The fight for Europe ...

[Smug in Boots]

Just clocked the date of that Chelsea fixture mate. 24th May. A year to the day since we beat Sheffield United at Wembley.
Its fate mate….

I'd missed that mate ...

... what's that saying, 'Til the End'

 

[ab65]

I'd missed that mate ...

... what's that saying, 'Til the End'

Something along those lines mate….

 

[Robertson]

A word of caution.
Look at the plight of 'our friends to the North' this Season.

Their relatively small squad has struggled with the huge number of fixtures, and it shows.
And whatever they may have earned from their European ventures they will need to offset against the reduced prize money they are likely to get from the Premier League.

Then there is the 'second Season syndrome', where Clubs that manage to stay up, following promotion, find it hard to replicate this the following season.
Given our set-up I expect us to manage this, but if we are stuck with European Games as well?
Not woth the risk in my view.

Next Sean should be a one of 'consolidation'.
And as part of my cautious approach, it's worth remembering that part of our 'Business Model' is to buy youngish players to develope, then sell them on.
So it is reasonable to expect that there might well be some 'outgoings' during the Summer transfer window.

There's a lot of sense in what you say and the orthodox view is that Europe is too much for a side in their second season back in the PL. Our performance levels and last summer's signings (especially Xhaka) have thrown a good portion of the rule book out of the window though.

We need to strengthen for next year regardless. The way the club's ambition is going, if we manage to get into Europe then the club won't be phased and will dial up the plan by another notch. The same happened last summer when it was just at the last minute that the club knew it would be playing in the PL in 25/26.

I think @Teessidemackem said in another thread that a negative often follows a positive. We will have downturns, small and big, and the way us fans cope with it is very important.

We've got to keep the overall good feeling and forward momentum going as these times are up there with the best in a lot of our lifetimes. It's very easy to take all the progress for granted and that should be really guarded against imo.

Excuse the happy clappers for singing about all the positives, if results have some wobbles, because I think it's needed.

 

[Comfy]

A word of caution.
Look at the plight of 'our friends to the North' this Season.

Their relatively small squad has struggled with the huge number of fixtures, and it shows.
And whatever they may have earned from their European ventures they will need to offset against the reduced prize money they are likely to get from the Premier League.

Then there is the 'second Season syndrome', where Clubs that manage to stay up, following promotion, find it hard to replicate this the following season.
Given our set-up I expect us to manage this, but if we are stuck with European Games as well?
Not woth the risk in my view.

Next Season should be a one of 'consolidation'.
And as part of my cautious approach, it's worth remembering that part of our 'Business Model' is to buy youngish players to develope, then sell them on.
So it is reasonable to expect that there might well be some 'outgoings' during the Summer transfer window.

If kld wants Europe and winning trophies we need to build a better squad which means buying better players, if we have Europe then better players will come. It doesn't matter what year we qualify if it's this year then all the better from me. We cannot be saying "it's too early for us" we have to grab the bull by the horns sometime

 

[The Legendary Tongue]

If kld wants Europe and winning trophies we need to build a better squad which means buying better players, if we have Europe then better players will come. It doesn't matter what year we qualify if it's this year then all the better from me. We cannot be saying "it's too early for us" we have to grab the bull by the horns sometime

You’re absolutely spot on and in particular about KLD, we got promoted with pretty the last kick of the season and he changed the team. No messing no regard for player loyalty, the club comes first and that’s a joy for me. I do sympathise with the lads that have lost their place and jobs here mind but this bloke has a winning mentality and he’ll do his best to succeed.

 

[Danube]

Probably in the minority but I'd sooner miss out this season if it means we end up like Forest, WHU and Spuds fighting relegation where European Mickey mouse competitions obviously took their toll over the last couple seasons.
The CL is the only one worth bothering abt imo

 

[Monkey69]

If kld wants Europe and winning trophies we need to build a better squad which means buying better players, if we have Europe then better players will come. It doesn't matter what year we qualify if it's this year then all the better from me. We cannot be saying "it's too early for us" we have to grab the bull by the horns sometime

The less optimistic supporters thought that promotion to the prem was too much and we needed to stabilise in the Championship.
Progression as a club will always bring some risk/reward, and in truth I understand the second season stuff, but if we as a club are not striving to be the we can be then what's the point of playing.
We need to build and hope our club can find a way to sustain improvement and consistency across the project, whilst also adapting and growing.
It is probably the hardest phase of whatever plan we have. But one thing is for sure, they will have been planning and discussing this for a lot longer than us if the way they conducted business last year is anything to go by.

