Recognising the transitional period
After last night it is now obvious that we are transitioning away from the focus on first team only with small numbers of quality players, which is the model that got us promoted. The model that we are now operating is one of building a development squad beneath the first team seniors to supplement the first team.
This new model has been underway for a year or two now but was badly impacted by COVID disruption last season. However, we are now seeing the extent of the investment in the development team playing budget. Don’t get me wrong as I feel this is certainly the way to go to underpin our financial sustainability model.
The obvious restrictions are that we must work within a playing budget and I suspect but don’t know, that the budget is similar to last seasons ‘Championship’ budget. Thus there will be an obvious impact on what we can spend to bring in ready made players.
From where we were two/three seasons ago we have come a very long way with not only the playing structure but elsewhere throughout the club. We are playing catch-up on many teams in this division who have established youth / development set ups.
So I really think this is the start of a transitional period that will need quite a few seasons to come to fruition and thus I have personally come to the conclusion that we may not achieve or promotion goal over the next few seasons.
You may think that is negative and harsh but I think it is realistic. As I say many of the teams in this league have got development / youth structures in a much more mature position than ours and some of those are also able to bring in big players, also they have much bigger fan bases and attendances than us. This season I believe we will push for promotion but realistically we will do really well to make the play—offs.
With Sheff Wed, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Wigan, Lincoln, Oxford, Ipswich, Rotherham, Charlton all spending big we will be punching above our weight yet again to get into the play-offs or automatic promotion. Not saying we won’t do it with this manager at the helm but our club is transitioning so we may just need to be patient.
This is just my take on matters and there will be those who will totally disagree but open to discussion as usual.
Comments
All that 'after last night'?
I see an ongoing evolution rather than a transition. I do see a super tough league this season but we are in amongst it without some of the pressures and loss building models others have.
I am all for patience and see it has a vital ingredient of our success in recent years
It wasn’t all after last night @Right_in_the_Middle but whether you call it a transition or evolution, it is the right thing to do and will take some time and patience as we both appreciate.
We’ve brought in players like Sam Vokes, Kaikai and Scowen this window, all first teamers and from bigger clubs than us. Just because we didn’t break our transfer record for Lavelle doesn’t mean we’re not investing enough in the first team imo.
Agreed. And while it won't be a disaster if we don't go straight back up, it will be disappointing if we don't make the play-offs; we've got enough.
We have, and I think we'll be unlucky not to make at least the Top 6. But that we are even saying that is incredible on it's own.
How will you feel if we don't? Is it a failure?
I think I could say that about half the league this year.
For me, no. I think it's incredible we're in this position. But as you note, there are more than 6 teams who could realistically expect to finish Top 6. The fact that we're even competing at the top end of League 1 against the likes of Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth, Wigan is a fantastic achievement in and of itself.
When we came up to League One our main objective was staying up. All that Championship stuff has ruined everything.
I will consider it a disappointing season of we don't at least reach the play offs
Despite my poor record in predictions, I reckon we have enough to do it.
I think disappointment has a changing context throughout the season. If, over the course of the season it becomes apparent that some of the big spenders are simply too good, maybe what is disappointing on paper now becomes less disappointing. However, if we are top six all year and look like world beaters only to stumble at the line, that would be devastating.
I am just enjoying expecting to win more than we lose, seeing Vokes in a Wycombe shirt, and watching some really fantastic football. I'm not at all disappointed so far - we'll see what happens by May!
Wise words Shev, wise words.
If we finish top six this year we will, again, have over-performed. If we finish bottom six we will have under-performed. If we finish somewhere in the middle 12 of the division we will have done 'okay' on a sliding scale
At the risk of sounding old when did every next potential player become the one that could take us up or keep us up. It's an agent's dream. This is how we ended up with bankruptcies and nation states needed to own clubs. I'd have liked another central defender but it's not the end of the world. Ainsworth seems relaxed about it. There's probably one on the way.
I dare say a lot of fans realise that if we can get our injured players back, that itself will make us a strong side this season.
Just have to hope the August set of injuries are a freak month, rather than par as we move on through the year.
From what I observed at the development match last night, I can see why Gaz is relaxed at what we have in the squad so far. Sure there are a few very rough diamonds, but the likes of Burley, Penders, Wakeley etc are very near 1st team material. Those guys are as near to "oven ready" for one off games as you could hope for. Certain we can wait for the free agents that will now be looking at the next few repayments on their Audis & Beemers thinking that Wycombe are looking more attractive by the day!