Nagging regrets from the season

[Champagneblade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

 

[Bladezz]

We need to do absolutely everything different, I wouldn’t even do anything the same.

This isn’t to blame an individual or individuals as it’s a collective at SUFC.

The recruitment is some of the worst I’ve ever seen, whether it’s financial or wrong player selection. But our team is substantially worse than the season previous.

We didn’t sign any runners in a league full of runners.

We are drastically unfit, which is incredibly poor for one of the hardest leagues in the world.

I remember Hecky saying at the start of the season he doesn’t know what style of football will be playing. So a clear lack of leadership in terms of formation / style makes recruitment even harder, or is this down to him not knowing what players were coming in?

We have a team near enough full of players at the end of their contracts. Some will have been wanting rewarding for getting promotion (yes they get an increase in wages but some will expect a new deal). Mcburnie for example scored 14 goals last 12 months of his deal would have expected a new deal early on. Never happened.

We never had one strong voice with what our plans are and what we want things to look like was very wishy washy.

This isn’t a dig at anyone in particular but as a whole at SUFC. Us as fans have been let down for a number of different reasons.

We’ve obviously decided to come in and to have a singular strong voice. Wilder has got some players to sign deals and as he old saying “getting his finger prints on everything”. We need medium and long term thinking which is contracts and new permanent signings. But they have to be better than Grbic which is a big worry of mine.

Wilder may or may not be the answer for some on here but he will at least bring us more in line with what us as fans want. We need to be fitter and we need to be more athletic and we need to have some identity. Wilder will give us those things, will that lead to results? Not sure and if it doesn’t he will be gone. But at least we will be closer to where we need to be.

Then in 2 years time if we don’t have promotion we sack Wilder and then I would be in favour of bringing in a new upcoming coach (Rosenior is flavour of the moment).

 

[John Street West Terrace]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

The mistake with Ndiaye was allowing him & his agent to dictate the time table of his eventual departure . Obviously the club was aware he was in the last year of his contract for a while , they should have said if he hadn’t signed by the 30th June that they knew he was a going and planned around that . But they were that desperate the allowed him to drop us in the shit . The other signings we made smelt of desperation, I can’t believe ppl actually went to watch Thomas , Larouci , Souza , Trusty & Traore play because if they did they would have known they were nowhere near PL level . The Stutgart friendly was a good barometer of where we were & we’re gonna be . Been a total shit show from the day after we got promoted to present .. we got so many things wrong

 

[finlaytheblade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

Great Post Champs you covered a lot of ground there.We Got it totally wrong was any real due diligence done on these players! All were a gamble with maybe Trusty pick of the bunch and he wasn't good enough lacking experience (which is true of em all) and Wilder using him has an emergency left back where he was like a fish out of water,I felt sorry for him playing out of position without the tools for the job,credit to him for sticking at it when he was totally out of his depth at full back.
It seems Prince was let down by his chief lieutenants and with the prince ocean's away decision s are not made quick enough.
Hopefully under the new set up scouting etc we will get it right this time..

 

[71Blade]

Simply no plan whatsoever

 

[Zeblades34]

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”.

I don't think there were enough time for a re-think, after we sold him him it all seemed a bit kick bollock and rush, can't believe the club didn't have a back up plan in case he left anyway.

 

[Davalon]

I remember Hecky saying at the start of the season he doesn’t know what style of football will be playing.

Hecky said in interviews he wanted to play a more counter attacking game

 

[Rodley]

The mistake with Ndiaye was allowing him & his agent to dictate the time table of his eventual departure . Obviously the club was aware he was in the last year of his contract for a while , they should have said if he hadn’t signed by the 30th June that they knew he was a going and planned around that . But they were that desperate the allowed him to drop us in the shit . The other signings we made smelt of desperation, I can’t believe ppl actually went to watch Thomas , Larouci , Souza , Trusty & Traore play because if they did they would have known they were nowhere near PL level . The Stutgart friendly was a good barometer of where we were & we’re gonna be . Been a total shit show from the day after we got promoted to present .. we got so many things wrong

Offer him (Ndiaye) the best contract in the clubs history the day after we get promoted and then if he doesn’t sign it within a fixed timeframe, sell him. Given we’ve still not sorted Jebbo, I‘ve no faith we got our act today fast enough with Ndiaye.

