After supporting the team through all the ups and downs of the past 70 years I for one cant wait for Bruce to go. His one dimensional defense based football is painful to watch. How many more boring 0-0 or 0-1 results before we are out of even playoff contention. Team confidence is visibly evaporating under his uninspiring leadership and lack of attacking innovation. He sounds and looks tired, the team looks devoid of ideas, and a once promising season is falling apart. For those of us who are willing to face up to the harsh realities of another likely season in the Championship, the prospects are dire. Just how many of the current first team squad are likely to follow Brady, Chester, Ince, McShane, Quinn, Rosenior, Jelavic etc out of the door. In order of importance I would guess that Dawson, Robertson, Hernandez, Diame, Huddlestone, Elmohamedy, Aluko and possibly Livermore and McGregor will move on. Jak is out of contract as is Taylor who has been a meaningless signing. If Bruce goes, which would be likely if we fail to get promotion, Alex and Meyler would probably go. We would be left with a solid back four with Odubajo, Maguire, Davies, and Tymon at the back, and Kuciak in goal, but no reserves. The Midfield would be decimated, and up front we would be left with the unpromising Diomande. The prospect of another promotion challenge would be bleak, attendances would fall to the low teens, and we would probably be among the relegation favourites with no serious goalscoring prospects on board. But at least we will have a new Manager. The one ray of hope.
It's not guaranteed Livermore would go after the club have stood by him, Meyler will stay, why would he go. I'm actually looking forward to next season if we don't go up as we will see big 'Arry week in week out and despite what you say about Diomande, he needs a full pre-season behind him and time to adapt, he might well come good next season. Don't forget Hernandez needed time too. Clucas will build on a promising start next year if he stays but I reckon he will be on the radar for a lot of clubs. Any new manager will bring in some players of his own. Not being in the Prem is not the end of the world.
****ing hell, this is one depressing thread. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I never expected that half of our fanbase would turn into deluded ****wits once they'd tasted the top flight. Sometimes, I wish we'd remained plucky oddballs from the North.
There's no delusion about it. This whole 'be happy with where we are' mindset is based on where we have been, not where we are. If we still somehow had the same squad we had in 99/00 then it'd be understandable. But we've just had two seasons in the Premier League and have spent a shed load of cash. We've retained a very good squad, I don't think expectations of winning the league are wrong at all, they're damn well acceptable. Promotion should be a minimum.
Agreed. It's the Cellino Fawaz kneejerk response to a bad result or performance. They believe they should be winning every game every week. Sad.
The season's not over. We're in a good position to go up. Money does not equal success. If we had the same squad as in 2000 they'd all be really old. We are where we are based on results, not where we were 20 years ago. Expectations are relative, we might not achieve what you expect, we may exceed your expectations. Your expectations bear no relevance to the outcome of the season.
Whatever you say we've had a great ride. Not sure anyone else realistically possible could have stepped in when he did and got us this far. We have no divine right to stay up, and win games. I think we have done fantastically, and this season isn't done yet. On a limited budget we are right in it. It's easy to complain after a bad run, but I remember Wembley and going up.
On a limited budget? I bet many other Championship managers wish that they'd had even half of our limited budget.
I remember coming back down after barely winning any games and getting knocked out of our first European campaign by Lokeren. The complaints don't lie with what we've done, it's what we are doing, which is being not very good at winning games. It's no good having a massive unbeaten run earlier in the season only to **** it up 2 months later. We aren't playing well enough to see the job through. Buck our ideas up and we are in with a shout. Continue as we are doing and it'll be a tough championship campaign next year.
I assume he means the purchases this season, which is rubbish when you already have a 10m striker, a 3.5m midfielder, a 7m midfielder, an 8m midfielder, a 4m defender, a 2m defender, a 2m keeper, etc. etc. etc.
I really hope we go helter skelter for someone like Rowett or dare I say it someone like Robinson at MK Dons. These are up and coming managers with attacking philosophies and a fresh view of the game who would do very well with our squad even on limited resources.
It's a pity that you didn't notice what it was that inspired a group of players to forge forward and take us on a wonderful journey from the basement to those wonderful heights of Wembley. It was ambition, some supporters still share it as a means to improving and not accepting what they perceive to be second best. What's wrong with that?
I remember plenty of people being against Peter Taylor and his 'negative' safety first tactics for the first 2 promotions.....
