Surely Mehmeti and Forino alone make the development squad concept a roaring success??
We don't know whether or not we offered Blackman a contract. He appears to be doing OK at Exeter - no more. Perhaps GA considered first Bishop and then Max a better option.
Couhig was always very clear that he did not intend to put money into the club on an ongoing basis. He was attempting to invest to build revenues. In truth, (I suspect not to the surprise of many), the initiatives to build attendances do not appear to have been successful . Our average attendance would put us upper mid table in Lg2. We continue to battle to outperform that reality against the long term trend of all things to revert towards their mean. This remain heady days for the club but perhaps will not prove sustainable in the medium term. Perhaps we would all be well advised to enjoy them while they are here.
I think that might be a problem, @floyd. Vokes, Mawson, Tafazolli, Scowen, Horgan, Kaikai, Obita, Hanlan are probably all on large salaries, maybe others. I think most of them have contracts that run out in the summer. If we don't get promoted I can't see Gareth being given the budget to offer many of them new deals unless they're willing to take pay cuts.
It's been a while since Rob talked about Wycombe as an established Championship club, has it? Does he still believe that? I'd be interested to know if he's recalibrated his outlook.
Of course, but he's been very quiet this season (apart from when he said on Wycombe Sound before the Charlton game that he was even more confident about promotion chances than before the season started 🤔).
Come on. You can’t have your owner giving a running commentary on how the season is going. It’s too intrusive. He’s set the expectations for the season. We’re only 1/3 of the way through. Let’s see how it pans out.
For the life of me, I can’t understand all these people suggesting they feel disconnected with the club.
We’ve got more content and interaction than I can remember in my lifetime. We’ve got 30+ minute pre-match drill interviews. Gaz gives 2-3 interviews a week. Players give 1-2 interviews a week. Chairman sends out emails approx bi-monthly. What on earth do people expect?
This isn’t a @micra correctness thing, but I really don’t like bi-monthly (or bi-weekly, etc) because it’s not immediately clear whether the thing in question happens twice a month or every two months.
I think it's very easy to understand why people feel disconnected, though: extortionate prices, Americanisation of the club (fireworks etc), an underwhelming summer transfer window after so much talk of pushing for automatic promotion, and poor on-field performance draining the atmosphere.
Yes I forgot to say, I was impressed they were fixed so quickly. At the weekend almost the entire section in front of the terrace was out and there were two smaller blocks along the main stand both out. All fixed for last night, so credit where it's due there.
Yes, I could see next season being very transitional indeed, and it is possible our best chance at getting back to the second tier has gone. However, if we could keep Forino (I expect Mehmeti will definitely be gone but am clinging to hope with Chris) I would be happy with a tenacious, small squad with a starting XI something like:
Stryjek
McCarthy
Forino
New CB
New LB
Gape
Thompson
Freeman
Wheeler
Hanlan
New Forward
A major part of the disappointment of this season for me is the nagging sense that we had a two season window to get back up, one of which went out the window at Wembley, and the other of which is currently snakebitten from every angle. I would not even be so bothered if the only Champo season had not been played behind closed doors, or if we had managed a second and/or third season up there.
If reality bites and we have to cut our cloth, I actually think it would be easier to deal with the slings and arrows if we are once again a plucky upstart rather than a squad loaded with ridiculous individual talent.
It's an interesting one as Armando Dobra - also a predominantly left-sided winger - has been called up while playing for Chesterfield, so it's not like Anis is being overlooked because of the level he's playing at domestically.
Forino has certainly looked outstanding in recent weeks. Mawson too. Tafazolli when fully fit is outstanding too.
If they had proper protection in front of them (Scowen, Gape, Thompson), then we’d be keeping a lot of clean sheets and the majority of the Championship would be after our centre halves.
Comments
I think the reason we didn’t go for Blackman is because we didn’t want him. Occam’s razor and all that.
We were bidding £250k for players only three months ago and GA was stating that he had money to spend..
Plus, if we don't go up it is likely that Mehmeti and Forino would be sold, perhaps bringing in north of £2m.
Surely Mehmeti and Forino alone make the development squad concept a roaring success??
We don't know whether or not we offered Blackman a contract. He appears to be doing OK at Exeter - no more. Perhaps GA considered first Bishop and then Max a better option.
Couhig was always very clear that he did not intend to put money into the club on an ongoing basis. He was attempting to invest to build revenues. In truth, (I suspect not to the surprise of many), the initiatives to build attendances do not appear to have been successful . Our average attendance would put us upper mid table in Lg2. We continue to battle to outperform that reality against the long term trend of all things to revert towards their mean. This remain heady days for the club but perhaps will not prove sustainable in the medium term. Perhaps we would all be well advised to enjoy them while they are here.
