Anybody Else Starting To Actually RESENT The Club For Their Lack Of Focus On The Pitch?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

At what point did building the infrastructure and add-ons become the main focus of our football club?

I'm sure a very lovely training complex exists somewhere in the county. I'm sure the players swan around within it like GODS wearing bathrobes and slippers.

It's all Emperors New Clothes tho eh?

None of that sh*t will get you promoted to the hallowed ground of the Premier League, then finishing bottom 3 and scooping the parachute payments. You need serious investment and/or team spirit to make that leap. How do we recreate that team spirit nowadays? Used to be easy in the Withdean days cos there was f*ck all else going for us. How do we do that NOW?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

How many more times are you going to keep posting about this? Why not wait to see what Hughton does this summer, before going off on one?

 

[Mackenzie]

Next season will be better.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

How many more times are you going to keep posting about this? Why not wait to see what Hughton does this summer, before going off on one?

Assuming the board monitor this, er, board, the more hi-vis threads the better. IMHO, like. If we don't let constantly let them know they need to do better, they'll be overly complacent about ST renewal figures (many of which are due to sheer laziness, same as most people who can afford it don't change their energy supplier)

 

[clippedgull]

I'm going to simmer through the summer and see what the playing recruitments bring to the table.

It's quite depressing knowing that Hughton is not a naturally 'attacking' manager.

Without stating the bleeding obvious... we need that elusive net buster!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Assuming the board monitor this, er, board, the more hi-vis threads the better. IMHO, like. If we don't let constantly let them know they need to do better, they'll be overly complacent about ST renewal figures (many of which are due to sheer laziness, same as most people who can afford it don't change their energy supplier)

Infrastructure and buildings don't come under the FFP ruling, so the chairman can spend as much as he wants on them. The player budget is as high as it's ever been - not my opinion - but the accounts show it. This has been pointed out to you several times but you refuse to accept the facts.
The money has been wasted, I'll grant you and David Burke has been sacked.

It remains to be seen if the club has learned it's lesson this summer.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Next season will be better.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It remains to be seen if the club has learned it's lesson this summer.

It does indeed. But the more pressure we can heap on them in the meantime the better. IMHO, like. Cos you REALLY get the feeling that left to their own devices the club would just look at the ST renewal figures and let things DRIFT. Same as they did this season really.

 

[seagullwedgee]

It could not be clearer, this is now a 5 to 8 year academy lead plan. In about 7 years time we will be producing senior team talent in the same way that Southampton were doing 2 years ago. Talent we can use to win things on the pitch, and talent we can sell on to harvest huge profits for the playing side, and to keep the academy lead machine running.

That is how it is going to be. And in about 5 or so years time the fans will begin to truly thank the club for the long term plan they implemented. In the meantime of course, get used to mediocrity, on the pitch, and in the mid table status.

Wedgee

 

[Mutts Nuts]

At what point did building the infrastructure and add-ons become the main focus of our football club?

I'm sure a very lovely training complex exists somewhere in the county. I'm sure the players swan around within it like GODS wearing bathrobes and slippers.

It's all Emperors New Clothes tho eh?

None of that sh*t will get you promoted to the hallowed ground of the Premier League, then finishing bottom 3 and scooping the parachute payments. You need serious investment and/or team spirit to make that leap. How do we recreate that team spirit nowadays? Used to be easy in the Withdean days cos there was f*ck all else going for us. How do we do that NOW?

It`s been obvious to some of us from the 1st season at Falmer, AND BOY HAVE WE TAKEN SOME STICK FOR IT

 

[Foolg]

It's quite depressing knowing that Hughton is not a naturally 'attacking' manager.

Without stating the bleeding obvious... we need that elusive net buster!

Slight tangent, just had a look at Hughtons signings at Norwich (strikers):

- Elmander - 28 games, 1 goal
- Becchio - 13 games, 0 goals
- Hooper - 32 league games, 6 goals
- Van Wolfswinkel - 1 goal in 27 games
- Kei Kamara - 1 goal in 11 games
- Harry Kane (on loan) - played 3 times, no goals.


It doesn't look great, does it, even if that is Premier League statistics. The only one of those I'd consider is Hooper, and I'm sure Norwich are keen to keep hold of him.

 

[andy1980]

I'm going to simmer through the summer and see what the playing recruitments bring to the table.

