Barclay1 wrote:Escott1927 wrote:Barclay1 wrote:Two key questions here Annis.
Firstly do we actually want promotion this season after such a roller coaster?
I wouldn't want to go up, get a pittance to spend as last time and come straight back down. I honestly think the club as a whole should get it's act together and properly prepare for the Premiership.
Secondly, we have had a superb Feb, but also had a superb Nov. Have we peaked at the wrong time or right time? Will the squad size hold out another 16, or possibly 19 games?
I'm thinking promotion this year is the wrong time. Big changes in the Summer, a new realisation of the potential of the club, and I think have a go next year.
What I am all for this year is the Continued better football, a bit of excitement in the run up to the end of the season, and to continue the hope that MM has brought with him that we are finally able to compete in the upper half of the league.
Promotion has to be the aim every season. What's the point otherwise? The championship is the most competitive league in the world and is hard to get out of. If that chance comes along you have to take it whether the squad is ready or not. It might not happen again.
Going up and getting relegated is better than staying in the championship. It raises the profile of the club, boosts season ticket sales and brings in £200mill+ in revenue.
Cant argue with that and absolutely agreed from a financial perspective. The last couple of times however, the money that came in hasn't been used to take us straight back up.
I'm saying I'd rather be ready, have £200M a year for a good few years than have it, and then wonder where it's gone just 12 months later.
I'm not turning my nose up at £200M, I'll take it all day, but it's only just over 12 months later and we seem strapped....
Its easier to build a squad with millions coming in rather than relying on investment from the owner, as we will be next season. You're right about the money we've wasted following our relegations though. The issue is there is no consistency with our managers, so money spent is often wasted as the next manager needs a clear out of players that don't fit the system. Warnock worked a miracle getting us promoted but left us with a very 1-dimensional squad. mick has shown he can be quite versatile so it will be interesting to see what he does with a bit of backing.
But until the club finds some sort of philosophy, where the transition between managers isn't so extreme, I think we'll be stuck in this cycle of wasting money clearing out players and building from scratch for each manager. Long term, we do need to transition to a better passing based game. More options for managers, more attractive bringing players in and easier for youth to make the transition into the first team.