Naylor is right...aim is promotion or not promotion?

[Machiavelli]

He did score, at Charlton. He's been dreadful recently. Looks unfit and (whispers this bit) dis-interested.

On what basis are you making this last claim? He didn't look that disinterested on Saturday when, after a full game of the referee awarding decisions the way of the opposition, he got booked. He still doesn't look fit, but this has only exarcebated his key fault, namely, a total lack of pace. If he had that, he'd be playing in the Premier League -- or some comparative league -- and probably for a team in the top half of it.

 

[KZNSeagull]

None of the "big" clubs in the Championship have made any big money signings yet this transfer window. A cursory look at the list in the Telegraph suggests that Nakhi Wells to Huddersfield is the biggest transfer in money terms. Forest, QPR, Reading have not signed anyone.

I think this is a little early to start stirring it, but the fact that we tried to sign Grabban means we have some money to spend. Resolving the Bridcutt issue once and for all will be good for everyone though.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

IF, and this is a big IF, the club are planning on the Premier League in the next 2-3 years you'd have to say we're still 1 or 2 seasons away from PLR. I would argue that now is NOT the time to spend big on players but to develop new talent and create a team to go up in two years time .... why?

We have a great new Training Centre, due open in the Summer, so not ready yet. It will take us a good twelve months to bed into this place.

We have some great young talent, all of whom need at least another twelve to eighteen months to be ready for continual first team football at the top 3-4 standard in the Championship.

We are so unsure of our financial strength at the moment and must stay within the FFP rules or the whole dream could seriously become unpicked.

We only need to look at the precarious place Southampton find themselves in, along with Bolton, Leeds, and all the other big spenders.

I want to see us play in the Premiership as much as anyone else; but not at any cost. Trust in TB & PB, they are going to get us there, but in a sustainable way which won't put the entire club at risk.

 

[Mackenzie]

We are not going to attract young players without the ambition of becoming a Premier League club. If you believe that parents from across the country will bring their kids to play for the Albion just because of a traning facility, then think again. People are fickle.

Just keeping the Sussex lads in Sussex would be a start.

There is a lot to be said for not having to drive your kids 50 miles three times a week for their football. My son is with Cardiff City ADC (PL status irrelevant by the way), my daughter does gymnastics in Bridgend...both require an hour or so driving each way. Its a long day for them both after school as well, not to mention my petrol bill! I think the better local young (academy age) players have a greater chance of staying with us with the new facility. The coaches will need to be spot on though.

I'd of thought our ambition to make the PL is taken as read.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would argue that now is NOT the time to spend big on players but to develop new talent and create a team to go up in two years time

If only you could pick and choose in this way.

I personally think the club are going about things the right way i.e. providing a budget capable of getting a club promoted and then working within the budget. The rest comes down to good decision making and good fortune.

 

[Mellotron]

If only you could pick and choose in this way.

I personally think the club are going about things the right way i.e. providing a budget capable of getting a club promoted and then working within the budget. The rest comes down to good decision making and good fortune.

Realistically it's a budget that is very, very unlikely to get us promoted. It would be more down to Oscar's management if we got up, IMO.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Statistically, teams will almost always finish in roughly the same place as their wage bill falls in the division. Thankfully, the play off system keeps it interesting and promotion achievable for those further down the pecking order.

Personally, I would rather any funds generated by selling Liam Bridcutt were split between the squad budget and making sure season ticket prices don't increase next season.

 

[CheeseRolls]

None of the "big" clubs in the Championship have made any big money signings yet this transfer window. A cursory look at the list in the Telegraph suggests that Nakhi Wells to Huddersfield is the biggest transfer in money terms. Forest, QPR, Reading have not signed anyone.

I think this is a little early to start stirring it, but the fact that we tried to sign Grabban means we have some money to spend. Resolving the Bridcutt issue once and for all will be good for everyone though.

Big money signings only paint part of the picture. Derby's goal on Saturday, was scored by Bamford, a Chelsea player who has been on loan at MK Dons. Chelsea wanted him to step up to the Championship, because he was finding it too easy in Div 1. To me, he looks capable at this level. By contrast Obika looks like another spell learning in league 1 might be more appropriate. Quick and strong don't really help you in a three on one situation, if you can't stay onside. This is just a snapshot, but it will be interesting to see who makes the bigger impact.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

If only you could pick and choose in this way.

I personally think the club are going about things the right way i.e. providing a budget capable of getting a club promoted and then working within the budget. The rest comes down to good decision making and good fortune.

I would agree but also feel that the key here is BUDGET. IF, and again it's a BIG IF, you had your annual budget and a contingency of say £5m, would you spend that now, given where we are, or next year?

Too many clubs look at promotion as the target, it's not, it's sustainability once promoted.