It's quite depressing knowing that Hughton is not a naturally 'attacking' manager.

Without stating the bleeding obvious... we need that elusive net buster!

I agree. It does seem like next season we are going to be defensive. So getting that prolific striker is going to be important. I'm still hoping that it will be a strike partnership that gets the goals.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

If you've got a spare million to throw away every month on Emperer's new clothes, then let us know. What would be the point? Season ticket sales are a small part of the club's income.

 

[Wilka]

If we are to believe this squad is the most expensive in our history I don't think this argument is fair. It's just be invested really poorly.

I would imagine the board are just as annoyed, if not more so, than we are.

The poor season has cost us £500 odd quid on a season ticket. Poor old Tony has wasted about 8 million on watching this rubbish!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It could not be clearer, this is now a 5 to 8 year academy lead plan. In about 7 years time we will be producing senior team talent in the same way that Southampton were doing 2 years ago. Talent we can use to win things on the pitch, and talent we can sell on to harvest huge profits for the playing side, and to keep the academy lead machine running.

That is how it is going to be. And in about 5 or so years time the fans will begin to truly thank the club for the long term plan they implemented. In the meantime of course, get used to mediocrity, on the pitch, and in the mid table status.

Wedgee

Sorry, but the academy thing is a non-starter. Take Walton as a benchmark. Will he still be here in three years time? Of course not. He'll already be in somebody's little black book and the best we can hope for is a fee and a sell-on fee. We'll be regularly watching him on MOTD. Ditto anybody else coming through the academy. We'll remain a selling club, albeit with a lovely training ground.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

It`s been obvious to some of us from the 1st season at Falmer, AND BOY HAVE WE TAKEN SOME STICK FOR IT

Yes, it was really obvious in pre season before the second season. The club only invested in Kuszczak, Bruno, Orlandi, Lopez, Dobbie and Crofts (and only Bridge and Hammond on loan). Then in January we only spent money on Upson and Ulloa. It was so obvious, I can't believe we didn't all see it.

Threads like this are so boring. It's not about keeping the club on their toes. They don't read NSC and especially not dross like this. It is just so people can moan continuously all summer. As others have said, wait until we see who we're signing and then moan if you must.

 

[Rookie]

So are you saying we shouldn't have built a new training ground and invested in the academy stage?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Sorry, but the academy thing is a non-starter. Take Walton as a benchmark. Will he still be here in three years time? Of course not. He'll already be in somebody's little black book and the best we can hope for is a fee and a sell-on fee. We'll be regularly watching him on MOTD. Ditto anybody else coming through the academy. We'll remain a selling club, albeit with a lovely training ground.

So negative. All clubs are selling clubs. Man U had to sell Ronaldo to Madrid. Liverpool sold Suarez to Barcelona. Southampton sold Chambers, Shaw and Lallana, all academy products in the summer. They've been a better team as a result due to good management.

Based on this thread you would think we'd been in a twenty year decline. Until this season, we'd has three very good seasons at the Amex. The sad thing is one bad year brings out so much negativity. Until I see otherwise, I remain hopeful that Hughton can bring in more signings like Kayal who will help us improve.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Sorry, but the academy thing is a non-starter. Take Walton as a benchmark. Will he still be here in three years time? Of course not. He'll already be in somebody's little black book and the best we can hope for is a fee and a sell-on fee. We'll be regularly watching him on MOTD. Ditto anybody else coming through the academy. We'll remain a selling club, albeit with a lovely training ground.

Put your crystal ball away and have a pint.

 

[Brovion]

At what point did building the infrastructure and add-ons become the main focus of our football club?

I'm sure a very lovely training complex exists somewhere in the county. I'm sure the players swan around within it like GODS wearing bathrobes and slippers.

It's all Emperors New Clothes tho eh?

None of that sh*t will get you promoted to the hallowed ground of the Premier League, then finishing bottom 3 and scooping the parachute payments. You need serious investment and/or team spirit to make that leap. How do we recreate that team spirit nowadays? Used to be easy in the Withdean days cos there was f*ck all else going for us. How do we do that NOW?

With regard to the infrastructure I don't resent it at all. We need it. Badly. My own bete noir is that I always get the feeling that if I asked the club the question "Overall, what's more important, a new striker or a new slogan?" I wouldn't like the answer.