The rebuild starts now.

[Broomhall Blade]

Pragmatic view and well articulated. Fully agree, its hard as a fan because we see everything in the moment but the bigger picture and longer term transformation is key - gradually building a squad, infrastructure, backroom staff, scouting network. Years languishing in league 1 mean there's a long way to go.

The problem for me is next year will be a struggle. We need a proper reset / clear out. Maybe 10/12 of squad can go for me and the same bringing back in, that turnover in a team means a difficult year.

We don't need a complete reset and definitely not 10 or 12 of the Squad going.
Jagielka, Rodwell, Lundstram, Ampadu to go.
Ramsdale, Egan, Basham, O'Connell, Stevens, Baldock, Robinson, Lowe, Bogle, RND,
Brewster, McBurnie, Burke, McGoldrick, Mousset and Sharp.
Name me one side in the Championship who would have a better defence and attack than us.

Now the Problem area Midfield this is where we need strengthening and should be looking at players now from Championship and Premiership sides even possibly the 1st Division.
We would have Fleck, Norwood, Osborn and Berge if we added 2 or 3 quality signings that again would be a top Midfield for the Championship, any new signings might help push Fleck & Norwood back to last seasons standards.
Obviously not quite as simple as that someone might come in for Berge or O'Connell but even if they did we would still have a strong squad and the money we would get for them would be decent.
We would arguably be the biggest attractive club in the Championship and we will have Parachute payments.
You only have to look at who is top of the Championship now to see that just tweaking your squad can work.

 

[SotonBlade]

For me, the rebuild starts now.

This is a perspective I'd reached on my own, but aligns well with the post Zipwire has shared earlier this evening.

This is bigger than this season alone, this is about the overall stature, direction and growth of SUFC. I actually agree a lot with Zipwire's idea of being 'overpromoted' in terms of the infrastructure we had in place. The build wasn't a gradual one, but more of a meteoric rise. We deserved every scrap of success that came our way based on our style of play, our professionalism, our togetherness, the innovation of our system and the hunger of everyone in the squad.

But now, we reflect that the wider standing of club isn't quite where it needs to be: wage structure, training ground, academy, squad depth. Hence why plans are in place to develop Shirecliffe and why we have squad with little credible depth, a 38-year old second choice centre half, and little variation in the squad, to be more flexible and change the system, tactically.

In many respects, last season was the outlier, as magic as it was. Hence Wilder in his interview commenting on how last season's success was thanks to every aspect of the club (tactics, selection, confidence, fitness, taking chances) being 100%, maxing the squad (and our fortunes) out.

When Wilder makes comments about the standing of certain clubs, and not being able to go toe-to-toe with sides, I understanding why it doesn't always go down well, especially when the offering on the pitch is so poor, currently. However, I'm starting to appreciate what he means.

I've said a few times on Shoutbox tonight that I'm at peace with the situation, as much as I can be. This is a rebuild. Not to get us back to last season's heroics, but to continue to drag us away from the dire abysmal days of Rochdale away, Connor Sammon, Dean Hammond, selling Adams, Maguire, DCL to the earliest bidder, playoff disappointments and McCabe's inadequacies. This is a project, a long-term transformation of a club from those dark days. Is anything on the pitch currently easy to watch? Of course not. I feel sad and fed up most weeks, but this is bigger context stuff.

The need for continued growth and improvement in this project, doesn't mean losing the manager - quite the opposite. Instead, appraise and scrutinise all aspects of the club's performance last year and this, but improve together. That includes tactics, wage structure, squad depth, recruitment. I trust noone more with my club, but we are learning together and need to reflect on where we could've done much better. It's important to remember that Wilder is no more experienced at this level than anyone else. We could have noone better experienced in the Championship if/when we go down - but a proven PL manager doesn't drop down to the Champ.

So, starting points:

• Assess the squad now. Where are the gaps, which areas need improving or depth adding. For example, does Freeman have a key role for us next season?
• Build the shopping list for the Championship now, use this window too.
• Clear the deadwood. Pay off Moore, Jagielka, Rodwell, Foderingham etc..
• Seek assurances and commitments from the current squad - get a real feel for who is committed to the cause, even if we do go down.
• Get back to the basics, revisit how we want to play, what we want our style and tactics to be, and rebuild around that.

Chris Wilder and Alan Knill's influence has been the best thing to happen to this club for decades, now it's time to think about what their next chapter holds in store for us...

Post of the year already

 

[SouthportBlade]

We don't need a complete reset and definitely not 10 or 12 of the Squad going.
Jagielka, Rodwell, Lundstram, Ampadu to go.
Ramsdale, Egan, Basham, O'Connell, Stevens, Baldock, Robinson, Lowe, Bogle, RND,
Brewster, McBurnie, Burke, McGoldrick, Mousset and Sharp.
Name me one side in the Championship who would have a better defence and attack than us.

