| I wait to see 09:36 - May 22 with 3010 views | cressi |
If our recruitment is better than last time. And also if McKenna has found a different way of playing against the better sides including three central defenders which he has done occasionally. Interesting few months ahead. |  | | |  |
| I wait to see on 13:30 - May 22 with 605 views | Plums |
| I wait to see on 12:52 - May 22 by algy |
And like all McKennaphiles you ignore the context of the relative wealth he has always had at his disposal from the owners, wealth that with the brief exception of Cook, no manager in our history has had the advantage of, rather they've had the disadvantage of the opposite and some have achieved great things. KM would never have come here if we didn't have wealth.
And anyone that looks at arrows is just weird. |
He's achieved three promotions in four years and we were only about £150m short in expenditure last time to be competitive...
On top of that, the club is now apparently worth seven or eight times what it was five years ago and yet you seem to have some developed sort of failure narrative.
What exactly is your measure of success? [Post edited 22 May 13:31]
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| I wait to see on 13:34 - May 22 with 590 views | Churchman |
| I wait to see on 10:45 - May 22 by RobTheMonk |
There was no real inventiveness in the scouting. Other than Cajuste, it was Championship all stars, relegation picks, an on the-way-down Phillips (and to a lesser extent, Ben Johnson). |
Well with the smallest transfer budget, a rudimentary scouting network, lack of experience re the Premier League there was always going to be a limit on inventiveness unless they bought Sooty’s magic wand.
Cajuste’s offered next to no output, Phillips was a disaster and the centre of our team was basically AWOl, bar Sam for whom age caught up as did lack of midfield support and he finished collapsing onto the defence.
I think the club were surprised at the physicality of PL players. I really noticed it first against Fulham. I thought ‘should be able to match these’ and to an extent we did, but the size and skill of so many of them was a bit of a surprise to me. That is where Sunderland recruited well - the core of their team.
I will concede our recruitment was hit and miss and you could say more potential than actual, which is what we needed two years ago. The ones we have from then are better than they were. Experience counts and they know what they are facing.
We have also changed the way we play a bit. The dismals may wet the bed over it but we are more pragmatic, more street wise, stronger at the back. Most of the players are better individually or if the same people have improved and are just forming into a proper team.
But we didn’t this season play you score three we will score four. We were far more compact which is good because playing the way we did 23/24 was always going to end badly 24/25, looking at it with the joy of hindsight.
I stand by 7/8 recruits with a mix of experience, size, potential etc. All I ask is that they are not pension seekers, fitness strugglers or trouble makers and that at least a good number have the physicality so lacking last time. Easy innit 😀 |  | | |
| I wait to see on 13:37 - May 22 with 585 views | BseaBlue |
| I wait to see on 12:33 - May 22 by Vic |
Re your first sentance - straws and clutching come to mind!
That Wolves and Burnley have been so rubbish is no consolation for us being rubbish last time we had a go in the big league. I really hope - and expect - us to make a better fist of it this time. |
You are missing the point. I'm trying to say that these established, Prem sides are also struggling (look at Tottenham and West ham that will join Wolves and Burnley in going down) Teams that have had vastly more resources than us over a longer period of time.
I don't feel it is fair to suggest that we were really poor last time round without considering the context.
Also, we got promoted again at the first time of asking so maybe 'overpaying for championship players' wasn't such a bad strategy. Now hopefully we have more of a platform to build off. |  | | |
| I wait to see on 13:49 - May 22 with 553 views | cressi |
| I wait to see on 13:34 - May 22 by Churchman |
Well with the smallest transfer budget, a rudimentary scouting network, lack of experience re the Premier League there was always going to be a limit on inventiveness unless they bought Sooty’s magic wand.
Cajuste’s offered next to no output, Phillips was a disaster and the centre of our team was basically AWOl, bar Sam for whom age caught up as did lack of midfield support and he finished collapsing onto the defence.
I think the club were surprised at the physicality of PL players. I really noticed it first against Fulham. I thought ‘should be able to match these’ and to an extent we did, but the size and skill of so many of them was a bit of a surprise to me. That is where Sunderland recruited well - the core of their team.
I will concede our recruitment was hit and miss and you could say more potential than actual, which is what we needed two years ago. The ones we have from then are better than they were. Experience counts and they know what they are facing.
We have also changed the way we play a bit. The dismals may wet the bed over it but we are more pragmatic, more street wise, stronger at the back. Most of the players are better individually or if the same people have improved and are just forming into a proper team.
