Naylor is right...aim is promotion or not promotion?

[Publius Ovidius]

I think his cause could be helped if, at anytime, there was a player within 20 yards of him

....and it looks like he is yet to be match sharp....not match fit! I am not sure he is disinterested and it will be interesting when Mac smith comes back and gives us a speedier option up front to play off him.

 

[dougdeep]

I can't see Bloom putting any more money into the club after this season. It needs to stand on it's own and if we can't afford a player then we should do without. We get so many people on here complaining that we aren't spending and I expect in a couple of months they will be complaining about the season ticket prices.

 

[supaseagull]

I can't see Bloom putting any more money into the club after this season. It needs to stand on it's own and if we can't afford a player then we should do without. We get so many people on here complaining that we aren't spending and I expect in a couple of months they will be complaining about the season ticket prices.

I guess that depends on whether Bloom is running the club with his heart or head....So far it's been head with a little bit of heart.

 

[Stuart Munday]

The problem is that most of our promotion / play-off competitors are ignoring FFP and paying wages to players that we can't compete with because we choose to adhere to FFP.

Nobody is asking Bloom to splash more of his own personal cash in the window - sound business with the Barnes and Bridcutt money should enhance the squad without any net outlay of cash.

I hope that Bloom doesn't lose sight of what has put these 28,000 bums on seats - flair signings like Vicente, Buckley, Ulloa, CMS, Bruno, Bridge. I get the strategy of signing proven players that have already achieved promotion out of this division, or had a taste of Prem action, but's it doesn't compare with the 'X' Factor of a Vicente signing.

The fact Oscar is ex-Barcelona further raises expectation that yet more Latin talent will be signed up, and I fancy if the window closes without an exciting signing or two then many fans will think long and hard about the situation.

Will Oscar get to choose any new players (im not sure he has done so far), we were all expecting some young exciting flair players but our next signing will probably be from South Wales like most of the others.

 

[Neecha]

Watching the football league show on Saturday it is clear that our squad is not currently equpped to make a serious tilt at promotion. You just have to look at the squads available to Forest, QPR and Leicester and then look at our threadbare squad on Saturday to realise we are way off the mark in comparison to the teams at the top of this league. Naylor is right in the Argus this morning that the Club need to clarify what our ambitions are this Season, they need to resolve the Bridcutt situation and give Oscar the backing he needs to mount a serious play off push, or they need to speak to fans expectations and cool them down and in the mean time resolve whatever contracts they can for next Season.

It's not fair to blame the rest of the Season on Oscar whatever happens, we have a threadbare squad that fails to compare with the teams around us. He is doing fantastically well with the options that are available to him and probably not getting enough praise for that.

The intention was made loud and clear at the start of the season by TB, he wanted to go for it again and try and better last season. He would (like us lot) not have imagined how awful the injury list has been. Bridcutt will be gone, TB is clearly holding out for the right price and GP and Sunderland know this. I can see this dragging on unless Sunderland man up and put something decent on the table. As soon as this is finalised, we will see some decent signings come our way. It will be cat and mouse maybe right up until the last day. Lets not forget who we signed this time last season and look at the impact of that.

Lastly, with ALL of our players back and fit do you really think Forest and Leicester have a stronger squad than us (we murdered the latter at the amex not long ago)

 

[Betfair Bozo]

I guess that depends on whether Bloom is running the club with his heart or head....So far it's been head with a little bit of heart.

I suspect he'd tell you it's been the opposite!

 

[Notters]

I have had this thought deep in mind for some time that when the times right he will sell hence keep the FFP correct and things on an even keel and the club would be ripe to buy for the right person/company

Is this despite the fact that he's publicly stated that he wants to hand the club down to his children, and his children's children?

 

[B.W.]

Is this despite the fact that he's publicly stated that he wants to hand the club down to his children, and his children's children?

Too right. It's in the Bloom blood.

 

[glasfryn]

Is this despite the fact that he's publicly stated that he wants to hand the club down to his children, and his children's children?

