If another club..........................

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: If another club..........................

Because of the sides that went up last season. Take a look at Wrexham's squad and its full of players who are either past it or were never good enough for the Championship. Steven Fletcher for instance was done at Championship level about 4 years ago, he played 40 games last season, James McClean likewise. Creatively they've relied on Elliott Lee who consistently failed at Championship level. Their squad is littered with those types and they'll be looking to improve it massively (seen them linked with a £5m move for Lewis O'Brien today). Charlton are similar, their top appearance maker couldn't get on the bench at Plymouth. The gap between the divisions is big.

If we keep the squad together we'll be fine. We may not run over teams like Birmingham did and we may not even get promoted, but it certainly isn't a lower half League 1 squad, anyone who's saying it is is catastrophising

They're focussing on Jesper Daland

[the other bob wilson]

Re: If another club..........................

Because of the sides that went up last season. Take a look at Wrexham's squad and its full of players who are either past it or were never good enough for the Championship. Steven Fletcher for instance was done at Championship level about 4 years ago, he played 40 games last season, James McClean likewise. Creatively they've relied on Elliott Lee who consistently failed at Championship level. Their squad is littered with those types and they'll be looking to improve it massively (seen them linked with a £5m move for Lewis O'Brien today). Charlton are similar, their top appearance maker couldn't get on the bench at Plymouth. The gap between the divisions is big.

If we keep the squad together we'll be fine. We may not run over teams like Birmingham did and we may not even get promoted, but it certainly isn't a lower half League 1 squad, anyone who's saying it is is catastrophising

So far this summer, we’ve behaved as if those running the club fully agree with you. I think they’ve got the managerial appointment right, but we’re still run in a “Tan knows best” manner because nothing has been done to tackle the widespread structural problems at the club, indeed we’re weaker when it comes to coaching numbers and placing too much faith in BBM and the two people he’s been allowed to bring in performing miracles on the training pitch.

I look at that squad going to Spain and think it’s weak. It won’t be if something like five of the youngsters step into the first team squad seamlessly, but can they also become the leaders that we lacked last season? BBM is generally regarded to have done a decent job at Rochdale because they were minnows by League One standards - I’m not saying we’re there yet, far from it, but, based on what we’ve seen so far, the plan seems to be to turn us into something resembling Rochdale circa 2020.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: If another club..........................

I'm genuinely surprised by how negative this thread is overall.

Some are even suggesting that we might be in danger of going down again.

I genuinely think that even if we don't make a single signing this summer we will be one of the stronger teams in the division.
Of course that's no guarantee that we will go straight back up, but I for one am looking forward to the new season with anticipation of winning a fair few more games than we have in recent seasons.

If we take an example line-up, off the top of my head:.

Alnwick

Ng Fish Chambers Bagan

Wintle

Colwill Robertson

Ashford Salech Davies

I don't think there's a single player there that wouldn't be a really good signing for many clubs at this level.
And that's not even including the likes of Robinson, Turnbull, Willock etc hell even Horvarth or Daland

Some people seem to think that league one football is completely different to the championship, and you need a specific type of player to be successful - I don't think that's the case at all. the league one football I saw last season was very much like the championship with less overall quality on show.

I think we will be fine.
I'm sure i#ll be reminded of this if we're 12th after 6 games or something but meh.

Decent team on paper, the only problem is that five or six would be out injured most weeks. If we don't sort the training or the medical team out, we will struggle again.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: If another club..........................

Considering we finished bottom, it's a pretty dreadful team in the Championship, on grass and paper

Down to the Manager's though, they would have stayed up if they'd changed with fifteen to go, it's not as bad a squad as people are saying. The problem is I'm still not convinced on this one yet.

[Hilts]

Re: If another club..........................

Decent team on paper, the only problem is that five or six would be out injured most weeks. If we don't sort the training or the medical team out, we will struggle again.

Chambers and Fish at cb is exceptionally weak. Ng is injured.

Hopefully Lawlor steps up. However we need new players through the spine of the side and it doesn't look like its happening.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: If another club..........................

Down to the Manager's though, they would have stayed up if they'd changed with fifteen to go, it's not as bad a squad as people are saying. The problem is I'm still not convinced on this one yet.

Yes, despite all the evidence to the contrary and this lot consistently finishing about 20th or lower for 3 out of 4 seasons, it's just the manager's fault.

I just don't know what you're basing any of this on? They're not very good and they keep showing us!

