There's no quick fix

[JJBlade]

Next season L1, better team smaller crowd

Exactly, next season when season tickets renewals are as low as they were pre Bassett days the club will finally start to get moving in the right direction (albeit with a hoofball merchant because it's as good as it gets for us)
It will be met with a lukewarm reception and a lukewarm support and many fans wont get behind it properly because
1) It's a return to hoofball, the 10 year experiment of trying to do what every other club does and takes for granted ie play football will be abandoned.......and
2) There'll be too much cynicism woven back into our support, they'll have just had enough of it all................"Just wait til they sell that fucker in January"..............."Just watch them fuck it up near the end of the season"............."Just watch them sell him in July"................."That c@nt wont be playing for us for much longer".................Even if we go up this lot will be shit in the Championship.

We'll probably get a Bassett like manager, go through two divisions one after the other and just like him struggle to get 18,000 for Premier League games because of the cynicism that was built up during the 70's and 80's.

There are a number of people that support all clubs that are less likely to go when they've had enough of it only for them to return as soon as things pick up again. But this club has lost all of them and they probably wont come back even for a good promotion season because of the "Seen and heard it all before effect" Promotion will have been won whilst they're sat at home thinking "Fuck them"

They couldn't just kick on and grow and expand when they finally managed to get the interest of all United fans back onside could they ?
No, they now have to start all over again, and personally I don't think they can ever do it again. The cynicism and lack of trust has set in too deep again.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

He also took a team from the relegation zone to 5th in 18 months. I'm not really sure where the so called "resources" were. Other than the signings of Brayford and Done he was never given particularly significant funds for transfer fees.

Like I say, he got some things right as well.

He wasn't fantastically backed in the summer but Higdon, Wallace, Butler, McCarthy, Paynter, Alcock, McEveley, Coutts etc shows he got his fair share wrong.

 

[spongebobblade]

lets look at it differently
we as a out of the prem league team have reached 5 major cup semis in 20 years
theres 14 of the current prem thats not had 3 semi appearances
losing 1-0 to arsenal , newcastle and in extra time to liverpool and getting 5 minutes from holding spurs is not bottling it, its nigh on heroic

And ultimately we have failed in every single play off, and every single cup semi final. The club that "nearly" wins something, the club that offers its fans glory then snatches it away at the last minute
THE BIGGEST CLUB IN BRITAIN THAT HAS WON NOTHING SINCE THE WAR

 

[Darthblade]

My expectation level for this season is now a mid table finish. I don't expect everyone to agree with that but that's where I'm at and I've come to terms with it. I'm now thinking about how soon we can start to rebuild, moving the existing dross out and bringing proper players in.....

We have a goalkeeper, central defenders and central midfield players to replace. All key positions with quality in those areas in relatively short supply and highly priced across the 92 teams. The aim of this thread is to work out a realistic timescale to get shut of what we don't need and bring in what we do.

I'm also interested to know whether anyone agrees that we should start thinking about next season (I'm talking about the fans, not the players and manager) and whether Adkins should and will be afforded that much time to see it through.

Thoughts?

I'm agreeing mate ..... I don't like the idea one little bit but Adkins said so himself; this squad is not good enough to get us promoted. We have too many big-time charlies who are good on paper but when it comes time to deliver on the pitch its beyond them !!

Regrettably; we've not addressed the glaring inadequacies in our squad, despite the summer transfer period and the emergency window, so we're likely to have to wait for next summer for the ecessary clear-out and culling of dross from the squad, hope that Adkins can hide Adams & Done in his kit-bag so the Board can't sell them and hope that NA can work some magic in the summer transfer market.

I'm more radical than you though ..... I would be looking for GK, 2 x CH, RW, 2 x CM, CF !!

UTB & FTP

 

[JJBlade]

Which War ?
It was closer to the First World War than the Second when we last won owt.
90 years and counting and while ever this "Haven't we done well to get this far" attitude remains in this club we wont ever win owt either.
We've done well in earlier cup rounds and in play off semis only for the "Haven't we done well, lets all toss each other off" attitude to rob us in the game that matters.

Look at Leicester and Palace, currently riding high in the Premier League.
Is there a "We've done ever so well to get here" attitude ?
No, there's a "These b@stards aren't that good and we can win games against them" attitude. There's a "Let's play our own game and not worry about them" attitude.

Both of these clubs will one day end up back in the Championship, that's just how it is.
They'll turn up one season and just not be good enough, or not be able to get it right on the pitch and they'll get relegated.
But their fans will have had some truly great memories where they really mixed it with the big boys and gave as good as they got instead of whimpering off to relegation and moaning about how unfair it all is that they couldn't compete and they did ever so well to get their in the first place.........bolox.

