Is the Championship all that?

[Tony Currie]

Having seen quiet a few Championship games this season I really don't think it is that strong. We just looked worse than we are because of the gulf between the premiership and championship. Us, Burnley and Luton going down despite points deductions for Forest and Everton tells you everything you need to know about the gap. Additionally we didn't net spend when we got promoted and bought unproven players. With Leicester and two of Ipswich, Southampton, Leeds out of the way it means that the clubs below them are very hit or miss.

We do have very strong championship players.

Arblaster (a revelation)
Hamer (much improved since Wilder came in)
Ahmedhodzic (much improved since Wilder came in)
Osborn (much improved since Wilder came in)
Bogle (much improved since Wilder came in)
Robinson (Leader)
Egan (hopefully recovered)
Brookes (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Osula (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Mc Burnie (if he can keep fit!)

 

[Bladezz]

I voted mid table.

Teams much better than us Southampton & Leeds aren’t automatic promotion so we will be further behind them.

The mess we are in isn’t fixed in one or two windows. I think it’s 3 or 4 windows to fix us. We have Hamer and Arblaster and Bogle. The rest aren’t really auto promotion players or playoff players.

Anyone who votes automatic should compare us to Leicester and go player for player. Arblaster and Hamer get into there team. The rest don’t reach their bench.

 

[bakeblade]

Having seen quiet a few Championship games this season I really don't think it is that strong. We just looked worse than we are because of the gulf between the premiership and championship. Us, Burnley and Luton going down despite points deductions for Forest and Everton tells you everything you need to know about the gap. Additionally we didn't net spend when we got promoted and bought unproven players. With Leicester and two of Ipswich, Southampton, Leeds out of the way it means that the clubs below them are very hit or miss.

We do have very strong championship players.

Arblaster (a revelation)
Hamer (much improved since Wilder came in)
Ahmedhodzic (much improved since Wilder came in)
Osborn (much improved since Wilder came in)
Bogle (much improved since Wilder came in)
Robinson (Leader)
Egan (hopefully recovered)
Brookes (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Osula (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Mc Burnie (if he can keep fit!)

I don't want McB anywhere near our squad next season, it's time to say bye bye

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

A rebuild takes time and can take 3-4 seasons of patience with some unpopular sales. I have no problem with sales so long as the money is reinvested into the first team. We've seen many a player sold with inferior cheap replacements coming in. James Beattie out for £2.5mil, Jamie Ward coming in for £330k as a replacement and the remaining £2.17mil vanishing being a prime example.

If we use Arblaster as ground zero for example, then we are up one player for the rebuild. Let's say he gets sold in January for £15mil, we're now back to zero. However, if we then spent the £15mil on 2-3 players then we're now sat on 2 or 3 players for the rebuild. We'd be a stronger team for selling him.

Yes it would suck that Arblaster would be gone, but we'd now be 2-3 players better off in building a new team. That's football, and I could live with that.

Our main problem will be expectation management with a lot of our fans demanding promotion next season. Why, I don't know. We weren't ready for the Premier League this season and we'll likely be a worse and weaker team this coming season. As for thinking the Prince will learn from this and change his approach I highly doubt it one bit.

We need patience and acceptance that we may be a mid-table team for a few seasons, occassions flirting around the play off spots, while we take TIME to rebuild from ground zero.

What I can't abide by is rebuilding a new team around the likes of McBurnie, Egan or Anel. They're in the past and the past has left us in a mess. Live in the now and look to the future and let the past lie. Hecky giving Norwood, Fleck and Basham new deals was a joke, as all three struggled last season, then you had Hecky trying to resign Sharp. As much as a legend as he is, Sharp has been a failure in the Premier League throughout his career and sentiment gets you absolutely nowhere in football. We're not ruthless enough as a club and live in the past too much. Football is a cut throat business. If you were great for us in the Championship but proven to be no good in the Premier League, then sadly it's bye bye time. See you later and good luck. It's why two teams dumped Norwood when they got promoted. He did well for half a season for us and has never looked the same again since. We should've gotten rid and replaced him after we were relegated last time.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

The squad we will have is mid table if everyone leaves who is out of contract

 

[Blade for Sale]

Having seen quiet a few Championship games this season I really don't think it is that strong. We just looked worse than we are because of the gulf between the premiership and championship. Us, Burnley and Luton going down despite points deductions for Forest and Everton tells you everything you need to know about the gap. Additionally we didn't net spend when we got promoted and bought unproven players. With Leicester and two of Ipswich, Southampton, Leeds out of the way it means that the clubs below them are very hit or miss.

