Next seasons realistic aim

Colgates_shaving_foam said:
The sale of Morgan Rogers for buttons really knocked the stuffing out of me to be honest.

It made me think what's the point if Carrick is not allowed to build anything.

This summer needs to restore some belief. You can't have the highest ticket prices and a mid table transfer budget whilst flogging your best players. It is not on.

if we keep Dieng, RVDB, Hackney, Mcgree, Jones, Latte Lath, Bangura, Forss and add to them with a top quality -for the champo- number 10 whilst also retaining the majority of our squad players then I'd back us to finish top 6. The problem is that I cannot see us hanging on to our best players, I really hope I am wrong.
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This is the point though, we are building something - a financially sustainable football club. In some ways, the head coach/manager is secondary in our current approach. We will recruit to drive value in assets, enabling further investment and increase in quality of those we bring in.

If Carrick were to move I'd be almost 100% certain we have a succession plan of 5-10 managers who can slot into the model we're building.

The point about stability of playing staff is critical though - we need to ensure that we have sufficient turnover to increase revenue whilst retaining a core of quality players who understand the method, roles etc. When to sell becomes as important an aspect of our decision making as who to buy going forward.

It's a long term strategy - probably based around 3 season cycles of improvement (promotion>>yo-yo>>stay up>>established PL). That's approximately 12 years in total which will only be accelerated by the quality of our recruitment and strategic decision making.
 
changingman said:
This is the point though, we are building something - a financially sustainable football club. In some ways, the head coach/manager is secondary in our current approach. We will recruit to drive value in assets, enabling further investment and increase in quality of those we bring in.

If Carrick were to move I'd be almost 100% certain we have a succession plan of 5-10 managers who can slot into the model we're building.

The point about stability of playing staff is critical though - we need to ensure that we have sufficient turnover to increase revenue whilst retaining a core of quality players who understand the method, roles etc. When to sell becomes as important an aspect of our decision making as who to buy going forward.

It's a long term strategy - probably based around 3 season cycles of improvement (promotion>>yo-yo>>stay up>>established PL). That's approximately 12 years in total which will only be accelerated by the quality of our recruitment and strategic decision making.
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What you've done there is outline is what you hope/think our strategy is.

I reckon if you had a conversation with anyone in a senior position at the club they would tell you that we need to get up as quickly as possible,
 
To fill the glaring holes in the squad with smart recruitment in the Rogers, RVDB, ELL model.

If we do that, no reason we can't be near the pointy end of the league, however, realistically, the 3 that come down, plus probably Southampton, are going to have a significant advantage, So top 6 will be massive achievement.
 
We are likely to end up about 10 points shy of 75-78 which usually guarantees a play off place. Given we lost the first 5 matches we are arguably not far away from being good enough right now, so Id say the play offs are the absolute minimum for next season, but given there can often be a 15 point gap between the play offs and auto spots that could be a bit too far of a stretch. Id say realistically we should be 3rd-4th
 
Automatics next year. If get a quality midfielder, experienced Centre back and 2 forwards to add to our current squadand obviously have fewr injuries.
Off top of my head id buy brownhill and worral straight away.
 
I am very hopeful that we do not need to sell any major players this summer and that we also have lined up realistic targets to strengthen in areas of weakness - right back, central midfield, left wing and a forward that can play 9 or 10. Maybe also bring in 2-3 quality loan players as necessary. Add that quality to the likes of Dieng, RVB, Lenihan, Clarke, Fry, Engel, Hackney, Howson, Jones, Forss, McGree, Azaz, ELL and Coburn, and a personal expectation that one or both of our left backs will improve sufficiently, and I would hope to see us involved in the fight for automatic promotion.
 
1. A strong centre mid who is solid defensively but still comfortable enough on the ball for the Carrick style

2. A striker who can play as a 9 or a 10 to give us different options. Patrick Bamford anyone??

3. A left sided attacker to compete with McGree in that role



That’s 3 quality signings needed… preferably permanent deals… but wouldn’t be against a couple of high calibre loans either.
 
Ironops said:
We are likely to end up about 10 points shy of 75-78 which usually guarantees a play off place. Given we lost the first 5 matches we are arguably not far away from being good enough right now, so Id say the play offs are the absolute minimum for next season, but given there can often be a 15 point gap between the play offs and auto spots that could be a bit too far of a stretch. Id say realistically we should be 3r3rd-4th
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In the last ten years, there's only been one team promoted through the playoffs who finished the season with less than 80 points. So that should be the absolute minimum standard if we want a realistic shot at promotion. We are going to be between 11 and 17 points short of that.

The target obviously should be automatic promotion. 92 points. We will be 23-29 points short of that. Bi

As much as the cliche "the play-offs are a lottery", gets thrown about, they aren't. 3rd place gets promoted the most often, then 4th, then 5th then 6th. The stronger teams succeed more often.
 
Definitely think we would benefit from an mpanzu type of player as at luton. European leagues should be fruitful...another boateng must be out there somewhere
 
If we went into next season worth the exact same squad we have today I would be expecting playoffs. Our slow start and injury crisis stopped us achieving that. We have played a quarter of the season without a cf and played plenty of games where we had nothing on the bench to influence the game. I also expect significant improvement on several of our signings. So our base is lower playoffs.

However, we want to improve. Cdm, no 10 or left attacking mid to give us some options across the front 4. Another cf because you never know.

I am reasonably happy with the options across the back. A good Cdm will protect the back 4 better.

