I'll worry about this BIG IF if it happens. But if it did, we would need major changes...more loan influx is the most probable. If we don't go up, well a) the Pozzo's will be tempted to leave it as it is and have another crack next season or b) realise how close we were and that only minor surgery will be necessary next season to stand a better chance or c) shuffle the pack a bit with some movement back to Udinese (Vydra, Abdi maybe)
I think if we manage to hold onto some of the more influentual loanees Vydra, Abdi, Battocchio etc. then we would survive in the Prem. without additions to the squad. Many of our players are playing their first season of English football and will be better, fitter players next year - also they will have had the advantage of a pre season together this time.
I'm sorry Nick but I think your vision of football died a while ago - and not just at Watford. Almost all players are now here today and gone tomorrow mercenaries - as are managers and club owners. Football became a business and the only ones who are loyal through thick and thin are the supporters. Our new owners appear better than most in that they try to live within their means - which reduces the danger that Cardiiff face with £80 million debt waiting for a slump to happen. They also kept the Academy as it was and I think will continue to support it while it gives them the hope of creating profit from promising youngsters - sounds bad - it's the real world though. A few will fly in the face of it and stay loyal to a club when maybe they could move for a bigger buck but don't hold your breath waiting for many to do it. I will take the success this regime are giving us and enjoy it while it lasts - it is preferable to a bankrupt like Baz owning us
The long term future of the club is a relative concept. When did the long term future of the club, on or off the pitch, look as good as it does right now? The turn of the century perhaps, but the excesses of the Vialli era and subsequent collapse of ITV Digital soon ended that one. Even in the 80's, I doubt many were under the illusion that we would remain an established top-flight side once GT left (albeit we wouldn't have expected it to end so abruptly), or that Elton would carry on forever (although again, the pace of change would have caught almost everyone out). In my lifetime, we have only spent two seasons outside of the top two divisions. My barometer for the future of the club is how long I think it will be before we drop down to League One or lower, for either on-pitch or off-pitch reasons. For me, those murky depths have never seemed further away. For as long as we are there or thereabouts, combined with our geographic location, there will always be a steady stream of talented young players willing to try to become professional at this club. How well we use that potential remains to be seen.
Well I'M sorry Leo, I've already acknowledged that the club were in a bad way prior to this regime arriving.Situation now is the clubs in the hands of people with surely conflicting interests who say very little to the public- DID infer that many of the current loanees would be permanents before the end of this season...signed up ONE.Zola is the 'football' man there, but stated around transfer deadline time that transfers werent anything to do with him!! So the clubs entirely in the hands of non-football people ? They have pushed the rules to the limit with their loanees this season,plug could be pulled on that in the future...gotta be something wrong if thats so much in the air. If they want to 'cash in' on the ones denied a chance this season like the Thompsons, Assomb etc they aint gonna get big money for em on the basis theyve done ok at the likes of Southend,Brentford. MAYBE they'd be Championship standard now had they had an opportunity this season....but of course the club would probably not be 3rd in the table. Dont attend matches any more, but was at too many in the past whilst they were in the depths of the bottom divisions to stand for being told not a proper supporter but I dont want them to succeed this season as would be too much through 'back door'...and I'm sure many on here indignant at the resentment of followers of other clubs followers would express exact same sentiments if any other club had done what Watford have.
