[Albion] No Euro - the effect on squad and recruitment.

[heathgate]

Now that we are generally considered serious contenders, with serious aspirational players on our books, I have started to consider the effect this weekends type of shenanigans ( and others previously of course), and the potential negative outcomes could/would have on our ability to recruit and/or retain key players and coaches in the short to medium term.

We are now standing here with one foot in the top tier of this league, will a failure to make a European spot of any description hinder our chances of keeping our top boys, including the management? Will it simply picture us as a plucky nearly club and thus still largely limit us to recruitment 'gambles' via Uncle Tony's stats brigade instead of supplementing our squad with the odd player who already operates at the top level.

Just a thought on this very damp morning here on the Somerset Levels.

 

[Icy Gull]

Said the same yesterday, the implications of being robbed so often run deeper than just not playing in Europe next season

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd imagine our recruitment standing has never been higher esp when we don't qualify for Europe, as they'll be no logjam.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Yes, feels very depressing at the moment.

Midfield will be depleted.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Was Saturday our Sliding Doors moment?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I'm not sure why everyone is so convinced yesterday's result stops us getting european fotball.

It has f***ed our slim chance for Champions league, for sure. But Europa is still very much on.
Fortunately there has been so much media focus on yesterday's game, I can't see it happening again, this season,

All to play for. I'm still pissed off, though as I thought we had a genuine shot at UCL.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

No, because Tony’s stats brigade’ is the plan and it is working. I don’t believe there is any desire to supplement with anything else. That is a lingering thought from the more traditional football fans who want us to operate like other top 6 clubs. The reality is there will continue to be player turnover because that is what is delivering success.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I'd imagine our recruitment standing has never been higher esp when we don't qualify for Europe, as they'll be no logjam.

This, we had players coming to the Albion with no expectations of us qualifying for Europe, only the bright lights of the PL.

 

[trueblue]

If we miss out on the Europa League, I think it’ll be the end of Mac Allister and Caicedo at least. If West Ham win the Conference League, qualification will drop as low as 8th and we still have the FA Cup route into Europa so there remains a very strong chance of some form of European football if we continue to play like we did at the weekend. I don’t see our recruitment policy changing very much whatever happens. We’ll retain a bigger squad rather than have so many out on loan. Other than the Champions League, there’s not the financial reward from Europe to start splashing big money around. Also, why change what got us here to become like everyone else. Without a huge stadium, global fan base and top 4 finish every year it always ends in tears.

 

[heathgate]

No, because Tony’s stats brigade’ is the plan and it is working. I don’t believe there is any desire to supplement with anything else. That is a lingering thought from the more traditional football fans who want us to operate like other top 6 clubs. The reality is there will continue to be player turnover because that is what is delivering success.

My gut feeling though is, if the club do want to take the next step, ie CL qualification etc, then they will need to insert the odd 'elite' player.

 

[southstandandy]

I'm not sure why everyone is so convinced yesterday's result stops us getting european fotball.

It has f***ed our slim chance for Champions league, for sure. But Europa is still very much on.
Fortunately there has been so much media focus on yesterday's game, I can't see it happening again, this season,

All to play for. I'm still pissed off, though as I thought we had a genuine shot at UCL.

I hope you're right, but I can't just help think that something dodgy will happen again at the next 'big' team we face in Chelsea next Saturday. Rumours are that the PGMOL have already prepared the next letter of apology to be delivered on Saturday night.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I've said all season, there will be two plans, one for in Europe and one for out. It would be madness not to given the higher number of games and higher difficulty of games in Europe. You need a bigger, better squad. Fortunately Tone is not mad.

So, to answer the question, we will have a smaller, weaker squad if we don't get it, but it will still be very good. Even if we were to lose, say, Mitoma and Caicedo we've got Adringa and Ayari to come in. Buonanotte is very highly rated by the club, Enciso is only just getting going, Ferguson stays no matter what to complete his development.

If we do qualify, let's say for the Europa League, which is still massively on, then the price for our contracted stars increases and we add two or three RDZ type players.

IMHO like.

 

[JetsetJimbo]

We're not getting into Europe. PGMOL have, evidently, already decided.

 

[Robinjakarta]

We're not getting into Europe. PGMOL have, evidently, already decided.

Adding to that, after Saturday's disgrace, I don't think we have a hope in hell of winning the FA Cup, not because we aren't good enough (of course we are) but for the same reason why we 'lost' on Saturday.

 

[Seagull27]

We'll lose 1-2 players this summer, which would almost certainly have happened regardless - perhaps a slim chance of keeping them if we'd got CL qualification, which now feels out of grasp.

Europa League is still very much a possibility though, and we must get it to have a chance of keeping some of the other top players we have.

Even if we miss out entirely though, the conveyor belt will continue. It will just set us back a year or so.

 

[Seagull27]

On a separate note, while CL qualification would have been lovely, I actually think Europa could be more fun, we probably have a better chance of making the latter stages.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Talking of recruitment....

 

[Stat Brother]

On a separate note, while CL qualification would have been lovely, I actually think Europa could be more fun, we probably have a better chance of making the latter stages.

When we were allowed to dream I never understood that particular denouement.

Guaranteed group stages.
Guaranteed second seed.

Spurs and Chelsea both easily got through their groups, the latter seemingly now one of the top 8 teams in Europe.
While the former needed 16 players to beat 11 from the Albion.

If we were allowed to compete at the top table - I firmly believe we would have competed.

 

[Seagull27]

When we were allowed to dream I never understood that particular denouement.

Guaranteed group stages.
Guaranteed second seed.

Spurs and Chelsea both easily got through their groups, the latter seemingly now one of the top 8 teams in Europe.
While the former needed 16 players to beat 11 from the Albion.

If we were allowed to compete at the top table - I firmly believe we would have competed.

I think we would have competed as well, but there's a chance of drawing PSG/Madrid/Munich in the first knockout round and that's probably that. Whereas in the EL, we're probably on a level with most teams.

 

[Stat Brother]

I think we would have competed as well, but there's a chance of drawing PSG/Madrid/Munich in the first knockout round and that's probably that. Whereas in the EL, we're probably on a level with most teams.

Still a 33% chance of going through

#GawdLovePSG.