Jake Young

True, but take a step back and consider last summer's recruitment. Did we accept mediocrity then?
Yes. Yes we did.

 

We finished below mid table in league 2. Don't try and tell me that wasn't mediocrity in one of the worst seasons I can remember. But hey I guess we're a bigger club than some league 1 clubs eh? I'll remember that when we're watching us play Crawley and Barrow as opposed to Sheffield Wednesday and Derby next season.

 

All the while being told we wouldn't accept mediocrity. I ain't forgiving the powers that be for the last 5 years of mediocrity just because we won the last three games of the season. Rupp and Sparks owe us big time, it's about time they started to reward the loyalty of the fans of this great club. It's the reason I ain't wetting myself with excitement yet at our close season signings. I'll wait till I see exactly what squad is assembled and how they perform before jerking off.

 

The problem was Derek didn’t trust or form strong relationships within the group. Hughes will not make the same mistake.

We started last season brilliantly after a strong pre-season but as soon as we met a few problems, as was always going to happen, he chucked people under the bus and passed the buck. Our xG, outstanding in those opening months, nosedived, and inevitably results did too.

A lack of quality didn’t stop us going up last year, nor a lack of resources (i.e. Sparks’ doing). It was a toxic, arrogant manager who the players didn’t play for. He was the wrong fit for our club. Fans never warmed to him and he was out no sooner had he come in.

Agree, it is all hypothetical, but the bookies odds will give you some idea about what is expected at each club. Lincoln were 17th in L1 and a top ten finish would have to represent a good season, measured against realism, for them next year.

We chronically underachieved last season. There was no reason we shouldn’t have made the top seven had we not messed it up ourselves and top seven has to be the bare minimum we are going for this season. We need to puff our chests out and take Hughsey’s lead. We are a huge club, the mood around the whole place has been lifted and there looks to be a clear plan behind our recruitment. Good times are around the corner.

 

True. We are not party to any contract details or football discussions. Him being from Lincoln could be a major thing too

 

Great resume of a poor season. I’m with you…full of optimism.

Leadership starts with the “ boss” , in industry, in football and don’t we know it in Government. Get that wrong or treat it like “given right ” and it will, without any shadow of doubt, come crashing down. It’s who it affects as a result …..They will be the ones to suffer, not the incompetent or arrogant fool who caused it!

History is full of examples.

 

Quite right, we can take a look at these signings so far and it's pretty easy to pull them apart to be honest - but there's good reason to give Hughes the benefit of the doubt, so that's what 99 % of the City support is doing right now. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole, yadda, yadda, yadda.

But there isn't a single guarantee that we're pulling together a promotion-winning squad here, which is why it's worth remembering that this is very much the last chance saloon for Rupp and Sparks - and why anything they say needs to be either roundly ignored, or taken with a massive pinch of salt.

The two of them have achieved absolutely nothing so far on any important front (ie, football, you know, being a football club), and it's only a hail Mary managerial signing that looks like it might bear fruit that's placated everyone.

I'm one for looking for the positives in these signings right now, as long as we plug all the gaps (unlike every other season), improve on what we had in each (or most) position(s), and as long as we assemble what looks like it could be a useful side - but you're right to warn the usual lot against getting smug yet again in pre-season and assuming every move is the right one - we've been here before, been promised far too much, and given far too little.

Mark Hughes is just another good manager, at the end of the day, and we've had several that have failed already. Maybe it does feel different, but a lot of the problems remain at the club. Two of them will be dying to take credit as soon as things start to look up, but they'd be better keeping quiet and hoping the junk mail folder bails them out.

 

I saw this on Twitter and laughed but also found it very true, rinse and repeat

 

If we can't be optimistic about the coming season we might as well stop watching the game, most football fans believes the coming season will see their club do well.

 

Excellent post @JonButterfield

 

We have had this conversation before but I don't buy into this thinking Dave. I look at things as objectively as possible, obviously with omission of some factors. I just don't buy into this "my club will do well next season"

Rupp out

 

It’s not about buying into it Dave , more like thinking am I optimistic or not . If we all thought our season ahead will be dire etc etc then it will be, as sure as nights follow days. Season sales will drop, likewise the budget will drop , attendance by pay on the gate will be down . the squad suffers and hey presto we will be in serious trouble . It’s largely self fulfilling defeatism I suppose? Hard to explain but the meaning is well meant I hope?

 

Fine I'll change my post to most , maybe as a fan classed as a happy clappers I see things differently, I personally always look forward to the coming season and could never not get a season ticket because it might not turn out to be the sort of season I'd hoped, I'm usually a "glass is half full" guy I can't see me changing certainly with regards my football club.

 

I’m no happy clapper but share the sentiment of being optimistic every summer, it’s usually gone by November so got to have some positivity at some stage for my own sanity. As a Bradford City fan it’s the safest time to be positive, when we’re not actually playing!

 

I got in before anyone else made the comment, I remember Ron Atkinson taking over at Villa and commenting what a massive club they are steeped in history blah blah blah saying if they hung 11 shirts on a washing line 20,000 would turn up to watch them dry, I wouldn't go that far honest .
Our transfer business has only just started I'm not disappointed with our signing so far, I hope there will be more brought in with specific roles maybe the likes of Adams in midfield, as we know there are no guarentees no matter how good we believe our recruitment has been..
The biggest plusses for me are Hughes, Hodges and Gent.

 

As Bronco says . optimism and hope is why you buy that season ticket. This season is always the season before a ball is kicked.
We all thought Rupp and Ruin where the guys, we all though Adams was the guy.
You never know before the season starts, but can get a good feeling, which i think many have for this upcoming battle.

 

Morning gents.

I see both of your points of view. No fan whom has expectations can be defined as a happy clapper. Its natural in nature to have expectations..

Kevin, I get your point but its really not materialised over the last 3 or 4 seasons. ST numbers have reasonably held up, despite failing league positions and covid19. So I guess, and that's ultimately what I'm doing, "self fulfilling defeatism" comes from the structures within the hierarchy of OUR club, not the attitude or aptitude of City supporters.

I know both you gents have watched City longer than I have. Relatively speaking, I've had it "good" as a supporter since April 86, considering the years before me.

But I like to be considered and don't overly get into optimism. Maybe it's my gambling background, especially around the horses. I'm considerate of my opinions and what I attribute as facts/knowledge but in sport and gambling, that's only one aspect of the equation.

I guess, I love time at City with my son at both home and away games. It genuinely more important than the result, though the latter truly matters. That's my main motivation to my purchase of a season ticket.

 

That’s what it’s all about …sensible debate, in different ways we all care. Onwards.

 

I get the guarded/cautious mentality some adopt but consider me a half-full type of fan too.

we were excited about Adams taking over 12 months ago but the key difference is that we’ve already seen Hughes in action.

We’ve seen how the football improved, we’ve seen how the results picked up when key players were back from injury. We saw the defensive unit improve. We’ve seen him speak so well in the media.

We’ve had a taster basically, and now he’s got a chance to make his stamp on the squad.

Negativity and talk of Rupp out won’t do anyone any favours. If it gets to August and we recruit as badly as last year then fair enough, he deserves some stick, but he’s allowed Gent to be brought in, we’ve signed off new recruits early and we’ve launched dirt cheap season tickets (at a difficult time for people with the energy and fuel price rises). Cheer up lads and lasses.

Look at the crowd that turned up for the final game of the season. City fans are behind Hughes and the club. You are pissing in the wind expecting Rupp to go anywhere.