Fri May 13, 2011 4:27 pm
Let’s assess the situation objectively. What will the impact of the outcome of the play offs have over a greater period of time? In my opinion they will not have much impact. I say this as I feel over a longer period of time the strengths of each club will tell more than the results of the next couple of weeks.
Overall, Cardiff City is very well placed to be able to become a West Bromwich or Bolton over the next ten years, but it will take time. The position the club is in now is one of consolidation I feel and keeping crowds above 20,000. Failure to make the Premier League this year will not be a disaster. If we consider the way the club has grown recently then I think it is inevitable we will make it over the next five years. I can see us becoming a yo-yo club for a period.
The increase in capacity to 37,000 of CCS will put Cardiff into a better position to attempt to stay in the Premier League if we make it as some point.
If Swansea City makes it to the Premier League then they’d struggle badly. I say this because if you look at the levels of investment they having coming in and combine with the limitation of only getting 20,000 into the Liberty, then we can see that Swansea City would be one of the smallest clubs ever to make the Premier League.
I am not saying that Swansea can’t stay in the Premier League for a period but they will not stay long term due to the club being restricted to bringing in the quality players required. Brendan Rodgers is an excellent manager, but even he may struggle to develop a team. He is also ambitious and likely to be poached by a manager less Premier League team.
So don’t get stressed if Swansea wins the play offs. They won’t be there long. They’ll come back down and settle as a club into the level of Preston for example.
Reading are well set yet again I see them as being restricted to being a Championship club over the next ten years.
Nottingham Forest would become an established Premier League club. They have the scope to become as good as they were in the 80s, but will never make the Champions League again like they did in 1979 and 1980.