NEXT SEASON

[villager]

OK, let's move on ... it's not going to happen.

Who do you want to stay and who is destined for the exit?

My dear old Dad wants to get shot of Wildthing and Burley (I'm hpoing to get him into a home during pre-season).

Me? Well, I was delighted with the team and performance in the last game ... so I'd keep them all. This assumes Des is retiring.

[andy]

In my book, open for discussion on Monday or a week after that, or a week after that!

Conference, Conference North or Conference South will bring significant differences into the discussion.

[wh]

it may even bring Jock back

[wonderfullcity]

Watching over this season, i have gathered my thoughts and had a think about our chances for next season, and to be honest, i really do think we have a great chance of promotion.

We have a very decent squad of players at the moment and i think the players released so far have been the correct decision by AP.
Des has been brilliant for the City, and its always sad to see players like him to go, always giving 100% and a top player throughout his career.

However i think the reason for us not reaching the play offs this season, boils down to a number of reasons, but primarily i feel that the main was is experience. Not individual experience, otherwise it would be stupid not to keep Des, but COLLECTIVE experience as a team. The players who have played the past season have quality, however we didnt pick up points earlier in the season, and midway, where we should have gone to games and got something. I now think that this experience will be of a great benefit, as the mental toughness required to get promoted will have grown. Next season im sure the team will go to places, and no that not getting something out of a game will mean that the end of the season will be the same as this season! So i think with that experience behind us, we will go on to pick up an extra 15 or 20 points next year.

On the playing side, we will need one more dominant center half, a midfielder and maybe one forward.
The signing of Rapinder Gill does excite me, on what ive heard. And im sure that with the players we have then next season we will begin to play alot more football out from the back, rather than go long all the time. Its a tough division to play alot of football, but having players like Gill who have the ability to get the ball down under pressure and start off attacks will create more chances for us. And watching this season, we have been at our best when we have played the ball on the ground.

Also i feel we have now added pace at the back, meaning that we can defend and play alot higher up the pitch, allowing us to put teams under alot more pressure, when we dont have the ball, forcing mistakes from big slow center halves who cannot play under pressure. Putting more pressure and closing down high up the pitch will force alot of play and let us start games on the front foot, and hopefull dominate.

Hopefully Cleggy will agree to stay, as he is a quality player, no doubt about that. And i am also sure AP will make other signing, to make us a force for the forthcoming season. In my mind there is alot to be optimistic about this season... going on the last 4 or 5 games of the season, AP has his own ideas on how we should be playing, and we won 4 or 5 games with him soley in charge. So hopefully a pre season, with him implementing his own ideas on the way the team will play, will see a big difference for the new campaign.

Any ideas?

[Deleted]

Agreed. I think who decides to re-sign is the important factor here - and that includes AP.

[Mark]

I noticed that in an article in the Worcester News last week, Andy Preece was talking about City aiming for a top ten finish next season

Didn't we discuss this last summer? Aiming for the top ten when we should be aiming for the top spot. Does this mean he already believes we are not capable of winning the league?

[Tim Munslow]

Perhaps he's just being realistic and safeguarding his back, given the budget he's been allowed; wouldn't you? He can then say to the Chairman "told you so" should he not get in the top ten. Some of the promoted and relegated clubs look as if they'll have much bigger budgets than us, so it's a reasonable position to adopt.

[LeedsWCFC]

mark said:

I noticed that in an article in the Worcester News last week, Andy Preece was talking about City aiming for a top ten finish next season

Didn't we discuss this last summer? Aiming for the top ten when we should be aiming for the top spot. Does this mean he already believes we are not capable of winning the league?

I saw that too and thought much the same as you, Mark. I would expect almost every club in the league, regardless of how well or badly they did last season, to have a play-off place as a minimum ambition. Obviously most clubs will fail but a new season should be a time for new hope. Andy Preece has also already said that he thought that the squad was good enough overall to have achieved a lot higher place in the league in the season just finished so why does he appear to have lowered his sights?

[alwaysnextyear]

AP is aiming for a Top 10 finish next year ? Can't wait for that nail biting battle for 10th place !After finishing 9th this season how can finishing one place lower be considered any ambition at all ? Is that good enough or is he getting his excuses in early regarding next years budget ?
It was ironic that this season AP felt that the team " over- achieved " compared to playing budget, yet Des Lyttle in his farewell article in the WEN felt that the team had " under-achieved " considering the players at the Club this year !! I agree with Des.
Perhaps Dave Boddy's comment that clubs with smaller playing budgets finished above us said it all. Perhaps these Clubs sign players whose committment and desire isn't drained after driving 80 miles + for every home game ?

[Deleted]

I'm not sure what the best message is. "Yes we're aiming for the top" - and risk the wrath of us lot, or play ambitions down and get criticised. It's how AP deals with the players that's important, not what he says to the press. That's just filling column inches.

[villager]

It's play-offs or nothing ... as far as I'm concerned.

Aim for the top and - if you fall short - you'd be in the play-offs.

The lost of Jock seemed to have a positive impact on results, so I hope it continues into the new season.

[jp]

ealing said:

I'm not sure what the best message is. "Yes we're aiming for the top" - and risk the wrath of us lot, or play ambitions down and get criticised. It's how AP deals with the players that's important, not what he says to the press. That's just filling column inches.

Its a no win situation for a manager when asked what his expectations are. At least he didn't go for that old cop out of "The first target is to get enough points to avoid relegation!!" How I hate it when managers say that, its so f**k**g obvious!!!

[jp]

timmunslow said:

Perhaps he's just being realistic and safeguarding his back, given the budget he's been allowed; wouldn't you? He can then say to the Chairman "told you so" should he not get in the top ten. Some of the promoted and relegated clubs look as if they'll have much bigger budgets than us, so it's a reasonable position to adopt.

No I wouldn't, if you are in a situation where you aren't getting as big a budget as you want, would you really look to under-achieve just to say to the board "I told you so?" How churlish is that???
Anyway who says these clubs have bigger budgets than ours, and who says bigger budgets means success? I notice that Kettering are considering going part-time again as Ladak has just noticed the bleedin' obvious (Is this guy totally thick???) that he can't attract the best non-league players as many can't commit to playing football full-time!!!

[Tim Munslow]

I wonder what morale is like at Kettering now? With a Chairman like that potential management and players alike are, surely, going to be very wary of the club, particularly those with families to support.