I for one are glad to leave behind the madness of the last 2 seasons, poor decisions, signings, recruitment and also glad to not be focusing on a heroic attempt to win the odd point in the prem. Hanging on wasnt quite the dream and if we ever get back, I want to compete.
It does feel like a different era, it feels like a different club. I think as fans we are rejuvinated by the change (remove last night, it was an u21's team and not representative of where we'll end up with players back and a couple of additions).
Kenny is making solid decisions ( early days I know but so far) and as supporters I think we can all emotionally invest more easily into this current squad. Young and hungry we are more forgiveable with. The challenge of course may come in 3 seasons time when these kids, are no longer kids !
So some positive signs, I still feel we are a couple of players short (assuming that Sako, Doyle etc all are sold) but great to see the academy being used that is a sustainable model.
I wonder if this is a new way forward, do we expect the focus on using the academy to continue, do we anticipate we will be utilising early 20 year old players going forward ?. It feels so and feels a more sustainable way forward. Adding to this the management really seems to be holding out an olive branch to our outstanding supporters (5k away is amazing) and it feels like lessons have been learned (signings, manager recruitment, lack of youth etc). Finally, as fans at our best we are passionate and positive, at our worst we are impatient and negative (please don't let morecambe sway us and give kenny some time to implement major surgery). We appear to be on the later path at present I hope it continues.
So some great signs in terms of using youth, better manager recruitment, more positive fan and a more respectful leadership. This feels good and it's easy to feel this early doors and then drop into doom after one defeat, but it does feel like a fundamental change of emphasis. I wonder whether this will continue, is this a change for the future, or a change for short term, is it temporary or has our club turned over a new leaf ?
Has our club turned over a new leaf ?
posted on 7/8/13
I think Zele is a contender for a start on Saturday. To replace Edwards, Jackett may play Sigurdarson more centrally and play Ismail wide. Alternatively he could play Doyle
posted on 7/8/13
Zele did well, I thought. He seemed to be brought off with cramp though, so will he be up to another hard game so soon? It might be better to play a 4-2-3-1, with Doyle in the hole behind Griffiths. Siggy, Evans and Sako (if fit) as the three behind. Foley and Davis could be the holding players, in front of Doherty, Batth, Ricketts and one other. Depends on whether George or Stearman are fit.
posted on 8/8/13
Given that our midfield is light, the more attacking options on the pitch, the better.
Do you think they will let us play with 12 Brereton?
posted on 8/8/13
Some interesting points Floyd but..“if we ever get back, I want to compete.”.....is, in my opinion, a bit of a pipe dream I’m afraid (depending of course on your definition of competing).
I honestly think that in ten years time a season where we are in the top flight at the end of the season will be a successful one.
posted on 8/8/13
Floyd only the madness of the last 2 seasons what about the previous 30?
posted on 8/8/13
Oops!! Didn't you know, Tatter, that there are three types of accountant? Those that can count, and those that can't.
Just drop Doyle then.
posted on 8/8/13
Uh oh, you will be on tats blacklist now brereton, confusing us both
posted on 8/8/13
My definition of competing is mid table, not Europe, but not clinging on and hoping for a heroic draw. As for the last two years of madness,they surpass all the others over the last 39, apart from the bhatti era of course.
posted on 8/8/13
Yes Floyd and there is no reason why this club cant get to that position of Premier League mid table. We are as big and potentially a bigger club than the likes of Fulham, Stoke, Albion, Swansea, Norwich, Southampton. But those clubs have all been better managed than ours in recent years.
Jackett will surely be better than Connor, Solbakken and Saunders and for now that will be a blessing. Then in time we will find out if he can take the club as far or further than McCarthy did
posted on 11/8/13
DJ/Floyd I think there IS one very good reason why we will never be a mid-table Premier League team while we have Morgan in charge and a capacity of 30,000.
It’s called money.
We may be capable of one or two mid-table finishes but becoming an established mid-table team needs mid-table spending and we won’t be doing that until either Morgan leaves and we have a chairman willing to run the club at a loss or we get the capacity of the ground above 35,000 and regularly come close to filling it.