Patience for a 2.5 season strategy?

[chazzle_dazzle]

I could see the right manager being given the time to put things in place, the problem is identifying that.

Realistically we are now a rebuild project, from top to bottom. We need someone who can come in and do that build us back up and then put us on a playing field with the top 6 ready for the new stadium.

My problem is we don't have a structure in place to allow this... we are just going to go from has been to up and coming, different style to different style, until we grow a set of balls and stop doing the same thing over and over.

I would happily take a year of being mid table so the right manager could put a plan in place, problem is, Benitez isn't that man.

 

[Groucho]

The stadium will be ready in 2024 and I think we'll see a second wave of investment at that time.

Over this and the next two seasons (22/23 and 23/24) we rebuild the squad at close to zero net spend. Only spending what we bring in and taking the FFP / Profit and sustainability back to around square one.

That means a clearing of the decks*:

Begovic, Lonergan, Coleman, Kenny, Keane, Mina, Digne, Holgate, Gbamin, Allan, Gomes, Davies, Delph, Sigurdsson, Iwobi, Townsend, Rondon, Tosun.

18 players to be moved on.


There are a core group of players we keep*:

Pickford, Nkounkou, Branthwaite, Godfrey, Onyango, Doucoure, Gray, Gordon, Richarlison, Dobbin, DCL

-- 11 players. 2 GK + 10 Outfield needed.

If they wont extend or performances/potential drop then we also sell them and reinvest.

*General examples, you may have others to keep/sell in mind*

Clearly this wont all happen at once so as players are sold / phased out we target replacements who are u23 or pre-contract agreements.

A 'realistic slow sustainable' position target might be:

21/22 = 12th-15th
22/23 = 9th-12th
23/24 = 7th-9th

In 2024 season we could then have a team whose core ages range from 20-27.

At that time we can add players who can push us from 7-9th to top 6 and beyond.

On the one hand this is a radical clearing of the decks but on the other it is a slow progression from what we have currently.


My question is:

Would you accept this strategy from now until the start of 2024 season if it meant the slow progression on the pitch?

This would involve bringing in a progressive, forward thinking manager OR sticking with Benitez. However the strategy remains the same.

Or do you demand immediate changes in January / summer 2022 to roll the dice and hope that things improve faster?

Thing is mate, any new manager could come in and after one defeat some people want them sacked.

 

[Zatara]

Thing is mate, any new manager could come in and after one defeat some people want them sacked.

The vote says otherwise...tiny sample and some people will change their minds either way as well of course.

 

[Bedfordblue]

There are a core group of players we keep*:

Pickford, Nkounkou, Branthwaite, Godfrey, Onyango, Doucoure, Gray, Gordon, Richarlison, Dobbin, DCL

-- 11 players. 2 GK + 10 Outfield needed.

If they wont extend or performances/potential drop then we also sell them and reinvest.

*General examples, you may have others to keep/sell in mind*

We would do well to keep hold of at least 4 of those unfortunately. Genuinely think Pickford will be off if there’s any truth in Conte being a fan. Richarlison as good as gone already imho.
Agree with the sentiment though, think it would take at least 2.5 season to reboot the squad unless the FFP / P&S shake up permits us to open the purse strings (assuming Mosh still has money to burn - which I believe he does)
Even then 2.5 season might be ambitious give it’s taken 5 years of spending to get us worse than we where before

 

[Abertonian]

If you can bring in a manager who is young and on the way up like Chelsea did with Mourinho, Spurs did with Pochettino etc then you will have them at their best and they will carry your club up on their shoulders and drag it forwards.

Mourinho spent massive amounts on transfers at the time.
Pochettino was successful (without winning anything) until they didn't spend any money for a couple of windows and the wheels came off.

We have no money to spend.

 

[Bedfordblue]

Mourinho spent massive amounts on transfers at the time.
Pochettino was successful (without winning anything) until they didn't spend any money for a couple of windows and the wheels came off.

We have no money to spend.

This webs site is interesting for applying inflation to historic transfers….. the likes of Drogbas £34m move apparently equates to £124m or something in todays money…..

The Transfer Index - TotallyMoney

How much would our favourite footballers be worth if they were bought for today’s prices?

www.totallymoney.com

Nb no doubt some highly questionable calculations applied but it’s not simply inflation iirc, there’s relationships to contemporary transfers taken into account too

 

[Abertonian]

This webs site is interesting for applying inflation to historic transfers….. the likes of Drogbas £34m move apparently equates to £124m or something in todays money…..

The Transfer Index - TotallyMoney

How much would our favourite footballers be worth if they were bought for today’s prices?

www.totallymoney.com

Nb no doubt some highly questionable calculations applied but it’s not simply inflation iirc, there’s relationships to contemporary transfers taken into account too

Interesting site, looking at Mourinho's first spell at Chelsea he spent just shy of £1Bn in todays money, makes you wonder who was carrying who on whose shoulders!

 

[Bedfordblue]

Also if you put Alex Iwobi into it, you just get the following for some reason

 

[jamieni]

We would do well to keep hold of at least 4 of those unfortunately. Genuinely think Pickford will be off if there’s any truth in Conte being a fan. Richarlison as good as gone already imho.
Agree with the sentiment though, think it would take at least 2.5 season to reboot the squad unless the FFP / P&S shake up permits us to open the purse strings (assuming Mosh still has money to burn - which I believe he does)
Even then 2.5 season might be ambitious give it’s taken 5 years of spending to get us worse than we where before

We’ll definitely lose one or two of our better players this summer I think. Richy will almost certainly want a move and I reckon DCL won’t be too far behind him if he maintains his recent form.

Will take a lot of time and effort to put us back on the front foot. The likes of Leicester and West Ham have overtaken us and arsenal seem to be heading in the right direction again. I’m sure Conte will sort Spurs out so we’re really looking at 9th/10th place at best unless something changes drastically.

 

[JLW]

If this is the boards strategy let the paying fans know so they can not to bother turning up week in week out spending their hard earned cash travelling the length and breadth of the country.

Lets just swerve going the game until were in BMD.

 

[TheVelourFog]

No chance Richarlison and probably DCL stick around for that long. We'll be very lucky if they don't leave at season's end.

 

[jamieni]

No chance Richarlison and probably DCL stick around for that long. We'll be very lucky if they don't leave at season's end.

Then we can afford a whole team of Rondons!! Yay!

 

[lancs blue]

When Moshers doesn't realise theres an issue that where the problem lies.

Baxendale kenwright etc shouldn't be let near any boardroom

The squad makes sanmarino look world cup winners

Come on the summer for more losers jumping on board the titanic

 

[matty1878]

who the hell said benitez!

 

[sd_1992]

If there is no obvious strategy and one isn’t communicated then why should fans assume there is one?