If you want to know why the cynicism of our fans is higher than any others then that's the reason why. They have much greater ambitions and belief in the potential of the club than any of the w@nkers sat in the boardroom (sorry not sat in the boardroom) ever will.

 

[bladesmanluke]

My expectation level for this season is now a mid table finish. I don't expect everyone to agree with that but that's where I'm at and I've come to terms with it. I'm now thinking about how soon we can start to rebuild, moving the existing dross out and bringing proper players in.....

We have a goalkeeper, central defenders and central midfield players to replace. All key positions with quality in those areas in relatively short supply and highly priced across the 92 teams. The aim of this thread is to work out a realistic timescale to get shut of what we don't need and bring in what we do.

I'm also interested to know whether anyone agrees that we should start thinking about next season (I'm talking about the fans, not the players and manager) and whether Adkins should and will be afforded that much time to see it through.

Thoughts?

I agree with this. The club would need to get fans on board with the idea though to lower expectations across the board else the pressure on Adkins will lead to him losing his job. We're not going anywhere this season that's blatantly obvious

 

[Houston_Blade]

He also took a team from the relegation zone to 5th in 18 months. I'm not really sure where the so called "resources" were. Other than the signings of Brayford and Done he was never given particularly significant funds for transfer fees.

I wasn't an advocate of Clough's sacking but those who were probably look at his tenure in a different way. He took us from relegation zone to 7th in a few months playing decent football and being hard to beat, then from 7th to 5th playing pretty turgid football in the remaining 12 months. I still think we'd be in much the same position we are in now with Clough in charge though so unless NA has a long term positive impact then don't see the point in the change.

 

[blade too long]

And ultimately we have failed in every single play off, and every single cup semi final. The club that "nearly" wins something, the club that offers its fans glory then snatches it away at the last minute
THE BIGGEST CLUB IN BRITAIN THAT HAS WON NOTHING SINCE THE WAR

oh to be as massive as wednesday and have one rumbelows cup since the war that you can polish into something significant
sheffield football on the whole is woeful

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I agree with this. The club would need to get fans on board with the idea though to lower expectations across the board else the pressure on Adkins will lead to him losing his job. We're not going anywhere this season that's blatantly obvious

Agree it would be hard to get the fans on board. Too many will not adjust their expectations and to be fair why should they after five years at this level?

I would hope that the board would back Adkins by explaining the mitigating circumstances linked to our ongoing poor performance. That would however mean that they need to take some blame themselves....which they won't.

It may be a long season for Nigel.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

THE BIGGEST CLUB IN BRITAIN THAT HAS WON NOTHING SINCE THE WAR

At least its another plaque we can hang on the railings.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I wasn't an advocate of Clough's sacking but those who were probably look at his tenure in a different way. He took us from relegation zone to 7th in a few months playing decent football and being hard to beat, then from 7th to 5th playing pretty turgid football in the remaining 12 months. I still think we'd be in much the same position we are in now with Clough in charge though so unless NA has a long term positive impact then don't see the point in the change.

My view on Clough is that certainly he wasn't perfect....however....I don't believe he was sufficiently financially backed from the off and when he was it was at the wrong time (in other words too late). He had to cobble a team together on what I imagine was a fairly average budget given the quality of player that came in and the fees spent (not very much initially).

That led to a situation where he had a lot of average players who were probably the best he could go and get due to financial constraints. Let's not forget he picked up a lot of players that either played in Scotland or weren't playing at all. I don't believe for one second that he wouldn't have tried to recruit more often in our division or the one above if he had been given the funds to do so.....

This ultimately led to a situation where he had to set the team up in a certain way to try and squeeze out 1-0 wins. It worked perfectly in the cups, that was the upside.

 

[Kenilworth]

My view on Clough is that certainly he wasn't perfect....however....I don't believe he was sufficiently financially backed from the off and when he was it was at the wrong time (in other words too late). He had to cobble a team together on what I imagine was a fairly average budget given the quality of player that came in and the fees spent (not very much initially).

That led to a situation where he had a lot of average players who were probably the best he could go and get due to financial constraints. Let's not forget he picked up a lot of players that either played in Scotland or weren't playing at all. I don't believe for one second that he wouldn't have tried to recruit more often in our division or the one above if he had been given the funds to do so.....
This ultimately led to a situation where he had to set the team up in a certain way to try and squeeze out 1-0 wins. It worked perfectly in the cups, that was the upside.

Don't see it that way as he played the same system at Derby - with substantial backing

He was too negative in this division - he deployed tactics that could beat teams of better quality but not dick teams who were of lower standard but matched (most often bettered) our work rate.
We'd often go a whole 45 mins without even having a shot to trouble the oppo goal keeper as we were "keeping it tight"
He would also have specific instructions to players that they were not allowed to go out of a certain zone - Doyle was a prime example of not being allowed to be more attacking (and I know this for a fact - it shouldn't be too difficult for anyone to understand how I know this).

