Division one things to forward to……..

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm sure we'd be keeping him if he could stay fit.

Is that official?

He could do a job in D1

It could have been a case of salary demands. We might feel we could do better at that price if we stay up, and just can't afford him if we don't.

Bt yes, fitness might also be an issue. Someone at the club might have realised buying so many players with bad injury records is not a good idea.

At the right wage Hoilett is an excellent utility squad player, and definitely top half L1 quality. Only issue is if his medical assessment suggests he is going to struggle to recover and then be injury prone.

[Stranded]

Ipswich look to be coming back up after a few painful seasons in League One and are playing some lovely stuff. It’s not all doom and gloom if you get relegated.

If we go down, they are probably the model for us - 3 solid but uninspiring seasons finishing 11th, 9th and 11th but decent recruitment throughout that time leading to an almost certain promotion this time round.

[Hound]

Didn’t they spend an absolute shitload last year?

Anyway did check the Derby, Barnsley and sheff weds teams and they are very similar to their relegation sides. We really don’t have anything to fear as long as we behave sensibly

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah I thought Ipswich invested heavily in the summer just gone.

The problem we have is the side we've got now is unlikely to be similar to next season if we do end up going down. That's where we might have some issues competing against clubs who already have a good squad, but possibly need 2/3 quality additions to make the difference. We'd need double figures worth of quality additions, not impossible, but tough.

I wouldn't have thought Derby's side was all that similar to what they had last season given their issues?

[Snowflake Royal]

DOOOOOOOOM!!!1

We won't have a club in 18 months!!1! DOOOOM11!

[Hound]

Yeah I thought Ipswich invested heavily in the summer just gone.

The problem we have is the side we've got now is unlikely to be similar to next season if we do end up going down. That's where we might have some issues competing against clubs who already have a good squad, but possibly need 2/3 quality additions to make the difference. We'd need double figures worth of quality additions, not impossible, but tough.

I wouldn't have thought Derby's side was all that similar to what they had last season given their issues?

I reckon first game of next year we’ll line up with Bouzanis, CBC, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, NGW, McIntyre, Azeez, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Carroll, Senga, Hutchinson and maybe even Ejaria in the 18. Possibly even Ince and Puscas who are both contracted

Injury permitting of course

It’s not out of the question we could start

Bouzanis
Yiadom Sarr Holmes NGW
Ince Ejaria Hutch Azeez
Puscas Carroll

CBC, McIntyre, etc etc

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah I thought Ipswich invested heavily in the summer just gone.

The problem we have is the side we've got now is unlikely to be similar to next season if we do end up going down. That's where we might have some issues competing against clubs who already have a good squad, but possibly need 2/3 quality additions to make the difference. We'd need double figures worth of quality additions, not impossible, but tough.

I wouldn't have thought Derby's side was all that similar to what they had last season given their issues?

I reckon first game of next year we’ll line up with Bouzanis, CBC, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, NGW, McIntyre, Azeez, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Carroll, Senga, Hutchinson and maybe even Ejaria in the 18. Possibly even Ince and Puscas who are both contracted

Injury permitting of course

It’s not out of the question we could start

Bouzanis
Yiadom Sarr Holmes NGW
Ince Ejaria Hutch Azeez
Puscas Carroll

CBC, McIntyre, etc etc

Bar the back 4, that's still significantly different to the side we've been playing in most weeks this season. I know they are all contracted but I'd anticipate we'd be looking for a better goalkeeper than Bouzanis, Holmes and Ince would be likely to leave, as would Ejaria and Puscas as well.

[Hound]

Yeah I thought Ipswich invested heavily in the summer just gone.

The problem we have is the side we've got now is unlikely to be similar to next season if we do end up going down. That's where we might have some issues competing against clubs who already have a good squad, but possibly need 2/3 quality additions to make the difference. We'd need double figures worth of quality additions, not impossible, but tough.

