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

[Brisan123]

Atletico have done it over time Dave, rather than trying to buy success quickly.

I know nothing of how they are run, but looking at them from the outside in, it appears that they`ve accepted that they can`t buy success or compete financially with the big boys and set out with a long term plan, as to how to get to the top. Which they appear to be doing rather well.

Communication is the key to this approach, as if the fans can understand and see what you`re trying to achieve, they`ll get on board.

Not as you say, blundering about with a cheque book and and using a knob jockey on a radio station as your public voice.

Athletic Madrid is a financially corrupt organisation that stumbles from one scandal to another
Google Athletico Madrid Financially corrupt and see what you get
They are the last club we should be looking to emulate.
Having said that I’d take Simeone as manager

 

[johnnydawg68]

If so the following needs to happen:

1. Hire a manager who believes in building a core team around Academy graduates, provided they are good enough, and then spend wisely around that.
2. Stop the scattershot transfer policy of buying every shiny player that comes available regardless of a guiding philosophy, or where they fit into what we're trying to accomplish.
3. Reduce the squad size by getting rid of players brought in, just to languish on the bench. Don't buy them if they're not good enough to go into the first team. But give them time to show what they are made of. If you've done that and found you made a mistake, move them on quickly.
4. Be patient. Changing managers and philosophies too often will get us relegated in my opinion. Decide what kind of football you want to play, hire someone who knows how to coach that, use your diamonds in the Academy wisely, and buy players that fit your system. Get everyone singing from the same hymnal.

 

[Thomasc]

That was more or less what Roberto Martinez said when he came to the club.

And he almost cracked it.

If only the timetable had lagged a few years behind and Bobby had joined us just as the Moshiri money arrived

Yes imagine!

He could have bought some more expensive Alcaraz's, Atsu's, McGeady's, Kone's and Cleverleys!

 

[Brisan123]

Yes imagine!

He could have bought some more expensive Alcaraz's, Atsu's, McGeady's, Kone's and Cleverleys!

Why oh why did you mention Alcaraz
The nightmares have only recently stopped

 

[Thomasc]

Why oh why did you mention Alcaraz
The nightmares have only recently stopped

He's been here all along mate, just disguised as Ashley Williams.

 

[davek]

The glass ceiling is something we faced in the better Moyes Years though. This club would have died a horrible death had it gone down in 2004 or 2005. And I don’t care what anyone says, we were never going down this season. Moyes’s early years and Martinez’s first season show the importance and impact of getting a good manager in. We get ourselves a good one this summer and then we can build towards breaking the aforementioned ceiling.

Now whether or not you trust Moshiri to bring a good manager in is another thing, just got to hope lessons have been learnt by someone relatively new to the football game.

Oh and we should launch Steve Walsh directly into the sun.

We have a major rebuild ahead. I think it's much more complex than the one we faced in 2003/04 in many ways. Back then the options were limited to tightening the way the club operated and what it budgeted for and to stick with a manager for another season to see if it worked out. Now - partly because of the extra cash - we look like we are in much more of a pickle. The expectation is there now and that complicates matters. A number of issues related to club governance and on-field affairs need addressing and the club is, under Moshiri, in unexperienced hands. Kenwright was a dead weight when he was the main man here, but I;d trust him to make the right football related decisions.

 

[penev10]

The gap to 6th is almost insurmountable. Arsenal (6th) are having a bad season by their standards and beat us 10-3 on aggregate.

There could be a swing in an upcoming season where a couple of those with twice and three-times the budgets we have fall apart and we overachieve and finish 5th, but that'd be it like - back to fighting for 7th again next season.

 

[Khalekan]

If any of us had been utter crap at their jobs over the last few months, could you imagine being treated to a nice bit of warm weather for a few days jogging around Dubai ?

Were a joke.

This, more than owt else about modern football, bugs me.

(it ain’t just us BTW......it is all teams with their season already running down the clock)

Out of Europe, out of the F.A.Cup and 7th place in the league the absolute best we can do in the league......all before the first Saturday in January.

And the reward?

Jet off to spend a week “training” in the sun.

 

[Toast]

This, more than owt else about modern football, bugs me.

(it ain’t just us BTW......it is all teams with their season already running down the clock)

Out of Europe, out of the F.A.Cup and 7th place in the league the absolute best we can do in the league......all before the first Saturday in January.

And the reward?

Jet off to spend a week “training” in the sun.

The back 4 should all be at Finch Farm practicing, well, defending.
Practicing in the conditions we will face in the next few games. Cold, wind, rain..

Warm weather training my arse.

 

[Goat]

Theres only 1 man who can rescue us now.

 

[davek]

Atletico have done it over time Dave, rather than trying to buy success quickly.

I know nothing of how they are run, but looking at them from the outside in, it appears that they`ve accepted that they can`t buy success or compete financially with the big boys and set out with a long term plan, as to how to get to the top. Which they appear to be doing rather well.

Communication is the key to this approach, as if the fans can understand and see what you`re trying to achieve, they`ll get on board.

Not as you say, blundering about with a cheque book and and using a knob jockey on a radio station as your public voice.

I bet they dont have a Moshiri running the show. Our own Jesus Gil.

 

[Goat]

I bet they dont have a Moshiri running the show. Our own Jesus Gil.

Dave theres only 5 teams in the world who "dont want a Moshiri" running them.

A man who throws money after money at the club
AND builds them a new stadium

LOL

 

[Khalekan]

The back 4 should all be at Finch Farm practicing, well, defending.
Practicing in the conditions we will face in the next few games. Cold, wind, rain..

Warm weather training my arse.

Indeed.

It makes no flippin’ sense.

Two away trips on the bounce when they come back.....one at Burnley.

How is this “warm weather training” helping out in those preparations?

Meanwhile the teams still involved in things soldier on

 

[davek]

The gap to 6th is almost insurmountable. Arsenal (6th) are having a bad season by their standards and beat us 10-3 on aggregate.

There could be a swing in an upcoming season where a couple of those with twice and three-times the budgets we have fall apart and we overachieve and finish 5th, but that'd be it like - back to fighting for 7th again next season.

You're right, and that is pathetic when you think that we have secured 5th and 6th on a regular basis until very recently.

I dont see that happening for a long time. I think we might need to rethink what is important for us in the medium to long term rather than obsess on getting to the fringes of those in the first 6 places. We need a clear out and a new manager to patiently build this club up again. If we have to wait a couple of seasons in midtable while he gets on with that, then so be it.

We need to reinvent ourselves, and that hopefully starts in the summer. Jettison all the useless cargo and let's set out on another course.

 

[canuckblue]

It would be wise for Moshiri to read some Santayana right about now.