I find the "mid table budget" to be a ready made excuse if we're mid table next season. We've spent more than Brentford, Preston, Millwall, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd this year and probably will next year too. Norwich are screwed financially next year, as are the Wendies. If Fulham and/or Villa don't go up, their parachute payments are over so they'll have to cut costs too. We probably need Boro to go up in terms of finances. West Brom seem like another Sunderland, whoever goes with them doesn't look too daunting either. I see no reason why we can't compete for promotion, we're just looking for excuses.
johnh wrote:It does seem that we haven't learned from our mistake.
... not for about a decade, John
I'm not saying Radrizzani is being clever in his choices so far but Heckingbottom at £500k compensation or whatever to Barnsley is hardly a cheap option.
SG90 wrote:I find the "mid table budget" to be a ready made excuse if we're mid table next season. We've spent more than Brentford, Preston, Millwall, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd this year and probably will next year too. Norwich are screwed financially next year, as are the Wendies. If Fulham and/or Villa don't go up, their parachute payments are over so they'll have to cut costs too. We probably need Boro to go up in terms of finances. West Brom seem like another Sunderland, whoever goes with them doesn't look too daunting either. I see no reason why we can't compete for promotion, we're just looking for excuses.
Possibly too much said and too much reading in to what he did say - the fact is there is a good number of clubs who have still got the benefit of parachute payments and therefore have better budget than us, in theory, plus the 3 clubs that come down this season.
SG90 wrote:I find the "mid table budget" to be a ready made excuse if we're mid table next season. We've spent more than Brentford, Preston, Millwall, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd this year and probably will next year too. Norwich are screwed financially next year, as are the Wendies. If Fulham and/or Villa don't go up, their parachute payments are over so they'll have to cut costs too. We probably need Boro to go up in terms of finances. West Brom seem like another Sunderland, whoever goes with them doesn't look too daunting either. I see no reason why we can't compete for promotion, we're just looking for excuses.
Possibly too much said and too much reading in to what he did say - the fact is there is a good number of clubs who have still got the benefit of parachute payments and therefore have better budget than us, in theory, plus the 3 clubs that come down this season.
Cardiff, Villa, Fulham, Norwich are in their final year. Sunderland are going down. That leaves Boro, Hull and the 3 relegated teams on parachute payments next year. Hull will probably still be a mess and if Boro don't go up, they'll probably cut back too. I don't think it's that difficult for us to compete. Even Colin's relied on frees this year.
SG90 wrote:I find the "mid table budget" to be a ready made excuse if we're mid table next season. We've spent more than Brentford, Preston, Millwall, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd this year and probably will next year too. Norwich are screwed financially next year, as are the Wendies. If Fulham and/or Villa don't go up, their parachute payments are over so they'll have to cut costs too. We probably need Boro to go up in terms of finances. West Brom seem like another Sunderland, whoever goes with them doesn't look too daunting either. I see no reason why we can't compete for promotion, we're just looking for excuses.
Possibly too much said and too much reading in to what he did say - the fact is there is a good number of clubs who have still got the benefit of parachute payments and therefore have better budget than us, in theory, plus the 3 clubs that come down this season.
Cardiff, Villa, Fulham, Norwich are in their final year. Sunderland are going down. That leaves Boro, Hull and the 3 relegated teams on parachute payments next year. Hull will probably still be a mess and if Boro don't go up, they'll probably cut back too. I don't think it's that difficult for us to compete. Even Colin's relied on frees this year.
I have not agreed with much of what you have said lately SG (mostly because of our different view on TC & PH) but you have hit a chord with this one. Whilst those that splash the money do generally finish off better, there does seem an opportunity next season. The clubs coming down are going to be on the smaller side (no Villa or Newcastles). The rest of the division will be spending their own money bar Boro or will be censored under FFP.
Radz has had a harsh season to look at how this division works and the fact that you need 2 or 3 decent quality loans in on top of 2 to 3 decent quality purchases. There can be no excuse for him next season, after all he was the one stating that a play-off place was the minimum target.
rss1969 wrote:The clubs coming down are going to be on the smaller side (no Villa or Newcastles).
I'm not so sure : Saints are one of the richest clubs in the world in terms of the owners, while West Ham aren't exactly a small club.
Stoke, WBA and Swansea, yeah sure - their natural level is the top half of this division IMHO. I think Palace should have enough now they've got Zaha back and Roy's a wily old fox.
In all probability it'll be West Brom, Stoke and either Saints or West Ham, depending who wins their face-off in London.
rss1969 wrote:The clubs coming down are going to be on the smaller side (no Villa or Newcastles).
I'm not so sure : Saints are one of the richest clubs in the world in terms of the owners, while West Ham aren't exactly a small club.
Stoke, WBA and Swansea, yeah sure - their natural level is the top half of this division IMHO. I think Palace should have enough now they've got Zaha back and Roy's a wily old fox.
In all probability it'll be West Brom, Stoke and either Saints or West Ham, depending who wins their face-off in London.
'Mid table budget' term to me suggested we will be in a cluster of clubs with not the highest or lowest of transfer budget, i think some have read it to mean he is expecting us to finish midtable in the league.
Def not disagreeing with the opinion that we should be bigger spenders with better targets
I could have swear i heard someone say they want Colin back? He's doing ok at Cardiff isn't he? He was crap here, but then again, he was coaching a team of Donkeys. And that's been the problem over the years. I will stand buy my opinion on this squad being nowhere near good enough regardless of the league position at Christmas. This squad needs a serious rebuild with some strength & power at the top of the list.
Talking of managers not getting the best out of the squads. I would class both Grayson & Coleman as decent managers, but they have both failed to steady the sinking ship up at Sunderland. Are they suddenly bad managers? Or is it a poor squad? England have had some of the best managers in the world and achieved nothing because the players are not good enough. Or are they? and the managers are all crap?
Lets wait and see what PH does in the summer. And then all his doubters can scream at the top of their voices (just like all the other failures) i told you so. Lets get this idea out of our heads that someone like a in demand Silva is gonna want to come to Leeds and be on a hiding to nothing? Come on folks get real. If we had the money and ambition we would have been promoted 14 years ago.
