Start of next season

[robbiez666]

My concern is that as a club we're headed for a fall. This isn't really a criticism of Wilder as our owners aren't giving him any money to play with (in comparison to outgoings and other clubs in the top half of the league), but if we don't go up these are our attacking players for next season:

AM:

Mark Duffy 33/34

Strikers:

Billy Sharp 33/34
Leon Clark 34/35
David McGoldrick 31/32
Conor Washington 27

It's unlikely that we'll have any money but on top of a Goalkeeper we'll need to buy/pay for at least one AMC and at least 2 strikers. That's assuming the others can still compete at this level. That's assuming we don't need to strengthen anywhere else and it's likely we'll need a RWB (Freeman), LWB (Johnson goes), LCB (Bryan not good enough), RCB (Cranie goes) and a CB (Stearman goes) as well.

It feels to me like we're on borrowed time and taking a huge gamble. Up or fucked.

 

[BrinsworthBlade]

Bit early to start worrying

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Christ, superb window we've had and first post after the window shuts is a moan.

 

[Ricky]

It's almost as if we should have used the Brooks money to sign one or two younger attacking players.

We have taken the right approach in this window though, given the fantastic opportunity that's presented itself.

 

[robbiez666]

It's almost as if we should have used the Brooks money to sign one or two younger attacking players.

We have taken the right approach in this window though, given the fantastic opportunity that's presented itself.

This is my point. Signing young and promising players within our budget would not have taken us up. We're gambling. If it doesn't come off we could well be slightly screwed.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

This is my point. Signing young and promising players within our budget would not have taken us up. We're gambling. If it doesn't come off we could well be slightly screwed.

So if we signed young promising players we wouldn't go up, but by not doing we could be screwed!?

 

[sitwell]

My concern is that as a club we're headed for a fall. This isn't really a criticism of Wilder as our owners aren't giving him any money to play with (in comparison to outgoings and other clubs in the top half of the league), but if we don't go up these are our attacking players for next season:

AM:

Mark Duffy 33/34

Strikers:

Billy Sharp 33/34
Leon Clark 34/35
David McGoldrick 31/32
Conor Washington 27

It's unlikely that we'll have any money but on top of a Goalkeeper we'll need to buy/pay for at least one AMC and at least 2 strikers. That's assuming the others can still compete at this level. That's assuming we don't need to strengthen anywhere else and it's likely we'll need a RWB (Freeman), LWB (Johnson goes), LCB (Bryan not good enough), RCB (Cranie goes) and a CB (Stearman goes) as well.

It feels to me like we're on borrowed time and taking a huge gamble. Up or fucked.

You really fucking hate Wilder and the way he made you look daft don't you. Just leave it.

 

[Carlton Blade]

My concern is that as a club we're headed for a fall. This isn't really a criticism of Wilder as our owners aren't giving him any money to play with (in comparison to outgoings and other clubs in the top half of the league), but if we don't go up these are our attacking players for next season:

AM:

Mark Duffy 33/34

Strikers:

Billy Sharp 33/34
Leon Clark 34/35
David McGoldrick 31/32
Conor Washington 27

It's unlikely that we'll have any money but on top of a Goalkeeper we'll need to buy/pay for at least one AMC and at least 2 strikers. That's assuming the others can still compete at this level. That's assuming we don't need to strengthen anywhere else and it's likely we'll need a RWB (Freeman), LWB (Johnson goes), LCB (Bryan not good enough), RCB (Cranie goes) and a CB (Stearman goes) as well.

It feels to me like we're on borrowed time and taking a huge gamble. Up or fucked.

I said all this last year and I was wrong. Fuck it, let's enjoy what we have while we have it

 

[BanbridgeBlade]

My concern isn’t the age of the players it’s who will still be here IF we don’t go up.

I may be wrong but I’d say the likes of O’Connell & Fleck have been told, stay & if we aren’t promoted we won’t stand in your way if a premier league team come calling

 

[itsinyerblood]

robbie, do your best to avoid logic, it can muddy any form of imaginative leap.

Given what's happened since Wilder took control try and relax and let CW and his trusty team do the unexpected and surprise us all.

Don't forget, if we were to achieve promotion there's always the guaranteed money that comes from being part of the premiership. A big if I know, but what would you rather have us do? Settle for mid-table mediocrity? Wilder has assembled an above average side, so let's see where it might take us. But what I won't be doing is worrying about which division we'll be in, that's the manager's job after all.

 

[robbiez666]

I said all this last year and I was wrong. Fuck it, let's enjoy what we have while we have it

I've been suprised by how Sharp and Duffy have played this season. Clarke obviously not. Can they do it again? Logic says no but who knows.

 

[robbiez666]

My concern isn’t the age of the players it’s who will still be here IF we don’t go up.

I may be wrong but I’d say the likes of O’Connell & Fleck have been told, stay & if we aren’t promoted we won’t stand in your way if a premier league team come calling

And I wouldn't mind that as a holding pattern if most of the money was re-invested to bring in 4 or 5 players, but we know he wouldn't even get half to spend.

