May??

[bertieblade]

What is so significant about this season?
It appears from interviews with Adkins and the latest tweets from Baki that we have to get promotion this season, why? Will the prince pull out?

A question for McCabe at the AGM, which I would have raised but unfortunately unable to attend; perhaps someone could ask on my behalf?

 

[Ben_1982]

Possibly because may is the end of the season

 

[blade.i.am]

The significance of this season is another car crash in League 1. Sadly, it really does feel like early 80s, dropping into League 2 might be a better option for long term progression than yet another season in League 1 treading water.

 

[WorkingtonBlade]

dropping into League 2 might be a better option for long term progression than yet another season in League 1 treading water.

That's what everyone said about dropping to League One.

I look forward to the suggestion that perhaps a season in the Conference would do us good in the long run.

 

[Barney]

They've fell into the trap of setting an expectation level unbelievably superior to anything we could achieve.

A manager that isn't an absolute amateur should be downplaying any talk of promotion to decrease pressure, and to consequently increase the minuscule likelihood the players might put in a bit of effort, or display even the smallest levels of confidence on the ball.

The board have magnified that by playing along, and not making sure that what was going to be said wasn't going to be totally unrealistic, and cause complete embarrassment towards the end of the season, not that they would have had any sort of nous about them to carry that out.

 

[grafikhaus]

They've fell into the trap of setting an expectation level unbelievably superior to anything we could achieve.

A manager that isn't an absolute amateur should be downplaying any talk of promotion to decrease pressure, and to consequently increase the minuscule likelihood the players might put in a bit of effort, or display even the smallest levels of confidence on the ball.

The board have magnified that by playing along, and not making sure that what was going to be said wasn't going to be totally unrealistic, and cause complete embarrassment towards the end of the season, not that they would have had any sort of nous about them to carry that out.

It's called 'Managing Expectations'. Our notoriously fickle, impatient fans just assume that - with investment, infrastructure and support the envy of any other team in League 3 - we are going to beat Titans such as Shrewsbury, Port Vale, Crewe, Walsall, Colchester (substitute any other embarrassing result which occurs on a fortnightly basis). Just because Crewe hadn't won for 8 months, just because Barnsley were bottom of the table doesn't mean that their lamentable runs won't end when they play the Blades. It's the law of averages. Or The Blades Way.

It's all the fans' fault. A sixth, seventh, eighth (?) season at this level is perfectly acceptable and setting targets for the manager and his fast-fading record of previous 'success' is putting undue pressure on to him which, in turn, is transmitted to the players. I repeat, it's all the fans' fault.

 

[Hunkerby]

LOL

 

[Whiston Blade]

Tdropping into League 2 might be a better option for long term progression than yet another season in League 1 treading water.

Give over, try and spin it however you can, dropping into L2 would not be a good idea, look how long it's taking us to get out of L1 ffs.

 

[Bladesway]

Give over, try and spin it however you can, dropping into L2 would not be a good idea, look how long it's taking us to get out of L1 ffs.

Although there was a good argument that going into administration a couple of seasons ago would have us higher up the leagues than we are now. Other examples such as Leeds and Southampton and more recently Coventry have bounced back quicker than we have.

Fact is we are where we are. No manner of Billy big bollocks spouting about how massive we are changes that. Better players change that. Get better players and guess what happens?

 

[Woodwaaard]

Get better players and guess what happens?

They get paid more?...

 

[Whiston Blade]

Better players change that. Get better players and guess what happens?

Brian Robson supposedly did that...

 

[Woodwardfan]

Although there was a good argument that going into administration a couple of seasons ago would have us higher up the leagues than we are now. Other examples such as Leeds and Southampton and more recently Coventry have bounced back quicker than we have.

Fact is we are where we are. No manner of Billy big bollocks spouting about how massive we are changes that. Better players change that. Get better players and guess what happens?

Trouble is the existing players, many of whom have been signed in the last couple of seasons, do not go away until their contracts end.

Our player recruitment record is abysmal. Rightly or wrongly we threw big money at the Brayford and Done deals and Adams is still a development player and a work in progress. So many of the others are also-rans who struggle at this level, never mind higher levels.

As you know I reckon the Head Scout has got the second most important job in our club and I hope he knows what he's doing and in that context I don't think we have signed a single player through his efforts yet. Hammond was always coming and is not a newly scouted recruit. Adkins other signings were before Turnbull's time and in terms of expense relative to positive contributions are very disappointing ( Sharp, Sammon, Edgar, Woolford. I am a Sharp fan but he's not scoring enough goals in open play; if he had scored another 6 or so we would be well up there).