We do have very strong championship players.

Arblaster (a revelation)
Hamer (much improved since Wilder came in)
Ahmedhodzic (much improved since Wilder came in)
Osborn (much improved since Wilder came in)
Bogle (much improved since Wilder came in)
Robinson (Leader)
Egan (hopefully recovered)
Brookes (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Osula (still learning, will be good enough at Championship level)
Mc Burnie (if he can keep fit!)

That's 10 players, 2 of whom are kids who have done nothing to justify the confidence that they will be good enough at champ level, 2 are inury prone, 2 in Osborne and Robinson we know are no better than mid table champ quality. We basically have Arblaster, Hamer, Ahmedhodzic and Bogle. There's a fucking gargantuan rebuilding job on this summer and my money is on a mid table finish next season.

 

[SwissBlade]

All depends what we do in the summer

 

[Racing Blade]

I think our embarrassing performances, this season, could undermine our ability to attract the better PL players available for loan, next season. Instead of Doyle/McAtee/Gibbs-White types, we are more likely to be trusted with lesser known, unproven youngsters this time.

Mid-table for me.

 

[Harry's Game]

All depends what we do in the summer

Scenes on here when it’s Mid July and we have signed no one

 

[Sanguine]

I don't want McB anywhere near our squad next season, it's time to say bye bye

An asset when he plays but too injury prone.

 

[Harry's Game]

We will have about 8 first team players under contract come June. We are skint so it will be mainly Frees , Kids and loans it’s not looking promising

I think we will hover around bottom 6 all next season I just hope that the poor quality of The Championship means we can avoid back to back relegations, but can’t rule it out

 

[bakeblade]

An asset when he plays but too injury prone.

When he does play he probably has one good game out of 2, add on his poor disciplinary record he's a waste of space.

 

[Andy67]

A rebuild takes time and can take 3-4 seasons of patience with some unpopular sales. I have no problem with sales so long as the money is reinvested into the first team. We've seen many a player sold with inferior cheap replacements coming in. James Beattie out for £2.5mil, Jamie Ward coming in for £330k as a replacement and the remaining £2.17mil vanishing being a prime example.

If we use Arblaster as ground zero for example, then we are up one player for the rebuild. Let's say he gets sold in January for £15mil, we're now back to zero. However, if we then spent the £15mil on 2-3 players then we're now sat on 2 or 3 players for the rebuild. We'd be a stronger team for selling him.

Yes it would suck that Arblaster would be gone, but we'd now be 2-3 players better off in building a new team. That's football, and I could live with that.

Our main problem will be expectation management with a lot of our fans demanding promotion next season. Why, I don't know. We weren't ready for the Premier League this season and we'll likely be a worse and weaker team this coming season. As for thinking the Prince will learn from this and change his approach I highly doubt it one bit.

We need patience and acceptance that we may be a mid-table team for a few seasons, occassions flirting around the play off spots, while we take TIME to rebuild from ground zero.

What I can't abide by is rebuilding a new team around the likes of McBurnie, Egan or Anel. They're in the past and the past has left us in a mess. Live in the now and look to the future and let the past lie. Hecky giving Norwood, Fleck and Basham new deals was a joke, as all three struggled last season, then you had Hecky trying to resign Sharp. As much as a legend as he is, Sharp has been a failure in the Premier League throughout his career and sentiment gets you absolutely nowhere in football. We're not ruthless enough as a club and live in the past too much. Football is a cut throat business. If you were great for us in the Championship but proven to be no good in the Premier League, then sadly it's bye bye time. See you later and good luck. It's why two teams dumped Norwood when they got promoted. He did well for half a season for us and has never looked the same again since. We should've gotten rid and replaced him after we were relegated last time.

