But winning the league means we’ll have to play in the Premier League next season. FFS…

Can we win the Championship but opt to stay in it please? This season is incredible.

I've never understood the mentality of wanting to play against far inferior opposition, season after season.

This is the first time we’ve gone up (inevitable) where I’m excited about going for more than just 17th as the first plan. Will be interesting to see how our style adapts to it.

I don't think our style will need to adapt, we'll just have to be better at what we do.

If only we could get rid of VAR

Claret wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:23 pm

If only we could get rid of VAR

It’s coming in to the championship next season too.

Milltown1882 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:17 pm

This is the first time we’ve gone up (inevitable) where I’m excited about going for more than just 17th as the first plan. Will be interesting to see how our style adapts to it.

Very hard to predict. I think we'll score plenty but concede a few as well.

Milltown1882 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:27 pm

It’s coming in to the championship next season too.

I know. It's awful.

We will still find it tough, but at least we have a new young squad and style of play to enjoy. Nothing against dyche as the man is a legend, but anything new is exciting. We also have young players who have the potential to command massive fees in the future if they perform.

Let's back VK and the lads in embracing the challenge the Prem will offer, sure it will be tough, however they've earned the right through their immense efforts this season to pit themselves against the best.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:15 pm

I've never understood the mentality of wanting to play against far inferior opposition, season after season.

Still elements of small time mentality

tiger76 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:44 pm

Let's back VK and the lads in embracing the challenge the Prem will offer, sure it will be tough, however they've earned the right through their immense efforts this season to pit themselves against the best.

/!\ This /!\

Brentford are in sixth place, if they can do it so can we.

ClaretLoup wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:56 pm

Brentford are in sixth place, if they can do it so can we.

What gets overlooked by many is the funding that clubs like Brentford and Brighton have received.

Question is, if we can do what both those clubs are achieving what have they been doing with those extra millions that they've received?

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:04 pm

What gets overlooked by many is the funding that clubs like Brentford and Brighton have received.

Question is, if we can do what both those clubs are doing what have they been doing with those extra millions that they've received?

A lot of their funding came BEFORE the Prem though. A lot of the funding has been for their new stadiums, too.

Brentford’s 11 today only had 3 new players in from the Championship when they got promoted, including Mee on a free.

Brighton’s team cost around £30m in total.

The only cloud on the horizon is the inevitability that a Premier League team will come in for Kompany before the start of next season.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:06 pm

A lot of their funding came BEFORE the Prem though. A lot of the funding has been for their new stadiums, too.

Brentford’s 11 today only had 3 new players in from the Championship when they got promoted, including Mee on a free.

Brighton’s team cost around £30m in total.

So why, in Brighton's case has Tony Bloom therefore felt the need to put the best part of £500 million into the club if it wasn't necessary?

If as you say Brighton's team only cost £30 million then Tony Bloom is a complete idiot for lending/giving half a billion to the club, isn't he when the TV money alone could build a side?

As for the funding, they've had massive loses for the last few seasons.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:11 pm

So why, in Brighton's case has Tony Bloom therefore felt the need to put the best part of £500 million into the club if it wasn't necessary?

If as you say Brighton's team only cost £30 million then Tony Bloom is a complete idiot for lending/giving half a billion to the club, isn't he when the TV money alone could build a side?

Well it was necessary for his vision. Paid for a new stadium and spent a lot to get into the PL in the first place. Since then, it’s only in the past season or two that their buy low, sell high model seems to be kicking into gear, which should make them more self sustainable. Before the past few seasons, they wasted a lot of money in the transfer market. Point is, both Brentford and Brighton are good current examples of who we can be like, as our manager has said himself.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:17 pm

Well it was necessary for his vision. Paid for a new stadium and spent a lot to get into the PL in the first place. Since then, it’s only in the past season or two that their buy low, sell high model seems to be kicking into gear, which should make them more self sustainable. Before the past few seasons, they wasted a lot of money in the transfer market. Point is, both Brentford and Brighton are good current examples of who we can be like, as our manager has said himself.

Did Bloom pay millions for their new stadium? I thought that American Express paid for the vast majority of it.

BigF wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:22 pm

Did Bloom pay millions for their new stadium? I thought that American Express paid for the vast majority of it.

Just had a quick search and ‘the Argus’ wrote this

‘Bloom took over the club in 2009 when it was in League One and paid for the move to the Amex Stadium away from the Withdean.’

Not sure on total costs would have to do some more research.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:15 pm

I've never understood the mentality of wanting to play against far inferior opposition, season after season.

True, absolutely. But it also gets tedious when all you hope for is to finish 17th.
The lack of openings for a club without billionaire backers in the PL is just tedious. It’s good to pit yourself against the best but when that best is so much better than you it all becomes pointless. When the highlight of your season is beating Liverpool/Arsenal etc. it really does become tiresome.