 

[BobblesBlade]

Losing Berge, Ndyieee and Doyle basically killed it before the season started. Anel playing shite, Egan and Basham getting injured screwed our defence.
What a rotten season.

 

[TJ blade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

Birmingham must have some right shit, regarding Trusty! Which have eventually been proved right with there relegation. He makes Nryon Nosworthy look selectable

 

[Bladezz]

Hecky said in interviews he wanted to play a more counter attacking game

Yes but right at the start he was saying he’s unsure as he didn’t know what players he was going to have. This isn’t digging Hecky it’s just how there’s little play in its entirety.

Counter attacking and signing Archer doesn’t add up properly. We didn’t sign pace which is the number one thing to counter.

 

[CPB]

Losing Berge, Ndyieee and Doyle basically killed it before the season started. Anel playing shite, Egan and Basham getting injured screwed our defence.
What a rotten season.

Less basham just because he was a bit part player last season. But basically yeah the above did. And more injuries too.
We haven't had mcburnie available all.season that would have helped too.

I would counter that Hamer is probably more effective for us, but Berge was part of the core at the time. You lose the continuity. And his driving runs got us up the pitch at times too.

 

[CoatesyBlade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

Good post in as much as I agree with every word. But it’s just made me relive our summer business again and now I’m livid!
Doyle was the absolute #1 target last summer for me. He fit the club perfectly and was an ideal Norwood replacement. Remember when he changed his profile picture back to him in a Blades shirt? I was so excited!
Instead we fucked around and brought in Souza! Big Vini!! A player who couldn’t be any further from what we were looking for if we had tried!

I thought Slimane looked decent in pre season tbh but that’s as far as it went.
Troare was a pointless signing and that money should’ve been used on big athletic striker loan.
I had no problem with the Trusty signing and I personally think we’ll need him next season.
Larouci and Thomas again were just awful business by our recruitment team.

Sell: Ndiaye and Berge
Buy: Doyle, Hamer, Trusty (LWB & GK if possible)
Loan: (domestic or foreign) McAtee, Striker, (LWB & GK)

 

[MojoMuffin]

The biggest take from this season for me has been fitness, in terms of both on the pitch and general injuries.

Our game plans have more often than not lasted 45 minutes with the inevitable collapse in the 2nd half. Which in some ways makes sense, when you're averaging sub 30% percent possession in a league that will require you to absolutely run your socks off without the ball. Pre-season, I was quite OK with our defence but it's been an absolute shocker. There's been no cohesion, no communication and no leadership to take charge of a defensive scenario. Too many unmarked players, too many free at the back post, too many lost second balls and of course, too many own goals. The attitude to going behind has been horrific too.

Agree with a lot of your original post so just adding my two cents to it rather than repeating posts above.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Great post Champagneblade-

With hindsight only player we bought that is any good is Hamer- rest were dogshit- felt like as per usual - here's a bunch of low cost gambles- lets hope it works.

It didn't work and the planning at the club is a shambles. It feels totally adrift no proper leadership whatsoever- given that backdrop - Wilder is definitely our best hope to hold it all together- run the club basically.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Looking at our starting 11 in the first game against Palace.....and feeling absolutely deflated.....knew the season was going to be tuff from that day onwards.

 

[Bell4]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

Good post - as usual

Will we learn ? We will soon find out .

I feel sorry for Hecky , he got no help whatsoever imo. He managed to get us up despite facing a clusterfk of internal idiocy and abdication. He had no infrastructure re recruitment help and he lost his ‘ identity ’ when IN and SB left - plus I would have thought he was going for Doyle at that time .

