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

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

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

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Exactly. The team the season before while not great was stronger.

Also Ralls and Goutas were a year younger.

Last seasons squad was rubbish with a rubbish coaching set up and useless board.

We are completely relying on BBM being a really good appointment and young players really dramatically improving the side.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

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.

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we aren't going to be playing any teams that are as good as the ones we played last year

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Originally Posted by Rjk

we aren't going to be playing any teams that are as good as the ones we played last year

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I wish people would stop this - clubs in league one are not rubbish / easy pickings. The division is full of seasoned gnarled professionals who will be keen to give newly relegated clubs a footballing lesson.

Cardiff finished bottom of the Championship (that's how good we were) - and many of our more experienced and "better" players have departed. If club's require any motivation before playing us in August all they have to do is pin up this message board on the dressing room wall!

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Originally Posted by The Prophet of Doom

I wish people would stop this - clubs in league one are not rubbish / easy pickings. The division is full of seasoned gnarled professionals who will be keen to give newly relegated clubs a footballing lesson.

Cardiff finished bottom of the Championship (that's how good we were) - and many of our more experienced and "better" players have departed. If club's require any motivation before playing us in August all they have to do is pin up this message board on the dressing room wall!

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nobody will be pinning this message board on the dressing room wall

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Originally Posted by Rjk

we aren't going to be playing any teams that are as good as the ones we played last year

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The squad we’re taking to Spain will only be strong by League One standards if a good number of our young players significantly fulfill their potential as soon as they become regular/semi regular first team players, especially when you consider that there could well be more departures from this group of players.
Of course, spending on a level we saw last summer could transform my outlook, but, let’s face it, we don’t have a good record when it comes to recruitment and, anyway, I suspect that, if we do any recruitment this summer, it’ll be more akin to what we saw in the summer of 2022 under Steve Morison than what happened last year.
I just think that we’re relying on BBM to too large an extent, he and the two coaches he’s been allowed to bring in have got to overcome all of the things that were widely recognized as being wrong about City two months ago to get us success on the pitch because they’ve not gone away at all.

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Jesus there’s so many pessimists

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Probably because we have been so shit on the pitch

In respect of recruitment, could it be at all possible that BBM is wanting to see how the present group perform during their two warm up matches in Spain before making a move in the market? If, as is likely, he has a somewhat limited budget available he will be wanting to use it wisely. It is likely that he has targets in mind and I suspect that we may well see some movement in the weeks following the traing camp in Spain.

The time to really start panicking is when the window is about to close.

As regards him only being allowed to bring in two coaches, how do we know that he has been restricted in this way. I have not seen anything written or heard anything said regarding that.

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Originally Posted by Rjk

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.

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Exactly Goutas and Siopis finished 12th with a weaker squad, Riza ruined the team.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

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.

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Personally, I've said this before I believe the squad shouldn't have gone down and it was a lack of direction that caused this.

I fully believe even with the squad we have now we should still be strongly challenging for promotion.

A bit of good will and positivity will go a long way.

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Personally, I've said this before I believe the squad shouldn't have gone down and it was a lack of direction that caused this.

I fully believe even with the squad we have now we should still be strongly challenging for promotion.

A bit of good will and positivity will go a long way.

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Agreed, Riza would have taken Leeds United down.

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Originally Posted by BlueToujours

In respect of recruitment, could it be at all possible that BBM is wanting to see how the present group perform during their two warm up matches in Spain before making a move in the market? If, as is likely, he has a somewhat limited budget available he will be wanting to use it wisely. It is likely that he has targets in mind and I suspect that we may well see some movement in the weeks following the traing camp in Spain.

The time to really start panicking is when the window is about to close.

As regards him only being allowed to bring in two coaches, how do we know that he has been restricted in this way. I have not seen anything written or heard anything said regarding that.

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Sean Morrison is coming back, apparently in some capacity. A link between the Academy and the first team has been mentioned.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

The squad we’re taking to Spain will only be strong by League One standards if a good number of our young players significantly fulfill their potential as soon as they become regular/semi regular first team players, especially when you consider that there could well be more departures from this group of players.
Of course, spending on a level we saw last summer could transform my outlook, but, let’s face it, we don’t have a good record when it comes to recruitment and, anyway, I suspect that, if we do any recruitment this summer, it’ll be more akin to what we saw in the summer of 2022 under Steve Morison than what happened last year.
I just think that we’re relying on BBM to too large an extent, he and the two coaches he’s been allowed to bring in have got to overcome all of the things that were widely recognized as being wrong about City two months ago to get us success on the pitch because they’ve not gone away at all.

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My worry is he'll endeavour to bring Man City's passing game to the City - he'll have a shock if he tries that in league 1. Though with almost zero genuine pace in the squad, that's probably what we're going to get next season..

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Jesus there’s so many pessimists

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Realists

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Originally Posted by BlueToujours

In respect of recruitment, could it be at all possible that BBM is wanting to see how the present group perform during their two warm up matches in Spain before making a move in the market?

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I agree with this. I think it’s quite logical that BBM hasn’t rushed to get players in.

He wants to build an identity across the team which he discussed in his very first interview after joining the club. I think it’s only fair that he gives the current players a chance to impress in the positions/system he’s trying to implement.

I’d give it another couple of weeks before BBM and his staff can be certain of where the weak spots are in the team and I’d expect players to come in (probably loanees) to plug those gaps accordingly.

Personally, I’m glad he’s halted the current recruitment process. He’s the boss and he gets/wants to make the final call on transfers.

Regarding recruitment, I think it goes to show how bloated the squad. Other than ODowda I can’t think of any off the top of my head who have left who were first choice at the end of the season.

I would even say the squad is still a little bloated in certain areas, hopefully more to be moved on.

I do wonder if we will see more loans this season, BBM has strong contacts at Man City and Chelsea. You would hope he knows enough about Leicester as well. I would guess the loans will come later once clubs evaluate their squads.

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