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Will City ever make the Premier League?


reddogkev

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5 hours ago, reddogkev said:

What's your gut answer to this question?  It frustrates me that the Premier League has been around since the early 90's and we've only had one chance of making it.

Let's put the dispute over our manager to one side and look at the future for City.  With the restraints of FFP and the apparent need to sell our most talented players, are we ever likely to be promoted from the Championship?

I know we appear to be a competitive team, often pushing for the top six, but it seems we lack the mentality and genuine ambition required to fight for promotion - if so, we will ever have this missing ingredient?

My fear is City will always lack the ruthless mind-set and steely resolve of winners - everything seems too cosy and comfortable for the players; even starting at the top with SL - always seems like a wonderful, friendly man who is content with City performing well in the Championship and drawing high attendances. 

For me, the change begins when we stop selling our best players, the board demand they stay to fight for success, and then announce an expectation of making the top two.

The charge for promotion has to start with the owner and the board, and then work it's way down to every single member of staff, and of course the fans.  We need to play our part by making Ashton Gate hostile - something which seems nigh on impossible with the family feel to the stadium and the uninspiring standard of football.

What're your thoughts?  It's easy to say of course we will, such things are inevitable, and I expect a few people to say we have to start with sacking LJ, but what if some real pressure was put upon him to turn us into a team of constant winners? 

 

 

Yes, in the next 5 years.

Im certain of it.

Im may have issues with Lee Johnson and sometimes be a bit gloomy, but I really believe we will.

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1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

We certainly should reap the benefits "one day" just not convinced it will actually happen under SL. I've been of the opinion for a long time that we are in a safe place with him, and yes we finally are progressing in a stable manner, but there is also something holding us back under his stewardship. Long term project or not, given the amount of investment he's put in over the past 18 years it is pretty disappointing that we haven't enjoyed top flight football, even if only for one season. We are surely viewed by most as the biggest club in English football not to have played in the Premier League, an unenviable achievement! 

No, that would be Rovers obviously :)

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We have perfected and mastered the art of avoiding promotion to the Premier League.

Whilst, judging by some of the comments on this thread, staying put will please some, I'm sure most fans have higher aspirations.

One of the main drawbacks is that we'd have to put up with VAR.

 

 

 

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The excuse of selling players bores me as much as comments like forget the dispute on the current manager.

Our current squad is stronger than anything we have had in the last decade and certainly good enough to compete in this league as it is this season and play good football but they are getting worse at the former and terrible at the latter.

The sells are irrelevant, the manager is relevant I would suggest.

Darn shame - we may not get another chance like the one we are currently looking like blowing.

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4 hours ago, Chappers said:

Define “Go all out for it”, referencing FFP, holding on to players if Prem clubs come bidding, sustainability, Plan B if “going all out for it” goes wrong etc.

My reply was a bit of a joke but since you ask ‘ going all out for it ‘ is refusing to accept second best from the coaching staff and squad .

Clearly stating that promotion is our aim.

We have to work within a smaller budget than many clubs in this division but what if we had better quality and less players ‘ sightseeing ‘ on a match day !

It’s the courage that we don’t have as a club , we’ve spent too long doing bugger all and don’t want to appear too big for our boots by declaring our intentions. To be ridiculed by others who see us as also rans . 
 

We need someone with a big personality and big cajones to get this club to the top . I respect SL enormously but just wonder if his cautious accountants approach and genuine niceness is stopping us ? 
 

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8 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

My reply was a bit of a joke but since you ask ‘ going all out for it ‘ is refusing to accept second best from the coaching staff and squad .

Clearly stating that promotion is our aim.

We have to work within a smaller budget than many clubs in this division but what if we had better quality and less players ‘ sightseeing ‘ on a match day !

It’s the courage that we don’t have as a club , we’ve spent too long doing bugger all and don’t want to appear too big for our boots by declaring our intentions. To be ridiculed by others who see us as also rans . 
 

We need someone with a big personality and big cajones to get this club to the top . I respect SL enormously but just wonder if his cautious accountants approach and genuine niceness is stopping us ? 
 

It is very reminiscent of SL keeping Andy Robinson as rugby head coach a good year too long in the dwindling hopes he will get them promoted but finally facing the truth and getting in a quality coach in Pat Lam and I feel the rest is going to be history as their rise has been good and is on target to be epic in a couple of years.

I feel this is LJ’s last season with us if we do fall away and whilst that is tinged with some sadness on my part, it seems right.

