Planning for the championship

Who will stay & who will go?

Do you want any players to stay?

Mp will stay obviously

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If MP stays then there will not be anyone renewing.

Just get rid of everyone. To take us from our strongest ever position to where we are today should be on the shoulders of everyone who makes decisions at the club, every single one of them need to take a long hard look at themselves and do one.

Les Reed and the entire board to go; Manager to follow.

Literally any tom **** and harry could do a better job.

From just missing champions league to relegation and the start of our journey down the leagues... all in less than 2 seasons.

And still, fans are on here defending the board.

GTFO.

Who will stay & who will go?

Do you want any players to stay?

Mp will stay obviously

Did you miss all the other threads on this?

As said. Unless there is fundamental change on and off the pitch. We will do a hull/Sunderland

Unless there is some changes and leadership up top we will go through the championship like a vindaloo.

Unless there is some changes and leadership up top we will go through the championship like a vindaloo.

- I shouldn't laugh, but....

McCarthy, Pied, Stephens, another CB, Targett, Reed (Harrison, not Les), Romeu, JWP, Davis, Redmond, Sims, Hesketh, Gallagher, Long.

There's an 11 in there alone which should be good enough, obviously we'll bring others in. Let's get back to recruiting young, British talent, there's plenty out there.

McCarthy, Pied, Stephens, another CB, Targett, Reed (Harrison, not Les), Romeu, JWP, Davis, Redmond, Sims, Hesketh, Gallagher, Long.

 

There's an 11 in there alone which should be good enough, obviously we'll bring others in. Let's get back to recruiting young, British talent, there's plenty out there.

I do hope I am wrong but think the side suggested would flirt with relegation, possibly mid table obscurity especially as I suspect Romeu, JWP and Redmond would not take a pay cut and would probably interest some Prem clubs and have a saleable value.

Our future will depend upon the ability to attract a Manager in tune with the Championship challenge and a suitable budget provided by our mysterious new owner

McCarthy, Pied, Stephens, another CB, Targett, Reed (Harrison, not Les), Romeu, JWP, Davis, Redmond, Sims, Hesketh, Gallagher, Long.

 

There's an 11 in there alone which should be good enough, obviously we'll bring others in. Let's get back to recruiting young, British talent, there's plenty out there.

Fully expect JWP to get a move to a prem club if we go down.

Wouldn't be surprised if we went straight through the Championship. A financial ****storm awaits without the PL money.

Wouldn't be surprised if we went straight through the Championship. A financial ****storm awaits without the PL money.

Particularly when the main owner has no cash to inject as he is under Chinese restrictions on investing outside China and had to borrow the £200m to buy the 80%. To get out of the Championship will require investment in a Manager and team (transfers and wages) to get promotion and that does not come cheap.

I'm looking forward to it tbh. In my head we are all ready down so I am mentally preparing for it already. The biggest losers in all of this are our new owners, who still to this day haven't said a ****ing word. Laughable really.

I'm looking forward to it tbh. In my head we are all ready down so I am mentally preparing for it already. The biggest losers in all of this are our new owners, who still to this day haven't said a ****ing word. Laughable really.

Saturday matches, 3 o’clock kickoffs, proper football.

Saturday matches, 3 o’clock kickoffs, proper football.

It'll ben ducking horrendous. Imagine the Leicester, Stoke or Palace game, only we're playing Burton and Brentford.

It'll ben ducking horrendous. Imagine the Leicester, Stoke or Palace game, only we're playing Burton and Brentford.

I was taking it as a given that we would have new management.

Someone on here reckoned Matt Target is on 50k a week. If we get relegated we might be ****ed financially. Administration part 2.

Someone on here reckoned Matt Target is on 50k a week. If we get relegated we might be ****ed financially. Administration part 2.

I think we are in for a terrible season next year

Stephens is on that sort of cash

Imagine the subsidies we will have to provide when we loan out Carrillo and Co

I think we are in for a terrible season next year

 

Stephens is on that sort of cash

Imagine the subsidies we will have to provide when we loan out Carrillo and Co

Reed has been handing out massive 5 year contracts like confetti over the past couple of seasons, with that and a very dodgy foreign owner we are seriously risking doing a Pompey.

