Most liked posts in thread: Rupp / Sparks and the Luton blueprint.

Difference between the likes of Leeds and Brentford/Brighton staying in the prem long term is their long term strategy. Leeds got lucky last season but that luck will and did run out as they had no strategy, having to pay tens of millions for an awful transfer policy where some weren't even at the club. Brentford and Brighton have very similar strategies, no coincidence their owners make their money in similar ways and are both good friends.

 

I agree actually there is an opportunity but I don't think Rupp will spend in the way he would need to. Those players were significantly better than the players we signed up. Lewis has been a success, Platt has been solid but realistically is at the right level for where hes at now, Young has been a flop, East can't get in the team and Tim Odusina would have gone on loan like Young if he hadn't have said he didn't want to go. We couldn't compete to keep Wright.

If we're going down that road you need to be looking to sign the likes of Cullen, Burke, Reach, Wright, Banks or O'brien as examples. We do go after younger talent but we are signing them more out of hope than expectation because they are cheaper.

 

The plans changed I think Roger. They were building out by the M1 with a retail park, but now the site is an old power station that's even nearer the Town Centre than Kenilworth Road.

 

The rent situation is so over played, if it is a burden its because we're in league two, as we climb the leagues the rent becomes less of a burden. we knew that when the original deal was offered to Julian, but as a Championship club it wasn't a problem, it only became a problem as we dropped down the leagues.

 

We conceded more corners than anyone else in League 2. That's a bad stat for a team that finished 6th.

 

I hate these type of articles … if it’s not Mansfield it’s Wrexham, county, Crawley. feck off. We have the biggest fan base revenue over 8 million we should be at least able to compete with these clubs. This why I long for the day of change of ownership.. someone who says we are here to compete we want and you fans deserve the best in class In this league. Instead it’s well we can’t compete with XYZ or it’s going to be tough.

Always feel we fans do our best turn up every week buy shirts sell out away ends. We never match that ambition. Pack up and give up cause Crawley and
Gillingham are going to offer an extra £500
Per week.

Just don’t mention any other clubs especially clubs who were 5 year ago were non league. Concentrate on us.. we’ve made record returns we should be able to pump that in. Let’s see my prediction is more low league plodders with rotten injury records or journey men.

 

I REALLY hope you are correct with your assumption because anything less, I feel, will not strengthen us enough for auto's next season.

 

That's what I'm saying. I don't think they'll push the boat out to stay in the PL. They'll reinforce a bit but not madly. They'll have parachute money if they go down so they'll likely go back up again before too long. I think they'll basically do what Burnley have done - secure themselves as a top Championship/ bottom PL club, but with the new ground they've needed for ages.

 

I think you’ll find Bournemouth and Brentford (not sure about Wigan) have/are being bankrolled by somebody

 

Most of the premier League riches get eaten up with ground improvements, players wages and transfer fees etc. Should be ok if they keep in their own lane, don't do what Sheffield Utd did and spend stupid on very average players.

 

If they're smart, which they are, they won't base their approach next year on staying up. They'll use the money they make to recruit young players who're prepared to stick around the following year in the championship and invest in their infrastructure, accepting at best they'll be yo-yoing for a few years and lay the foundations for something longer term.

 

Quite simply we aren't in a position financially to do what they have done because the will to spend what it really takes isn't really there. If you want to go on that journey you have to recruit for the league above. You can go up doing things like we do but realistically we aren't a squad that league 1 teams will be worrying about at all. We're sort of trying by recruiting players that are on the cheaper end that may have potential but more often than not they wont come off. The genuine prospects are snaffled up by the teams who are willing to pay. I suspect Wrexham will go on a similar journey.

Have a watch of the high performance podcasts they have had Brighton and Brentfords CEO's on there very interesting. They have very clear recruitment plans in all parts of the club and wont suffer those that don't go along with it. They take a well thought out approach and invest appropriately. I think we have a plan but it's done more out of hope a player turns out well than expectation.

 

I don't see how buying the ground would help us to be honest. It's the investment in the playing budget and the overall plan that's the issue. Totally agree about Rupp he won't invest to the level that sees us surviving a season in the Championship never mind challenging for promotion. I'm not convinced Sparks has a consistent plan either it's a bit scatter gun which us why manager after manager has failed and we've struggled for years.

We don't get players in that can compete at the next level. We've had a reasonably good squad this season but would it have seen us challenging at the right end of league 1 not a chance.

 

Yep the only way we get the ground back into club ownership is if we get a very rich owner who has the wealth and will to suck up the cost of buying the ground without it affecting the playing budget otherwise it makes no sense.

I'm not so sure it's even the managers weve had. For me it boils down to the plan Rupp has for the club. I suspect his plan is quite basic get the best players we can with the budget we have and try and get some young players and hope they come good. I realise that may sound like the point of running the club but it needs to be more than that. We need to recruit players to suit a style of football we want, we need a manager who sets that style and we need to make sure everyone is aware of that plan and is working towards it. Sounds simple I'm sure it's not. The one thing I would say we have got right this season is recruiting players with the right mentality I haven't sensed a lack of team spirit this season at all in fact I'd say the players have been in it together this season.

 

And reduce the commercial income, so no, not a good idea. What's wrong with cheap football ?

 

We're definitely in a financial position to do what Luton Town did during the Summer that they went up.

The advantage they had was they sold Isaac Vassel for about a million, and sold a young lad called Bakinson.

We're probably not selling anyone for good money this Summer, but there's no reason we can't add some young talent. They bagged Jack Stacey, Elliot Lee, and a couple of decent midfielders that Summer in Luke Berry and winger Harry Cornick, but they didn't exactly buy second place - they just sharpened up their recruitment.

Last Summer we were bringing in a bunch of 23/24 year olds, which is exactly what Luton did - we just didn't quite get recruitment spot on. Maybe we will this Summer, in which case we're in prime position to 'do a Luton' without breaking the bank.

Hughes absolutely needs to bring in quality over quantity, you're spot on, but we only need 4 or 5 or 6 signings - they should all be as good as possible without worrying about squad filler. We have the numbers, now we just need the improved quality.

It's all there to be achieved.

 

Good shout, a bit like Norwich? They have sustained themselves as a Sky parachute funded club for years. It works until the yo-yo string snaps. Stoke?

 

I know someone who'll disagree with your comment.................

 

There nothing he doesn't have, keep up Park, he's been there seen it done it .