Now it's nearly over, what next?

[Jareth]

I now feel there has been enough time to assess Bruce, now that we know pretty much where this season is ending. I still count this (not everyone does I know I know) as his first full season and he's pretty much got us play-offs barring something daft.

This squad, whatever happens will change wholesale next season, and actually I don't mind that, I think we've witnessed a very good effort from a team composed of loan signings and others all of who do not know their future after this year - it was only ever to be a one season squad. 

The manager, has to take credit for achieving play-offs (not certain yet yes yes yes) and he will take enormous credit if he gets us promoted (I do think we have a great shot) - and he should stay at the club next season if he achieves that. If he doesn't then, he has said so himself, it's time for a different model and cutting our cloth accordingly - and I for one, do not mind the prospect of this one bit. It's actually how I'm insulating myself from the crushing despair that may come our way in a few weeks. 

So what next? This is a topic about what next in the prem, or what next in the championship. I'll leave the prem ideas to others, what I'm quite excited about is a new manager working with our talented youngsters including I hope Grealish, dashed with a bit of experience (Jedi, Chester if they stay, Kodjia might too after that injury) and us building a style of play that we can take into the prem and stick with, not building a squad for one season only, ever again. 

[Eastie]

Premier - Sean dyche or jokanovic 

championship - dean smith  or Neil Harris 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Eastie

[Demitri_C]

4 minutes ago, Jareth said:

I now feel there has been enough time to assess Bruce, now that we know pretty much where this season is ending. I still count this (not everyone does I know I know) as his first full season and he's pretty much got us play-offs barring something daft.

This squad, whatever happens will change wholesale next season, and actually I don't mind that, I think we've witnessed a very good effort from a team composed of loan signings and others all of who do not know their future after this year - it was only ever to be a one season squad. 

The manager, has to take credit for achieving play-offs (not certain yet yes yes yes) and he will take enormous credit if he gets us promoted (I do think we have a great shot) - and he should stay at the club next season if he achieves that. If he doesn't then, he has said so himself, it's time for a different model and cutting our cloth accordingly - and I for one, do not mind the prospect of this one bit. It's actually how I'm insulating myself from the crushing despair that may come our way in a few weeks. 

So what next? This is a topic about what next in the prem, or what next in the championship. I'll leave the prem ideas to others, what I'm quite excited about is a new manager working with our talented youngsters including I hope Grealish, dashed with a bit of experience (Jedi, Chester if they stay, Kodjia might too after that injury) and us building a style of play that we can take into the prem and stick with, not building a squad for one season only, ever again. 

If and its a big if we don't go up. Bruce has to go and we need someone who can build the club. Someone like Harris from millwall. Plays with passion and heart.

We would have to cash in a big player and for me it would be Hogan. Has not worked out and if we can get a decent offer in id sell him.

Release the likes  of samba gabby hutton and get rid of the likes of whelan and gwt some youngee blood in. We have too many oldies here.

We need a keeper and at least two cbs.

Promote the likes of davis and RHM and get a new striker in.

Massive rebuild needed

[Eastie]

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

If and its a big if we don't go up. Bruce has to go and we need someone who can build the club. Someone like Harris from millwall. Plays with passion and heart.

We would have to cash in a big player and for me it would be Hogan. Has not worked out and if we can get a decent offer in id sell him.

Release the likes  of samba gabby hutton and get rid of the likes of whelan and gwt some youngee blood in. We have too many oldies here.

We need a keeper and at least two cbs.

Promote the likes of davis and RHM and get a new striker in.

Massive rebuild needed

Think we’d be lucky to get £4m for hogan - the only decent money would be for Grealish or kodjia 

[Demitri_C]

3 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Premier - Sean dyche 

championship - dean smith 

If Huddersfield go down id consider Wagner if we went up.

If not Harris. But i would be happy with smith. Not a big name but he does ever so well at brentford with small budget. I think he could be a big success here

 

[Demitri_C]

1 minute ago, Eastie said:

Think we’d be lucky to get £4m for hogan - the only decent money would be for Grealish or kodjia 

And chester. I also think adomah could go for big money despite his age.

[Eastie]

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

And chester. I also think adomah could go for big money despite his age.

Depends what you term big money - Chester certainly would probably fetch £5m but why sell him - Albert maybe £4m - only Grealish would attract over £10m in my opinion 

[Jareth]

It's quite a moment really, staying in the championship means new manager and a new team and like no other season before in terms of finances. I wonder how Tony sees it. My guess is that he'll have to recognise the 'football' men at the club made the right call more or less with Bruce, but now he'll get a freer hand at selecting the next manager, i.e. a Wagner sort. Having loadsamoney has not worked for us - I understand why the club have done what they've done, mistakes and all, but I always feel we'll do more with less. And failing that, Wolves have just shown how to cheat FFP, so you can bet the likes of Leeds will be following that pattern next season, why not us too. 

