We will be beating best in a year to 18 months claims Bristol City's Lee Johnson after Norwich loss. Lee Johnson believes his young Bristol City side will be in a position to beat the very best the Championship can offer within the next year to 18 months. Having watched his side go down to a narrow 1-0 defeat at promotion favourites Norwich City at Carrow Road on Tuesday night, the head coach offered a tantalising glimpse into the future. Determined to build a team that can challenge for Premier League status inside the next two seasons, Johnson believes his players are on the right track. He said: "In another couple of seasons and with more experience, my side will be ready to complete with that Norwich side. "We know we are a work in progress and we probably played some of our best football today. I truly believe that, if you put my side out there in another year to 18 months, then we win that game. "I was pleased, because this game was a marker for us and, for large spells of the game, we were equal to Norwich. "We are only a bit of time or another two players behind where they are at the moment. "They had a lot of steady, strong, energetic and sharp players, and we had that as well. That's why I was so pleased." please log in to view this image City face back-to-back home games against Newcastle United and Aston Villa on August 20 and 27 respectively and Johnson is urging his charges to believe in themselves. He added: "The players are not out of place on this big stage and they have to believe it. The more they learn and the more the grow, the more at home they will feel with it. "I've asked them to give an honest assessment of where they think they are compared with all those Premier League players. They ought to be confident going into these big games." http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/we-wil...-lee-johnson/story-29627612-detail/story.html
We've a way to go, but we've got a young team and we can already hold our own against the majority of clubs in this division. Norwich deserved their win by the looks of it, but I'm trying not to be that down about it, given that they've only just come back down from the Premiership and are amongst the favourites for promotion. It seems like a plan is in place and so far is reaping rewards - hopefully there's more to come.
All well and good in theory, but 12 - 18 months in football is an eternity. We (and a lot of other clubs) could well have gone through another couple of Managers by then. Just saying,
Good point- Initially, I thought that it made sense, but personnel is sure to look different in 18 months time- I cast my mind back 18 months ago (Our League 1 side) Which was managed by SC, players were Agard, Wilbraham, Fielding,Williams, Ayling who have either left or not currently featuring. You could include Freeman there.
Unless LJ has been told that his position is safe for that period of time no matter what happens, which frankly we'd all hope isn't true.
I'm sure that's not the case, but it wouldn't say much about his self confidence if he assumed he would be out on his ear after a few months would it?
No one is ever really given that assurance- SC, after winning our first championship for 60 years coupled with a winning Wembley day out, seemidly could do not wrong at that time. 6 months later he had gone-
Another way to look at it, 12-18 months ago our then city team would have got hammered 4 or 5 nil. I really believe in Johnson. I think he will make us a solid championship team which will then make the bigger players more likely to come as we have the stability in the league. Once we have that stability we can then build on it and make a serious push for promotion. I predicted a 10th-15th finish this season and still stand by it. Fans need to realise we are very much a work in progress and those who demand success and promotion right now will be disappointed and very foolish. Stick with LJ and co. I don't think we've ever been as strong as we are right now and as Johnson has said, He needs 3/4 transfer windows, if they are as good as this one then we're in for some great times.
That's fair comment, but modern football is full of surprises. The only thing that should dictate whether LJ is still here in 12-18 months time is results, as that's all that matters.
In 9 months time the 3 coming down from the Premier League will have a minimum of £99 million In 18 months time add another 2 to that That said I'm happy with progress under LJ and I do feel that we are building something
Progress under LJ ? Don't you mean Lansdown's money. He's provided a stadium, an infrastructure and war chest that no City manager has ever enjoyed. Junior was born lucky, I hope we share his good fortune.
The difficult things in life take time and the impossible takes a whole lot longer. Now I'm not quite sure which "Acme self help book" we are using as the manual this season and although from the outside it may look totally different than the last one you might find the reading inside somewhat more acceptable. Most of the happenings during the summer got generally good reviews from the punters and from my distant viewpoint I think we have got more right than wrong, and although I don't think we will be competing in Europe anytime soon I think we are apparently more than capable of maintaining our grip in the Championship. Looking ahead 18 months is somewhat akin to wondering if you will get to use your return ticket on the Titanic and the rules on refunds have long ran out. The game changes in an instant and predicting what you will be doing on a fine Sunday in April 2017 just doesn't seem to be logical unless you are spouting the usual buzz phrases from the modern encyclopedia of confusing terms which has gone viral in most aspects of modern life much to the confusion of those who's minds come from a different vintage. You can fool some of the people all of the time ....... you know the rest. Well intended comments from Lee nonetheless.
I suppose it's better than saying "ask me in 18 months time, I don't know if I will be here then" Also Redprint we've been through this SC was allowed to bid 8-9million on players I bet that's more than LJ has spent this summer. Just SC choose to use his funds on just that one of those two players. So I don't really get this LJ has the most dig. But then he did piss on your cornflakes whilst spitting in your socks
Or is it a case of "If by some disaster we don't get promoted", i.e. covering his ass in the event a miracle doesn't happen
Maybe its time we started to enjoy the journey more as sometimes when you reach the destination, its not all that and you just get back on the bus and go back to where you came! We will play Villa, Newcastle and Norwich in the first few weeks of this season.. The sags will be drowning in jealousy at that alone! Go to the games enjoy the day and get what we can..
