Championship thread 25/26! (105 Viewers)

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I think Doug enjoys the limelight to much and will stay so can't see him selling up. He'll improve the infrastructure ofvl club even more i think, Ryton upgrade and buy the Connexion back, develop the accedmy. He'll want his face and shiny haircut on the Sky cameras more than ever
If not an outright sale, welcoming some investment is an option too.
 

biggymania

Well-Known Member
I think he’ll want to sell it or keep us up. I can’t see why you’d spend £70m getting here then not try and stay personally and I think it’s cope from fans who want an excuse when we’re relegated.

The irony of the “come straight back up” proponents like yourself is the one club to do what you propose went down to L1 after their relegation.
I wouldn't say I'm a proponent of it but if you like scoring Internet points please take one.

I am explaining what I think Doug's approach will be. Ideal state you stay up without endangering the long term stability of the club if it fails - I don't think Doug is going to bet the farm on staying up, nor is he going to do nothing. I think he'll look to invest in players as assets - and that means likely not buying proven Premiership quality, which is a risk that you have to mitigate - hence needing to have a plan for those signings failing and relegation happening.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
25 man squad. As it stands it’s:

GK: Wilson, Dovin (1 short)
RB: MvE, KKH (probably OK)
LB: Dasilva, Brau (surely Brau isn’t up to scratch so 1 short)
CB: Thomas, Kitch, Lats, Woolf (Think most agree we need an upgrade over Lats/Kitch here Lats has a year left so probably he’ll be allowed to leave - 1 short)
DM: Grimes, Onyeka, Torp (1 short with Allen OOC)
AM: Rudi, Eccles
RW: Saka, Markelo
LW: EMC (1 short)
ST: Wright, Simms, BTA (most agree need one here BTA or Simms likely to go - 1 short)

That’s 24 so one more somewhere else.

That’s 8 including Onyeka and includes players like Markelo who have struggled to make the team at this level. I think you add a RW as clearly Markelo isn’t an upgrade. Then if we’re brutally honest probably upgrade Eccles too.
 

AOM

Well-Known Member
PL players will want PL wages regardless of when they came to the club really. It’s no coincidence we’ve had a flurry of renewals as agents spot their clients are about to get promoted.

So we'll be looking at Martyn Waghorn's wages multiplied by 25!

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shmmeee

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't say I'm a proponent of it but if you like scoring Internet points please take one.

I am explaining what I think Doug's approach will be. Ideal state you stay up without endangering the long term stability of the club if it fails - I don't think Doug is going to bet the farm on staying up, nor is he going to do nothing. I think he'll look to invest in players as assets - and that means likely not buying proven Premiership quality, which is a risk that you have to mitigate - hence needing to have a plan for those signings failing and relegation happening.

Surely the plan is you sell those players?

I dont think we can afford proven PL quality. I do think you need to drop around £100m though.
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
25 man squad. As it stands it’s:

GK: Wilson, Dovin (1 short)
RB: MvE, KKH (probably OK)
LB: Dasilva, Brau (surely Brau isn’t up to scratch so 1 short)
CB: Thomas, Kitch, Lats, Woolf (Think most agree we need an upgrade over Lats/Kitch here Lats has a year left so probably he’ll be allowed to leave - 1 short)
DM: Grimes, Onyeka, Torp (1 short with Allen OOC)
AM: Rudi, Eccles
RW: Saka, Markelo
LW: EMC (1 short)
ST: Wright, Simms, BTA (most agree need one here BTA or Simms likely to go - 1 short)

That’s 24 so one more somewhere else.

That’s 8 including Onyeka and includes players like Markelo who have struggled to make the team at this level. I think you add a RW as clearly Markelo isn’t an upgrade. Then if we’re brutally honest probably upgrade Eccles too.
Markelo will be in the squad as will Eccles
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
Doug has spoken in the past that if you get to the Prem and become established you have to look at investors. I suspect there could be some minority shareholdings on offer for investment.

Minority shares offer nothing so no there wont be
 

Hincha

Well-Known Member
People definitely underestimate the gap. It will be interesting to see what Doug does if we get promoted.

There are 2 ends of the spectrum that have been successful -

Brentford (trust your squad approach)
- only signed 3 outfield first-team players & 2 back up keepers in the summer window
- already had Raya, Norgard, Mbuemo, & Toney in the squad

Sunderland (fuck your squad approach)
- 14 first-team players
- Only 2 players from the play-offs make their best XI (Ballard & Le Fee)

Think we'll fall somewhere in the middle
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
People definitely underestimate the gap. It will be interesting to see what Doug does if we get promoted.