I dread to think what Fraser is on, that’s one player we won’t be able to shift.

Reed has been handing out massive 5 year contracts like confetti over the past couple of seasons, with that and a very dodgy foreign owner we are seriously risking doing a Pompey.

 

I dread to think what Fraser is on, that’s one player we won’t be able to shift.

It depends if they are on relegation clauses.

It depends if they are on relegation clauses.

I doubt anyone would sign a relegation Clause if they are trying to keep you five years

You do get the impression that we will be going down less prepared than last time. Lowe for all his faults did take the threat seriously.

It would be nice if Reed or someone could let us know what the situation with regards to contracts and planning, if we do end up like Pompey it’s the fans that suffer after all the tosser players and staff have left to pastures new.

One can only assume/hope that the sales of Bertrand, Lemina, and few others, plus the parachute payments might give us a max of two seasons to try and get back! After that then the new owners may have to dig a little deeper if they can be asked.

I doubt anyone would sign a relegation Clause if they are trying to keep you five years

The five years bit is just to increase their value when they’re sold. It doesn’t mean that we expect them to be here that long. VVD was on a five year contract and look what happened to him.

I seem to remember the parachute payments are much better than last time we went down. Four years rather than two? We might need it.

The trouble is, after the last few seasons, we have understandably adjusted our expectations and budgets towards being a mid-table Premier League club. We also have a squad full of players who do not see themselves as Championship players - regardless of whether they have demonstrated it on the pitch - because we have attracted players to us on the basis that they wanted to sign for a mid-table (at least) Premier League club.

Those things point to either a mass exodus, an unsustainable wage bill, or maybe both. It's depressing that the most likely route is essentially starting again as a bogstandard Championship outfit. After many seasons of progress the board's stubborness and smugness over the manager is going to cost us EVERYTHING.

So disillusioned with Saints right now.

The trouble is, after the last few seasons, we have understandably adjusted our expectations and budgets towards being a mid-table Premier League club. We also have a squad full of players who do not see themselves as Championship players - regardless of whether they have demonstrated it on the pitch - because we have attracted players to us on the basis that they wanted to sign for a mid-table (at least) Premier League club.

 

Those things point to either a mass exodus, an unsustainable wage bill, or maybe both. It's depressing that the most likely route is essentially starting again as a bogstandard Championship outfit. After many seasons of progress the board's stubborness and smugness over the manager is going to cost us EVERYTHING.

 

So disillusioned with Saints right now.

Don’t worry we will bounce straight back with these warriors

Exactly. It wasn't long ago when some of our players wouldn't even put on a performance unless we were playing one of the top 4 prem clubs. In the Championship I doubt we could even get them out of the dressing room.

We’ll need a proven goal scorer who can knock them in like Lambert did. I’m not sure if we’ll have one. Austin might fit the role but he gets injured too often. Gabbiadini will probably want to leave, and I can’t really blame him the way Pellegrino’s treated him. Long is a Championship-level striker but his scoring touch is not there. Gallagher may knock some in but he’s not scoring that many in the Championship right now (7 in all comps in a poor Birmingham side). Right now Carrillo seems to fit the non-goal scoring striker label that many feared when Les pulled the trigger on that deal, and if he’s struggling getting accustomed to the physicality of the PL, he’s got a shock coming if he attempts the transition to the Championship.

I suppose Championship football has its appeal in some respects to some supporters, but from my self-centred perespective it will be awful. The last time time the team went down very few of the games were televised over here so it’s going to be really difficult to watch the team with any regularity. There is some Championship coverage on specialty channels such as Bein sports but not a lot. The best hope might be DZN online, which claims to have Championship rights. I’ve been exploring the possibilities, because the club is really tempting fate here. I know it’s not a problem of the many, but it’s still a major issue for me.

