Are fans starting to side with the Prince over CW?

[5tannington Blade]

Firstly let me be clear, I love Chris Wilder. The best moments and the best football I've witnessed at the lane have been under him. I could never thank the guy enough.

But as the season has worn on, and Chris has become increasingly disgruntled about our setup and hinting his future might be elsewhere, is it not time he appreciates the club have stuck by him this season (and rightly so). The Premier League is cut throat and every manager in our predicament has been sacked, and most managers in a relegation zone are fired. It is a huge relief that the Prince has stuck by him and I don't think our owner can be at fault for anything thus far.

We have done the right thing to keep Chris as he is the right man if we are back in the Championship (and it means more to us as fans with him being in charge). But he HAS had big money to spend, maybe not on wages, but in comparison to what Daniel Farke had to work with at Norwich he's had something to work with.

Rome wasn't built in a day and surely he realizes it's not anybody's fault we have risen too quickly and in this position. Every club which goes down whether its Bournemouth or whoever have to sell some stars to keep things ticking over and he can't expect us to be any different. You can understand Chris being ambitious and we love that about him, but he only needs to look at history to see where the club has been for years, and what sort of monumental shift he needs to get things moving in the right direction long term.

What do people think? Is anybody else starting to lean towards and sympathize with the Prince and wish Chris would take a bit more responsibility for this season as well as acknowledging who we are and being more positive about the future?

 

[Nade]

I don't really have a fixed opinion because by and large I don't think I have enough of an understanding to have an opinion.

 

[Rodley]

No need for sides.

Must keep CW and go again in the Championship. If PA engineers a fire sale that will be hugely disappointing. Think that is the reason for the comments in today’s press conferences.

 

[Snowflake]

Firstly let me be clear, I love Chris Wilder. The best moments and the best football I've witnessed at the lane have been under him. I could never thank the guy enough.

But as the season has worn on, and Chris has become increasingly disgruntled about our setup and hinting his future might be elsewhere, is it not time he appreciates the club have stuck by him this season (and rightly so). The Premier League is cut throat and every manager in our predicament has been sacked, and most managers in a relegation zone are fired. It is a huge relief that the Prince has stuck by him and I don't think our owner can be at fault for anything thus far.

We have done the right thing to keep Chris as he is the right man if we are back in the Championship (and it means more to us as fans with him being in charge). But he HAS had big money to spend, maybe not on wages, but in comparison to what Daniel Farke had to work with at Norwich he's had something to work with.

Rome wasn't built in a day and surely he realizes it's not anybody's fault we have risen too quickly and in this position. Every club which goes down whether its Bournemouth or whoever have to sell some stars to keep things ticking over and he can't expect us to be any different. You can understand Chris being ambitious and we love that about him, but he only needs to look at history to see where the club has been for years, and what sort of monumental shift he needs to get things moving in the right direction long term.

What do people think? Is anybody else starting to lean towards and sympathize with the Prince and wish Chris would take a bit more responsibility for this season as well as acknowledging who we are and being more positive about the future?

Why do we have to be on one side or the other ?
We were promoted too early but had a fantastic time.
We now regroup and go again, hopefully with a better side when we next get promoted.

 

[McGrath]

It looks like the old knee jerk reactionary brigade is. But I don't think any one else is.

The club has been pretty much saying what the transfer and contracts policy is for the last 2 years, if anyone cared to listen. Wilder's basically saying stick to it when we're relegated, which is quite right otherwise why have a policy in the 1st place.

 

[Pedro Verde]

What has this to do with sides

The Prince has said he wants Wilder to stay if /when we get relegated
So what side is there to take ?

 

[MalmoBlade]

I'm not taking sides with HRH or CW in any sense. I do think it's a bit odd that last season when all was rosy and we hit 9th spot that it was all down to "Sir Chris" but when things then go catastrophically nosediving off a cliff it's about Wages, Covid, Injuries, everybody else's players being better than ours, the weather, anything, as long as we don't lay the blame at the manager's feet, not even in part, because so far I haven't heard him admit to any shortfall in his own abilities, and given our record this season he really shouldn't expect to be beyond reproach

 

[raul]

I'm on Sheffield United's side.