The football world has changed. For a start when I first went to Watford virtually no households had a television. The game attracted large crowds because it was cheap entertainment and with the old terraces you could pack a lot of people in. Players were paid peanuts and were effectively slaves to the clubs. Say you wanted a transfer and your wages could be stopped. Clubs made losses every year and expected the directors to pick up the bills. It was still possible for directors to do that because the difference between income and expenditure had not reached silly figures. Even in the 1950s few local players made the first team. In the Elton era things started to change. It was realised that greater income was required from the fans, so extra seating at higher prices was installed. A few players did make it through the ranks, but nearly all were still bought in. Loans as such still hadn't really become possible. Seating was probably the start of attendances falling as some couldn't afford the increased cost of going to every game, and ground capacities were reduced. The real upheaval to the whole system came when Sky used football as a way to sell their packages. Each year the richer clubs became richer because of where they were in the top league and the poorer clubs lost out. Many clubs have said that they will develop players through their youth system, but that is being put at risk by the richest clubs cherry picking the best. Chelsea currently have over twenty players out on loan simply to make sure that they get game time and the same thing happens down the leagues. So it has now come to the situation where our owners have rewarded the best of the young players that have come through the existing system with good long term contracts. They are searching around for good young players through their scouting system, that may or not turn out to earn them money in the long run. They want to be in the PL where the money is as they don't want to have to keep bailing the club out. From what I see from afar they have done their best to maintain a relationship with the fans and there is little doubt that the current team does have a feeling for the club. It is different, but is it worse? Football might be worse generally because of the money involved and the way that some owners have tried to exploit the riches associated with it, but so far at WFC, provided the Pozzos continue with their methods of creating a stable and successful club then I see little to fear.
Hi Nick you never cease to amaze me you could win the lottery millions and still complain it was 5 pence short! I saw games in Dyches tenure that were really rough , am loving the style that Zola and the Pozzos have brought in ,each to their own eh!?
If Forsyth plays tomorrow night, I hope he doesn't have a good game, good game! better absent yourself pronto after letting that one go!
Norway, fine you carry on just thinking about the here and now. These owners took over a sick club,which must now be the most complicated in the entire league as they have other interests in the same field.They dont say much, sure tho I did read that many of the Temps would be signed up 'properly' before the seasons end. No explanation that I saw why only one actually changed status, nobody to my knowledge on here queried this....so they know they have a grateful to be rescued public who in the traditional Watford way wont be too challenging.Reason they dont talk too much could be cos theyre gonna always be trying to balance things 3 ways...for now Watfords the new toy. Many football supporters amaze me too Norway...today will sum some up. Theres been total condemnation on here of the last owner of the club. However a gentleman by the name of Mackay who served the club so well for a long time as a player and other capacities has been called playground names ever since he left and kidnapped other staff. Doesnt anyone stop to think that maybe he didnt want to work for Bassini either ?? Doesnt help that he's been successful since he left as some wont be able to cope with that, but there will be 'big brains' there tonight who'll boo and hiss(I hope he doesnt get TOO upset!) rather than say thanks to the man.(As I dont want the clubs current methods to succeed I wish you well tonight Malky and thanks !)
It is refreshing to have someone with a different view and the ability to express it - challenging the majority - as my strap line implies I have always admired the underdog and hate hunting with the pack. I just happen not to agree with you on a few things Nick. It was the Pozzos or administration - that much is now clear so for me and most others that is a no-brainer (bet you hate that phrase Nick) The Pozzos may not be ex footballers - few owners are - but they ARE a football family having stayed with Udinese for 25 years plus Our football is good, played a great way and exciting - fans cannot help enjoy that When Malky left I was at the forefront of his critics as he signed a contract with Baz only two months before he quit - if he hated the man so much he should not have extended his contract. However having seen what Baz really was I for one now totally understand why Malky wanted out. If I were there today I would applaud not boo him I expect our youngsters to have as much chance if not more than at most other English clubs as the Pozzo model is not to buy n but to get and develop players I think you are wrong to say nobody queried why more loans were not made permanent in January - but I seem to recall some explanation being given in the Watty Obs - but personally I don't care - the Pozzos own their contract and a transfer or loan makes little difference to us - until the rules change if they ever do Finally I believe the Pozzo model of sharing players between clubs rather than stuffing in huge amounts of debt that can cripple a club that becomes less successful - ask Pompey fans and others - is a good model. If the Pozzos decide to wlak away they simply take the players with them - we have no debt to push us into Administration but have to source new - probably yuoung players - not good but better than most other scenarios Lastly I could NEVER wish my club "not to succeed this season" - I do not question whether you are a good supporter as it has little meaning and you have superb history of support - but I assure you that you are in a tiny minority in my view if you really do not wish your team well this year.