Some good points but Hecky was forced by circumstance sign same players or you won’t have any. Everyone knew when doyle or macatee stepped on the pitch we’d win games but Norwood was always fit despite is flat footed left for dead on the pitch which left us exposed. It is ok criticising management team but he was told no replacements. Sharps legs had gone 3 seasons ago and he had no burst of pace but we had to sign him on another because Hecky had no option.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

We will have about 8 first team players under contract come June. We are skint so it will be mainly Frees , Kids and loans it’s not looking promising

I think we will hover around bottom 6 all next season I just hope that the poor quality of The Championship means we can avoid back to back relegations, but can’t rule it out

Before we assume sales (other than Archer), we'll have Anel, Robinson, Trusty, Slimane, Souza, Brooks, Arblaster, Traore, Hamer, Osula, Brewster, Davies, Grbic

 

[Not so Slim ane]

I think we will really struggle next year, likely to be lacking in key positions, goalkeeper, strikers etc lower mid table/relegation battle would not surprise me

 

[sjl]

As long as we are above the pigs, that’s all that matters!

 

[Hamandcheese]

We're not in bad shape. We also have a great opportunity. This is our starting base if we want it to be....

????
???? Egan Robinson
Bogle Hamer Arblaster Brooks Osborn
???? McBurnie

.... because I think we'll now be able to keep McBurnie if we want to, along with Egan

Add a few signings to that and how is it anything other than a top end team?

That wouldn't mean promotion though, because it'll be a hard league

The following will all be strong IMO: Burnley, Luton/Forest, Leeds/Southampton (maybe both), Hull, Boro, WBA, Coventry, Sunderland

Hard league, but a good league. A better league to be in than the PL, for numerous reasons

 

[metalblade]

Mid table for me. I can see Baldock, McBurnie and a few others leaving, a few of the older players careers are over I'm afraid (Basham and Norwood) Last summers signings have apart from Hamer have been failures I'd maybe keep Larouchi. The real key is whether Prince decides to cash in on Arblaster and Brooks. Loan players all going back McAtee, Archer and Brereton Diaz will leave a big hole in the squad. Our attacking options might be limited to Osula and the never fit Brewster and maybe Jebbison if he ever does sign that contract like it was said he would. A pretty shit squad if you ask me question marks on the fitness of a lot of decent players if that doesn't improve we are in the shit. We need a couple of leaders and some solid CB's not sure Egan has what it takes anymore question marks over all the defence to be fair as that has been our big failing this season,

 

[SwissBlade]

Scenes on here when it’s Mid July and we have signed no one

The prince could troll this forum by not announcing any signings until week before start of season but have all the friendlies and training behind closed doors for weeks

 

[Hamandcheese]

We should push very hard to get Archer back if at all possible

Brereton is surely impossible

I'd look to upgrade on Egan but possibly still keep him

Probably keep McBurnie on the right terms but sign another good CF to split the load with him

Let Jebbison go because keeping him and Osula would possibly lead to us signing no proven CF and relying on McB far too much, again

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

Obviously, we don't know what the squad is going to look like so it's hard to say. I suspect the budget is going to be closer to when we were last in the Championship under Wilder and any saleable asset will be off. I think he'll build a decent squad of youngsters, loans and freebies and we'll finish about 8th-12th.

 

[Keen Blade]

As long as we are above the pigs, that’s all that matters!

They will have survival bounce

 

[S64 Blade]

As long as we are above the pigs, that’s all that matters!

What if they finish 3rd and we finish 5th, but we go up and they don’t?

 

[Keen Blade]

I've been trying to fathom how , after £ from 3 PL seasons , we can be in our current predicament , with a mainly talentless & disjointed squad.
People accuse the Prince of not investing , but think it comes down to poor recruitment.
The Brentfords & Brightons recruit well and their players develop and get sold for a profit.
And whilst they're with the club , they contribute on the pitch.
Apart from Ramsdale & Ndiaye , I doubt we have seen any non-loan player actually develop during his time with us and add to his value.
Plenty of money has been spent but there has been no return either on the pitch or in cash value.
At the bizarre press conference appointing Hecky , it was stated we could self-fund as a club which developed players.
But then nothing was done to establish a recruitment system for success in this model.
Unless recruitment improves , there is only one direction we are heading.
When supporters can see after one game that a player is incompetent , it makes me wonder who if anyone from the club has actually watched the likes of Gbric & Traore in the flesh before signing them.
And do we still not have a head of recruitment ?

