Why I think back to back promotions are possible

[Houston_Blade]

At least the OP said "possible" and not "probable". I'd take 4th bottom with a view to a mid table finish the season after and play off tilt after that. Managing my own expectations!

 

[John Street West Terrace]

It's a difficult one to call as we haven't seen ourselves this season against anyone from championship or above but I think we will surprise a more than a few teams . With regards the sides coming down yes I also have a mate whose a. In Sunderland fan and they are in the sh*t over £150m in debt and stuck with players on long contracts , Boro I think will be back up there challenging & Hull also . Derby under Rosetta & whoever fails in the PO's will be around again , but look at Huddersfield & the diggers before there fire sale , any things possible and we've got the right man to get us up there .

 

[blade too long]

money is a tool
used correctly can go a long way

but


the championship see lots of clubs coming down with parachute money
do they all go straight back up

ooooh no
some just cant stop falling, bolton blackburn blackpool all had double the parachute money we got
Villa spent a fortune to tread water

can we go straight up . not be easy , but not impossible

we have the momentum , but the best sort , being a team , a solid unit
everyone covers each others backs ,. you cant buy that
we might be able to match some clubs spends , but they cant match our drive

I might have a cheeky bet on us , purely because we have CW and Knill
the rest will follow

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Can't rule it out because almost anything can happen in football but I won't be expecting it. For me, staying up would be a successful season, anything else is a bonus.

This ^

That should be the expectation across the board. Building expectations up beyond that would be unfair to the players and coaching staff.

Middlesbrough will be strong. Swansea would be as well. I could see Sunderland struggling a little. Aston Villa will be my favourites next season after they have a summer to bed in a lot of recently signed players. Any of the playoff teams that miss out have to be fancied as well.

I don't see us in the top six but stranger things have happened.

 

[away ends always empty.]

If wilder and the players ever sober up we should be good for mid-table .

 

[Tezza1889]

Realistically anything around 12th is a magnificent performance, and I know we will put a decent fight up in every game, but if we are knocking about around 10th there'll always be a couple who lose form.... playoffs is a miracle, but, how strong is the strengthening going to be.... who can say we won't get a lot better with a couple of brilliant additions..

Mid table would be lovely, but it's ok to think bigger...

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Can't rule it out because almost anything can happen in football but I won't be expecting it. For me, staying up would be a successful season, anything else is a bonus.

Chrissy bonus

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Winning breeds winners.

Sunderland are used to losing and are in free fall, they'll be lucky to make the top 10, we're winning and playing attract (almost sexual) stuff, the team spirit is as stronger bond i've seen since the Harry Bassett days and we've got the best manager outside of the PL.

For me we're going straight thorough, top 2, i've watched some championship matches this season and only really being impressed by Brighton, the others are much of a muchness.

As someone mentioned Barnsley were on the brink of something special until they sold their best 2 players, we're much better than they were last season.

Keep the Faith Blades cos its happening.

It might be social media that it's down to but the current SUFC feels even better than Bassetts SUFC.

Simply marvellous.

Thanks Mr Wilder.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

It’s ridiculous to suggest any scenario where Middlesborough don’t win the league? If you’re that certain that all of those things will happen, you should lump on at the bookies. I don’t think they’ll see it as the cert that you do.


That said, I think you might be somewhere near correct in your predictions. But it’s far too early to predict with any certainty what any team will do. I thought Charlton would win our league this season!!

I think the title will end up at Boro'.

Gibson will not cut costs and they will have a very strong squad.

 

[RammyBlade]

Might be football's most drunken interview.

