Can we draw lessons from the equally soul destroying season of 2003/04?

[riddick]

Forget the league position and cash differentials of the two seasons in question. The similarity is that they each represent an abrupt checking of ambitions and a coming to terms with where we are as a club.

At the end of 2003/04 that realisation was met by a policy change that lasted until Martinez arrived. The deal was that Moyes would keep his job but the club would act conservatively on and off the field. It was a policy that gave us our identity as a team punching above its weight: keeping a balanced budget and looking for bargains on players who could keep us respectable. That was ditched only after Moyes left, and only partially, when Martinez arrived and we became less conservative on the pitch whilst maintaining financial conservatism; the whole policy was ditched when Koeman arrived.

We now have a sea change again. The last four seasons have brought us to a point where a new paradigm will have to be agreed on and stuck rigidly to in order to stop the rot. This time we dont need to completely pull in our horns financially but there must be a reaction to the laissez faire attitude that's gone through this club like a dose of salts.

We need a policy vision that includes the choice of a new manager, some quality control on transfers and a plan to grow the club commercially. A new identity can grow out of that.

I wouldn't say they acted conservatively "on and off the pitch" when they needed to sell our best asset to avoid going in to administration..

 

[Ihaters]

You imagine they had been drinking so the driver must be open to a drunk driving charge as well.

Yep, sounds to me like they were hammered, got the munchies whilst out on the lash at stupid o clock in the morning, and wanted to get back before Pardew found out.

 

[Ihaters]

I wouldn't say they acted conservatively "on and off the pitch" when they needed to sell our best asset to avoid going in to administration..

Desperately is perhaps a better term than conservatively?

 

[riddick]

Desperately is perhaps a better term than conservatively?

Yeah, the way it's posed makes it sound like they had the best interests of the club and wanted to mitigate the impact they had, where as they were the reason the club was in absolute financial disarray.

 

[Frank Halfcoate]

You imagine they had been drinking so the driver must be open to a drunk driving charge as well.

The driver? Why?

 

[samsonthedog1]

Anyone sensible would have seen the way to go. Get a Rangnick/PSV DOF in. Massively stick bend to young players with a young attacking coach, give them time. I know it's your hobby horse but for me we were hasty in getting rid of Martinez now, we have gone backwards since then and have no plan.

Instruct a coach he has to work with Dowell, Kenny, Beni, Davies, Lookman, DCL, Holgate, and add in lads like Bailey, Haller, Gray who we were linked with. Give it 2-3 years.

Couldn't agree more, a better quality Martinez type, give them 3-4 years to build something. I think Moshiri wants instant success, but what we need is a proper long term strategy that we can we proud of and all buy Into.

 

[zzr45]

Which are?
A bit of copy and paste Of pertinant parts?

That as a club you need to be patient, we seem to expect things to turn on a dime.

You can’t buy success in most cases, it has to come from internal changes. As a club we still have the same ethos we had from years ago and it’s why we can’t break through.

Players aren’t being challenged- seems that players coming through are academy get told they are wonderful and are never pushed to go to the next level.

For me, the culture at the club is totally out of sorts. Probably cos of the amount of manager changes we’ve gone through.

 

[davek]

I wouldn't say they acted conservatively "on and off the pitch" when they needed to sell our best asset to avoid going in to administration..

I would: conserved the organisation at the expense of the team.

 

[davids]

We are an average mid-table side and have been for decades.We've missed the boat as far as billionarre owners who will spend for fun.We won't get a top manager when Allardyce goes,either someone who has shown potential in a foreign league or someone just looking for a last big payday.We need to be realistic and accept the heady days of the 60s and 80s are just good memories.In the modern game we are also rans.So just keep supporting the team take the odd good day when it comes and your fingers crossed in your pocket that one year we might,just might do a Leicester.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

A new 'billionaire' owner, over £250m spent in the last couple of seasons, and a supposed new stadium on the horizon, yet everything still feels like this.

 

[Coggy]

A new 'billionaire' owner, over £250m spent in the last couple of seasons, and a supposed new stadium on the horizon, yet everything still feels like this.

Exactly mate. Some people need to get a grip.
Moshiri is doing his bit, it is the "football" people who are letting us down.