ilkley62 wrote:Lets be positive, we are acting like a proper club at last, if we dont go up we'll sell a couple anyway so it will all work out financially one way or another.
Not really as we will have to sell our key asset, presumably Phillips to pay for these (possibly) excessive salaries. Like we did this summer when we sold Clarke, Jansson and Roofe to fund wages and loan fees. Without Philips and Bielsa I strongly suspect we would go backwards on the field until we are taken over by a group or person who will invest in the club to cover operating costs without selling playing assets.
Swings & roundabouts, reason IMO we are 15 years out of the PL is we have not had the right calibre of Manager / Players, so maybe we are trying to up the quality with a bit of a gamble on salaries - what is the aternative? We need enough quality players to get us up but those players are going to leave for a higher level sooner rather than later if we dont go up. I'm guessing KP wont hang around much longer if we dont go up & I wouldnt blame him.
And I agree with your sentiment. However if this group of players are not good enough to go up with a manager of Bielsa’s calibre, they are clearly NOT GOOD ENOUGH to go up full stop. The problem, should we fail to gain promotion, is we will stuck with them for another 4 years. As I said in an earlier post, the only rationale I can see for giving the likes of Cooper, Dallas, Klich & Ayling 4 year plus deals is to motivate them to perform for the next 6 months, as they are probably painfully aware that history suggests success this season is likely to ultimately result in their own relegation to the reserves and exit from the club.
Even with promotion I not certain the four you name would be relegated or sold.
Cooper is our captain and has hardly put a foot wrong this season other than getting injured.
Dallas as proved he can play on the International stage and is a valuable part of why NI are over performing. Also been excellent for us his ability to cover a number of positions plays a vital part in our squad.
Klich is not always a fans favorite but the fact he is part of a very good Poland squad suggests he as far more than some think, I believe MB sees him as vital in our system.
Ayling is an excellent RB but needs a good run without injury to prove his worth.
Yes they are not world beaters and wouldn't get anywhere near the starting line ups at the likes of Liverpool or Man City but to be fair if we are promoted we will initially be competing with the likes of Villa, Newcastle, West Ham, Brighton, Burnley, etc.
Yes we will have to strengthen if we go up but in my opinion at least 3 of the four named will be part of it.
Could be wrong time will tell and I'm not sure us fans are the best judges, lets face it lots questioned the loan signing of Ben White and whether he would be good enough for a team challenging in the Championship. Hindsight is always the best judge.
Individually you may well be right, however most successful promoted teams invariably have a significant churn of playing staff in the first 18 months post promotion, add the likely introduction on new found wealth, if promoted I would be shocked if more than 1 of those 4 is in the starting team in 20 months time. The one caveat I would add is bielsa’s loyalty (which is almost to a fault). You can imagine QSI orchestrating the transfer of Mbappe to Leeds only for bielsa to leave him on the bench in favour of Bamford
Agree in principle but I'm talking about 8 months time. If we can go up I can see us signing 4/5 players initially then over time slowly include others whether bought, loaned or from the academy.
Just believe MB trusts certain players and will not change them all at once.
Although if the QSI investment happens and they pump in silly money it will certainly speed the process.
Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.
Any news on Eddie , I've heard he's going to be recalled by arsenal,
Not surprised if true MB seems to give him the same treatment has he did brown last season.
whitedancer wrote:Any news on Eddie , I've heard he's going to be recalled by arsenal,
Not surprised if true MB seems to give him the same treatment has he did brown last season.
If you’re referring to his Twitter post, I took that to mean he was back in training on Thursday (as confirmed by Bielsa in the presser).
When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one that hired you, to the one that married you.
whitedancer wrote:No don't do Twitter, I've a few arsenal mates, that said he was coming back.
Fair enough, they may know more than we do.
His Twitter post, a picture of himself in Leeds shirt, with an egg timer and #MOT was taken by some as a goodbye message, personally I thought it was a reference to his spell out injured was over and he was getting back to training.
Time will tell, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsenal sent him elsewhere due to lack of game time.
When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one that hired you, to the one that married you.
whitedancer wrote:Any news on Eddie , I've heard he's going to be recalled by arsenal,
Not surprised if true MB seems to give him the same treatment has he did brown last season.
He's injured isn't he? By 'same treatment' do you mean by the physio staff?