Na Na Na Na hes a Blade and hes a Blade !! Hes one of our own - LOVED that interview

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Interesting times ahead lads & don't wanna put to much on players shoulders with expectations , but nice to be aiming high after been put through the mangler for more than a few years !! Yeh forgot add Villa into mix from previous .. but just being talking tonight how many of us saw us doing back to back promotions under DB 17 yrs ago ? I know I didn't .. and the old second division of that season had some big hitters , after we won 3-0 at West Brom in first game one or two in division pricked their ears up & a lot of us thought feck me bring em on

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Agree with that but would add Wolves, Cardiff and Forest to potential top ten clubs.
Lambert did a good job with Norwich, seems re-energised and they've plenty of money.
Warburton has also done well at this level and should sort Forest out if him and McParland are allowed to get on with it and the owner doesn't interfere. If they don't go down.
Warnock is Warnock, Cardiff will battle their way to a playoff challenge, at least.

I also think Birmingham, if they stay up, may improve considerably. Rowett had them in the top third before he was sacked but it really depends on what happens with the manager. Will they keep Redknapp? If they do, can he do it? If they don't, will they get someone capable or go for another big name loser?

Agree about Wolves and to some extent Cardiff (think they'll probably be upper mid-table flirting with the playoffs).

But Forest and Birmingham, whilst both have potential I think the owners appear clueless and a real hindrance which could see both struggle next season.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I think the title will end up at Boro'.

Gibson will not cut costs and they will have a very strong squad.

I think it's a possibility but not knowing who their manager will be makes it a difficult call. Think they'll be up there but my money would remain on Villa.

 

[Blade 62]

I think one benefit we've had this season is the TV coverage (lack of it) as many teams won't know what to expect from us.
And just with the team we have now is a lot better than some would give us credit for.
2 or 3 additions and who knows, I know one thing Wilder will be looking to win every team that's put in front of us.

 

[grafikhaus]

Agree completely. The money floating around the Champ is frightening. The prince & Kev's wealth together is the norm for owners up there.

Agree Middlesbrough will be up there, but I think whichever out of Swansea or Hull comes down will walk the Championship.

As things stand, we have the nucleus of a good side, but with the right additions we could flirt with the Play Offs. The flip side of that is, with the wrong additions we'll be flirting with relegation.

Having 'loaded' owners is no guarantee of success, and they can often fuck up - look at Villa, Birmingham, QPR and Derby. It's easy to look at the 'big' teams in the Championship and predict that they'll do well, but whoever goes down - Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Swansea/Hull will probably decimate their current squads to reflect their newer status. QPR show that dropping into the Championship from the PL - with the attendant parachute payments - doesn't count for anything (apart from inflated fees when QPR enquire about a player).

Who knows what will happen next season? But having a great manager, and an ethic that everybody can buy into - including the fans - will take you far. As others have said, there are definite comparisons between Bassett & Wilders' Blades - the ability to turn a bunch of unknowns and ragamuffins into a coherent unit - with a bit of judicious strengthening - makes me positive about 2017/18.

 

[sheffielder]

I think the title will end up at Boro'.

Gibson will not cut costs and they will have a very strong squad.

He will also have 20+m for the lad at the back, Ben Gibson. They won't be short but their squad does lack any unity whatsoever

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Having 'loaded' owners is no guarantee of success, and they can often fuck up - look at Villa, Birmingham, QPR and Derby. It's easy to look at the 'big' teams in the Championship and predict that they'll do well, but whoever goes down - Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Swansea/Hull will probably decimate their current squads to reflect their newer status. QPR show that dropping into the Championship from the PL - with the attendant parachute payments - doesn't count for anything (apart from inflated fees when QPR enquire about a player).

Who knows what will happen next season? But having a great manager, and an ethic that everybody can buy into - including the fans - will take you far. As others have said, there are definite comparisons between Bassett & Wilders' Blades - the ability to turn a bunch of unknowns and ragamuffins into a coherent unit - with a bit of judicious strengthening - makes me positive about 2017/18.

Fair point, but I'd argue that Swansea and Middlesbrough are very well run clubs and in Swansea's case (and Hull) have a very good manager. If Swansea do get relegated I'd back them to walk through the league at a breeze. Middlesbrough will be dependent on who they appoint as manager, but as others have said Steve Gibson is a canny chairman/owner so I'd back him to make the right choice.

