Reality check (1 Viewer)

[egastap]

With the financial trauma going on in the confines of CCFC, some of our Sky Blues fans need to have a reality check. First, we're skint and cannot afford any 'big name' signings like our colleagues up the road, so the most likely scenario is a signing or two from the lower divisions at ,say, 25 grand a pop plus a couple of loan signings from the Prem. This unfortunately will be at the tail end, as most of the 'better' loans will have gone to established clubs with a lot more money and 'charisma'.

This will leave us with another okay team, but nothing to get us into any better position than we were last season. Scoring goals is what it's all about folks, at least scoring more than the opposition, and frankly we don't have that scoring ability now that King has baled.
The Duke and the Gypsy are not gonna fill that void, are they....honestly?

Even if, and it's still a very big IF we are bought out or further investment is forthcoming through SISU, it means it will be too late to do anything in this transfer window, so it will have to be January before we get anything worth shouting about. The question is under this scenario is can we be reasonably placed in the table to make a 2nd half rush.

All in all, we can expect another tough battle to be in the top three quarters (top 15) of the table in my opinion, but that, I think folks, is the reality of the situation.

Now I don't want to be unrealistic and would be the first to hope that my opinion is so wrong and we have a blinder of a 2011, but deep down and honestly, I can't see it happening.

PUSB

 

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[mauro=beast]

i presume you say eastwod is gypsy, am i correct? yes, eastwood was gypsy not anymore he a beast player now

 

[pusbccfc]

I agree with it all other than, yes I do think juke can step it up defiantly

 

[BackRoomRummermill]

Hey egostap your a cheerful chap............ try taking some happy pills

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

I think we all know the reality of the situation, but as we are meant to be supporters we try to look for the positives, to get behind the squad. I think that we are reminded of the reality every day on this forum but for one day/week/month it'd be nice if we could all get behind the team.

 

[dazzled2u]

Surely getting behind the team and supporting them but also having a reality check and keeping expectations in check are totally different?

Just because Egastap thinks we're going to struggle to score enough doesn't mean he isn't behind the team and wanting the club to succeed. I'm firmly in the same camp I want our club to succeed and be challenging for promotion and succes but in reality I can't see it this season in our current sitaution. A couple of injuries /suspensions and we really will be struggling to compete against most teams in this league.

I'm still 100% behind the team though and it won't stop me going to cheer them on.

 

[Macca]

Unless you are positive you cannot be a supporter apparently

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

If a cushion is worn and sagging it does not support as well as a brand new cushion that is plump. In the same way that us supporters need to look at the positives and be in full voice and cheerful spirits come the first game of the season. Why don't we get the stadium rocking like Stoke do. If every Man, Woman and child in the Ricoh shouted support at the top of their lungs, the Ricoh would be an intimidating place to come to. But we don't we think we are going to lose before we turn up. We think that we are going to have a dissapointing season 1 month before it begins. Do you think this doesn't get back to the players and affect their performances?

 

[dazzled2u]

Personally I think it works the other way a great performance on the pitch will increase the volume in the stadium. All supporters go to a match to cheer on their team and it only takes a little spark from a player on the pitch to ignite the crowd but when you watch poor perfomances and even the basics of passing not happening it doesn't inspire even the die hard fan.

Like I said I'll be there cheering just a loudly as the rose coloured spectacled supporter but my expectations will be lower so I'll be one of the last to start moaning when things don't go so well.

 

[CovScott88]

We do have to be realistic yes, but we also need to have a little bit of optimism otherwise we'll all become depressed and write the season off before it's started.
There are still positives around the place. An ambitious and focussed manager, quality Championship players like Cranie, Turner, Clingan, McSheffrey and Jutkiewicz in the team and a squad that appears to be very close, tightly knit and one that will work hard for each other and the shirt. AT and the lads just need all of our support, which I'm sure they will get.

 

[oldskyblue58]

not sure i can really disagree with egastap........ this will be a tough season, but it will be tough for all the teams there will be no easy games. I dont think egastap is being negative, just think he appreciates how tough it will be. It isnt about not supporting the team, none of us would be writing here if we were not passionate in supporting our team

Trouble is that for season after season the team has failed to deliver any real success.... winning becomes a habit and so too failure.... the team, the club has lacked any clarity of direction and much like they did regularly in the top division muddled through to a low table finish year after year. Not sure you can blame fans for not having great expectations of CCFC, add to that the off field problems and you can easily see why many fans have lost their excitement for CCFC.