 

[sjl]

What if they finish 3rd and we finish 5th, but we go up and they don’t?

Then we can look forward to another season of being the laughing stock of football. I’ve just got back from holiday and had the embarrassment of fans sitting in a bar and literally laughing at each goal going in against Burnley. A guy at a restaurant called us Sheffield Ulosers when he asked where we were from.

I really hope we don’t go up for the sake of everyone in the city.

 

[sjl]

They will have survival bounce

Is that what we will need to call it?

 

[SRA76]

What if they finish 3rd and we finish 5th, but we go up and they don’t?

They deffo not finishing 3rd they’ve done well
To get out of the shit cos they were in it big time but they are still a bang average championship team we will finish well above them because if we didn’t we would be In serious trouble of double relegation

 

[Champagneblade]

We're not in bad shape. We also have a great opportunity. This is our starting base if we want it to be....

????
???? Egan Robinson
Bogle Hamer Arblaster Brooks Osborn
???? McBurnie

.... because I think we'll now be able to keep McBurnie if we want to, along with Egan

Add a few signings to that and how is it anything other than a top end team?

That wouldn't mean promotion though, because it'll be a hard league

The following will all be strong IMO: Burnley, Luton/Forest, Leeds/Southampton (maybe both), Hull, Boro, WBA, Coventry, Sunderland

Hard league, but a good league. A better league to be in than the PL, for numerous reasons

All depends who are the ????

Johansson
Worrall Egan Robinson
Bogle Hamer Arblaster Brooks Osborn
Iheanacho McBurnie

We probably won't go this far, but I think most would think this XI would be more than competitive.

 

[jt64]

We should push very hard to get Archer back if at all possible

How many good games has he actually had for us?

 

[Pintor75]

A rebuild takes time and can take 3-4 seasons of patience with some unpopular sales. I have no problem with sales so long as the money is reinvested into the first team. We've seen many a player sold with inferior cheap replacements coming in. James Beattie out for £2.5mil, Jamie Ward coming in for £330k as a replacement and the remaining £2.17mil vanishing being a prime example.

If we use Arblaster as ground zero for example, then we are up one player for the rebuild. Let's say he gets sold in January for £15mil, we're now back to zero. However, if we then spent the £15mil on 2-3 players then we're now sat on 2 or 3 players for the rebuild. We'd be a stronger team for selling him.

Yes it would suck that Arblaster would be gone, but we'd now be 2-3 players better off in building a new team. That's football, and I could live with that.

Our main problem will be expectation management with a lot of our fans demanding promotion next season. Why, I don't know. We weren't ready for the Premier League this season and we'll likely be a worse and weaker team this coming season. As for thinking the Prince will learn from this and change his approach I highly doubt it one bit.

We need patience and acceptance that we may be a mid-table team for a few seasons, occassions flirting around the play off spots, while we take TIME to rebuild from ground zero.

What I can't abide by is rebuilding a new team around the likes of McBurnie, Egan or Anel. They're in the past and the past has left us in a mess. Live in the now and look to the future and let the past lie. Hecky giving Norwood, Fleck and Basham new deals was a joke, as all three struggled last season, then you had Hecky trying to resign Sharp. As much as a legend as he is, Sharp has been a failure in the Premier League throughout his career and sentiment gets you absolutely nowhere in football. We're not ruthless enough as a club and live in the past too much. Football is a cut throat business. If you were great for us in the Championship but proven to be no good in the Premier League, then sadly it's bye bye time. See you later and good luck. It's why two teams dumped Norwood when they got promoted. He did well for half a season for us and has never looked the same again since. We should've gotten rid and replaced him after we were relegated last time.

Totally agree, it's what I said when we went down last time, we are 2 wasted years down the line and no better off, back with the same manager who left in a huff. I obviously hope we do well next season ,but it's going to be a hard log, utb