[North Cardiff Blue]

Re: If another club..........................

Yes, despite all the evidence to the contrary and this lot consistently finishing about 20th or lower for 3 out of 4 seasons, it's just the manager's fault.

12th season before with a weaker squad.

If this Manager is any good, we will be straight back up, it's a piss easy League, Birmingham did it in their sleep and Wrexham were a team of has been cloggers.

[Rjk]

Re: If another club..........................

Chambers and Fish at cb is exceptionally weak. Ng is injured.

Hopefully Lawlor steps up. However we need new players through the spine of the side and it doesn't look like its happening.

I do not believe that Chambers and Fish is exceptionally weak for league one at all.

Also the fact that pretty much all of the players we tried at centre back last season looked bad - even ones who had been really good in the division previously like Goutas - suggests that the problem wasn't just the players being bad, there must have been some issue with the coaching or organisation or something - that many players don't all suddenly become bad overnight.

[Rjk]

Re: If another club..........................

12th season before with a weaker squad.

If this Manager is any good, we will be straight back up, it's a piss easy League, Birmingham did it in their sleep and Wrexham were a team of has been cloggers.

Birmingham spent £35 million - I think it's safe to say we can forget about that.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: If another club..........................

12th season before with a weaker squad.

If this Manager is any good, we will be straight back up, it's a piss easy League, Birmingham did it in their sleep and Wrexham were a team of has been cloggers.

McGuinness, Phillips and Grant all walk into the team. We were slower, worse defensively and scored less goals, and everyone else was a year older. The 7 players we signed last summer, bar Robertson, were all largely terrible

[Jimmy_Tango]

Re: If another club..........................

This

[Jimmy_Tango]

Re: If another club..........................

So far this summer, we’ve behaved as if those running the club fully agree with you. I think they’ve got the managerial appointment right, but we’re still run in a “Tan knows best” manner because nothing has been done to tackle the widespread structural problems at the club, indeed we’re weaker when it comes to coaching numbers and placing too much faith in BBM and the two people he’s been allowed to bring in performing miracles on the training pitch.

I look at that squad going to Spain and think it’s weak. It won’t be if something like five of the youngsters step into the first team squad seamlessly, but can they also become the leaders that we lacked last season? BBM is generally regarded to have done a decent job at Rochdale because they were minnows by League One standards - I’m not saying we’re there yet, far from it, but, based on what we’ve seen so far, the plan seems to be to turn us into something resembling Rochdale circa 2020.

This

[WJ99mobile]

Re: If another club..........................

Jesus there’s so many pessimists

[the other bob wilson]

Re: If another club..........................

Jesus there’s so many pessimists

Realistically, apart from a managerial appointment which I’m quite upbeat about, what has happened this summer to be optimistic about until the rumours of a takeover prove to be something more than rumours? Our squads got weaker, we have a tiny first team coaching staff and we still have all of the structural weaknesses that have dragged us down in the last decade.

[jon1959]

Re: If another club..........................

Realistically, apart from a managerial appointment which I’m quite upbeat about, what has happened this summer to be optimistic about until the rumours of a takeover prove to be something more than rumours? Our squads got weaker, we have a tiny first team coaching staff and we still have all of the structural weaknesses that have dragged us down in the last decade.

At the moment I'm quite pessimistic too - no signings, no structural changes, an underpowered coaching team and regular 'news' reports that dampen any optimism about Bale and his mysterious backers transforming the club for the better.

However, I have become much more positive about Brian Barry-Murphy. I wanted him as manager last time he was mentioned (4 years ago?) because he seemed the best of the options touted. This time I wanted someone with experience of League One promotion and developing youth. BBM though is growing on me - and has the 'youth' box ticked anyway. He is a proper coach, and probably what we need to bring through our (yes, let's hype it up!) 'golden generation' from the Academy. The training session clips from the past few weeks seem to show more purpose and intensity than I have seen for years.

The other positive is that there are 7 youth players at the Spain training camp integrated with the First Team and (apart from Giles) listed on the club website as First Team players - in addition to the break throughs from last season: Turner, Ashford and Davies. They are a year older and a year more developed and experienced than last year. Wrong to put too much pressure on them, but I reckon BBM is the right sort of manager (Head Coach) to give them the best chance.

And Tsunoda - who was a success in Belgium last year.

Overall, still pessimistic because of the lack of signings (squad and coaches) and status quo with Tan and the club structure, but with some positives in the mix. I have no idea what to expect this season.