I wouldn't have thought Derby's side was all that similar to what they had last season given their issues?

I reckon first game of next year we’ll line up with Bouzanis, CBC, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, NGW, McIntyre, Azeez, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Carroll, Senga, Hutchinson and maybe even Ejaria in the 18. Possibly even Ince and Puscas who are both contracted

Injury permitting of course

It’s not out of the question we could start

Bouzanis
Yiadom Sarr Holmes NGW
Ince Ejaria Hutch Azeez
Puscas Carroll

CBC, McIntyre, etc etc

Bar the back 4, that's still significantly different to the side we've been playing in most weeks this season. I know they are all contracted but I'd anticipate we'd be looking for a better goalkeeper than Bouzanis, Holmes and Ince would be likely to leave, as would Ejaria and Puscas as well.

Don’t think Holmes will leave. The other 3 probably

It’s theoretical of course but they are all contracted. We could keep them if we want.

Just highlighting The idea of needing 10+ quality additions just isn’t the case. If we choose to get rid of 6-7 then yeah, but that’s a choice

Forgot also Mbengue, Abrefa, Clarke(s) who have also appeared and looked ok at champ level. Carson sounds handy as well and has some experience

To have a competitive squad on Div1 all we’d really need to do is extend some youth team contracts.

If stranded is correct and I’m sure he is about the 3 year contract thing, then actually keeping Ejaria, Sarr, Ince, Puscas, Bouzanis, Holmes, McIntyre, Yiadom, Jehmari C, Camara?, actually seems more attractive as well

[3points]

You get what you pay for. Or in our case, don't pay for.

Aluko, Baldock and Puscas (amongst plenty of others) would suggest that isn’t true!

£7.5m + £3m by £6m rising potentially to £9m for three bang average players. The only one who excited me out of those was Puscas who sadly hasn't worked out here. The other 2 were criminal wastes of money and are a big reason we're in this mess

Don't forget we paid £2m for Vito Mannone!

£3m for Ejaria. £5m for Joao. Plus I'm sure we paid fees for Tiago Ilori, Leandro Bacuna and Mo Barrow

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I reckon first game of next year we’ll line up with Bouzanis, CBC, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, NGW, McIntyre, Azeez, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Carroll, Senga, Hutchinson and maybe even Ejaria in the 18. Possibly even Ince and Puscas who are both contracted

Injury permitting of course

It’s not out of the question we could start

Bouzanis
Yiadom Sarr Holmes NGW
Ince Ejaria Hutch Azeez
Puscas Carroll

CBC, McIntyre, etc etc

Bar the back 4, that's still significantly different to the side we've been playing in most weeks this season. I know they are all contracted but I'd anticipate we'd be looking for a better goalkeeper than Bouzanis, Holmes and Ince would be likely to leave, as would Ejaria and Puscas as well.

Don’t think Holmes will leave. The other 3 probably

It’s theoretical of course but they are all contracted. We could keep them if we want.

Just highlighting The idea of needing 10+ quality additions just isn’t the case. If we choose to get rid of 6-7 then yeah, but that’s a choice

Forgot also Mbengue, Abrefa, Clarke(s) who have also appeared and looked ok at champ level. Carson sounds handy as well and has some experience

To have a competitive squad on Div1 all we’d really need to do is extend some youth team contracts.

If stranded is correct and I’m sure he is about the 3 year contract thing, then actually keeping Ejaria, Sarr, Ince, Puscas, Bouzanis, Holmes, McIntyre, Yiadom, Jehmari C, Camara?, actually seems more attractive as well

Agree to disagree then really here I think, but that's just me.

I think those choices (considering Puscas' it out of our hands I believe as it's a mandatory clause if Genoa are promoted?) will form part of the reason as to why we will need double figures worth of players in the summer, and quality players at that if we want to be anywhere near the top of L1 next season.