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5 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

My reply was a bit of a joke but since you ask ‘ going all out for it ‘ is refusing to accept second best from the coaching staff and squad .

Clearly stating that promotion is our aim.

We have to work within a smaller budget than many clubs in this division but what if we had better quality and less players ‘ sightseeing ‘ on a match day !

It’s the courage that we don’t have as a club , we’ve spent too long doing bugger all and don’t want to appear too big for our boots by declaring our intentions. To be ridiculed by others who see us as also rans . 
 

We need someone with a big personality and big cajones to get this club to the top . I respect SL enormously but just wonder if his cautious accountants approach and genuine niceness is stopping us ? 
 

I’d also add that we need the fanbase to really want it too.  

We all know the usual suspects on here who are happy to accept any old dross dished up on the pitch and trot out the usual crap that we are just little old Bristol City and we’re up against all these big clubs.  We’re 7th in the table don’t you know, so what more could we want or expect?!!

Who knows how representative of the fanbase they are, but if God forbid, they are in the majority then my answer would be Premiership ..... not for a very long time, or possibly NEVER.  

With that passive mentality, where is the pressure to push on if the general fanbase is happy to just sit back and accept mediocrity without complaint.  In some cases, they are sure enough of themselves to come on here to regularly tell us we should be happy with what we’ve got and LJ really is the messiah, but we’re just not smart enough to see it!

If we’re prepared to accept and even welcome second best, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that’s exactly what we’ll end up getting.  You can accept trying but failing, but who in their heart of hearts can claim we’re going balls out for it on the pitch?  We’re playing like rank outsiders and underdogs, just hoping to snatch a win against the run of play, even at home against teams at the bottom end of the table.

Imho, until this club shakes off the small time and small club mentality, I fear the Championship will be our ceiling.  

That might be fine for some, but wouldn’t if be great to get a taste of the big time again, after all these years.

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6 hours ago, BrizzleRed said:

I’d also add that we need the fanbase to really want it too.  

We all know the usual suspects on here who are happy to accept any old dross dished up on the pitch and trot out the usual crap that we are just little old Bristol City and we’re up against all these big clubs.  We’re 7th in the table don’t you know, so what more could we want or expect?!!

Who knows how representative of the fanbase they are, but if God forbid, they are in the majority then my answer would be Premiership ..... not for a very long time, or possibly NEVER.  

With that passive mentality, where is the pressure to push on if the general fanbase is happy to just sit back and accept mediocrity without complaint.  In some cases, they are sure enough of themselves to come on here to regularly tell us we should be happy with what we’ve got and LJ really is the messiah, but we’re just not smart enough to see it!

If we’re prepared to accept and even welcome second best, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that’s exactly what we’ll end up getting.  You can accept trying but failing, but who in their heart of hearts can claim we’re going balls out for it on the pitch?  We’re playing like rank outsiders and underdogs, just hoping to snatch a win against the run of play, even at home against teams at the bottom end of the table.

Imho, until this club shakes off the small time and small club mentality, I fear the Championship will be our ceiling.  

That might be fine for some, but wouldn’t if be great to get a taste of the big time again, after all these years.

There was an interesting article on the BBC site recently, I don’t know if it’s still available, on Wolves and the mentality which was holding the club back . They changed it and look where they are now . It’s all very well to chant ‘ always believe ‘ but what we really believe, based on our history, is that we will ultimately come up short . 
 

We need a pilot for the project who will single mindedly drive the club on , breaking taboos , creating real belief that we can be a top club and dragging this cosy club into the heat of battle for success. 

Is SL that man ? Is LJ that man ? Is Mark Ashton the man ? Jon Lansdown ? 
 


 


 

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55 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

There was an interesting article on the BBC site recently, I don’t know if it’s still available, on Wolves and the mentality which was holding the club back . They changed it and look where they are now . It’s all very well to chant ‘ always believe ‘ but what we really believe, based on our history, is that we will ultimately come up short . 
 

We need a pilot for the project who will single mindedly drive the club on , breaking taboos , creating real belief that we can be a top club and dragging this cosy club into the heat of battle for success. 

Is SL that man ? Is LJ that man ? Is Mark Ashton the man ? Jon Lansdown ? 
 


 


 

Oh totally agree with all that Major.

I’ve got to be honest and hold my hands up and say, however well we’re doing, I’ve always got that question nagging in the back of my mind, ‘I wonder how we’re going to contrive to cock it up this time’?  Past history tells us with very few exceptions that we inevitably will and we really need a period of sustained success, or a real sign of intent from the owner to to really prove we have it in us.