[DCJonah]

Just now, Jareth said:

It's quite a moment really, staying in the championship means new manager and a new team and like no other season before in terms of finances. I wonder how Tony sees it. My guess is that he'll have to recognise the 'football' men at the club made the right call more or less with Bruce, but now he'll get a freer hand at selecting the next manager, i.e. a Wagner sort. Having loadsamoney has not worked for us - I understand why the club have done what they've done, mistakes and all, but I always feel we'll do more with less. And failing that, Wolves have just shown how to cheat FFP, so you can bet the likes of Leeds will be following that pattern next season, why not us too. 

If we fail to go up it will be shown to be a terrible decision that has wasted the vast advantage we had over every other club except wolves. 

How on earth can it be the right decision more or less if we fail to go up?

[Eastie]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

It's quite a moment really, staying in the championship means new manager and a new team and like no other season before in terms of finances. I wonder how Tony sees it. My guess is that he'll have to recognise the 'football' men at the club made the right call more or less with Bruce, but now he'll get a freer hand at selecting the next manager, i.e. a Wagner sort. Having loadsamoney has not worked for us - I understand why the club have done what they've done, mistakes and all, but I always feel we'll do more with less. And failing that, Wolves have just shown how to cheat FFP, so you can bet the likes of Leeds will be following that pattern next season, why not us too. 

Think either division it will be a new manager next season - both wyness and Bruce have said his future is not guaranteed promoted or not 

[Jareth]

13 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

And chester. I also think adomah could go for big money despite his age.

Deffo, there'll be some well off clubs coming down, and will pay as we did for the best championship players, if not pay more than we did. 

[Jareth]

1 minute ago, DCJonah said:

If we fail to go up it will be shown to be a terrible decision that has wasted the vast advantage we had over every other club except wolves. 

How on earth can it be the right decision more or less if we fail to go up?

I'm talking about the conversation the owner and his board will have had upon the dismal failure of RDM. They said Bruce, Tony said OK, and they can argue that Bruce achieved play-offs, while Tony's previous pick did not. They have an argument. I'm not talking about what fans feel. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

Kodjia won't fetch a great deal. As I said in the Bruce thread, I can't see a case for him being here regardless of outcome. It would be genuinely great if he somehow manages to get us up, and then rides off into the sunset with a big thank you and a pat on the back.

[DCJonah]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

I'm talking about the conversation the owner and his board will have had upon the dismal failure of RDM. They said Bruce, Tony said OK, and they can argue that Bruce achieved play-offs, while Tony's previous pick did not. They have an argument. I'm not talking about what fans feel. 

They have no argument. The hiring of bruce was to get us up, failure to do so means it was a failure of an appointment. 

[Jareth]

Just now, Dr_Pangloss said:

Kodjia won't fetch a great deal. As I said in the Bruce thread, I can't see a case for him being here regardless of outcome. It would be genuinely great if he somehow manages to get us up, and then rides off into the sunset with a big thank you and a pat on the back.

I respectfully disagree, Kodjia, in the right system will be deadly with the likes of Grealish and COH. 

[Jareth]

Just now, DCJonah said:

They have no argument. The hiring of bruce was to get us up, failure to do so means it was a failure of an appointment. 

Well again, you have your opinions, but I'm referring to a discussion the board will have, not what the board think versus what you think. 

[Eastie]

2 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Well again, you have your opinions, but I'm referring to a discussion the board will have, not what the board think versus what you think. 

I think Bruce and the board know he was brought here for one reason to attain promotion - failure to do so means failure full stop and have no doubt he will be gone .

[Junxs]

Right now I'm absolutely deflated at missing out on automatics with only 4 points from the last possible 15. On current form I dont see us going up.

So from that point of view next season will bring a new manager with all the loans gone, Chester and Grealish will probably move to the premier league. Terry will either look for a premier league club or retire. Hutton, Gabby released. 

New manager will have no money so we will see the likes of Bree, RHP and O'Hare becoming regulars. No doubt there will be 5 loan signings of either over the hill or youth players who are not ready coming in and we'll finish mid table in a transitional year. 

[Jareth]

Just now, Eastie said:

I think Bruce and the board know he was brought here for one reason to attain promotion - failure to do so means failure full stop and have no doubt he will be gone .

I hope so. He's done more or less what he was supposed to do, if he fails then with the finances changing he would be the wrong man for the job, unable to rely on his little black book as that requires large wages. 

[Eastie]

1 minute ago, Jareth said:

I hope so. He's done more or less what he was supposed to do, if he fails then with the finances changing he would be the wrong man for the job, unable to rely on his little black book as that requires large wages. 

This for me is a key thing - big wages - there are a lot of older players here that in my view are here for the money as villa pay bigger wages - they lack the hunger or desire to succeed and are happy to pick up the easy cash .