ciderwithtommy

Left as he wasn’t meeting the expectation of promotion - I literally cannot believe they are either that stupid, or think we are, to have that as our aim after selling our best players and not replacing them. Clueless and spineless.

Amazed that Pearson didn’t mention/or maybe see how far offside they were in the first phase of the attack. The lino was so far in front of our back 4 he clearly had no idea what had happened, the guy was about 5 yards offside.

Why would they be better? Why entertain the risk?

Ok so if Pearson goes, rennie goes, king goes I would imagine - with a budget being cut, and players who joined and are committed to Nige (James specifically) - SL and co should be aware that if they do this, it could end very, very badly. It’s a huge risk. I work at a demanding company, some of my colleagues I don’t really like, but I know their value. You don’t have to be mates, in fact it can help when you are not. My 2 pence, he will appoint a more subservient coach, and back them with the funds which would have enabled nige to get us ti the top 6. The new coach won’t achieve it, and we will have wasted another 3 years.

Two things stand out for me: 1) if you appoint someone senior and they leave inside 12 months then it’s on the employer, simple. You didn’t get the right person. Ideally someone at the club with some humility would own that and explain but that’s doubtful 2) if you are say, a billionaire chairman, and appoint a C suite to lead the company, your role becomes a figurehead. Cutting ribbons, nice interviews, community work, aspirational stuff. You wouldn’t and shouldn’t be a day to day person, that’s what you employ people to do. If you find yourself getting “hands on” perhaps in fact you are still to some extent an active C suite member yourself in all but title, which is far from ideal, and leads to a lack of clarity in the business itself. neither of these points are specific to our club, but resonate to me.

It’s not a sitter, no way. But it’s a “should score” for a forward player at this level. Certainly nothing to kill him over.

Pretty certain when Nige arrived he openly advised that the incumbent strategy of selling your best players every year meant success, I.e. promotion was impossible. With that logic I would assume he and SL had hatched a cunning new plan that didn’t include selling our best players unless we needed to. Roll on 24 months and we are in fact, selling our best players when strictly we don’t need to (LJ did). I would imagine that is why contracts are running down in our management, as simply the strategy has changed, which is the owners right. Comparing the 2 is always skewed by the difference in backing they have received.

What I found interesting was his drop off in fitness, visible even in the first half. It’s interesting because he was in the team at WBA prior to moving to us, so you would expect him to be match fit - evidently our pre season and fitness regime does seem to create fitter players then our rivals. That will become more important as the season matures of course, but hats off as we do look full of energy

Explain to me how when Swansea have possession with their player down he allows the game to go, we win the ball back and it becomes a head injury and stops the game?

This place when Vyner leaves to a team in this div for more money will be a sight to behold. As soon as it becomes “them and us” at a senior level the relationship in any business is done, you don’t come back from it. Lansdown of course stays, so it will be a young coach who knows his place incoming and likely another “rebuild”. At least we have the basketball

Not certain that your final two points are exclusive of each other - balanced books and the opportunity to bring in your own management with no compo to pay is pretty enticing

I seem to be in the minority, I don’t want SL out nor did I cheerlead us spending crazily - or maybe I’m not in the minority! Middle ground for me is he is covering the cost of his own decisions, which does make him better than most owners of clubs in the UK, but not one that I feel indebted to.

Spending at a rate that would cripple us never got me excited. Many city fans know how close we came to losing our club 40 years ago, so don’t throw us all under the bus. Wanting the club to be run well does not align with your metaphor of winning the lottery, although finding fit and proper owners probably does. Lucky we have a guy who covers his mistakes by digging in his pockets. Fixed that bit for you. As I said, this isn’t an attack on SL as such, but it’s his decisions that have led to him putting more money in.

It’s a funny situation / attitude to read at the moment. It feels like, as fans, we should be thankful for everything SL has done (and spent!) and there is a huge amount of logic to that. However, did I (or you) ever ask for the club to spend over 100% of its t/o? I certainly didn’t, so not sure I should feel so indebted for a decision I never wanted or would have made. If I was a person looking to sell a club, i would lower the wage bill and balance the books for sure, it’s the smart play…

Hi Steve if you are reading this, Luton didn’t “get lucky”, that’s a crazy statement and a sign of someone who doesn’t get it. They built steadily with manager(s) and scouts that stuck to a plan, and then crucially when they were in sight of the promised land held on to their talent to get them over the line. could it be that rather then luck, you give the current staff a pat on the back and give them as much as you can to get us where we want to be. luck, and hope, aren’t strategies

He leaves with my my best wishes, it will be tough to hear bournmuff fans rave over him, and they will, but this should secure us financially now for the next 3 seasons, we can be competitive in the transfer market and be on the front foot. Genuinely believe we are only 2/3 players away from something special, but on the other hand only a couple of further academy departures from a rebuild. Interesting times.

Football is and always will be cyclical for all teams barring one or two clubs. When Bournemouth, with their “fairytale” promotion which breached FFP, and their 7k stadium see their bubble burst, and it will, I will raise a glass to their demise. good luck tho Alex, wish him nothing but success - a true star in the making.

Hmmm - i would assume that bornmuff and wolves have spoken to his entourage and a) he would leave if the bid is accepted and b) he can agree terms (which probs are already done). It does feel like it’s got to be this week or never for wolves, as they will have to move some players in pretty urgently and certainly don’t have unlimited funds. I have no inside info, but my take is it will happen this week, and that we have probably maximised his value by playing really hard ball. However I would love to see him here until Jan.

If Scott goes, which right now does feel unlikely (that feels odd to say), I think you will see weimann central with the long term project of mehmeti playing in the pocket. If we get big money, a standout CB and GK would be the best use of money in my opinion, and it would be ruthless to Max and may be Zak, but maybe that’s what we need to get to the promised land.

Meerholz ahead of OTC - the academy is creating some culture - brilliant

Kadji as well I have heard

That was nothing more, and possibly less, than a training exercise. We did everything we needed but the quality and intensity of opponents needs to go up a fair few notches to really gain any insight. Conway looks an absolute beast, if we get £25m for Scott and keep him, we could be in a great spot

I think it’s us who leaked the bid, to drive interest - Ipswich 25m bid incoming

Excellent source of credible info

Hmmm - Bournemouth, it’s one he would really have to think hard about. If he goes there, plays well (he will) and they get relegated then next summer they want £50m or else he has to suck it up like brownhill did. He is better than this move, surely an established team will pip them to it, or stay with us Alex!