I really don’t have any facts to back this up at all, but I can’t help thinking that if the owners think they can get their cash back regardless of which league we’re in then they might be quite happy for us to go down to teach us a jolly good lesson about what happens when they decide to stop properly investing A methaphorical ‘told you so’ finger wagging and a wry smile to remind us that when we were nice to them, so that they would invest, they got us into the PL and Europe I don’t imagine for a minute they’d be happy if someone bought us as a Championship Club and took us straight back up, because that would diminish their own achievements with the Club I think we’re going down
I don't think we will be relegated despite our current precarious position in the table. I have been able to watch many of our games in real time on my computer this season thanks largely to the Russian TV link. In several recent games which we have lost 1-0 we have given up the winning goals to teams we have been clearly superior to and dominated possession 60-70% (Leeds - McGregor clearance howler, Bolton - Madine FK, McGregor's poor positioning (?), Cardiff - offside header)...we massively outplayed Derby (#2) and Bristol City (#4) in the division, we gave up an idiotic second half penalty (Hector) to an in-form Fulham that to that point we had played off the park (2-0), allowing them back into the game. End result 2 points out of a possible 15 in the past five games. Prior to the latest run we had also thrown away over 12 points on giving up very late goals (85+ minutes). We have persistently blown clear scoring opportunities that taken would possibly have turned losses into wins (Bowen's glaring miss at Bolton being the latest such). This is not a relegation team (see goal differential -5 relative to -19 other bottom 5 teams). Why are we where we are. Firstly the poor coaching of Slutsky and his lack of focus on defense, now clearly being addressed by Adkins. Secondly a horrendous accumulation of injuries to key players - notably Hernandez, Odubajo, Campbell - but many others. Thirdly a lack of fitness - critical in the late goals concessions. Finally, and central to our collapse over the last two years, the continuing mismanagement of the club by Ehab Allam - arguably the most incompetent owner in England. Although the results of the last five games are depressing, I believe we are close to a turning point in our performances. We may lose Bowen and Grositski in the window, but several injured players are close to returning. Adkins has us on the right track. My vote is that we will stay up.
Financially, I don't think relegation matters to them, as they'll walk away with all their money back whatever happens. But, what I do think matters to Assem, would be leaving the club in a lower league than he found it. He'll want the history books to show that under his ownership, the club had it's most successful period in its history and having bought us as a Championship club, I think he'll want to leave us as one.
When time is taken to list the inadequacies, such as you have done here (well done, too ), I am more convinced we are in serious trouble. You adequately outline three failings: 1. Failing to win from dominance. 2. Late goal syndrome. 3. Failure to take critical chances (by players whose key role should demand otherwise). These three points, if taken singularly, will blight any season, but all three, in the mentality of a squad, are difficult to overcome without radical change. I can't see where that change is coming from. I think we need to address those three points before we can hope to be close to a turning point in our fortunes. Injuries perplex me. Other than players who, so far, have been in and out of the team due to injuries, who, that is a proven game changer, is coming back any time soon? If we lose either Bowen or Gros then this branch of optimism is even more tenuous. I agree that Adkins is on the right track, but he has a truly uphill slog that is going to have to cope with the cruelties of January to March and all that entails - unpredictable weather, cards, injuries, random referees. Good luck to him, as he is going to need it.
This is the nub of it. I agree on the money side of things, as that has been plain for quite some time. As for league position I am not convinced; leaving us a league lower could simply be another factor in their blame game. The two key elements are a full ROI and a sale - it would now seem that building bridges with HCC is a factor (for future property ventures), but that helps our team not one iota.
Unfortunately, I really don't think we do have the quality players some think we have and we certainly don't have the experienced Championship battlers needed to survive either a scrap for relegation or a push for promotion. We've too many young loan players in defence and, partly due to injuries, a weak core/spine. Hope I'm proved wrong, but too many times this season we've lost points from winning positions due to naivety in both the players and the substitutions by both managers.
