Playoffs: Poyet; 'We can do it'

[Herr Tubthumper]

There are really only around a dozen sides at most we can't hope to compete with

Exactly.

Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, QPR, Wolves, Swansea, WBA, Stoke, Norwich. What is there to be afraid of?

 

[The Large One]

I hope you do not make a public show of it, like rip up your season ticket and throw it at Gus or something. Well, it's a smartcard but you get my drift

Still being selective. See the back end of post 41.

Besides, I'm taking my cue (together with my own less well-informed opinions, of course) from Gus. Look at what he said after the Liverpool game. He hasn't really contradicted himself with today's comments.

 

[Scunner]

I have never understood this sentiment. What does a few extra years in a lower league give you which suitable team strengthening wouldn't? The key in my opinion is to be ruthless, and not neccessarily allow the team which got promoted the chance to prove themselves. Some might feel they have earned the right, but if they're not up to it there's no point hanging around.

I agree, my main concern at the moment though, is that the team that gets us there would not be the team that starts the season by default, rather than by design, because of the amount of loanees on board.

That said, there is no point not going up because of the financial rewards it would bring. Even a subsequent relegation would preferable to staying in the Championship for another year, as the balloon payment would allow for better strengthening potential rather than building more slowly.

 

[saafend_seagull]

this is our best opportunity. look at what happened to bristol city.

also going up pays off 1/3rd of our stadium.

 

[The Large One]

this is our best opportunity. look at what happened to bristol city.

Is it? You think we'll be WORSE next season?

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

As has been said before on this thread, I can just see you cheering on our opponents at Wembley in the play off final!

I'd love us to get promoted. It would be superb. And I really don't think "we're not ready yet". We've beaten a couple of *decent* Premiership sides already this season, and only lost narrowly to Liverpool at home. There are really only around a dozen sides at most we can't hope to compete with and of those, one or two of them are doing a great job of giving smaller clubs a chance (i.e. Aston Villa)

No Simster - cheering on opponents is not what is being suggested at all. Someone like you who is usually incisive and articulate - you do yourself a disservice. I may be wrong - but your comment about there being only around 12 sides that we cant compete with is what worries me. That leaves what - 9-10 sides we could. 18 games that you think we would compete with? That is my issue - at the moment we would only really compete with around 30% of the teams in there and that is why it could be disastrous.

I'm not fearful of relegation - that would be likely - and not the reason I am sceptical as to whether we would make the best fist of it should we go up - and it's a huge if still.

I'm fearful of the non-financial and financial implications it could have on the club - puts huge pressure on a young, untested infrastrucure and also a fan base that is only just being attracted back to games seeing on the whole, defeats and potentially morale-sapping ones on several occasions.

I want us to go up and compete as much as anyone - just not at the expense of the incredible journey we have made in the last 20 years or so.

 

[fly high]

Exactly.

Wigan, Bolton, Blackburn, QPR, Wolves, Swansea, WBA, Stoke, Norwich. What is there to be afraid of?

At least three of those will be in Championship next season. Some of those you quote have been in the Prem for a while & thought as themselves as reasonably established yet here we are saying we can do better than them (not having a dig at you, others are saying it too). Guess I'm just one of the pessimists who worries that if it all goes tits up we will be one of the ones who don’t just bomb out of the Prem but then I’ve been there before, all be it was First Div then. Norwich thought they had it right last time they were there & look what happened to them. I know the set-up is very different now but can’t help but worry. Mind you I’m also the eternal optimist who even at 3-0 down must stay till the final whistle just in case we make a come back so if there is a chance of promotion we have to go for it, don’t think it does any club any good to take their foot of the pedal & deliberately miss out.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Still being selective. See the back end of post 41.

Besides, I'm taking my cue (together with my own less well-informed opinions, of course) from Gus. Look at what he said after the Liverpool game. He hasn't really contradicted himself with today's comments.

I think you're taking me a bit too seriously with respect to you being upset if we get promoted

 

[Simster]

But [MENTION=2159]Digweeds Trousers[/MENTION], your concerns for the future of the club is all conjecture. There is nothing to say we'd spend wildly in order to stay up. The infrastructure is in place to host Premiership football at the Amex. It's not just that the place will hold 30,750 - it also has ample corporate and media facilities that mean we can afford to pay appropriate salaries. This is in stark contrast to, say, Pompey who not only were paying players good enough for Champions League teams, but didn't have the stadium to generate the income to pay more modest Premiership players.

Two years ago, Blackpool were playing in front of 8,000 at a stadium that held 11,000. They got promoted, built a temporary stand to accommodate extra demand, and very nearly stayed up. But although they went down, they are right in the thick of the promotion race again by off-loading players for good money and recruiting well. And gates are around the 12,000 mark now, 50% more than they were pre-Premiership. So I'd definitely take promotion any time it looked possible. Even one season watching the Albion playing the nation's best teams before returning to this division would be a success. But I don't think it would necessarily come to that. I think we could easily be like Swansea or Norwich.

