I'm sure it was at The Fans Forum that the realistic target was to avoid the bottom three and 17th be a great season.
While I can understand this just be tad more positive in your goals, selling ourselves to prospective players as we are already in relegation dog fight before a ball has been...
I have wondered this might the a problem in recruitment and a relegation clause in players contracts.
Going back to the OP I also think this is an issue that the club's target is 17th and Premier survival it doesn't paint a positive picture to the staff and supporters. Smacks of desperation...