Its no good having anything slightly different to say on here Leo,'thou shall not buck the cozyness' .Alternatively when people can be bothered to respond you get dopey comments from the likes of larf-a-minute-although a bit-happier-lately-Boltons. Still a fact that this club has an advantage no other I know of has, can simply move players around between three clubs without needing the agreement of any other owners.I doubt the current temps had a say where theyd play this season ,some of em had probably never heard of Watford before so why would they choose to come here.Possibility of another new crop 'Temping Up' next season ? Not advisable to buy a shirt with a name on. Will admit all very strange for me, almost wanted Hull to equalise the other night , I have to see through though my objection to system-tweaking with an incentive tonight of Mackay being one of few I think can be respected in football possibly being abused by the Under 5's section. I'm probably the only one with that attitude, thats ok I dont seek followers and I may not QUITE change the world !
I think we'll see things settle down over the next 2 or 3 seasons. If we do the unmentionable then the manner it has been achieved will be a stunning testament to the Pozzo's football business philosophy. We are playing the best stuff I've seen at The Vic in my 45 years of attendance - we haven't achieved anything yet but the football is stunning and really believe GT's '83-'85 squads would have a real problem handling GFZ's team skill, speed, style and panache. That would be a hellava game, wouldn't it? Things will settle down when we have established ourselves in the top-flight, it would be silly to expect otherwise... that is where the big bucks are and the Pozzo family know this. They nurture young talent and sell at a profit. Kind of reminds me of how Arsene Wenger does things at Arsenal... and we now play a similar game both on and off the pitch. I'm excited, really excited, by what is happening at our club. It is possible that we won't see too many long term heroes but Fessi has signed for, what, five years? that is a hellava long time in football. We at last have the prospect of a complete stadium and we still have a community club at its heart. The entry/exit door may revolve a little faster for sure but let's enjoy the moment. Old Nick: we have an advantage to be sure, but it is a FAIR advantage. We are in a relatively unique position in the sense that our business model is a rarity in football for sure but common and normal practice in the wider business world. Is this not better than servicing an £80m debt like our opponents tonight? Or having no club at all to support as would surely have been the case if Baz was allowed to continue his illegitamate and fraudulent running of the club? We are now living within our means, more so than a vast majority of football clubs in this country and throughout Europe. You are, of course, entitled to your opinion but they do come across as surly and churlish in the extreme. And wrong. Very wrong on so many levels as Leonardo has already eloquently pointed out.
Tough one to call. The current crop would have Battocchio or Chalobah as the spare man in midfield (Abdi would of course be given special attention), but if any midfield could compensate for being a man down it would be one of GT's. The 80's team's natural wingers would probably force Zola to play more of a 5-3-2 than 3-5-2, but the class of 2013 would be lethal on the break.
Looking at this from a different angle, rather than have the two teams pitted against each other, I tried choosing which players from the two squads I would select in an 'ideal team'. Just as hard though. Mine in 3-5-2 formation: Sherwood Doyley, Sims, Rostron Callaghan, Taylor, Abdi, Chalobah, Barnes Deeney, Blissett I guess, on the basis of greater representation, I'm saying that I think the 80's team would win.
Watching the video which Mex put up of our goals from the first half of the season I was struck by the speed, directness and skill of a lot of our goals, and it reminded me strongly of the 8-0 demolition of Sunderland. This team play it all on the ground though, apart from the final crosses.
Dont count your chickens just yet. You still have to play Cardiff and we are only 3 points behind us. If you slip up once then the door is kicked off its hinges and we have the chance to step through. But the same is true for you, if we drop even one point, that could doom us to the pergatory of the play-offs. This one is almost certainly going down to the wire. You have got to love the championship, its the best league in the world!