 

[fly high]

I'm not fearful of relegation - that would be likely - and not the reason I am sceptical as to whether we would make the best fist of it should we go up - and it's a huge if still.

I'm fearful of the non-financial and financial implications it could have on the club - puts huge pressure on a young, untested infrastrucure and also a fan base that is only just being attracted back to games seeing on the whole, defeats and potentially morale-sapping ones on several occasions.

I want us to go up and compete as much as anyone - just not at the expense of the incredible journey we have made in the last 20 years or so.

This.

I wonder if those of us that worry about it the most are those who enjoyed that wonderful ride up in the late 70s then saw it all fall apart.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I'm fearful of the non-financial and financial implications it could have on the club - puts huge pressure on a young, untested infrastrucure and also a fan base that is only just being attracted back to games seeing on the whole, defeats and potentially morale-sapping ones on several occasions.

I want us to go up and compete as much as anyone - just not at the expense of the incredible journey we have made in the last 20 years or so.

I understand those fears, but I really believe that Tony will not let us get over-exposed financially. There really is very little evidence to suggest that he is keen to throw good money after bad. What he has spent big on is putting the infrastructure in place that should be able to generate an increased income to fund the squad's development. I would also like to think that we as fans would also be vigilant regarding this sort of thing. No-one wants us to end up as the next Pompey.

Tony has put us in a position where we can legitimately challenge for a place in the PL, and he is very keen that we get there as soon as we can. Getting into the PL is part of Tony's vision for the future, I don't think he would consider timing too much of an issue, given the speed at which we have grown this year, it seems that there has been an awful lot of planning for the future done already.

I am fully confident that should we go up we will not turn into a financial basket case because of it.

Whilst I respect the sincere pessimism of your posts I'd like to think that your fears will be proven unfounded. Anyhow it's all moot at the moment as we haven't even got back in the top six yet!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I think I need a sit down.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This.

I wonder if those of us that worry about it the most are those who enjoyed that wonderful ride up in the late 70s then saw it all fall apart.

FFS. I bet you're fun down the pub.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Anyhow it's all moot at the moment as we haven't even got back in the top six yet!

Should we wait until Saturday evening before carrying on this thread then?

 

[fly high]

FFS. I bet you're fun down the pub.

Ye I am actually. Usually the joker.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I think what we need to have is resilience. Teams can take an individual battering and recover, but we would need to be able to take a series of defeats and retain belief. Some things are learned - and I suspect resilience is one of them. We did not have it earlier in the season that's for sure. Will we have enough for the next level up (even with new players) ? It could be exciting.

 

[The Large One]

I think you're taking me a bit too seriously with respect to you being upset if we get promoted

I've got a stinking, shitty cold, OK?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I love an exciting end to the season.

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

I understand those fears, but I really believe that Tony will not let us get over-exposed financially. There really is very little evidence to suggest that he is keen to throw good money after bad. What he has spent big on is putting the infrastructure in place that should be able to generate an increased income to fund the squad's development. I would also like to think that we as fans would also be vigilant regarding this sort of thing. No-one wants us to end up as the next Pompey.

Tony has put us in a position where we can legitimately challenge for a place in the PL, and he is very keen that we get there as soon as we can. Getting into the PL is part of Tony's vision for the future, I don't think he would consider timing too much of an issue, given the speed at which we have grown this year, it seems that there has been an awful lot of planning for the future done already.

I am fully confident that should we go up we will not turn into a financial basket case because of it.

Whilst I respect the sincere pessimism of your posts I'd like to think that your fears will be proven unfounded. Anyhow it's all moot at the moment as we haven't even got back in the top six yet!

Good response - and you are not wrong in anyhting you are saying. I guess my ignorance is my biggest obstacle. I dont know anyone at the club, no-one rings me up to tell me about gosspi about to break and I dont attend the press conferences to try and console myself that I am an important and integral cog within the club machinery.

I'm a fan, who has supported the club for the last 28 years and just want this epic journey to carry on and be sustained. I could not bear a return to the bad old days. I've tasted the elixir of Brighton's future and it entices me, excites me sends my pulse racing and makes me want to cry out for more.

What I need is Tony to pop round, sit me down and tell me everything is going to be ok. I will put the kettle on or even open a bottle of something nice if he wants a strongewr tipple. He would put his arm around my shoulder and tell me not to panic. That he will see us to the promised land and keep us there for always. And that he has a plan to wipe smelly shitty Palace off the face of the footballing earth.

 

[Wilko]

Take promotion when you can, you may never get the chance again. Imagine if we did not make it and then Gus moves on and we see a steady decline

I know it sounds perverse but I would take going up to the prem and coming back down again. Blackpool did it and have now got parachute payments and what a wonderful year they had, I bet their fans would not swap that year in the prem for anything.