I would have thought , only my opinion, that Hamer signed with an agreement that if we got relegated he could be sold if a prem club came in with our valuation of money back plus £5m ? I think his real upturn in form is him playing for that move . I know how desperate he is to stay in Prem (I know his next door neighbour)

The rest of the signings were awful and reflect the utter incompetence of the owners interest and subsequent lack
If internal investment- everything was last minute and desperate.

Wilder is very bullish, but he will only have a chance if the owner has a progressive plan .

I think we will lose Hamer and Arblaster , first one because he will want to go back to prem , the second to plug cash flow . I think we will make a loss on Souza - that’s if we can find a buyer for him - and Anel will also go .

For those who think we still have a backbone to build on- I don’t share that optimism.

I am truly worried

 

[CoatesyBlade]

Good post - as usual

Will we learn ? We will soon find out .

I feel sorry for Hecky , he got no help whatsoever imo. He managed to get us up despite facing a clusterfk of internal idiocy and abdication. He had no infrastructure re recruitment help and he lost his ‘ identity ’ when IN and SB left - plus I would have thought he was going for Doyle at that time .

I would have thought , only my opinion, that Hamer signed with an agreement that if we got relegated he could be sold if a prem club came in with our valuation of money back plus £5m ? I think his real upturn in form is him playing for that move . I know how desperate he is to stay in Prem (I know his next door neighbour)

The rest of the signings were awful and reflect the utter incompetence of the owners interest and subsequent lack
If internal investment- everything was last minute and desperate.

Wilder is very bullish, but he will only have a chance if the owner has a progressive plan .

I think we will lose Hamer and Arblaster , first one because he will want to go back to prem , the second to plug cash flow . I think we will make a loss on Souza - that’s if we can find a buyer for him - and Anel will also go .

For those who think we still have a backbone to build on- I don’t share that optimism.

I am truly worried

Hamer might be desperate to play in the PL but let’s face it, he’s 27(?) and with us this is the highest level he’s played at. If his release clause is 20m (for arguments sake) who’s spending that amount of money on him that would want him? Ipswich or Forest? Certainly no Championship teams. So his best option could well be to get himself and us back there.
Arblaster is a Blade and CW will want him here as the focal point to the rebuild… it would have to be stupid money.
I think we will make a loss on Souza. But we bought him, he’s our player, whatever we can get will be a bonus and a lesson learned.
I think we’ll get decent money for Anel.

I’m not worried… let’s see how the summer goes and reassess in August

 

[GrunkyPeep]

Offer him (Ndiaye) the best contract in the clubs history the day after we get promoted and then if he doesn’t sign it within a fixed timeframe, sell him. Given we’ve still not sorted Jebbo, I‘ve no faith we got our act today fast enough with Ndiaye.

Disagree.

Ndiaye had verbally agreed a contract. Why would we look to sell someone who was about to sign a contract?

Fair play, the lack of a successful back-up plan is frustrating but looking to sell a player we absolutely needed to keep, and were millimetres from keeping, would have been mental.

 

[sufc323]

I've said it before, but it was absolutely criminal how we were scrounging around for signings 3 games into the season when we had sealed promotion with 3 games to spare and gave us a head start to sort out contracts and signings.

That set the tone for the season, the first 2 games were absolutely winnable and we shouldn't have come out of those with 0 point. We were still assembling a team at that point which fucked up any pre season plans in terms of gelling new signings into the squad, giving them our fitness regime (though probably best they skipped that) and meant we were experimenting in games that mattered instead of using friendlies to try out different systems and formations.

It's promising that Wilder has come out and said he's already been talking to agents and targets, we should already have made plans of who is going, who is getting a contract, and what positions need strengthening so that we can have a good pre season and start next season in the best possible shape, especially as we're already starting bottom.

