fans are quite happy to continue how we have been the last few yrs.

But they are wrong because you watch the attendances next season if we do how we did this season.

Totally agree but don't hold your breath. regardless of who owns or manages the club the outcome is generally the same mediocrity in the second tier.ive stated before the combined history of all the clubs in Wales and the west country is poor . ironically the jacks have shown it doesn't always have to be this way.

FOREVER BLUE

I agree i thought we have been rebuilding since warnock left and we fell out of the prem
And i thought its every clubs ambition to get promoted
Maybe not every fans ambition stability and staying in the championship is a given by all fans but some want more
I always think when we played wolves a few seasons back we where on the same level good fan base both going for promotion warnock nuno
they may have gone about things a different way to us in how they recruited etc but it worked
but i would say for there fans its been great competing well in the prem full stadiums every week and we sadly went the other way which ever way you spin it
but that's just my opinion from where i am looking from.

Totally agree but don't hold your breath. regardless of who owns or manages the club the outcome is generally the same mediocrity in the second tier.ive stated before the combined history of all the clubs in Wales and the west country is poor . ironically the jacks have shown it doesn't always have to be this way.

Sadly correct , even a small club like the Jacks show more ambition than us.

FOREVER BLUE

I agree i thought we have been rebuilding since warnock left and we fell out of the prem
And i thought its every clubs ambition to get promoted
Maybe not every fans ambition stability and staying in the championship is a given by all fans but some want more
I always think when we played wolves a few seasons back we where on the same level good fan base both going for promotion warnock nuno
they may have gone about things a different way to us in how they recruited etc but it worked
but i would say for there fans its been great competing well in the prem full stadiums every week and we sadly went the other way which ever way you spin it
but that's just my opinion from where i am looking from.

Monty,

Correct sadly, we always seem to be rebuilding and that’s all we ever hear , it’s like a broken record.

Let’s be positive and look to go up the league , with ambition.

I can only think of Wolves who have been successful with the throw money philosophy, it a sugar rush,a short term fix. You could argue that Wolves had the recruitment sorted early on with super agent jorge Mendez (spelling ?) being part of the set up.

We had to see out the Warnock rejects and its been painful, we couldn't pay them all off. Really looking forward to next season

So Steve Morison says this, so why cant we be flying high like little Luton next season?
Some of our fans have NO ambition.


Steve Morison:
"We’re ready for the challenge against a team flying high."

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

There's a difference in targets for playing staff and coaches. For every one of them I'd hope they want to win every single game. As said any success would then be a by product of that. And well deserved.

However, as a realist, taking emotion out of it and with a view on football outside of our own club. We can do a lot worse than just sorting out our own house and plodding along. And the targets of non playing staff (at many clubs not just City) would be happy to stay in this league for the next couple of seasons. It's going to be rocky for a lot of clubs!

There's a difference in targets for playing staff and coaches. For every one of them I'd hope they want to win every single game. As said any success would then be a by product of that. And well deserved.

However, as a realist, taking emotion out of it and with a view on football outside of our own club. We can do a lot worse than just sorting out our own house and plodding along. And the targets of non playing staff (at many clubs not just City) would be happy to stay in this league for the next couple of seasons. It's going to be rocky for a lot of clubs!

I will just say , 12 years of apparently sorting out everything at our club???

Wow that’s a hell of long time.


We are the Capital of Wales , with amazing support and stadium, BUT NO AMBITION

There's a difference in targets for playing staff and coaches. For every one of them I'd hope they want to win every single game. As said any success would then be a by product of that. And well deserved.

However, as a realist, taking emotion out of it and with a view on football outside of our own club. We can do a lot worse than just sorting out our own house and plodding along. And the targets of non playing staff (at many clubs not just City) would be happy to stay in this league for the next couple of seasons. It's going to be rocky for a lot of clubs!

I will just say , 12 years of apparently sorting out everything at our club???

Wow that’s a hell of long time.


We are the Capital of Wales , with amazing support and stadium, BUT NO AMBITION

You're putting words in my mouth now.

This is nothing to do with ownership. I look at the future of football. Take the emotion out of it and you would share the same view.

I go back to my main point... falling short of the playoffs next season would not be a failure.

..... to categorically state Playoffs or bust is just setting everyone up for failure.

But that is what many fans want to happen.

Shoot for the moon and then say it was the least we should hope for as a big (sic) club but fail and have a great big moan about who was to blame all along.

A rebuild is the best thing that could happen at just the right time. Less money everywhere and us with many out of contract. Perfect.

I'm not sure we can say that we have had such a rebuild in many, many years, every recent manager has been papering over cracks in the team with experienced players in order to get out of precarious positions.

Everyone should have dreams and want to do well, not just be another club in the division.

You should always look to do well and go out for a win and look for promotion if not no point competing.

Absolutely, didn't say anything opposed to that.

It's the setup for blame that is noticeable. Do great it was the team, do bad it was the board.

I have no belief in the ability of the football club to put together a decent enough squad. Morison and Hudson are out of their depth in that regard. Getting in an experienced football back room staff is pivotal to success in the pitch. City have lacked this season on season.
All out of contract players should go along with Philips, Harris & Nelson.

Tan needs to sell, then the rebuild begins. Until then we are treading water.

I have no belief in the ability of the football club to put together a decent enough squad. Morison and Hudson are out of their depth in that regard. Getting in an experienced football back room staff is pivotal to success in the pitch. City have lacked this season on season.
All out of contract players should go along with Philips, Harris & Nelson.

And going down the experienced route with McCarthy worked a treat !!

Even Warnock, who I loved, left us a worse position with silly contracts and no attention paid to the Academy.

We need fresh ideas. I’ll stick with Morison but even if he isn’t up to it I really want someone with new ideas and willing to build the club playing side top to bottom.

We’ll be fine by the start of the season. He clearly knows how to work the transfer market and brings in players who fit how he wants to play, rather than trying to force players to adjust to his style e.g. Warnock with Glatzel.

He wanted attacking wingbacks for his back 5 so he brought in Drameh and Doughty. He wanted a midfielder with some quality on the ball to try and implement a more passing approach so he brought in Doyle. He wanted strikers that will press and keep pressure on the opposition defence so he brought in Uche and Hugill.

People need to relax, accept that now we’re safe this season is a write-off and just look forward to next season knowing that with so many outgoings this summer he’ll be able to shape the squad how he sees fit