It really is shit or bust. If we don't go up and Wilder leaves due to the lack of support from above we're only going one way. Without Wilder we're looking anxiously over our shoulders.

 

[Sheffsteel]

This is my point. Signing young and promising players within our budget would not have taken us up. We're gambling. If it doesn't come off we could well be slightly screwed.

Fair point, we do have plenty of older players in their prime, so will be on the slide over the next 2 or 3 years.
So it is a gamble but everything is a gamble. Also the beauty is we haven’t spent loads of money
So unlike Sheff Wed won’t have financial problems if the gamble fails, so not a huge gamble really.

To be fair almost everything about football is short termism, you have to take the opportunity when it comes along.

 

[Sheffsteel]

And I wouldn't mind that as a holding pattern if most of the money was re-invested to bring in 4 or 5 players, but we know he wouldn't even get half to spend.

It really is shit or bust. If we don't go up and Wilder leaves due to the lack of support from above we're only going one way. Without Wilder we're looking anxiously over our shoulders.

You’re get several issues mixed up here.

The term shit or bust is used when there’s been a huge gamble made.
This hasn’t been the case, our gambles have been relatively cautious and affordable.
Even if we don’t get promoted we will still be strong next season.
Wilder has this knack of making average players play like quality players, so I’m sure he’ll do it again.

You say Wilder would leave through a lack of support however he’s managed to get every target he’s gone for.
In my book he’s been supported well and he won’t get any offers from PL clubs.
So it’s unlikely he’ll get any offers from a club more attractive than Sheff Utd. Although Wilder isn’t getting any younger and if he thinks he’s being held back at SU he will go to a more ambitious club with big PL ambitions (like a Leeds, Villa, Forest or Derby).

 

[Pedro Verde]

My concern is that as a club we're headed for a fall. This isn't really a criticism of Wilder as our owners aren't giving him any money to play with (in comparison to outgoings and other clubs in the top half of the league), but if we don't go up these are our attacking players for next season:

AM:

Mark Duffy 33/34

Strikers:

Billy Sharp 33/34
Leon Clark 34/35
David McGoldrick 31/32
Conor Washington 27

It's unlikely that we'll have any money but on top of a Goalkeeper we'll need to buy/pay for at least one AMC and at least 2 strikers. That's assuming the others can still compete at this level. That's assuming we don't need to strengthen anywhere else and it's likely we'll need a RWB (Freeman), LWB (Johnson goes), LCB (Bryan not good enough), RCB (Cranie goes) and a CB (Stearman goes) as well.

It feels to me like we're on borrowed time and taking a huge gamble. Up or fucked.

Bet youre fun at parties

 

[Grizzly blade]

Absolute cobblers lad.

We go up we reinvest in the squad.

We don’t, we still have decent players even at their age, and we can look to progress again as we did this season.
Jeez....some folk just need someth8ng to complain/worry about

 

[blademark]

Hate to state the blindingly obvious, but when the loan players go back, why not just loan some more ? We might even be able to get even better loaners next time, ?

 

[away ends always empty.]

Pessimist

 

[SwissBlade]

This is my point. Signing young and promising players within our budget would not have taken us up. We're gambling. If it doesn't come off we could well be slightly screwed.

I don't see your point really, the JTW is a chance to kick on and we're doing that, better than i expected at least in terms of recruitment.

You're looking into the future and predicting failure, However, come the summer we will know what division we're playing in next season and we can approach things then, like we have most seasons.

I remember under Warnock and also Ferguson at Man U, they had cycles, i've picked those two as they were in their jobs for a long time and you could see some trends forming. I'd say that normally it takes 2-3 seasons to build the side you want. Were probably at that point now. Sure we've had tremendous (relative) success with the League one title and then last season. But this season i'd say is our best yet and we've seen the side evolve from that League one side. No dramatic changes, just evolution, progression.

You're right, after this season we will need to rebuild, we don't have huge resources to carry a large squad of first team ready players. Some players will move on and then we will bring in new players that will need time to bed in. And yes, all players will be a year older. Some at their career twilight.

What we've done this season, which you seem to have ignored a little, is invest. Egan and Norwood coming in on permanent deals, but also existing players contracts extended across the team.

What happens in the summer will depend on where we end up, we can't really plan longer term than that.

 

[Champagneblade]

My concern is that as a club we're headed for a fall. This isn't really a criticism of Wilder as our owners aren't giving him any money to play with (in comparison to outgoings and other clubs in the top half of the league), but if we don't go up these are our attacking players for next season:

AM:

Mark Duffy 33/34

Strikers:

Billy Sharp 33/34
Leon Clark 34/35
David McGoldrick 31/32
Conor Washington 27

It's unlikely that we'll have any money but on top of a Goalkeeper we'll need to buy/pay for at least one AMC and at least 2 strikers. That's assuming the others can still compete at this level. That's assuming we don't need to strengthen anywhere else and it's likely we'll need a RWB (Freeman), LWB (Johnson goes), LCB (Bryan not good enough), RCB (Cranie goes) and a CB (Stearman goes) as well.

