Summer blues...

[Dean Coneys boots 1,479]

I have never felt quite as pessimistic going into a summer break. Losing Maddison will leave this team without the spark of creativity that stopped us being in a relegation fight - for he single handedly scored most of our goals- and given the financial constraints I just don’t see us purchasing the standard necessary to compete for playoffs.

Last year we gambled by signing L1 standard players (in terms of what we paid) and hoping they would step up. Some have shone and others have been ordinary. But do that for too long - sell best players and gamble on cheap ones- and soon you will become what you pay for

Realistically who will replaced oliviera and Maddison? Not players of their standard that is for sure

[Mike 64]

Dean Coney''s boots"I have never felt quite as pessimistic going into a summer break. Losing Maddison will leave this team without the spark of creativity that stopped us being in a relegation fight - for he single handedly scored most of our goals- and given the financial constraints I just don’t see us purchasing the standard necessary to compete for playoffs.

Last year we gambled by signing L1 standard players (in terms of what we paid) and hoping they would step up. Some have shone and others have been ordinary. But do that for too long - sell best players and gamble on cheap ones- and soon you will become what you pay for

Realistically who will replaced oliviera and Maddison? Not players of their standard that is for sure"

No its ok, the massively confident Leeds fan told us to judge him after 3 transfer windows ( this summer) in which the revolution we all asked for would be complete... also looking forward to not being in transition...

[lake district canary 4,695]

Pessimistic? So have a few weeks off football (unless you are masochistic or addicted and feel the need to watch the world cup) and then there will be optimism at the start of a new campaign. Watch some cricket (or if you prefer watch some paint

dry[;)] ) forget last season and start looking forwards to the next one. New players in, other players out, pre-season

training with everyone fresh and wanting to make their mark. Farke having had a few weeks to reflect on his first season and what he

needs to. The squad will be well in tune with things and after a summer to reflect and rest, will be better for it.  Vrancic who proved to everyone he is adapting well, Trybull hopefully fully fit, Tettey, Godfrey, Srbeny and Hernandez up to speed, Stiepermann back to full fitness and strength, the defence more settled.  Maybe Reed still here, plus any new strikers in, a goalkeeper, maybe Matthews, to match what Gunn did this season - perhaps Gunn himself.   Cheer up!

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,395]

You only have to look at Fulham to see a team who have managed to progress well based on signing players who few have heard of from the lessor European leagues.

They have consistently had to sell (or even lose on free) their better players but by having a long term view and developing their own young players they have challenged at the top of the league the past few seasons. They do have a wealthy owner but ask any Fulham fan and they’ll tell you he has spent pretty much nothing of his own money on players since they went down to the Championship.

The club are still in transition and things aren’t going to happen straight away. I’m pretty excited about the summer to see who Webber and Farke bring in and who leaves.

[king canary 8,261]

"They do have a wealthy owner but ask any Fulham fan and they’ll tell you he has spent pretty much nothing of his own money on players since they went down to the Championship. "

Well they''d be wrong.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,395]

Who have Fulham spent money on then King Canary? They certainly didn’t spend more this season than the £12m they got for Maloney and Aluko and they didn’t spend more that the £12m they got for McCormack last season. But every account their playing staff is self sufficient.

Khan is investing in the training ground and stadium - but not on players or wages.

[king canary 8,261]

Fulham have been running wages at over 100% of turnover for the last few seasons so I''d assume he''s subsidizing that.

[Guest]

You can argue about it all you like but just maybe Fulham have a better coach with better tactics,

[River End Canary 18]

I agree with the OP not much to look forward to we are slipping backwards rapidly both on the pitch and in the bank balance.

Never have I so looked forward to the close season just to get a break from the relentless sideways and back passing.

Selling Maddison will be a disaster and show the lack of ambition the stowmarket 2 have for the club

What can be done? Nothing the fans seem happy with the terminal decline and Delia will carry on destroying the club

Only a change of strategy will deliver sustainable performance

Delia out stinking rich Chinese owner in

[Mello Yello 2,456]

Just wait until Nepper''s Tom stands up to the plate and proves all the negative doubters'' wrong!.....

Show these doubting dullards the pit of misery Nepper''s Tom "Dilly Dilly!".....

[king canary 8,261]

@KG

You''re probably right but I think they also have better players.

Khan doesn''t have to pump in millions but they''ve been making losses of £15m odd most seasons, something that we can''t do.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Dean Coneys boots"]I have never felt quite as pessimistic going into a summer break.[/quote]For someone who''s always pessimistic, perhaps you should give the Samaritans a call.

Please don''t do anything silly, it is only football after all.

Love. 

Deirdrie

xxx

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,395]

Having just seen their latest set of accounts it does seem Fulham are overhyping their self sufficiency. Although wage to turnover being over 100% isn’t that unusual in the Championship.

This season they have made a profit on player trades and reduced the bill below the 100% apparently. Also the high wages were partly due to some historically awful deals (they were still paying Mitroglu despite selling him).

I still think they aren’t a bad example though as their wages are actually less than Norwich’s, just they have a very low income due to small stadium/fan base and their associated costs are higher due to being in West London.

They also represent a club that has had to sell their best players but recruited successfully by looking to obscure players - whether domestic or abroad.

[nutty nigel 7,778]

There ain''t no cure......

[king canary 8,261]

There are definitely lessons to be taken from what they''ve done but I think it would be silly to ignore what their ownership system allows them to do.