Now the Problem area Midfield this is where we need strengthening and should be looking at players now from Championship and Premiership sides even possibly the 1st Division.
We would have Fleck, Norwood, Osborn and Berge if we added 2 or 3 quality signings that again would be a top Midfield for the Championship, any new signings might help push Fleck & Norwood back to last seasons standards.
Obviously not quite as simple as that someone might come in for Berge or O'Connell but even if they did we would still have a strong squad and the money we would get for them would be decent.
We would arguably be the biggest attractive club in the Championship and we will have Parachute payments.
You only have to look at who is top of the Championship now to see that just tweaking your squad can work.

Fair point and maybe 10-12 was a bit excessive, but you could argue the following as either replaceable, substandard, or on their way out anyway

Wes
Moore
Robinson
Bryan
Jagielka
Rodwell
Freeman
Ampadu
Lundstram
Sharp

Then theres players who's form has dropped off a cliff, and may not recover...

Fleck
Norwood
Stevens

Then there's players who might not stay...

Egan
JoC
Berge

Not saying all of the above will materialise or that they necessarily should happen, but i think there's questions there and we'll need to have a busy summer. A reset and building around out best players is potentially a good thing in the long term.

As you mention we have the makings of a very good Championship squad, but think we need to be ruthless with wider squad, particularly as we'll have an eye on going straight back up

 

[Upton_Blade]

Without taking into account any leavers this will be the 1st team squad at the end of the season once contract endings are taken into account.

GK: Rambo, Verrips, Foderingham.
RB: Baldock, Bogle.
CB: Bash, Egan, JOC, Robinson.
LB: Stevens, Lowe, Osbourne, RND.
RM: ???
CM: Berge, Norwood, Slater.
LM: Fleck, Freeman.
ST: MCBurnie, Brewster, Burke, Sharp, Didzy, Moose.

Obviously there are a few there that can flex to other positions potentially but IMO the squad is quite lop sided in it's make up and midfield looks really problematic considering Berge will almost certainly not be here.

With that in mind our starting line up would probably look like this:

..............................Rambo..........................
.......................Bash Egan JOC...................
....Baldock Norwood Fleck Stevens...
............................Freeman..........................
................McBurnie Brewster..................

Now the next issue for me there is that Norwood, Fleck and Steven's form has dropped off a cliff so can they get their form back?

All things being considered I think we'll see a big rebuild this summer.

 

[FlamingLip]

If our form continues, single digit total but Wilder stays in office, how will it influence the desirability of our club for targets both domestic and abroad? We're unfashionable/unattractive enough as it is.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

If our form continues, single digit total but Wilder stays in office, how will it influence the desirability of our club for targets both domestic and abroad? We're unfashionable/unattractive enough as it is.

By virtue of being one of the three newly relegated teams in the Championship next season, still very desirable.

 

[Yogi]

By virtue of being one of the three newly relegated teams in the Championship next season, still very desirable.

Agreed shouldn’t hurt us domestically and it’s unlikely there will be any top tier foreign signings as the infrastructure still won’t be there. Maybe a few more cheap but shrewd acquisitions like coulibally which would show progress in that regard imo.

 

[BigBed]

For me next season our squad should look something like this.

Gks: ramsdale, verrips, foderingham or a youth gk as 3rd choice. (sell verrips or fod)

Rwb: bogle/Baldock
Rcb: new 1st choice younger Rcb, bash
CB: Egan, young backup (pollock?)
Lcb: joc, Robinson
Lwb: Lowe/RND/Osborn
Cm: berge, Norwood
Rcm: new 1st choice, berge, bash, coulibaly?
Lcm: fleck, Freeman, Osborn
Cam, Freeman, Didz, coulibaly? Brunt, New signing (sell freeman)
Sts: mcburnie, Brewster, Burke, new signing, Didz, sharp.

That's if we're sticking with the back 3, obviously if we change to a formation with wingers, recruitment should reflect that

So who bought Stevens and Moose??

 

[Sithblade]

Ben Whiteman worth considering bringing back with our sell on clause? 24 year old goal scoring box to box player with interest from Preston and QPR this window. Must be ready for the step up to the Championship now.

 

[alcoblade]

I keep hearing Norwich mentioned as a justification that we'd come straight back up. However, if you look at the team they went down with it looks so much better on paper than ours.

They've only sold Lewis and Godfrey for £40 million

They've still got:

Aarons
Cantwell
Beundia
Krul
Pukki
Bryam

and signed 10 players on top of that on permanents and loan

You say you keep hearing this - can you link to one post where someone claims we will go straight back up?

 

[S40BLADE]

You say you keep hearing this - can you link to one post where someone claims we will go straight back up?

Play the game right and we’ll bounce straight back, in my opinion.

TBF was couple months ago but couldn't help myself...

 

[alcoblade]

TBF was couple months ago but couldn't help myself...

It's a fair kop! But I think in all seriousness, our plight has worsened somewhat since then.

The longer the results go against us, the bigger the reality of any rebuild gets. Of course, Norwich ended the season terribly, which keeps hope alive.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

If we accept that the Championship is where we are headed, we can think of no better manager.

Better that, than a new manager wanting to come in, impart their vision, clear the backroom and hire their own staff, clear the side and buy their own players, before you know it, we're on the edge of Bryan Robson to Micky Adams and free fall in no time at all.

In Wilder I whole heartedly trust.