Elixir how is our situation that much worse than when Rodgers left? I was a lot more worried then than I am now.
Toby--No, you should be more worried now than you might have been in July 2009. Then we had a backseat majority shareholder who was (is) a billionnaire, but who left the directors to manage the club with out interference, and minority shareholders as directors who were both wealthy, and fans of the club and who were prepared to finance working capital while we restructured the finances. Of course, we were not to know that these "fans" would threaten to put the club into administration as part of their plan for total control, but that was an anxiety that would come in Dec 2009, not when Rodgers left. (And the administration threat was part of a board room power play, not the result of a financial crisis). At the time Rodgers left, the main priority off the field was to get outgoings down in line with revenues by getting rid of high cost players--Winter had a plan for that, and it was subsequently achieved. I must say that at no time during that exercise did I fear were we in real danger of relegation, because we always kept a squad together that was competitive in this division. Now, in contrast, we do not (as of now) have a squad that is competitive in this division. We have to rapidly assemble one, under an enigmatic /not rich owner, a rookie manager and financial constraints even tighter than in 2009.For these reasons you should be more worried now than in July 2009. We are going into the season with a much higher chance of relegation than we did in 2009/10 season, and with less financial security off field too.
Roger you may be right but there are many assumptions in your argument. We will all be much wiser after Christmas of course but for now assuming the worst seems contagious around here. I ask myself what do I want of Watford and I think battling Championship seasons are not the worst thing in the world. There are far worst things than being a 'orn and clubs with very much more demanding problems than ours And I am a firm believer that it is in no ones interest for Watford to go bust! Of course I'm worried about relegation just as last March I started to worry we might get promotion But I still think this season could be very entertaining and I'm really looking forward to it. An unknown owner, the best chairman in the league, an enthusiastic untried manager, and a three legged stadium. How could I not be excited (note excited not optimistic of premiership football) OK you can think me an idiot but that is what comes of 50 years a hornet
Hi, I am not happy for any fans that get no loyalty from managers or players but this happens all the time, there is no reason why the fans turn on each other when they are not to blame. Last season at some point you beat us 4-1 at your place while the reverse fixture 4-2 to us was not easy at all. To be honest we were lacking fighting spirit and hopefully both our teams will do well this season. We lost Jay Bothroyd, Chris Burke out of contract and Chopra was sold for a cut price so it is not like we are having things easy. We sack a manager with two plays offs and an fa cup final appearance so you tell me how we have the better of the deal now? I am sure the majority of Cardiff fans will understand totally that you have your say on the matter, if a few make comments then it will not reflect the majority. Again my best wishes for the coming season.
Sorry Roger but I have to disagree with both parts of that answer... When you say 'Of course we were not to know', surely the same applies to our situation at the moment? I'm yet to see Baz do anything/anything happen that I wouldn't have expected of our last board. Graham and Buckley leaving would have been just as likely, as we needed to fund our deficit, and they didn't tie Cowie down to a longer contract (if what's been reported is true?) so his departure would have been just as likely. We can't tell if MM's departure is down to the new owner or not, to say it is/isn't is making an assumption. As you said we nearly went into administration back then, our finances are looking healthier (at least for the short term) now. After Rodgers left we lost a 3rd of our 1st team, replaced with Scott Severin, Danny Graham (who came to us following a long goal drought) and Jure Travner, and a couple of unproven loanees. Our youngsters were pretty unexperienced too. Compare the situation to now, where we still have a pretty decent 1st team (we still need a left back quite desperately), and money to spend. Our squad at the start of that season was unproven, whereas now most players have at least a season under their belts. MM was even more of a rookie than Dyche, so no difference there. Ashcroft gave us no guarantees. He wasn't a fan of our club, the money he had involved in the club wouldn't really make a difference in his fortune. Maybe Baz isn't rich, maybe he has a dodgy past, maybe he appears a bit shifty (from what has been said), but so far he has done nothing that the last board wouldn't have when it comes to the footballing side of our club.
The Russos were not fans either,they're chelski supporters for heavens sake. We were reliant on numerous cash injections which put our very existence in doubt and the Chelski supporters being what they were put the ground up as security to themselves for these loans so I fear there was a very real threat of the extinction of WFC. In contrast we've got the guys of the salary bill we wanted off, we've sold two players at a good price as per the Winter model. On the downside we've lost our CEO (though on reflection I think this was always planned hence his name being removed from the secured directors in the offer docs), we've lost a manager we respected and thought was really a hornet as well as a canary but heho he's not irrepaceable and I believe Dychey will do an even better job and we've lost one player on a free that is down to the system I'm afraid and the fact that a savvy agent behind the Don has done the best for his client. OK we seem to have lost out on two transfers as well (I don't count AT as we never had a chance once Malky had gone there). At the moment and until we've got to the end of August its difficult to judge if the new team will bring success and a few signings this week will make me feel a lot better before I jet of to the caribbean for a well deserved break.
Wow, we're deep into post mortems now. I'm too depressed right now.........hoping for a couple of transfers to brighten my summer - I don't have much confidence tbh Thanks for your words jck200 - a bit of reallity
Aberdeen that is what I wanted to say but instead went for a muddled ramble. Take yourself to Ma's and have a heavy on me
I had a lot of time for Mackay but he never convinced me in his post match interviews. I suspect that he is not so confident and hence has plundered us for staff and players he hopes will help and support him. If he is going to be found out it will be at Cardiff. I am sure he also does not want us to do well without him so taking players and staff with him meets both objectives.
Nae goin doon toon to Ma's settling for a taste of Dorset in the back garden sunshine, cannae beat it bar bein in dorset itself and having it on draught in Lulworth....
Beautiful day here too. I've had to settle for a few harbourside pints in the sunshine - Greene King and Killelan proving to be a dangerous mix!
Cheers - good to have your calming words and good wishes - unfortunately we will need those and a lot more to do OK this season
You watch Leonardo, we'll be fine this season..that 52 point target is well within our reach. And if i'm wrong, i'll buy you a drink
The point that was raised was---were we in a worse position in July 2009 than we are now? I would say we are in a worse position now, which is why I am more pessimistic now than I was then. We have an enigmatic owner, with more limited resources than the Ashcroft/Russo consortium had available to them, and we have a far weaker squad at this stage of the pre-season than we had then. Football is an unpredictable business at best, as we saw in Dec 2009, and the club seems in a less good position to cope with this kind of unexpected event than it was then. I am not judging Mr B by the fact that he "lost" a couple of players recently (see my other posting on "new owner thread") but I do have worries about his leadership abilities. So that is why I was advising Toby to worry.This could change with 4 brilliant --even adequate--new signings.
Where r u at BB? Spent a nice couple of hours in Cruden the other week, can strongly recommend the harbour cafe, its a portacabin but dressed crab was to die for and it was about 4 quid....
I'm not sure, it seems every summer recently we've been in the poop....I don't feel more worried this season, in fact it was last summer when I really felt we would struggle if truth be told. As you say it all depends on what we sign in the next few weeks and how Dychey gels it all together. I'm not going to worry about things outwith control but as I said elsewhere I'll be feeling a lot better with a few inbound signatures, not logical as it could go to rat whatever.
I was worried this time last season, i remember it well. It's the same most seasons...somehow we always pull it round...so basically Abers, yep, i agree...
Apart from the GT years when we seemed to be getting better players in, there have not been many when you think this will be a good one. From time to time you get a surprise.
