This all sounds depressingly familiar to our own recent state. What odds are there on Stoke getting relegated again next season? https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44027903 Relegated Stoke City need to look at their "farcical" transfer dealings before signing the players needed to mount a return to the Premier League, says goalkeeper Jack Butland. The Potters dropped into the second tier Championship following a home defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday. England keeper Butland blamed "players you cannot rely on" being signed by the club. "The whole recruitment process needs looking at, to be honest," he said. Former Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez scored one goal in 13 appearances during his loan spell from Paris St-Germain and has taken unpaid compassionate leave for the remainder of his contract. Forward Saido Berahino has started just 11 games since being signed from West Brom for £12m in January 2017 and has never scored for the club. He is now training with the under-23s, as is defender Kevin Wimmer, an £18m signing from Tottenham last summer. Record signing Giannelli Imbula, a midfielder who cost £18.3m from Porto, has spent this season on loan at French side Toulouse. Too many of the recent investments, and over the years, are completely unused and that's unacceptable Jack Butland Stoke City Meanwhile, two former Barcelona forwards, Ibrahim Afellay and Bojan Krkic, have been frozen out at the Bet365 Stadium, with the latter spending this season on loan at La Liga side Alaves. "There's been transfers that aren't even part of the squad for all kinds of reasons, whether it be discipline, whether it be lack of performance," Butland, 25, said. "You've got to look at that - what decisions are being made and the type of characters." He said midfielder Badou Ndiaye and defender Moritz Bauer, who joined in January, were "two positive signings". "But you look at others and they're not even here to have an input. It's not because they were playing at the top of their game, because if they were they'd be here," he continued. "Too many of the recent investments, and over the years, are completely unused and that's unacceptable. So before anyone is signed and any changes happen that's got to be looked at because it's been farcical really." Paul Lambert replaced Mark Hughes as manager in January following Stoke's FA Cup third round defeat at League Two Coventry City. However, Stoke have managed just one league win under the Scot. "I believe Paul's had an extremely difficult job," Butland said. "He inherited a squad where, unfortunately, there was ill-discipline and players you cannot rely on. "Despite those scenarios he's put together a really competitive side that's willing to work for him. "I believe the manager is the right man for the job." Stoke's final game of the season is a trip to Swansea City - who are also in danger of relegation - on Sunday.
It's only a guess of course, from someone on the outside looking in, but I suspect that their 'parachute payments are going to be swallowed up by their wage bill. Players like Berahino are not going to be easy to shift either. They may well find themselves in a similar situation to us with Rodwell. Can't help wondering if their Fans, with the benefit of hindsight, now wish they has stuck with Tony Pulis. I'm sure that the Board will wish they had!!!
I never thought I'd say this but Stoke seem to have been as badly managed from the top as us. Over the last few years I've wondered where their money was coming from for such big signings. I don't think they'll do what we've done this season but I do think they'll struggle.
Difficult one this for Stoke, I'm sure if they had kept Pulis he would have kept them up however I'm not sure he was going to take them onto this elusive next level that fans of clubs like Stoke hanker after. Fans put enormous pressure on those running their clubs when the reality is the top six or so are sorted each season and it's credit to Burnley for reaching Europe, but unless clubs have a massive cash input like Man City did then the promised land of the Premiership is in reality a massive survival struggle for all but the rich clubs. Our current plight is a sorrowful position to be in but the reality is we as a club have had to reduce our expectations and if we go onto having a winning team next season then the fans will return.
They had it coming, like Sunderland last and this season. At the end of the day, bad decisions at board and recruitment level translate into a squad of overpaid and under- performing players, and that spells relegation
But look at Everton £100m plus spent and should be better, I bet they get no more money to spend and have no sellable players next season, they could wind up like us. Stoke sold Anotovic or whatever they call him to WHU and that was bad enough. How Burnley the mags and Brighton have stopped up defies logic.