Very few people know the true financial status of the club but our current wage bill hardly suggests we’re cutting much cloth.
I think that might be a problem, @floyd. Vokes, Mawson, Tafazolli, Scowen, Horgan, Kaikai, Obita, Hanlan are probably all on large salaries, maybe others. I think most of them have contracts that run out in the summer. If we don't get promoted I can't see Gareth being given the budget to offer many of them new deals unless they're willing to take pay cuts.
Off the top of my head, I think they're all OOC in the summer apart from Hanlan
It's been a while since Rob talked about Wycombe as an established Championship club, has it? Does he still believe that? I'd be interested to know if he's recalibrated his outlook.
I love the sense of gloom that kicks in when we don't win a game or 2.
And the classic "rumours" about money being tight surfacing.
Probably from the same source that brought the Revs stuff out.
I don't know if you remember but a few people got bent out of shape when he talked about going for automatic promotion this season.
Of course, but he's been very quiet this season (apart from when he said on Wycombe Sound before the Charlton game that he was even more confident about promotion chances than before the season started 🤔).
Horror vacui.
Come on. You can’t have your owner giving a running commentary on how the season is going. It’s too intrusive. He’s set the expectations for the season. We’re only 1/3 of the way through. Let’s see how it pans out.
For the life of me, I can’t understand all these people suggesting they feel disconnected with the club.
We’ve got more content and interaction than I can remember in my lifetime. We’ve got 30+ minute pre-match drill interviews. Gaz gives 2-3 interviews a week. Players give 1-2 interviews a week. Chairman sends out emails approx bi-monthly. What on earth do people expect?
This isn’t a @micra correctness thing, but I really don’t like bi-monthly (or bi-weekly, etc) because it’s not immediately clear whether the thing in question happens twice a month or every two months.
I wasn't even complaining, just remarking that he's been surprisingly quiet in general - certainly relative to the previous three seasons.
Well said, but if you think there are some gloomy posts on here I beseech you not to venture onto the Facebook pages!
Daily injury updates?
I think it's very easy to understand why people feel disconnected, though: extortionate prices, Americanisation of the club (fireworks etc), an underwhelming summer transfer window after so much talk of pushing for automatic promotion, and poor on-field performance draining the atmosphere.
Oh, and how could I forget: that bizarre episode with the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana.
There's a professional wind up merchant on there called Tilley who the admin refuse to ban.
Even though after every single game he'll post a Trevor on full gloom mode type post like
"Even though we won today, that was a poor performance and we need a change in manager"
.
Where are the large broken sections of the advertising boards? I looked out for problems on them last night and didn't see any.
Yes I forgot to say, I was impressed they were fixed so quickly. At the weekend almost the entire section in front of the terrace was out and there were two smaller blocks along the main stand both out. All fixed for last night, so credit where it's due there.
Yes, I could see next season being very transitional indeed, and it is possible our best chance at getting back to the second tier has gone. However, if we could keep Forino (I expect Mehmeti will definitely be gone but am clinging to hope with Chris) I would be happy with a tenacious, small squad with a starting XI something like:
Stryjek
McCarthy
Forino
New CB
New LB
Gape
Thompson
Freeman
Wheeler
Hanlan
New Forward
A major part of the disappointment of this season for me is the nagging sense that we had a two season window to get back up, one of which went out the window at Wembley, and the other of which is currently snakebitten from every angle. I would not even be so bothered if the only Champo season had not been played behind closed doors, or if we had managed a second and/or third season up there.
If reality bites and we have to cut our cloth, I actually think it would be easier to deal with the slings and arrows if we are once again a plucky upstart rather than a squad loaded with ridiculous individual talent.
I have a feeling big Chris could be on his way sooner than Anis.
Chris appears to have masses of untapped potential which teams in the top 2 tiers love. Anis strikes me as being nearer the finished player.
Love to keep both for another year mind!!
Perhaps we should scout more Albanian players if Anis cannot even get near their squad!
It's an interesting one as Armando Dobra - also a predominantly left-sided winger - has been called up while playing for Chesterfield, so it's not like Anis is being overlooked because of the level he's playing at domestically.
Apparently we are in for a very strong second half of the season. Gaz said so on a midweek interview.
If and when he's playing regularly in the championship he'll probably become a squad regular.
Forino has certainly looked outstanding in recent weeks. Mawson too. Tafazolli when fully fit is outstanding too.
If they had proper protection in front of them (Scowen, Gape, Thompson), then we’d be keeping a lot of clean sheets and the majority of the Championship would be after our centre halves.