You mention they made a profit on player sales this season but my understanding is they''ve basically spent what they bought in. Khan allows them to do that, while we have to redirect profits to cover costs we already have.

January is a case in point for our differences- they didn''t make any major sales but were able to go out and loan Mitrovic and Targett who slotted straight into their team and spent £3m on a right back they now never play.

We had to sell Pritchard and added 4 players who have been able to have minimal impact since they arrived due to various issues.

My concern is that players like those are out of our reach now so we''re looking for diamonds in the rough much more than Fulham.

[BroadstairsR 2,272]

I''m not pessimistic because it is quite obvious to me that next season could go either way ... and this fact, as I see it with my half full glass, invites some cause for being optimistic.

Yes! The transition is over, the revolution is petering out and all due lessons should have been learned, but Farke still worries me as he seems blind to the team''s shortcomings as they have been revealed over the past months.

He''s no dullard though. It seems that there is momentum already in the striking department, McClean, Lewis and Tettey will be on-board along with Thompson and Godfrey and perhaps Reed.

We will, hopefully, have some money to buy a decent, safe Bryant and May type and a less safe Swan Vesta, both excellent strikers over the years.

With the defence seemingly strong, the strike force enhanced and perhaps Reed signed and Matthews given a chance I personally, believe that the manager has the tools to work with in order to fashion a reasonably successful season whereby threatening a top six slot will not be unreasonable.

However, I''m worried about Daniel.

[Woodman 92]

Re the Fulham comparison: on 30/12/17, they were ''languishing'' in 12th position in the table, one place above us. They then loaned Mitrovic in (who has scored 12 goals in 17 appearances). We bought Srebny. Therein lies the difference.

[Haggerdoo 6]

[quote user="Woodman"]Re the Fulham comparison: on 30/12/17, they were ''languishing'' in 12th position in the table, one place above us. They then loaned Mitrovic in (who has scored 12 goals in 17 appearances). We bought Srebny. Therein lies the difference.[/quote]

Yep if only we were paying £50k per week for Mitrovic instead of £40k per week to allow Naismith to play at Hearts

[Guest]

Dean Coneys boots wrote:

I have never felt quite as pessimistic going into a summer break.

You are permanently pessimistic spring,summer,autumn, and winter. I''ve got 2 yr old grand kids who whinge less than you.

[Year of the tiger 65]

Certainly Fulham gave used the loan market to its fullest extent, especially their proximity to Chelsea. Last night, & against us, 5 of the 18 were loans. Hopefully there will be no criticism if we go down this route. So long as it''s more Reed & Gunn than Wisdom, Gibbs & Bamford.

[Bill 1,788]

I much prefer this approach

my old mate Jungo Merry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM

less whine, more wine

cheer up

[Chip20 69]

I''m neither pessimistic, nor optimistic. Like every other season I will just turn up to lend my support wherever I can and see what unfolds. I don''t get why people fret about it so much. It''s football FFS. If first world problems like which division your team plys its trade in is the worst of your worries you are a lucky person indeed.

[hogesar 10,261]

Well put chip :)

[Dean Coneys boots 1,479]

I find it rather amusing that some assume my football pessimism equates to some sort of personal depression!! Get a grip!

As it happens I am a glass half full chap in life, but wanted to share a view, on a forum, from a footballing perspective- that this seems a bleak summer indeed as regards outgoings and ability to pull in decent replacements.

A view stemming from my long standing belief that the board have taken us as far as they can and need to move over and allow fresh air to come in. They are very much yesterdays men and it is showing in our slide on and off the pitch..we need people at the helm who can take us on to the next level. Not sliding back to League one as finances and vision seem to be doing at present....

[Bill 1,788]

Yes, when did we last see new board members, a new CEO or a new chairman ?

We haven''t even changed the approach either......apart from having a director of football, a new manager and coaching staff......and err, the academy staff have changed with a £5m investment in the infrastructure.

Where are the exciting new young players coming through, do we have a keeper ready to step up ?

We will be £30m odd short next season, yet have this board done anything about it... apart from selling players and cutting the wage bill.

So yes DCB you are right to complain ............................. as you always do

[Hairy Canary 734]

Didn''t look like a complaint to me. More an observation on the likely direction of travel given our financial set up.

[Dean Coneys boots 1,479]

Certainly board members have come and gone but the ownership is static and tired. That was my point. Sorry but nepotism Tom and Ed Balls weren’t quite what I had in mind when suggesting fresh vision and drive is needed at the boardroom level

And no I wasn’t complaining just observing on how limited our scope is for ambition at present

[Bill 1,788]

Depends on what you define as ambition

Every club has ambition

We have dealt extremely well with the loss of parachute [payments.

Virtually replaced the whole football side of things, what more do you want ?

ah yes................. that old fellow Sticking Rich, so why not just say it rather than trying to make out it is some ''observation'' ?

[FenwayFrank 2,595]

I want my team to do well but chip20 has got it spot on in my opinion

[Dean Coneys boots 1,479]

But I don’t think it is stinking rich we need but a better vision. The man with the money chases the man with the dream after all. My point is that the current board whilst they have done brilliantly have overstayed their welcome and are now hindering rather than helping the club move forwards. If you can’t see how much we are sliding then you must be blind. And it was all so avoidable given that we only needed two decent CB last time we went up- which the fans were screaming for - but just didn’t really bother going for it at all. And then we are told there is no money to spend - which in this league spells troubles pretty quick. Indeed since Bowkett left we seem to have done back to the Doomy days a bit.