I'll be forever grateful to NC -ve for some of the best FA Cup memries of my time supporting the Blades but his policy of getting in crocks and using first team football to get them into fitness and his negative approaches to games he needed to be on the front foot for has certainly costs us 1-2 years more in this division.

 

[BushBlade]

Don't see it that way as he played the same system at Derby - with substantial backing

He was too negative in this division - he deployed tactics that could beat teams of better quality but not dick teams who were of lower standard but matched (most often bettered) our work rate.
We'd often go a whole 45 mins without even having a shot to trouble the oppo goal keeper as we were "keeping it tight"
He would also have specific instructions to players that they were not allowed to go out of a certain zone - Doyle was a prime example of not being allowed to be more attacking (and I know this for a fact - it shouldn't be too difficult for anyone to understand how I know this).

I'll be forever grateful to NC -ve for some of the best FA Cup memries of my time supporting the Blades but his policy of getting in crocks and using first team football to get them into fitness and his negative approaches to games he needed to be on the front foot for has certainly costs us 1-2 years more in this division.

He wasn't substantially backed at Derby. They had something like the sixth lowest wage bill in the championship.

 

[Kenilworth]

He wasn't substantially backed at Derby. They had something like the sixth lowest wage bill in the championship.

Hmmn - no investment? - don't believe that wage stat - i know he had to reduce it but I don't believe they had the 6th lowest

Jason Shackell £750k
Shaun Barker £900k
Richard Keogh £1m
Craig Bryson £500k
Johnny Russell £750k
John Brayford £1m
Lee Grant Bosman
Chris Martin Bosman
Jamie Ward undisclosed (two marbles and a bag of peanuts)
Chris Maguire £400k
Chris Porter £1

http://derbycountyfan.com/2013/06/16/nigel-cloughs-best-worst-signings/

 

[Bladebri]

Progress is obtained only by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems. When you solve problems, all you do is guarantee a return to normalcy.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Hmmn - no investment? - don't believe that wage stat - i know he had to reduce it but I don't believe they had the 6th lowest

Jason Shackell £750k
Shaun Barker £900k
Richard Keogh £1m
Craig Bryson £500k
Johnny Russell £750k
John Brayford £1m
Lee Grant Bosman
Chris Martin Bosman
Jamie Ward undisclosed (two marbles and a bag of peanuts)
Chris Maguire £400k
Chris Porter £1

http://derbycountyfan.com/2013/06/16/nigel-cloughs-best-worst-signings/

I thought he paid Crewe about £400k for Brayford rather than a million?


And a quid for Porter? Pfft, should have bought a lottery ticket instead.


Let’s not forget he also sold Brayford for around £1.7mil. Not sure what other funds he generated but surely it should be the net spend that’s considered.


Adkins has spent £500k on Sharp but has lost Murphy for £1.7 mil. That should also be taken into account. If he could make 2 more purchases of Sharp’s calibre. Say a winger and a CB or GK, we wouldn’t be far away at all.

 

[Kenilworth]

I thought he paid Crewe about £400k for Brayford rather than a million?

And a quid for Porter? Pfft, should have bought a lottery ticket instead.

Ha!
You fell into my cunningly disguised trap and believed that Porter was purchased from PoundLand

 

[Kenilworth]

Progress is obtained only by exploiting opportunities, not by solving problems. When you solve problems, all you do is guarantee a return to normalcy.

Normalcy?

NORMALCY!

WTF?

Have we gone all fecking Yankee Doodle Dandy on here or summat?

Fecking Normalcy

Can we get back to some sense of normality on here please?

 

[BushBlade]

Hmmn - no investment? - don't believe that wage stat - i know he had to reduce it but I don't believe they had the 6th lowest

Jason Shackell £750k
Shaun Barker £900k
Richard Keogh £1m
Craig Bryson £500k
Johnny Russell £750k
John Brayford £1m
Lee Grant Bosman
Chris Martin Bosman
Jamie Ward undisclosed (two marbles and a bag of peanuts)
Chris Maguire £400k
Chris Porter £1

http://derbycountyfan.com/2013/06/16/nigel-cloughs-best-worst-signings/

Over four seasons? I think we've spent more than that.

And you've massively over valued Porter.

 

[Bladebri]

Normalcy?

NORMALCY!

WTF?

Have we gone all fecking Yankee Doodle Dandy on here or summat?

Fecking Normalcy

Can we get back to some sense of normality on here please?

