Mayenda and Mundle weren't instant hits, Jobe was criticised in his first season for the amount of game time he got, he is so much better this season for it. The criticism Speakman got was for buying players that weren't first team ready. We couldn't afford that quality. How much did those 3 cost and how much would they now cost to replace. This is why we had to suffer some **** last season to achieve this. KLD said he had a model, a plan to buy up and coming youngsters, make the club sustainable and get us back to the PL in 5 years. He has done everything he said with a year to spare, yet so many still criticised him along the way.
Football is always either two steps forward and one step back. … … or one step forward and two steps back. As long as it’s the former, and the club/squad value is improving you're fine. We’re doing fine.
He also said in a recent interview in The Telegraph, that when they arrived they saw a training complex neglected and needing attention. People had been let go, the building was very well designed but twenty years old. He said that the easy thing would have been to throw cash at some players, but they decided to put the bottom blocks in first. No doubt there is more to do, but the evidence is in, and this lot know what they are doing and they are serious people. I'm pleased they picked us.
Beyond all reasonable hope I'd say. You're right, success or progress in sport is never in a straight line. What these people have managed is as near to it as we will ever see.
I know we all know this but let’s not forget Speakman has increased the clubs squad value from around 10million to around 200 million, maybe more now. It is incredible what he’s done, and the flops haven’t cost much.
The way the club has been run under the current ownership is light years away from what we had before. I have total confidence in the future for the first time in a long time. There's a lot of chatter,on here and elsewhere,about player movement in the coming window,....I just hope one of the upper PL clubs don't come knocking for Speakman!