Mbengue I could imagine would chance his arm at getting a move to a Championship club and all these youngsters sounds great on paper but how many of them are actually that good? Camara was hooked at half time on Saturday, Abrefa has looked ok but not outstanding, Jahmari Clarke had his 2 goals at Birmingham and little else since etc. I know what you're saying about competitive, although I'm still not even sure about that and I'd want to be more than competitive in League One next season.

[Stranded]

I reckon first game of next year we’ll line up with Bouzanis, CBC, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, NGW, McIntyre, Azeez, Camara, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Carroll, Senga, Hutchinson and maybe even Ejaria in the 18. Possibly even Ince and Puscas who are both contracted

Injury permitting of course

It’s not out of the question we could start

Bouzanis
Yiadom Sarr Holmes NGW
Ince Ejaria Hutch Azeez
Puscas Carroll

CBC, McIntyre, etc etc

Bar the back 4, that's still significantly different to the side we've been playing in most weeks this season. I know they are all contracted but I'd anticipate we'd be looking for a better goalkeeper than Bouzanis, Holmes and Ince would be likely to leave, as would Ejaria and Puscas as well.

Don’t think Holmes will leave. The other 3 probably

It’s theoretical of course but they are all contracted. We could keep them if we want.

Just highlighting The idea of needing 10+ quality additions just isn’t the case. If we choose to get rid of 6-7 then yeah, but that’s a choice

Forgot also Mbengue, Abrefa, Clarke(s) who have also appeared and looked ok at champ level. Carson sounds handy as well and has some experience

To have a competitive squad on Div1 all we’d really need to do is extend some youth team contracts.

If stranded is correct and I’m sure he is about the 3 year contract thing, then actually keeping Ejaria, Sarr, Ince, Puscas, Bouzanis, Holmes, McIntyre, Yiadom, Jehmari C, Camara?, actually seems more attractive as well

I've done a bit more reading and it looks like the rules are now slightly different for relegated clubs. According to the EFL site, the limit for relegated clubs is now 75% of turnover for the first year only.

The 3 year contract thing seems to have disappeared but worth noting that any wages paid to players u21 are omitted from the calculation - so if we do drop than any player born after 1st Jan 2002 will not count to the calculation - with the exception of players loaned in.

[TiagoIlori]

Didn’t they spend an absolute shitload last year?

Anyway did check the Derby, Barnsley and sheff weds teams and they are very similar to their relegation sides. We really don’t have anything to fear as long as we behave sensibly

They did, but we tend to spend a lot when we can too. Probably won’t be able to spend that much right away but would expect we would be able to in the second season, whether Dai’s here or not.

[Hound]

Bar the back 4, that's still significantly different to the side we've been playing in most weeks this season. I know they are all contracted but I'd anticipate we'd be looking for a better goalkeeper than Bouzanis, Holmes and Ince would be likely to leave, as would Ejaria and Puscas as well.

Don’t think Holmes will leave. The other 3 probably

It’s theoretical of course but they are all contracted. We could keep them if we want.

Just highlighting The idea of needing 10+ quality additions just isn’t the case. If we choose to get rid of 6-7 then yeah, but that’s a choice

Forgot also Mbengue, Abrefa, Clarke(s) who have also appeared and looked ok at champ level. Carson sounds handy as well and has some experience

To have a competitive squad on Div1 all we’d really need to do is extend some youth team contracts.

If stranded is correct and I’m sure he is about the 3 year contract thing, then actually keeping Ejaria, Sarr, Ince, Puscas, Bouzanis, Holmes, McIntyre, Yiadom, Jehmari C, Camara?, actually seems more attractive as well

Agree to disagree then really here I think, but that's just me.

I think those choices (considering Puscas' it out of our hands I believe as it's a mandatory clause if Genoa are promoted?) will form part of the reason as to why we will need double figures worth of players in the summer, and quality players at that if we want to be anywhere near the top of L1 next season.