I'm looking forward to the next batch of signings, whenever they might arrive, but probably not many until next summer when a good few existing players will make way thank goodness.

 

[Deaneandagana]

The significance of this season is another car crash in League 1. Sadly, it really does feel like early 80s, dropping into League 2 might be a better option for long term progression than yet another season in League 1 treading water.

How could relegation to L2 possibly be a better option?

How's about employing competent management & administrators to oversee the club & get us out of this league, something that in the past 3 years clubs such as Yeovil, Doncaster, Rotherham & Brentford have all managed?

 

[grafikhaus]

Although there was a good argument that going into administration a couple of seasons ago would have us higher up the leagues than we are now. Other examples such as Leeds and Southampton and more recently Coventry have bounced back quicker than we have.

'Playing the system' hasn't done Leicester, West Ham and Wendy much harm, has it?

 

[Cyprus Blade]

I suspect, given the way that the financial structures in the Leagues work and given the number of players whose contracts are up at the end of the season, it will make a big difference in our general direction of travel and the quality and type of player that we sign. Being relegated is never a positive in my view.

 

[Deaneandagana]

Trouble is the existing players, many of whom have been signed in the last couple of seasons, do not go away until their contracts end.

Our player recruitment record is abysmal. Rightly or wrongly we threw big money at the Brayford and Done deals and Adams is still a development player and a work in progress. So many of the others are also-rans who struggle at this level, never mind higher levels.

As you know I reckon the Head Scout has got the second most important job in our club and I hope he knows what he's doing and in that context I don't think we have signed a single player through his efforts yet. Hammond was always coming and is not a newly scouted recruit. Adkins other signings were before Turnbull's time and in terms of expense relative to positive contributions are very disappointing ( Sharp, Sammon, Edgar, Woolford. I am a Sharp fan but he's not scoring enough goals in open play; if he had scored another 6 or so we would be well up there).

I'm looking forward to the next batch of signings, whenever they might arrive, but probably not many until next summer when a good few existing players will make way thank goodness.

For the record how much did Done cost? Never seen this disclosed?

 

[Woodwardfan]

How could relegation to L2 possibly be a better option?

How's about employing competent management & administrators to oversee the club & get us out of this league, something that in the past 3 years clubs such as Yeovil, Doncaster, Rotherham & Brentford have all managed?

Don't United or indeed any club need to use the spell in League 1 as a springboard towards better futures?

When we came down I was hoping we'd use our time here to put together a strong, young, mobile and pacey group of young players hungry to test themselves individually and as a group in the Championship and beyond.

None of our string of managers over the past 5 seasons have got anywhere near putting anything like that together.

Of the list you mention only Brentford have gone up and competed at the higher level. Yeovil are in L2, Donny are struggling in L1 and Rotherham just clung on last season and are in real danger of returning to L1 after losing their driving force.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

I was hoping we'd use our time here to put together a strong, young, mobile and pacey group of young players

We'd only sell them, sadly.

 

[Woodwardfan]

For the record how much did Done cost? Never seen this disclosed?

Best guesses at the time and since suggest £750k.

When we signed both Done and Brayford each of their clubs explained to their supporters that our persistent increased bids over the month of the JTW had reached proportions which were impossible to refuse. In other words we were determined to sign them at all costs so close to the deadline.

Just as an aside, Clough had his new plans for the last JTW approved in November last year and yet it took until the JTW deadline to sign the two players. If we'd secured them at the beginning of the window who knows how the season would have turned out?

 

[madeinsheffield]

Give over, try and spin it however you can, dropping into L2 would not be a good idea, look how long it's taking us to get out of L1 ffs.

I agree, all that happens when we drop down a division is that the better players leave, and we're left with the poorer players, who are the main reason we have been relegated each time

 

[Deleted member 875]

Nigel Adkins has got a 3 year contract, why not make getting out this division a 3 year project and give him time to build a decent side.

I'm no fan of the board, but I can't see how chopping and changing the manager every year is going to dramatically improve matters. So far in this division we have had Wilson, Morgan, Weir, Clough and now Adkins. 5 managers in just over 4 years, doesn't lead to any continuity.

 

[TonyAgana]

If we'd secured them at the beginning of the window who knows how the season would have turned out?

Who accepts an opening bid in the JTW??!

 

[Deaneandagana]

Don't United or indeed any club need to use the spell in League 1 as a springboard towards better futures?

When we came down I was hoping we'd use our time here to put together a strong, young, mobile and pacey group of young players hungry to test themselves individually and as a group in the Championship and beyond.

None of our string of managers over the past 5 seasons have got anywhere near putting anything like that together.