But we didn’t this season play you score three we will score four. We were far more compact which is good because playing the way we did 23/24 was always going to end badly 24/25, looking at it with the joy of hindsight.
I stand by 7/8 recruits with a mix of experience, size, potential etc. All I ask is that they are not pension seekers, fitness strugglers or trouble makers and that at least a good number have the physicality so lacking last time. Easy innit 😀 |
I actually think we require 11 or 12 recruits with 7 to 8 of thar number better than we have and starting. | | | |
| I wait to see on 13:59 - May 22 with 527 views | tractorboy1978 |
| I wait to see on 13:49 - May 22 by cressi |
I actually think we require 11 or 12 recruits with 7 to 8 of thar number better than we have and starting. |
Yep - that's what I think too. 7/8 starters and another 3/4 to compete and enhance the squad. | | | |
| I wait to see on 00:01 - May 23 with 404 views | Olcol |
| I wait to see on 13:59 - May 22 by tractorboy1978 |
Yep - that's what I think too. 7/8 starters and another 3/4 to compete and enhance the squad. |
Spot on! | | | |
| I wait to see on 00:08 - May 23 with 397 views | TheBoyBlue |
| I wait to see on 10:51 - May 22 by algy |
Recruiting last time to be ready to bounce back if/when relegated has paid off. I expect a similar policy this time. 3 promotions in 4 seasons as runners up has been so well received. 4 in 6 (maybe even as champions) and an open top bus ride in 2028. |
Yeah, I wish we were doing nothing for 20 years and slowly and painfully slipping to League 2. These are tough times.
But we can get through it. | |
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| I wait to see on 00:33 - May 23 with 383 views | StNeotsBlue |
| I wait to see on 12:53 - May 22 by mellowblue |
I just hope they remember to find players with athletic ability i.e speed and strength which they admitted was a Premier requirement when we were relegated. Though they seem to have forgotten that lesson looking at the purchases of Jaden and Mehmeti. |
I actually hope they focus on signing decent footballers rather than focusing on athletic ability, Franck Nouble was a fantastic athlete, big, strong and quick but he was crap. |  | | |
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| I wait to see on 00:43 - May 23 with 368 views | FifeITFC |
| I wait to see on 12:30 - May 22 by NedPlimpton |
That can't be true. Derby only managed one win all season in their record low points season. Can't remember if that was home or away but either way it means your stat is incorrect |
Just checked, their one win was against Newcastle at home (1-0). |  |
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| I wait to see on 00:51 - May 23 with 362 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| I wait to see on 09:47 - May 22 by BseaBlue |
Just to counter that slightly, although our last campaign wasn't great, we still finished the season with more points than both Burnley and Wolves currently have.
I'd argue that these two sides are considerably further ahead than us in terms of the amount of time they have spent in the top flight, but have found it equally as hard. I'm certain that we have a manager that adapts and learns and we will be better placed this time round, but its a bloody tough league!
Hopefully Leeds and Sunderland have shown us enough in what we need to do to stay up. |
We also got less points than Luton about spent about 110M more. |  |
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| I wait to see on 00:56 - May 23 with 352 views | naa |
| I wait to see on 12:52 - May 22 by algy |
And like all McKennaphiles you ignore the context of the relative wealth he has always had at his disposal from the owners, wealth that with the brief exception of Cook, no manager in our history has had the advantage of, rather they've had the disadvantage of the opposite and some have achieved great things. KM would never have come here if we didn't have wealth.
And anyone that looks at arrows is just weird. |
In his 4 full seasons as manager here he's got us promoted 3 times and struggled to keep a league one team in the Premier league and you call people who think he's a good manager Mckennaphiles?
Have a word with yourself. | | | |
| I wait to see on 00:57 - May 23 with 348 views | naa |
| I wait to see on 00:51 - May 23 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
We also got less points than Luton about spent about 110M more. |
And where are they now and where are we?
Context is important. | | | |
| I wait to see on 00:57 - May 23 with 347 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| I wait to see on 00:33 - May 23 by StNeotsBlue |
I actually hope they focus on signing decent footballers rather than focusing on athletic ability, Franck Nouble was a fantastic athlete, big, strong and quick but he was crap. |
The point is you need both. Theres loads of good technical footballers than never make it in the PL. | |
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| I wait to see on 00:59 - May 23 with 340 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| I wait to see on 00:57 - May 23 by naa |
And where are they now and where are we?
