If / When we go up .....

Had some time to think on the flight over to Miami. Was thinking about next season, our squad, and the part our u23s might play in it. Let me elucidate a little, & throw it open. I'll start generally, naming no names ....

u23s. I've loved how Bielsa has encouraged our u23s to make the leap into the Championship first team. Very risky thing to do as often as he's done it, but it's paid dividends. We've prolly taken some hits because of this policy (Davis gifting 2 goals in the one match springs to mind), but it's been great to see their accelerated development. Question is - whilst it's a huge leap to go from the u23s to the 1st team, how big a leap is it to go from the u23s to a PL 1st team? I'm guessing the risks are exponentially larger, as there is so much more quality in the opposition to take advantage. Perhaps our current policy has worked so well because the opposition had been generally mediocre to sh1te, allowing our younglings to catch a breath & settle in. So, will Bielsa continue with his radical u23 program, or will this supply tap be more or less turned off in the PL?

Next up, how many of our current squad will be journeymen or better in the PL? And how many become instant deadwood? How far will Bielsa's loyalty to this squad stretch? Will it be our undoing if he remains too loyal?

Signings. Splits into 2, doesn't it? Cost-effective journeymen who can 'do a job', and quality players, who can influence a game - and hopefully a season! Problem is, everyone wants the same people for the same reasons. Why should they come to us? Bielsa is the only attraction we offer that can't be got elsewhere. This is going to be a huge stumbling block

I have enormous faith in Bielsa to address the above as correctly as anyone could. But there is another restraining factor. A very serious one, and perhaps our most important limiting factor - finance. If the u23 stream is throttled down, & we drop, say, half the current squad for not being good enough, that's a lot of replacements required. Even PL journeymen cost, far less quality players. Fulham spent £100m & it wasn't good enough. Remember, it's not just the headline signing costs, the ongoing salary & bonus costs hurt loads too.

The biggest question - do we ignore the issues above & continue doing what we're doing, building a home-grown (including homie foreigners from the u23s squad? A long term quality squad that'll have it's ups & downs (couldn't resist!) & we ignore the short game threat of relegation etc., & look towards the long game of developing a dynasty? Toughie, eh?

Grenade chucked into room, so jet lag demands I go get me a grampa nap. Play nice, chaps!

 

WJ is now a jihadi

Hand-grenade indeed but I think there are 3 scenarios

1. No promotion and Bielsa leaves
2. No promotion and Bielsa stays
3. Promotion

If no promotion and Bielsa goes I think we end up selling some better players, money becomes even tighter. Corberan offered the job and the backbone of the team will become this seasons U23 players. We may even bring back a few of the loan players like Wilks, Coyle and Cibicki as no cash for buying better players. We go backwards.

Bielsa stays we find the money for him to bring in at least 3 top end players to enable us to go for autos next season. Maybe 1 player brought back from loan.

Promotion means Bielsa is given wedge and he will already know the players he wants but although Bielsa is loyal he will be letting some players down gently and moving them out. Dallas 20 loan players, BPF, Forshaw and a couple of the U23s too

 

Saw my football agent guy on Monday and he told me with regards Leeds United's future transfer policy it's all dependant on whether we achieve promotion this season.

If we're not promoted we'll definitely be selling two or three of our better players with hardly any of the incoming transfer money reinvested in the squad as Radrizzani is in serious financial trouble.

 

I thoroughly believe Radz is putting all his efforts now, into lining up buyers for us should we go up.

 

Thought radrizanni was a billionaire with oodles of cash

 

He pretty much admitted he didn’t have a pot to p*ss in when he sold viera... and it’s been bad news all the way since then for him.

Now or never for him... and now or no time soon for us probably.

 

Asset rich cash poor

 

Look guys as Forza says asset rich cash poor, but the best guy we have had for at least 14 years so stop whining. He may be the best guy for 20 years because the start of our downfall was Ridsdale.

Face actual facts, our guy may not be a billionaire but done more for the club and every fan than anyone, imagine if he had cash.

 

Agree Doc and IF we do go up, he will be rewarded

 

Doc when I said he's asset rich cash poor I wasn't having a pop at him. Most ultra-wealthy are. If someone has a net worth of £100M they could be cash poor, as 98% of that would be in non-cash assets and only 2% in cash.

I agree he's the best owner we've had for years. After all, he brought in Bielsa and his backroom staff.

 

If/ when we go up I'm going to get quite drunk, and that's about as much of a prediction I'm going to make.

 

And whats your fav tipple

 

usually the nearest liquid with alcohol in it, I don't discriminate

 

If (big if still) we do go up, I think Bielsa will keep things very similar. He's said before that every player would've been more than good enough to play with him at Athletic Bilbao/Marseille, and whilst that was probably hyperbole, I do believe he was genuine in regards to a lot of the team (Casilla, Jansson, Phillips, Hernandez, Roofe, etc).

The loanees would leave, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Harrison return again on loan as Bielsa seems to be a fan of his work rate, and he has improved as the season's progressed.

Casilla is an excellent keeper, and BPF is a capable understudy. Can't see this being a priority area, if we need a third choice I'd imagine Bielsa would call upon Huffer again.

Defensively, I could easily see Ayling, Berardi, Jansson, Cooper, and Douglas all playing a part in Bielsa's team next year. I think he'd probably realise the need for another defender or two if we suffer with injuries again, though.

