Farmer Saint

We won't be in a similar financial state, that's not true, we'll be in a better position as wages are far lower this season, and will be next season due to that. But I would say the above sales would be fine, the only one I have in there that would make any actual difference is THB - I don't think we'd sell Archer, he was purchased with an eye on the Championship anyway IMO. We won't need to raise £160m like last time.

Teams with established Premier League players, not a squad of Championship players.

This is the drum I was banging all last season - finances outlined that we wouldn't invest in enough high value, high wage players if we got promoted due to PSR, which has left us very weak for this season. The fact that Martin has shit the bed tactically could end up being irrelevant due to the fact we seem to have too many Championship Players in the squad.

Kemi was a fucking car crash today - not listening, not thinking, tripping up over her words, flip flopping between topics. She would struggle against my daughter's school debating team. Lettuce part 2...

I'm not sure we'd have a much weaker squad versus the one we started the 2023 season with..? Baz, Macca Manning, Bree, Suga, Taylor Bednarek, Stephens, THB? (would we lose him, he'd been awful until the last 3 weeks so probably too early to say), Edwards, Wood Downes (doubt we'd lose him, not great in the Prem as predicted), Charles (looking decent on loan) Smallbone, Aribo, Fraser, Sulemana, Edozie, SAA Armstrong, Stewart, BBD, Archer Not sure where we're much weaker than last year.

Yes, exactly - but sacking him it will be, obviously.

Prior to our sales this is.

What difference is it to last time? People keep saying this but last time we went down we were utterly fucked financially as well.

TBF they were proactive in 2022-2023 - we had 3 Managers - and that didn't work either. So with the position we're in, do we chuck £12m on sacking (which counts against this year in PSR - no amortisation over contract length) and then a fuck ton at employing someone to the end of the season when it is very unlikely that we'll stay up (3% chance according to Opta based on points, fixtures and players - I don't believe they take Manager into account). This could massively hinder us next season so would we not be better to wait until the beginning of next season (June PSR EOY) and sacking him then?

That high?

TBF I think you're all cunts - this is not just a Rasmus opinion.

As a mid-80s baby, I like the music from your era and the football from 2011 to 2017. Go figure.

Where's that Octopus when you need him?

Literally couldn't agree more. This mirrors my opinion.

I don't think many people want him here next season, but the point is the same. We averaged 0.52 PPG over the last 25 games that season. This season it's 0.36 and likely one awful refereeing decision in the Leicester game away from 0.63 PPG. Either way, what we are doing now is really not that different to then. As said though, it would be good to bring in a Manager that will be here next season to get us, hopefully, re-promoted.

But would we finish that way with the Manager we plan to get promoted with as per my second paragraph? I'm guessing we could do a little bit better. I think managed a huge 13 points in our last 25 matches last time we went down with Jones and Selles in charge. Better than now, but only marginally.

It's no guarantee, but it is the best indicator, otherwise wouldn't everyone just sack their Managers every season?

I don't agree, we had nothing positive in the second half of the 2022-2023 season and we still got promoted last season. This may be why SR aren't rushing RMs sacking as they see him as the best option to get us promoted next year, as he did it last year? However, it would be nice to see us actually have some shots and do something. It would also be good to bring in the Manager we plan to have in the Championship and to at least give him half a season in the Prem to bed in his philosophy.

If we got relegated we would be in a better position financially than last time due to how we spent this year. What's happened to Fernandes and BBD?

Do it - maybe some of the people on here that want to boo the board can put their money where their mouth is and actually go to a game to protest.

Yeah, but I was answering @aintforever who said we're going done anyway, so in that situation what is the point? If we're wedded to that fact then we should bring someone in who we think can get us out of the Championship next season rather than waste money on someone that won't keep us up and won't be here next season. It's irrelevant anyway, he's not interested.

But he won't stay - he quit Sunderland because he wouldn't manage in the Championship - in which case he's not the Manager to bring in if he were interested.

For me the measure is whether the gap between rich and poor is larger or smaller. Not sure on the stats on that one personally.

Ah, I see. False prophets and all that jazz.

Absolutely - I was joking. It was a play on: - Bring him home - Puel being French - The fact the fans hated him for not being entertaining enough. I thought it was quite clever, but unfortunately I seem to be 'on my own' 😕