[Albion] Are you OK with TB’s long term ambitions for the Albion?

[Goldstone1976]

At the forum prior to the Burnley game and again today reported in the Argus, TB has used the word “forever” in relation to his opinion of the realistic goal for the Albion being to stay up.

Obviously, he wants to finish as high as possible, and would love a long cup run too, but he views the realistic goal as staying up.

I doubt many Albion fans will baulk much at that goal for next season or even a few thereafter; but “forever”?

How content will you be if we have stayed in the PL for 5 years for the following season’s goal to remain “stay in the PL” for the next 5 years too?

Poll to follow

 

[n1 gull]

We got to the QF of the FA cup and stayed up with a couple to spare - that to me is more than decent. Every year we are in the division I hope we improve by playing more attacking football with better players but that's not guaranteed so YES I'm very happy. Tony Bloom's blue and white army!!

 

[Jim D]

Let's get to 5 years first. When we get our academy in full swing and producing first team players, I'm certain that we'll be very competitive.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I've written about this on here before and I'm sure some people think I'm miserable.

I would love us to stay up for the foreseeable future and, financially, that's where we have to be The money TB has invested only makes sense if we're in the Premier League and pushing to become a global brand. But for me to be content we have to be evolving positively every season. Not just competitive in the cup but pushing for finals. Not just hanging on to 17th or 16th by the tips of our fingers but, eventually, pushing for Europe. Not by one miracle season, a la Leicester, but by constant little tweaks and improvements. The good news is I think that's where the club are too.

There are a couple of "buts" though. Firstly, the thing I really don't want is for that position in the table to be achieved with negative football and the small club attitude that's dogged us a bit this season. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.

Secondly I offer exactly what my Cardiff mate Sam said about Stoke this season. "Relegation will do them good. Shake the place up a bit, give them a chance to be the big boys again". If we do end up stagnating then I think a season or two in the Championship would similarly do us the power of good.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I've written about this on here before and I'm sure some people think I'm miserable.

I would love us to stay up for the foreseeable future and, financially, that's where we have to be The money TB has invested only makes sense if we're in the Premier League and pushing to become a global brand. But for me to be content we have to be evolving positively every season. Not just competitive in the cup but pushing for finals. Not just hanging on to 17th or 16th by the tips of our fingers but, eventually, pushing for Europe. Not by one miracle season, a la Leicester, but by constant little tweaks and improvements. The good news is I think that's where the club are too.

There are a couple of "buts" though. Firstly, the thing I really don't want is for that position in the table to be achieved with negative football and the small club attitude that's dogged us a bit this season. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.

Secondly I offer exactly what my Cardiff mate Sam said about Stoke this season. "Relegation will do them good. Shake the place up a bit, give them a chance to be the big boys again". If we do end up stagnating then I think a season or two in the Championship would similarly do us the power of good.

Don’t see much to disagree with here..

 

[Stat Brother]

That's not going to play well with the sizable contingent, on here, who have spent much of this season pining for The Championship.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Let's get to 5 years first. When we get our academy in full swing and producing first team players, I'm certain that we'll be very competitive.

So you think that TB’s use of “forever” is primarily a ploy to get us to remain realistic for a while, and should not be taken literally? “Forever” doesn’t mean forever?

Maybe so.

 

[junior]

I've written about this on here before and I'm sure some people think I'm miserable.

I would love us to stay up for the foreseeable future and, financially, that's where we have to be The money TB has invested only makes sense if we're in the Premier League and pushing to become a global brand. But for me to be content we have to be evolving positively every season. Not just competitive in the cup but pushing for finals. Not just hanging on to 17th or 16th by the tips of our fingers but, eventually, pushing for Europe. Not by one miracle season, a la Leicester, but by constant little tweaks and improvements. The good news is I think that's where the club are too.

There are a couple of "buts" though. Firstly, the thing I really don't want is for that position in the table to be achieved with negative football and the small club attitude that's dogged us a bit this season. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.

Secondly I offer exactly what my Cardiff mate Sam said about Stoke this season. "Relegation will do them good. Shake the place up a bit, give them a chance to be the big boys again". If we do end up stagnating then I think a season or two in the Championship would similarly do us the power of good.

Great post.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I'd hope that within the next billion or so years we win the league.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Forever is quite a long time.

 

[n1 gull]

I've written about this on here before and I'm sure some people think I'm miserable.