 

[BushBlade]

Fair point, but I'd argue that Swansea and Middlesbrough are very well run clubs and in Swansea's case (and Hull) have a very good manager. If Swansea do get relegated I'd back them to walk through the league at a breeze. Middlesbrough will be dependent on who they appoint as manager, but as others have said Steve Gibson is a canny chairman/owner so I'd back him to make the right choice.

Oddly, I'm not convinced at all by boro. There seems to have been an ongoing problem with players being forced on Karanka, I don't think he ever wanted Rhodes and it looks like Downing has too much influence with Gibson. To paraphrase Michael Sheen as Clough, he should concentrate on his haulage business and leave football matters to the experts.

 

[shorehamview]

I've said it a few times on here, but I believe the key to our success next season is how we play without the ball. This season we've pretty much dominated most games and enjoyed the majority of possession. It would be great if we did the same in the Championship but it's unlikely.

The key to our success next season is making sure that in every game we score more goals than whoever the opposition is. It's that simple. Score more than them. For that, we need the ball.

 

[coaxingstar71]

The key to our success next season is making sure that in every game we score more goals than whoever the opposition is. It's that simple. Score more than them. For that, we need the ball.

That is true, however do you think that generally we'll have the ball more than the opposition in a higher league? Logic and probability would suggest that we won't so surely it becomes more important what we do without it and, indeed, how we win the ball back, in order so that we may, in your words, "score more goals than whoever the opposition is".

 

[BanbridgeBlade]

I think one benefit we've had this season is the TV coverage (lack of it) as many teams won't know what to expect from us.
And just with the team we have now is a lot better than some would give us credit for.
2 or 3 additions and who knows, I know one thing Wilder will be looking to win every team that's put in front of us.

after seeing comments like "cloggers" & "1 man team" i'm inclined to agree with you.

Some teams will get a rude awakening, especially anyone playing us in the first few games.

Yes we may be on the end of some bad defeats, but 1 thing I guarantee is any team under Sir Chrissy Wilder won't go down without a fight.

 

[BushBlade]

I think one benefit we've had this season is the TV coverage (lack of it) as many teams won't know what to expect from us.
And just with the team we have now is a lot better than some would give us credit for.
2 or 3 additions and who knows, I know one thing Wilder will be looking to win every team that's put in front of us.

I think most teams are well managed enough to know exactly how we play. I think that since Revie introduced dossiers on the opposition in the 1970s it's become quite popular.

 

[I should coco]

I think that since Revie introduced dossiers on the opposition in the 1970s it's become quite popular.

Revie also introduced bingo for the lads, kicking opponents up in the air a lot and trying to bribe the opposition. They haven't all really caught on though.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Revie also introduced bingo for the lads, kicking opponents up in the air a lot and trying to bribe the opposition. They haven't all really caught on though.

And carpet bowls.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

And carpet bowls.

They the same thing as the troughs at S6?

 

[shorehamview]

That is true, however do you think that generally we'll have the ball more than the opposition in a higher league? Logic and probability would suggest that we won't so surely it becomes more important what we do without it and, indeed, how we win the ball back, in order so that we may, in your words, "score more goals than whoever the opposition is".

Let them have the ball for ages, but don't let them score. When we get it, gallop down their end and Billy/Leon/Whoever bangs a goal in. Repeat for 90 minutes. Hey presto, 3 points.

 

[Constantly Optimistic...]

We may not have the financial clout of some in the Championship, or the best defence, but as we've all experienced this season, we have the desire, passion, intelligent management and team spirit above and beyond most who will be there next season.
This is what succeeded for Bassett. He and the team just wanted to win every game. This was a major part in Leicester 's success. Not fancy managers with huge budgets.
Let's wait and see where the journey takes us, but I'm sure it is going to be more fun than we've had in years, whatever the outcome. I predict it will be above most of the cautious posts on here.
UTB

 

[JayGreen17]

We definitley need 2 quality centre backs, if we can get those and a couple of others in, I would be confident that with Wilder a top 8 finish would be achievable.