 

[dc_blade]

As bad as this season has been, we still have a great opportunity to move the club forward again next season. It’ll be a damn sight easier if everyone is pulling in the same direction.

The Prince needs to honour any commitments he has made to Wilder regarding transfers and Wilder needs to stop being grumpy in public.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

Planning and preparation for next season is vital and we’re ‘lucky’ we’ve got an opportunity to do this earlier than the rest, even most of the championship top 6 too.

There’s no reason why Wilder wouldn’t be telling the truth that the conversations haven’t happened yet. Hopefully this prompts them to begin planning because we should be able to predict our budgets, we’re going to finish bottom and we’re going down.

 

[McGrath]

I'm not taking sides with HRH or CW in any sense. I do think it's a bit odd that last season when all was rosy and we hit 9th spot that it was all down to "Sir Chris" but when things then go catastrophically nosediving off a cliff it's about Wages, Covid, Injuries, everybody else's players being better than ours, the weather, anything, as long as we don't lay the blame at the manager's feet, not even in part, because so far I haven't heard him admit to any shortfall in his own abilities, and given our record this season he really shouldn't expect to be beyond reproach

My view is that Wilder took this squad too far too quick and such success with this squad, at this level can only br maintained with everyone fit and firing on all cylinders. Wilder's biggest failing has been being far too good for the previous 4 seasons.

I think we're all getting a bit to kean to cast blame about and get angry at the moment. I just sit back ans thank god we're losing at home to Liverpool at home and not Southend as there's a very real chance had we not hired CW, then we'd still be in that situation!

 

[McGrath]

As bad as this season has been, we still have a great opportunity to move the club forward again next season. It’ll be a damn sight easier if everyone is pulling in the same direction.

The Prince needs to honour any commitments he has made to Wilder regarding transfers and Wilder needs to stop being grumpy in public.

I think we've taken a similar view to Norwich and not gone overboard with contracts and built in relegation 'clauses'. Hopefully the results next season will be similar to Norwichs in the Championship this season.

 

[Bladezz]

If your siding with the Prince over CW you need help.

 

[SLB]

I'm on Sheffield United's side.

Absolutely. We the fans are the only constant. When I first started going it was John Harris, The Wragg Family? and Hodgy, Badger etc.
Owners, board, managers ,coaches and players all come and go and my allegiance is to whoever is here at the time. I will like some more than others but that's it.

 

[corner_flag]

What do people think? Is anybody else starting to lean towards and sympathize with the Prince and wish Chris would take a bit more responsibility for this season as well as acknowledging who we are and being more positive about the future?

That's a No from me.
The Prince does not have a personal fortune - that was revealed in the court case - so we must fund transfer fees and wages from loans or cash income.
I believe Wilder's recruitment was poor because he only had green shield stamps to buy with, not real money (swaps or fees off-set against money owed). Then he had to convince players to come here for lower wages than they might get elsewhere (or no-one else was offering more than our tight pay structure, chances are they weren't that great). Not surprising he ended up with a pretty underwhelming set of signings.
Wilder is a very, very good manager. Look at the way he has turned the team round after poor games - after Southampton, after the West Ham game. Look at the team sheet against Liverpool - amazing we didn't get thumped 6-0. Teams still do not like to play us.

 

[dc_blade]

I think we've taken a similar view to Norwich and not gone overboard with contracts and built in relegation 'clauses'. Hopefully the results next season will be similar to Norwichs in the Championship this season.

There’s no reason we shouldn’t be as strong or stronger than Norwich have been this season. We just need to fight like hell to make the rest of the season as positive as possible so that we go into the summer in decent shape. This public bickering doesn’t really help that.

 

[coolasanidiot]

No affinity whatsoever with the Pauper Prince.