 

[bakeblade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

Doyle would have been perfect for us, however he wouldn't agree to a wage deduction on relegation.
Having been burnt with this with Brewster we clearly didn't want to repeat the risk of Doyle getting injured and be stuck with a higher earner doing nowt.

 

[SwissBlade]

• Recruit early and blend experience with younger players
• Mitigate potential sales early
• Build a 25 man squad with at least 75% first team ready replacements
• Fitness levels to peak in August
• Mitigate against injuries - improve facilities, fitness plans to have a ramp up to August, then ease off until Oct, and follow a 2-3 month block,
• Invest heavily in sports science, improve links with universities
• training camps in warm weather during winter
• reduce training overload to be more tactic based during season

A few things off the top of my head

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Getting a season ticket.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Defence has been the biggest regret.

Even before Egan got injured we knew we needed another centre half. We didn’t bother sorting this til Egan was injured. We needed somebody of Egan’s profile to play in the centre and ended up with Anel who doesn’t have the attitude or experience to cope with it.

We’ve also gone most of the season with real no specialist at left wing back. The ones who’ve been fit to play (Larouci and Thomas) are league two standard at best. Instead we’ve ended up with Osborn, Trusty and Robinson as square pegs in a round hole.

Right wing back we’ve relied on Bogle who we should realise simply is not a defender.

We excelled in the 19/20 season largely because we had two excellent wing backs who could drive up the pitch and were solid aggressive defenders. This position seems to have been relegated to an after thought.

Add in the fact we passed up signing Doyle as a defensive midfielder, a player who could run, pass and tackle. Instead we went with Norwood who can pass and Souza who can’t even do that. The midfield as a consequence has offered no resistance all season, save for the odd challenge from Hamer who should be much further forward.

I don’t think Berge leaving made the slightest bit of difference from a footballing perspective but definitely gave morale a kicking. Should have been sorted sooner in the window.

Ndayie. Only one I can’t attach too much blame to the club. They’d been trying to tie him down for a year. Yes it should have been sorted sooner but we gambled on giving him more time to sign. He was a player worth the gamble but he chose to fuck the club unfortunately.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Getting a season ticket.

Not being busy elsewhere on the day of the Newcastle game

 

[Rodley]

Disagree.

Ndiaye had verbally agreed a contract. Why would we look to sell someone who was about to sign a contract?

Fair play, the lack of a successful back-up plan is frustrating but looking to sell a player we absolutely needed to keep, and were millimetres from keeping, would have been mental.

Verbal agreement means nothing. Unless a contract is signed, we were at risk.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Looking at our starting 11 in the first game against Palace.....and feeling absolutely deflated.....knew the season was going to be tuff from that day onwards.

Yep the same here …A side considerably weaker than the one that had got us promoted 3 months earlier

 

[billyblademan]

Defence has been the biggest regret.

Even before Egan got injured we knew we needed another centre half. We didn’t bother sorting this til Egan was injured. We needed somebody of Egan’s profile to play in the centre and ended up with Anel who doesn’t have the attitude or experience to cope with it.

We’ve also gone most of the season with real no specialist at left wing back. The ones who’ve been fit to play (Larouci and Thomas) are league two standard at best. Instead we’ve ended up with Osborn, Trusty and Robinson as square pegs in a round hole.

Right wing back we’ve relied on Bogle who we should realise simply is not a defender.

We excelled in the 19/20 season largely because we had two excellent wing backs who could drive up the pitch and were solid aggressive defenders. This position seems to have been relegated to an after thought.

Add in the fact we passed up signing Doyle as a defensive midfielder, a player who could run, pass and tackle. Instead we went with Norwood who can pass and Souza who can’t even do that. The midfield as a consequence has offered no resistance all season, save for the odd challenge from Hamer who should be much further forward.

I don’t think Berge leaving made the slightest bit of difference from a footballing perspective but definitely gave morale a kicking. Should have been sorted sooner in the window.