There are 2 ends of the spectrum that have been successful -

Brentford (trust your squad approach)
- only signed 3 outfield first-team players & 2 back up keepers in the summer window
- already had Raya, Norgard, Mbuemo, & Toney in the squad

Sunderland (fuck your squad approach)
- 14 first-team players
- Only 2 players from the play-offs make their best XI (Ballard & Le Fee)

Think we'll fall somewhere in the middle

Where you getting that transfer data from? Wiki has Brentford signing a lot more than that;

 

Grendel

Well-Known Member

Blake

Well-Known Member
With Charlton, the Baggies and QPR after they face us I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish the season the strongest of the top 4 either tbh. If so this could feasibly get them over the line OR it could get them in good form for the playoffs.

It's all guesswork, but if we get to that stage with a cushion it would help.
These have confused me too many times. I read "us" and think that we have already played 2, 3, and 4. Am I somehow looking at a message from December? Then I realize "us" is boro.
 

DACMAC

Member
I know this isn't news, but a lot can change over the last 10 games of the season. Look at last year for range of outcomes.

After 36After 46Points final 10
Leeds
76​
100​
24​
Sheff Utd
76​
90​
14​
Burnley
74​
100​
26​
Sunderland
68​
76​
8​
Coventry
56​
69​
13​
West Brom
55​
64​
9​
Bristol City
53​
68​
15​
 

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT

Well-Known Member
I think Doug enjoys the limelight to much and will stay so can't see him selling up. He'll improve the infrastructure ofvl club even more i think, Ryton upgrade and buy the Connexion back, develop the accedmy. He'll want his face and shiny haircut on the Sky cameras more than ever

If he keeps putting money into the club I wouldn't care if he rode round the streets of Coventry naked on a horse. 🤣
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
I know this isn't news, but a lot can change over the last 10 games of the season. Look at last year for range of outcomes.

After 36After 46Points final 10
Leeds
76​
100​
24​
Sheff Utd
76​
90​
14​
Burnley
74​
100​
26​
Sunderland
68​
76​
8​
Coventry
56​
69​
13​
West Brom
55​
64​
9​
Bristol City
53​
68​
15​

24 and 26 points from 30 is a ridiculous return
 

Lamps

Well-Known Member
There’s two unknowns though: a) if the club’s owner sells up and b) if we get big offers in for any of this season’s regulars.
I prefer to look at what most probably will happen than what might happen.

If we sell our best players for a good amount it would bring in a decent amount, but what is needed the most is replacing the JDS's and Allen's to better our squad. We also need some continuation from the good feeling in the squad to have a chance of survival. To me, keeping our best players and adding quality to them is the way to go. But yes, if an offer comes in we can't refuse it's a different matter. But whatever happens we won't be buying a new squad.
 

Ipad Boro

Well-Known Member
I know this isn't news, but a lot can change over the last 10 games of the season. Look at last year for range of outcomes.

After 36After 46Points final 10
Leeds
76​
100​
24​
Sheff Utd
76​
90​
14​
Burnley
74​
100​
26​
Sunderland
68​
76​
8​
Coventry
56​
69​
13​
West Brom
55​
64​
9​
Bristol City
53​
68​
15​
Tbf Sunderland were the side overwhelmingly most likely to finish in the playoffs after that point and wanted to make sure they got no injuries for them, so just tossed it off for a lot of their remaining games. Their points haul in the last 10 games can be taken with a pinch of salt.
 

Lamps

Well-Known Member
The whole “putting our future at risk” angle doesn’t really stand up to scrutiny unless we literally signed no good players. Most of the time, if you’re relegated you can sell 2-3 players and recoup over 50% of your spend.
So we should spend an absolute fortune in transfer fees and then have a massive wage bill in the hope of staying up?

Even the Prem sides that have been up there for years are now paying the price. It has to be done in a sustainable way. Spurs are now in serious trouble. This season we have benefited from the sides being relegated. We just need to keep within our means to get a stronger squad and see what happens. There's so many clubs in financial difficulties that just being within our means with a stronger squad will put us above most.
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
Guardian podcast today saying it's pretty much done for cov

interesting they all said Boro clearly second best team in league

Didn't even seem to take Ipswich into account. Only millwall
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
So we should spend an absolute fortune in transfer fees and then have a massive wage bill in the hope of staying up?

Even the Prem sides that have been up there for years are now paying the price. It has to be done in a sustainable way. Spurs are now in serious trouble. This season we have benefited from the sides being relegated. We just need to keep within our means to get a stronger squad and see what happens. There's so many clubs in financial difficulties that just being within our means with a stronger squad will put us above most.

We are in as much financial difficulty if the owner isn’t prepared to keep funding.

In reality we will get around £300 million over the next two years. It’s not the real world.

Spurs are in trouble as they’ve behaved in your very definition of a sustainable way
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
So we should spend an absolute fortune in transfer fees and then have a massive wage bill in the hope of staying up?

Even the Prem sides that have been up there for years are now paying the price. It has to be done in a sustainable way. Spurs are now in serious trouble. This season we have benefited from the sides being relegated. We just need to keep within our means to get a stronger squad and see what happens. There's so many clubs in financial difficulties that just being within our means with a stronger squad will put us above most.