 

[Urchin]

He did score, at Charlton. He's been dreadful recently. Looks unfit and (whispers this bit) dis-interested.

He was the opposite of dreadful last Saturday.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Big money signings only paint part of the picture. Derby's goal on Saturday, was scored by Bamford, a Chelsea player who has been on loan at MK Dons. Chelsea wanted him to step up to the Championship, because he was finding it too easy in Div 1. To me, he looks capable at this level. By contrast Obika looks like another spell learning in league 1 might be more appropriate. Quick and strong don't really help you in a three on one situation, if you can't stay onside. This is just a snapshot, but it will be interesting to see who makes the bigger impact.

He was onside in the three on one situation, but Ince didn't pass to him before the keeper closed him down. As with any striker, they cannot score if they're not given the service.

 

[Betfair Bozo]

I am not sure a FFP abiding budget can be provided in this window against the parachute payment clubs and the likes of Leicester and Forest. We are 7th so we are not uncompetitive. I'd rather we held out over Bridcutt even if it meant little or no time to replace him. Hand him over at way below value to a Premier League club? Balls to that.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Big money signings only paint part of the picture. Derby's goal on Saturday, was scored by Bamford, a Chelsea player who has been on loan at MK Dons. Chelsea wanted him to step up to the Championship, because he was finding it too easy in Div 1. To me, he looks capable at this level. By contrast Obika looks like another spell learning in league 1 might be more appropriate. Quick and strong don't really help you in a three on one situation, if you can't stay onside. This is just a snapshot, but it will be interesting to see who makes the bigger impact.

I may be wrong, but Bamford has been playing regularly recently, Obika has not. Makes a big difference - look at the howler Andy Carroll missed at the weekend.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I may be wrong, but Bamford has been playing regularly recently, Obika has not. Makes a big difference - look at the howler Andy Carroll missed at the weekend.

True, but isn't the point of loan signings to offer something a bit different from what you already have ? We are not exactly short of players, coming back from injury.

I am just trying to use this as an example, I don't think Obika is the worst decision we have made (ahem Kemy), it just feels we are being out manoeuvred right now.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I may be wrong, but Bamford has been playing regularly recently, Obika has not. Makes a big difference - look at the howler Andy Carroll missed at the weekend.

Obika scored several goals against Charlton just a couple of days before he arrived here.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Realistically it's a budget that is very, very unlikely to get us promoted. It would be more down to Oscar's management if we got up, IMO.

I guess it depends how you look at it. The funds available last season were clearly enough in my opinion. It was not the budget which got in the way. As it turned out a win on the opening day would have got us automatically promoted. Not letting in a number of those last minute goals we conceded would have done the same. Then there was the lack-lustre play-off game. None of these were directly due to the budget but would have all resulted in a much more positive outcome to the season. And I feel the same this season. The budget will be enough if good decisions were/are made and we have some good luck.

 

[maltaseagull]

Imagine the accusations of lack of ambition if Tony Bloom or Paul Barber came out and told fans we were not going to promotion this season at a time when the club sit seventh in the table...

And the club HAS invested significantly in the squad. Matthew Upson, Keith Andrews, Stephen Ward, Kemy Augustien et al are not playing for free and will be on decent wages compared to the likes of Gary Dicker, Marcos Painter et al who were let go.

Are you on the right forum?

This makes far too much sense for NSC

 

[Westdene Seagull]

No but weren't the club on about building a hotel at the Amex, is that really nessecary ??

The hotel will be built by the stadium company not Brighton and Hove Football Club Ltd. In all likelihood it will be partly financed by bank loans. You can't just take money from the stadium company and hand it to BHA Ltd to spend on players.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would agree but also feel that the key here is BUDGET. IF, and again it's a BIG IF, you had your annual budget and a contingency of say £5m, would you spend that now, given where we are, or next year?

If you are asking me in a 'you are the manager' style then I'd personally stick within the annual budget and only bring in replacements and/or spend any surplus from sales or outgoing players. I much prefer this approach to the supermarket-sweep approach of other clubs.

 

[Greavsey]

I just don't understand this need for clarification re ambition - in black and white terms we have sold Barnes for good money who was out of contract, and not a player who would take us to the "next level". Sold El-Abd who clearly wanted to leave to get games, and again would not take us to the "next level". We've been played by Grabban and his agent, and as with Barnes clearly don't want to break the bank for him which is the correct approach given their potential places within the squad which I am guessing for both would be on the fringes of the first team not as the main man who you would break your wage structure for - e.g. Ulloa.

Bridders wants to leave, fair enough, let him go but for good money. Orlandi should have kept his trap shut about this, but I think he probably has his own agenda to drive being out of contract in the summer.

Why don't we, and Andy Naylor, wait until the end of the transfer window to make judgements about the ambition of the club