I really hope SL or JL have it in them to believe, as they’re the ones who have the real power to make things happen.  

I think their next big test is how long they’re prepared to tolerate the current situation and when, as seems likely that LJ moves on, will they be shopping at a higher end store, or Poundstretcher for their new HC/manager? 

That should tell us how positive and ambitious they really are for this football club. With what Pat Lam has shown with Bristol, SL has a great example of what’s possible with the right man in place.

Interesting times ahead I think and could be a defining moment for BCFC.

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2 hours ago, Super said:

Even Blackpool made it.

.... and they even had Hollowhead in charge and were owned by tight wad Oyston.  

With the limitations and handicaps those two provided, if they could still make it to the Prem, it really shouldn’t be beyond us to do the same, though I fear it may well be.

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On 02/03/2020 at 13:41, Miah Dennehy said:

The difference between City 18 years ago and now is immeasurable, he took on a long term project and you will reap the benefits one day. The closest club I could compare it to is Celtic, When Fergus McCann took over in the early 90s the club was in a right state and about to move away from Celtic Park. He ignored the fan's abuse who just wanted him to chuck money at the team (this was in the days of Rangers 9 in a row) and insisted the club needed long term infrastructure investment instead. He was right and Celtic are enjoying the rewards now.

Please don’t ever compare us to Celt*c again - I feel grubby now ... ?

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On ‎03‎/‎03‎/‎2020 at 07:41, Major Isewater said:

There was an interesting article on the BBC site recently, I don’t know if it’s still available, on Wolves and the mentality which was holding the club back . They changed it and look where they are now . It’s all very well to chant ‘ always believe ‘ but what we really believe, based on our history, is that we will ultimately come up short . 
 

We need a pilot for the project who will single mindedly drive the club on , breaking taboos , creating real belief that we can be a top club and dragging this cosy club into the heat of battle for success. 

Is SL that man ? Is LJ that man ? Is Mark Ashton the man ? Jon Lansdown ? 
 


 


 

We need to find our version of Nuno Gomez - complete with the beard.  He has the single-minded, almost psychopathic mind-set of an uncompromising winner.

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On 02/03/2020 at 10:05, Riaz said:

It took Alan Dicks 9 years to get promoted to the top division.

We've only been here in this division 2015 and we have improved league position and points every season.

Off the pitch, in that time, the club has grown massively.

Its coming, be patient.

I'm 40 next year and Dicks left Bristol City before I was born, the game he managed in is not the same game we watch today despite it still being "football".

We may make it to the Premier League but it won't be under the current management, LJ may have many great qualities for management but tactics is certainly not one of them. He's far too indecisive and one of the major factors of success is confidence. 

The club is growing, I don't dispute that but ultimately it comes down to the manager/coach inspiring his team and out-thinking his opponent and LJ just seems lost when it comes to this.

Even if LJ stays for another 5 years we won't be promoted under him.

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On 02/03/2020 at 11:21, Bristol Rob said:

Yes. I think we will make the premiership. Just no idea when.

Against a background of having to sell players in order to keep the show on the road and not having parachute payments, whoever is in the dugout when this goal is met is going to have an almost impossible job keeping a newly promoted side up. The only way it looks sustainable is to accept that for a few years you might have to yo-yo between the two divisions until you have a squad far too good for the Championship and good enough that you don't finish in the arse end of the Prem.

A whole new challenge.

Is LJ the man to get us there? Not sure. The game seems overly complicated with him in charge, the identity we had during our cup run 3 years back is a distant memory and the days of letting the opposition worry about playing us are long gone as he seems convinced that picking a side to try not to lose to the opposition is the way forward. All of this leads to a dull and uninspiring spectacle.

That said, would another manager get more entertaining displays out of the squad we have? I'm not sure they would do. The strength of the squad seems stronger than it was 3 years back, but that is the entire squad. What we seem to be lacking are those who can produce a bit of magic to change a game - effectively, the players sold.

Agree with this. I think we will make the PL but also not sure when. I’m not one of those who thinks it must be this year or we’re doomed. SL was right to invest in our infrastructure to improve our income. And as a result of our overall transfer policy we are starting to be able to sign more expensive players. We feel a stable championship side for the first time in a long time, and that has got to ultimately help us get to the PL. Even if LJ was to leave us, I would not want SL to change our approach. I don’t want us to go backwards like we did after GJ left; I can’t face relegation to League One again! 

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