Masses of respect, and affinity with Chris Wilder. 83% of us are behind giving Chris another go. All this reading into what he's said means jack shit, its conjecture.

The signings have been awful (especially the McBurnie one) but for what's he's done in last 4 years - surely we can forget this horrible year-.

And for all those thinking this team will be no good in Championship- why? Even though we have only 11 points- no one has taken us apart.

The fine lines Chris talks about are true.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

This is the first summer we will be able to see what the Prince is about and even then we have millions in parachute payments helping him out. The other solo years of his solo ownership it's hard to see what effect he has due to TV money.

 

[McGrath]

No affinity whatsoever with the Pauper Prince.

Masses of respect, and affinity with Chris Wilder. 83% of us are behind giving Chris another go. All this reading into what he's said means jack shit, its conjecture.

The signings have been awful (especially the McBurnie one) but for what's he's done in last 4 years - surely we can forget this horrible year-.

And for all those thinking this team will be no good in Championship- why? Even though we have only 11 points- no one has taken us apart.

The fine lines Chris talks about are true.

Many blame Wilder for the signings, but I get the feeling that he was dictated by the board to sign younger players from outside the Premier League.

 

[chesblade]

Jim phipps stirring it on twitter regarding cw comments. Siding with the Prince of course.

 

[Cheesebored]

I'm not taking sides with HRH or CW in any sense. I do think it's a bit odd that last season when all was rosy and we hit 9th spot that it was all down to "Sir Chris" but when things then go catastrophically nosediving off a cliff it's about Wages, Covid, Injuries, everybody else's players being better than ours, the weather, anything, as long as we don't lay the blame at the manager's feet, not even in part, because so far I haven't heard him admit to any shortfall in his own abilities, and given our record this season he really shouldn't expect to be beyond reproach

You're not taking sides but then disparagingly call him 'Sir Chris'. If you want rid it's fine, just say so. To be clear I feel he's definitely got questions to answer but think we should stick with him mainly because he's shown he can do it at championship level. The club's ability to find a good manager hasn't augered well since Warnock left, frankly it's been piss poor.

 

[MalmoBlade]

You're not taking sides but then disparagingly call him 'Sir Chris'. If you want rid it's fine, just say so. To be clear I feel he's definitely got questions to answer but think we should stick with him mainly because he's shown he can do it at championship level. The club's ability to find a good manager hasn't augered well since Warnock left, frankly it's been piss poor.

Exactly what I've said elsewhere cheese. We stick with him for now because he's earned the right for sure. I don't want rid and have never said so, I just don't think it's right for him to be held up as some footballing demi-God when it's going well but then absolve him of blame when the wheels come off. He has to take the brickbats with the plaudits and I just wish some fans would accept that

 

[Cheesebored]

Exactly what I've said elsewhere cheese. We stick with him for now because he's earned the right for sure. I don't want rid and have never said so, I just don't think it's right for him to be held up as some footballing demi-God when it's going well but then absolve him of blame when the wheels come off. He has to take the brickbats with the plaudits and I just wish some fans would accept that

Fair comment.

 

[BettingBlade]

I think we've taken a similar view to Norwich and not gone overboard with contracts and built in relegation 'clauses'. Hopefully the results next season will be similar to Norwichs in the Championship this season.

I really fail to see where people draw comparisons between us and Norwich. Norwich had basically accepted relegation was a real possibility before the season started last year.

The spine of our promotion squad was far too old to take the Norwich blueprint as we’d got promoted so quickly. We spent big compared to Norwich and saw the rewards of that in the short-term.

It’s only in the last few months where we’ve fucked our recruitment up that people have decided we’re doing the Norwich model. Over the last 2 seasons we have spent more than at any other period in the clubs history with the intention of staying in the Premier League.

 

[Bladesman]

Not really picking a side with either, the Prince needs to get on the phone to middle east to get more investment into the club.

Wilder needs to be aware we are still limited in what we can do as a club especially in pandemic with revenues down. We probably will have to cash in on a player or two to keep us ticking over.