Funny enough, WSC publish a fans prediction at the start of each season. A fan of each of the clubs in every league predicts who will be champions and who will go down in their division.

The only two seasons to date we have been in the prem when no-one has said we will go down - 2004/05 and 2017/18.

Sadly I think these may also be the two seasons when our board started believing we couldn’t go down.

The trouble is, after the last few seasons, we have understandably adjusted our expectations and budgets towards being a mid-table Premier League club. We also have a squad full of players who do not see themselves as Championship players - regardless of whether they have demonstrated it on the pitch - because we have attracted players to us on the basis that they wanted to sign for a mid-table (at least) Premier League club.

 

Those things point to either a mass exodus, an unsustainable wage bill, or maybe both. It's depressing that the most likely route is essentially starting again as a bogstandard Championship outfit. After many seasons of progress the board's stubborness and smugness over the manager is going to cost us EVERYTHING.

 

So disillusioned with Saints right now.

TBH, we could do with a 'mass exodus' if we go down. Rebuild the team with a new manager.

Funny enough, WSC publish a fans prediction at the start of each season. A fan of each of the clubs in every league predicts who will be champions and who will go down in their division.

 

The only two seasons to date we have been in the prem when no-one has said we will go down - 2004/05 and 2017/18.

 

Sadly I think these may also be the two seasons when our board started believing we couldn’t go down.

Yep, complacency is dangerous. I have said that many times and it hasn't happened just over this season. Last season in particular, gave a false sense of security. Finished8th, but it was by a fine margin and playing poorly.

Time to revisit this...?

Tella doing well this season bodes well. Smallbone as well. Maybe blood in a few of the decent young players we've got like Payne, Ballard, Simeu ? I reckon we'd romp the league tbh

2 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Time to revisit this...?

Tella doing well this season bodes well. Smallbone as well. Maybe blood in a few of the decent young players we've got like Payne, Ballard, Simeu ? I reckon we'd romp the league tbh

We will need to add one or two old “war dogs” as well

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

We will need to add one or two old “war dogs” as well

Nigel Adkins back on the bus to lead them 

At least we will have a few players who will fetch a few bob.

KwP, JwP, ABK, Aribo (maybe), Salisu (if not sold in Jan), DCC, Adams, Lavia

With so far to go, it's hard to see who Ralph will want to build his championship team around. 🙂

I reckon we'd keep livramento due to his injury. Bazunu would probably stay and possibly Perraud. We'd probably need a couple of centre backs, I'd hope to keep both Armstrongs and maybe Aribo but the rest of the midfield would need an overhaul. We'd probably have to spend big on a quality championship striker. I could see us making a fair amount of money on the likes of kwp, Salisu, Bella Kotchap, lavia, Adams, JWP. I reckon we'd have a good team to go for promotion. 

6 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

We'd probably have to spend big on a quality championship striker.

Adams and Armstrong will be the dream team in that league with a 442 😅

Hopefully we would win more than 3 in 28.

The championship holds no fears for me If we go, our current football is complete shite to watch and get to see more aways with friends.

On 02/10/2022 at 13:07, Pamplemousse said:

Time to revisit this...?

Tella doing well this season bodes well. Smallbone as well. Maybe blood in a few of the decent young players we've got like Payne, Ballard, Simeu ? I reckon we'd romp the league tbh

I watched Smallbone play against Watford yesterday, it was a depressingly poor performance by him sadly

18 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

I reckon we'd keep livramento due to his injury. Bazunu would probably stay and possibly Perraud. We'd probably need a couple of centre backs, I'd hope to keep both Armstrongs and maybe Aribo but the rest of the midfield would need an overhaul. We'd probably have to spend big on a quality championship striker. I could see us making a fair amount of money on the likes of kwp, Salisu, Bella Kotchap, lavia, Adams, JWP. I reckon we'd have a good team to go for promotion. 

We’ve got two proven championship strikers who will tear the league up. Add Tella on and smallbone. And we’re alright in attacking midfield too. Perrard and Livramento to stay. 
 

wed bring in loads of money from ABK, KWP, JWP, Salisu and Lavia. 