I would like the 2 or 3 players we buy to be champ ready other then the cf who I would be happy with a promising youngster.
 
Unravel_Morrison said:
What you've done there is outline is what you hope/think our strategy is.

I reckon if you had a conversation with anyone in a senior position at the club they would tell you that we need to get up as quickly as possible,
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Some supposition (the timelines for instance) but I think the basic approach is accurate. A need to get promoted would suggest financial issues if we don't get promoted? (As in we can't survive another season in the Championship without folding) - don't think that's the case?

I'm sure we want to get up as quickly as possible but I'm hopeful there's a little more strategic thinking behind it than that!
 
changingman said:
Some supposition (the timelines for instance) but I think the basic approach is accurate. A need to get promoted would suggest financial issues if we don't get promoted? (As in we can't survive another season in the Championship without folding) - don't think that's the case?

I'm sure we want to get up as quickly as possible but I'm hopeful there's a little more strategic thinking behind it than that!
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I'm sorry, but those things don't work together.

Which is it?
 
Ref: Ipswich comment

Considering we have matched Soton, Ipswich and Leeds recently with 50% reserve players I don't think top 4 is out of the question if we avoid a lot of injuries and strengthen the squad a little.

Dieng (present keepers out on loan as cover - one or both)
Ayling (cover Smith)
Lenihan (cover Fry or Clarke)
improving VDB (cover Fry or Clarke)
Engel or Bangura or New Player
Howson or New player - prefer New Player with Howson as cover
Hackney (cover Barlaser)
McGree (cover bought new Player)
Azaz (loan cover brought in)
Isiah Jones (Forss cover)
Latte Lath (need to buy in some more forward cover - Coburn and Gilbert in background)

I assume McNair, Coulson, J. Jones will be released.
I assume Dijksteel, Glover will be sold
I assume Silvera will be loaned out
I assume Greenwood, O 'Brien, Thomas, returned.
I have not considered under 21s coming through as I don't know enough about them.
 
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Redwurzel said:
Ref: Ipswich comment

Considering we have matched Soton, Ipswich and Leeds recently with 50% reserve players I don't think top 4 is out of the question if we avoid a lot of injuries and strengthen the squad a little.

Dieng (present keepers out on loan as cover - one or both)
Ayling (cover Smith)
Lenihan (cover Fry or Clarke)
improving VDB (cover Fry or Clarke)
Engel or Bangura or New Player
Howson or New player - prefer New Player with Howson as cover
Hackney (cover Barlaser)
McGree (cover bought new Player)
Azaz (loan cover brought in)
Isiah Jones (loan cover brought in)
Latte Lath (need to buy in some more forward cover - Coburn and Gilbert in background)

I assume McNair, Coulson, J. Jones will be released.
I assume Dijksteel, Glover will be sold
I assume Silvera will be loaned out
I assume Greenwood, O 'Brien, Thomas, returned.
I have not considered under 21s coming through as I don't know enough about them.
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2x CM signings required. Starter for Howson and cover for Hackney. Sell Barlaser.
Starter No10 signing required, Azaz to be cover.
LW starter signing for departing McGree.
CF competition signing for Latte Lath.
RB signing. Starter ahead of Smith as cover. Ayling might do.
LB signing. Either cover for Bangura, or a new starter with Bangura cover.

4 high quality signings required as min to first team.
CM,LW,10, CF
3 very good signings too at RB,LB,CM.
 
atomicloonybin aka ALB said:
I said this in the fanzine yesterday. When we went up under Karanka we got 89 points and that was just enough to squeak promotion, 85 in the season we lost to Norwich. It's a slightly lopsided season in that there are big winners and big losers, but we're currently 27 points behind Leeds - that's 9 more wins this season we would have had to have found. We can't break 70 this season. I just can't see, starting from this base where we are now where we get 27, 28 wins in a season - we currently have 18. So I think we have to aim for the playoffs and maybe four or five more wins in a season that would get us in, and go in on a hot streak. Which is galling given Rotherham, Plymouth etc etc. this season.
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We have 19 points from our last 10 games - those 10 games included Leeds, Ipswich, Southampton and Hull i.e. 4 of the top 7. So the 10 games have been more difficult than average. If we extended that over a season its 87 points a realistic target. If we avoid large injury crisis and extended cup runs and have over 90% of our team in place for the start of the season i.e. do an Ipswich. It may not be quite top 2, but its at least top 4.
 
Unravel_Morrison said:
I'm sorry, but those things don't work together.

Which is it?
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Perhaps I wasn't clear - if the club were offered promotion on a plate of course they'd take it (as would any club in the division) but (I'm hopeful at least) that there's a recognition within the club that the financial constraints we are working within mean it is not likely (or wise) to "rush" promotion by overspending or betting current spend against future performance. We should (and I believe, are) taking a longer-term view which limits short-term financial damage whilst making the incremental changes required to keep the club sustainable in the long-run, regardless of division.
 
If there was ever a time for Steve Gibson to gamble, next season is the time, we have a good squad, a very good up and coming manager.

Pay a bit extra if needed, get the players Michael needs and I would loan some quality. (I know this can back fire if you don’t go up)

I really don’t think we are that far away…missing some physicality in CM.

A powerful overlapping right back that Carrick can develop, Ayling as cover.

A left winger midfielder so we dangerous down both flanks…

The clubs that look like coming down, I don’t think the championship will be as tough as this season.
 
Ref coming down

It looks like Luton, Burnley, Sheff United (-2pts)

At present going up its looks like Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich.

Certainly by size of club its a reduction next season.
 
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