Now i am not saying that the excitement cannot be restored but it will take a lot more than 10 decent games at the end of a season to do it. Anyone with a iota of understanding can see we are a very small and in some areas inexperienced squad and that in a Championship season a successful team based a small squad and little investment is a rarity. I dont say it cannot be done but the odds are against it. Look at the teams many fans here think as our equals or worse, they have stronger squads in terms of depth and perhaps overal quality, they will be able to take the injuries, the suspensions better than us. We are relying on the AT factor to get the team off to a great start and confidence builds then carries us through...... confidence is priceless in football and a fragile commodity.

The reality check I want however isnt to do down the players on the pitch, to talk of a 18th place again. I think it will be tough, every season is, but right now we are no worse off than anyone else and we can at least dream of a team that plays decent attractive football, can pass the ball well, is a threat to the opposition goal not our own. The reality check I want is for fans to take in understand and digest we have no money, we cant and wont go making even half big signings, what we have is what we have got so get behind them. Dont bemoan we could have kept so and so or that we should be buying wots his name .... we do not have the finance to do it and we need to secure the long term future of the club financially under what ever owner.

Get behind the lads who are here, who want to play for the shirt, who with positive support from us, plenty of effort application and confidence from them can add up as a team to something more than the sum of the individuals. I dont want but could handle another 18th place and safety if the journey has excitement and passion from players and fans

 

[Tankie]

The reality check uncovers this!
No money to buy new players, or even loan players that are half decent.
no money to hang on to our own players because better contracts are elsewhere.
Its probably correct to assume that the club is hanging on to its ability to trade,on a month to month basis.
Given this reality check, its not difficult to understand, why some supporters are not over excited, with the prospects for the coming season, these supporters are not negative as such, but just chewing on reality mints.

Respect,....Tankie..

 

[Moff]

The reality check uncovers this!
No money to buy new players, or even loan players that are half decent.
no money to hang on to our own players because better contracts are elsewhere.
Its probably correct to assume that the club is hanging on to its ability to trade,on a month to month basis.
Given this reality check, its not difficult to understand, why some supporters are not over excited, with the prospects for the coming season, these supporters are not negative as such, but just chewing on reality mints.

Respect,....Tankie..

Tankie, great post.

I like many are chewing on the reality mint, whilst also hoping its a lucky, invest in us please Hoff's group, type of mint.

 

[Tankie]

Moff......."HUMBUG"

 

[egastap]

Hey egostap your a cheerful chap............ try taking some happy pills

I've no need....I'm a very happy person, happy with life, my family, my friends, my home. It's just I'm too long in the tooth to be delusional. What are you expecting from them this season........promotion?..... top half?........17th place? I've been supporting City for over 55 years, playing and coaching for 52 years, so I know a liitle bit about the game; I've seen the ups....and the downs ( a lot of the downs!). Although we'd all like to see the City go up to the promised land, and I'd be as happy as you would to see that, you can't fluke it for a whole season. All I'm saying is get prepared mentally for a struggle. My optimism is that we will stay in the Championship to fight another day and maybe.....just maybe, we can get someone in who is prepared to invest in better-than-average footballers and maybe....just maybe, have a chance at a title shot next year. May the force (and happiness) be with you.

 

[Lets all sing together]

"get prepared mentally for a struggle."

been doing that everytime I go up the city. (and everytime I wake up next to my missus)

 

[blueflint]

realism hurts just like the truth does its a fair article.we can still support and get behind the team as this will encourage them to do better thats our hope nho negativity at the ricoh plz :facepalm:

 

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

I don't expect a top 5 finish in 2012. But I do hope to see some gutsy performances from the team and I believe we have the players to make a determined fist of things. I'll be supporting them all the way.

 

[Disorganised1]

I'm hoping this season will be better than last.

 

[Paxman II]

I agree with the sentiment of the poster to some degree but at the same time find it extremely negative and lacking in beleif and any kind of positivity.
My goodness it is almost an attack on the manager,players and coaching staff before we even kick a ball!
Come on lets be honest and trueful just a little bit more:
We have a decent squad built over the last year or two with some good players - the likes of Clingan, Mc.Sheffrey, Turner, Hussey would grace plenty of teams in this league.
You have to come at life with positive thoughts not dismissive negative ones hidden under the guise of 'reality check'. That's a crock of an excuse. Just get positive we have a good man at the helm...I really do think will play a style suited to the squad, we will score goals a plenty and defend extremely well (probably one of the better defences in this entire league) and will get plenty of well earned 1 nil wins.
There ...that's what I mean by being positive! Concentrate on the positives not the negatives.

