S-Clarke

Got to play them all at some point, but that is a hideous start in terms of trying to build momentum.

He hasn't started yet either, 1st July is when he gets his feet under the desk.

Arsenal is a great move for Lavia, he'll actually get genuine game time there and develop. I imagine we'll get around £40m, can't see us getting any more than that.

Some really sad individuals out there who sit on twitter and make this shit up. Honestly, get a life.

That's really weird, the job he did last year was miraculous with that squad.

The contrasting reactions to this say it all really, some people will love it, some people won't. It's fashion in a nutshell! It's nothing to get too het up about. I'm not a huge fan, but it doesn't look horrible. I won't be buying one simply because they cost too much, but at the end of the day it's a kit and a nod to the past.

I speak from knowing people inside the club during that period of time, it was the only sour note to what was a very successful few years. People are not lying when they were told that certain corridors were only reserved for certain people, or that they had to say what they were told or they'd be chopped. It was like a dictatorship during that period of time and people inside the club, the normal-every day working people, were living through hell every single day. We had a massive turn over of staff that aren't visible to the regular supporter.

The absolute nonsense in the media which continues to surrounded this kid is ridiculous. He is one of the, if not, the worst defenders in the PL - but you never hear that spoken about. He's been 'quietly' moved to midfield because he's so horrendous at his supposed proper job. Like you say, Malta is Malta. I'd expect a L1 player in the 'No 10' role to look good against them. Stick him in there against Casemero, Rodri or Fernandez and let's see what happens.

The issue with Cortese is that people are blinded by the good times, you automatically think anyone around the club during the good times were perfect - but it was far from the truth when you looked at it in more detail. If we had him in charge during this period, rather than Semmens, I think he'd be universally hated. Anyone can look good with someone elses cash, but when that cash dries up you need to have something else about you, or your big billy bollocks routine falls flat on it's arse.

He was injured, not entirely sure what he'd have added to us.

You don't half speak some rubbish.

Really good article and cracking insight into both our issues and the realistic options to fix those. I do quite like Giles, was impressed with him at Boro last year. Wolves will need to sell anyone who isn't nailed down this summer, but you'd imagine Boro would have first dibs on that one.

Who is embarrassed? I'm not. It's a moot point if he started 1st June or 21st June, it really doesn't matter. He knows he's got the job, and I can almost guarantee you that he's been learning all about this squad and planning exactly what's changing with the club in the background. In terms of what he can influence at Staplewood today - nothing. Players aren't missing out on critical training and learning how we want to play as they're all on holiday. We're not missing out on players as the transfer window isn't open.

We're not moving away from that approach, it's what SR are about and this will underpin everything they do at all their clubs. The trick is getting the balance right. There's no problem with a focus on data, but you cannot take your eye off of the real thing (which we did last year).

In terms of building a team and what is required, we have a recent example to reference. If you look at the team who were last promoted with us we had Davis, Fox, Butterfield, Jos, Hammond, Sharp who were regulars every week in that side - but their level was Championship. We shouldn't be against signing ''Championship players'' because they won't do it for us in the PL, we're not in the PL. When we get to the PL they will be replaced as we did with Sharp, Butterfield, Jos, Hammond etc. We have Tino, Alcaraz, Sulemana (maybe), Tella (maybe), to build the experience around - then you'd expect those players to step up in the PL and continue their progress, then we'll sell them to Liverpool by 2028.

Man City's success is a strange one, pundits and the like being mesmerised by them, but don't they realise that there is a huge asterisk against everything they've won? I'm sure the authorities will allow that to drag on for another decade though.

I'm of the opinion that he simply hasn't had a chance, I find it hard to be overly critical or overly positive about him - I have no idea how he plays, and neither did we as a squad I don't think. I'm sure he'll do well at a club where he can play again, as he's always scored goals.

That was always going to be the case though. Moussa, Diallo, Lyanco, Armstrong, Aribo - those sorts will be very, very hard to shift given their low-ability, yet crazy wage. It'll be loans if anything for that lot.

I think this was always going to be the case, we have a lot of talented young players who will be of interest to top flight teams. We made a right old mess of the squad mix up which means we never got the best out of those young players ourselves, so we'll now have to endure seeing them tear it up in a team with a better mix.

There were links not so long ago of Chelsea looking at Bazunu as well, like you say it's almost certainly above board and nothing to do with Joe Shields at all.

A young player going to Chelsea is as close to early retirement as you can get, pointless move for him. Hope he sees sense and holds out for a genuine move. Liverpool, as much as it pains me to say, would be a much better move for him. Even Utd would be a good shout, learning next to Casimero.

Yeah, this is a totally odd take. How can our best players be the problem with our 'style?' Surely the problems, if we're talking player personal, were with the likes of Elyounoussi, Adam Armstrong, Moussa etc. To call out KWP as a 'problem' is pretty far fetched to say the least. JWP I give you in that he's immobile, but Lavia? have you watched him?

This is how I feel, the comment Semmens made that I can never let go of is - ''For us, it's not about where we finish in the league - it's about how many players we develop'' ''We know we cannot compete in this league, we are fortune to be here'' etc etc. That narrative was doing my head in, it's all well and good toing that line when there is minimal investment, but there needs to be a shift in those views when there is investment. I don't think the incumbent club and the new guys at SR ever meshed correctly when they were under the same roof, you can't tell these things until you've worked together for a while. It's all about alignment and that starts from the top.

The latest statement from our owners paints a different picture, where they rather candidly (maybe somewhat naively) proclaim we will be the best resourced team in this league, somewhat supplemented by player income, but not all.

Can't disagree with any of what they say really, have to get behind that. The ambition is clearly there. Part of me wonders if it was a bit daft saying we will have more resources than other clubs (it may push the price up when we try to buy players), but it's certainly an indication that financially - this season and next at least - we are fine, but there is also an acceptance in that statement that this will be contributed to by player income.