Subject to injuries, I would be very surprised if we we dont make the playoffs with the players we have. Obviosuly it also depends on if we can keep the players who are doing well in January, if we are doing well, I would like to believe that they will all stay. If Bruce and phelan (who are just as great as most of our players) don't have that squad of players in the top 6 come christmas, then there is something fundamentally wrong! Yes the championship is a demanding league but I'm really looking forward to the season ahead! We deserve a good season. Bring it on!!
If we were top 6 in January, you'd hope players would stay with a potential promotion on the cards. Obviously money talks but hopfully...
If you look back in the past, teams who are doing well in the championship very rarely sell their best players. it does depend on contract clauses though I guess. the other thing to think about, is if we are doing well, no offence to our better players but only teams who are in the bottom half of the table are going to look at our players. There is then the risk that this team could get relegated, and the player will be back in the championship for another year. This all depends on league standings of course. I cant help feel that Norwich will be relegated this season and Ch brady will be back in the championship also chester is struggling at WBA, sometimes a move isnt always the best thing.
It isnt always the best thing but money is at the forefront of every move. I dont think most players give much of a hoot about winning anything
Spot on this. The chances of winning major honours..ie Premier League, FA Cup are so remote that the wages are the only thing that drives them on. So many players decide they would rather warm the bench instead of playing elsewhere.
There's that but there's also the ego driven thing of saying they are a top tier player, even if only a bench player. Of course being in the top 6 is no guarrantee of promotion. And it's unlikely we'll be keeping the decent players like Dawson and Diame for much longer without being a top 2 club that looks sure from promotion.
Don't kid yourself. Diame has been out for ages injured. Dawson is no spring chicken and would only interest bottom PL teams.
we where all desperate to keep our "stars" but there seemed to be very little interest coming in.. maybe because they arent that good after all? only a thought.
Notice that nobody else paid the asking price for the Southend goalie, so maybe we were right about his valuation as well.
i agree, i just expected more of a fight to hang on to people,all seemed a bit quiet and easy, unless more went on off the radar.
I didn't with most of them, their performances haven't warranted interest. I was suprised we managed to offload Jelavic. Huddlestone should just be a bench player now. Hernandez should get full competition from all the other strikers, he hasn't been playing a full 90 anyway.
I am not that fussed who went (pissed off about Macc + Rosie though) Brady sold for £7m...he had a fair few injuries so good business Jela sold for £2m...he showed that he did not want to be here...good riddance Chester sold for £8m..good luck to the lad, but £8m is a fair price for him. Quinn sold for £not sure...runs around a lot..not too much end product...would sooner have maloney n'Doye...see Jela Hopefully, the players will now kick on and get us promoted.
You'd look at the quality of our side and should have every right to expect top 6. On paper (that old saying) we should be top 3 IMO. Hernandez looks a lot sharper, and when he starts putting sitters in the back of the net instead of in either the North or South Stand, he'll be key. Him, Akpom, the new guy and even Aluko who was one of the best players in the Championship when we were Promoted. Diamé, Meyler, Snodgrass, Elmohamady, Dawson, Davies, Robertson and Odubajo will be the envy of the League. Even Hayden is starting to find his feet and look a lot better.
Focus needs to be on negotiating new contracts with players so that when January comes around our promotion chances can't be dented too much. I'd hope we could negotiate with players to either increase their buy-out clauses, or include something about if we're Top 6 triggering a higher buy-out clause or something like that..
If we're near the top in January I think Allam will spend more than he has in this window (to hold back funds with the Premier League beckoning would be rank bad business). I also think our targets will be more eager to come because they will see us as a good bet to go up.
If we're not near the top - and by that I mean top 10 - come January I think Bruce will be shown the door. Really can't be any other alternative.
Unfortunately I think you're right, However I have every faith that SB will get the job done & next summer we'll have the,"I hope no one comes in for SB this summer," brigade coming out!