Chazz. I don't know why you want to argue the toss with everyone . Time will tell if the squad assembled is good enough. We all have opinions. I happen to think individual mistakes will continue to cost us and I am not sure we will get the balance right between scoring and not conceding. I hope I am wrong. ALLAMS OUT
As we are speculating I think Ehab wants to use the name Hull City, invest in the squad, re-introduce concessions and build a well-run football club along the lines of Burnley. I think the good doctor wants his money back as soon as possible and believes Ehab needs monitoring to stop him going native. No facts just a feeling.
The evidence suggests the opposite, particularly with regard to concessions, where he's the only bastard who doesn't think they should be reintroduced.
Maybe, but of course any relegation would be our fault Hooligans that forced him to stop investing, otherwise we’d have gone straight back up
I feel exactly the same. It's been three years since I last went to a City game and the main reason is the same - I can't be arsed. It costs a fortune, is a chore (180 mile round trip for me anyway) and the main event just is not enjoyable any more. I've found so many more relaxing and cheaper things to do on a weekend but even until recently, if I wasn't at a game I'd be glued to the scores finding out how we were getting on. However this season it has been a cursory glance with very mild emotions either way if we won or lost. I'd even forgottten what dates we were playing over Christmas whereas in years gone by I'd know all fixtures by heart months in advance. I think the last game I really enjoyed being at was May 4th 2013. Yeah there was some good games the season after, esp beating Liverpool and the FA Cup Semi-Final but even they had the impending shadow of Allam doom starting to lurk over them. All I can say is I hope we stay up and are still in the Championship when the Allams disappear but I'm not expecting it. Whether my interest is rekindled then I'm still doubtful of. I'm sick of football as a whole - the amount of money for the top teams has been ridiculous for the last 20 years but in the last couple of years it has gone beyond obscene. And I don't have any interest whatsoever in them. Maybe I need to go and support Altrincham FC. More down to earth football but I'd never have the same passion there as I once had for City.
Excellent post. This probably sums up a lot of supporters feelings, and certainly expands on my 'totally ambivalent to it all' comment. The fixtures comment made me laugh. Perversely I've actually started looking to see who 'we' are playing now, if only to answer people at work who ask. Last thing, I bet you never found 180 miles a chore in the past. But that's what it's become in your case, in mine lesser distance but same emotion - 'ah **** it'.
I still look forward to the games. And I still get a buzz just seeing the expanse of the pitch and it's markings, etc. when you walk from the concourse to the seats. I'm not sure if that feeling will ever go away to be honest. Bobby Robson was right.
It certainly wasn't, (well the return trip could be a bit glum if we'd lost). But I'll never forget the drive back after the 2013 promotion match against Cardiff - tunes blaring full volume, pleasant sunny evening as I recall. Was on Cloud 9! Nowadays instead of driving to Hull for my weekend fix I'll just crack open a bottle of fine whisky on a Saturday afternoon, (see Best whisky thread!). The hangover is less painful than watching City's current plight.
And the more the Allams run the club into the ground, the growing concern is what happens next. Who takes over - the Hinchcliffe types; Tom Belton / Martin Fish types; or an enlightened Adam Pearson type with a Wilkinson type backer to invest. More likely the first two sorts. City appear to have no real catalyst for change in the future, such as the building of the new ground which attracted AP & PW. Who would come in to invest probably large amounts required to give us a better than 1 in 24 chance of properly competing to get out of the Championship upwardly? Interesting to watch Bristol Citys progress this season. They came that close when we beat them at Wembley, and it's taken them best part of a decade to get close again, supported financially by that Lansdowne chap who has rebuilt the ground and supported various managers. One thing is certain, having saved the club originally, the Allams have by their actions alone, not the Council, not the supporters, not the team, not the managers, but by their actions alone, set the club on the road to ruin. And for what it's worth a feeble ALLAMS OUT !!!
