Hit the ground running and get a decent points haul in the first ten games. After that I would like us to get passed the 40 points barrier with anything more than this an added bonus...A top half finish would be massive progress.
I'd like us to to get 4 to 6 signings in as soon as possible, none of this last minute nonsense on deadline day. Although a nice surprise last minute would be good. A marquis signing or two. A solid pre-season involving plenty of the young lads. A steady start to the season ; starting off how we finished this season. Sitting mid table after 10 games Leicester away first game and stuff them Then any of the big boys at home and stuff them too etc etc...
Start the season the way we have just ended this one. No ****ing about in pre season. Lets try not to play catch up. Again.
To hit 50 points, it's been my target ever since we were last promoted, set it every year and we have failed every year. I don't think we'll do it next year but I'd still be happy with being mathematically safe by mid-April.
Setting my bar quite low this season. If the the lads meet my expectations, i'll set it higher gradually every season. This season, all i want is to not be involved in a relegation battle. I want to know that in the final 10 games, we won't be dragged down into the constant battle we've found ourselves in. Not going to set a points goal, as it is always changing every season (is 40 still the magical number?), but yeah, 10 games to go, I want us to be in mid-table mediocrity and not having to worry. That'll do me this season. Oh, and to beat the Smoggies. 6 points there.
For the past four pre-season we have run a thread like this one. For the fourth year in a row we are all saying the same, start next season as we have finished the previous one, have we done that, have we bollocks. Is next season the one we break the mould with, well my gut feeling is yes it is. Even though under DiCanio, Gus and Dick we had a great seasons finish this time under Sam it feels a bit different, in fact a lot different. Finally we have a decent squad which will be improved on of which I have no doubt, and a manager who has the pedigree to take us,forward and give us a couple of seasons to regroup, finish mid table and lay the foundations for better times to come. This is my wish.
This is the first season really we've had a manager in place who knows his way around the transfer market, doesn't have a DoF hanging over his shoulder making the decisions for him. We've seen with Sam's buys in January he knows how to pick a player, and out of MoN, Di Canio, Gus and Advocaat I trust BSA the most to get it right. This is what he does. He gets teams comfortable mid table places. If we can emulate West Ham, I would be over the moon! We've also gotten rid of the dreaded "rotten core", with maybe only Catts remaining. The players we have now seem like professionals, intelligent enough to do their job. Sam knows where we are weak, who we need to ship out, and there is no sentimentally with him. I'm with you Cumbrian, I have a very good feeling about this season. I know we all say to do better than the last season, all we have is hope. But this year I think we will do it. Hopefully the new lads will put in good words with their mates at Bayern, PSG, Lorient etc so we can hopefully get some quality over the line. No relegation battle for me, build a decent squad that will only need a couple of QUALITY replacements each season.
I dunno, I reckon there may be a couple more candidates for having been part of this floating around. But if there are they are on the margins now. Getting rid of this alleged element in the dressing room and changing the culture will go a long way to improving our prospects I reckon.
Who do you reckon is left? I always thought it was Bardo, Catts, AJ, Bednter (when he was here), Nos, Colback, Titus, Seb, Fletch, possibly Kieran. I don't believe JoS or Brown are part of the rotten core, despite JoS standing up to Paolo, who we all knew was a ****ing lunatic. But Paolo did identify what we all thought for years in a rotten core, but i did think there would have been a player revolt if PDC hadn't been sacked. With Brown going, JoS (imo hopefully) staying, there really isn't alot left. The ****e will be shifted or loaned out, so really only Catts will be left. But I think with the new lads his word won't hold sway, as they all seem like professionals, not too interested in going out getting pissed, and wrecking cars.
Wickham was probably one of the worst ones I always thought and we've got rid of him too. I'd have said him, Johnson, Fletcher and Catts were the main culprits and the group has been broken up. I mean who knows but I don't think O'Shea and Brown would be bad influences, on the contrary they're model professionals. Despite O'Shea staging the odd coup.
Without concrete evidence its impossible to know who was and who wasn't involved but I think there has to be a question mark against anyone who was at the club at the time that the secret footballer wrote the article about. On that basis I'd be glad to see the back of them. Whether or not O'Shea was part of it, his involvement in the coup didn't impress me as I don't believe that's the way to behave. As you say though, the new lads seem to be good, dedicated, professionals and hopefully the young players coming through will follow their example.