 

[Hannah1989]

I think it will show how far we come if we just miss out, which I think will happen, will be by a point or GD.
9 years ago today, we lost at home to Coventry, 5-4

 

[young2077]

The less optimistic supporters thought that promotion to the prem was too much and we needed to stabilise in the Championship.

Not going to lie, I was one who thought a variation of this. The truth is we had no idea what the club would be willing to spend in the transfer market, up until promotion we had spent very little and if we got promoted and did the same it was too soon.

But they showed that they will pay the fees required to do well at the level the club is competing in, they don't waste money or over pay and there has been plenty of value in 90% of the signings with most players now worth more but they showed they will pay decent fees for the right player. Qualifying for europe will increase the fee they will pay and improve the level of player available!

I hope we get europe sign a better class of player and fight off interest in Roefs and Sidiki who are the two I think will be looked at by clubs in the championship league places!

 

[Saf]

Probably in the minority but I'd sooner miss out this season if it means we end up like Forest, WHU and Spuds fighting relegation where European Mickey mouse competitions obviously took their toll over the last couple seasons.
The CL is the only one worth bothering abt imo

We could just as easily end up like Villa though. They’re in Europe and also sitting in the Champions league places this season.

We need a lot more squad depth and quality to achieve both a successful European and league campaign. I think the club are capable of putting a squad together in the summer to do that, assuming we have European football next season.

 

[Brainy Dose]

We have to walk before we can run.

 

[RedNWhite4Life]

Don't but all this it's too early crap. If the team is good enough to merit finishing in a European spot then bring it on. Never seen us play in Europe like id imagine the majority of our fans haven't and would love to see it. If we miss out so be it we go again next season but I tell you one thing I will be buzzing if we pull it off.

 

[ab65]

Don't but all this it's too early crap. If the team is good enough to merit finishing in a European spot then bring it on. Never seen us play in Europe like id imagine the majority of our fans haven't and would love to see it. If we miss out so be it we go again next season but I tell you one thing I will be buzzing if we pull it off.

Same here mate. I have thought since the autumn that we would get better the latter part of the season.
It’s definitely on if we can keep our main lads fit and firing.

 

[Vincemac]

Sunderland v Chelsea
Wow could it happen euro decider
Bring it on

 

[Slim Jim B]

If kld wants Europe and winning trophies we need to build a better squad which means buying better players, if we have Europe then better players will come. It doesn't matter what year we qualify if it's this year then all the better from me. We cannot be saying "it's too early for us" we have to grab the bull by the horns sometime

Totally agree. It may or may not be too soon, but it also may never happen again. You have got to take your chances when you have them and I am sure KLD et al will be planning for all possibilities. They have been ruthless moving out players who will not reach the standard that we require and will do the same again. Being in Europe will enhance the ‘model’ that has been sold to the players that we have already recruited and enable us to purchase even more better quality players.

At the moment we have a chance of Europe, who would have expected that, and we need to just take it a game at a time and see what happens.

As I have previously said I am not worried about any of the Championship promotion contenders coming up and expect all of them to go down again, at best one of them may stay up.

Keep the faith and we will battle Till the End.

 

[Comfy]

Probably in the minority but I'd sooner miss out this season if it means we end up like Forest, WHU and Spuds fighting relegation where European Mickey mouse competitions obviously took their toll over the last couple seasons.
The CL is the only one worth bothering abt imo

We can't be thinking like that though they're 3 completely different teams than us, I think our owners have more nous than those 3 and in kld we have what hopefully we'll be before he sells us "a winner".

 

[Comfy]

We have to walk before we can run.

Do you not think we're walking now, when do we go for Europe if you don't want us to while sitting in 10th place

 

[Brainy Dose]

Do you not think we're walking now, when do we go for Europe if you don't want us to while sitting in 10th place

I do think we're walking now,getting there bit by bit. There are a few upgrades needed to this squad before we're ready for Europe imo.

 

[RLB's Beautiful Face]

I find it completely unbelievable that some of our fans are saying they don't want Europe because they don't think we're ready for it?!? KLD will do what's necessary to make us competitive on all fronts, have you learned nothing from the last year?

A certain section of our fans were saying that they didn't want promotion a year ago because we would just get hammered every week in the Prem, and I said the same thing then - utterly ridiculous. Look how that has turned out...

 

[Vincemac]

We could just as easily end up like Villa though. They’re in Europe and also sitting in the Champions league places this season.

We need a lot more squad depth and quality to achieve both a successful European and league campaign. I think the club are capable of putting a squad together in the summer to do that, assuming we have European football next season.

And why not I agree