Mbengue I could imagine would chance his arm at getting a move to a Championship club and all these youngsters sounds great on paper but how many of them are actually that good? Camara was hooked at half time on Saturday, Abrefa has looked ok but not outstanding, Jahmari Clarke had his 2 goals at Birmingham and little else since etc. I know what you're saying about competitive, although I'm still not even sure about that and I'd want to be more than competitive in League One next season.

Don’t think that suggested team is any worse than what the likes of Sheff weds and Barnsley have run with this season

Obvs if we need a decent manager. Also shifting Puscas and replacing with a striker who knows the division would help. I don’t think the buy clause is mandatory for Genoa - be nice if it was

Camara and Abrefa have had good games against champ opposition. They should be ok at least for a regular bench spot in the champ. Same goes for Ehib, John Clarke, Craig

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Have they honestly had good games in the Championship? Or is it a case of they haven't looked completely out of their depth/not good enough at all? The only game I've been impressed with Abrefa was Watford in the FA Cup and that was up against an academy player of Watford's as well. Camara was dragged off at half time as well and impacted the game very little.

I'm as hopeful as the next fan that these players live up to their potential that they have, although I do think we are going a bit overboard that we suddenly believe that half a dozen of our youngsters can cope with League One football, let alone Championship football. Abrefa possibly can in fairness, but I can't say I've been that impressed, but going down a level may be good for most. The only player I'd be expecting from our academy to shine in League One next season would be Azeez, anyone else it would be a surprise.

[Hound]

Yeah I think they have. Camara did well in his recent sub appearances and had a couple of pretty good games last year

Abrefa - yep probably not full games at champ level, but done ok in his sub appearances inc his recent ones. Decent games against Stevenage and Watford this year in the cups

I don’t think they are champ players yet but seen enough to think they’d be on for the bench in div1. I’m not starting them and saying we’ll smash the league (reread earlier post, I meant good for bench in D1 not champ)

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah Abrefa for me I'd be tempted to start in League One, tough with Yiadom there but I don't actually think he's that good anymore and seems to be going backwards a little bit. I can only see Abrefa starting if we stick with a back 3/5 again and he is our wing back, maybe not too bad with NGW (or another young, attacking wing back) on the other side.

Camara and Kelvin E might be worth testing in and out and seeing if they can build on some admittedly fairly promising signs, the rest I'm not convinced by as of yet and might need a loan somewhere. Or the one's mentioned might benefit from a season-long loan somewhere at a similar-ish level (by that I mean a League One outfit, but lower down the division). Hopeful that Abbey can have a bit of a breakthrough season, but I think we should only really be expecting 3/4 academy players to be involved.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Or the one's mentioned might benefit from a season-long loan somewhere at a similar-ish level (by that I mean a League One outfit, but lower down the division).

Wish I had your confidence for next season...

[SCIAG]

Only players I can see us loaning out to another League 1 club would be goalkeepers.

Everyone else will either be needed here, or won't inspire any other club to come in for them. I don't see a League One club deciding to come in for Jahmari Clarke on loan if we decide we don't need him.

[Hound]

John Clarke should some good signs early season tbf. Reckon him and Craig will be involved next year if they hang about

So I can see us using CBC, Abrefa, Ehibhatiomhan, Camara, Clarke, Azeez, Craig and possibly Jokull. And obvs Holmes and TMc

[Royal_jimmy]

Ipswich look to be coming back up after a few painful seasons in League One and are playing some lovely stuff. It’s not all doom and gloom if you get relegated.

I have a soft spot for Ipswich so I'm glad to see them on the way back. They went down because of a lack of investment in their squad. If we go down it's because of gross financial mismanagement from Dai Yongge which will take longer to fix. Ipswich are a bigger club and get higher attendances than we do yet they've been in L1 for 4 seasons. I'd back us to play in that league or below for longer than that, unless we unearth some diamonds from the academy somehow.