I saw the first half of the Stoke game yesterday and Smallbone was pretty anonymous at best.

Their fans don't seem too impressed...

https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/thread/305919/smallbone

18 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

I reckon we'd keep livramento due to his injury. Bazunu would probably stay and possibly Perraud. We'd probably need a couple of centre backs, I'd hope to keep both Armstrongs and maybe Aribo but the rest of the midfield would need an overhaul. We'd probably have to spend big on a quality championship striker. I could see us making a fair amount of money on the likes of kwp, Salisu, Bella Kotchap, lavia, Adams, JWP. I reckon we'd have a good team to go for promotion. 

I'd mostly agree with that assessment, with a couple of exceptions. JWP, KWP, ABK and Lavia are decent PL standard players and would almost certainly leave. You can probably add Salisu to that because of his contract situation and Aribo looks like he might have enough about him to get pinched. I disagree on Adams, if we went down it'd probably be following a pretty disappointing season on his behalf, I doubt he'd have PL teams kicking down his front door.

Overall, I think you could make a fairly decent Championship team out of:

Bazunu

Livramento    Stephens    Bednarek    Perraud

Tella    Diallo    ?????    Armstrong

Adams Armstrong

1 hour ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

I saw the first half of the Stoke game yesterday and Smallbone was pretty anonymous at best.

Their fans don't seem too impressed...

https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/thread/305919/smallbone

Possibly the best player review I've ever read.

Can't quite work out if the bloke likes him or not though. 

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

I'd mostly agree with that assessment, with a couple of exceptions. JWP, KWP, ABK and Lavia are decent PL standard players and would almost certainly leave. You can probably add Salisu to that because of his contract situation and Aribo looks like he might have enough about him to get pinched. I disagree on Adams, if we went down it'd probably be following a pretty disappointing season on his behalf, I doubt he'd have PL teams kicking down his front door.

Overall, I think you could make a fairly decent Championship team out of:

Bazunu

Livramento    Stephens    Bednarek    Perraud

Tella    Diallo    ?????    Armstrong

Adams Armstrong

Not bad. I'd maybe buy Obafemi back, we'd have to get a couple of cbs in (maybe we'd keep colleta carr) and Mara would probably stay, no idea if he'd be any good in the championship. We'd have the makings of a fairly successful team there tbh. Maybe bring in Scott Parker in the summer if Ralph's replacement fails. 

On 02/10/2022 at 14:11, JRM said:

Nigel Adkins back on the bus to lead them 

Adkins was in over his head in the Champ tbf.  L1 was his level.  We got promoted by being flat track bullies and using a squad with lallana, Morgan, Lambert, Fonte, etc to beat the poor teams but when we played a promotion rival pretty much every time he was out managed and we lost.

7 minutes ago, once_bitterne said:

Adkins was in over his head in the Champ tbf.  L1 was his level.  We got promoted by being flat track bullies and using a squad with lallana, Morgan, Lambert, Fonte, etc to beat the poor teams but when we played a promotion rival pretty much every time he was out managed and we lost.

I’m not saying we should get him back (we definitely shouldn’t) but he was getting results in the PL before being sacked. In fact, the Chelsea fight back was a brilliant performance - better than what we are serving up now.  We actually beat our main promotion rival (Reading) in the Prem. 

11 minutes ago, once_bitterne said:

Adkins was in over his head in the Champ tbf.  L1 was his level.  We got promoted by being flat track bullies and using a squad with lallana, Morgan, Lambert, Fonte, etc to beat the poor teams but when we played a promotion rival pretty much every time he was out managed and we lost.

Absolute nonsense, against the top 3 teams around us we W2 D3 L1 and the loss was that absolute smash and grab by Reading.

13 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Absolute nonsense, against the top 3 teams around us we W2 D3 L1 and the loss was that absolute smash and grab by Reading.

Which funnily enough is better than our record against the 3 sides that got relegated that season! W1 D2 L3.