Of the list you mention only Brentford have gone up and competed at the higher level. Yeovil are in L2, Donny are struggling in L1 and Rotherham just clung on last season and are in real danger of returning to L1 after losing their driving force.

The point I was making re Yeovil etc is that they achieved promotion from this division, much smaller clubs with smaller budgets, fan base & infrastructure - whilst there is a view held by some that getting relegated to L2 is the way forward for us?

Accept your point about where they are now but that wasn't my point.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I agree, all that happens when we drop down a division is that the better players leave, and we're left with the poorer players, who are the main reason we have been relegated each time

There is another way and McCabe announced it 3 years ago - rely on the Academy products plus the signing of mainly young, cheap and hungry players. He stated he was not putting another penny into the club and it had to be self sufficient and pay it's own way. He said at the time that we had released far too many good young players and replaced them with more experienced and expensive players who were no better. He then appointed Weir with that brief and an instruction to slash the wage bill at every opportunity.

Then the prince came along and we are straight back to "more of the same 'owd, same ow'd".

We'll never know how Weir would have done over a 3/4 year period but my gut feeling tells me we would be no worse off than we are now, even if we had gone down to L2.

This club needs a dramatic culture change, one way or another.

 

[Woodwardfan]

The point I was making re Yeovil etc is that they achieved promotion from this division, much smaller clubs with smaller budgets, fan base & infrastructure - whilst there is a view held by some that getting relegated to L2 is the way forward for us?

Accept your point about where they are now but that wasn't my point.

No, it's my point though!

 

[Woodwardfan]

Who accepts an opening bid in the JTW??!

Fair comment but if you're going to pay it anyway it seems like vital time wasted. Suppose it's the fact we rarely seem decisive or come out winners in our transfer dealings both ways.

In fairness I think the Done signing was a second choice as we were chasing O'Grady at the time.

 

[Revolution]

There is another way and McCabe announced it 3 years ago - rely on the Academy products plus the signing of mainly young, cheap and hungry players. He stated he was not putting another penny into the club and it had to be self sufficient and pay it's own way. He said at the time that we had released far too many good young players and replaced them with more experienced and expensive players who were no better. He then appointed Weir with that brief and an instruction to slash the wage bill at every opportunity.

Then the prince came along and we are straight back to "more of the same 'owd, same ow'd".

We'll never know how Weir would have done over a 3/4 year period but my gut feeling tells me we would be no worse off than we are now, even if we had gone down to L2.

This club needs a dramatic culture change, one way or another.

We went back to same old same old to, er, save our selves from relegation, given that slashing the budget and appointing Weir had proved to be an absolute disaster.

I cannot see how anyone can think we would be better off with Weir still in charge. This season is going poorly but we are still in league one and have reached the playoffs once and the last 4 of a major cup competition twice in the 2 years since Weir was dismissed. All the evidence suggests that Weir did not have a clue what he was doing.

Weir's achievements at the Lane: one win, against 10 men. That's it.

 

[Woodwardfan]

We went back to same old same old to, er, save our selves from relegation, given that slashing the budget and appointing Weir had proved to be an absolute disaster.

I cannot see how anyone can think we would be better off with Weir still in charge. This season is going poorly but we are still in league one and have reached the playoffs once and the last 4 of a major cup competition twice in the 2 years since Weir was dismissed. All the evidence suggests that Weir did not have a clue what he was doing.

Weir's achievements at the Lane: one win, against 10 men. That's it.

As I say above, this club needs a culture change. It's all academic anyway but sometimes clubs take 3 steps back to move 1 forward; short term pain for long term gain and all that.

As it happens we are still in loads of pain and another £12m has gone down the drain with little to show for it anywhere.

 

[Bladesway]

Brian Robson supposedly did that...

He did but we would have been better with our cat in charge than him

 

[raul]

There is another way and McCabe announced it 3 years ago - rely on the Academy products plus the signing of mainly young, cheap and hungry players. He stated he was not putting another penny into the club and it had to be self sufficient and pay it's own way. He said at the time that we had released far too many good young players and replaced them with more experienced and expensive players who were no better. He then appointed Weir with that brief and an instruction to slash the wage bill at every opportunity.

Then the prince came along and we are straight back to "more of the same 'owd, same ow'd".

We'll never know how Weir would have done over a 3/4 year period but my gut feeling tells me we would be no worse off than we are now, even if we had gone down to L2.

This club needs a dramatic culture change, one way or another.

Hang on- has SUFC2013 or however you were packaging up the bright new Princely tomorrow gone the way of the "Clough Dynasty" now too?

At least NA retains your unwavering support and I'm sure it's of great comfort to him.....