Context is important. |
Yes because we spent 110M more we had better squad to come back up with but that wasn’t his point or the question. It was how bad was the PL season and it was pretty damn bad for the level of spend we had that summer. | |
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| I wait to see on 01:28 - May 23 with 325 views | Olcol |
| I wait to see on 00:59 - May 23 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Yes because we spent 110M more we had better squad to come back up with but that wasn’t his point or the question. It was how bad was the PL season and it was pretty damn bad for the level of spend we had that summer. |
For context you have to appreciate where we came from and what we spent on anything the previous 20+ years. A squad is 25 players, how many did we have in that squad were premier ready? Most in that squad were at their top level already. There is no fair comparison with any other club in recent 5 year history that you can use except maybe Luton, but as said before, where are they now. | | | |
| I wait to see on 01:47 - May 23 with 317 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| I wait to see on 01:28 - May 23 by Olcol |
For context you have to appreciate where we came from and what we spent on anything the previous 20+ years. A squad is 25 players, how many did we have in that squad were premier ready? Most in that squad were at their top level already. There is no fair comparison with any other club in recent 5 year history that you can use except maybe Luton, but as said before, where are they now. |
I quite literally used Luton! | |
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| I wait to see on 03:53 - May 23 with 296 views | Benters |
| I wait to see on 12:23 - May 22 by charlie1 |
The 25/26 season isn't even over and the knives are already out for 26/27.
What a very long summer we have ahead.... |
17th is the target. |  |
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| I wait to see on 07:39 - May 23 with 224 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| I wait to see on 01:28 - May 23 by Olcol |
For context you have to appreciate where we came from and what we spent on anything the previous 20+ years. A squad is 25 players, how many did we have in that squad were premier ready? Most in that squad were at their top level already. There is no fair comparison with any other club in recent 5 year history that you can use except maybe Luton, but as said before, where are they now. |
You are quite right, although according to joey I have a low football I.Q. so what do I know? |  |
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| I wait to see on 09:19 - May 23 with 151 views | naa |
| I wait to see on 00:59 - May 23 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Yes because we spent 110M more we had better squad to come back up with but that wasn’t his point or the question. It was how bad was the PL season and it was pretty damn bad for the level of spend we had that summer. |
Luton were an established championship team who had flirted with the play offs in previous seasons when they went up, we weren't. So they, in theory, shouldn't have needed to spend as much as we did.
So were Sunderland, and yet they spent almost double what we did to be where they are.
So this notion that we failed because of how much we spent doesn't really wash with me.
Was it a good season? No, of course not. But those blaming Mckenna for it all are a bit silly if you ask me. | | | |
| I wait to see on 11:15 - May 23 with 83 views | NIblue |
Our hands were tied last promotion because the available budget was directly connected to the previous 2 seasons earnings, 1 of which was in League one.
It was the classic case of going up ‘too soon’ although none of us wanted to admit it at the time. The squad was nowhere near ready to be competitive at the top level & although we made a valiant effort, recruitment was always going to be tough with a limited budget.
This season our 2 year rolling finances will be a lot healthier (1 prem season, 1 with parachute payments) and therefore as a club we should be more equipped to build a better squad than last time |  | | |
| I wait to see on 11:53 - May 23 with 56 views | wkj |
| I wait to see on 10:37 - May 22 by djgooder |
Also, was out recruitment that bad? Or was it the overly optimistic wishes of us fans? Did we recruit to stay up? Obviously hopefully, but really we planned for the season we just had, to bounce back. And we are bouncing back with a decent championship squad rather than a league one squad. So I think it did what was required. Even if us fans desperately hoped for more.
I hope we recruit well, it is always a bit of a gamble. But I’ve seen enough to be confident of decent players coming in based on past performance.
I hope at the minimum this time we are at least still in with a fight on the last day! |
It was a mixed bag. The issue was where we strengthened. Our central midfield was fodder a lot of the time, and IMHO a good solid holding midfielder is essential in the premier league. We focused a lot on the wings but the middle was too soft. |  |
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| I wait to see on 11:55 - May 23 with 54 views | PaulYoungs |
| I wait to see on 11:53 - May 23 by wkj |
It was a mixed bag. The issue was where we strengthened. Our central midfield was fodder a lot of the time, and IMHO a good solid holding midfielder is essential in the premier league. We focused a lot on the wings but the middle was too soft. |
Nice to see you back WKJ | | | |
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