Making Plans

I was in Lille 3 weeks ago at the Stade Pierre Mauroy Stadium (aka Decathlon Arena) for a concert. Built in 2012, it is the home of Lille OSC and what a magificent set up it is. 50,000 spectators, closing roof, all parking underground, shops, 6 hotels, 30+ resturants and great transport links.

But they are having fun, if you can remember what that is

Just catching up after being away from this circus for a few weeks, not that I'm that bothered anymore. My my, what a joke of a Club we have become. Masters of our own downfall. Somebody needs to get a grip and quick. However, I doubt the clowns running the Club are up to it.

Put your money on relegation at 16/1. It's a no lose bet. If we survive you're happy that we've stayed up and if the worst happens you'll win enough money to get drunk. No brainer

Or in the case of NCFC, the day before it closes again

But presumably those clubs that want to buy them believe that they are, ot that they can make them, better players than they have been for us. The problem is that neither Smith or Wagner have been unble to do that. And not just with those two players either. Virtually every member of our squad has gone backwards over the last two seasons.

Dowell - round peg in a square hole

Why are we interested in either?

Troy Deeney has just been released by Birmingham. Just our type of player - 35 years old, 11 goals in 2 seasons. What's not to like?

He is on the bench

But we are no longer in the English Top Flight

From BBC "Not a Leicester fan but why have they left 2 of their best attacking players on the bench and picked three pondering midfielders when they need goals to stay up? Does Dean Smith have a clue what he's doing?" The 2 best players left out includes one James Maddison.

Nothing to do with the quality and excitement of the football dished up then

Why would any of them want to take a massive step down and blight their prospects by joining us?

Difficult to throw a hissy fit at Celtic when he plays for Rangers

Interesting piece https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65584026

Serial under performers

That 4-0 win away from home in January looks even more unlikely now Nevermind unlikely, more like impossible

Secure our Championship status

It's not missing the point at all. A trend for managing expectations has clearly been set not least by the fact we have been showing players around the Club who are going to cost us nothing. We are shopping in the football equivalent of Poundland. So they might be decent enough players to keep us in the Championship but that is just stagnation rather than progression. That is not ambition, it is damage limitation. As for spending money we don't have, we hardly went on a wild spending spree when we had some and what we did spend was mostly wasted on players who were/are not good enough and are now worth less than we paid for them.

Extended contracts to Hernandez & Idah, neither of which pull up many trees on a regular basis. Reported interest in a 33 year old striker who if bought would hardly be a signing for the future given that future is next season. Sorry, but we seriously need to do better than that. A lot better.

If Hernandez is the upper level of our aspirations and ambition it's kinda worrying

Even more money chucked down the drain.

It all starts at the top so D&M have to go. They are past it and completely out of their depth by modern day requirements. We are drowning in a pool of mediocrity at every level - ownership, management, coaches, recruitment, squad, academy etc etc. It really is as simple as that. The model is broken