S-Clarke

I think City are a good example to use, given that the success of their U23's is much higher than that of many other clubs around the world. Even players who haven't progressed through at City have gone on to become leading first team players in other top leagues, and then end up being transferred for mega money (Pedro Porro being an example). I like the culture he built at City, and let's not put all transfer incomings on him - his role is strategic and overseeing all elements and building a culture, it's Mowbury who will be front and centre of player recruitment activities.

Coady is a frustrating one, he is everything this squad has been lacking. Not just defensive ability, but leadership - we're still a bunch of kids, nothing has changed in that respect, so getting someone like Coady would make a huge difference to us. Similar to the impact Dawson had at West Ham when he went there if you remember. I'm nervous that the only links to incomings are once again, youth team players who haven't played first team football yet. It was the wrong approach last year and that hasn't changed this year.

Fabrizo Romano, John Percy telegraph and SSN (but they're just copying those guys I guess)

By all accounts we're about to sell him for £12m.

This is it for me, you keep some players you want to keep. Every club does. Sheffield United kept the likes of Berge, Watford kept Sarr and Pedro. It's not beyond the realms of realism for relegated sides to keep some of their 'PL' level players for at least 1 year, I'll be devastated if we don't. Tino going rings alarm bells for me. That's one sale we simply didn't need to happen and we should have just said ''No, we won't entertain anything - simple. Get your head down and focus on playing after 18 months of not''.

I don't think anyone is arguing that, but this one in particular leaves a really, really sour taste for me and rings some pretty big alarm bells in my head.

You cannot look at it like that at all, even with the turnover we will have to endure, you have to be a special sort of shit not to string together a side capable of scrapping to be above Rotherham, Plymouth, Stoke, Watford, Norwich etc given the resources we will have. We can't be targeting avoiding relegation in this league.

It's feeling more and more likley that our starting 11 for the Championship is going to assemble something like Bree, Stephens, Simeu, Larios, Diallo, Smallbone, Moussa, Adam Armstrong. Should be a laugh. I thought Tino was one of the untouchables this year, a staggering move from all involved if that happens. For us because of the fee, someone with a £40m release clause you do not sell for £10-15m. Ludicrous. For him because he's just recovering from a long term injury and has an oppertunity to repay the faith and the money we've spent on him helping him rehabilitate, he'll be a squad player and won't even play in front of Trippier. For Newcastle because he hasn't kicked a ball in 18 months, any sane club wait a bit to see how he is.

Ryan Giles from Wolves at LWB, think he'd be perfect with Tino as RWB. Greaves as above is a great shout, an alternative Ronnie Edwards as the ball playing CB's. I think we need some power back there though. Prob not realistic, but Kortney Haouse as that physical CB. CM Flynn Downes is a great shout for a steady type CM. Grimes as well, Gustavo Hamer (although he's more of an AMC type I think). Adam Whorton, young blackburn kid. Alex Scott (Absolutley no chance, granted - but I love that guy). ST - maybe we keep Adams, I think he'd be a handful at this level (Ditto Mara). I'd look at Piroe as well if we had a chance. Those are just Champ players though, we'll probably cast our net far wider than that to guys we haven't heard of.

What are they basing that on though? From experience and not just looking at rankings of teams, you know that games against promoted clubs in the first few games are a pretty bad draw.

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.