There are a couple of "buts" though. Firstly, the thing I really don't want is for that position in the table to be achieved with negative football and the small club attitude that's dogged us a bit this season. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.
.

Someone suggested a banner wishing LFC good luck I've just thrown up in my mouth

 

[clippedgull]

I don't ever think we will break into the 'elite' top of the table group, at least not without huge financial investment, and for that to happen I believe TB would have to reduce his holdings in BHAFC for the 'investor' to invest! Has TB got the sort of funds to manage it by himself? Who knows?

Having said that, I can forsee the Premier League 'elite' breaking away into some sort of Super European League within the next decade and the Premier League being some sort of Super Championship League.

The next 2/3 years should be about getting a better quality squad together, in a sort of jigsaw fashion, piece by piece.

Currently we are a mish mash of elderly players, championship quality players (gradually they will be replaced) and a couple of players that are comfortable playing at Premier League level.

Aiming for a comfortable top ten, and maybe getting to a semi final or final of a cup competition.

Of course, we can just as easily find ourselves back in the Championship as Stoke, West From, and Swansea have this season.

That's what we like about football, you can never predict what's going to happen next.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The good news is I think that's where the club are too.

Based on what?

Twice in the last month, TB has said that he thinks the goal will be to stay up “forever”. He’s also said he hopes for a(nother) good cup run and would like to hope that we can finish higher up the league - but a goal of avoiding relegation “forever” does not carry the same cost implications as incrementally improving our strength over a decade.

 

[Sheebo]

I feel like the cup is something that should be a lot more important to us if we’re in the prem. our run this year was wicked. The Cov game was brilliant. I’d like us to try for decent cup runs in both of them...

 

[dazzer6666]

I've written about this on here before and I'm sure some people think I'm miserable.

I would love us to stay up for the foreseeable future and, financially, that's where we have to be The money TB has invested only makes sense if we're in the Premier League and pushing to become a global brand. But for me to be content we have to be evolving positively every season. Not just competitive in the cup but pushing for finals. Not just hanging on to 17th or 16th by the tips of our fingers but, eventually, pushing for Europe. Not by one miracle season, a la Leicester, but by constant little tweaks and improvements. The good news is I think that's where the club are too.

There are a couple of "buts" though. Firstly, the thing I really don't want is for that position in the table to be achieved with negative football and the small club attitude that's dogged us a bit this season. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.

Secondly I offer exactly what my Cardiff mate Sam said about Stoke this season. "Relegation will do them good. Shake the place up a bit, give them a chance to be the big boys again". If we do end up stagnating then I think a season or two in the Championship would similarly do us the power of good.

Spot on. Pretty sure TB feels the same but there wouldn’t be much sense in saying ‘We aim to be in the CL in 5 years’ or similar. For the next few years getting properly established and continuing to improve has to be the aim.

Banner wishing Liverpool well ? FFS.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

You can wish forever but that's not always in your control. I guess at some time we will be relegated then promoted as we have for the last 50 years and that's what makes it all so entertaining. The great news is we have a great local chairman who cares, that's what I hope is for ever.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That's not going to play well with the sizable contingent, on here, who have spent much of this season pining for The Championship.

For clarity, you mean as in beating teams for fun every week, I presume. My impression, though, is that it only is a minority who feel like this (somewhat too noisy a minority, but nevertheless).

 

[DJ NOBO]

.

. I thought we'd got over the initial awe of being here and then I hear people suggesting that we should maybe have a banner tomorrow wishing luck to Liverpool in the Champions League. No. F*** off. If we're here long term then we deserve to be on merit and there should be no tugging of the forelock. Some points away from home would be nice too.

.

This.
The one blot on last Friday was when they played ‘the great escape’. It wasn’t a great escape , we stayed up with two games to spare. We were never in the relegation zone.
Encouragingly, the team have massively upped their game In matches against the top six.
Now it’s for the club and the fans to drop that small time inferiority complex that’s not in line with being a respected premier league club.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Well the Premier has only been going 26 years and guess who are the only 6 teams to have been in it throughout (wrong Everton, not City ) ?

I think that forever is setting the bar pretty high.

 

[n1 gull]

This.
The one blot on last Friday was when they played ‘the great escape’. It wasn’t a great escape , we stayed up with two games to spare. We were never in the relegation zone.
Encouragingly, the team have massively upped their game In matches against the top six.
Now it’s for the club and the fans to drop that small time inferiority complex that’s not in line with being a respected premier league club.

Why did they play the Great Escape it seemed a really weird choice?