Ha Ha Ha
That's what I want to see PASSION

 

[JohnDenver]

and I know this for a fact - it shouldn't be too difficult for anyone to understand how I know this

You've not been watching the games have you? Bloody lunatic.

 

[Hunkerby]

Financial Backing = Total Wage Bill + Transfer fees paid - Transfer fees received
Any analysis which just looks at transfer fees paid lacks credibility.

 

[spongebobblade]

oh to be as massive as wednesday and have one rumbelows cup since the war that you can polish into something significant
sheffield football on the whole is woeful

What's wrong with wanting to see your team actually win something in your lifetime? To have that big day out and win a trophy that actually means something? Oxford, Portsmouth, Wigan, Swansea and Wimbledon to name a few off the top of my head have all achieved what dreams are made of in my lifetime so why can't we want and dream the same things? Why do so many of us settle for second best? Heroes in defeat? I'd swap every losing cup semi final for a cup win. Every day out at Wembley to just win something there. Is it too much to want?

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Financial Backing = Total Wage Bill + Transfer fees paid - Transfer fees received
Any analysis which just looks at transfer fees paid lacks credibility.

Clubs that do well pay the fees and salaries. A number of them make significantly less than our club on fees received also.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Exactly, next season when season tickets renewals are as low as they were pre Bassett days the club will finally start to get moving in the right direction (albeit with a hoofball merchant because it's as good as it gets for us)
It will be met with a lukewarm reception and a lukewarm support and many fans wont get behind it properly because
1) It's a return to hoofball, the 10 year experiment of trying to do what every other club does and takes for granted ie play football will be abandoned.......and
2) There'll be too much cynicism woven back into our support, they'll have just had enough of it all................"Just wait til they sell that fucker in January"..............."Just watch them fuck it up near the end of the season"............."Just watch them sell him in July"................."That c@nt wont be playing for us for much longer".................Even if we go up this lot will be shit in the Championship.

We'll probably get a Bassett like manager, go through two divisions one after the other and just like him struggle to get 18,000 for Premier League games because of the cynicism that was built up during the 70's and 80's.

There are a number of people that support all clubs that are less likely to go when they've had enough of it only for them to return as soon as things pick up again. But this club has lost all of them and they probably wont come back even for a good promotion season because of the "Seen and heard it all before effect" Promotion will have been won whilst they're sat at home thinking "Fuck them"

They couldn't just kick on and grow and expand when they finally managed to get the interest of all United fans back onside could they ?
No, they now have to start all over again, and personally I don't think they can ever do it again. The cynicism and lack of trust has set in too deep again.

Two points, people are already making the comments you've mentioned and have been for quite some time. It's not something that's going to suddenly begin at the end of this season that only the cynics can see.
Secondly, although there is no doubt season ticket numbers will fall dramatically, we are getting around 19000 gates at the moment, to suggest we'd get less in the PL is ridiculous. There's enough to knock the whole set up with without resorting to "we're doomed " just because you no longer have the stomach for it.

 

[bgodbeheresufc]

I personally think it's gonna be a balancing act now between how much time Adkins needs to improve the squad and how much time he'll be afforded. It puts considerable pressure on January transfers but I'm not sure the people in charge will be patient at all.

As for this season, I believe league one is of them leagues that anything could happen, win a few on the trot and start looking up or we could just carry on leaking points and steadily slip into mid table mediocrity
Only time will tell ...

 

[Houston_Blade]

Financial Backing = Total Wage Bill + Transfer fees paid - Transfer fees received
Any analysis which just looks at transfer fees paid lacks credibility.

Plus management team pay-offs.

 

[ghandi]

We will come good, I still feel we will go up automatically, think we will have a good run through November and December, and then in the jtw we will consolidate our position with a couple of additions. IMO

How much did you pay for the mind altering drugs you have been taking?

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

We will come good, I still feel we will go up automatically, think we will have a good run through November and December, and then in the jtw we will consolidate our position with a couple of additions. IMO

Some of you are in complete denial. This team will do nothing.

They're....not....good....enough. Case closed.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

What's wrong with wanting to see your team actually win something in your lifetime? To have that big day out and win a trophy that actually means something? Oxford, Portsmouth, Wigan, Swansea and Wimbledon to name a few off the top of my head have all achieved what dreams are made of in my lifetime so why can't we want and dream the same things? Why do so many of us settle for second best? Heroes in defeat? I'd swap every losing cup semi final for a cup win. Every day out at Wembley to just win something there. Is it too much to want?

I'd even take winning a trophy that doesn't mean anything for now, i.e. the JPT. Just to actually win something. (Not interested about it being a "shit" trophy, the porkers laughing at us, "it's a sign of our decline", etc, etc. - just a case of winning something, & shedding the Wembley hoodoo as a bonus.)