Yes, we've all heard it before however this time, it happens to be true. Due to the conjunction of a series of events, SoD has been handed a golden opportunity to rebuild this club in the manner that he sees fit going forward. To be fair, this was always his brief when he was bought in but the fact that we have so many players out of contract and the apparent salary cut for those left means that if we let everyone who wants to go out, we will be left with a first team squad of about a dozen young players and a MASSIVELY reduced wagebill. This gives him the scope to recruit the sort of player that he feels will best suit the philosophy of restoring proper football to this club again, the thing that marked him out as the best candidate in the first place. I have to say that I wasn't greatly impressed by the away tactics this season but I am prepared to accept that there wasn't a great deal he could do with the basket case that he inherited so next year, we clear the boards and start again with a clean slate. SoD has warned us that it will take time to see this process through - it took him the best part of 3 years at Bournemouth and a couple at Donny so I don't expect him to be a miracle worker in this respect however he also needs to take on board that we will be a larger fish in the league one pond so we should be able to attract some of the better quality players that he feels can progress and make it in the Championship. We do have high expectations here and whilst it will be a process, we need to be challenging next year - the first 10 games and a good start will be very important for SoD. A new dawn, yes... whether it becomes another false one is down to SoD and the BOD HOWEVER, it is very important that the recriminations stop very soon and we ALL wipe away the negativity associated with the decline and ultimate failure of the old regime(s) and get behind our young and new team next year... COYR's...!!!!!!!!!
I'm with you Prem and I assure you that my latest post will be my last that can be considered in any way negative so don't be too harsh on me please. Many wrong decisons have been made but now they are only part of our past and let's hope that business sanity returns to Ashton Gate soon.
The only way I can see us wiping away the negativity that has surrounded this club lately is for the club to push on with its vision for the club. League 1 be damned. Bristol City need a new stadium, a new academy that rivals the best in the country, and an ethos for how the club will perform in the next 5-10 years. What I would like to see is for Lansdown to come out at the end of the season and announce that the stadium is still on, and to push for a decision to be made by the start of next season. Following this, I'd like to see the club announce that we are a Category 2 academy, and that the club will aim to push forwards in becoming a Category 1 academy within five years, by vastly pushing our scouting and coaching numbers. Finally, I want to see the backroom staff promote a way of playing within the club that the club will stick to, regardless of who is at the club. If SOD thinks we can be a club that plays possession football then the club should be built from now onwards in that manner. Build the team based on that mantra and allow SOD to coach and mentor future players in being able to play attractive passing football, even if it means we'll be bullied off the ball in League 1. I'd happily stay in League 1 for a bit if it means we can overhaul the squad and build a new stadium, a world-class academy, and play some of the most attractive football in the country. The last point is very important. As a club we need to start eating our own dog food. We need to play our own players, we need our own coaches, we need a direction to go in and we need to be able to promote from within, and to expand with a known skill set. This way, we can replace managers with our own, we can replace sold players with our own, and anyone else coming into the side will know exactly what is expected of them. We can grow from this, but we can't just be reactionary. We need to clear the squad out and we need the board to make promises on the clubs future.
Well said Ender MB. The only way we will grow is for all teams from 9 year olds all through to first team to have a common pattern of play so that progress through the years from 9 to 39 will be that much easier for everyone. Gone should be the days when we fit a team around one or two individuals. Gone should be the days when a player like Albert Adomah is left out of the starting line up until he can adjust in a few weeks to yet another style of play from yet another manager. (Not a criticism of SO'D) The Liverpool successes of the 60's, 70's and 80's were fashioned by continuity and other clubs who have followed the same ethos like Ajax and now Barcelona should be our models. We need continuity, sustainability, financial stability and a policy that encourages and provides our young developing players a realistic opportunity to make it as league professionals. And by doing so we stand a much better chance of success on the pitch than the hit and miss methods of the recent past.