Hmmmmm!
I hope this happens
but I still have this niggling that if offered the right money he will take it, he is after all as everyone keeps on saying a business man

 

[B.W.]

Hmmmmm!
I hope this happens
but I still have this niggling that if offered the right money he will take it, he is after all as everyone keeps on saying a business man

He sure is. A businessman who is a Brighton supporter. We are so lucky to have him. He ain't going anywhere.

 

[Steve Foster]

He sure is. A businessman who is a Brighton supporter. We are so lucky to have him. He ain't going anywhere.

Is the correct answer. I have known Tony Bloom all my 46 years, though, my hunch is, if someone offered stupid money for the club & could take us to the next level he may consider selling - but the club is not for sale!

 

[symyjym]

I thought we played with good spirit against Derby and considering we are short of pacey wingers due to injuries we were a little unlucky not to get a point.

I would prefer an automatic promotion than a playoff promotion. Get into the Prem with a well rehearsed, consistent team with blend of experience, youth and pace.

If we were promoted this season it would be tough because we haven't perfected our style and on top of that we would have to splash out big time on many mercenaries who will have to go through a learning curve.

 

[APACHE]

This season I'm the same as last season, not expecting promotion, reason the squad's not good enough if they do it great but I won't be unhappy if they don't. To say the club should start splashing the cash about forgets that 3 yrs ago we were playing at a local sports field and now because the gates are 25000 instead of 7000 people think the club can buy promotion. Well where's the money coming from because it seems we need to sell before we can buy. IMO the club will try to strengthen, at the right price for them, if they can't they'll wait to the end of the season and then I think we may see OG really put his mark on the squad because when you look at it we've got some that are over 30, some who are injury prone, some on loan and some who at times seem to have their minds eslewhere.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

On the bright side we only have one more league game until the transfer window closes so at least we'll know where we are and what to expect before taking on too many more matches.

 

[Mellotron]

I guess that depends on whether Bloom is running the club with his heart or head....So far it's been head with a little bit of heart.

MASSIVELY the opposite.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

MASSIVELY the opposite.

I agree. If he was running it with his head, he wouldn't be stumping up £8million a year to cover losses on top of the £130million plus he has basically given the club already.

 

[Notters]

MASSIVELY the opposite.

I agree. He wouldn't have bought the club otherwise.

 

[supaseagull]

I agree. If he was running it with his head, he wouldn't be stumping up £8million a year to cover losses on top of the £130million plus he has basically given the club already.

I guess you're right when you put it like that. However, if you take the example of Jack Walker at Blackburn, he effectively bought the Premier League title for them back in the 90's and now THAT is running the club with your heart but then he didn't need to spend £130 million on them.

Makes you wonder if whether we had a ground to begin with and TB took over, whether we would be in their position?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I guess you're right when you put it like that. However, if you take the example of Jack Walker at Blackburn, he effectively bought the Premier League title for them back in the 90's and now THAT is running the club with your heart but then he didn't need to spend £130 million on them.

Makes you wonder if whether we had a ground to begin with and TB took over, whether we would be in their position?

I think with Bloom it is probably somewhere in the middle. Running things with his heart (i.e. the money he has put in, the fact he is involved with the Albion at all), but with his head making sure he is doing it the right way (i.e. spending on infrastructure, working towards FFP).

It is a lucky combination for us fans.

 

[1swedegull]

As far as I can see the club seems to be doing things right , yes Saturday was a knockback but to be honest I don't think we played that terrible and they got it with a deflected goal , even if we had el abd, barnes et al playing or on the bench I don't think it would have made a difference just one of those days unfortunately ... as regards new players as in every January transfer window ( which I personally hate because it causes this tension and break up of sides) then i'm sure if the player is available who we need be it mason , Conway or 'el scorio' the board know what they can afford and what they can get its all a case of what will make the team better then it is rather then waste money ... in short yes I think the club want promotion but not so it can collapse at the slightest problem of money etc .