I don't know whether to feel sorry for them or reassured that it can happen to another club other than SAFC It is terrible that the teams within the prem are pressured in to taking multi million £ risks on players who are only in it for the money. As soon as they put pen to paper they can put their feet up. Grass roots football is dying. Jarrow Roofing went at the weekend. Really really annoying
And the dullards who run the FA glibly tell us they are spending shed loads of money on grass roots football. Obviously Jarrow didn't get any coming their way and they've been at it for donkeys years so if they are in trouble who else is close to going out of business?
I just can't get excited about the razmataz of the Prem any more. International "superstars" earning a fortune. Clubs spending money they don't have. When the ref blows his whistle it is a game of football. I've been much happier following south shields recently - a good family club where the players mix freely with the fans after the game
I'm with you on that and we've only just got there. Fortunately Warnock is aligning our club with the fans, but the whole 'premier league' thing leaves a sour taste. Prefer the hustle and bustle of the championship with games coming thick and fast and anybody beating anybody. Who's have thought brum would end Fulham's run to seal our promotion? Wouldn't want us to decline the opportunity of playing in the big league, but the money and the 'closed shop' at the top takes the edge off it. Good luck with turning things around.
It does sound like they've got four or five Rodwells and one was enough to severely **** us, amongst other factors of course. I hope for their sake they're prepped for relegation financially or trouble lies ahead.
Thank you Burnley have shown us that there is a way to be successful in the top league without getting drawn in to the "reckless spending and mercenary players" business model, so there is hope
They'll raise an absolute fortune in player sales. Butland and Shaqiri alone will fetch about £40m Martins Indi £5m Wimmer £10m Shawcross £5m Imbula £8m Ndayie £10m Joe Allen £8m Choupo-Moting £5m Bojan £5m £96m rough idea on those 10 Plus they'll retain players that will do well at championship level Lee Grant Bauer Peiters Cameron Fletcher Crouch Diouf Berahino will find his feet again in the championship
I think they'll struggle to come straight back up (as will West Brom and Swansea - if they go down) but they have a squad who should be doing better. Players like Allen, Shaquiri, Butland, Wimmer, Shawcross, Imbula will all be worth a decent amount and I reckon their owners will grant a decent portion to be re-spent next year. I put them as certainties for top 10 and highly likely to get the play-offs. They've just got to hope Southampton stay up as they'd com straight back up again and aren't the kind of team you want to get relegated with.
I don't know, it will still feel magical for the fans of Bounemouth and such. Get it right and you get to watch some of the best players in the world and while supporting a club you can be proud of for the foreseeable future. I mean ultimately it's all down to the game itself, It brings problems but it also brings genius. I still see so much beauty in the game, especially at the top level. I feel ya pain though, The game in trouble in a variety of areas. Fifa really need to get their act together and restructure finances in football from top to bottom, slap a transfer limit in place and an actual measurable scale in which to value a player, wage caps and to take control of global tv rights with a duty to distribute tv money fairly across the globe to promote a healthy sustainable game everywhere. While agents are banned completely as player unions will represent players. Top it off with a global non-profiting footballing watchdog which oversees all football associations, unions and governing bodies including Fifa itself to maintain a high standard of ethics within football. It would be a massive overhaul but the game is so ****ed drastic action must be taken before the last of the beauty dies off with the game itself.
Spot on. Sad reality is that a cup is great for the fans, but a board would rather stay in the premier league. That’s why it’s so ****e to watch most of the time now. Money in the pl has made teams concentrate more on not losing than winning. There are a few exceptions of course but very few. Proven by the drop in points to stay up. 42 we once went down with. Now you don’t even need a point a game!!
Good post fella I think the bit I agree about most strongly is the bit I've underlined. This will take the greed factor out of the game. It will discourage the likes of Ellis Short from buying clubs, it will lower the expectations of players and their parasitic agents, and will get money flowing through the leagues
The wrong, but too powerful, people make far too much money for football to change. Only a global financial meltdown will put everyone back on a level playing field.