Pre arranged plans go out of the window quickly these days.

 

[bongleblade]

No need for sides.

Must keep CW and go again in the Championship. If PA engineers a fire sale that will be hugely disappointing. Think that is the reason for the comments in today’s press conferences.

definitely strikes me as a warning shot rather than a threat

 

[McGrath]

I really fail to see where people draw comparisons between us and Norwich. Norwich had basically accepted relegation was a real possibility before the season started last year.

The spine of our promotion squad was far too old to take the Norwich blueprint as we’d got promoted so quickly. We spent big compared to Norwich and saw the rewards of that in the short-term.

It’s only in the last few months where we’ve fucked our recruitment up that people have decided we’re doing the Norwich model. Over the last 2 seasons we have spent more than at any other period in the clubs history with the intention of staying in the Premier League.

Because we've signed existing squad onto longer term contracts that force them into pay cuts on relegation. Therefore if we go down, we're aren't forced into this spiral of paying players on bloated contracts and seeing the parachute payments disappear on that. Norwich did the same.

The downside of this is that probably put off signing more established players in the Prem and led us to signing younger unproven players.

Do you see why people draw the comparison to Norwich now as they did the same.

 

[Coily]

We have done the right thing to keep Chris as he is the right man if we are back in the Championship (and it means more to us as fans with him being in charge). But he HAS had big money to spend, maybe not on wages, but in comparison to what Daniel Farke had to work with at Norwich he's had something to work with.

I'd argue that the comparison isn't fair. No criticism of Farke at all, but look at what he inherited and what Wilder did.

Norwich had parachute money and a wage structure that needed it, academy infrastructure that is well advanced of where we are and aspire to be as evidenced by the likes of Godfrey, Aarons, Cantwell and Lewis. They also had the experience of investing heavily in the PL and getting burned previously, so they've played the long game of pocketing the cash, falling like a stone and looking to bounce back while balancing the books. Risky to an extent, but hats off to them in that it is working. They'll have the same dilemma this summer in how much they invest, plus the likely demands for their big name players such as Buendia.

Wilder had to invest and spend big (for us) on the squad as a whole. The arguments about how his signings have fared are legitimate, but we will have a younger squad than we started with and more strength in depth than we had when we went up in 18/19. If - big if - these young lads learn positively from the experience and with additions to the squad in midfield in particular, then there is no reason we can't challenge for promotion next season.

As much as everyone has hated this season, by being here we've earned the PL money for this extra year, plus we also have an extra year of parachute payments in view of our not being immediately relegated. Hopefully we won't need it all, but Wilder earned that.

 

[BettingBlade]

Because we've signed existing squad onto longer term contracts that force them into pay cuts on relegation. Therefore if we go down, we're aren't forced into this spiral of paying players on bloated contracts and seeing the parachute payments disappear on that. Norwich did the same.

The downside of this is that probably put off signing more established players in the Prem and led us to signing younger unproven players.

Do you see why people draw the comparison to Norwich now as they did the same.

But Norwich had a far younger squad than us and have a squad they can develop. Tying someone like Todd Cantwell down is a world away from tying down an ageing Billy Sharp. We had to sign players who could compete at Premier League level on top of extending contracts.

When Norwich come back up they’ll be able to spend wisely with the additional funds to add to their squad. Norwich hardly spent anything in the Premier League.

Not only have we spent big, we’re relying on players who we bought first and foremost to keep us up, but are now relying on them to help us get straight back up. There’s far more risk attached to next season for us because of how much we’ve already spent.

We may not be paying as much in wages as some but I would imagine our wage bill will be far more bloated next season than Norwich’s this season. It doesn’t seem like the same thing to me at all.

Our approach always was to spend to stay up, I don’t think that’s anything like what Norwich have done.

 

[Bladeloyal]

To be fair the prince up to now has been a cracking owner ,he's not knee jerk ,and definitely wants us to develop ,Chris seems to be having a Mardy attack for whatever reason when at every other club he would have been removed . Let's all bat on together utb