It feels to me like we're on borrowed time and taking a huge gamble. Up or fucked.

Why don't you throw in the fact we're all going to die at some point?

Let's start worrying about that!

On the whole we've got a very competitive squad and are well placed in 3rd with some exciting games to come with an expansive brand of football not seen since Borbokis, Deane and Fjortoft graced our hallowed turf!

We have all of our best players under contract and for those we borrowed, there's no reason Chris couldn't do the same thing again next season. We've loaned players because without a transfer fee we can afford better quality.

Chin up fella, your bringing the mood down

 

[Rodley]

Fair play for trying to spin a brilliant JTW in a negative light. No one can question your commitment to moaning.

 

[Boxer Blade]

Bet youre fun at parties

You're presuming he gets invites

 

[grafikhaus]

Bit early to start worrying

No it isn't. Wednesdayites are already saying that they'll storm the division next season...

This is my point. Signing young and promising players within our budget would not have taken us up. We're gambling. If it doesn't come off we could well be slightly screwed.

Like Villa? Derby? Wednesday? So do we 'throw the baby out with the bathwater' and adandon the players and system that's served us so well over nearly three seasons? If we don't go up, at least we've tried. Unlike Stoke and Swansea who - despite their parachute payments - are more or less accepting their fate. (As are Burnley with the signing of Crouch).

 

[CrookesBlade]

You can't sustain a promotion push every season. You either go up or have to spend a season or two rebuilding. The alternative is you keep sacking managers, throwing more money and get into a cycle of loaning players for a quick fix at it until the whole thing collapses and you get relegated like we did in 2011.

The important thing is we have Wilder at the helm whatever happens next season and he isn't working with both hands tied behind his back.

No club can maintain a perpetual state of improvement season on season. Players start to decline or get sold and you have to replace them. Its usually at this stage that people start trotting out the usual 'taken us as far as he can' bollocks if you end up finishing a few places below where you did the season before.

As said above these things go in cycles and Man Utd under Ferguson is probably the best example of that, having to rebuild 3 great sides. Warnock with us is another, he took 3 seasons to build a side that came close to 2 cup finals and promotion in 03. Was given the time to rebuild and took us to the Premiership 3 seasons later. That generally doesn't happen any more fans are screaming for a new manger after a handful of mediocre results - modern football etc etc.

Bottom line is we have the right manager in place and therefore if we end up finishing mid table next season in the Championship i'm not too bothered as he'd proved himself more than capable of recruiting good players and building a side that plays good football. He's the most important asset we have.

 

[Pinchy]

Bit early to start worrying

It’s never too early for negativity in S2. No opportunity must be missed.

 

[Pinchy]

Fair play for trying to spin a brilliant JTW in a negative light. No one can question your commitment to moaning.

One of the best. Hard working and dedicated. Talent negligible though. There you have it - the forum Nick Montgomery.

 

[Pinchy]

You can't sustain a promotion push every season. You either go up or have to spend a season or two rebuilding. The alternative is you keep sacking managers, throwing more money and get into a cycle of loaning players for a quick fix at it until the whole thing collapses and you get relegated like we did in 2011.

The important thing is we have Wilder at the helm whatever happens next season and he isn't working with both hands tied behind his back.

No club can maintain a perpetual state of improvement season on season. Players start to decline or get sold and you have to replace them. Its usually at this stage that people start trotting out the usual 'taken us as far as he can' bollocks if you end up finishing a few places below where you did the season before.

As said above these things go in cycles and Man Utd under Ferguson is probably the best example of that, having to rebuild 3 great sides. Warnock with us is another, he took 3 seasons to build a side that came close to 2 cup finals and promotion in 03. Was given the time to rebuild and took us to the Premiership 3 seasons later. That generally doesn't happen any more fans are screaming for a new manger after a handful of mediocre results - modern football etc etc.

Bottom line is we have the right manager in place and therefore if we end up finishing mid table next season in the Championship i'm not too bothered as he'd proved himself more than capable of recruiting good players and building a side that plays good football. He's the most important asset we have.

Tactically inept. Lost the dressing room.

 

[metalblade]

If we go up the bank manager is happy, if we miss out then we don't have expensive signings we can't afford to pay. By the time the next transfer window comes around the ownership should be sorted one way or the other and we could have money to spend, if not there is always the loan market. I don't see much point in worrying about things that could happen in six months time worry about what happens up to the end of the season owt beyond that is speculation and will take care of itself.

 

[robbiez666]

Sorry, I am naturally pessimistic, and it's difficult to keep building with only buttons to spend.

The number of rabbits Wilder needs to pull out of hats this summer concerns me. Especially when there's a possibility of losing one or two of our better players as well.

It's going to be difficult whichever division we're in.

When I hear phrases like marquee signings it takes me back to last January which most agreed at the time was successful. I hope the 3 we brought in are all successful but I'm a lot more cautious thsn most.

 

[Anston Blade]

Get a grip man. We're having a great season and over half way through, still have a chance of automatic promotion. On top of that we've had the best (on paper at least) transfer window in my memory. Enjoy it, don't invent problems to worry about