Of the loan players/U23s, if we go up I can't see Coyle being retained. Same with Denton.
Pearce would go out on loan again, I'd imagine. O'Connor, Shaughnessy, and Kitching would probably be released/loaned out, too. Halme, Gotts, and Davis would either be loaned out or in and around the first team squad.
De Bock and Anita would leave as well.

In midfield, Phillips, Klich, and Forshaw would be retained. Shackleton would be in and around the squad again, hopefully he'd get some more exposure. Stevens would maybe be loaned out? Bogusz is a bit of a wildcard but by all accounts he's been superb in the U23s, a good pre-season and maybe Bielsa would want to fast track him into the senior squad. Perhaps one in here?

In the wide/attacking midfield positions, Hernandez would still be the main man, and Alioski would still be a reliable figure in Bielsa's squad. Clarke would hopefully get more exposure, too.
Roberts would be an interesting one - probably more of a bit-part player in the Premiership, but massive potential.
I think Dallas is still Mr Dependable, but if we were to sign someone like James Milner (wishful thinking!) he may be on the periphery. Bielsa is a fan though, so I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed.
We'd need a proper replacement for Saiz (who will almost certainly leave) and someone to help Hernandez out in terms of shouldering the creative load, so I'd be surprised if Bielsa didn't sign someone in this area.

Of the loan players/U23s, Oriol Rey seems to get good reviews out on loan, but whether he's ready for the Premiership is another matter entirely. Probably loaned out again.
O'Kane, Sacko, Bouy, let them go. I'd have liked to have seen Ideguchi, but if Bielsa wasn't convinced enough to play him in the Championship, I don't think he'll have a chance in the Premiership. I thought Cibicki maybe deserved more of a chance, but similarly, if Bielsa doesn't rate him highly enough to play him in the Championship, get rid.

Up front, I'd imagine Bielsa would keep both Roofe and Bamford. I think there's a question mark over both of them at the highest level, though I think Roofe's pace and movement is good enough at any level, it's just a question of his finishing. Bamford has the intelligence and the finesse, and weirdly he may be better against defenders in the Premiership who aren't 6'6 brutes. Still wouldn't be wholly convinced by either, so maybe another potential area for a signing.

Of the loans/U23s, Edmondson looks like he'll have a great career, but I think the Premiership would be a step too far, too soon. I'd imagine a loan to get him used to men's football first.
Dalby would stay in the U23s, Ekuban would go. I was actually one of the few Leeds fans who thought Grot had something about him and some potential to work with, but I think he'd be on his way, too.
Balboa, Machuca, Sarkic, all would go out on loan/be released, I'd imagine.
Wilks would have more chance of playing if we weren't promoted. If we are (fingers crossed!) he'd probably go out on loan to a Championship side.
Kun Temenuzhkov sounds like he could be a superstar, but if we were promoted I can't see him playing a part in the Premiership just yet. Probably would stay in the U23s for the time-being.

So, in essence - I think he'd basically keep the entire first team squad, minus the loanees. Dallas is the only one I wouldn't be too surprised to see leave. Shackleton and Clarke would hopefully get even more exposure, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Gotts, Halme, and Davis in and around the first team squad, along with Bogusz who could be the breakout star.

Coming in, I would expect at least one defender, given our injury concerns this season. Given Berardi's versatility and Alioski's great form at LB (plus Dallas and Shackleton able to cover RB), I'd imagine a CB to ensure we don't have to drag Phillips back there every time.

Possibly 2/3 midfielders - replacements for Harrison and Saiz, and the quick, direct winger Bielsa wanted in January (Dan James will likely be out of reach by then, unfortunately!). Hernandez would be 35 by the end of next season, and we'd need someone to help lighten his workload. I know Bielsa doesn't like rotation, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't additional cover for Phillips given his role is arguably the most important in the team and neither Forshaw nor Klich are half as good in his position.

Finally, a potential striker. Wouldn't be convinced on that one though, I don't think Bielsa would want/need three forwards. I'm just not sure about Bamford and Roofe in the Premiership. I'd love to be proven wrong, though!

Sorry for the long post, bit bored tonight if you couldn't tell

 

I was only asking so I knew what to buy you if I'm ever over..

 

Impressive assessment, Kiwi, & I'm largely in line with you. This is the long game I mentioned, & I think it's the route we should go down, even if it makes relegation from the PL more likely, & possibly more than once.

Re. the Phillips cover, I've been hugely impressed by Alfie McCalmont in the u23s this season. As the season has progressed, you're less likely to hear Corberon screaming "Elfeeeeeeeee" from the bench, which is a useful indicator of his development. Both Gotts & Shaks have played well there too, & it was great to watch the last u23 outing, when in the 2nd half, all 3 seamlessly changed position throughout the match at RB, DM & CM. Total football. Genuine total football. Who knows what the future holds with these lads.

 

Thank goodness he told you or we might never have known!

 

Indeed

 

There were 2 areas of concern for Bielsa and he said after looking at it he needed a replacement for Saiz or winger and a striker. So he whittled it down to 2 and he whittled the Saiz replacement down to Dan James, so whatever happens he will bring in a winger. He will bring in a striker or a free scoring midfielder. We all told him we needed a CB but he said no we dont, he was right.

Pablo will be 35 this time next season. Can we expect him for a full season playing every game? Dont think so and remember Pablo has had tim out this season injured

 

Dunno about quite,myself i will be rat assed.