Ndayie. Only one I can’t attach too much blame to the club. They’d been trying to tie him down for a year. Yes it should have been sorted sooner but we gambled on giving him more time to sign. He was a player worth the gamble but he chose to fuck the club unfortunately.

Defence wise we've obviously been shocking, albeit slightly unlucky as well. Here's how I'd see it by position:

RWBs: Relying on Baldock/Bogle is fine in my view. Baldock was one of our best players in the promotion season, and Bogle an able deputy. Unfortunately George has played a lot less than we'd have liked, but I don't blame the club for leaving this position in summer.

RCB: Anel/Bash. Anel had dipped a bit in the second half of the season, and Bash was borderline a liability in the Champ last season, but again - we'd have hoped Anel would step up. Bash as backup a bit of a qn mark, but can see why we kept him around to some extent, especially with our tiny transfer budget. Plus - you assume that Anel would start 30+ games and so Bash would rarely be required.

CB/LCB: Egan, JLT, Trusty. Egan had been one of our better players in the promotion season, and the same for JLT. It's a step up to the Prem obviously, but our defence had been excellent in the prior season, and both deserved their shot this season. Unfortunately, Egan then gets crocked, and we're left only with Trusty who has struggled badly. I think we should have recruited another CB, as one injury here leaves us very exposed, as we've found out.

LWB: Lowe/RND/Larouchi/Thomas: I think we should have upgraded on Lowe here. Instead we relied on Lowe, and shock horror, he finds a ridiculous way to get injured (and then a more conventional way after getting back into the team over Xmas). Larouchi is rubbish, and to be fair Hecky realised this quickly, so brought in another. Unfortunately Thomas was just as bad. A position we really fucked up, and one the management team should be held accountable for.

 

[DifferentClass]

That we didn't beat Villareal to the punch on Brereton in the summer and managed to get Archer on a proper permanent.

 

[Keen Blade]

It concerns me how poorly we read the room regarding our promotion and it’s a real regret we didn’t make more of a fist of it.

Whilst Hecky seems a decent guy and a decent coach, it doesn’t make him a good leader and feels like he was resigned to his fate as soon as Ndiaye left and was passive in reacting to it.

Ndiaye was not only our best attacker, but he was also our best defender and arguably our best midfielder, but the way we went about moving on from his departure was almost child like in its naivety.

Under Wilder, despite it feeling far more swashbuckling, even he noted that we would have to be more robust. Under Hecky, he went the other way!

I don’t know why we didn’t draw a line in the sand and say “ok, we’ve lost Iliman, we need a re-think”. It is clear we entered the season with no clear identity and chasing players we liked, e.g. Archer, rather than players that fitted to a plan.

We could have played McAtee off a striker and gone for Hamer and Doyle as the two main targets. Both would have held their value if relegated even if the latter would not have accepted a wage clause. There was a period before Wolves and City started talking that he was clearly waiting on us.

This lack of leadership and decisiveness really cost us.

Imagine if we could have finished the season with a midfield of Arblaster, Doyle and Hamer, with McAtee off a main striker.

That’s not to say the defence and keeper didn’t need some work but it is really poor how bad the club got it wrong. The disjoint between manager and recruitment was such a gulf and can’t be allowed to happen again.

How much Hecky was involved in recruitment wasn’t clear but the fact him and Paul Mitchell have both not lasted the season says it all. Roygbiv in his view from outlined early on Souza was blamed for a lot of his prior club’s plight. Slimane was highlighted as inconsistent even in a weak league. One visual on Traore would tell you he’d need to be exceptional to get over his slight frame in such a competitive league. I can accept the rationale on Trusty, he got Player of the Year at Brum. But the complete lack of desire to forge an identity for the team and then to recruit appropriately only added to such an abject season.

I just wonder, if our time came again, and if those were the known finances, what would we have done differently?

Have we learned from this experience?

The only thing the owner has learned is you can serve up shite + then go back to an old manager who had a mental breakdown last time he was here ...
And you still sell over 20k STs.