Yeah I hear that for every £1m you have left over the PL gives you another 3 points.
 

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
So we should spend an absolute fortune in transfer fees and then have a massive wage bill in the hope of staying up?

Even the Prem sides that have been up there for years are now paying the price. It has to be done in a sustainable way. Spurs are now in serious trouble. This season we have benefited from the sides being relegated. We just need to keep within our means to get a stronger squad and see what happens. There's so many clubs in financial difficulties that just being within our means with a stronger squad will put us above most.

We wouldn't really be left with a massive wage bill though?

All contracts would have relegation clauses inserted in them which typically amount to around 40-50% upon relegation.

I would've thought similar to Ipswich there would be a player or two that we'd be able to move on for sizeable fees as well which should cover any operating costs we're stuck with - plus we'd receive a couple of years of parachute payments on top of that.

Spurs is a bit of a backward comparison. They'll be in huge trouble because they've deployed such a conservative approach and didn't heed the warnings of last season.

Also their situation is far more complex and unique. They lost around £130m last year and much of their income is quite literally dependent on them remaining in the PL and/or Europe - e.g. sponsorships.

If they get relegated you're also possibly looking at a massive drop off in attendance.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
We wouldn't really be left with a massive wage bill though?

All contracts would have relegation clauses inserted in them which typically amount to around 40-50% upon relegation.

I would've thought similar to Ipswich there would be a player or two that we'd be able to move on for sizeable fees as well which should cover any operating costs we're stuck with - plus we'd receive a couple of years of parachute payments on top of that.

Spurs is a bit of a backward comparison. They'll be in huge trouble because they've deployed such a conservative approach and didn't heed the warnings of last season.

Also their situation is far more complex and unique. They lost around £130m last year and much of their income is quite literally dependent on them remaining in the PL and/or Europe - e.g. sponsorships.

If they get relegated you're also possibly looking at a massive drop off in attendance.

There are no examples of clubs trying to stay up in the PL and causing themselves massive financial difficulties. It’s become a shibboleth on here that you mustn’t spend any money or the FFP goblins will eat you and you’ll become Bury but that’s not what fucked us under Sisu and it’s not fucked any parachute club ever. At worse clubs come down and fart about back in th Championship for a bit. Clubs that get into serious trouble tend to do so from below the PL cos the PL gives you stacks of cash. Spurs are not going to go bust.

It’s like the “we must own our stadium” stuff. Just a rock that keep away bears when our fortunes are far more closely tied to how competent our owners are at this level and below and we can’t impact that.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
There are no examples of clubs trying to stay up in the PL and causing themselves massive financial difficulties. It’s become a shibboleth on here that you mustn’t spend any money or the FFP goblins will eat you and you’ll become Bury but that’s not what fucked us under Sisu and it’s not fucked any parachute club ever. At worse clubs come down and fart about back in th Championship for a bit. Clubs that get into serious trouble tend to do so from below the PL cos the PL gives you stacks of cash. Spurs are not going to go bust.

It’s like the “we must own our stadium” stuff. Just a rock that keep away bears when our fortunes are far more closely tied to how competent our owners are at this level and below and we can’t impact that.
Sunderland stuck with 'whathisface' on £60k a week in L1 after successive relegations. Nearly crippled them at the time.

Also -pretty sure Spurs owe fortunes on repaying their stadium debts iirc.
 

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
There are no examples of clubs trying to stay up in the PL and causing themselves massive financial difficulties. It’s become a shibboleth on here that you mustn’t spend any money or the FFP goblins will eat you and you’ll become Bury but that’s not what fucked us under Sisu and it’s not fucked any parachute club ever. At worse clubs come down and fart about back in th Championship for a bit. Clubs that get into serious trouble tend to do so from below the PL cos the PL gives you stacks of cash. Spurs are not going to go bust.

It’s like the “we must own our stadium” stuff. Just a rock that keep away bears when our fortunes are far more closely tied to how competent our owners are at this level and below and we can’t impact that.

Spurs won't go bust, no.

But I don't think we'd ever seen a club of this magnitude go down, not one with an operational infrastructure their size. Last year they had the third-highest operating costs in all of Europe

So it would be interesting to see how that would pan out. They'll likely lose £250m overnight and that becomes a massive black hole for Joe Lewis to plug one top of the initial losses.

I do agree this perpetual myth pushing of high levels of spending = Armageddon is a bit ridiculous.

It obviously comes with its risks but trying to achieve financial sustainability along with wanting to achieve success is a bit of a contradiction. For the most part one doesn't really come without the other.

Also, fans need to stop seeing football clubs as normal businesses when they're not. Out of the 92 pro clubs in English football I would wager between 80-90% made a loss last year. No normal industry could operate like that and survive.
 

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