Marney&Mee wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:11 pm

But winning the league means we’ll have to play in the Premier League next season. FFS…

Aye but to quote your goodself

How old are you and what job do you do ?

You still thinking about that?! Twas merely a silly reference to your user name

Marney&Mee wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:12 pm

You still thinking about that?! Twas merely a silly reference to your user name

OK really it should be …

selfemployedwriterofhistorytextbooksandoccasionallectureratacoupleofbritishuniversitieswithaparticularinterestinmodernbritishandeuropeanhistory

houseboy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:53 pm

True, absolutely. But it also gets tedious when all you hope for is to finish 17th.
The lack of openings for a club without billionaire backers in the PL is just tedious. It’s good to pit yourself against the best but when that best is so much better than you it all becomes pointless. When the highlight of your season is beating Liverpool/Arsenal etc. it really does become tiresome.

I appreciate that even some smaller clubs are very well backed but perhaps the dream of Europe might one day be again possible (unless we win the FA Cup). It does seem that every few seasons a couple of bigger clubs have a bit of a meltdown, so we might just be able to sneak into 7th that way - maybe

thehistorylecturer67 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:19 pm

OK really it should be …

selfemployedwriterofhistorytextbooksandoccasionallectureratacoupleofbritishuniversitieswithaparticularinterestinmodernbritishandeuropeanhistory

That’s catchier..

Mmm I might change it

Where do you think we will finish next season. My estimate is 9th to 13th.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:15 pm

I've never understood the mentality of wanting to play against far inferior opposition, season after season.

Tit

thehistorylecturer67 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:19 pm

OK really it should be …

selfemployedwriterofhistorytextbooksandoccasionallectureratacoupleofbritishuniversitieswithaparticularinterestinmodernbritishandeuropeanhistory

You may want to use some punctuation when you write your history books, I'm sure they'd be a better read

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:04 pm

What gets overlooked by many is the funding that clubs like Brentford and Brighton have received.

Question is, if we can do what both those clubs are achieving what have they been doing with those extra millions that they've received?

we have Kompany, it might be our best ever chance to get further outside investment

I’m no accountant etc but you’d expect promotion to mean that noose of debt around the clubs neck will have been dealt with and with VK still at the helm you’d expect recruitment (some already done) to mean we can be more competitive and maybe even attract more investment…….

Let’s not forget the headlines when we were relegated and Dyche sacked all suggesting the Clarets were all but doomed…………..

Enjoy the ride now rather than be “half empty”.

rob63 wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 05, 2023 1:08 am

You may want to use some punctuation when you write your history books, I'm sure they'd be a better read

Oh indeed I do, I’d probably manage a citation or two in that particular sentence too

Being in the PL is hugely important for the club on many levels and, IF we get there, it’ll be very interesting to see how we fare until this exciting young manager.

I do have sympathy for the OPs point though. It’s not lost on me that our current success is partly a product of our financial power thanks to the Premier League, but it’s a pretty soulless experience.

houseboy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:53 pm

True, absolutely. But it also gets tedious when all you hope for is to finish 17th.
The lack of openings for a club without billionaire backers in the PL is just tedious. It’s good to pit yourself against the best but when that best is so much better than you it all becomes pointless. When the highlight of your season is beating Liverpool/Arsenal etc. it really does become tiresome.

I agree with most of that. Hopefully Kompany will at least take the cups a bit more seriously than the previous regime.

houseboy wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:53 pm

True, absolutely. But it also gets tedious when all you hope for is to finish 17th.
The lack of openings for a club without billionaire backers in the PL is just tedious. It’s good to pit yourself against the best but when that best is so much better than you it all becomes pointless. When the highlight of your season is beating Liverpool/Arsenal etc. it really does become tiresome.

I bet Leicester thought this when they went up

Humm to be back at the top table again is what i want

martin_p wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 04, 2023 5:06 pm

The only cloud on the horizon is the inevitability that a Premier League team will come in for Kompany before the start of next season.

I think VK stays at least another year.... my guess is that he might stay 3-4 years?

Is he a top 6 manager? Possibly in a few years but not today. this is what, his 3rd year of managerial experience? Look at the likes of former players gerrard and lampard to see how out of their league they were managing in the PL. I think he is here probably close to 5 years... cuts his teeth with the championship and the PL, and MAYBE he holds out for the man city job (would certainly be a good candidate after having close to 5 years or so should have some experience to manage at the top level).

gandhisflipflop wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 05, 2023 8:35 am

I bet Leicester thought this when they went up

True. But I think Leicester are a bigger club and they did have seriously rich backers.