 

[Tankie]

Good morning Paxman.
Whilst I agree with the mental stance you are taking, i don't see it quite the way you do.
Firstly in no way do I see the alledged attack on Andy Thorn, and his players in any post on here.
The big gripe is aimed at the board, for not making funds availiable to sign players and to keep our existing "main men" happy.
I salute your optimism about what you describe as a "good squad" But I see it as much depleted, with the loss of "the big three" and apparently no "Cash to splash" on replacements,In our near Bankrupt situation, "Reasons to be Cheerful" are about as rare as Truffles on a building site.
Have a nice day Paxie.
Regards...Tank Top.

 

[egastap]

I agree with the sentiment of the poster to some degree but at the same time find it extremely negative and lacking in beleif and any kind of positivity.
My goodness it is almost an attack on the manager,players and coaching staff before we even kick a ball!
Come on lets be honest and trueful just a little bit more:
We have a decent squad built over the last year or two with some good players - the likes of Clingan, Mc.Sheffrey, Turner, Hussey would grace plenty of teams in this league.
You have to come at life with positive thoughts not dismissive negative ones hidden under the guise of 'reality check'. That's a crock of an excuse. Just get positive we have a good man at the helm...I really do think will play a style suited to the squad, we will score goals a plenty and defend extremely well (probably one of the better defences in this entire league) and will get plenty of well earned 1 nil wins.
There ...that's what I mean by being positive! Concentrate on the positives not the negatives.

Hmmm. "almost an attack on the manager, players and coaching staff"....hardly Paxman! Perhaps looking up the definition of 'negative', 'positive' and 'reality' would help. More of a comment on the 'club' who cannot afford any better than what we have.....that's not the fault of the players, manager or coaches is it? It's fine to believe that 'playing a style suited to the current squad, scoring plenty of goals and defending extremely well will get us plenty of 1-0 wins'. If you get off on that, it's fine by me but it sounds like blowing smoke up your own ass. Sorry Paxman.....you have every right to your opinion but I can't agree with you. I stopped believing in spin-doctors many, many years ago. In a few weeks time you will see what I mean!

 

[davebart]

cov fans are some of the most miserable f*ckers on the planet and by and large have every reason to be, and I include myself in this. It is hard to be positive.

But I am interested in the assertion that we have some decent players who would grace any championship team. Is that really what people believe?

Would people concur that Cranie Turner etc are anything better than mediocre?

 

[im-confused]

I wish I had a cheese sandwich

 

[ajsccfc]

Would people concur that Cranie Turner etc are anything better than mediocre?

While we have several players you could say this of, those two are surely bad examples. Cranie was an England U-21 international and Ben Turner was statistically one of the best players in the division until his injury.

 

[muners]

Reality check people, we've let go three of the best in the division, possibly one or two more to follow and no'one on the horizon coming our way. Wonder if paddy power will pay out by christmas on my bet we'll be bottom third but stay up. Not good times.

 

[valiant15]

You might aswell bang your head up against the wall.League 1 here we come.

 

[Paxman II]

...I can't wait to hear your views when we are doing well and the Juke is banging them in. You are all in for such a surprise. We have not kicked a ball yet and we will bring in a player or two yet (possibly prem loanees) so why knock them already? Have some belief.

 

[egastap]

...I can't wait to hear your views when we are doing well and the Juke is banging them in. You are all in for such a surprise. We have not kicked a ball yet and we will bring in a player or two yet (possibly prem loanees) so why knock them already? Have some belief.

Then we shall see then Paxman! I hope you are correct, but I'll bet you a pound to a pinch of shit I'll be right.

 

[sky blue john]

To be honest I don't feel bothered as I should do about the current situation of our soap opera club. I understand we have no money for signings. All AT and the squad can do is get on with it the best they can there is no point us moaning about something that is totally out of our control.

 

[Lets all sing together]

Top 6 =

1. West Ham
2. Birmingham
3. Forest
4. Leeds
5. Leicester
6. Coventry

 

[Lloyd]

I hate all the negativity from fans, I bet even if we won the league people would still be negative 'we were lucky' and stuff like 'but we'll come straight back down'

 

[Godiva]

I hate all the negativity from fans, I bet even if we won the league people would still be negative 'we were lucky' and stuff like 'but we'll come straight back down'

... and the rage if promotion meant SISU would recover some of their money.